Christmas Table Runner

Christmas Table Runner 

December 1, 2012

Christmas Runner from Pieced Tree Patterns (Forest City Iowa)

I've always wanted to take the time to make a festive Christmasy table runner.  So that is what I did!  I used the pattern from Pieced Tree Patterns (Forest City, Iowa).  I immediately went searching for the perfect fabric.  I wanted something that was a little old fashioned, something bright and cheerful, and of course, Christmasy.  I managed to find some cute green reindeer fabric (if you look closely, you will see that the reindeers all have red shiny nose.  I found dark red and gold swirly fabric that matches my reindeers.  For me, that is a match!  I could've used any fabric for the backing, but I just had to pick something that was a nice contrast... hence the pine needles and pine cones with berries.  I'm pretty proud of this and I even made one for my mom.  I took the time to enter it in the Quilting Gallery weekly contest.  Go and check it out at this site.  There are or will be more Christmas runners by other quilters/sewers.  http://quiltinggallery.com/   You can even vote for your own favorite winner.  The winner is determined by the most vote and will get a prize.  Imagine how many more inspiration you could get from checking out the site.

On to my next project.  I wonder what it will be!

Close up of the front and back of the runner sewn and quilted by yours truly

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

My first Halloween Tree as an Adult!

October 31, 2012:

I love Halloween.  I've always loved the spirit of it.  Getting dressed up in creative costumes and trick or treating for candy.  My mom did create us a Halloween Tree, and she was creative with our costumes.  One year, my sister, brother, and I went as the 3 blind mice.  We wore sunglasses, had a mouse costume on and our tail was bandaged.  Totally cool!  When I got older, trick or treating was still a big deal, but it would be followed by Halloween Movies!  Once I became an adult, I grieved for awhile because it wasn't quite right to go trick or treating and I was in an apartment in a far out of the way place that no one came to for candy.  My husband and I finally bought our first house and 4 months later, I was so excited to discover that we lived in Trick or Treaters Heaven.  This year was especially special because my son will be 14 months tomorrow and he got to go trick or treating in his lion costume... collecting candy for his parents.  It was great.  This year, I finally found some time to create a halloween tree.  it is not much since I ran out of time, but I used Chinese Lanterns that I had grown in my yard and dried.  Scrap fabric for bows,  Branches from the last storm, paper for ghosts.  Not bad for a beginner.  My only regret was, I didn't have strong enough branches to put my orange lights on the tree, but I learned something new for next year.  Hopefully I will have orange lights next year.  

Of course, I have to spoil the kids in my family and my friends kids.  I made them "poop" bags (Ghost poop, Pumpkin poop, and Bat Poop).  I saw the idea on Pinterest and just had to do it.  I used Marshmallow  Candy Corn and Raisins.  The kids got a good laugh.  On to the next holiday!

Silly treats for the kids