vintage image saturday...

...featuring the fab four! I've also included some printable umbrellas for you. Enjoy!

This is the final post for April. If you would like to see the beautiful April samplers, take a blog hop! The blog list is in the right column over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Or you can find many of them on Instagram at #aswapforallseasons

See you on May 1st!

friday fun...more decorating with umbrellas

If I had just the right window in just the right spot in my house, how much fun would this be?? This can be found on this interior design site.

mrs smith goes to washington...or at least her fabric sampler does!

My April sampler for Linda is finally finished and will be on it's way to Washington later today.

More of the Process: As I began the actual execution of the sampler, I ended up changing the layout a bit. When I cut the fabric to 4 x 6-ish, I realized I didn't have as much room as I had thought. I ended up separating the words of the quote and placing them individually. Yikes! I forgot to place the fusible backing on first! And i realized this after I had already sewn the fabric to a white backing. So I ended up having to place tiny little stitches around each word to fasten them down. I learn something new with each sampler I make! I also changed the embellishments around a bit to try to create better balance.
On the back, to cover some of the stitching, I added a square of the fabric that features 2 little Lindas with their umbrellas. All done.

With a leftover fabric scrap I covered a little matchbox and filled it with buttons, and I made a little tag with some coordinating washi tape.

After a little simple wrapping, it is ready to go. I hope Linda enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it!

wednesday wow

This incredible sampler was made by Ali Ferguson of The Purple Thread Shed The details are amazing...that embroidered scissors!

technique tuesday ~ machine applique

I found a tutorial with information on the different methods of machine applique. If you haven't tried applique yet, this might inspire you and give you some basic info to get you going.

I was going to post updates to my April sampler today...

...but I worked on my hair all weekend and didn't get it finished. Perhaps later.

saturday images ~ under an umbrella sky

From July to September, hundreds of colorful umbrellas float above the shopping promenades of Agueda, Portugal as part of the local Agueda Art Festival. Oh how I'd love to experience this in person!

The second photo of the pink umbrellas floating on the water is one of the very first things that I ever pinned on Pinterest. It originated on Flickr, but I'm not sure where it was taken. I just love it.

a quick note about Monday's post

Hi friends! Someone asked me where the beautiful linens from Monday's Eye Candy post originated. Oh my! I forgot the best part! They came from this incredible blog ~ the entire site is a feast for the eyes! Please pay a visit!

friday fun...decorating with umbrellas!

Source: decozilla.com

creating a garland

I found this beautiful example of a garland made from fabric samplers on the Gentlework blog. I love the use of lace and buttons. So inspiring!

a wednesday wow: for the love of umbrellas

I have lots of umbrella fun to share with you this month, and this quilt is the perfect start. It is absolutely swoonworthy and can be found here It is so fittingly called, "April Showers". Such great inspiration for a mini fabric sampler!

sampler update

I worked on the layout of my April sampler over the weekend. I printed the quote onto white cotton directly from my printer again- I'm still surprised at how well it works! I needed to pull out a few more embellishments and buttons to play with, and I'm getting close to the design I want. I'm still moving things around a bit. I'm having trouble covering up the cute little faces on the fabric, and of course their cute little umbrellas too - which is so like me!

monday eye candy

This picture provides enough inspiration to last the whole week! Everything about it makes my heart sing.

vintage image saturday

Happy Easter!

faith

I thought this would be a great sampler to share today. The hand stitching is amazing ~ it originated here.

back to the project box for April...

Why of course! This will be perfect for April! I bought just a little of this fabric several years back, because I fell in love with it. It was pricey, or I would have bought it all! It makes me smile just to look at it. What better time to use a bit more? I dug out a few pretty notions and do-dads to go along with the fabric and put the project box aside. I haven't started working on the layout yet. Soon...

This month, I am making my sampler for Linda. I've been swapping with Linda for about 10 years! We started out as fellow Red Lead Swap Sisters. She is so talented and I always love everything she makes!Luckily Linda has also been with me since the beginning of A Swap For All Seasons in 2008. We are both nurses, and I've always thought that we probably have a lot in common...although...she lives in Washington, and I am in Missouri, so we have never met. Hopefully one day! Maybe we should have an "A Swap For All Seasons" weekend somewhere in the middle so we can all meet face to face and spend some time together! Wouldn't that be great?

Happy April!

Isn't April a great month? Just the sound of the word April is pretty. April reminds me of Spring, Easter, tulips, daffodils, color and open windows letting in the breeze. I also think of my husband and my son Andrew, who were born in April, and of my Anniversary. Ed and I will be married 30 years this April 13th. So many things to be thankful for in April! Were any of you born in April?

Who won the Spring Giveaway?

Congratulations to the author of comment #11, chosen by the random number generator at mathgoodies.com.....Deb, the Garage Sale Gal! Yay! Deb, if you'll email your mailing address to aswapforallseasons@gmail.com (even if you suspect I already have it!) and I will get your treasure egg in the mail this morning! Thanks for playing and happy hoppy creating!

I'm going to end the Spring Giveaway Early! Last Day to Sign Up is Friday, March 27th

I've decided to end the Giveaway early to give the winner more time to use the Treasure Egg contents before Easter! There have been few new sign ups recently, so I didn't think it would matter.

SIGN UP by clicking on the giveaway picture at the top of the right column >>>>> right over there>>>>>
Then leave a comment on the giveaway post, including your email address if I don't have it.
You have THROUGH FRIDAY, March 27th. I will draw one lucky winner on Saturday morning, March 28th by random number generator.

Don't forget to sign up for the SPRING GIVEAWAY! Open to All!

You have until March 31st FRIDAY, MARCH 27th to sign up. Click on the picture link at the top of the RIGHT COLUMN >>>>>
It will take you to the original Giveaway post where you can leave a comment to enter. The winner will be chosen on April 1st and this Spring treasure egg will be mailed to you on April 1st MARCH 28th so you have it in time for some last minute decorating and crafting. PLEASE leave your email address so I can contact you for your mailing address! Good Luck!

For those following the March swap, this is the last post for the month. The next post will be the Giveaway announcement. The list of the swap participants' blogs is in the right column>>>>> Visit to see the wonderful Mini Fabric Samplers that have been created and swapped this month. You can also follow us on Instagram at #aswapforallseasons

vintage image saturday

Have fun with these cute chicks!

I forgot to tell you the weird thing I did...

On my post about printing on fabric, I mentioned doing something unusual on my sampler. I wanted to print the "little pink houses" phrase on pink fabric, and I was in a bit of a hurry. (I'm not always a patient crafter.) So I printed it on paper in the font that I wanted, spaced the way I wanted. I used a little glue stick on the back of a pink fabric square and glued it on right on top of the printed words. Then I ran the paper through my printer again, and it printed the phrase right on the fabric square. I crossed my fingers that the paper didn't jam, and it didn't. It ran though smoothly and the words printed clearly. Perhaps it worked because the fabric was thin and I only printed a short phrase (as opposed to a detailed image. It worked well enough that I would recommend it as an option. So anyway, that's that.

to heidi with love

Before I knew Heidi very well, I received one of her atc's in a "favorite song" atc swap with Red Lead in about 2005 or so. She did a great atc based on the "Pink Houses" song by John Mellencamp. I loved her atc and I still have it. As we became friends, I began to realize how much we both love, remember, appreciate and laugh at so many of the same things about growing up in the 60's and 70's.
We both love going to estate sales with our husbands. We both know to run, not walk to the ones that advertise those magical words, "mid century modern". How much fun it would be to be neighbors in those little pink houses. I added the third house for our friend Becky. The block wouldn't be complete without her. If any of you would like to join us, we could create a whole wonderful neighborhood! Wouldn't it be fun?

"Oh, but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see, baby
Ain't that America home of the free...
Little pink houses for you and me"
~John Mellencamp~

wednesday wow...from Elizabeth

My fabric sampler arrived in the mail this week! It feels like Christmas morning or my birthday when I see an envelope in the mail, and I realize that there is a fabric sampler inside!

Elizabeth always packages things so beautifully that they are like opening presents. She made a beautiful tag for me, sent along a sweet little package of goodies (the little polka dot bag is a treat in itself!), and just look at the beautiful sampler she made! The fabric is just lovely. Such soft, beautiful colors. I love the quote and every pretty little touch. The lace trim is exquisite! She actually sent me a little bag of trims awhile back that includes a bit of this. I believe I shall just hoard own it. I'm not sure I could bring myself to part with it! Thank you, Elizabeth for this beautiful sampler. I can tell it was made with love- I can feel it! I will treasure it and think of you when I see it on my garland!

P.S. If any inquiring minds want to know the contents of the little packet of goodies...visit my humble blog. (Just don't expect too much- it gets neglected for long periods of time!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

winging it

I finally had some studio time this weekend! The first order of business... Heidi's sampler for March. Using one of the decorative stitches on my machine, I did a very casual green wavy border around the quilted fabric base. Then I put the tiniest dab of glue stick in the center of each little fabric piece to hold it in place and I sewed around it. No tutorial or previous experience under my belt, I was just winging it and hoping for the best! This is how the sewing turned out. On Thursday I'll show you the finishing touches and the completed sampler.

vintage image saturday

sweet bluebirds of spring ~ these make me smile!

a fun st patty's day treat

Make these cute cupcakes topped with "lucky charms" for St. Patrick's Day. Make any cupcake you wish, topped with white frosting. Sprinkle with green sugar and add some "Lucky Charms" cereal pieces. Fun and easy. You can even make a healthy version for yourself with a breakfast muffin and just a dusting of powdered sugar or a bit of light whipped cream. If you only want to make a few, buy the cereal in one of those little sizes.

wednesday wows

I heart them all! They originated here. The artist has many more wonderful fabric samplers to see on Flickr as well. Check out the grouping that features leaves Wonderful!

I've been busy

No update on my fabric sampler to share yet. I've been too busy working on my Easter bonnet.

Is it Monday already?

Happy Monday! To start our week, here is a wonderful sampler from Colette Copeland, one of my favorite artists. I found this on Pinterest and I just love it. I've always been drawn to interesting fabric tabs on clothing and that is what this reminds me of. And as always, I love the simplicity of this sampler. So inspiring to me.

vintage image saturday

St. Patrick's Day images, just in time for a little creating...

taking form...

Heidi's sampler is still a work in progress. The ivory base is the flip side of the worn colorful quilt that I use in so many of my projects. I've decided to try my hand at a bit of applique. I haven't decided if I'm going to do this by hand or machine. There are still plenty of unsettled elements that I need to work on, but it's coming along. The pink piece across the top will have words on it that will pull the piece together. Hopefully I will get some time to work on it/finish it this weekend. I'll keep you posted... By the way, if you would like to see some of Heidi's creations (trust me, you do!), you can visit her on Instagram at #heidisuewallace

great garlands

Some great garlands from a great blog! You've got to spend some time visiting The Linen Garden - You're in for a treat!

a Wednesday wow

Isn't this a great sampler? I love everything about it. It came from this Etsy shoppe. There are some other great ones there too- take a visit.

Open to All! It's a Spring Giveaway! Sign Up by Commenting on THIS POST by March 31st!

This giveaway is open to ALL swappers, friends and visitors of A Swap For All Seasons! Sign up NOW through March 31st by leaving a comment on THIS POST. One lucky comment will be chosen by random number generator on April 1st and will win a package filled with Spring sweetness! Please add your email address to your comment so I can contact you if you win! Good Luck!