Not just for fly-fishing.............

We talk occasionally about recyling and re-using all sorts of things in our world but here's something I stumbled upon at etsy this morning that I'd like to share.

These tiny beauties have a natural beauty all their own but Mountain Man Creations has taken nature one step further. His fine feathery jewelry is simply and naturally lovely.











A little about Mountain Man-" Born and raised in Bermuda. Transplanted to Canada's west coast. Fly tying has been a hobby of mine for years. I have had one world record taken on one of my flys. The earings and brooches are a new endevour and have proven popular here on Gabriola. My brooches are unique and I have not seen any like them. My nickname for them are Gabriola Whimsies figments of my imagination.
I also create decorated Jewlery boxes and stick pin decorations.

To see more of Mountain Man Creations, visit his etsy shop here:

Henry aka Mountain Man
http://MountainManCreations.etsy.com

http://www.mountainmancreations.blogspot.com/

Buddy quilting and so much more...............

Chris's blocks

WEll, what a fun afternoon Pam and I had yesterday. We quilted, we talked, we ate Pam's chili(yes, my guest even brought lunch with her) and we talked and we quilted some more and on and on. Ok, maybe it looks like we didn't accomplish much but it's a start.

Awhile back I ran across Bonnie Hunters fantastic site called Quiltville and you'll find her link on the left menu. Bonnie has tons of neat quilts and tutorials for using up your quilt scraps, beautiful scrappy quilts. I fell in love with her Maveric Star blocks and she has a super tutorial on making them. I've been wanting to start this ever since, so Pam and I began yesterday. The plan is, we'll both make ourselves a quilt following Bonnie's tutorial and what a great way to recycle fabric scraps.

As you can see, we may have talked and ate to much as we only completed 4 or 5 blocks each but boy, are they fun to do! I was amazed how little of my scrappy stash was used up though. I may have to make a dozen of these quilts or maybe I should just keep making these blocks the rest of my life, I might put a dent in my scrap stash. Anyway, see how different our interpretations are?

Well, Pam left yesterday with a "lets do this again next week, same time, same place". Hopefully, nothing will get in the way and we'll show you more blocks next week.

Chris

Recyling those plastic bags..........

I just stumbled upon what I think is such a clever idea. How to recycle those plastic shopping bags we seem to hoard for some reason, or just throw away after we unpack our groceries. I know Pam has a stash almost as big as her fabric stash. I just read a tutorial at EtsyLabs here,

http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/long-overdue-fusing-plastic-bag.html

and a very cool YouTube tutorial to actually sew a tote bag here,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB1mE8e35UY


It's all about layering the plastic bags, ironing to fuse them together and make strong and sewing a messenger or tote bag from them. I'm always forgetting my cloth grocery bags when I make an unplanned stop at the grocery store. Maybe if I kept several of these in the car, I'd have plenty handy all the time. This looks kind of fun to do, too. When I see things like this, I always have to hit myself in the head and say, "why didn't I think of that".