Snuggley for your home

fun and funky patchwork

A while ago, I started making afghan blankets for jill2day. It all started with my reluctance to throw out even the smallest pieces of "left overs". I would throw small parts in a box as I made my sweaters, Then eventually cut them into squares or rectangles. One day I finally had enough so I mad myself a "blankey" to use while watching TV (My hubby tends to like the house a lot colder than I do!!
This bright patchwork one (on left) is an example of a "scrappy" quilt.Just a joyous jumble of lots of color and texture.

But, coming from a quilting background, I couldn't help but think of also making some out of intentional color schemes. These three are examples of those - loosely based on strip or log cabin quilts, with coordinated colors and textures. You can see more of these in my afghan blanket section of jill2day.

literary snuggles!

Sometimes though, I find another type of inspiration or design idea! I found an atrocious sweater one day... knit to look like a newspaper, it was a truly awful sweater, but a great piece of fabric! I am guessing it was like new because the recipient (I am sure someone got it as a gift - not for themselves!!) had never worn it! But I was thrilled to find it... I took it home cut it up and surrounded those pieces with additional black white and khaki pieces. Here is the result. A great afghan for a library room or reading chair! So fun.

A gift from the wildlife!

just had to share this photo...

We have no tulips in our gardens, but evidently a squirrel or bird thought that was a mistake on our part, and planted this little red harbinger for us!!

It is just so sweet standing there all on its own celebrating spring!

Ghost Animals

 I was driving down the road one day and saw what I first thought was a pigeon - not an unusual site amongst the barns of Wisconsin. However it just wasn't the right size or shape.

I turned the car back and went to check it out. Here was an all white pheasant in the middle of this flock of "normal" ones. As you can see by the picture (yes - I just happened to have my camera with me!!) He stands out like a sore thumb when compared to the camouflage of his flock mates.

A few months later I was visiting my son and family, and this white squirrel was in their backyard. he has a bit of a brown spot on his ear, so I do not think he was an albino - just white coloring. he was absolutely beautiful. But, living where I see hawks out cruising for food every day, I couldn't help but think what an easy target he would be.

I have never seen the pheasant again, and the kids said the squirrel has never returned to their yard. I hope they are okay, but nature is not kind to those who don't have the defenses evolution has given them, so I doubt it. But it was a thrill to see them both.

I have made an Etsy treasury showcasing some other beautiful white animals...here are four of them. To see all sixteen of the items I found click here.

These items can be found at these shops:   Carpiss   Gypsyharte   Flowerandpearlstudio   Aleksander

100 - Thanks to each and everyone of you!!

these are some of the shops in my treasury: Dorsbien    HeavenSent    Hobbiesfromtheheart     Midwooddesign

I see this morning I have broken the 100 followers mark for my blog! I am doing a happy dance right here in my kitchen (while holding my first cup of coffee!!)

Thanks, now I no longer feel like all I am doing is talking to the wind (although that can be very therapeutic!). I will try to keep things interesting and moving along.... In the meantime I made a treasury in Etsy to celebrate! Check it out! jill

1950s childhood revisited!

see this listing at
Nummynaze

This morning I took a time travel trip back to my childhood in the 1950s!

Etsy has so many wonderful sellers, both handmade and vintage. I looked up many of my childhood memories after breakfast this AM, and here they were; preserved in the pages of Etsy!

We can start with the Captain, Bunny Rabbbit and Mr. Green Jeans... of course Miss Francis and Ding dong school was also there, as was Romper Room. But The Captain was probably even Wil Shatner's Favorite Captain! I so loved that show and can still feel the carpet under my knees as I knelt to watch everyday.

GraceParadise is the
home for this horse now

But when it came to playing, nothing was better than my imaginary horses. I had one just like this (in black though). While using it, I perfected every known horsey sound that could be made with snickering lips or stomping feet. I was so sure I could grow up to be a wild horse on the western plains if only I could learn the language!

this book is available
at SprinklesCorner

My copy of the Saggy Baggy Elephant was very well worn, and this cover is embedded in my mind's eye! Our copy had probably been pre-read by Joan or Jack, but that hadn't damaged it, and eventually I claimed it with my early cursive signature planted on the cover page.The idea of that tiger running in those circles was amazing to me!

this can be found at ElectricEstateSale

In my 'tweens I became an avid collector of the fine china figurines being supplied in abundance by Japan. Dogs of every breed, including the Dachshund, size and quality had one side of my shelves while the horses (I found a chalk one and a copper one just like my old ones!) had the other. I think I could list virtually every breed of dog or horse long before I knew the state capitals! These are only a few of the treasures I found. If you want to see the entire Treasury of 16 items that I collected, please click on this link to Etsy.