Indulge Your Shelf

Thank you for all the nice comments and likes on my Jane Austen Fabric Journal! As you can see, Paul Simon gave me a lot of "help" when I was finishing it up. Job Update: Dennis flew to NC for a job interview last week and we're waiting for an offer to come from them this week (the job would be in CO.)  It's not a sure thing as he's competing with three others for the job -- so we're holding out breath. I interviewed for a local firm last Thursday, and should hear "early next week"; it would be a temp to hire job.  The "thanks but no thanks" emails keep flowing in from jobs I've applied to online.  I've been out of work for a month now. Waiting, waiting, waiting. But, it is FINALLY summer in Southern Colorado.  We've been enjoying some beautiful days!  Before, during and after job hunting I am sometimes able to get Dennis to go out to enjoy our lovely area. Hiking at Bear Creek, above, and a Dairy Queen/th...

I finished my Jane Austen fabric journal!  I have loved just about every minute of this project -- and am happy with the results.  As you can see, this particular book has the theme of her novel Emma . So happy, in fact, I made you a video of it!  When he was home last month, Ben encouraged me to begin videotaping my projects, including how-tos, and this was my very first attempt at it!  And, while it's not the most impressive video, as I'm still learning,  I hope you still enjoy it!

By all accounts, a mild March is in store for us here in Southern Colorado.  As long as the sun is shining, it's okay by me!  So many Americans have been tested by their weather conditions lately. My husband ordered me this pillow for Valentine's Day from an Etsy seller .  I just love it!  Other celebrations included a locally-produced play of Enchanted April, one of my favorite movies; it was wonderful, and while at the theater I bought the novel it was based on, and am loving it tremendously!  We had dinner before the show at a local restaurant called The Blue Star. It was fun and memorable.  Had we known that March would come and we'd still both be out of a permanent job, we would've been more frugal with our night out. I love to support the local arts and thoughtful cuisine, but it can be expensive! As part of an effort to remain always grateful, I created this happy memories jar last week.  It's basically just a Ball jar (antique, wi...

You asked to see the finished fabric book, and here it is!    I used the Merry Christmas embellishment JoAnne gifted me in the Pocket Letter Swap on the cover!  Page by page:  I love this page, with the different shades of green.  And buttons!  I like the way this vintage spun cotton angel pick fits with this fabric picture -- the girl is putting one on top of the tree. I've filled the pockets in the book with Christmas-themed tags I've been collecting over the last few years; it is plump and full of texture and beauty!

Remember those fabric images I was cutting out and sewing the other day?  I've gotten a little further with them: I've decided to make them into a fabric book with pockets to hold Christmas-themed tags I've collected over the years!  This will be the cover -- lots of silvery details. This page uses another fabric scrap collage I made a while back, but never used.  Sewn to some soft, fuzzy white fabric, I think it will be such a pretty pocket!   And, even though it's not Christmas-y, it fits nicely in with the theme. This page consists of a recycled piece of crazy quilted fabric (an early attempt of mine...) which creates another nice pocket when placed over a fabric panel.  I added one of the fabric images to be sewn onto the front. And this deer scene will eventually be the back cover.  I trimmed the fabric panel with gimp and some silver beads sewn on in rows.  I'm having a lot of fun with this little project and hope to finish it in tim...