Getting ready for the 4th of July celebration?

Celebrate in style. Make this quick and easy to make purse...and make it reversible. Denim trimmed with red, white, and pink on one side and red, pink, and green on the other side. This great fabric is from the "Prairie Gothic" collection. It has two different borders to work with. It's like getting a whole bunch of fabrics printed on one. See more views of this purse here.

Use free motion sewing to add fun designs quickly!

Now that it's summer...and it's hot as blazes outside...it's time to sit under a cool fan and work on some sewing techniques. You have that stack of quilt tops and gorgeous fabrics that you've been meaning to "quilt". Set aside some quiet time. Gather up your free motion foot, drop the feed dogs on the sewing machine, sandwich some fabric with batting in between and GO! Look in magazines and online for motifs that interest you. Create a line drawing. Use your pencil to trace the outlines a few times. It will help you get accustomed to the curves in the lines. If you like...trace the design on to your fabric using the Dritz Marking Pens with water soluble ink. Sew over the lines. Use a moist Q-Tip to remove the lines before you press. Hmmm...looks pretty good. Now for the stack of quilts...

Use a feather brooch to dress up a purse, jacket lapel or velvet headband.

No time or money to make a fabulous outfit? Just use something you have...add a feather brooch to a black velvet clutch bag, or to a white lace Chico's jacket, or pin it to a wide headband. These brooches would make great accessories for bridesmaids....and one in pure white for the bride. Be creative this summer!

It's summertime...time to make a bunch of new bags!

Check my Etsy store:

http://www.bamboogoddess.etsy.com/

Make a bunch of new handbags, wallets, and small accessories. You can make them up quickly and wear them out the door in a short time. Wear lots of bright pinks and greens and add a great purse handle. Don't worry about if they will match all your outfits. That rule no longer exists. No rules. It's all about YOU!

BTW, I just love this pink and green fabric. It was designed by Jane Sassaman and it's from her Prairie Gothic collection. I'll be listing it on Etsy because I just ordered MORE!

Papaya Treehouse

I'm also growing a papaya tree in honor of my Mom who loved papaya. Well...I may not have a lot of fruit yet but I am providing shelter for a frog. Look right in the center of the photo.

Designer Tomatoes

I'm not great at "farming" yet. The plant cost $4 and my crop so far has yielded TWO miniature tomatoes.

Wow..new Michael Miller Fabrics!

Check it out... http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/

Darlene and Debbie in the Cayman Islands on the ASG Cruise

Darlene and Debbie went ashore for some sightseeing. Is that our ship in the background?

Peggy and Marilyn with turtle friends on the ASG Cruise

Peggy (left) and Marilyn went ashore during the ASG cruise and met some cute turtles. Look at their great purses (they made those before the cruise.) Marilyn provided this photo and used it in her ASG Chapter's (Hudson Valley) newsletter.

Corset Couture is coming in Belle Armoire on July 1!

I got my complimentary issue of Belle Armoire (which will be in stores on July 1) yesterday because my Corset was accepted for their magazine. It has its own FULL page (57) and their photography is exquisite. Thank you to Jenny Doh and staff. I also LOVE their Altered Couture magazine and thanks Amanda Nolan (editor). Please look through their submission guidelines and submit your works of art. The staff at Stampington love artists and embrace all "styles". It's a great way to share what you create with all of us.

Thank You Jan Squires & The Central West Coast Florida Chapter

Thank you Jan Squires for putting this cruise together...we really appreciate it! Thanks for even finding us some fabric stores in the Cayman Islands!

We want to thank Connie and Robert Milan for all their hard work and patience putting the travel part together and not losing any of us when we went ashore.

Thank you Emma Seabrooke our Co-Educator who got Citrus Sew & Vac (we thank Sue & Scott too) who supplied the sewing machines.

We want to send out "Get Well Wishes" to Patti Van Matre and Bette Walker!

I want to thank Rosalina for the beautiful gift of a robe in my favorite color. I want to thank you ALL for the lovely rose and card.

Sheila Shultz of the Nature Coast FL Chapter made all the incredible Lotus Pin Cushions (as pictured above)....love MINE. I got the pin cusion and this incredible blue screen tote at the Regional meeting prior to the cruise. Joan Ruffing (President and fearless leader) and her Tampa Chapter made these great totes with the logo...I know it must have been a lot of work...thank you so much.

Our attendees came from: Ocala, Jacksonville, Crestview, Pensacola, Brandon, Tampa, Jensen Beach, The Keys, Northern Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina...whew.

Marilyn Martin's Cruise Photos in her ASG Newsletter

Boy that Marilyn Martin works fast. She takes care of the newsletter "Stitchin Times", for the Hudson Valley New York Chapter of the ASG. She has some wonderful photos including our group photo in the latest issue. If you are a member of the http://www.asg.org/, go to the Members Only page, Log in, click on Chapter Newsletters, scroll down to New York, and click on Hudson Valley. If you are not a member...please join us! You can learn to sew, come back to sewing, or just hang out with us.

Dining Divas

Here we are at dinner. That Bev (the one writing in her journal...oh, and that's the other Bev to her left) kept a lot of notes. Don't let those empty plates fool you...those are just the chargers. I couldn't believe how fast the food was brought after we ordered. In this photo we have Carole near the window, Darlene (where's her daughter?), Bev, Bev, and Connie's husband (and Connie is sitting across from him).

Say "CHEESE"!

This is one of our waiters. Hmmm...there must be some good snapshots on that camera.












"Napkin waving" means something exciting is about to happen. On this night it meant we were going to do the MACARENA! We also formed a Conga Line and danced around the dining room. I guess that was to get us moving after all that food. Click on these photos for a larger image. If you look carefully...there are interesting things going on in the background...like Wendy (from the Charlotte, NC Chapter) waving her napkin and "who" is too busy eating to wave the napkin. Ha, ha, ha.

Maybe we should have practiced with this video before we went on the cruise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlzwuFkn88U&feature=related

Chris and Susan with their new jackets.

Look at these good lookin' gals wearing the beautiful jackets they finished and are on their way to the dining room for dinner. Chris (on the left) made the Kimura Jacket with coordinating fabrics with Asian designs. Susan made the Self Collar & Cuff jacket. She used a lovely floral with pinks, blues, and aqua for one side and a matching blue (with a tiny print) for the other side. Whichever way she wears the jacket, both prints will show up. They both worked hard and yet found lots of time to laugh. Chris makes the most perfect bias tape...miles and miles of it. Susan opted for the quick and easy jacket because she was there for rest and relaxation...she deserved it!

Central West Coast Florida (now a separate Chapter from the Nature Coast/Ocala) ASG Cruise on May 4, 2009

Well, this was an adventure. We planned on going to Mexico but because of the Swine Flu we went to the Cayman Islands. It was great because Jan found two fabric stores. Jan Squires is the President of the Nature Coast/Ocala Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. We had members from Tampa, Ocala, Jacksonville, Pensacola, D.C., N.Y., and N.C.

We sewed all day and all night. We kept stopping to eat and all the food was fantastic. There was so much to do and we got back to our rooms late. Rosalina was my roomie and when we entered the room and turned on the lights....we almost screamed...at our towel sculpture gift left on the bed. Every night there was a different towel origami gift.





I'll be adding more photos that I have and that you send.