WIP Wednesday

Among other things these are on my work table right now.  I'm making these Bento Box blocks in between some of my other projects.

I'm planning on making twenty of these blocks... 

Then I'm slicing them into quarters.  I'll keep one piece, and three from each block will go to the swap that I'm participating in with the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild.  Our Guild is swapping with the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild.  You can go Here to see a fantastic example of a finished Bento Box quilt that my friend Heather has made from a previous swap, and get the link to the tutorial that we're using for guidelines for the block :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Tipsy Tuesday ~ Recycling

Take an old picture frame that was literally in the trash can in my husband's garage (that's right, I'm not above picking trash cans for the right treasure) + the last bits of mist from the end of a spray can of antique white paint (also found in Hubby's garage) + a piece of galvanized steel cut to size (purchased from Hardware Store) =

Cool new magnet board for my sewing studio!  Btw, the little magnets and magnetic basket were purchased at the office supply store Back to School Sales :)

The galvanized steel can be found at a hardware store/home center like Lowe's and we cut it to size with tin snips (Just make sure you purchase metal that's magnetic, and not aluminum). *Be careful of the sharp edges that you create when cutting, and make sure it fits snugly into the the frame.  We also purchased glazing points to mount the steel in the frame, but small tacks would work too.  The metal can be covered with a thin fabric before inserting into the frame if you like, but I kind of like the look of the metal ~ plus I figure I'm just going to cover it up with lots of little inspirations :)

PS ~ The wooden shelves were yoinked from a pile in a thrift store for $4.00 and are really nice heavy wood from Ethan Allen (I'm not above rummaging the piles in the corner of the thrift store either!). 

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

WIP Wednesday

I'm sewing in my dining room tonight.  I don't sew at the machine in the evenings often, but I've been working so much lately that I'm missing my sewing fix, so tonight is a little fun sewing for me.  I like to set up here in the dining room every now and then with one of my spare machines so I can be downstairs with everyone else and I can have a movie marathon on the big TV in the living room :)

Here is my Work in Progress this week ~ I'm making a bunch of these blocks for a swap that I'm doing with a couple of friends.  It'll be a while, but I'll show you the finished project one day :)

Enjoy the evening!
~ Dawn

Tipsy Tuesday ~ School Supply Shopping

Do you love bargain hunting?  I do ~ it's like a sport.  I enjoy the hunt, and when I score good deals on little treasures it's like I've won a prize (What can I say, it doesn't take much to keep me entertained).   For the last few weeks, in my regular travels I've been hitting stores like Staples, Walmart, Walgreens, Target, and even Toys R Us and picking up their weekly Back to School themed Loss Leader items for pennies.  These are not just school supply items, but valuable quilting resources and tools!  So far I've stocked up on ten cent water soluble glue sticks, pencil sharpeners, folders for projects, graph paper composition books, tape, mechanical pencils, and of course new crayons! So do I have kids going back to school this Fall, nope ~ these items are all for me :)
 

Back to School supplies are not just for students and quilters, this is what I'm planning to do with this cute little zipper case that I found in a bin at Staples for just a few dollars...

It makes a perfect little carry along for my knitting tools.  I can even fit index cards with stitch patterns in it.

And for under a dollar I found this little plastic zip pouch that can hold a bunch too...

So easy to fill and just drop into a tote when I'm heading out the door. ~ "It's a good thing" :) 

Stock up this month on essentials as items go on sale for under a dollar and save yourself from paying full price later when you need them...and keep an eye out for those little extras like my pouches to make your bargain treasure hunting more fun!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

My Little Celebrity Quilt on TV!

Remember this little quilt?  She's called Spring Garden Delight and you can read about her previous travels Here if you missed it.   She was in the Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting Magazine in the Spring, and now she's making an appearance on TV!  I'm excited to announce that this little gal is being featured on the Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting TV Show episode #2007 :) 

Check and see if your local PBS station carries Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting.  If you live in the Maryland area, Maryland Public Television is scheduled to run it this Saturday, August 4th at 6:00 a.m., so set that DVR!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn