Thursday, March 12, 2015

Tree Birds Have Arrived

As most of you may know, I have been having a bit of trouble keeping up with my blog hop projects.  New Year's Day my mother broke her hip and at the end of the month, I developed a retinal problem.  So, I was looking forward to peaceful stitching with the birds in February and March.  Alas, not to be....


...broke my thumb while loading a fat Border Collie into the truck.  Surely this isn't going to be the way the entire year is going to progress.  

Nevertheless, I got all my projects done...with a lot of adjustments to accomodate the handicap.  So, here we go.

My first job was to build my tree full of bird houses.  I loved it, but am way too practical to frame and hang it as wall art...though it would make an excellent picture on the wall. 


While packing my mother to move her to a new apartment, I was admiring her perpetual calendar and decided I needed one in my sewing room and the bird houses would be a perfect background.

 Now,  originally I was going to embroider all the numbers, months, and days on a lovely tea-stained linen that I am dying to use.  Enter the BIG thumb...can't hold an embroidery hoop.  Plan B:  Magnets!  I made a canvas backing to hold foam board covered with adhesive magnetic sheets.  Great idea!  Not... The magnets on the numbers were not strong enough to attach through fabric and stabilizer.

Plan C:  Velcro dots.  I am not happy with this solution, but it will do, until I can get back to Plan A and embroidery.

Picture divided into calendar divisions with a simple machine quilt stitch...


Three pockets at the bottom to hold the unused numbers, months, etc.



Numbers, months created on canvas with t-shirt transfer paper and an ink-jet printer...  Oops, forgot the days of the week.




All I need is a bird to sit on the branch.


My sister had a birthday during this time and she is an avid bird watcher.  So, I decided to make her a small tote....from a bird seed bag.   I cut the bag down to the image field I liked...maybe too much removed because the bag ended up smaller than I had intended.


Lined with birdhouses.


Add a handle...



A small tote bag!  (My sister was not impressed).


Still had time to make a curtain for the single window in my sewing room.  I have three sewing machines and not one had a ruffler attachment, so the bottom ruffle will have to wait until I can stitch by hand again.  It is pinned in place for the picture. 


I have another dozen or so birdhouse squares left that will become mug rugs to catch the condensation from frosty glasses of iced tea consumed while lounging on the back porch watching the birds at their feeders all spring and summer.  

Thank you Samm and Lana for a fun and very cheerful blog hop.  Please check out the rest of our bloggers in the schedule below. 

Friday, March 13












68 comments:

  1. lovely lovely projects, your calendar, what a tweet idea, and your bag and curtains...love them !
    You are just full of ideas that will take flight...

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  2. I hope this year will now go on smoother for you! Really, your sister was not impressed??? Love this bag, so coooool! And the udea with the calendar is fantadtic, I still have some if these small pannels, that would be a chiiiirp-y idea!

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  3. Love your calendar! What a great idea for the bag, something I wouldn't of thought of! Thank you for sharing.

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  4. Great projects, I especially adore the calendar! I can imagine how difficult it was to create with that broken thumb! Get well soon!

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  5. Great projects! You did a wonderful job on them. The calander is such a neat idea.

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  6. Love the perpetual calendar idea!! I hope spring brings comfort into your life!

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  7. that's a great idea for your fabric line...Its fun to make something different, but useful

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  8. Such unique and fun projects! Great job on all of them!

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  9. Nice job and cool projects. I love the new curtain.

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  10. In spite of life getting in the way, you have been a very productive, not to mention creative lady. Love what you have done with the line.

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  11. Carol I love your calendar idea! I wish I'd thought of it. :) I had a calendar at school years ago that used velcro dots and they worked great. And the curtain is just perfect. You know how my mother loved birds so she would have liked that best. But I love, love the tote! I made Sherry one from a chicken feed tote. I don't know if she liked it or not but she pretended to. blessings, marlene

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    1. I have a Chicken Scratch bag, also. Trust me, Sherry loves hers as much as I do mine.

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  12. Love what you did with the birdhouses in a tree!

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  13. Love what you did with the birdhouses in a tree!

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  14. Well done, you! You have beautiful projects!

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  15. How clever! What a great idea for that fabric! I love the little bag you made for your sister! She'll love it when she starts hearing comments about it as she carries it!
    Heal quickly!

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  16. Oh my... such clever and unique projects! Love the calendar.... it would make me smile just to check out what day it was!

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  17. Very nice projects and so clever with the song bird bag.

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  18. Great ideas with beautiful results!

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  19. Those are wonderful projects! I love that calendar. The bird seed bag is such a great idea too....I can't believe your sister was not impressed!!! I hope the rest of the year is better for you!

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  20. The calendar is a great way to use those beautiful prints...love it! I hope the thumb heals quickly and the rest of the year is better for you!

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  21. Your calendar is darling! I love that it appears to be hanging from a twig. The tote is so cute. And the curtains will be lovely! I do hope the rest of 2015 smooths out for you.

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  22. Wow, your thumb may have been injured but your creativity was very healthy. That calendar is amazingly clever. I love it. I too think the little tote bag is adorable and your sewing room will be so light and airy with those curtains. Thank you so much for sharing. I hope the rest of your year is smooth sailing. I think you've paid your dues for the year early!

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  23. Love the calendar! Such a clever idea! and the tote from the birdseed bag is so cute! Love all your creations! Great job!

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  24. You are my Hero for getting as much done as you did with all the "stuff" on your plate, not to mention a broken thumb. I fractured my thumb in a car wreck back in Dec. and it is still hindering my motion and ability to stitch. I am impressed over the bird bag even if your sister was not. That's sisters for ya.
    Blessings
    Gmama Jane

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  25. You are my Hero for getting as much done as you did with all the "stuff" on your plate, not to mention a broken thumb. I fractured my thumb in a car wreck back in Dec. and it is still hindering my motion and ability to stitch. I am impressed over the bird bag even if your sister was not. That's sisters for ya.
    Blessings
    Gmama Jane

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  26. I love your perpetual calendar(I think I will steal your idea btw!) and your curtains...they are lovely! I think your little bird tote is cute...be sure to tell your sister I said so!!! Hope your thumb gets better really soon!

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  27. Your calendar idea is awesome. This fabric is so perfect just to be showcased by itself, the curtain is so cute. Best wishes, ~Cori

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  28. It is so fun to see the creative ideas you came up with. I love the calendar and I am sure that the bag for your sister was a hit.

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  29. All these lovely projects, Wow! You are going to be very busy. I like the bag you made for your sister. Hope you heal soon.

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  30. I love the idea of making them into a perpetual calendar! It turned out beautiful. Sending good thoughts for quick healing of your thumb.

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  31. WOWSERS!!!! Your creativity is on OVERLOAD with this one!!! Even with a broken finger!!!!!! You made me want to swap projects with that birthday calendar!!!! With all my GBs, I NEED one! And what about that bag!!!! What a wonderful way to recycle and make it beautiful!!!! LOVE YOUR CURTAIN PANEL!!!! I would hate to see what you could accomplish if your ENTIRE hand was broken!!!! LOL!!!! AMAZING JOB!!!

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  32. WOWSERS!!!! Your creativity is on OVERLOAD with this one!!! Even with a broken finger!!!!!! You made me want to swap projects with that birthday calendar!!!! With all my GBs, I NEED one! And what about that bag!!!! What a wonderful way to recycle and make it beautiful!!!! LOVE YOUR CURTAIN PANEL!!!! I would hate to see what you could accomplish if your ENTIRE hand was broken!!!! LOL!!!! AMAZING JOB!!!

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  33. Beautiful birds, Carol! I love the perpetual calendar ... what a wonderful use of these pretty fabrics. The tote bag is cute. I would never have thought of these ideas ... sew inspiring. I have actually been thinking of a valance with some of my extra fabrics. Yours is looking lovely. Thank you for sharing ... :) Pat

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  34. Oh no, your bad luck sounds a lot like how my year has progressed. I'm keeping my chin up though and I know it'll get better soon!!! I've always wanted to make a birdseed bag and saved a bunch (which my husband threw away after they sat in the garage nearly two years--totally understandable!) but I saved 2 more recently so I'm going to give it a try. Yours looks great!!! It would make a cute gift bag for a bird lover too.

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  35. Barb your year is shaping up like mine. Oh Vey!! I think the little bag you made for your is adorable! I have a couple bags from cow feed and one chicken one... I think they are so cute. Now having said that your calender and curtains are very pretty too. May things start to look up soon.

    Toodles,
    Tricia

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  36. The calendar is such a sweet idea. You accomplished a lot even dealing with so many health issues. Cute bag.

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  37. Love your calendar and bird seed bag. What fabulous projects!

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  38. How darn cute is that bird seed bag! I love it! So sorry about your thumb. :(

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  39. Cute projects and I was impressed with the bird seed bag even if your sister wasn't. Hope the remainder of 2015 is much better.

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  40. Great idea and very unique to make a perpetual calendar. Thank you sew very much for Tree Bird hopping and participating. Healing Energy for your broken thumb. Creative Bird Bliss...

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  41. Love the calander idea! Very clever. Beautiful projects all around!

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  42. beautiful work. I wanted to participate in this hop, but just had too many fires in the pot so opted not.

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  43. So many great ideas! The calendar is fantastic, love it! I think the tote is a really clever idea too. Well done for not letting anything stop you! Get well soon.

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  44. What wonderful creative ideas executed so beautifully.

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  45. Well done particularly since you were under a handicap. Nicely done creative projects. I do love the perpetual calendar - excellent idea! Isn't this fabric just totally gorgeous?

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  46. Love the calendar. You did great. Hope the rest of the year is better for you.

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  47. What a creative calendar and a beautiful curtain! ...Your sister is most lucky with that cutie birdseed bag! Kudos to you my dear!

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  48. You are a testament to the fact that quilter's will not let minor things (eye problems and bone pain) get in the way of their quilting. Love your work and the idea for the bag is wonderful!

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  49. You are a testament to the fact that quilter's will not let minor things (eye problems and bone pain) get in the way of their quilting. Love your work and the idea for the bag is wonderful!

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  50. Love the calendar idea. Glad you were able to finish things. I think the little tote is very cute! Also very eco friendly. :-) Hope you get all better soon. K-

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  51. Wow! You are so clever. Love the idea of a calendar that you can use each month just changing months and dates. The bird seed bag was a super idea as well. Great you completed so much with all your health issues.

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  52. clever use of the bird seed pkg to make a bag!

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  53. What a clever, clever use of those fabrics. A perpetual calendar! Like an advent calendar but for the whole year. Thanks for sharing this.

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  54. Greeting from Broken Arrow, OK. You are the epitome of determination. I admire your tenacity. Wow!. You get kicked and keep going. Good for you. I adore all your projects. Your calendar is clever with all the birdhouses and I love how you found solution after solution. You sister will be glad she has the bird seed bag - some day! And the curtains are terrific. I think I might own my one and only ruffle with my "new" featherweight. I've always put in a gathering seams, and make it work. That's all I knew. Great recovery and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  55. I can't imagine how you got that done with your thumb the way it is, but WOW, that calendar idea is sew sew cool. Love how it turned out. I think the velcro was a good alternative also.

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  56. What a start to your new year! You have certainly done some amazing projects. I love the calendar. What a CUTE way to put it together. The lined tote bag, the curtains...just too much fun!

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  57. I loved your calendar! Such a great idea! And I think you have done a very good job with all that has been going on.

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  58. I love everything you created. Unbelievable that your sister doesn't like the bag. I think it's cute. You were truly thinking outside of the box by creating the perpetual calender ... so very creative.

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  59. I love your calendar! It is fabulous! All of your projects are wonderful, thank you for sharing.

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  60. Very clever ideas! Your curtain is certainly a beauty to look at. Hope your thumb is better.

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  61. I love your wall calendar, it's so clever and look so sweet with this fabric. I'm quite envious of your new curtain, I need some curtains for my sewing room but I haven't found quite what I'm looking for yet!

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  62. I like your projects!! Your wall calendar is awesome and so are your curtains with the lace trim! I also like your tote.

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  63. BarbCarol, how very clever you are ! I have seen bags made from birdseed bags...I think they are so cute ! Your sister will love it ! I really like your calendar too, great idea !

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  64. Whaaaat? How could sister NOT be impressed?! I'm totally impressed, and the curtains are fabulous!!

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  65. I love the bag! Great job getting things done even if you are on the injured list. Love your projects.

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