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Sunday, May 29, 2016

It's Been A Long Time ..

'Hello my dear friends,

it has been very warm outside these past days so instead of working in our backyard, I am staying indoors and being a little creative which I am enjoying so much.

Here is just a little sneak peek of something I am working on right now. I am hoping that I will be able to share my newest creations in the next few days.


 

It's been such a long time since I have made seam binding roses, so I thought it would be really nice to do something with them again. I had forgotten how rewarding these beautiful blossoms are. A simple piece of  seam binding becomes a beautiful flower and that which in a short time. The only thing that could make these even better than they already are were if they would smell and I am sure that could be done very easily too if someone wanted to do so..

If any of you haven't made seam binding roses before and would like too, pop over to my tutorial page. There you will find my tutorial on how to create these lovely blossoms.

Or you can click on the link below ...



Talking about my tutorial page ... you will find many tutorials on all sorts of neat things that you can learn how to make. You will find the how~to`s on things, like my hymn page feather or my little crochet 'flutter~bys' and so much more. There is a little something for everyone, so why not take a look.

It was so nice of you to stop by here at Todolwen today and it would be lovely if you came back some time again.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Sweet Smelling Pretties From My Garden ..

Hello my dear friends,

for quite a few years now little Lilies of the Valleys have been growing in our garden/backyard but I don't think I have every picked any until a few days ago.

I only took 6 or 7 stems but that was enough to make my studio smell like an huge blooming flower garden.












Wishing you all a day filled with sweet smelling flowers.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Not Every Lid Needs A Pot ..

Hello my dear friends,

I told you it wouldn't be too long before I would be sharing my newest creation with all of you and that is what I am doing today.

There is an old German saying ... "Jeder Topf findet seinen Deckel".
(Translated ... "Every pot will find it's lid".)

The meaning behind this quote is that there is a matching counterpart for everyone and everything out there and therefore a happy ending. But at times a counterpart is something that is maybe not always needed. This little tarnished lid doesn't need to find 'it's pot' for a happy ending. Instead it found a new purpose and it is a perfect one for it.

I had recently bought some very nice fabric which was a type of linen. It looks so rustic and the color was just so perfect too. It actually almost looks like very fine sacking material and I just had to use it for this creation.


I also couldn't resist making some more of my little gathered seam binding frill and I am so happy I did. It just gives this creation that extra little something ...


... and looks so lovely.

Some things just go so well together ... like cookies and milk or marshmallows and a campfire.
And that was the case for the tarnished lid with the seam binding frill and linen fabric. They harmonize so nicely.

And here is my newest creation, my newest pincushion. I named it ...

... 'Happy Ending'.




Again with this creation, less is more and that is why I didn't do anything to the outside of the lid. It wouldn't have only covered up the beauty of the ornate handle.









I am very happy with the outcome of this creation and I hope you have enjoyed it too. Knowing me,  I am sure it won't be too long before I will make another pincushion again.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by here at Todolwen and I hope you will visit me here again some time soon.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Just My Thing ..

Hello my dear friends,

as many of you have already realized, creating pincushions is just my thing and has been since a long time now and I don't think that that will every change. I love creating and I love to try different things but I always, always will fall back onto making my beloved pincushions.

I am forever on the lookout for neat pieces to use for my pincushion creations, hence my last one ... the butter dish sewing keep and pincushion and I always get such a buzz when I find a unique piece to work with. Whilst out and about this last Saturday it turned out that I was home alone all day. My younger daughter was in Disney World in Florida, my older daughter was away for the day in Stratford with her husband and my husband still is in Alberta, waiting to find out when he will be able to return to work after the terrible fire. It was just me and the cats. I don't really go out junking that often these days anymore but it was the perfect time for me to do so and I was very fortunate to find a very neat piece to work with. It is of course tarnished and just so me and I think you just might agree when you see what I found. 

And this my newest finding ...


... a tarnished lid!
I am not sure what it was from and where the bottom was but do I ever love it!









It is so pretty and ornate, beyond perfect for me in each and every way and I can't wait to start working with it! I don't think it will take me too long before I will be albe to share it with all of you, so do come back soon and see how it has turned out.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Finally ... Now Listed In My Etsy Shop ..

Hello my dear friends,

remember my 'Morning Dew' mushrooms?


I have finally gotten around to listing them in my Etsy shop after trying to do so for weeks now. Time is not always on my side these days.






(Sorry for the slightly blurry photographs)

These neat fungi creations can be several things, depending what you would like them to be.
They can just be themselves and stand around looking very pretty or if you would like them to be more useful they can be a broach display or a pincushion too  ~ it is up to you really. There are 5 in my Etsy shop as of now, so if you are interested why not pop over and take a look.

Thank you for taking the time to visit me here at Todolwen today. It is always so nice when you do.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Friday, May 20, 2016

An Old Butter Dish ~ Part 2 ..

Hello my dear friends,

 unfortunately I was so busy these last few days that I couldn't, as I had promised, share my old butter dish in all it's 'new life and glory' but I am going to do so right now.

I gave this unwanted piece a new purpose and did so by adding something to it. I like the 'less is more' look these days more often and so I went with that thought for this creation. My favorite bits and pieces like drop cloth and seam binding in matching colors and a few  pieces of vintage sparkle were again my choice. In my eyes, they were perfect but I will let you be the judge of that in a moment.

Of course I had to turn it into something I just love making. Something that is just 'my thing' and you all know what that is, don't you?! I hope you are not going to be dissapointed with the new life I have given the old butter dish. From holding butter, it's new purpose is to hold bits and pieces of  haberdashery ... it is now a little metal sewing caddy and keep. It is a very subtle but pretty little piece now and I just love it.

I named it ...

' Hide ~ Away'.

And here it is ... I hope you like it!
  










I didn't know how lovely two layers of gathered seam binding could look and just give something the final touch it needed.


I hope you have enjoyed my newest creation today. I am busy working on a few more ideas right now and I am hoping to share somethng with you soon again. So do stop by from time to time and visit me here at Todolwen again.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.