Nero’s Post: I tell you a secret!

Vof vof vof! Hi friends, it’s Nero here! I hope you are fine and I’m sure you are waiting to open your Christmas presents and to eat all the biscuits and goodies that you have been making! Sooner than we believe we can do that! I wrote to Santa to bring me lots of ‘dessert’ sticks and toys! I have been busy with many things ….

New Fabrics arrived and we were waiting these beauties from the autumn! They are from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’! Heaven & Helsinki and Ladies Stitching club – perfect names for fabrics! More about them, when we can show you more. When Teje was finding a place to take pictures, I was busy around …

Could you resist that fresh green?! I guess you desire those fabrics but I enjoyed that fresh, soft grass …

Wow, it was so soft … the ground … and smelled very interesting, the hedgehog is running around every day and I wanted to dig and dig the soft ground and grass to find the smell better! Then I had a feet-bath. I wonder why we don’t have a beige, linen couch even Teje would love that? And there is always a towl on my sofa?

Today Teje had a plan to work all the day and she wanted to start a new baby quilt. In fact she had a plan to start to make a pattern for the ‘Baby Stars’ baby quilt. She had took these fabrics on the table last night but then I said it’s time to go to bed, so she had to leave it today … only today we didn’t have electricity almost all the day! I had to take care of the road because there were men with big cars and they did something with those ‘light-trees’.

This much she did, plus some more cutting, till she believed that the light is not coming and the coffee is not coming. So we changed the plan and now we have bright, clean windows for the Christmas! And clean office and even clean computer!  It was once again lovely sunny day and I was around with Hanna …

Yesterday we had our lunch-coffee outside in the sunshine and Teje was knitting her sock. It was +20 in the shadow! Today almost the same but in the afternoon it was raining a little bit.  blaa …. blaaa …bla … blaaa …. what? you want to hear about my secret?  Oh how shall I tell you our secret? It’s something that Teje has been wondering from the spring. She left the idea till the autumn because summer is always busy time. Then she just didn’t find what she wanted. She started with one, but found out that something really important didn’t work as she liked.

And now few days ago she found it! It’s called Yoko! What’s that, you may ask … it’s our new theme! Yeeeeeee !!! I’m so exited – we are moving! If you are interested to see how it looks, you are so welcome to click HERE HERE HERE!!! I need to warn you that the place is still quite empty and not ready. We (she) have been really busy trying to fix so many things. At least now she knows much more than 2,5 years ago when she were fighting with herself to find out how to start a blog. We don’t move far away, we stay in the same neighbourhood – just need a little more space and a change. Please welcome to visit and tell me your opinion! We continue still here in the same place at least till the end of the year. I let you know when I start to write my posts in my new ‘home’.

Thank you so much for spending time with me and thank you for writing so amazing messages! It is so much fun to chat with you! I do appreciate if you tell honestly what you think about our new home! I really hope you like it!

HUGS AND KISSES!!!

NERO

Ps. I go to wake up Hanna, she is snoring too much!

Ps. I had to come back to add this: when reading and checking my post I realized that I’m writing about moving to a new ‘home’ and after that I show a photo with houses! Honestly it was a coincidence! How that happens to me all the time?

Read Full Post »

FABRIC BOWL process and Christmas links

Hello Dear Friends and Welcome! I’m happy you found a moment to visit us - everyone is so busy these days. I almost gave up with all small projects and started to make a new quilt. I have been thinking to make a quilt as my ’holiday’ sewing. But then standing in my attic and thinking what I could/should do, idea came. Not exactly new but nice. When I said to my father earlier that I made a fabric basket, he said smaller could be for eggs! That sounds cosy – to have our fresh boiled morning eggs in a FABRIC BOWL!

Yesterday I cut pieces for two bowls and I left my sewing table like this as you see in the first photo. Starting in the morning I thought you should see the whole truth, one of my ironing mountains. You see it on left corner? All that is not from the floor! There is a chair under the mountain but on the far left there is an other similar chair. Did I really need to tell this …

Fabric baskets, boxes, bowls look quite simple to make. And they are someway but there are many steps to pass till they are finished. First I have cut the squares from 4 different materials. Then I have quilted the outside pieces, trimmed them again.

Then I sew all the four sides with the bottom piece. I press with iron those seams because later it’s very difficult. Then I sew the sides together. Then there is the lining to be sewn. When those two boxes are ready I cut the binding and pin it on it’s place. I sew the binding this time first from outside and then from inside.  Then I cut three more squares … quilted them … made the binding … to be a mug rug/potholder/plate for the bowl … as you wish …

Both of these fabrics are from Ikea. If you like to see what else I have made with those fabrics, here is the TABLE CLOTH I made in summer and several PLACE MATS made earlier (this post has Nero’s view also).

I was looking my earlier posts to see what I have made with Ikea fabrics and they happened to be with some great Christmas posts – I think you would enjoy them. With red-white fabric I made the ‘Peppermint’ bag and in this same post Nero is having a lesson with his School bag! There I show you also one idea how to hang and show your Christmas cards!

With the same red-white fabric I made a zipper pouch and with green-white-black and other zipper pouch. In this same post Nero features fluffy knitted scarf and I show our Christmas tree, decorations! This post is exactly two years ago and Finland had just celebrated the Indipendense day, as it does again today! Congratulations Finland!!!

Wonderful Christmas things are now every where. MIA from ‘Handmade by Mia’ and PENNY from ‘Planet Penny’ are sharing everyday something Christmassy! They have always so great ideas, beautiful decorations and something to give us lots of inspiration! Don’t loose their Christmas Calendar posts!

Today we have had half day rain and half day less rain, changing every half an hour, a little bit sunny moment between. I was really lucky to be outside with my eggs and mandarins when the sun showed out! Fabric baskets and bowls are great because you can fold them lower if you like. For me this bowl looks more ‘elegant’ and beautiful when it’s not folded …

Today I’m really happy with less colours! White, black and of course a spot or two orange, looks good! Now I go to continue with green and white and later red and white.

You remember the ‘Travellin Pic Stitch’ blog hop  where we made english paper pieceing blocks? Now it’s voting time! My block is in the European linkup and the number is 1 – I do hope so because there are fantastic presents to win! So if you liked my block and post, could you please vote at Laura’s blog  ’Quokka Quilts’ HERE!

Thank you for visiting and writing such a sweet comments! I wish you already wonderful weekend and have fun with your Christmas preparations!

TEJE

Read Full Post »

Boots, Books, Brooch, Basket …

… Barbecue, Butterfly, Beautiful, Pinwheel …  I started to look words to find a name for this post but they were too many! Today all my items starts with B or P! But first I want to wish you the most beautiful December! And now let’s go – with my new boots …

I love this photo! for my surprise this very close up photo came out so well and sharp as you see. I have saved these boots for a while … then I made a block but the idea stopped there …. till yesterday …

Sweet little book with boots – needle book!

And there are the tickets, too! This fabric is Punctuation by ‘American Jane Patterns’ Sandy Klop for modafabrics.com and it’s sooooo goood! This lovely fabric has 4 different green prints in same & blue and orange tickets and boots on the selvage!

Because I finally managed to make this needle book, it was easy to continue with some other special fabrics. What about Moomins? Do you love them?

Here you are ‘Moomin’ pink and sweet needle book. It insisted to become so cute and girlish – I hope I’m not the only one who loves girlish things!

Pink ‘Moomin’ needle book is in MY ETSY SHOP and I have just finished second Moomin needle book with green fabrics. Our friend Mia from ‘Handmade by Mia’ asked what we wish to get from Santa. I said boots and ment real, great boots! So I guess my little boots are on their way to my shop, too.

Butterfly! These crochet butterflies has really got so much attention! I made the red polka-dot zipper pouch and this green was on it’s way. Now finished and in my shop. A while ago I received wonderful e-mail from a sweet lady who asked if I could make some butterflies to her – I was so happy that she didn’t hesitate to ask when she got a lovely idea to use these butterflies on a craft she was making! I haven’t forgot that many of you would like to get pattern for this butterfly. I hope I have time to do it in winter. The pattern is not mine so it’s a little bit difficult issue. I have tried to contact the blogger where I found it, but I think she has stopped her blog.

If you remember I made one fabric basket with written fabric with lovely red checked fabric. Now I have made the smaller one and it’s also in my shop.

And more and more Bees … they are brooch …

I ordered brooch pins from etsy and they came very quickly. So now I have been able to finish some brooch with these pinwheel stars. Also in my shop now …

Did I say any other word with B? Yes, B.B.Q … here your go, fishes from grill two days ago and yesterday we had B.B.Q. with pork chops and ate outside wearing t-shirts! First of December, isn’t that great! Today has still been very warm but too strong wind to sit outside. And you know what they say for the next weekend? Only +7 for us and for more north under zero!

As you can guess, I have seen again lots of fantastic ideas and sewings! Here are few links to give you inspiration:

‘Rainbow Hare Quilts’. Janine has made a beautiful quilt ‘I saw A Fish’!

Beautiful Christmas ornaments made with felt by ‘PurlBee’!

‘Sew French’ has always something inspiring to see! Now it’s a Christmas tree skirt!

I’m linking at Quilt Story’s ‘Fabric Tuesday’!

My garden doesn’t has lots of flowers but now there are beautiful rosies! But for an other B as Beautiful I wanted to show you my beautiful Nero. You see where he enjoys himself?!

Laura’s blog hop with English paper piecing has reached the end and the linky party. ‘Travellin Pic Stitch’ was my first ever blog hop and also I tried first time English paper piecing. Both so much fun – mostly the blog hop! I hope Laura has soon again new great idea as this was and invites me, too! When I crapped the plate with feta and centered it on my block, I didn’t realize that it could be fun; I saw only the colours. I had a good laugh with Laura’s funny words for my feta cheese block!

Time to go … I wonder what you are doing in the beginning of the December? I have made some cards to write and some sewing ideas are waiting in my thoughts, fabrics on my table … and some special fabrics are on their way to me! Can’t wait to show them! Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comments! I hope I inspired many of you to knit and to start to knit! Hugs to all of you from all of us here!

TEJE, NERO, HANNA & NELLI

Read Full Post »

Cats and Boats and Coasters

Hi! I hope you had a great weekend! I met this cutie at the weekend …

We had a lovely lunch with dear friends at the fish restaurant and there are always many kittens around waiting to get their share.

This little girl was special; it had so beautiful fur mixed with some long hairs!

It was still beautiful weather and there were people on the beach … and something else … a sailing boat! We don’t know what has happened to this poor boat!

We were eating under the white roof and on the far left you see the sailing boat. In Marathi there are also lots of fishing boats.

All the morning was sunny and later there came some clouds … still no rain and the warm continues.

Even I’m not fan of sailing (I feel uncomfortable in boats and ships), I like to see boats … it’s fun to read their names … the first one is “My Dream”.

From the sewing table … I have made some coasters and I am preparing also tutorial for these. These are like mini quilts and if you haven’t made any quilt yet, by following my tutorial you can easily learn all the basics. These are made with patchwork blocks …

… and some more with raw edge applique … green/turquoise to match with this tea cosy …

… and of course also in orange to match with orange tea cosy!

And now some great links:

*Janice from ‘Better of Thread’ has made adorable block with Santa’s hat and then she made the most fun and beautiful pillow with four blocks! I love that! And she made also TUTORIAL for the block and pillow! I’m sure you love it, too!

* Faith from ‘Fresh Lemons’ has made fantastic star block and pillow with that! Also here you have TUTORIAL!

* If you like to see my Santa’s Hat block from last Christmas, it’s HERE. I made lots of mini quilts/mug rugs with different pictures. I made also TUTORIAL  for the mini quilt/mug rug.

I hope you find inspiration for your Christmas sewings! I’m still trying to cope with my autumn sewings?! I have had beautiful scene on my sewing table and today I have cut also some ‘written’ fabrics …

Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments! Soon it’s my turn at Laura’s Blog Hop with EPP = english paper piecing!

TEJE

Read Full Post »

Stash builder ? & Winner !

Goooood Mooooonth to everyone !!!

Today we have a special guest to announce our give away winner! And the winner for the My Memories Scrap booking software is … ANNE !!!  Anne is our Norwegian friend from Oslo and she writes beautiful blog ‘Quiltefia’! Anne is knitting beautiful jackets and jumpers and she also sews fantastic quilts, bags and much more! Congratulations Anne!!!

Thank you ‘London’ for your help with our give away! ‘London’ is a Golden Retriewer and the sweetest girl! She is always happy and smiling and I’m  happy to spend some time with her now and then. Here we stopped to take few photos on our morning walk. In the summer ,early in the morning, the light and colours are fantastic and London loves the beach! She loves to swim but enjoyes also just sitting there, watching and smelling the sea.

I think I’m a stash builder?! What’s that? Of course someone who builds a stash = collects fabrics! If you like to make patchwork and quilts, the more fabrics in different colours and prints you have, the better! These just came from Cindy from Fluffy Sheep Quilting! I love them and can’t believe I didn’t have any polka dots in my stash!

New project is beginning and you will hear all about that as soon as it’s ready! And more fabrics … these are souvenirs from Cypros! Would you have prefered parfum or chocolate?

These are canvas – perfect for bags, pouches, fabric baskets etc. And ‘writing’ – I have wanted fabrics with letters and text! There are some antique cars, old ships, coffee cups, tea pots and lots of text! Oh Nelli … I didn’t have yet time to hang the ‘Butterflies’ quilt and look who found it …

She loves to be up there and look what we are doing downs stairs.

Very soon it’s time to collect olives. This year our trees are so full of them. Olive trees make olives once an year and usually every second year they are full full and every second year there are less olives.

Beach starts to look empty even yesterday was a perfect swimming day! We had +30 C and south wind with bright blue sky! today clouds and strong wind; rain is coming.

I want to send my warmest thoughts and prayers to everyone even remotely touched by the storm Sandy. It has looked scary and terrible in the news and I can’t imagine how difficult it is for the people living there.

I hope you have a good November! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! Thank you also our new followers (Nero’s and mine) – we hope you enjoy your visits here!

TEJE

Read Full Post »

Scrapbooking, fabrics, mugrug …

Hello, hello, hello! I’m happy to see you and hope you are fine! Today I shall tell you about something new I have tried: digital scrapbook software! Also I have received my beautiful new fabrics! I have here also the mugrug I made a while ago and just a hint about my latest project. We have finally got some rain! Lucky me, because I had washed these fabrics …

I have been learning a great sofware for scrapbooking. New to me and fortunately very easy to use. In ‘Old times’ I used to make scrapbooks, photo albums, notebooks … I made for example a scrapbook for all the dog breeds … but I had never tried digital software and I’m so happy to havea  change to learn this and to use this really good and exiting software from ‘My Memories’! There are just so many possibilities what you can create and how! I have tried only small part of them till now. You can use ready templates, papers, prints, colours … and your own photos. I played a little bit with Foxy’s photos ..

Liz from ‘My Memories’ has made lots of very good and helpful videos which you can see in youtube! You can use this software for so many things … make your own photo book or your own unique cards! As we know (even it’s hard to believe) soon we should make Christmas cards! I like to make them by myself and I’m sure this year I shall make them with my new software! I made a quick try with one of the free templates the program has …

You can use the ready templates or you can create your own with lots of,  lots of materials, fonts, colours etc! Visit ‘My Memories’ and I’ll get back to this soon!

And here are some of the fabrics I found from my mail box few days ago! I’m so happy to know Cindy from the ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ – wonderful online fabric shop! Cindy is always so sweet and helpful and we shall have a small project together … tell you later about that!  I have admired long time these fabrics …  birds and cars with vespas and here they are now! And something else …

I know many of you have seen these and lots of wonderful things made with these. I had to wait to have more sewing time and new ideas … many ideas in my mind … Yesterday I finished the latest project. I was also long time in my mind till I ‘finished’ the idea and had time to make it. I love it and I hope you, too. Photos are ready, but my post is not ready, so today I give you a small hint … what you think I have made?

I don’t want to leave you without showing anything finished, so here is a mugrug I made earlier to match the table cloth I made even more earlier …

My days are as you see  … something here … something there … a little bit this and a little bit that … but good progress, too! I hope you have lots of lovely projects and you enjoy the autumn!

Thank you for stopping by and leaving so lovely comments!

TEJE

Read Full Post »

“BABY SQUARES”

Hello dear friends! Hanna said last time that I have been playing with butterflies … true, but I have done some work, too …

The top is finished for the baby quilt, custom order from a friend! This time it’s for a girl. I have finished this a while ago, but didn’t feel comfortable to even think about quilting it. Try to imagine to sit in sauna and having a quilt on your lap – not nice idea. But some how now I feel that I want to finish this quilt and in the evening I shall baste it and then I shall prepare a table for quilting not to have it over me.

I really like clear, clean white with colours! White makes them more colourful and so beautiful. I have been thinking a lot about colours and I’ll share my thoughts one day. Especially after making the ‘Patience’ wall hanging and watching it every day, I realized how much there is happening with the colours, how to use them, how to look them etc.

I hang my laundry to olive trees and they are now full full little olives! This is going to be good year and we shall havea  lot of oil from our 11 trees!

Even it is terrible hot till late in the evening, I try to sit for a while outside with Nero and the girls. They are so bored being all the time inside. They sit or sniff around and I stitch something … perhaps with a glass of wine …

First time I bought this wine just because of the cute bottle. But I like the wine, too, so I shall have a collection of flower vases …

There are not many flowers in my garden this time of the summer, so I tide few ribbons for colour and cut a brunch from olive tree. But colour and flowers on fabrics I do have – look my new fabrics! I buy really seldom fabrics but speaking with Cindy at ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ online shop, made me click these beauties! I was so happy to see that Kona solid bundle and I love those flowers, circles, stripes and rainbow colours! Cindy writes also lovely blog ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’!

Auch, again the half of my post is missing … how I catch my thoughts again …

Nero has a new blog friend, it’s Archie, the sweetest Labrador puppy! Nero is so happy to follow Archies adventures in his blog ‘The Chronicles of Archie’! As I’m happy to follow his mom’s Avis, quilting adventures at ‘Oh Sew Tempting’!

Have you ever thought about making a white quilt? When I look the back of this quilt top, I think it would make an interesting quilt. Lots of white with squares from seams and just few spots colour.

Hanna was right when she told you last time that I have been playing with butterflies. I had to do something to get my mind away from counting clean towels and sheets and this project really worked! I have had butterfly dreams!

Hmmm, what else …. I like to send you for a visit to Terri! Terri is quilting, sewing, painting and so much more and she writes wonderful blog ‘Terri’s Notebook’! Now she has made some really beautiful and practical fabric storage things. She has also great links, tutorials and patterns! Terri is my first blog friend, before I had even began my blog!

And for fun … I was so happy I looked this video! It’s amazing, fun, surprising!!! Do you like dominos? Go then, it’s HERE!!! ‘Live a Colorful Life’ blog is sharing this great video: ‘How  to share Coca Cola’!

I am linking at ‘Fabric Tuesday’,  ‘Link Party Tuesday’ , ‘W.i.P. wednesday’, ‘Made by Me Wednesday’

By by for now! Thank you for your sweet comments! Hanna was so happy to hear that you loved her laughing photos in my last post!

I wish you wonderful week and lots of sunshine and good luck at the Olympic games!!!

TEJE

Read Full Post »

‘Nero’s Post’: from our Finnish luggage!

Vof -vof everyone!!! I hope you are fine and happy! We are fine and yesterday Foxy went to see our vet who told that her heart is fine and there is no sign about ‘those days’ …. hmmm … I think we have to stop pretending ‘that’, and start to act ‘normally’ again. Foxy’s teeth are full of stone but she is too old for tooth-cleaning, so I guess I need to buy some peppermint to her to get fresh breath! Because I know you are waiting to see what someone bought from Finland, I show you first some cool turquoise …

You can recognize these adorable prints! Two fabrics from down don’t write well in their selvages - if you know what they are, we would be happy to learn. I love those prints with balls!

 And then how about some yummy orange …

Wow, they are delicious!  But here comes something that I’m sure you love …

… you see this fabric has ’4 in 1′ + those fantastic tickets!

… and something as sweet as these but in pink …

… this would make the most beautiful quilts for little girls or perhaps even for boys …

But all these you have already seen hanging on clothes-line, so I’m sure you would be happy to see something more …

White felt for needle books, pins, ripper for frogging, great (very expensive) buttons and thin blue fabric. I love that blue fabric! It’s very thin and light! First I didn’t take it, but last day I went again just to pick that piece. It’s perfect for a cool summer blouse or a ‘home-dress’ and I have an idea for a scarf … if that will come true, you are the first one to see it!

… and did you think that I could have returned home without any ’Unikko’?!

I saw this piece of oil cloth in a shop that I have showed to you earlier … where I was looking for a present … I just had to pick this! It may become a tote-bag, make-up bags or even place mats. Beautiful and good quality!

What else … for an other experiment …

You may guess that the decoupage glue and the paper napkins have something to do together but what about the crochet hooks? They don’t include to this group. I needed bigger hooks and this set from ‘Novita’ was happy enought to jump in to my shopping basket!

For a long time I have wanted to try that decoupage technic – world is just full of beautiful, funny things made like that! Okey – I learnt that you don’t need necesserily this special glue, but I’m happy to make my first try with this.

But before that, I’m busy with many other things like making more bags …

New crabs are coming! Stripe bag and the red-white bag are already in my etsy shop ! I’m very happy to tell you that I have sold one bird bag and also the ‘Pink Birds’ baby quilt, ‘Patches on the beach’ small wall quilt and some place mats! Wow that was really wonderful – thank you so much for buying from my little shop! So, you see I really needed new materials?!

Oh boy, I am so tired! I haven’t been sleeping much these last two weeks and I have lost some weight because having a sweet little girl under your nose, you can’t think of food! Now I am really enjoying my good and loooong nap and delicious chicken dinner!

Nelli is also very happy because we have fixed the summer couch outside … perfect place for her to sleep and to see what happens around.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my ‘Post’! We have been so happy about all your wonderful comments! Thank you, thank you!!!

Lots of big hugs and wet kisses!

NERO

Read Full Post »