Time flys!

 It didn't seem like 20 days ago since my last post but that is what it says!  Time is flying by like crazy isn't it?  

I really haven't done a whole lot of sewing during that time either. But here is what I did get done.  I pieced five of my Gobble it Up!  table runners.  I like knowing that I have a stash of them in my closet ready to be quilted when the busy season starts. That way I only have to quilt them up and get them listed in my Etsy shop when it gets closer to fall. 

One day I visited a local quilt shop, you know looking for a few new pieces of fabrics to inspire me.  They were having customer appreciation days with door prizes. I didn't even know what the prizes were, but I signed up, it doesn't hurt to do that;)  And at the end of the day they called to say I was one of four grand prize winners!!!  OMG here is what I won.  A CutterPillar light box!  This is going to be really nice to use for both applique and for my card making.  It is thin and pretty light weight and that it is a pretty green doesn't hurt either! The neat thing is that it has a cutting mat with gridlines that you lay over it and you can cut right there. I'll be anxious to try it out. 

Even though I didn't get a lot of sewing done I still had a good week. I hope you all did too.  Hopefully I will have more quilting time and energy this week!  

Buffalo plaid snowman and light box

When I visited the craft show last Thursday I noticed a lot of buffalo plaid decor.  So of course on the way home I kept thinking about how I need to get some and make a runner.  I stopped at Jo Ann's and sure enough they had one with snowflakes in their Christmas fabric.  Well you know I had to get some (I might have gotten a few other prints too). I mean with a sale and then 25% off coupon too how could I pass that up!

I opened up EQ to see what designs I might be able to pull together in there.  Next thing you know I had these cutie pies drawn up and texted a friend to run it by her. She liked it;)

Over the weekend I cut, pieced and quilted it.  After cutting my applique pieces I just wasn't sure I liked the red and green.  Something about it bothered me.  Again I texted my friend, Wendy, she still liked the red and green because it was a pop of color.  I decided I needed to set it aside for the night. I really appreciated Wendy's input but...

The next morning I knew why it was bugging me, I didn't want it to look like he was wearing a santa hat.  I just wanted him to wear a regular stocking hat.  I auditioned many different fabrics and even had my hubby involved.  He encouraged me to look at what I liked about my other snowmen runners.  They are all gray/red/white/.   Hmmm that got me to thinking and it came together quickly then.  Here is the finished one.  I even redid the shape of his hat cuff.

After snapping several photos I managed to get ones I liked and he is now listed in my Etsy shop, well he was in there last night and he sold in a couple of hours!!  Guess what I'll be making again this week:) 

Did you notice the striped binding, it makes me a bit giddy!  The snowflakes are stenciled on.  I used a fabric paint from Pro Chem and stencils from TSC Designs.  

I have something new to show you.  My new light box for tracing designs onto fusible web!  I know there are many light boxes out there to purchase. But I asked my hubby if he could build one and a week later I am using it!  I love it.

He ordered LED light strips from Ebay and used double stick tape to hold them down to the box he made.  On top he placed a sheet of plexi glass. 

Here you can see the Precision Fusing Mat I lay over the top of the pattern pieces. The mat holds the pattern in place and I place the fusible web on top and trace away.  Plus those lights are super bright and hurt my eyes if I don't have the mat over the top before I turn it on.  For someone that never really liked doing applique I sure seem to be doing a lot of it!  Of course it is all done on my sewing machine.  And I know that I will be using this light box a lot!  

Linking with Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, and Look What I Made