New Tote Bag and Embroidery

I just added a new tote bag to my Etsy shop. You can find it here.

I also want to show you what I've been working on the past couple of weeks. I have been looking at lots of free embroidery patterns for pillowcases on the Internet and I found this wonderful blog. Well, shoot, I just went to the site and realized that some of the photos of the patterns are not available in Flickr. So, hopefully, this is just a Flickr problem and not that the blog owner decided not to offer them for free anymore. Yikes! I'll keep a check on that and let you know later.

Anyway,I found a pretty pattern from that blog that I wanted to try and I wanted to show you the results. First, I found a pair of king size lavender pillowcases at Big Lots that were Wamsutta and 100% combed cotton for $3.00 a pair. Now, you know I couldn't pass that up, so I bought them to embroider for my mother-in-law for Christmas. This is the result:


The picture really doesn't do the pillowcase color justice. It's a really pretty soft lavender color. The embroidery shows up much better in person.

After I made these for my mother-in-law, I loved them so much that I decided to make a pair for me and Eddie. I've finished one of them and I'm working on the other one. I think the embroidery shows up much better on the white.


It was really busy at work last week. Our classes started at the college where I work and I have been busy, busy training new student help to work in our library. The first couple of weeks are always hectic, so I hope that within the next couple of weeks things settle down some.

I've also been practicing my piano. So far, I can play Frere Jacques and Merrily We Roll Along with both hands. ha ha It's not much at this point, but it's fun and I think I'm making progress.

Musical Dad

I mentioned last week sometime that I had ordered a keyboard to learn to play the piano. I have a couple of books and I've been teaching myself. I've learned alot. I'm beginning to learn how to play with both hands and some coordination techniques.

In thinking about this endeavor, I can't help but think about my dad, who was a very talented, musical person. He could play the banjo, guitar, piano, mandolin, harmonica and probably any musical instrument he could get his hands on ... all by ear. It's a gift. A cousin of mine has the gift too, but I don't know yet if I have it. Time will tell. I just thought I would share this picture of my dad playing the piano. It's a really old picture, probably from the 40's or early 50's. I speak of him in the past tense because he passed away 15 years ago in 1993. I sure do miss him.

New Projects

I have a few flapper hats that I just finished and have added to my Etsy shop.




I was looking through my quilting and sewing patterns the other day and came across a pattern for a Yo-Yo Santa. I've been meaning to make this for a couple of years, so I decided to make it and here it is.


I really had alot of fun making this and I think it turned out really cute. I'm not sure I want to make another one, though. All those yo-yo's. Whew! But they are cute on his beard.

Another thing I've been wanting to do for a really long time is learn to play a musical instrument. Last year I really wanted to get a hammered dulcimer and learn to play it, but unfortunately, our budget wouldn't allow it. We had several things come up throughout the year this year that prevented me from spending the money for it. Well, when you have bills and unexpected necessary expenses, you have to put your priorities in order, and buying a dulcimer just wasn't on that list. It was more of a luxury item. So, this year I decided to learn the play the piano. I have gone back and forth about whether to buy a regular size piano or a good, economical keyboard. Since we really didn't want to deal with the hassle of a regular size piano, I decided to start out with a digital keyboard. I've been researching keyboards for a week or more and finally decided on a Yamaha PSR E313. This is what it looks like.


It's only 61 keys compared to 88 keys on a regular piano, but this will be sufficient for me to start out with learning. Later on, if I decide to, I can always get a piano, but for now, I think this will work. I had to order it, and its been shipped, so I hope to get it some time this week.

Free Vintage Embroidery Transfers

I found a wonderful blog that has free vintage embroidery transfers. You can find it here. Lots and lots of free vintage embroidery patterns.

Kitty Embroidery Pillow

There is a very sweet lady that I work with who is our cleaning lady. She likes to embroider pillowcases, table scarves and things like that. Yesterday she brought in a cute kitty embroidery pattern to show me that someone had given her. The pattern is already stamped on some fabric for her. Well, you know how I love kitties, so I asked her if I could borrow it and trace a pattern off for myself and she graciously let me borrow it. I traced it last night onto some tracing paper and here it is.


I haven't had a chance to trace the pattern onto fabric yet, but I can't wait to get it on some fabric so I can start working on it. I just love it! I'm sure this is going to be my next embroidery project.

Stitched (or Embroidered) Greeting Cards

I've been working on some stitched greeting cards using some patterns that I found at Stitching Cards. They have some wonderful free patterns as well as some you can buy either individually or in sets. I first thought that I might make some to sell in my Etsy shop, but then I decided that maybe I would just make a few to have on hand in case of baby showers, weddings, and things like that. Here are a few of the cards I've made. I think my favorites are the baby carriages.