Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts

4.01.2014

Happy Birthday Mammal Chupie!!

Today is my lovely littlest dogs 7th birthday! 

Happy Birthday to Mammal Chupie!


As you may have noticed, I've named my business after this amazing dog. 
At 3.4 lbs she's a powerful handful of magical energy and sheer intelligence! 
It's been a blast to be owned by her! 
We're off on a birthday trip to the pet store, her favorite!
Cheers to 7 more years!


9.23.2012

Peaceful Weekend

I'm really happy I was able to relax and get to work on some things this weekend. I set up a little sewing corner in a friends downtown studio. I was quite enthralled in cutting up fabric and working on doll pattern tests.


I tried my hand at adding gussets to the doll pattern I had drafted years ago. It was tiny tiny work. And as much as I dislike using pins ( i stab myself too much!), this was the only way to do it. Slowest sewing I've done on the machine in such a long time.


I realized after an hour of tiny piecing that I probably should enlarge the pattern a bit and give myself a break. Duh! What's with me and teeny tiny project attempts. Especially later in the evening. Am I trying to drive myself batty or what? Needless to say, I did take a break from the doll project after successfully putting in a head gusset. And I jumped right into cutting more 5in squares because apparently I have half-square triangle patterns on the brain. 


I am really into rearranging them on my design wall. I like the fact that when I throw a bunch up there, I can move them around and around and have a different look each time I step back. Which is not helping me make any decisions mind you. But it's fun and quick! I admit, I do have some friends and relatives having babies in the near future, so technically I am doing something productive. I've been toying with the idea of making a Beginners Quilt Class as well, and these HST quilts are simple enough that I might make this the class project. Here's the latest one that I still have on the design wall.


Though I've already rearranged it twice, I'm still liking this first take. I think it may end up looking like this. A viewer says it looked "too sophisticated" to be a baby blanket and that it reminded him of old man socks. I agreed with the sock reference, but perhaps someone out there has a "sophisticated baby". Hahaha. It made me laugh. I love getting input. I've got green and orange squares cut up now for today's HST quilt project! I'm on a roll!

Also! I'm very excited to have come across another quilt-a-long with an AMAZING project! The Perv-Along, (love the name) hosted by Charlotte at Displacement Activity.
The quilt is going to be amazing!!! It reminds me of a cosmic burst. And of course, I'm kinda hooked on the solid fabric quilts. So here's what I pulled for this perv-a-long.


I feel a bit odd not having "brand name" fabrics with cool color names like "papaya" or "moss". I generally find most my fabrics at swap meets, thrift stores and yard sales. Very rarely do I buy new fabrics. I love all the new prints and collections and I'm sure I have a nice smattering of them in my stash. But I've a complete novice at being able to name the designers and such. When I do buy solids, they are just a store brand name and nothing that exciting. Oh well. I'll get there someday. Kona's solids look delicious!


 How was your weekend? Hope you make something awesome!




5.21.2012

Eclipse Favorites

Eclipse Favorites by amandamillar
Eclipse Favorites, a photo mosaic by amandamillar on Flickr.
(see Flickr upload for photo credits)
It was a wonderful day everywhere.

2.13.2012

Machine Love

This has put a permanent smile on my face.


Thank you to my dear friends for always thinking of me when they have a vintage sewing machine to find a new home for. I am super delighted.

Happy Monday!



12.11.2011

Clearings

I've been spending my time trying to tackle all the half finished projects i have piled around the studio. It's a lofty attempt, but I've been making good headway. And the rewarding feeling of finishing something is excellent fuel to the creative fire. So this weekend, I finished the last four blocks of the Summer Sampler QAL i started in...duh, summer, and with such good intentions.
But with a huge sigh of relief and a beer of course, i am celebrating finishing all twelve blocks! Whoo hoo! This quilt i started with the idea of making something for myself finally, and i still love it. This is the first all solid quilt and how addicting! I have since added to my solid stash heavily i tell you.
I still have to edge most of the blocks in black to square them off at  12 1/2 in., then i think i will still add more black in boarders around each block.....
I haven't even begun to think about the back or the quilting details.



The best part about this quilt.....all the paper piecing. I'd never tried that before, and the results were amazing. I'm kinda obsessed with the option of precision and paper piecing can fill that craving.
Though many of my blocks are not perfect, they're so close it hurts! And especially on my first go of it. Sooooo in love with paper piecing!





Very easy and with amazing results!

Happy Sunday and Cheers!

xOxx Mammalia

11.18.2011

-Shop Update-

Yes. I just said that. A shop update. There's actually something new in the shop today! This is the beginning of a bright and wonderful Holiday season. Enjoy!! More coming VERY soon.


11.07.2011

Bloomin'



It's been raining.....glorious for staying at home and working on new things for the Etsy shop....So...keep your eyes peeled this week. Once i start, i know it'll be hard to stop. The Holiday tingle is getting to me for sure.

And yes, i was working late at night, in a bathrobe, wearing silly teeth to help me concentrate.....

7.10.2011

Sunday Swapmeet Treasure

Found good stuff today.




I have photos of my first row of blocks for the Rockin' Robin QAL and I chose my fabrics for the Summer Sampler Series starting tomorrow, but unfortunately at this hour, i have a serious lack of photo skills and i am not happy with the color. So tomorrow for those.
So. Till tomorrow, with better photos, because i am SUPER excited to be tackling two quilts at once.

7.06.2011

Finishing Up

I worked straight through the 98 degree weather yesterday, with only a 10 degree difference between the studio and outside. Oh, the life of non-AC.
Pillows. I finally finished two hand embroidered pillows that have been sitting for approx. 3 months already. Which is amazing, because usually things sit for 6 months to a year before i pick up and finish.
My secret? Vitamins. I've been very regimented about taking them the last couple of days to avoid feeling the monthly 'ick'. It works. That and total hydration, I drank at least 2 pints of water yesterday.
And. it occurred to me while dozing off at 1:30am, I haven't been eating sweets for at least a week. That totally helps the body not feel sluggish. I'm not trying to digest a thousand little sugar particles.
Oh, but a slice of cheesecake sounds wonderful right about now. Breakfast of champions. Damn, i have no cheesecake.
But i do have photos! Delicious.

9.09.2010

Test Runs

When really i should be falling head first into building stock....but instead i designed some new plush. Fair.



These i made out of suede, legs and arms cotton lightly stuffed. I hand embroidered the faces and added button eyes to suit.
I'm satisfied with them well enough, but i wonder how much smaller and larger i could make them. The story needs to be developed as well. And alas i cannot share any of those details yet. This test run must pass inspection. Then, we'll see.
Ciao for now. Manda

P.s. They all are small enough to fit in my palm. Baby being 1 1/2in.

10.04.2009

Where have i been....

a custom tie for a special birthday

the inside of the tie


another work in progress....



the current studio stash photo

Mammal chupie all tuckered out
and yes, i'm still alive!



more coming soon
xoxo
manda
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