Happy Summer. My poor long ignored blog.... I have been busy, sewing, doing all the things I love. One thing is sewing quilts  to be shared with the pets among the homeless camps and it is such a wonderful feeling especially when I see a sweet little pup sitting on one of my creations.  Lately I sewed up a batch of upholstery totes... this post I borrowed from Dog Days Out AZ, the group that sets up big shares with so many homeless and their pets.

 Happy Almost Christmas 2022.  I have been so neglectful of my blog that I loved and used so much...mostly when I was very active on the design teams.  Now I wing it, making cards by the dozens and sewing until the sewing machines say STOP.  Here is a bundle of little gifties I made from a big batch of lovely fabrics a high school friend gave me. First up are several of the little velcro pouches..I do not toss even a small strip of fabrics so those are sewn into little place mats or coasters. The next photo... much loved seat belt covers. These really help to prevent that seat belt to annoy your neck. Also shown are some cross body bags (popular) and some zipper purses.  Heavy photo load, sorry.

Back again, sewing as usual

My high school friend shared some fabrics with me so naturally I hit the ground running. I have sewn with happy delight.  Here is a heavy photo presence.... zip purses, velcro pouches, coasters, cross body bags. 

Back Again after so long...

 It has been since 2020 that I have posted anything so I have a few things to share. I have been sewing dog/cat quilts for the rescues, and there were around 7 that came to pick up my little quilts.  I do a lot of paper and sewing arts for graymattersfoundation.org ... my friend Lanette who is the brain tumor support lady..I never seem to not be sewing, paper crafting, knit and crochet and just keep busy.  Here are a few of my recent sewing projects... using Loralei fabrics is the best fun. I use even the smallest left over fabrics so you will see a lineup of keychains, lots of fun to make. The Hipster Bags are great, they carry cell phones and some extra little needs for those quick trips, cute little tote with an embroidery teddy bear.  ...Whatever I am doing, creating...I am keeping busy at age 85 and loving it.  Thanks for stepping by in case you found my blog again. 

Simple Fabric Face Mask Tutorial

Cut two 6 x 9 pieces of 100% cotton.
Cut 1 light weight iron on interfacing or stabilizer.  Iron on front piece.
Cut two pieces of 1/4" elastic 7" long.
Add the elastic at each end.  Sew the ends to anchor the elastic.  Pull elastic inside.

 Add backing.  Pin all 5 sides but leave an opening for turning  .. blue pins indicate that.  Sew all around.

 Turn right side out.  Fold the main piece in half and mark center with pins.  This will give you center point to make the 2 pleats. I sew ONLY the long ends.  I do not sew, as yet, the ends because multiple stitchings make it difficult to sew down the pleats.  One video I looked at shows 3 pleats but this caused a bulkier sew for my particular hand and finger issues.

 Fold up each end to create two pleats on each end of the mask.

 Sewn each end twice. Pins removed.  This is the finished mask.

 Pull up on each long end.  This opens the mask.  In this instances I used a little wider elastic.  1/4" elastic is best...but it is being told that because so so so many are making the masks, availability of elastic is in effect.

Key Chains with Ribbons

I fear I have neglected my sweet blog for so long that when I do post, no one sees it.  But with that said, here I come again with a recent project.  I ordered the whiter 1" webbing, then use 1" decorative ribbons to make these cute, wrist-size key chains.  The fobs come from Amazon, as does the tool that secures the ribbon/web ends.  Convenient to carry, fits over a wrist.

Just a few card...

I am driven to lessen the stacks, drawers, piles of paper, supplies, etc....so I am sitting at the dining room table (not enough room in my craft room with the 7 sewing machines and tubs of fabrics, waiting to be sewn up) and I create cards most of each day.  Here are just a few.... Thanks for stopping by.  I should pay more attention to my blog.

Scattered Cards

I had to share this, and admit my failing to keep on top of filing cards as I created them.  I am a slam dunk card maker and can whip out a few hundred cards without stress.  Right now I have two boxes with about 160 cards that are ready for me to decorate, title, and add an inside sentiment. I have boxes full of Cricut cut sentiments for the front, and I have envelopes full of inside sentiments so once I get started on this stash, it will go quickly. This morning I shamed myself into finally filing and organizing the 14 boxes of completed cards.  I make waves of cards and I made new trays, new dividers instead of filing the cards in the already-boxed up trays. I had a mess this morning, believe me...but after about 4 hours, all the cards are filed in their themed spot.  I made a promise that I will file as I go and not let this mess happen again.  Here's a photo of the boxes this AM before I tackled the chore of re-sorting, filing and organizing.

Anyone there?

I cannot believe that it has been almost a year since I have posted anything on my blog. Shame on me.  I loved my blog, and I used to keep it up.  Now it seems Facebook has overthrown some of our avenues to show and tell.  At any rate, just for fun I am attaching a copy of about 105 quilts that I recently finished for the cat/dog rescue groups.  I have about 6 rescue groups that use the quilts.  All of the fabrics for these are donated and they are much appreciated.
Hope all is well for anyone here to read this.

Dog/CatQuilts

I have unintenionally ignored my poor blog.  I used to keep up with it, and now it seems to hide in the corner.  Everyone knows I love to sew, my blog is littered with results of just that.  The last 4 months or so I have been sewing smaller quilts for dogs and cats and to be used in the No Kill Shelters and the Rescues.  Earlier this year, I had dropped off around 100 quilts to the Humane Society in my district only to find they were being warehoused until "needed".  It was then I switched to Rescues and No Kill Shelters. I  have met some wonderful folks who devote their lives to care for cats and dogs, to make them well, give them love and try to adopt each one out to a loving family. In the past month I was given several large bags of donated fabrics and it was those fabrics that allowed me to whip up 106 quilts for several of the Rescues.  Here is a stack, different sizes for different size dogs.  Some went to the vet of a Rescue (Forever Loving Hearts Rescue in Surprise, AZ).I had a little black and white cat visitor who wandered to my yard most likely from The Sahuaro Ranch, a literal dumping ground for unwanted cats, bunnies.  Her ear was tipped, the sign that she was at The Park and she was "fixed". She was a loving kitty, so hardly feral, and probably dumped by a family that just didn't want her anymore.  Or, of course, she could have gotten lost and wandered to The Park. Forever Loving Hearts Rescue now has Tux to find a forever family for her.

Here are the quilts, and a photo of Angi Hopson who now has 64 quilts for Az. Dog Adoptions.

Cat Quilts

My friend Pat found some pink and some blue fabrics that had the cutest cat faces on the fabric.  She gave it to me and I made 13 little cat/kitty quilts that I dropped off at the Humane Society.  They reminded me when I dropped the quilts off that it is March and they are besotted with sweet newborn kittens.  I am so  happy I have something they can lay on while they wait for a fur-ever home.  Keeping my fingers crossed for each one.

Humane Society Quilts For Dogs and Cats

It is my heart's delight to be able to sew.  It is my happy spot in life, sewing this n' that, sometimes just to sew up some pretty fabric, many times to sew something special for family or friends to make them smile, and many many times to sew up to donate.  I sew a lot for Lanette Veres, http://www.graymattersfoundation.org/, and I love to sew up little quilts for the dogs and cats at the local Humane Society.  I can use up scraps of fabric, and they do not care if the quilt is precise or fabric coordinated.  Here are some recent quilts for those fur babies.

More to come... I am working on five right now and hope to drop those off this coming week.  Concrete floors are cold, the kennels are distressing, it is heartbreaking for sweet pups and cats to wait patiently for a forever home.  Adopt.  Please adopt...!!!!! 

misc stuff

More sewing stuff that keeps me busy.  

Below are various totes which are made mostly with scrap fabrics from larger projects.

 These are zipper purses which are mega-fun to make. This project is done on my embroidery machine and a process called "in the hoop"  ...The entire purse is done in the hoop and when it is finished the only thing I need to do is tear away the stabilizer and add a little charm to the zipper pull.  You can also see a little stack of "Bulldogs" made of felt and made into key rings.  In the hoop as well.

Bibs and Key Chains

Back on sewing full time now.  Here are some more baby bibs and with some cute embroidery patterns added. I have also discovered these cute ribbon wrist key chains.  Now maybe I can use up some of the trays of ribbons.  I ordered the poly webbing and key fobs from Amazon.Prime and now I am ready to make a LOT of the cute and easy to make little key chains.

Baby Bibs

Friends and neighbors are greeting babies in their lives.  Yesterday I sewed up a few baby bibs and they were fun to make.

A Nice and Tidy Cleaned up Craft Room

My craft room is my daily happy place.  One spot sports a bulletin board which is a hot mess of cards and notes, photographs and paper projects.  Here is a tidy photo, but as of right now, it is covered with lapped over items.  A mangled mess but I know where each and every item is, and where they came from and why they are there to make me smile.

One side of my Craft Room is a work station, another side has the delightful machines like Cricut Expression, e-Bosser, metal dies, and tools of the trade while the third table is a delight of sewing machines.  My happy place indeed gives me a day full of creating projects I can share.
It gets a little out of hand after a few hours and I stop, sweep, put everything back in the proper place and then I start all over again.  Recently I really did a full scale tidy-up, putting 3 extra sewing machines in a closet, reorganizing stacks and stashes.  Two years ago I had spent 2 years sewing quilts for the Homeless Veterans in Northern AZ, those precious protectors who were now living in tents in the forest, old cars, or storage sheds.  I made 55 quilts for those souls, I crocheted scarves and afghans to help keep them warm in the winter days of Northern Az.  Then I covered the sewing machines, put away the cloth projects and rolled across the room to the paper side.  I made card after card, creating and happy.  Now I am back to sewing,...totes, purses, cell phone cases, napkins, hanging towels, quilts.  I am happy girl.  Here is my cleaned up Craft Room.