The Gift

I'm a big stryofoam person, there are to many uses for stryofoam to not be. Anytime I buy an appliance that has the thin, smooth sheets of stryfoam I save them. As I look now I can see a sheet behind the end table in my family room!

Anyway, this is the other project I wrote about. My goal with this sheet of stryofoam is to make squares. I uses a rotary cutter and a metal sided ruler to cut strips.





I sure did make a mess. Remember to use foam glue when gluing foam to foam, It really works well.

I decided to start with green and gold. I' not sure why, maybe it has something to do with our school colors or maybe not.

Putting a layer of glue gives the ornament added strength.

I saw this idea with large sequins and small beads, but I decided to try it this way and see what happens. Not to bad.

The bow is a wired ribbon, that too is worth it's weight in gold.

Pun intended. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Happy Birthday to me

Myspace Graphics, Happy Birthday Graphics at WishAFriend.com

Birthday Blessings


Instead of counting candles,
Or tallying the years,
Contemplate your blessings now,
As your birthday nears.


Consider special people
Who love you, and who care,
And others who’ve enriched your life
Just by being there.


Think about the memories
Passing years can never mar,
Experiences great and small
That have made you who you are.


Another year is a happy gift,
So cut your cake, and say,
"Instead of counting birthdays,
I count blessings every day!"


By Joanna Fuchs


C&G Design



Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Blog redesign

Time for another header change. I have one more custom made Raggedy Ann graphic to change to before I have to think about making some more. I really like swapping out my header about every 2 and 1/2 months and I do believe I will create more headers for the coming years. I'm not sure I will post all of them though as a surprise is better. Rest assure it will have to do with Ann and Andy, I just might mix a graphic of sewing within it.
We'll see. C&G Design

The Village-Church

Going back to my note paper, I can see the church is to be white with a yellow roof. Other than that, what else? I know they have b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l stained glass windows, but how do you do that with a scale so small? You don't. You give your applique bright color so the playing participants can get the idea. I also put opening shutters along side the windows, just to dress it up a bit.

Following my drawing, and not really thinking, considering I made 2 black roof peak for the school, I made another peak roof for the church. If you look close you can see that I even stitched the centers to give it the appearance of a steeple. I guess I had to do it......but a peaked roof isn't going to work, back to the drawing board.

Much better, better color too.

Funny, this is a set to appeal to kids ages 3-7, a play set to help learn shapes and I can't figure a triangle plain from a regular triangle, oay vey.

I'll just figure the peaked roof to be used somewhere else. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Scrapbook, Scrapbook

I was looking on the Internet the other day for some graphics, usually I come away disappointed because so much of it is for purchase. Imagine how excited I was to find a site with several free scrap booking sets. I was amazed. There are many, many sets that are free for the download.

The silver corners are sweet, there is also gold embellishments.

A whole section devoted to baby books,

and tags,

tags,

and more tags. I down loaded the plain outlined tags which has 15 pages. I like to grunge the yellow colored card stock. It gives it a aged look. I read shoe polish is the way to go for grunge.

Borders and frames.

All kinds of stuff.

Check them out, http://www.scrapbookscrapbook.com/

C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

The Village-Schoolhouse

I had planned on unveiling my studio starting this week, I've decided it's about as done as it's going to get. My decision was to post on a studio item on Raggedy Wednesday and then get some really long shots of all the set-ups in the studio. The cutest blog on the block changed that and I'm having to post a new header on this coming Wednesday. It was really no big deal because I was due for a header change next week but it cramps everything else. Oh well, I can't complain they have nice backgrounds and maybe I'll still unveil.
Meanwhile, I had my first time at working with my new room and I'm loving it! I started two projects that have been in my thought for quite some time. The first involves glue drying so I will save that for later but look here.

This is my note page, for noting adjustment on the project pieces as I go. I had to start with a drawing though because I needed to get the ideas of the appliques, as it was I changed it all around anyway. I selected to start with the schoolhouse since it seems so elaborate.

Ah....I have my seamstress chalk and room for a ruler to make straight lines. I'm tickled with the chalk though, it will get use!

This village will be all felt and it will have unchangeable features to the houses. I'm not sure about making a complimentary mat yet, but it's a thought. Off to the sewing machine. Oh, did I mention everything is pinked?

I've limited the lettering and decided to best thing is to stitch the ones I am using. I had a question for a buyer on Etsy about the paint I use being non-toxic. The best I could say was to tell her the brands and let her know they are on the market. Anyway, it is touch and go while trying to write with a small zig-zag but I managed something close.

There are windows around the building with a fence on one side and two color shrubs with a tree on the other'

Of course you won't be able to see the full effects until I've put the foam inside but since I have a large piece, the rest of the village will be made up before I take the electric knife out of my kitchen.

Off to do the church. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

What!? Enough is enough!

Can you see what this is? The photo quality is poor because as soon as I saw it, I was out of the room not to return until my husband came from work to get rid of it. He thought it was rather amusing. Another bat. I Swear! I saw this thing move it's head to look at me. I just knew it was keeping watch on me. The poor thing was dead though. I suspect the Siamese cat brought it in. The rolled up rug from Madame's room was where he had the luck to be. I don't think she found him palatable. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Veggie Garden

I have really neglected my veggie garden this year, I spent so much of the late spring and early summer working on getting my studio organized and workable. The poor veggies are competing with grass for space.

This is a early morning photo from my bedroom window, you can see the swimming pool supports waiting for us to erect around a body of crystal clear water (I'm waiting!)
I took this photo early to show how big my pumpkin flowers are, by the middle of the day they close up, shying away from the heat.

The peas have been sparse and disappointing, I bought the cheap seeds and never will I do that again. Notice the trampoline, grrr...I'm losing more yard everyday.

Some of my flowers have done well in the 1 foot by length of the garden front. The blazing star have bloomed and my new day lilies have buds on them at this point. Time will show if they flower or not.

"Hello, Mr. Sunshine."

My lettuce has done o.k. but it is on the edge of the corn, which I don't really weed.

Beans are m-a-r-v-o-l-o-u-s!

My tomatoes are giving fruit but they look so scrawny, more tuft of grass are growing at their base.

And what about my corn? Well, as I said, I don't weed between the rows, I feel my bending does more damage to the stalks than what it is worth.

Did you ever see so much grass, it's more that what is on our yard and we are baffled as to where it came from. One sorrow plant and one clover was all I saw after 4 hours in the garden, but plenty of grass.

My summer squash is coming along.

So are the potatoes in the tires at the back of the garden. We had a few red potatoes left over so they made it to the top buckets, kind of late but there just the same.

Sooo, instead of watching me, can't you weed? C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

A Story

Funny how unpacking boxes can bring a flood of memories back to you.

This is a little kit I bought for my son 17 years ago, we never opened it. I think it is from the seventies or eighties. Ann and Andy are of the later version.

How curious I am to hear the singing voices of this brother and sister! I'm not sure what happened that caused us to overlook opening this booklet and cassette tape but I'm glad I did. Perhaps my son wasn't the raggedy Ann and Andy type.

It's to new to be in any value book and for now it will stay in it's package.

But let there be ONE grandchild...it will be Christmas with Ann and Andy.

Hopefully cassette players will still be around. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Rugmaking

My whole intention was to post about my veggie garden today but, since it rained yesterday we are stuck with another dollhouse item. This is supposed to be a checkbook cover but I think it makes the perfect dollhouse rug. I wish the kit came with a graph of the pattern but it only has the pre-printed canvas and a few tips on how to needlepoint.

Apparently someone had the same idea about it being a rug.
I purchased this kit in a box lot of dollhouse stuff.
It's like Christmas! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

A Lame-o Post

Well, the experiment with Madame and the hexagon grannies did not go to well, she tried to follow the pattern but ended up with a ruffled flower. When I took her work apart I discovered she work one side of the hex and then another, I guess I should of explained "turn work" as crochet in the opposite direction. The really good thing about it all is that she knows how to crochet a granny square now, Yippee! And she loves doing it.
Anyway, I have been working like mad to get these hexagons done, I need about 280 to finish from here on in. I think it will go quick as long as Madame shares her yarn stash. I figured out tonight that there is a actual pattern to my blanket, ugh. I wish I knew that a while ago.
So, much to my surprise, guess who volunteered his time to ball my yarn? You want to what? You will be a while and while your at it....let me snap a picture for people to believe because I don't. Well, my husband believes this is a lame-o post.
I say...I need to replace your chair or make some antimadagascars for the arms! C&G Design
PS. I can do that now that I know where the gold velvet fabric is...


Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Christmas in July

I'm thinking that with all this heat and humidity New England is experiencing for the first time in a while, I might focus on a cooler subject....Christmas, it's not far away.
We have unpacked the last of the boxes from the attic space (now my studio), and a fondness fell over me. These are ornaments Madame made in first grade, the teacher was/is wonderful! This was a plain blue breakable bulb until Madame wrapped her painted hand around it, then with help, she made snowmen, so sweet.

A wired polka-dot heart made from a paper grocery bag.....

And a reindeer from another hand print. These are priceless to me. Babe made a few, a tin foil bell, a cotton ball bearded Santa. They are packed with the regular holiday decorations and this year....Madame's will too.

A wooden star with glitter.

This one is a cute notion, a tin punch from a frozen juice can end.

Feel cooler? Not! C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

The Sewing Table

This is my next furniture refinishing project, I picked it up for $12.00 and I think it's beautiful. It was a vanity table but it is going to be Madame's new sewing table. (And maybe mine!)


You can see where someone glued and stapled a cloth curtain around the stained (original) part. At one point I think the top was painted white.

When the arms are opened they expose 4 drawers with plenty of space. It's unique and the gas attendant who filled the trunk tank on the day this sat in the bed knew I was going to use it for sewing.

How did he know that? C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.

Hexagon Grannies

I'm still sorting, arranging, and grouping craft items together although I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This yarn stuff and the items at my craft table is it. Since I don't do a lot with yarn anymore I told Madame she could have it. I want the black, yellow, grey, brown and orange for doll hair, she was O.K. with that.
Well, I found another unfinished, yes....unfinished project in the yarn bag.

I told Madame if she wanted to try it, I'd figure out the pattern for her.

Big surprise...she would like to do it.

It's really pretty, it's this hexagon granny afghan. It kind of looks like a honeycomb. Notice how I faded to color themes.

It was somewhat easy to figure out because I had made some multi-colored hexagons and I could clearly see each row. What was hard to figure out was 'what size hook?' I guessed and started with a G since I mostly like to work with G, H, and I. Well, G was a tad too small....it is H.

I would say that I have about a quarter of this blanket done. It's long sided too.

I translated my notes into a pattern and I'm offering them as a freebie.

I hope it's understandable. C&G Design

Words and photos by Dawn,C&G Design.