Questions, answers & a quilt

Thanks lovely readers for your comments, emails, etc. I find it a bit humorous that I enjoy comments so much, but I'll humbly admit that I do. Sometimes when it's quiet around here, I lose a bit of motivation to keep this part of my blog up. I don't mind so much that no one comments on Kenzie's Doodles (I really keep that site up for her - which is a poor excuse for a baby album... ahem, which I sucked royally at keeping up with)...but my Mama's Doodles is all for me..me..me... And, who doesn't like a compliment anyway??

Anyway, there have been a few questions lately. With no email address to reply to, I began leaving answers in my comments section..but I don't know if the question asker might not think to go back and check for an answer - so:

1. About the cuffs (this is for Samantha) -- The cuffs are made of good 'ole vinyl or pleather. :) I had a bit of a supply left over from some chalkboard placemats that I made (& intended to reproduce)...and I used that, and beads, and material, and a bit of embroidery floss as well. After adding the embellishments, I covered up all the ugly ends with a fabric backing. Not terribly sophisticated..but I like the end result. I imagine that a leather would be more lovely, but harder to handsew. I actually caught a glimpse of Brooke Shields and Lisa Rinna (sp??) wearing similar cuffs today (in a photo, of course). I'd like these cuffs even if the celebrities weren't wearing them, but since they are fond of the style - it seems an affirmation of my coolness. he..he..

2. For kittykat: The pillowcase dresses have been two separate styles, both just winged in the making. For the first one (the yellow) I basically took one of my daughter's dresses that fit well, and laid it on top of the pillowcase to give me a basic template of where to cut. The first style was the more successful of the attempts, but the second one - I used my neighbors pillowcase dress (you might remember that this is where I got the idea in the first place?) and used it as a pattern. The second version was much simpler in the making. Essentially, you use the existing opening - which becomes the bottom of the dress. You make three cuts, and you're ready to sew!! (see my attached visual, which hopefully explains the SIMPLE process). I plan to make another, so if these directions are clear as mud - let me know and I can photograph the steps.



The results:



3. YES! yes, YeS!! My doorknocker idea is working beautifully. We've had no unsollicited door knocks and the neighborhood kids get a kick out of it. It's the talk of the neighborhood..and the kids are very respectful of the "process." Sleep well, my girl... :)



Finally, on the high productivity - because my husband's away - front: I have begun work on Kenzie's big-girl bedding. I intend for this to be a decorative bedspread, probably folded along the foot of the bed - because it has some precious family history attached. As stated before - it's just a quilt top made by a distant relative (whom I never had the pleasure of meeting) and I've decided to back it and turn it into a "quilt." Afraid to ruin it...afraid of machine quilting...and wishing to finish it before she's 12 (therefore ruling out hand quilting) -- I've gone with red buttons. (Yes, now I fully expect hatemail from those fabulous quilters out there who would be horrified by this approach). But, I think it's going to be fantastically adorable!! I'm thinking a light blue on the walls. Some flowers and bugs, painted here and there. White furniture, and we'll jazz it up with some bold curtains and rug.

And, speaking of quilting - I just got a whole row of buttons done waiting for blogger to upload these durned photos. What's up with Blogger lately? It's painfully. freaking. frustratingly slow!! And, I'd also like to complain about flickr - which isn't really fair given I haven't ponied up for a Pro account, not to mention, I'm sure the rules are posted somewhere I haven't bothered to review...but my complaint roots back to my sock puppets postings. I had a groovy idea to load photos of all the critters separately ~ and generate a collage shot of them collectively. I loaded the pics. I decided that I didn't like the way they were being chopped to pieces in the collage formation. I deleted the pictures. Then, I decide to load my next crafty creation and I'm told that I've exceeded my upload limit. *&^%!!!! But, I didn't "technically" upload -anything- for crap's sakes. So, flickr is boycotting me for the rest of the month. I should just silence my gripes, and be thankful for the FREE internet technology (except for the cost of making my blood boil on occasion).

(I'm going to "publish post" now, after knock, knock, knocking on wood. I'm sure the blogger-gods can make this very lengthy post and time investment vanish into thin air - for all the complaining I just did. Cringe.)