How to make a clay pot soldier

This is probably an old pattern and I am sure there are lots of them listed on the web. Most of us do not make things like this but it was a lot of fun. Also had good food to eat.

Several of my friends and I got together today and made these cute little soldiers. You start out with a clay pot in what ever size you want. Size can be from a 2” pot to a 6” pot.

Some of the girls are going to make larger solders to set on their porch.

We started out with the 2” posts and some had 1” pots.

You will need a ceramic glue for gluing the pots together. Ask for this glue at Jo-Ann’s or Michael’s. I do not know name of glue as one of the girls glued my pots before class.

Acrylic paint, cheap paint will do. You will need black, red, blue and white.

Paint brushes. Gold ribbon braid, white felt fabric to cut out hands, black ribbon for belt.

You can add anything that you want to make solder your own. Lots of paper towels and water to clean up.

Start at top and draw on eyes, mouth, and nose. Paint eyes with black paint. Dot 2 little dots onto eye for the sparkle in his eye. For the nose and mouth I used a thin pen.

You can paint a mustache or put red cheeks on.

Paint the hat black. Paint chin strips on.

Paint his shirt red, pants blue. Add gold buttons to front of shirt with paint are gold paper.

Free cut the hands and collar from felt. Glue on.

Glue belt on and glue a gold ribbon down each side of leg.

These was so easy to make. A few of the girls want to make larger pot people in different themes and seasons for their porch.

Moose doll pillows

Moose doll pillows. Listed on my Artfire site.

Fabric rose

Fabric rose. I made this one with a rose bud. It is hard to see the leaves but there are two leaves on rose. I think it is gnome approved. I am making these to go on a pillow.

Iris fold greeting card.

I made this iris fold card using origami papers. I like to make greeting cards using different mediums. I call this card Beautiful Day. Card listed on my Artfire site.

Cowboy western quilt

I bought this fabric several years ago and never knew what I wanted to make with it.

I had made another quilt using this pattern and decided that is what I would use this fabric for. I thought it turned out nice.

See this and other quilts on my Artfire site.

Sunbonnet Sue and women

  Twenty reason why it's wonderful to be a woman! 1. When a ship sinks, women (and children) get off first. 2. A woman can hug her best friend without worrying she'll think she's gay. 3. Women can talk to attractive members of the opposite sex without having to picture them naked. 4. A woman can never be blamed if it's wet on the floor around the toilet bowl. 5. If a woman cheats on her spouse everyone will assume it's because she was being emotionally neglected. 6. Women are capable of doing at least two different things to a passable standard at the same time. 7. Women live longer than men. 8. Women know how to cover up spots and other facial blemishes. 9. If a woman inexplicably disappears for two weeks, one of her friends will notice. 10. Women mature earlier than men (some men never mature at all). 11. There are times when chocolate is really the answer to all woman's problems. 12. Women don't feel uncomfortable with gay waiters or hairdressers. 13. A woman can fully assess a person just by looking at their shoes. 14. Women know the truth about whether size matters... 15. A woman can take a drive without trying to beat her best time. 16. If a woman forgets to shave, no-one has to know. 17. Women are capable of going longer than five minutes without thinking about either sex or football. 18. Women never lust after a cartoon character or the central figure in a computer game. 19. Women can be groupies. Male groupies are stalkers. 20. Women can cry and get off a speeding ticket.

Huckleberry's

Took a drive in mountains this week and spotted a nice hill of huckleberries. We climbed a small hill to get to berries, you notice I said small hill. Getting up hill was fun but coming back down nature seemed to want to pull you over head first and roll you down the hill. Mosquitoes were not a problem as long as we were in deep woods but coming out to where the sun was shining they suddenly appeared out of no-where. Some as big as a horse. We probably picked about 5 cups enough to make muffins this winter. Huckleberries only grow above 3500 feet and are the size of a pea. Berries can either be tart are sweet. When a patch is found it is kept secret as where you found them. Probably one of the best kept secrets in the USA. And never ask anyone where they found their berries. I have heard that the going rate is $50.00 a pound. Sounds like a lot of money but more work than I would want to put into picking berries. I am not selling mine but keeping for family. I did share a few with friends who want to make syrup to put over ice cream. Huckleberries only grow above 3500 feet and are the size of a pea. Berries can either be tart are sweet. When a patch is found it is kept secret as where one found them. Probably the best kept secret in the USA. The secret life of a huckleberry is interesting and to much to write about here. Picture shows what bushes look like and berries hiding under the leaves.

Trip to Merrill Falls

My daughter, her family, my son , husband and I went to Merrill Falls in Seeley Lake, Montana for a fourth of July outing. We passed fields of beautiful bear grass blooming. Yes, bear grass is ate by bears and this part of Montana has grizzly bears. Lucky for us we did not meet nor see any. My son-in-law carried his pepper spray. We kidded him that if he had to use it would he have it pointed toward the bear are spray himself!

We finally made it to the falls after two hours of walking. Falls are beautiful and well worth the walk. Sun was over head so could not get a good photo of falls. There was a dipper that kept flying down in the water and then back up on the bank of falls. Falls are 100 feet tall and water cascades off rocks. There is moss growing on rocks that adds to its beauty. We passed two lakes on the way in and there were lots of ducks swimming around on them.

The only blight was someone forgot their empty water bottles. If you can carry a full water bottle in you can surely carry an empty water bottle back out. Please don't pollute!

If you want a beautiful place to hike and bird watch.

Simple gift bag Pattern

I belong to two quilt bee’s and one group is taking off for the summer. We are going to have our last get together next week with a covered dish dinner. Yum!

I decided to make small gifts to take to each of the girls. These are very easy to make.

1. I used three different fabrics for each bag and cut them 8 ½“ x 8 ½” ( 21.6 x 21.6 centimeters ).

2. I used a rotary cutter with a pinking blade. You can use a straight edge if you do not have a pinking blade.

3. Fold fabric into thirds and then fold again once long ways. This makes a little pocket to put a treasure in.

4. I tied four colorful buttons together and put in bag.

5 Tie bag closed with ribbon are yarn. Everything can be used by a quilter.

White pelicans all in a row

Trying to get back to my blog site. Seems like each day something comes up that takes up my time. I took these pictures at the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge.

The first picture is 15 white pelicans, of what I could count. They would swim alone in a straight line and then stop. Gather around in a circle and flush out small fish. Scoop these up in there bills and then swim off again. I have never seen pelicans do this display before.

I was hoping pelicans would swim closer to my side of pond so I could get better pictures of them.

Lavender

Just listed a beautiful lavender sachet on my Artfire site. Use these sachets to hang from door knob, place in box with shoes and your personal drawer. O' the aroma of lavender fills the senses with wonder. Did you know there is a song that is dated from the seventeenth century about lavender! Song is called Lavender Blue. This is a few verses of the song listed on Wikipedia. Song has been sung by many famous artist. "Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavenders' green, when I am king , dilly, dilly, you shall be queen". Even royalty like to use lavender. Queen Victoria used lavender as a deodorant. Louis XIV bath in water scented with lavender. Charles VI used lavender filled pillows. Remember Yardley perfumes?

Quilt Qua site

Several months ago I was sent an email asking permission to put my blog on Quilt Qua from Connie Colten. I had never heard of site so out of curiosity I looked on web and was very impressed. Of course I gave permission to have my site lsited and feel very honored. Connie has almost everything a quilter is looking for. Saves lots of time having to search on the web site. Connie not only has quilt shops listed but blog sites from some of the best quilters known. Blogs from everyday folks like me. Isn't it fun to read blogs and see what others are making. Connie also has a Show and Tell. I love seeing what other quilters are making. Be sure and check out this wonderful site. http://www.quiltqua.com/

Nine Patch Quilt with flowers

This quilt is totally sewn by hand and hand quilted. Fabric flowers are scatterd over quilts. I wanted to get a feel of how our ancestry's sewed quilts. This is the second quilt I sewed by hand and have to say I really enjoy sewing this way. It is time consuming and slow. Since this is becoming a lost art I get pleasure making quilts this way. Quilt is 42" x 42". Yes, I still make quilts on my sewing machine. This quilt has been sold.

My cat and flowers

Last week was my birthday. Don’t ask how old I am and I will tell you no lies? My daughter took her dad and I out to lunch and gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. My cat loves real flowers, he smells them, he taste them and sometimes even eats them. As I was putting flowers in a vase he kept trying to see them. I finally put vase on floor so he could get a closer look and snapped this pictures.

The girls from my quilt group gave me a surprise birthday party also. Chocolate cake and punch. I was totally surprised.

Lemonade Recipe

I love lemonade and can drink it anytime of day, winter and summer. Here is the recipe that I use. I like mine a little weaker than recipe calls for so I add at least ½ cup more water. I buy several lemons at the time and let them ripen good for at least a week setting out on my counter. I use a spoon and pull as much pulp from lemon after I squeeze lemons. You will be surprised at how much lemon juice is still in lemons. ************************************************************************************ 2 Large lemons. 1 Cup sugar. 4 Cups water. Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice from. Add sugar and water to container and stir until sugar is dissolved. The quilt top I used for background is one that I am sewing by hand. I have the top made and now need to put the border on and then quilt. It is a simple nine patch but will have flowers appliquéd on.