Pink Presents and More Stars

Hello my Dear Friends! I hope you have had wonderful Christmas! We had quiet and relaxing Christmas this year plus the best weather! Sunshine and warm, perfect to spend time outside! Presents have been opened  and there was something special …

… painting of our sweet, little Foxy! My dear friend has painted this and it’s so precious to me! I was so surprised and touched when saw this! My artist friend lives in Finland but she met Foxy many times. I haven’t framed this painting yet, but I hope to get it done with frame like this …

Pink for a sweet girl! and more pink … I got the most soft and warm blouse in pink! and pink original Marshmallows!

I won’t take this furry blouse off before it’s warm spring! Today it was almost too warm outside and Nelli enjoyed there, too! She made me company when I took photos …

Cats have so funny way to keep all they feet gatherd together! This time of the year Nelli has so shiny and beautiful fur!

I have made more stars. I felt that this is a little boring project because those diamonds are big and also this is not so colourful as I usually make. But now when I started to make the y-seams, I’m happy that the pieces are big and there is not so much to sew. Lucky me I didn’t want to make this pattern in the beginning of my quilting career! It would have been very short career. Y -seams are not too difficult but you have to know how to do it and they need more time,  concentration and patient.

I’m not totally sure yet if I should leave those orange/brown stars out or if I shall include them. I have to see when I can see all the stars layed together. Only problem is where to to do that? I wish so much that I could have a design wall!

 

Now it’s difficult to believe that some years ago Nelli was so affraid of Nero that she didn’t go anywhere near to him. She was always somewhere more up so that Nero couldn’t reach her. Now Nelli is all around and even in the same bed with Nero. She does her best to fit in the gang. She eats Nero’s dry food, she wants every morning piece of cheese like Hanna and Nero use to have. In the afternoon she eats the same food with the dogs, for example rice with some meat. She even wanted a Christmas coocie!

All our puppies has been really good and they got so much presents … some of them have been eaten already …

Thank you so much for all the wonderful presents, wishes and messages!!! I wish you Happy New Year but I hope to see you still this year! Nero just came to me and he wants company, hugging, massage and surely some goodies! I wish you wonderful and relaxing end of this year! I think I go to eat my marshmellows …

TEJE

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New Scissor’s Mat

Hello my Dear Friends! Only few days and it’s the Christmas eve! I don’t have any stress – really! I have enjoyed making all those bags, pouches, baskets, bows … but I really missed patchwork …

After finishing last custom orders, I was staring the mini quilt under my scissors and realized that it looked really dusty and needed washing. Second thought was that I need to make new for the spring. Hmmmm why I should wait till spring … I can have new brightening scissor mat now …

I took scrap box with latest beautiful patches and here we go …

Last Christmas I made so many mini quilts and one of them was this forest. It was in on the wall in the kitchen (too long time) and then under my scissors. I hate that clonck, cl, cl cl …. that scissors make when I leave them from my hands!

You see that for this new one I didn’t make the real binding. I made like I used to do it before I learnt to make the real quilt binding. It’s not good at all and took much more time. What we learn here: don’t be affraid to learn to make the good binding! Here it is the new scissors mat at work …

!!! This is not a commercial – just the most fun half minute brake! I knew I need a new vacuum cleaner but now I know which one! Don’t loose this funny moment! My sister’s friend has picked this super fun link!

And here we are back to sewing … last custom orders has been finished. These are bred baskets.

I was lucky to get some new fabrics – again – I know! But look – they are so perfect for new bags and baskets and for the notes I have an other idea!

You remember last week I cleaned the windows; usually this window is full of Nelli’s nose-stamps. So now I can show you who is looking out from my attic’s window …

It’s sweet, little Violetta who keeps me always company in my sewing attic. Nelli hasn’t realized that Violetta is a mouse so she can sit here and see the garden and card the jar filled with ? how can I call ‘those’ – they are much smaller than scraps! There is a reason why I save them, but I don’t think I shall ever have time for that project. Till then they make a beautiful decoration.

So not much Christmas sewings or decorations this year. I feel that we sort of ‘Skip the Christmas’. Not totally but let it be this year more simple and relaxing. Hanna and Nero (and me of course) are still coming here with our Christmas wishes! I can smell all the coocies, cakes, orange decorations and other goodies you are making! Thank you for so many lovely posts with your preparations! Have a wonderful weekend and see you soon! Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comments!

TEJE

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TEA COSIES!

Hello my Dear Friends! I hope you have warm hands – here it’s raining again and mine are cold! But I have very warming news – Cindy’s newsletter from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ has came out and there it is – my tutorial for  a tea cosy!

Cindy sent to me beautiful fabrics to make a tea cosy and tutorial for that. I couldn’t make up my mind, what fabrics to use, so I made two tea cosies!

First I made this colourful with more blue and green fabrics and the bird which I wanted absolutely! I thought this will be mine – I love this! When my friend saw it, she said the same and I had to say by by to my bird …

As soon as I have time, I shall make new ‘Bird tea cosy’ for me! When I was cutting these fabrics I thought that perhaps many people like something more modern style and I made the second with only polka dots and beige fabrics.

The newsletter from ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’ has this month again two tutorials! One is from my friend, Katherine from ‘Sew Me Something Good’ and one from me! Did you receive your newsletter? If not, you can subscribe on the homepage of ‘Fluffy Sheep Quilting’!

Choose your style, colours, prints and fabrics and create your own tea cosy!

I hope you enjoy my tutorial and find it easy and helpful! If you make your tea cosy, I would love to hear about it and even see it!

Now I wish you wonderful time and hopefully you have lovely weather – somehow the weather seems to be quite interesting issue – when it’s hot we miss cold, when it’s dry we miss rain and now when we have only rain, we do miss sun and dry! Is it so that ‘you get what you wish’?

Thank you for joining me today and thank you for your wonderful comments! Welcome and thank you also all my new followers!!! I hope you enjoy my sewing and other stories!

TEJE

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MINI QUILT TUTORIAL for mug rugs and coasters

Hi! Tutorial for coasters and mug rugs is ready. When I made these coasters I realized that even it’s so small project, it has all the same basics as a big quilt. I took lots of photos and now I hope that you find this tutorial helpful. If you haven’t made any quilt yet, but would like to try, I hope this little patchwork inspires you to start!

This time I have made the tutorial so that you can upload or print it. Because this is my first time using this method, I would love to hear your opinions. All the feedback is welcome – if there is anything you think should be explained better or any mistakes, please let me know.

This link will take you to the tutorial:

 MINI QUILT – COASTER – TUTORIAL

I made these coasters with small patchwork block. Squares are 2″ x 2 “. There is white around and the backing is white. Binding is double foulded quilt binding.

First coasters I made, where with raw edge applique. I had made the ‘Butterflies’ quilt and it gave me idea to use that theme also for coasters.

There is endles way to make these tiny quilts! Fabrics, prints, colours, binding, quilting … all these change the look!

I made the tutorial with the patchwork block, but it’s very easy to make also something with raw edge applique. Just take a piece of fabric, cut any picture or shapes you like, and stitch them around as you like.

If you are interested about tutorial for raw edge applique, please let me know and I shall make that, too.

Enjoy making mini quilts and coasters!  If you make some, I would love to see them!

Have a wonderful time and hope to see you soon!

TEJE

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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

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GREEN TEA, PLEASE?

Something on a sunny Sunday – Hi everyone! Did I say something about socks last week? I had to take my cool summer dress again because it’s summer here!

Orange is good but I wanted also green. Green and turquoise are good, too! They are quite a nice couple!

Have you entered or visited ‘Blogger’s Quilt Festival’? I have seen there so many beautiful, interesting and inspiring quilts! It’s great to see quilts from friends (“ah, that I have seen, it’s hers”) and to find new blogs and talented people! I saw some quilters that I remembered they had last spring fantastic quilt and now I was happy to meet them again!

My latest project has been something related to these tea cosies, but can’t show you yet …

Nero and Hanna eat they salad every day. They enjoy having all the soft and fresh grass after those rainy days we had last week.

When ever it’s sunny, Hanna enjoyes her sun baths!

My sweet girl! She had a shampoo bath also yesterday and now she is so smooth and smelling so good!

I hope you don’t remember that one year ago I started to knit ‘Rainbow’ jacket … because I never made it. If you haven’t read that post, there is also a funny ‘scrap’ pillow that I really like. It’s in a new home … I should make a new one!

About the jacket … I was asked about the yarn and it’s from Finland. It’s from famous Finnish company NOVITA. Unfortunately their site is only in Finnish and as I saw they sell online only in Finland. Perhaps I should tell that there are many knitters who would like to order abroad?!

So I didn’t manage to knit the rainbow jacket. I started it many times but never the pattern felt right. I am also sewing so much lately that there is not much watching tv with a knitting. When I was in Finland last spring, I bought natural colour yarn for a jacket (from Novita again). Their, biggest in Northern countries, yarn factory is in my town. I sarted to knit it straight away in the spring but then it got too hot … can you imagine that I used to knit all the time? If I didn’t have planned next project when the other one was coming to an end, I got panic! Now I need fabrics and my quiet corner. But about this newest yarn … here it is …

After several tries I created this simple pattern. First sleeve is going well … my lovely project paper-bag from Novita … I think I shall spend my Sunday afternoon knitting in the garden …

My give away is still open HERE!

Thank you for your visit and for all the adorable, sweet comments you have wrote! I want to say big thank you also to all my readers and followers – you make this worth of effort! I’m so happy that you like my new ‘Butterflies’ quilt and that it has given inspiration to you!

If you see me ‘no-reply’ it’s a wordpress-blogger issue and I hope you take the time to write me an e-mail, if you have any questions or just want to say hi or what ever you have in your mind! my e-mail is nerospost(at)gmail(dot)com, it shows also in my sidelist after my photo. I love to hear from you – new and old friends and followers!

WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL TIME!!!

TEJE

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“TEA TIME” tea cosy

Hello my Dear Friends! Beautiful sunny Sunday – what could be better time for a lovely tea time!

I love tea cosies and tea pots! Long time they were ‘troubling’ my mind and many ideas were running around and not only for tea pots … other cosies may be on their way, too. But first thigs first and here you are brand new, happy and unique tea cosy or cozy …

What a fun project this was! I enjoyed making this patchwork and the little tea bag. I’m in fact a coffee person (really) but now I know what you or at least I, need to make a wonderful cup of tea! Yesterday I took all this …

Friend of mine brought me while ago this tea from Finland. I boild hot hot water, warmed my tea pot hot, add the tea and waited … then add Cretan honey (the most delicious and healthy) to my beautiful tea cup (treasure from my trip to England long time ago) and then poured  this adorable tea to my cup … what an enjoyable tea time that was!

Because I have many dear friends from England and you are absolutely specialist for making tea, I would like to hear your tips! Do you have any practical tip how to empty those tea leaves from your tea pot? Jane at ‘Jane’s Journal’  from England was the only one who guessed in my last post what I was working on.  10 points and the parrot mark goes to Jane!

This wonderful tea I got, is from ‘Pentik’. I should have told you about Anu Pentik in spring when I returned from Finland but … any way … Anu Pentik is a Finnish artist and she has a gallery-shop in my town. It used to be in the next town but now all the next towns are together so it’s in my town. Anu Pentik started with ceramic but during the years she has made all kind of art and now the company is big with all kind of products! Have a look on her beautiful and colourful page HERE! (it is in English too).

In this beautiful shop there were two most sweet girls! So polite and helpful, happy and smiling! I asked if I could take photos for my blog and they were happy to hear that I live in Greece and write a blog. I’m so sorry girls, that I haven’t shown these photos before – I do hope you still sometimes visit my blog!

In Pentik collections you can find all kind of things:  fabrics, decorations, bags, kitchen things, dishes …

This was a ‘dangerous’ place but because of the weight limit at the airplane, I was in ’safe’.

When I was finding these photos, I saw that there are still many to share with you from my Finnish trip. So now and then I shall continue my Finnish posts. And here it is the Pentik gallery-shop from outside in very early spring.

Last weeks project was a tea cosy. Oh there is never enough time… I have so many things in my mind that I want and need to do. For example in no time there is the ‘Blogger’s Quilt Festival’! When I saw Amy’s first post about that, I didn’t realize what she ment because I couldn’t understand that’s it’s already time for that! And it’s 26.10. – 9.11.2012! Last year I made suddenly a quilt in one week to join the fun. It was ‘Orange Stones’ quilt. Now I have the quilt quite ready, only the quilting is missing and the binding of course. So this afternoon I shall sit outside with Nero and Hanna and at least start to stitch all those butterflies!

I would love to keep this tea cosy for myself, but it is now in my TEJESARITA etsy shop because I want to make many more cosies! Bags has been asked and this week I planned new one. It’s almost ready and this bag has almost everything! Only few moments in the evening and it’s ready. Here you have a little sneaky peaky …

If you somehow happen to be out of inspiration or ideas, have a look  ’Quilt Inspiration’s’ site and their Pinterest! There you have all the inspiration you need!

You find buttons for the Blogger’s Quilt Festivat and Quilt Inspiration from my sidelist!

Have a wonderful time and enjoy your tea times!

TEJE

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LAVENDER SACHETS

Hello and Happy weekend to you! Now I can say that we have autumn and I love it! Early in the morning I woke up for the sound of the rain. Now it’s half cloudy half sunny, beautiful gentle and quiet day! Believe it or not, I’m still wearing shorts and sleevles! Yesterday I sat outside from the morning to finish the lavender sachets…

First I had made simple patchwork squares and then I made some stitching on the backside. Crochet flowers I had made earlier when I thought I shall make a lamp shade with white linen and sew the flowers over it. I don’t see that’s going to happen so ‘the light switched on’ and I add the flowers to these lavender sachets! They are even made with the same ‘Perle’ n:o 8 cotton thread as I made the stitching.

Because I like these to be also decoration and like a small cushions, I filled them with pillow filling and add three spoons Cretan lavender. Closing is sewn by hand, so it’s easy to open if someone likes to fill them again or wash them.

If you like to see some other crochet flowers I have made, click HERE. I still have the flower curtain in the bathroom, because I haven’t had time to make something nice enough to change it. And HERE are some other crochet flowers on Foxy’s pullover.

I made these lavender sachets especially for my ETSY SHOP, because soon we all are thinking about presents! Who can believe that before we even realize, it’s Christmas time?! These are so perfect gifts for everyone – beautiful, small, useful, easy to send, suitable for any age … quite cute!

All the items I send from my shop are gift wrapped. I enjoy making packets and gifts! As I make fabric things, I like to use fabric also on the packets. Colours and materials may vary depending my ideas! There is also a small gift card where you can write your wishes and messages.

Can you pick the little bird on the stone? I used the other half of my day for photographing and writing the listings. At the end I liked mostly the olden wood base … it is the cover from the wine barrel. I like so much those old barrels and their shabby grey colour! I’m lucky to have several old barrels in my garden. That furry ball is all that there is left from the Artichoke!

And now some other news:

Laura’s Blog Hop has began and there are already several guest post for that! It’s all about English Paper Piecing and travel photos – you remember! Click HERE to visit Laura’s blog and the site where you find the list for all the blogs participating! Today I saw for example beautiful Donkey cushion made by Erin at ‘Missy Mac Creations’!

‘Quilting Gallery’ has a weekly contest – as I think many of you know. This week the theme was ‘Made to little ones’ so I thought I just have to join with the ‘Baby Stars’ quilt! and I did … so please … if you like that quilt … could you please stop by and vote! There is a small change to win FABRIC! Voting is HERE - after all the quilt photos, you find the voting list and you can see also all the votes that every quilt already has. Thank you so much – I do appreciate if you have a moment for this!

I want to say big thank you for all my blog friends and readers! You are so amazing and important to me! Thousands of thanks again!!! My dear blog friend Carla from ‘Grace and Favour’, sent me an e-mail yesterday to tell me that she saw my ‘Baby Stars’ quilt and voted it! Thank you so much Carla for taking the time to vote and tell me about that! Without you I might have forgot all the thing because I had so many things and projects in my mind!

I think there are enough = too many links already for your weekend, so I leave you to enjoy them and have a wonderful weekend!

TEJE

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“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

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COLOURS & COLLARS

Hi! Sunday afternoon … new week beginning again?! I have learnt now that when I’m really busy it’s better to do something that doesn’t need too much concentration …

When I saw these turquoise collars, I knew that now my puppies need new collars! I was again visiting our vet, because Nero was too interested about Foxy?! So little Foxy got injection to calm Nero’s hormones?! Every one (I think) loves turquoise so I thought this time every one gets the same colour.  Other wise Nero’s would be again black and Hanna’s dark red.

I have tried to make plans and think new ideas for my shop and autumn-winter season. But I don’t have time to try if my ideas work, so I can’t continue those ideas. Better to do something else just to rest and leave my mind to relax. And what could be better way than playing with some happy colours …

Always I wanted to make something with tiny, little patches …

… couldn’t stop here …

… it took 3 late evenings …

… to finish the top and now it’s ready for quilting!

Just a short while ago someone was asking about these waves in photos. I’m so sorry but can’t remember and find who it was. I left a comment and said that it happens to me also sometimes with solid fabrics, and here it is now. Hmmm, it doesn’t show in published photo?!  Can we see it here …

A mystery over a mystery! I guess it has something to do with light and how the fabric has been woven.

Patchworks look often so interesting also from the back side! And when the sun shines through them …

Have to say that colours make me happy! And guess what … I shall see these little colour squares every day, beacause it’s going to be a mini wall quilt, placed next to my computer! I confess that I have already quilted some lines … I just couldn’t help myself … yesterday evening after finishing works I gathered my quilt guild (?!) and stitched some lines by hand. That was so enjoyable and looks beautiful!

I know you like to hear more about the quilt guild? There is none here and I was really happy to visit my blog friend Dianne today! She writes wonderful blog ‘QUILTOVA’! She makes beautiful quilts and also she was missing a quilt guild – so as a clever girl – she made her own guild!!! So why not me, too? I gathered my quilting assistants (Nero, Hanna and Foxy) and we had some special quilting guild – quality time all together!!! After many days it was great to sit outside in the late evening! Dogs were lying next to me, listening sounds of summer from the neigbourhood and I was quilting!

Funny thing is that till now I didn’t have time for Pinterest but now I have and you can guess if I’m hooked! I have put the button on my sidelist if you like to see my pin boards … but there is not much yet.

Thank you for stopping by and thousands of thanks for your unique messages! I wish you a great week and wonderful summer days!

TEJE

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