Fabric Journal Cases Made

  Wow, we have lots and lots of hard rain coming down here at the lake house along with close lightening strikes-crazy storm bringing in the colder temperatures for the weekend. Some of our western states though are getting snow storms and winter as you can see in my weather for West Yellowstone on my side panel.

  Tuesday's drive to Springfield went well. We didn't get to see the surgeon but instead his surgery nurse-and Larry remembered her from the operation. I liked her, but I was kinda thrown off by it not being the surgeon himself as it was set up. She didn't say anything about releasing him for driving and we forgot to ask. She agreed the water pills were way too strong now, thanks to our excellent home nurse for realizing that and doing the blood test so the results would be there at his appt-and they were there. He is still seeing the home nurse twice a week to get the warafrin dose stabilized-this is really a difficult one to regulate the doesage as it  is so effected with Vit K foods. We will need to get one of these home testers once the nurses no longer come out to the house.
   He also has a physical therapist coming to our lake house once a week-Thinking in another month  he will be going to cardiac rehab-which there happens to be a good one nearby. So far the healing process is doing well. He is bored now as he is still not healed enough to do the things he wants to-fishing, change the electric boxes etc. I have been picking up reading material for him.

  Tuesday evening I was all wound up from the long drive (Larry insisted on driving his suburban-a more comfortable ride than my little suv) so I decided to design and make fabric cases for my two journals. I started around 8 pm and quit around 11 pm.
     I had 4 pages left- two of each fabric. To make them wide enough I went through  my wool fabric stash and cut the panels for both sides. It turned out soooo well I am very happy with them.
   The open end I had folded over and machine stitched down and decided I did not like the look at all-just cheapened the project so much. I took all that stitching out and hand stitched it down in the inside and then on the plaid side did a row of blanket stitches-I love it much better now. I had thought of sewing the number 1 and 2 beads to the fronts but decided not to.

   Also which was really neat-from the second book resting for a day, the back cover somehow just fell into place and fits the book perfect now-my crafting muse must have been at work for me (smiles)

I just did not like this look with the machine stitching, so I took these out

Nice thing with wool, the hand stitches laid down much smoother especially with the thicker blue fabric-which had puckered a bit with the machine stitches

and now the stitches are invisible from the front side of case

No stitches showing on the front here either

Just in the front on this plaid I sewed a row of blanket stitches

Very Happy with this finished project

In the mail this week I got a new dense foam piece and needles for needle felting. I was using a reclaimed piece of foam for many years that just had to go as it was really falling apart with little foam pieces everywhere. This is a more manageable size too and much denser than what I had been using.
   Ever since I did the mixed media piece with the bears in the huckleberry patch, I have wanted to design a piece with bears in the pumpkin patch-which I want to start up hopefully this winter.
    I have some other things I need to do first though-make new cushions for the kitchen tables two bench seats-those are worn out now, and I want to try the toothbrush rug technique by making two seats for the two handmade wood chairs we have for the ends of this same table.
   I also need to sew a curtain of some sort that will go on a spring rod in front of our bedroom closet-I should have plenty of fabric in my stash to come up with something.

I also received the two hand carved tapestry and toothbrush rug needles She had several different woods to pick from-I chose the osage orange since it has a history here in Missouri, and the white oak is a Missouri wood as well. I love handmade tools

I also have this card of weaving tools for tapestry that may work as well-these are more vintage as these were still made in England opposed to made in china

I also have been getting the dishes I purchased to replace the missing pieces in my two family sets.  Don't know why but these dishes just make me happy. I added more small bowls and plates to go with the fall pattern. and I just found dinner plates which will come in next week-I only had 2 dinner plates left.  I also ordered plates to go with the other pretty wildflower dish set. I rearranged a bit and was able to get all the dishes together in the one cabinet.

So we have had a positive week I would say. Feel blessed and a little calmer finally.