{ buttons }

A very nifty tip for placing buttons

before you start stitching.

Let me introduce you to one of my

ALL TIME FAVORITE notions -

* * * Roxanne's Glue-Baste-It * * *

After I decided on my layout

for my Loving Hearts stitchery,

I put a dot of Roxanne's magic glue

on the back of each button.

This stuff dries FAST and clear.

One dot held those buttons firmly in place.

It can be used anywhere you need a pin,

extra 'finger' or a 'temporary' basting.

It comes out in the wash and this little bottle

lasts a very long time.

I continue to find new uses for it.

Check with your local quilt store
and if they don't carry it, request that they do.

Or you can always check online.

{ happy heart day - in honor of my dad }

Yesterday I was at the mall walking with

my friends, Wilma and Shirlene.

Sees Candy Store was open early in anticipation

of husbands and boyfriends realizing that

Valentine's Day was the next day

(I personally LOVE Sees Toffeettes!)

I turned to see an older man leaving Sees with

a bag full of chocolate love.

My heart and breath caught for just a moment

when I saw his white hair, tan jacket and

slightly forward leaning gait.

And at the moment, I missed my sweet Dad

all over again because, you see, 

he ALWAYS remembered

the girls in his life every Valentine's Day.

I wanted to go home and wait for his call.

The one telling me that he was coming over

with chocolates and flowers, the one that let me know

that no matter how old I am, I'm his baby girl.

The one that let me know that I am never alone

in this life and that my Dad was there with love,

humor and great advice.

To love and be loved is the greatest gift a person can have.

To have had it from the beginning

is what I will celebrate today.

p.s.  I will share a tutorial at a later date

for my original "Whooo Loves You?" Quilt.

{ countdown to heart day - day 13 }

When I saw this quilt, I fell in LOVE.

It is from another great tutorial on line.

I've named it {heart}.

I already had a start on my collection of

Kona cottons in reds and pinks.

I added three shades of orange

(it's a subtle gradation but it's there).

I would have a picture of the finished quilt but

my sewing machine is in the hospital :(

It decided it wanted to stitch furiously in one place.

I did finish piecing the top before it went crazy.

I challenged myself to piece an entire quilt in a day.

Although this isn't the most intricate quilt pattern,

I DID IT!

I'll share the quilted and bound quilt

when it's finished.

{ countdown to heart day - day 12 }

I am so excited to share this quilt.

I love when talented people share tutorials.

This one comes from Canoe Ridge Creations.

The only change I made was using 

a polka dot instead of solid white for the X and O.

The solids are Kona cottons.

I found the perfect flannel backing 

at Joann's for $2.99 a yard!

The binding if from a darling heart fabric 

that I found at Hobby Lobby (40% off).

The quilting is an overall loopy heart design.

The quilt label design is an original.

Be sure to check back,

I will post a tutorial on how I made it.

{ countdown to heart day - day 11 }

Another Shepherd's Bush design from 

the talented Richards sisters.

I love the my bowls.

I bought them as part of the Empty Bowls event

sponsored by several clubs at Timpview High.

The bowls are made by art students at the high school,

soup is served (in another bowl),

music is shared and the money raised 

goes to Sub for Santa.

You can choose your bowl from the many that are available.

If you look closely, you can see the heart on one.

I fell in love with the red interior of the other.

{ countdown to heart day - day 10 }

The practical farm girl in me

has always struggled with the high price of roses

for Valentine's Day.

I would much rather receive

something that I can plant

and enjoy in my garden all summer long.

These are my early Valentine's flowers.

I found these beautiful flower pots at Ikea

and my miniature roses fit perfectly.

I will wait patiently for spring

as I watch the rain fall and my roses bloom.

{ countdown to heart day - day 8 }

Another sweet design from

the talented sisters at The Shepherd's Bush.

I love how they use buttons

to enhance their designs.

{ countdown to heart day - day 7 }

A sweet little stitchery in one of my

favorite color combinations - red & aqua.

I added the Fancy Nancy touch by painting

the dark wood frame a light aqua.

I thinned down Elmers white school glue

a tiny bit with water, 'painted' the frame

with glue and lightly sprinkled aqua glitter.

The embroidery pattern is from

Once Upon A Vine.

{ countdown to heart day - day 6 }

I am the keeper of my grandmother's button box.

I've often wondered about the story behind each button,

especially the unusual ones.

In the spirit of button boxes, I decided to do a Button Heart project.

I found this great frame a couple of years ago at the grocery store for $1

(if you have the time to browse, you never know what you can find

at the Dollar Store, Walmart or the grocery store.

Just go with an open mind and sharp eyes.}

I loved the frame because it had the heart-shaped plastic rimmed 'mat'.

You can still do a heart shape on a flat piece of card stock or foam core

cut to the dimensions of your frame.

I wanted a fairly uniform white border and so I went

back to the grocery store (you read that right, the grocery store)

and bought a package of white buttons for $1.50.

I gathered the red buttons and the remaining white buttons

from my own button box but, if you don't have a button collection,

there are thousands of darling buttons

you can buy at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Michaels or any fabric store.

I used a clear drying white glue to glue my buttons to the backing

once I had decided on my layout.

I tucked in a few heart buttons just because.

I actually display this Button Heart year round in my family room

atop a shelf holding an antique quilt, a gift from my sister.

If you look closely, you can see my grandmother's button box

next to the Button Heart with a bird perched on top.

{ countdown to heart day - day 5 }

When we pulled up our deep Pleasant Grove roots and moved to Provo,
we brought a piece of Pleasant Grove with us
and used it on the exterior of our house.
{Actually Mr. W. picked up 35 pallets
of orchard rock from my Dad's Battlecreek orchard.}
If you look closely, you can see the heart-shaped rock
that I had the masons place next to our house number.

This fun wreath is made from Christmas clearance items.

I had a heart-shaped wreath base from an old willow wreath.

You could make a heart shape from a wire hanger

or a heavier gauge wire.

I wrapped two packages of red loopy garland

{which I paid $2 for} around the wire base.

Then I wrapped a strand of clearance Christmas lights

around the heart and finished it with a red tulle bow.

Total cost for the wreath was $3.50!

I leave it on day and night

and silently send my love across the miles

to my Hermana West in Uruguay.

{ heart day countdown - day 4 }

I fell in love with this pattern.

I fell out of love as I made itty bitty hearts

that involved itty bitty curves . . .

but, not one to give up easily,

I took a deep breath and kept sewing.

(My great grandmother, Annie Flygare,
created the quilt that hangs at the head of my bed.)

I pieced the pillow as shown in the pattern

but felt that the white with gray dot

needed a 'frame' around it.

I love the birds!

I knew that the red loopy pompom trim

would be PERFECT!

I had been hoarding saving it

for just the right project.
The pattern did not called for a border
but I felt the white/gray dot needed one.
I added a 1" strip of red and pink heart fabric
and I think it's the finishing Fancy Nancy touch!

I plan to place it on my bed every morning

as a reminder of all of the love

that has blessed my life.

Look closely for the 'love' words in LOVE
the fabric is fromthe Moda Surrounded by Love line

In the spirit of full disclosure . . .

I do not plan on making any more

itty bitty hearts in the near future.

It felt like my attempts at

sewing Barbie clothes.
Even I have my limits :)

The back of the pillow with an 'envelope' closure

But . . . I do plan on making more LOVE blocks

to use on other Fancy Nancy projects.

Stay tuned.

The magazine that contains the pattern (February 2014)

{ heart day countdown - day 3 }

I love President Hinckley's 9 Bs.

This sweet stitchery celebrates

Be #4 - Be True

President Hinckley reminded us

to be true to the faith and

true to the truth.

And I am blessed to have a sweetheart

who is true to my heart.

{ heart day countdown - day 2 }

This sweet little pillow is a Shepherd's Bush design.

It is in honor of my Valentine, Mr. W.  

He unofficially proposed to me 37 years ago 

on Valentine's Day

(we waited until March 22nd for 

the official announcement in hopes that 

my mother wouldn't have a heart attack).

I was smitten those many winters ago 

and remain so to this day!

{ heart day countdown - day one }

In honor of Valentine's Day 

(one of my favorite holidays dating back 

to elementary school), 

I am sharing a February Fancy Nancy Original 

each day until the 14th.

I loved the shaded thread and the dainty button 

on this very February-ish needlework! 

The beginning of February always seems to mark 

the turning point of winter with hints of warmth 

and the pastels of conversation hearts 

on the grocery store shelves. 

 I would alway read each heart 

and carefully select just the right sentiments 

for each class member.  

I'm not sure how many fellow classmates 

were even aware of my efforts but it mattered to me 

to make sure that 'True Love' 

did not end up in the wrong envelope!