Scrap Happy - March 2025

  Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney, and Hannah

On a trip back home from visiting with a friend in northern Arizona, I stopped by a Goodwill store.  And while there found a couple of bags with novelty prints that had been sewn into what looked like were meant to be handles or straps.   Bought one of them (and now wish I'd gotten both of them!).   Unpicked all of the seams and found that the original strips are 4 1/2 inches wide by about 16+ inches long.  I've sorted them by prints and there were 9 different themes to the prints.

I took the first set of strips (8) and put them together with 3 different remnants that I'd come across as I've been sorting through my stash and put together this quilt top.   When finished it will be donated.

And these boxes, filled with yardage, remnants, and a few scraps of fabric, were donated a couple of weeks ago to a couple of groups that make all sorts of things for foster kids.  A small dent was made in the stash with this going out.

Gratitudes:

1. For 2 months in the house.   Lots of work left to do here, but it's nice to be here.

2. For knowing that I can rest in the knowledge that in God's time the mobile home will sell.

Scrap Happy - February 2025

 Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney, and Hannah

Not a lot of sewing for me this month as I finished up getting everything moved out of the mobile home and into my house.   And added to that is the fact that I needed to immediately downsize the stash so that I could get it into one room.   These boxes are the first wave of donations (actually box #11 is almost full).   Taking them down to a friend in March.

I made time to finally do some sewing this past week.  I'd found a bundle of leftover denim scraps left from a commission from a couple of yrs ago.  6", 3" and 2" finished squares were cut using all of the scraps.   I added a cream/ivory print leftover from a backing to the smaller squares to make 4-patches and 9-patches.

And then in sorting the above fabrics I found a piece of fabric featuring wolves that I'd cut a couple of the vignettes out of yrs ago for a sweatshirt.  Cut enough squares out of what was left to add to the denim and pieced blocks.   Side borders were cut from a remnant w/small wolf silhouettes on it.

I'm planning to donate this one when finished.

Gratitudes:

1. Finally all moved into the house (even if it's going to take a long while to make progress in getting everything ordered)

2. Mobile home is going on the market this next week.   Lord willing it will sell quickly so I can be done with it.

Scrap Happy - January 2025

 Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney, and Hannah

Only a couple of scrappy projects on my plate this month thanks to the work on the house and starting to move.  First up were these scrappy blocks made with the leftover strips and bits from other projects, including one Christmas gift and a commissioned project.   

The orange blocks were made with the leftover bits of a pillow I made for a friend.   She saw them on my design wall when helping me move stuff between homes, but didn't think of anything till after she opened her gift later the same day.

Next where these little ornaments that started with some wooden craft ornaments that were made to put photos into.   I pulled a few small strips of green for these trees.  The pile of trimmings on the desk did go into the trash.

I then pulled some of the itty-bitty teensy scraps that I'd tossed out initially after making the centers of the orange blocks above and used them for these two sunburst ornaments.

Final scrappy project for the month is this wooden plaque that was in the Christmas craft things that the big box fabric store here in Phoenix had this past year's Christmas things.   I picked it up after Christmas and decided to make scrappy trees in the same kind of way as the ornaments.   

Gratitudes:

1. First phase of the work on the house is finally done and I can now live there.  Now to figure out when the next phase of work can be done (3 more steps to get all the needed work done).

2. Almost everything was moved into the house before or on Jan 11th.   Just a few more things to move over and a lot of cleaning to go at the house.   Am so thankful for all the help I've had in getting everything moved into the house.   Next up continuing to downsize so I can get the remaining work done on the house.

House Update....

 The first phase of the work on the house was completed mid-December.  And that allowed me to start moving into the house the weekend after Christmas thanks to a lot of help from one of my best friends.  Most of the remaining items were moved this past weekend leaving some yet to move, a lot of cleaning needed (those dust bunnies got out of hand!), and some painting that needs to be finished.   Next up is contacting a realtor, as well as finishing up everything so that I can get the mobile home sold and out of my hair.   

Family room and dining area.  

Finished kitchen

For the time being my bed is in the living room because what will be my bedroom, along with the master (were my fabric is) and the final bedroom are filled with boxes of stuff and fabric.

My "home" office and sewing area.   Am thankful for the office desk my dad had picked up for my mom years ago.   

My "work" office setup and ready for work on this little pine table that I picked up a couple of years ago at the second hand store just a half mile from my house.

Gratitudes:

1. For all the help from some of the young adults at church in getting so much moved on Saturday

2. For everything fitting in the house (well except for one cabinet that still needs a place to go) and for room leftover for me to be able to move around in.

Christmas 2025 Wrap-Up

 Once again, the majority of my gifts this year were made by me.  Making my gifts keeps my thoughts and prayers on the person they are for as I'm working.   A blessing to me as I'm so far away from family these days.

ScrapHappy - December 2024

 Welcome to ScrapHappy day!

Everyone has been busy working on their projects. Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Tierney 
and Hannah

First project this month was to use up the wee bit quilted fabric that I'd had leftover from the potholders I'd made last month.   I first added backing made from the leftover binding from a mini wall-hanging that I've got in progress.  

Next up was trimming to 4 inches and cutting the strip into 2 pieces at 1/3 of the width.   I then sewed the smaller piece on the end of one side.

Next step was to sew a button on and then zig-zagged around the edges.  I then sew the side and bottoms together.

Final little gift card case looks like this.   I ended up sewing a different button on, and used stretch elastic for the button loop.

Next up was making something to go on top of a 12" by 16" cutting board so that I can use it to set hot pans on when taking them out of the oven.  The cutting board has feet to will keep the pans (like a cake pan) away from the new countertops which are formica.   

To that end I took a piece of "created" fabric made from all the trimmings from a couple of commissioned quilts and after bordering it with more of the Grunge dots used in the potholders last month.

I then too a piece of ironing board material that I'd gotten as a remnant from Joann's and quilted the two together and bound with more of the grunge dots.  Finished size is 12" by 16" and it can be used with either side up.  And even managed to perfectly match dots as I sewed the binding ends together.

The final scrappy project for month was to sew the remaining bit's from the potholders together and then border them out to 9" cut to start on blocks for a scrappy quilt.   Border strips were scraps from another quilt, and a remnant will be used to add more blocks as I have bits leftover from other projects.   This is likely to be a long-term project so it needs to find a tote to reside in.  =)

Gratitudes:

1. the vision in my left eye is getting better (went from 20/400 to 20/250 at the latest appt).   Looking forward to getting the cataract removed, hopefully sooner than later, so that I can see clearly again.

2. The work on the house is almost done for this present round.   I'm looking forward to being able to move in sooner than later......I hope.   Had hoped for Christmas, but it's looking more like January is more realistic.