HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween, to all. We carved pumpkins this week, for the first time since Logan was born. I think my husband and I had more fun than the kids. As you can see above, the pumpkins themselves were an okay thing, but once we got down to the dirty work, both kids turned a little squeamish over the guts.

To get either Logan or Layla to participate, we literally had to hold their hands in the goo. You can see on their little faces the general sense of 'EWWWWW!'

And lastly, I would like to share a picture of the angel/fairy charms, all packaged up and ready to go. I even managed to list them before I posted them here...I think they are more likely to be fairy charms than angels. I did see some angel wing findings at Fire Mountain Gems that would make some excellent angels. For now, though, these will do. Again, Happy Halloween, and happy haunting!

Reversable Coffee Cozies

Here they are!! Or, rather, it because I am only posting one. Click on the link to my etsy shop to see more. They turned out pretty cute. I also have made some can cozies that I have yet to post anywhere. As you can see, one side is peppers, and the other side is green. Most of them are themed on one side, and more "neutral" so-to-speak on the other side to make them versatile and usable year round.

So, this is my contribution to help save the earth and go green. I guess. At least I know I won't need any cardboard ones from the coffee shops ever again!!! Woo hoo for me!

Madame Halloween

Here is a piece that I have been working on for a few weeks now. I had lost my inspiration for it after I did the skeleton image transfer. With a little boost and help from the RAK package, I finished it. I call it Madame Halloween. It was supposed to be for the Day of the Dead, but I guess it can be either, no matter what it is called.

Diana Gabaldon - An Echo In The Bone

As I posted earlier this month, I went to a signing of this book. The author, Diana Gabaldon is simply, or marvelously, wonderful. I finished the book about 2 weeks ago.


There is a lot of speculation about the next book in the series. Way too much for me to wrap my head around. I am just happy to have the story, and get lost for a bit when I am reading the books. As always, I am missing the characters. They seem very alive, like relatives I haven't seen in a while. I suppose that is why there is such a huge following. I also suppose that is why I read and re-read all the books over and over again.


As an unpaid, but very happy promoter of Diana Gabaldon and all the books in the Outlander series, I urge you to read or re-read them all. My new quest of this author, is to hunt down the Lord John books, which are an off shoot series from one of the characters of the Outlander series. And I am eagerly awaiting the graphic novel release due sometime in 2010 based from the first book of the series.


Until then, what to do, what to do.........oh, yeah, tackle the mountains of art and sewing projects laying around this place.

*The above picture is a scan of my copy of the book. It is used without permission. I will be happy to remove it if there is any conflict.

One New, and One Old...

This is a new project that is just finished. It is a "micro mini" crazy quilt. The dimensions are 1 1/4 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches tall. Yeah, small. I was shocked that my embroidery lessons from years and years ago actually stuck. I don't normally embroider, so, this is a good thing. I wish I could have gotten the picture bigger, but it just got too blurry. The seams are all lined with mixed blue beads, and the ones going across the duck button do lay, or stand, depending on your point of view. They were just pushed down by the scanner bed. I hand stitched all of this down to the batting and backing. It really is a quilt. Not too shabby for my first crazy quilt ever, but don't ask me why I had to do such an itty bitty thing for my first attempt. The next picture is an altered watch. I made this around the time that I joined Altered_stArt. All in all, about two years ago, ball park figuring. The scanner did not do this right at all. The dimensions of the watch face are 3/4 inches across and 7/8 inches long. In the top left corner are some gears from the watch itself. The frame around the doll face are super small rhinestones. The gold on the bottom is a cut out of angel wings, and the word in the bottom left says "continue". The pink background is darker than is shown here. I am not sure how well I like it, coming back in time, but we all start some where.

Mail Call...

Tuesday, the knock came on the door. I knew it was the mail carrier, because I was expecting the Halloween Fatbook to come. However, he held two packages in his hands!?! While excited to open the fatbook, I saw RAK (Random Act of Kindness) on the label of the second package. To hell with filing written bills, I had goodies to look at!!!! Above is a photo of the RAK package. Lots and lots more involved than what is showing in the picture! A fellow member of Altered_stArt and blogger sent this to me. The lady who inspired me to make the bracelet in an earlier post, Kim S. (see her link in the Websites to Visit in the right hand column), sent this to me. It is just absolutely the most perfect pick-me-up that I needed right now. So very kind. I am in the middle of another project at this point in time, but I cannot wait to play with all the things involved, and have already began reading the book. I think several posts involving that book will be coming.



And now, the Halloween Fatbook; I am also thrilled with this book, but I knew it was coming, so it took second place. See my post dated October 9, 2009 for a look at the page that I contributed.

So much wonderful artwork in this book, and delightfully Halloween-ey. Such brilliant colors. And the goodies to boot, came in the little black cat box on the right. (Note: The Hershey's Kiss didn't make it past the photo session...mmm chocolate.) I am thinking that the red star will end up on the bamboo tile. I have been wanting to do some tile/domino work again lately. I will post it when I do it some day.

TICKER TAPE: You do want to visit Kim's blog. She has a wonderful contest going on right now to celebrate her 100th post. Congratulations Kim!!!

Ribbon Puzzle block Dolly Blankets

These are some dolly blankets that I have put together. The original pattern is called Ribbon Puzzle. It is an original pattern from The Quilter's Cache, by Marcia Hohn, (c) September 6, 2005. I simply love her website. It showcases an unimaginable number of quilt blocks, both traditional and original. Please, if you sew at all, treat yourself to her website. A link titled The Quilter's Cache is under the "Websites To Visit" title in the right column. The photo below shows the three that I have made. Both Layla and Logan fight to get them for playing with and cuddling their "babies" (which includes everything from hot wheels to baby dolls).

Peyote Stitch Bracelet

This is a peyote bead stitch bracelet that I made. The base or foundation is actually the peyote stitch. The top of the bracelet is free form beaded. I chose red, gold and green colors because of the upcoming Christmas holiday, and it will become a gift for someone.

The inspiration for this bracelet comes from Kim at Tabby's Place. Here is the link to her blog:
http://tabithalenox.blogspot.com/. See the July 20, 2009 post.

Thanks Kim for the inspiration, but I think yours is so much more pretty.

New Background and Header

As you can see, I have a new background and header. You can get several different ones to add to your blog by following this link: http://cutencool-itkupilli.blogspot.com/, or by clicking on the link in the top left hand corner. So many different choices. I guess I will be changing them often. I couldn't decide what to pick, so I went with a gothic type theme to celebrate the Halloween holiday. Hope you enjoy!!

Diana Gabaldon

It's a few days late, but here, as promised, is my account of the book signing with Diana Gabaldon.

The book signing took place on 1, October, 2009 at the Har Mar Mall in Roseville, MN. Keep in mind that this lady is hands down, my absolute favorite author. In fact, I quite obsessively read and re-read her books. The characters are so vivid and life-like. If you have never read her books, please, take the time to do so.

My husband says they are full of smut...NOT TRUE. If he or any other person would take the time to read them, they would indeed figure out why they rest in the fiction section rather than romance. I have in fact gained some pieces of historical knowledge from her books. She takes the time to research, and intersperses history, romance, sci-fi, fiction, and just about any category you can imagine into her novels.

My picture, though treasured, is very badly representing of me. It had rained all day, and my hair has absolutely no resistance to humidity. Oh, well, I'm quite sure that Ms. Gabaldon doesn't remember every single face she encounters. But I will definitely remember her.

I will type from my journal my account of the signing, and add anything I happen to think of along the way.

1-October-2009

I am at the Har Mar Mall in Roseville, awaiting my turn in line to have a book signed and photo with my favorite author, Diana Gabaldon. She spoke before signing, and she seems to be quite a character. She also talks as she writes, with much wit and humor. You simply cannot believe the number of people here. So packed. I've never heard a bookseller so noisy. Much more like a high school cafeteria than a book store. Well, it is 8:56 p.m. and I am #278 in line to be signed. It took just over 1/2 an hour for the first 90.

They announced that people had been there since 2:00 that afternoon to obtain a seated place. I, not arriving until about 6:50, had to stand several book aisles back and stare at a box titled "Vampire Tarot" of all things. When I got my number, at the bottom of the slip, it says:

Diana Gabaldon

An Echo In The Bone

At

Barnes & Noble

Roseville

Thursday, October 1

7:00 PM

Books for those with babies or physical disabilities

will be signed before any numbers are called.

This is your place in line to have a book signed 287

This does NOT guarantee seating. Space is limited and

seating is on a first come first served basis.

Well, crap. I walked in without my crutches, thinking they would have been burdensome to me and others. There goes chance number one to get in and out. My husband graciously took both of the kids, so I could enjoy this opportunity. No cell phone to call him and tell him to bring one back to me. Chance two blown away by my trying to be courteous to other people and the author. Once it actually started, I couldn't have asked for crutches or kid. Needless to say, it was after 10:00 p.m. by the time we went back to the hotel.

Everyone has asked me how it was....everything I did, and didn't expect. The lady herself, was shorter than I am. I don't know if I expected her to be larger than life or what, but it took me off guard. I wished I could have seen her while she was speaking. The number of people was astonishing, but not surprising, if that makes any sense. When your number was called, you filed through a taped out maze on the floor. They came, spelled your name on a sticky note. When you got to the front of the line, some one took the book, flipped it open the title page, some one else took your camera, she signed, looked up briefly to snap your picture, handed your book back, and off you went. A bit impersonal. Well, self reflection says, this is not the first signing she has done for this book. The book being released eight days prior to this event. I think even if it were my first book signing, by the time I hit number 278, with typically 2 signatures each, I wouldn't be very personal and chatty either. My guess is that if I had been her, I would be thinking "Okay, I have heard it all, 7 books before this one, my hand hurts, I'm tired, I will be hearing all of this again in a day or two, snap the damn picture and get out of here! Oh, and thank you for your loyalty and support of my career. Buh-bye now."

I did enjoy it, and will always treasure it. My initial thoughts are that I would not do this again, but who knows.

New Swaps for Altered_stArt

Well, I have been busy lately with two swaps for the yahoo group. The first of these is a Halloween circle fat book. I'm not sure that I am all that happy with it, but they will have to do as the deadline is 15, October. I do not have time to re-do. The sky, moon, tree, and grass are all hand painted. Some look much better than others...but Halloween isn't always pretty, now is it? The spiral side is not what I had intended it to be. But it contains a cute little poem titled "Spooks" by Sandra Liatsos. Here is the link to the web site. http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/poems.htm

The second swap is for a collaborative 2010 desk calendar. This year is done with a pocket. I participated in last year's calendar, and have thoroughly enjoyed it since it arrived in the mail. There is such a wonderful array of talent, thought, and care put into these.

I made a small gift envelope to put into the pocket of my calendar pages. Participants won't know this until they receive the calendar, read my blog, or the hostess of the swap reveals this. I chose yellows and oranges for the base of the pages, and then added the flip flops in various colors of paper and beads. June is the beginning of summer, and what a better way to symbolize that, than with a pair of cute flip flops.

I cannot wait until I have both the calendar, and the Halloween fat book in my hands. These swaps are always a treat!