2012 A Year of Finishing Projects

As far as finishing projects 2012 was a good year.

Valentine's day Pillow

Kindle case version 1, 2, and 3  

T- shirt quilt.  There is not a lot of progress on this project.

Disney is always an inspiration.  I made a couple ornaments, got some fabric signed for future projects and made a travel wallet for my adventures into the park.

I went to Walt Disney World 3 times within 2012.  I even saw Disneyland Paris' castle at Walt Disney World that I would later see in person.

I left Disneyland but not before getting some photos with the Fab 5!

I traveled 1650 miles back to Kansas City.

I caught onto the embroidery hoop craze and made Disneyland Railroad, Kansas Sunflower and the 1912 Jayhawk.

I went all around KC when I got back.  I went to Union Station, the Overland Park arboretum and Royals games.

I started and actually finished a queen size quilt within the same year!

I bought some books, tore them apart and made many different, wonderful things from them.

I love making all those paper flowers!

And coasters!

After moving home and taking time off I went on the biggest adventure of my life.  I went to Europe for 3 1/2 weeks.  What an amazing time.

I started in London during the break between the Olympics and Paralympics.  When I came back to London after my two week bus tour the Paralympics were in full swing.

Kensington Palace gardens and grounds were beautiful.

I got super lost in York.

Crossed an international border without feeling like it.

Went to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Found some ruins at the base of Arthur's Seat.

Visited Loch Lomond.

Climbed the steps the Giant's Causeway

Walked around the Aran Islands.

Went to the Cliffs of Moher.

I made more paper roses but this time out of Disneyland Maps.

I finished my grandfather's fall quilt.  It is one of my favorite quilts I've made.

I made some ornaments.  My annual ornament with paper cranes.  And I made some ornaments from wedding bouquets that both couples loved.

And after about 10 years sitting in a tin I found something to make from my paper cranes.  Christmas tree garland made from candy wrappers.  Pretty awesome.

And my brother and wife's quilt.  It only took me about a year and a half to finish but it is done now!

100th Post! Christmas Ornaments with Wedding Flowers

Hooray, it's taken me about 18 months or so but I've made it to 100 posts!  100 projects, probably not but for sure 100 posts!  That's kinda cool.

Well anyways onto today's craft.  I've been in two weddings over the last year and a half and I dried the flower bouquets.  Since I was already in the mood to make ornaments it fit for my next project.

One of the bouquets had tons of different flowers so I wanted to make sure to get all the color and texture.  I slowly took the ribbon off, found out a lot on how professional bouquets are made, and cut it apart.  I discovered quickly that I would not be able to get the leaves in without breaking them.  I suppose if I did it with fresh flowers they would go in whole.

 Once all the pieces were inside I took the ribbon from the stem and made a bow on the top.

 I did the same with the baby's breath bouquet.  These went in a bit easier.  I kept the baby's breath on their stems as well as I could.  I cut off stems that had many blooms still on them.  They seemed to float inside the blub.

Both brides really loved them.  

And I made some for me too.  They are a part of my life too and a nice reminder every holiday season.  Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year.  And Festivus for the rest of us.

Origami Cranes ornament

Continuing with the Christmas cranes projects.  Last year I made glass bulb ornaments with Disneyland Maps curled inside.

This year my ornaments have origami cranes inside.  I made all the cranes in high school and they have been sitting in a Lord of the Rings tin for many years.  Now that The Hobbit is out in theaters it was time to open my Two Towers tin.  I made tons of them over the years.  There were about 10,000 inside so I had plenty of cranes to choose from.  

I picked out many different papers and put them inside the ornaments.  I decided to put cranes in the ornament from the same paper inside.  Some were green, some were pink, some white, some were made from wrapping paper, some from Andies mint wrappers.  I kept one with a music score.

I'm glad I kept all those cranes over they years.  Now to figure out what to do with the 9,000 cranes left.  

Make 9 wishes?