Miniature Altered Quilting / Stitching / Sewing Matchboxes

These have taken me just forever to develop...make...and list in my shop.  However, it is done!  I thought these would be a sweet gift for someone who is a stitcher, quilter, crafter, etc...something that they probably wouldn't take the time to make or want to make for themselves. These are little mixed media/altered matchbox sewing boxes/kits.  They are not true to scale but are little and fun with a definite vintage look...and well they should be.

I used paint and pretty material on these and have embellished the tops with a little pair of scissors, a button card with vintage tiny buttons, and strip of measuring tape.

All of the paper pieces were once vintage items that I have scanned, remade, colored, and definitely shrunk.  I put a couple of coats of Mod Podge on the papers for extra strength.

All of the buttons are tiny, real, and vintage.  In the box itself are two skeins of thread, another button card, a little packet of "pins", and a lace/tatting card with real vintage tatting/lace.

I admit to getting some of my inspiration on Pinterest...though the inspiration there was from large/real life items.  I wanted to make everything tiny, of course!  I have some other ideas for boxes because, well, I just love little things and vintage things as you know.  So, keep your eyes peeled.  I will be working on them soon and have them up hopefully next month.  Meanwhile, I hope you like these.  Oh, these can be made into magnets too.  I like things that are functional rather than just "sitting there", so I've left it open to add a magnet on the bottom if someone wishes.  Check out all four boxes in my Etsy shop if you'd like.

New Zealand's Quilt Symposium--Please Vote!

My sister-in-law, Debby, is an amazing quilter. I don't quilt in any shape, form, or manner...BUT I greatly appreciate the work that goes into them. She is not only an expert quilter, but has a website Quiltfever , invented a tool (for sale on her website) to make Mariner's Compass Stars super fast and easy (the Starwhiz--the YouTube demo is HERE), and is an instructor. She will be a tutor at New Zealand's Remarkable Symposium in Queenstown (probably one of my favorite cities in the world--beautiful place!) this April. Well, she submitted an entry into the symposium's on-line postcard quilt challenge. Will you stop buy and vote for her entry? She really has done a fabulous job. The picture on this post is her entry. Here is the link to the page in order to vote--CHALLENGE.

Again....the Quilter Who Gets the Tool...

...is Kath. I'm so sorry that Starry is no where to be found. : ( However, as promised, if I didn't hear by yesterday I would choose a new name. I have chosen a new winner via random.org (True Random Number Generator Result: 5), and the winner is Kath of www.lilbitoldlilbitnew.blogspot.com (check out her fun blog!). Good for you Kath! I'll be e-mailing you soon for your address. Thank you again for everyone who entered.

The Quilter Who Gets the Tool Is....

....Starry! See the results for yourself of what random.org churned out...
True Random Number Generator
Result: 4
So...Starry...because I don't have any information on you, please email me at treasuresandtea@gmail.com with your address. If I don't hear from you by August 26 I'll have to choose another, and I don't want to have to not send you one...so please write to me.
Thank you all ladies for participating.

Quilters' Giveaway--Last Day to Sign Up!

This is the last day for all quilters...or those who know a quilter...who might like a chance to win a Mariner's Compass Star tool. International entries are welcome! Just follow this link>>>Sign Up Link>>>to sign up. I draw a name tomorrow!

To All Quilters...a Giveaway!

I have blogged about this before, but I am going to do it again only with a giveaway this time. My sister-in-law, Debby, is a pastor's wife (of my brother) in New Zealand, an avid quilter, a quilt teacher, and an inventer. She invented the "Starwhiz" which is a Mariner's Compass Star tool. Now, I'm not a quilter and know very little about all the in's and out's of quilting, but I do understand that it is hard to draft a perfect, beautiful compass star (some quilters have been quoted as saying they never do this particular pattern due to its difficulty). Well, Debby has invented an easy-to-use tool to help make this pattern easily and correctly. Do visit her website>>>>Quiltfever and especially the gallery if you'd like to see some of her work. The picture above is of her "Starwhiz" page if you'd like to go to it for a better look at the tool and how it works.

Okay, now for the giveaway. I am Debby's U.S. "middleperson" who preps the tools and mails her orders, and I have been given permission to give away one of her tools (you can see a picture of what it looks like above). It is a $19.95 value! What must you do?
1) Leave a comment below for one entry.
2) Blog about the giveaway or leave a link on the sidebar of your blog (you may use the image above) for another entry--but you must leave a separate comment below telling me you've done this, or I'll never know/find you.

Quilters, please pass the word around to fellow quilters! I will draw a name on August 24.

Mariner Compass Star Quilting Tool

For those who quilt (which I do not), apparently the Mariner Compass Star pattern is especially tricky. I hear it is hard to make the points perfectly pointed and even, and thus the pattern is especially difficult and few want to tackle a quilt featuring it. My dear sister-in-law, Debby, is a pastor's wife, mother, teacher, and quilting instructor (her passionate hobby) living in New Zealand. She has quilted for years and years and has developed and patented a tool which turns making a quilt featuring the Mariner Compass Star a snap. If you are a quilter or know someone who is, take a look at her website--www.quiltfever.com. I know she is working on at least one other tool at the moment as well. While visiting her site, check out her gallery. She is extremely talented, and her work is incredible.