Gifts | Averyclaire

Pay It Forward

28 Nov 2008 2 Comments

There are two posts today…taking care of business.

I won a “Pay It Forward” challenge on Jane’s blog. I’m excited! I am going to receive something handmade by Jane in the next 365 days. How exciting…and what a surprise it will be. She creates the most beautiful handmade things.

Now I want to Pay It Forward as well. I have chosen one of my photos…this rose as a symbol of my gift to two of you. Here’s how it works: If you would like to receive something handmade by me within the next 365 days, please comment on this post to say that you are interested. Tell me a little something about yourself. I will then draw two names. If you are one of the chosen two, please post the same offer on your blog in return…hence the name Pay It Forward! You may use my rose as your symbol as well. I will do the drawing two weeks from today, Friday, December 12. See you then!

I don’t mind mailing to anywhere in the world so join in! Anyone can win! You can even participate if you don’t have a blog, just keep it going.

Christmas Stockings

21 Nov 2008 7 Comments

by averyclaire in Christmas, Gifts, Sewing, Wool Tags: Christmas Stocking

I’ve been having fun creating a gift for my daughter-in-law, Michelle.

From tip to toe…it was fun designing something for Christmas.

With leaves and flower centers covered with needle felted wool roving mixed with angelina.

And tiny beads in the center to add just another touch of sparkle.

She loves sunflowers and while it’s not exactly traditional Christmas, this is what she asked me to make.

And after I finished hers, I made the other one she asked for…one for the dog. All sparkly and shiny and it even has a squirrel…Birdy’s favorite playmate!!!

That’s Birdy on the left with the little squirrel at the bottom. I think Birdy’s going to love it almost as much as Michelle and Mike. Don’t you think? Now I’d better get this in the mail before they see this post!

Busy Weekend

10 Nov 2008 4 Comments

by averyclaire in Christmas, Friends, Gifts, Quilting Tags: Boutique, Friends, Wedding

It was a bit busy this weekend, but fun. Friday my husband and I attended a beautiful wedding of the daughter of a long time friend. It’s so nice to be together with good friends. And what a special occasion to share with one another. I recall the weddings of my three like yesterday. Here’s a little collage of the day. I feel like I renew my own vows every time I attend someone’s wedding. How romantic! I have been married for 41 years now. And I think we’ll make it for at least another 20.

Also this weekend was our quilting Holiday Boutique. It is similar to a craft fair, but everything is set up like you were in a large department store…without any vendors. Everything is marked and counted before and after the sale. As I mentioned, part of the proceeds support our quilting group…but more than anything else, it is an all day affair where we get to know one another better, have a good time, laugh and share a bit of ourselves. Everyone who attends says its the best sale of its kind anywhere.

And this lovely lady was made by a dear friend of mine who does absolutely exquisite work. She is a talented artist in all sorts of mediums. Her latest project will be a crazy quilt and I can’t wait to see it.

I Was Tagged

03 Nov 2008 10 Comments

by averyclaire in Family, Gifts Tags: Birthday, New Baby, Wine Tasting

Paddy’s Daughter tagged me over a week ago and I am now just getting around to answering it. I am to tell everyone 7 unusual things about myself that most people don’t know. Well…this is really hard. My life is like an open book. Even thinking about it for a week and a half doesn’t help! But here goes anyway

1) When I was younger…my dream was to be a research biologist.

2) I love turtles…they are the voice of God.

3) I am four of five and a Star Trek fan.

4) I am terrified of spiders…any kind…they make my heart jump right out of my chest!

5) I am a weather watcher. Love it.

6) Most women like to shop…I don’t.

7) There is nothing I love more than total silence. It fills my soul.

This was very hard for me…so I am not going to tag anyone else. I did this just for you Sue. Hope you have learned a little bit about me.

Just for fun here is # 8 about me. My niece, Lesly, just a few hours ago gave birth to a beautiful little boy, Ryan Patrick…8 lbs. 8 oz….22 inches long. He has a lot of hair. It is her first baby and we are thrilled…but even better yet….today is my 60th birthday!!! So I will never forget little Ryan’s birthday.

My children gave me a big party yesterday to celebrate. It was such fun. Besides the brithday party, my daughter decided to turn it into a lovely wine tasting party. Great wine! Another day with lots of family and friends to make life wonderful.

New Quilt for Titouan

02 Nov 2008 6 Comments

by averyclaire in Gifts, Quilting, Sewing Tags: Baby Quilt, English Phrases, French Friends

Maggy…my soul sister in France…has a new grandson, Titouan. I had to make something special for him. A bit of fun and a bit of the United States. So I found a fabric with lots of English words on it.

They are phrases which we hear a lot, but perhaps not so common France…but then again…maybe they are common. Can anyone of my French friends tell me if you use these phrases also? I love to learn new things. There are phrases like: See You Later Alligator or Quiet As a Mouse or A Little Bird Told Me…

Reappearing Rabbit or Monkey See Monkey Do or Leaping Leopard

Or Can A Zebra Can His Stripes?

Or Busy As A Bee

His Mom (who loved the quilt) sent me this super photo. Little Titouan doesn’t seem to care…he just loves being the center of attention. Isn’t he the most beautiful baby you have ever seen???

Ornaments

22 Oct 2008 8 Comments

by averyclaire in Christmas, Embroidery, Gifts, Wool Tags: Christmas Ornaments, Wool

I’ve been working a lot without much time for sewing. Actually I wake up at 4 AM and get some sewing done before I go to work. I think I am a bit tired…but I managed to do these Christmas ornaments. They are from a pattern by Indygo Junction. I haven’t done a lot of it, but I love working with wool. I have been collecting it for years hoping to do something fun.

Aren’t they just adorable. I think I will save them for gifts for the holiday season.

I think this green one is my favorite. They worked up quickly and it was something I could do when I was really tired and just wanted to sit in front of the TV at night and “veg.”

The embroidery on this one didn’t take much time and it really adds a lot to the ornament!

The little Christmas tree has beads for ornaments and a tiny silver bead to top the tree. Each ornament has a “jingle bell” attached to the ribbon.

On second thought…I think perhaps that this Mistletoe ornament might be my favorite. When I was a young girl, I always made sure I had mistletoe around at the holidays for the all the gentlemen who might pass through our doorway! What do you think?

Perhaps it is hard to choose a favorite. But I think they will make delightful gifts this year. Glad I spent those early mornings sewing.

Progress and Past

07 Oct 2008 4 Comments

by averyclaire in Gifts, Quilting Tags: Baby Blankets, Quilts

Here is one of the blankets I managed to complete this week…Peter Rabbit and a couple of others. The blankets are about 40 inches square and are double sided. The flannel is all prewashed and preshrunk. I have been making these and selling them as gifts for years now. It is my own design with special embroidered edges. And each one comes with a cozy stuffed animal.

I also finished a baby quilt for the grandson of a friend of mine, but I can’t put it on the blog until I get it into the mail. Don’t want to spoil the surprise.

Everyone is always worrying about all the fabric they have in their stash. I did too. So I decided to do something about it. I made an old-fashioned multi-color cat quilt. It was a Robert Callaham pattern shown in a magazine some years old. Thinking I would put a big dent in my stash, I even used scraps to create a patchwork backing for the quilt.   And you know what happened…I think my stash is just as big as it was before. This lovely quilt didn’t even put a dent into my collection of fabric.   I had the opportunity to display my quilt in the public library for nearly six months. It was fun.

A closeup of the cats and “fence.”

Here is the back of the quilt…..all the left over scraps from the front of the quilt.

Here is a photo of the library where the quilts were hung.

And here is a photo of some quilting friends giving a demonstration of their quilting skills at the public library.



Quilting makes such good friends and we have such a good time together! I wouldn’t trade this time with my friends for anything.

My French Friends

31 Aug 2008 2 Comments

by averyclaire in French, Gifts Tags: Boutis, French

Some years ago when I was new to the internet and browsing the web, I found quite by accident a French quilting magazine. For a couple of days I struggled to read their posts regarding quilting in France. While I had studied French in school, I never really learned to speak the language…but came to love all things French. One day I decided to write a message to them and ask if anyone would enjoy corresponding with an American quilter who did not speak much French. I received many responses. Today I am delighted to say that I have made several good friends.   Maggy, Nicole, Claudine, Elisabeth, Anne, Carine Marie, Isabelle, Yvette, Josette, and Mijane, you know how much our correspondence has meant to me. These women are all wonderful artists, very creative and talented.   They are all an inspiration to me and my work. Maggy is my twin on the other side of the world…the first one to respond. She was divinely sent to me.

They are all kind, generous and thoughtful women who chanced to answer my email that day. We have shared our thoughts, photos of our families, little treasures sent across the miles and a simple gift of friendship. My passion for France and all things French has increased one thousand times because of their kindness to this American woman.

While I have received many gifts from all of these generous French women, I share with you a photo of this Boutis Heart, which was a gift Nicole gave to my daughter when Kathleen had her second child. I am enthralled with the art of “Boutis” and am grateful to Nicole for sending her gift. I now have a few books on Boutis and with Nicole’s help I have an understanding of how to do it. Boutis is an old art…but still as lovely today as it was long ago.   Lovely as the French women I have met, don’t you think?

Unexpected Fun

27 Aug 2008 2 Comments

by averyclaire in Gifts Tags: Gifts

Today I had to go “one more time” to the fabric store to buy more batik fabrics for the wedding quilt I am making for my son (who was married one year ago already).   I never seem to have enough of what I really need. (SMILE)   Of course I found what I needed and then some as always.

Upon returning from my errands, I found a package waiting for me on the front porch.   A gift for me??? Could it be?? Of course I couldn’t wait to open it.   There was a virtual treasure chest of items just waiting for me.   An English needlework magazine (one I had never seen), some skeins of silk floss, and silk/wool yarns, a hank of wonder twist, a spool of gold thread, a card of #18 cotton needlepoint thread, two bits of lovely lace, some adorable little porcelain kittens, an assortment of lucscious beads and colored little flowers and embellishments. And there in the midst of ALL this magnificent treasure was the best of all…a handmade biscornu pincushion embroidered with my initial. Just last week I’d been asking Marjorie about different types of embroidery threads.   While my stitching has spanned a couple of decades now, all I really know is DMC, perle cotton, and a bit of yarn for crewel and needlepoint.   I had asked Marjorie for some advice on different types of threads, etc. She is a prolific stitcher with lots of talent, creativity, and knowledge.   What a surprise to find this gift from her just because.   How thoughtful and generous and kind! Thank you Marjorie…what a blissful surprise.   She enclosed a note telling me to experiment with what she sent…perhaps making a crazy patchwork pincushion of my own…and enjoy getting to know these luscious threads and embellishments.   And of course, I have the magazine to spark my imagination. Rather than tell me about them or show me the threads, she sent me my very own supply of wonderful stitching threads PLUS. I told you she was creative!

Be sure to visit Marjorie’s website Moonsilk Stitches and get to know her.   She is lovely, kind, and generous and certainly knows how to make a person feel special.   Thank you again Marjorie, you are delightful. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

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