Lovely Xmas crafts

 I wanted to share with you some simple and beautiful crafts found here and there for Christmas. I will update and add some next week.  Enjoy!

Lovely evergreens, instructions on Martha Stewart's blog

Cute Animals ornaments here.

Love gingham... Instructions here!

Lovely chains to print and cut here.

Fun 3D cards here!

Camping Set Winners!

I am very busy those days as I have a huge success with my play kitchens. I am a kind of Santa's elfe and it is such a pleasure to work thinking about the joy of the little ones who will find their kitchen near the christmas tree and will play with it! But I will come back soon with new blocks, as I have been boosted by your kind words during the blog tour. I have decided to add 4 more winners for the camping set. So here are the 5 lucky ducks!

Quiltmaker's 100 blocks Volume 8 and giveaway!

I am in Quiltmaker's 100 blocks Volume 8!!! I am so happy to participate to the blog tour and to introduce my special block designed for this great magazine.

Here is Master Liu, a cute Panda named from a wonderful Chinese man I knew when I lived in Switzerland. I did so much for me... now I live in Canada and I miss him. He practices Kung Fu, so when time was to find a name for my little Panda, I just thought about Master Liu :-)

For this block I have been inspired by my son's love for animals, I wanted a cute animal block that could make lovely baby/toddler projects.

For a sparkler version, I like to change the frame as shown below, using triangles.

Now it is time for a giveaway! If you want to win my camping pattern set, just let a comment below (do not forget to let me a way to contact you!). For a second chance to win, follow my blog and let me know!
A winner will be randomly picked at the end of the blog tour (15 of Nov. midnight pacific time).

And do not forget to tour the designer's blogs to discovers their work and to participate to great giveaways!

DIY Play kitchen part 2

Do you remember my play kitchen post from october 2012? It was my first play kitchen made for my son from an old night stand. I have recently found a pair of old night stands really great to make some play kitchens. I wanted to make one for my goddaughter's christmas and I thought I could make the other one for sale. Here is the result.

This one is featured in my "cuckooclocks shop". For the fabric, I have been inspired by Amy from Nana Company (one of my favorite blog) and I have chosen a Tanya Whelan print. My goddaughter's kitchen is not finished yet, I want to add a small oven and I will put a red fabric from the Lecien's Azalea flower sugar line. I recommend Marie-Madeline studio shop, they have a lovely selection of fabrics.
The great thing with this kind of night stand is that the feet are easily removable (screws), so I can make a package small enough for a reasonable shipping price. And I love the retro style of the small "columns".  The original brown night stand was quite ugly, but it makes a perfectly cute kitchen, isn't it?

My son plays every single day with his kitchen. He has tested and approved this one too! He told me that he wants to keep the yellow one and to own a blue one like this too! Maybe I should look for a bigger house...

Cuckoo Clocks

Oh, I forgot to tell you, if you like embroidery, just have a look to my other Etsy shop (The Cuckoo Clocks) that I opened recently. I have also put some other stuff like baby toys, etc. I hope to be able to add a lot of more patterns by the end of the year. So many ideas and so few time!!!

.....Ok, I give you a glimpse:

Squirrel BOM

The October BOM is here! It's my favourite of the quilt. Isn't it cute?

I will probably sew several of this lovely block for Christmas gifts...

I think I will have to design a badger and a raccoon too, so my woodland animals team would be more complete. Any other ideas?

Starbucks Coffee

I know some people are really fan of Starbucks. I do not think I enter this category even if I love their Tchai tea Latte. But I am completely fan of the aesthetic of the hot drink cup with sleeve. I know it is a waste of plastic and paper, but I love the shape and colors. So I have made a paper pieced block of it, it is available here and there.

It is an easy and quick block to piece, perfect for beginner, and the letters and stars are simple embroidery (satin stitch). It makes the perfect mug rug for the office or the house, or a lovely kitchen mini quilt. It is far from my usual tales and woodland design, but sometime I love doing something different... and I need it. Hope you will enjoy.

        

Hedgehog block BOM 2013

September is already here... Wow! Time is going sooooo fast!  Anyway, my cute little hedgehog is ready to prepare his winter nest. His name is Harvey and he is an happy little one. I have had a lot of pleasure to sew him and I can't wait to sew his friends for my BOM quilt!

If you want an Harvey at home, he is available in my Craftsy and Etsy shop. And do not worry, he has no true pikes and he is as soft as can be!

Summer blocks BOM 2013

Here are the June, July and August blocks of my 2013 BOM. I have been so busy those past weeks with family from switzerland visiting us (my inlaws), that I have not been able to post it before. The good point is that those 3 blocks are cuter together, don't they?

So far, we have sewn the pine trees, the flower, the heart and the house. That means we have 4 cute little friends for the months to come! September will be for the Hedgehog, then the bunny, the bird and in December the squirrel (my favorite). So much fun to come!

 The sweet flower was June block and the sweet heart was July block.

Little house is August block.

Your great sewing projects and a winner!

I have received a bunch of pictures of great projects you have done from my patterns those past days. First of all here is a cushion perfectly sewn by a 9 years old crafter, Kelsie, probably my younger customer. Her work should give motivation to all the new paper piecers. Congratulation Kelsie, you have won a free pattern of your choice!

And congratulation for their beautiful work to Anne (teapot and cups quilt), Carol (Elephant), Debra (Salmon), Gillian (Fox), Laurie (Matriochka), Susan (little red riding hood Table mats) and Melanie (bunny, hen and barn).

Front

Back

Paper hen and Sweet Flower

I have been quite busy those past weeks, and I have some great news like a new Etsy shop for my embroidery patterns. But before, I would like to introduce 2 new blocks. The sweet flower is the second block of my 2013 BOM, it is available separately in my shops

 I have created it to fit my Sweet Heart block. It's an easy block providing a stunning effect. it is scrap friendly as it is also beautiful with different fabric for each petal.

And this is my Paper hen block. I love origami and I wanted a block for a japanese inspired quilt for my younger son. I think HST plus the colour selection achieve pretty well this goal. You might think it's a serious quilt for a baby... He already has a bunch of "baby" quilt and I wanted a quilt he could use as wall hanging when he will be a man. I hope he will still like it :-)

 This Paper Hen block is very easy and quick to sew. I have had a lot of fun with this one. I hope others will enjoy it too! The pattern is available here.
I will come back soon with news of my embroidery patterns!

Let' go camping!

Warm days are here, the outdoor is just waiting for us, so let's go camping!
It's been a while I was thinking about some outdoor blocks... here they are: 7 lovely blocks for all those who love camping, fishing, walking in nature, barbecuing or just watching wildlife.

Those 7 blocks can be used for a beautiful 9 blocks wall hanging or for delightful projects as cushions for your RV, seat mat for the trailer, quilt for a retreat cottage or a week-end cabin, for a scout kid, nd many fun summer projects that smell forest and BBQ.

The patterns are available in a set of 7 blocks or each block separated, in my Etsy and Craftsy shops. This should satisfy anyone who wants to add a wilderness taste in his home or decorate his trailer. We just need to find a way to bring our sewing machine in the tent...

Bunnies

Last week-end, I have tried the bunny pattern from Jill's book "Storybook toys". (see previous post) It is a great pattern. Very easy to follow. This bunny is easier to sew than it seems.

 I have had a lot of fun making 2 for my sons. For Elliott (4 months old) I have selected a soft white fabric (from towel) with pastel cotton fabrics and I have embroidered his eyes closed. I though it would be sweeter for my baby to have his bunny gently sleeping. For Alfred (2 1/2 years old) I have found a funky orange large corduroy and associated it with a contrasting quilt fabric. I have used buttons for the eyes. In both I have inserted a small box filled with lentils. So those bunnies are soft toys and rattles too!

Alfred has proudly helped me stuffing the toys. I explained him that we have also put love in it. He is happy to know his bunny is filled with mom's love and he asks me about this every night before sleeping :-)

I can't wait trying Henry the Horse pattern from this book!

First doll ever...

Making doll has always been one of my bigest dream. Marionettes are particularly fascinating for me and I always thought that Gepetto had the best job of the world. Here is my first doll ever! I did not give her a name as the little girl who will receive it will choose herself her name. This little girl has had her birthday few days ago (3 years old) and I thought a simple cloth doll could be a nice start. I will probably sew a more sophisticated doll for her 5th or 6th birthday. For this one, that is 17" tall, I have been inspired by several dolls from Internet. I picked the shape of the leg here, the shape of the face there, etc. I am quite happy with the result as it is the first one, except for the stitches on the chin. I place a dart on the neck as i did not want the face to be too flat, but the dart was too high and I do not like how it "spoils" the face.

 I have included a print fabric in the body to make her underwear, as well as stripe fabric for the socks and black fabric for the shoes. I think I will let the feet nude for the next one, to allow her to be dressed with different sewn shoes. Next time, I will also use thick wool yarn for the hair. I particularly love the hair style of the dolls made by Jill Hamor. She is the author of one of the greatest book (if not the greatest!) about doll making. I have ordered her wonderful book "storybook toys" and received it just after I finished my first doll. I will definitely follow one of her pattern for my next project: a doll for ME! I will make a detail post of it so you can figure out what can be done with this book. 

I have also found several great projects in this book that I want to sew for my boys (a bunny, an cute horse, an elephant...and more). I think I will learn a lot making those toys. I'll share with you :-)
Oh, yes, I will also work on my patterns... I do not forget all the designs that some of you have asked. I just needed a doll break :-) And it was so magic!!! Just like in my dream!