ANOTHER SWAP to Brag About!

Yep, I'm getting spoiled around here! Amy over at Bumble Bee Lane hosted her annual Spring Swap. Sandi Allen and I were partners and here is what she sent me!

Everything was wrapped up so pretty!

Amy asked us to provide one stitched item and 3 other Spring related items. Sandi didn't get the memo!

I LOVE the bunny made from the sweater! The sweet Prairie doll and little bunny smell SO GOOD!

Because 3 hand stitched items weren't enough, she had to add another large bunny!

Some delicious chocolates and beautiful handmade Sunflowers!

 Prim eggs, carrots.....

 .....fabric wrapped eggs....

.....a large cup for my water (I'm a HUGE water drinker!)......

I cannot even begin to THANK YOU, Sandi, for your generosity!

My items are now distributed amongst my Easter Baskets and shelving.  I've shared my chocolates with the family and every bunny is nice and happy around here!

I finished these yesterday. 

I've listed them in my Etsy shop.

Here's wishing you all a very Happy Easter Celebration!

}}Hugs{{
Vicky

Swapping with the Team!

Our Old Farmhouse Gathering Team had a Supply Swap amongst our Team mates. I was able to Swap with a fellow Painter/wood hoarder, Barb of Barb's Heartstrokes. To say she was generous was a TOTAL understatement!! Here's what she sent me!

I'm STILL finding new items!!

Rusted Tin, ribbons, snowflakes, keys, bells, spools, fabrics.....

I've already cut out some bunnies with the floral material!

WHOA! An amazing amount of Jo Sonja's paints!

This lady sure does KNOW me well!

And she went the 'extra mile' by getting the kids a little something!

WOW!

THANK YOU, Barb!! I have MANY uses for all of these items and I appreciate you taking the time to think about me to the extent that you did!

It's been too cold to create much here in North Central Florida. I've been battling Sinus problems and can't seem to find any energy. I've been stuffing some bunnies and making a few skirts for my little girl. Also took some time to finish these today.

These were much easier than the ones I did last year. I used some orange, almost velour-type material instead of the muslin that I painted. The green tops are a green T-shirt cut in strips and tied in the middle. I then saturated them in Fabric stiffener then glued them to the top of the carrots. GOSH, they're just about perfect! That orange is going to make some great pumpkins, too!

Wishing you and yours warmer weather and the promise of a beautiful Easter!

}}Hugs{{
Vicky

Easter Egg Tutorial

Let's make some Easter Eggs!!

Start with an Oval Pattern and make sure you have at least 1/4" extra for a seam allowance.

Sew them up all the way around. I always double stitch mine.

 Cut a slit in the back.

Stuff them. I learned (after I'd done them all) that if you stuff them too much they will pucker on the sides. I just wanted some fat Easter Eggs!

Now let's put some color on them. If you want them bright, then just apply the paint with only a damp brush. IF, however, you want them a bit more Prim, then add a WASH to the fabric by adding water to your paints......OR you can wet your fabric and then brush on the paint. Your call.

Not perfect but I wasn't looking for perfection!

At this point, you can dip them in your PRIM/STAIN mix and bake/sun dry them. I chose to leave mine as is.

I hide the back stitching, which is quite hideous, by wrapping the ribbon all the way around with a spot or two of hot glue. Embellish as you desire.

Enjoy!

}}Hugs{{
Vicky

WIP Wednesday

Good morning Blogging Friends!

Oh but this time change is kicking my beeeee-hind! I'm so tired before the day even gets started and I try to get to bed in a timely manner. I'm exhausted by the time I lie down only to stare at the ceiling for another 30 minutes, fall asleep FINALLY and then awaken a few hours later. This has just started with me as I used to be asleep before I hit he pillow! I'm going to blame my hormones 'cause that's what most of us in the 50+ category do! 

I have had time to pick through my wood pile and paint a few things that I'd set aside.

Small and simple.

I'm finishing a doll today and working on a HUGE, I mean HUGO the HUGE, Rabbit for a special person in our family. He's a pattern by Pam Gracia of Soft in the Head. I'll show you in a few. I also have an Easter Egg Tutorial to share with you and a few small florals with Bunnies. 

Our OFG Team Celebration has ended but we are still busy doing Treasuries and promoting each others shops.

 Well, let me get back to my carrots, eggs, Bunnies, and Bumbles! 

I hate to burst your bubbles but there is no such thing as a Crafting Fairy. I'm still waiting for the Housecleaning ones, though!

Hope your Springtime is finally showing it's face!

}}Hugs{{
Vicky

Free Pattern for YOU!

ROSABELLE!

(PDF Files are at the bottom of this post).

 

Instructions for Rosabelle Bunny Make-Do

By: Victoria Weaver

You’ll Need:

My Pattern

A bobbin of some kind

Muslin

Fiberfill stuffing

Sisal

Seasonal cotton fabrics

Appropriate threads/needles

Hot glue

Acrylic paints

16-19 gauge carbon steel wire

Ribbons and other assorted embellishments

How To:

Cut pattern out of muslin (seam allowance has been added to pattern). Turn the ears and add a piece of wire to the inside. This is optional as you can always use Fabric Stiffener to shape the ears. Sew the body except for the top of the head and leaving the bottom open for stuffing. With the body right sides together (not turned yet), place the ears inside the body with the bottom of the ears at the top of the head.

 Adjust the ears at the top of the head. Sew in place and then turn and stuff the body.

Sew arms and stuff them, too, but not all the way to the top. You can sew the arms to the body now or glue them later. Paint entire body with a watered-down brown color. I added Fabric Stiffener to the ears at this point and then hung her upside down to dry.

 Because her ears are so very long it would be best to bend them a bit.

Gather the bottom of the body and place her on a good and sturdy bobbin or base. I placed a bit of hot glue on the bobbin and gathered the bottom of the body with my hand to hold in place. Then I placed some more glue and wrapped some Sisal around the bottom, adding a dot of glue when needed.

Now get some Buttermilk acrylic paint and an old paint brush and dry brush her face. Don’t know how to dry brush?  Well, take a DRY Paint brush (or stencil brush) and dip it in a bit of paint and then rub off most of it on a paper towel. Then scrub it into the fabric. Dry brush some pink on the inside of her ears and then do her cheeks the same way when the Buttermilk is dry (I like to use stencil brushes for cheeks). Paint her eyes black with a float/wash of blue paint at the bottom when dry. Paint her nose pink. Her whiskers are strands of Sisal pulled through and tied at both entrance and exit. Add other details per your desires.

Her dress is ripped from cotton fabrics 4.5” x 20”. Gather at neck and glue in place. If you haven’t sewn the arms yet, then you can cut a small slit at the appropriate place in the dress for the arms and glue them to the body. Either way works fine. You’ll just have to cut slits for both options. Embellish her with ribbons, buttons, and Flowers……whatever you fancy!
Give her a name and she is DONE!

This pattern is yours to do what you want! Any questions? Leave me a comment or email me at VicWeave@aol.com. Enjoy!

Instructions for Rosabelle

Pattern for Rosabelle

}}Hugs{{
Vicky

New Items!

Good grief but March is roaring in like a LION! Sure hope that means that 'April Shower will bring May Flowers'. Wishing some of these cold fronts could at least bring some rain. This wind is CrAzY!!!

LOIS LING won my Large Bunny on my Face Book Mystery Giveaway. 

Crystal Martin of Twiddlebugz has the pattern if you're interested. 

Finished up a couple of other pieces: one for Spring/Easter and the other a cute Teacher Appreciation gift.

 Hangin with my PEEPS! 

I've just been keeping up with orders so this is the first 'new' that I've made in a week.

Also wanted to remind you about the Celebration going on with our OFG Team. 

The link is at the top of my right sidebar. I just bought a couple of CUTE bunnies to go in my kids baskets! Lots more to get so take a look-see when you can!

Almost finished with a doll and another Bunny Make Do. Also have written up the instructions for making Rosa Belle and will share that on Friday. I get to have some time to myself tomorrow......well, I'll probably be getting new tires on the van but at least it's close to Home Depot and Sam's Club and I get to leave the house!

Stay warm, my friends, and try not to hold the bad weather against Punxsutawney Phil. He is, after all, just a Rodent.

}}Hugs{{
Vicky

HURRY or You'll Miss Out!

Go to my Face Book page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paintspots-and-Splinters/141867899181670

and click on one of the pictures that looks like this.

WHY?

'Cause it looks like THIS now!

A FANTASTIC pattern from the talented Crystal Martin of TWIDDLEBUGZ!

AND I'm announcing my WINNER on Monday, March 4th!

So HURRY over and give me a LIKE (if you haven't) and sign up!

}}Hugs{{
Vicky