Clover Meadow Studio

Quilt Top Is Almost Finished

2011-02-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

With all of the cold rainy weather of late I have finally gotten back to working on my queen sized quilt. Over the weekend I managed to finish sewing all my sectional strips together into one big pieced top.

Now I just need to put the double border on I have planned and the front will be finished. :D I had hoped to finish up this part up before Christmas but ah well, thus is how life goes sometimes.

Seeing Spots...Cheetah Spots That Is

2010-11-10T05:35:00.000-08:00

While I may seem like that last person you know to enjoy animal print I am actually very fond of it; cheetah and leopard styles specifically. So when I discovered this type of styled felt I knew I MUST buy some to make a few projects. Right now since I am focusing on coasters I created three styles: stars, hearts and rounds.

Rock Star Pink Cheetah Animal Print Felt Coasters - Set of Four

Cheetah Heart Animal Print Felt Coasters - Set of Four

I feel like these would be perfect gifts for those setting up their first apartment or for dorm room life. Fun and a little funky they add a lot of color to a space while jazzing it up, these are not your grandmothers coasters! Mix things up, be different; you can do it! :D

I know some artist friends whom I think would love these for their studio or office spaces. These would be great for creative souls who like things a little different.

Round Pink Cheetah Animal Print Felt Coasters - Set of Four

This Round Cheetah set will be posted up to my Etsy shop soon.

As for upcoming projects which are a bit different I probably have two or three in the works, so I am hoping to talk about those soon.

Felt Cuties You Can Use As Coasters

2010-11-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

Due to poor health I ended up taking three days off of from work last week. This time gave me pause that I was overdue to get some more creative time squeezed into my schedule as I haven't made anything in what feels like ages. It's not that I have been ignoring my blog here, but more a case of low in creative juice. Cue some felt and the sewing machine and here is the result of the past five days; it's like the creative powers that be gave me a swift kick! :-)

Tea cups and saucer felt coasters - Set of four

I had loads of fun sewing everything, just the act of cutting things out and the hum of the machine was very relaxing. I feel almost like I've taken a mini vacation in my studio instead of feeling bad of health.

Maple Leaf Felt Coaster - Set Of Four

Cardinal and Sparrow Bird Felt Coaster - Set of Four

The idea's for these coasters are tumbling all around in my brain faster than I can make them, but I am already feeling some other thoughts branching just a step or two from here. I've been sketching several things down in my design book which I am anxious to start. The weather is finally turning rainy with cool fronts passing through the area, so I will start running around town less and be more focused.

Bear Head Felt Coaster - Set of Four

Blue Bird and Snow Bird Felt Coaster - Set of Four

I have some more less 'traditional' designs coming which I will be sharing soon. :) Right now these are all up in my Etsy shop, along the a teaser of a product line to come. I am really crazy about this print, it's just so fun! Here's a little peek for you.

Rock Star Pink Cheetah Animal Print Felt Coasters - Set of Four

Now that five days have passed I am feeling a little bit better. I visited the doctor on Friday so now I'm just waiting on some blood work. I don't think it's anything too serious, just may be off on some vitamins or something like that which makes you feel awful. Also visited my optometrist which was a long over due visit, seems my current glasses are now to strong for me. I was pretty surprised to hear that but it certainly explains the headaches I've been having again. So hopefully the new glasses which should be here in around a week will improve things.

It's supposed to barely make 72F here today, I'm planning on relishing the cooler temperatures! I know for those of you up north that probably sounds like summer, but it was just in the lower 90's last week and I am very happy Autumn weather has finally arrived.

Getting Ready for Halloween

2010-09-08T05:42:00.000-07:00

I have had ideas tumbling around in my head of late, but there has been much drama in finding my three dear cats a new home. My allergies have been off the charts and I am just unable to keep them any longer. Throbbing headaches that never end and daily puffy eyes are just not my idea of a good time. :( Thankfully friends and family have adopted them, so I will still get to visit my sweeties from time to time.

Enough drama, on to crafting!

Over the long weekend I felt inspired and thus wandered to the fabric store to take advantage of the holiday sale and pick up some more felt. I have a few ideas sketched out for Halloween, but here is the first one to be sewn up. Without further ado, let me introduce you to my little snaggel toothed bat.

It is about six inches wide from wing tip to tip. Sewing black on black is a challenge but Saturday's bright sunny weather was just the thing I needed to stitch this cutie up. I've stuffed it plump and used little buttons for the eyes.

As soon as storm Hermine gets done pouring rain around here I am going to try and take some better snaps out on the porch. As soon as that's done I'll be posting this cutie up in my Etsy Shop.

Finished: Parsley Scissor Keeper

2010-08-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

So what was I making in my last post? Why this adorable parsley themed scissor keeper! It also doubles as a fantastic decoration for cabinet knobs and lamps. There is a basket of parsley on the front and then on the back a single dainty sprig.

You can find several more pictures of it within it's Etsy listing.

This was such a fun project that I am already working on the next one. :D My mind is notorious for thinking about the next project while I am still trying to finish the current one.

This past weekend I took a deep breath and at last bought an additional storage box to separate my over flow of sewing floss into. Don't ask how I ever had all of this crammed into one box, because even I am not sure how that ever worked and the lid wasn't popping off!

Stitching Away

2010-07-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well hello there, I realize I have been incognito for quiet a while now, but at last I am back! Now that Summer is in full swing I am having fond memories of Autumns cool breath and that always makes me want to sew!

Right now I am working on a project which involves cross stitching. I'm just about done with the design, so after that I will be..well...you'll see. :-)

I have moved my Etsy shop, please adjust your bookmarks to http://clovermeadow.etsy.com .

Up for sale right now I have two lovely handmade ceramic pendants strung on satin cording; one is featuring a cat paw print in a turquoise blue and the other a wolf paw print in moss green.

I have been actively sketching new ideas, so I am looking forward to sharing them with you as they come to fruition.

Polka Doted Cherry Pouch

2010-01-16T17:21:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to finish up my quilt for some time now, but alas my eyes have been giving me a lot of trouble of late. Even though I'm wearing my glasses I'll get really bad headaches after a little bit. :-/ So needless to say I haven't been able to do as much crafting as I have wanted of late.

Even while I've been resting my eyes since the holiday’s massive sewing moment, I have been working on this little pouch when I've had the time. I have made it specifically for my digital camera, but it's also the perfect size to hold my cell phone.

The inside is lined with a small print floral and polka dot fabric in coordinating colors.

While creating this I have had lots of ideas for another version or two, so that will be coming in the somewhat near future. I would like to have this new version done by summer vacation, so I’m hopeful to share the fruits of my labor soon-ish. :-)

A Little Visitor

2009-12-24T19:59:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas Eve and staying nice and toasty. I've enjoyed the bliss and luxury of sewing all day casually and have made a lot of progress. The temperature really started dropping after about 10am and I think that’s what drove this little lizard to come visit me on my ironing board.

Thankfully the iron hadn’t been on recently, so it’s perfectly fine perching here in the sun. Later it moved on into the window and I’m told it lives around there. Probably nice, safe and warm being that it’s winter here now.

Miya kitty is anxiously awaiting morning and the opening of gifts. She's making sure nobody comes and peeks in the night. ;-) heh

Packing For The Holiday

2009-12-22T21:54:00.001-08:00

Well tonight was a real whirl wind of things going on in the studio. While I’m a fairly organized person it still took a little bit to gather up the entire quilt project and get it packed up in some semblance of uncrushed so I can take it with me to work on over the holiday while visiting family.

I am being optimistic that I will be able to finish putting the top together in about a day and thus have been already planning out the next project since I’ll have a lot of free time to sew. Here is a smattering of fabrics from the ‘bin of holding’ which all need worked into something. Some are slated for clothes (like the polka dots, plaid and tulle) others will be quilts, decorative pillows or other projects.

Since I am still working out the finer details on what I want to work on first I am just packing the whole thing up and bringing it with me. You know how it would be if I didn’t; the perfect matching fabric for something would be left here at the house. Murphy’s Law never fails!

I can say though that this pile of scraps left over from my current quilting project is slated for a lap quilt, even if it doesn’t realize it just yet. I’ve been milling the idea around in my head off and on today trying to decide on my pattern design. I’m planning on ‘shooting from the hip’ on this one, so it’ll be a mix up of things. This is definitely one of those times I wish I had one of those cloth traveling design boards your fabric sticks to.

Well I think I’m ready to hit the door running when I get off work tomorrow; definitely planning on posting while the holiday sewing ensues!

Quilt In Progress

2009-12-21T21:41:00.001-08:00

I’m excited to at last have some blog content put together to share. I have been in a bit of an art ‘funk’ so to speak but I am hoping that it is now broken and things will start to roll along somewhat smoothly.

For the last couple of months I have casually been working on this queen size scrap quilt top whenever a good chunk of time would lend it’s self. Now that cold weather is here and the holidays are quickly approaching I have been really antsy to see it come together. The last week has seen a flurry of activity in getting all of the blocks completed and strips sewn.

Tonight I have finished up a lot of pressing (I’m huge on pressing everything, call me crazy) and have started squaring things up and getting strips put together.

My original goal was to be done by Christmas Day so I could get some other sewing projects completed over the holiday free time, but when time was up tonight I am admitting that’s just not going to happen as there is too much to do with gifts still to wrap and packing to do for visiting family. So I’m planning on packing up the quilt and taking it with me to work on during the visit. If all goes well I will be able to finish up the top with time to spare for at least one other project. Hey, I’m being positive here! *chuckles*

Houston Quilt Market 2009

2009-10-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

I had the delightful opportunity to attend this years Houston Quilt Market today and see all of the latest sewing/quilting fabrics, gadgets and gizmos. I wish I could have brought back half of the "Clover" booths products. I just love them so much! I will definitely be tracking down some of their butterfly yoyo makers and a couple of other things.

I do believe this was one of my favorite quilts from the Market floor. The pattern is from "The Quilt Company" and called "Sweet Tea". I picked up this pattern plus two others of theirs, "Lovebird Lane" (birdhouses) and "Heart and Home" (houses); all of which I'm really looking forward to working on this Winter. The ladies were a real delight to talk to and I am very much looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.

This was another quilt on the Market floor which caught my eye. I'm not sure if it's the shade of purple on white I like so much or the interesting design. Either way I'm delighted to have spotted it.

I'm afraid I don't remember the company who's booth this was, but I really loved their 'carousel' sort of feeling in the design.

While at Market I was able to see two bag workshops by "Aunties Two". Watched her make both her "Diamond Island Tote" and "Bow n Go Bag" designs, which was absolutely mesmerizing! I was able to pick up both patterns and can't wait to finish up a couple other projects so I can get started on these.

I found some gorgeous silk ribbon flower broaches from "Hanah Silk Ribbon" over in booth #125. For those who are there tomorrow/Monday you should go take a look at what they have. They also had the most lovely ribbon vests which I would love to get or make one of these days. =)

I was there from 10am until around 4:30pm and was too tired after covering all of Market to walk over and look at all the gorgeous quilts that are on display on the other side of the show hall. I'm not sure if I'll try heading back tomorrow or just wait for Quilt Festival next weekend and go see them then even though it'll be a bit more crowded.

I had meant to take a lot more pictures while there, but I was so busy looking and taking it all in that I just didn't remember to do so very often. heh

While this is obviously not taken at Market ;-) , my kitties are enjoying the cooler weather of open windows. This is them all sleepy this morning before I headed off.

New Website Redesign Is Up

2009-07-15T07:26:00.001-07:00

I've been working on giving my website a "face lift" and now have the new version up. You can view it at Clover Meadow Studio.

Searching for Golden Dreams

2009-07-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today's inspiration:

You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You've got to get out there and make it happen for yourself. - Diana Ross

Studying for my Adobe ACE certification is giving me a loss in sleep from getting caught up in so much in an evening. I get excited about new ways to do things and then I can't stop thinking about them. XD

I've started sculpting a new base for my horse head spoon rest design in preperation for making a mold. I like to think I'll have pictures to share of that sometime soon-ish.

Know where your going

2009-07-13T06:24:00.001-07:00

Todays inspiration:
"You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there." - Yogi Berra

Classy Chic - Finished

2009-07-10T19:17:00.000-07:00

Just finished up this Paint foal custom, now named Classy Chic. ^_^

Working on this extra tiny foal was a real challenge! Even though I've done the Stablemate size before, the foal is just so much smaller to hold on to.

Model: Breyer Stablemate Foal
Size in inches: 2 x 3/8W x 2L

Practice to Learn

2009-07-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

Ah, this is so true of many things for most people, something I'm sure we can all work more on.

"Practise what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know." - Rembrandt

Quotes for furthur thought

2009-07-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

Todays inspiration: "I want to reach that condensation of sensations that constitutes a picture." - Henri Matisse

Twitter-ised

2009-06-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

I'm now on Twitter, so feel free to come join me! Do you tweet? If your not already a member of twitter you can follow my latest posts here in my blog sidebar. =)

Free Domestic Shipping for Etsy Shop Items

2009-06-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hiya's all!

I'm excited to say that I am going to offer free shipping to folks in the USA for any item(s) in my Etsy shop. See, there is a perk for watching journal entries. ;-)

This free shipping offer will be good through June 7th.

If your interested in something not up in my Etsy shop just send me a private message.

Due to the exclusitivity of this offer I can not turn off the shipping on all items in my Etsy shop. To receive this offer please 'private message' me so I can post an item to Etsy reserved just for you!

In Progress - Classy Chic

2009-05-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

I've had my new photo cube out giving it a spin and thought I would post a 'in progress' shot of what I hope to finish soon as I can nail down the time. Size: Breyer Stablemate

New Goodies Listed In My Etsy Shop

2008-09-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

Etsy
Buy Handmade
cindyrucker

These and a whole lot more freshly posted this week! =)

Pintabian - At last, some finished work!

2008-09-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Peter Stone brand Chips Arabian (stablemate size) painted into a Pintabian with a sharp looking tobiano pattern. The face has a nice white blaze and soft brown eyes.

This is the first time I’ve painted a P. Stone model, and while I’m not extra crazy about most of their Chips line, this little Arabian was lots of fun to do.

This little guy is actually a donation piece for Charyl Farrens, a friend of mine who's horse model show goes to help raise money for the horse rescue she’s involved with. Which in case any one is wondering, that’s why he doesn’t have a name. Watch my journal, the show is towards the end of the month and I will certainly be posting details.

2nd Place!

2008-09-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited! My custom painted horse medallion just won 2nd place in the novice division in the RESS summer contest! WOOT! You can see all the lovely winners here. =)

I Survived Breyerfest

2008-07-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here’s my table in the Artisan’s Gallery! I shared a table, so I rotated my stock out over the duration of the weekend.

Well I managed to survive my first trip to Breyerfest! I drove up with Cheryl Farrens and we decided to just do the whole fourteen hours in one swoop. I love road trips, so as long as we were talking or had some music on I was just fine staying awake. =) Amazingly both our trip up and back were fantastic in both weather and traffic. I was worried with all the recent rain and flooding in the area that we’d really get drenched in a few spots, so it was nice to have clouds or full sun instead.

Weather aside, the entire experience of Breyerfest was spectacular! Mind you I was in the Artisan’s Gallery for most of the time at the host hotel, but we did make it out to the horse park one day, picked up our show model (it’s gorgeous!!), toured the tempting vendors and watched some of the live horses perform. DZ Weedo is spectacular to see in person and I really loved the Haflingers. =)

If you’ve been to Breyerfest but haven’t been to the Artisan’s Gallery I highly recommend that you go. Some of the best artists in the model hobby are there with amazing work!! It was wonderful talking with several of them and seeing that their very down to earth people; happy to talk about their work, techniques and really get down and talk ‘shop’. There was so much fabulous eye candy; I really can’t express the amazingly lifelike details many of the pieces had. Truly it makes me hungry to learn more about painting so I can continue to grow into more realistic work.

Getting Started

2008-07-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well I’m finally joining the art blog bandwagon, so all studio updates will be posted here, along with progress of longer projects. I look forward to getting to know my fellow artists. =)