Baby Quilt Ball in action

This is the quilt ball in action. I am so happy to see that she enjoys her ball. It is easy to grip, soft, light, colorful & easy to handle. Makes me want to make a lot more. Similar color ball is available on Etsy.  Quilted baby ball

Yardsailing

'74 TOYOTA FJ 55 Land Cruiser

 

Seen - but couldn't get. Toyota FJ '73 model. One of my less successful sailing trips. I didn' t find a treasure to work with but saw this beauty. Wouldn't it be great to buy one like this, use it for a while and sell it again after having fun with it?

Slugs Love Beer!

Finally! A solution to the slug problem.

We've had a slug problem for the past 2 seasons and tried numerous ways to get rid of them. Since they come out when we are sleeping one only realize the damage after it is too late. We tried the broken egg shells, slug repellent from the store, copper, & salt. My husband killed what was left of our plants last year with the salt. 

This time we tried beer. I found 2 old oven pans for free on a yard sale & knew what to do. We filled it with beer & put it out in the area where I saw the most slug activity. Within minutes we saw them coming. I never knew they could move so fast. Especially when you turn your back & don't watch then for a few minutes. When we saw how effective this method was I grabbed some paper cups & filled them 1/4 full with beer & placed them all over.

I also use a 50/50 water & vinegar solution & spray them on sight because I am too impatient to wait for them to get to the beer.

I think we will have our slug problem under control  in a couple of weeks. The pictures are from after having the beer out for about 30 minutes.

The trick is they are attracted to the beer smell, start drinking, get drunk, fall in & drown.

 

 

 

American Girl Clothes - Leotard/Bathing suit

   American Girl Clothes - Leotrard/Bathing suit

I found spandex at Hancock's for $1.75 a yard and used some of it for my daughter's talent show as a headband & yoga-pant waist. The rest just waited to be put to good use.

She had friend over and they begged me to make them some clothes for their 8" dolls, they saw the fabric and decided on bathing suits. I had left-over black lycra and made little cover skirts to match, then felt inspired and used an old t-shirt to make 2 more skirts. Now that I've made this, the tutorial will follow.

This is another t-shirt that will become a doll skirt like the leopard-print one.

My paintings - Africa

I will post my paintings here with links for ordering prints or sale info.

Thirsty Zebra

This painting is NFS, but prints can be bought from FineArtAmerica. This is acrylic on canvas.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/thirsty-zebra-cecile-smit.html

Lion Stare

Pastel - done in 2001. NFS Prints also available at FineArtAmerica.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/lion-stare-cecile-smit.html




4 Proteas

I love the bold and ruggedness of this flower. Yet it is soft to the touch and truly reflects our African culture.

Per WIKI: Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of South African flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes. In local tradition, the Protea flower represents change and hope. 

KINDERDIJK 

a painting I finished and dedicated to my friend who took the reference picture I used. She passed away couple of weeks since she took the picture.

Another Baby Quilt Ball - Easier design

I tried another technique to cut the design. I found this one much easier and had a finished product within a couple of hours. This one will be available on Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/182371269/quilted-baby-ball-pink-flowers?

 

 

I used a bowl as template for the circle, and cut the circle out.

Fold the circle in half an then in quarters.

Cut on the lines. Place the round edge of one 1/4 on the other facing to the corner to create your oval. Trace & cut the oval.

You have a 1/4 circle & oval template now.

Use this to cut 24 1/4 circles & 12 ovals.

Sew oval to round edge of 1/4 with 1/4" seam allowance. Start 1/4" from edge and end 1/4" from edge.

Sew another 1/4 circle to other side of oval, starting where the previous stitching ended.

Stich the straight sides together leaving a gap to turn inside out & stuff.

Cut the corners and turn over.

Fill with stuffing. ( I used pillow stuffing from a new pillow I bought).

Sew the gaps shut & attach the pieces one by one.

Have fun!!!!

 

 

Baby Quilt Ball

Baby Quilt Ball

My, now 9 year-old received one of these when she was a baby and now that I have a grandbaby, I wanted to make one for her. She loved to play with it and it is easy to grip and hold onto. This is one of the 2 patterns or designs I tried I will post the next one when it is finished for comparison.

 

 

I used 4 different design fabrics, it would have been easier to use just 2 but I love colour.

 

 

 You will need 12 half circles (4" diameter) & 12 ovals that is cut to the same curve as the half circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 Cut a 1/4" slit in the middle of the half circle for where your oval point will turn.

 

Sew one side of oval to circle edge, lift needle & sew the other side of the oval to the other half using 1/4" seam.

 

 

 Turn them inside-out and fold the edge over. I bought a $2.99 pillow to use the stuffing. Stuff them as full as you can and pin the edges together 1/2" from the edge. This will make it easy to sew if the stuffing is not in the way.

 

 

 

 Sew your open edge closed as close to the edge as possible, double stitching at the ends.

 

 

 Gather all the points together by using a needle & thread. Pull them all close so you can group them in 4 petal flowers. Sew the points tightly together as shown on 4 sides of the ball. You can use embroidery thread to finish it nicely or leave it plain with your stitches hidden.