Friday, July 31, 2009

Peppy Puppy & Pooped Pooch

This is Koto. Koto lives next door to us, he started coming over when Tartarus had his surgery to amputate his ear. I suspect my dog has been visiting him.
My neighbor had a rottweiler that grew up with Tartarus, in fact I drove by his house once only to see my dog eating Winston's dinner! Right in front of him!
My neighbor has asked once to keep Tartarus home, that was when their garden was sprouting.
Koto is maybe....1 year old, still a puppy. We don't mind Koto coming over, although he's let me get near him once. We had to keep Tartarus inside when he had his stitches because they got too rough with one another. Now with this summer heat, Tartarus last about 15 minutes before he's done in.



He's a pooped pooch, but doing really well now, and on this day when Koto's owner called for him, he beat feet with a softball in his mouth! Lil' stinker! C&G Design


Thursday, July 30, 2009

Constructing a New Pillow

It is....a rarity when I use a pattern but I wasn't not sure of the repeat lines sooo, cutting from the pattern is best in this case. And may I add, a lot of time is spent on getting your items together and cutting the pieces.
Though this looks like a complicated sewing technique, it was really quite fun to do. I was amazed how quickly the rows became shortened once I got past the first two. The lace is stitched from the outside rows in towards the short row.

As with all pillows...we must get the stuffing....just so.


After all, this jolly ole' fella is important!



Merry Christmas in July! C&G Design

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Surprise!















Happy birthday to meeeee,


Happy birthday to meeeee,
Happy birthday, dear me! C&G Design






Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Rain

Monday, Monday, it did have some... intermittent sunnnnn. But by 3 pm we were back under the clouds getting a lot of rain dumped on us.

The 2 long shot photos will have to be enlarged on order to see the drops falling, ignore the drippy roof rake as my hubby thinks it's a permanent fixture up there.


My driveway flooded rather quickly. Here is the drain, a low spot we created to keep the water away from the foundation.


The water was also rolling down off the hill. My poor goats rue is weighted with moisture.


And look at the haze, the dripping evergreens and mostly likely some things in the garden were trampled again.


My houseplants are getting a nice drink they have never experienced before. What happened to summer?

I hope Sherry from Country wings in Phoenix have enjoyed a few of these refreshing photos and that it made the dessert she lives in a little less hot. C&G Design


Monday, July 27, 2009

Etsy Finds

Don't you just love cleaning things out? What I have for crafts, unfinished objects (ufo's), and works in progress (wip) could really fill a decent size room. These are some handmade claw bows I picked up in a box lot along the way. It seems each bow is paired with a silky scarf. The one Madame is modeling in Chanel.
All of the 7 bows are elaborate and beautiful. They are on their way to Etsy, as long as Etsy tells me my file are not to big and they load!

And here we have 6 pairs of brass earrings, each has a different beading, and all are no smaller than a nickel.


Decorative hearts....

fluttering butterflies.....


flower baskets.....


cupids......


large stars.....



and finally, pretty bows.
Each are headed to Etsy also, gee...it's been like Christmas around here! C&G Design

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Easy Peasy Photo Album Covers

I am a good one to look at handmade things and try to figure out how they are made, I did not have to spent too much time on these covers though, they are easy peasy.1. You start by having your album handy, see...I can't tell you the fabric to cut, or the outside dimensions because every binder is different. You're going to need to measure around the outside of the album with the album closed, a cloth tape would work. Add about 3/4'' for seam allowance and space for batting. Cut the inner cover times 2 at the dimension of 12 1/2 by 12 1/2. place fabrics right side together. You can also add lace around the edges but I would recommend pre-gathered because it's easier to round the corners. You can go all the way around the outside edge with your lace, but I do the top only a lot of the times, it cuts down on the fru-fru- being placed on a shelf.
2. Get the hot glue gun handy and glue batting around the outside of the album, the covers fit better when they have a cushion applied under it.

3. Measure you album by placing the cover on it with the batting, pin where the binding starts, you will sew another piece of lace to make a complete square. On the binders edge, stitched to the right side of the fabric, make sure ends match-up.


4. Cut the frame size you want from cardboard. Glue a small amount of batting to one side of the frame.

5. Hot glue the fabric wrapped around the frame, pleat the corners in one triangle tuck.

6. Hot glue three sides of the frame to the album cover (leave upper side open for photo to slide in). Embellish with what you'd like, ribbon, silk flowers, buttons, etc.
Easy peasy. C&G Design

Saturday, July 25, 2009

What is Pink?


Pink is a tint, depending on how much white and how much red is added to one another as to how 'pink' you become.
At the turn of the century girls were seen wearing blue and young boys, pink. Blue was dainty, delicate and associated with the virgin Mary. Pink was considered a strong color, being a relative of red, and often placed on boys. In 1921 The Women's Institute for domestic Science officially endorsed blue for girls and pink for boys.
Deep carmine pink
Deep pink
French rose
Fuchsia
Fuchsia pink
Hollywood Cerise
Hot magenta
Hot pink
Lavender pink
Lavender rose


In ancient times it was believed by the Europeans that baby girls were born from the center of roses and the boys were to be god-like from the skies, which are blue.
In 1681 the Dutch had a flower recognized, it was called "pinken", it is unclear what that name is related to, some speculate it's for the jagged edges of the petals, as if they are pinked.
Light pink
Light thulian pink
Magenta
Mountbatten pink
Persian pink
Persian rose
Pink
Puce
Rose
Rose pink

Feng Shui defines pink as a large shift of energy, soothing, calm, relaxing and a sign of contentment. A bowl of rose quarts will bring natural healing vibes of love!
Salmon pink
Shocking pink
Tea rose
Thulian pink
Ultra pink
Variations of pink But 'what is the scent of pink?' I say it's got to be bubblegum. What is a better scent to make one think pink? The first taste of pink with it's powdered substance, it's long lasting, and best of all....entertaining.


Visit the samples of pink for a eye wonder of bubblicious and see Beverly for more people who believe in the color of "PINK". C&G Design

Friday, July 24, 2009

Stuffies-Part 2

These were in a large quart-size, zip-lock bag and I kept wondering......hummm, "what is that smell?", a familiar smell, sort of sanitized with the overwhelming smell of cardboard mixed within it. Well, I fished through the rest of the papers in the bag, a few beautiful sketches, notes and a manila folder marked "school file."
I think the hippo is so cute! and chubby.....chubby is good for a hippo, otherwise the word "hip" wouldn't be included in the species name!

Well, it occurred to me...the smell is the soap from the school's bathroom! and as I saw the sheep, more things came to mind. This person is a kindergarten teacher and these are felt animals, wa-la! To practice buttoning the ears on, yeees! My first clue is the skinny hooves on the gorgeous sheep, to do this one as a stuffie, I would cut the fabric all the way across. From the first hoof to the last, then paint the blackened hooves.


These three have the same ear, the hippo is open, the sheep is a downward ear and the camel upward. Dare I make these with weighting pellets and they not be considered close to beanie babies?
I'll have to find the perfect fabric, should be easy. C&G Design

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Stuffies-Part 1

Yep, it's like that.....you know that feeling of when you come across something you have no idea where you got it at!? Yep. I found these cardboard templates in some craft items I was going through. They actually have a flip side that states "Town of Shapleigh" Humm....some one bored at the job. Anyhow, I thought they are to cute to bypass, the notes indicate the designer meant them to be at least 12 and 1/2 inches tall, button joints for the movable parts and I'm assuming, smaller buttons for a eye.
I've added where the frayed accessories should be, tail, mane, etc. They are cute just as they are. Cutting two of the main part and four of the over sized ears will give you the perfect stuffie for a child who enjoys the little something, something to clutch. I would either use a spotted material for the giraffe or paint spots on the body of plain fabric. Mostly likely I'd followed the first mentioned.

Part Two for tomorrow. C&G Design

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

More Nesting Dolls

I was surfing the internet and came across a site that retails these nesting dolls, they are adorable. I only wish to photos transfered larger but smaller is better than none at all. The first photo is a 3 piece traditional set. Retail $28.00.

The second photo has the graphics show as a doll themselves. Retail $28.00.


Nearest I can tell, the next two sets have Arthur (their dog), Beloved Belindy (their Nanny) and two play graphics. Retail $40.00.




This photo displays the backside of the 4 extra nesting dolls. Retail $40.00.



And this is sold as a set, it's Raggedy Ann and Andy "classic" acompanied by a chime doll. Retail $130.00.


So! Guess what I'm doing as so as I locate that blank set of nesting dolls?
C&G Design