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 the CEO! Creative Eternal Optimist! Blog 
Sunday, November 27 2011

Today a baby shower celebration in a room decorated in shades of soft teal and pinks. Baby snowmen and snowflake beribboned packages everywhere! I had the pleasure of creating the items for the room and decorating it for the big day! Even the mom to be's special chair was covered in snow with a mitten hanging from the top.

The large pool table became a field of snow with snowbabies and snowballs. Each large window was hung with a large crystal snowflake. It was such a delightful project and my client was very pleased. The room was done early in the week so she could enjoy and add little touches here and there before the big reveal. Being part of the celebration, helping to create the surroundings was very special.

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 09:21 pm   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Saturday, November 26 2011

Handmade & handcrafted gifts are special, they are created from the artisan's vision and hands. There is an energy that flows from each piece carefully, lovingly crafted. No matter how many pieces created each one has its moment of being held up admired with pride and satisfaction before being offered up to a new home.

I am taking part this year locally in a couple of holiday shows, it has been busy but very rewarding, it has spurred my creative juices and I have enjoyed connectiong with so many freinds and former customers.

This weekend is the annual Christmas in the Villlage in the picturesque village of Gagetown, NB just a few miles away and on Sunday 1-4pm we are hosting a Holiday Open House at Three Elements, 300 Wilsey Road in Fredericton, NB.

Don't forget to submit ideas for the Flip-Pal Tm Mobile Scanner and get entered for a chance to win one! Perfect for the holidays! Happy creating!

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 11:27 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Wednesday, November 23 2011

I have a delightful group of kids I do a workshop with each month, they are creative, enthusiastic with an abundance of talents. They throw themselves into each project with such energy it is a wonderful to be part of! This month we made sock lions as they are big Lion King fans, the making of the lions was accompanied by their musical rendition of songs from the soundtrack! They are such fun!

Making sock creatures is an easy project for any age. We used chenille socks and leg warmers so they would be super cuddly. The head is one sock with the cuff cut off for ears. Aleene's Fabric Fusion glue works well for adhering felt features.

The striped leg warmer makes the perfect body glued up over sock head and cut off at appropriate body length making all the lions different in size as they were meant to be!
Tail is a narrow strip of long sock with chenille stem glued inside to make it curl. Mane just bunches of yarn tied and glued in center.

Here is the finished pride! Paws are cut from another sock and the end of the leg warmer. I picked up the socks at the local Dollar store so this is an inexpensive fun project especially if you use stray socks from home!

Then the lions went out to play!

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 09:16 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Monday, November 21 2011

I am off for the day decorating for a client, it is a snowflake themed baby shower. I have been creating snowmen, booties, mittens, wreaths and glittery white accents. I am now in the time of year where there is always glitter on my face and everywhere I look the sun catches sparkles on the floor, the carpet and counters!

I taught a sock creature workshop yesterday and the kids were so cute and creative! We made lions, they are big Lion King fans accompanied by them singing many of the songs from the soundtrack! Was a very fun afternoon! Pictures later!

One of my designer friends Elaine Schmidt who attended International Quilt Market designed a ribbon embriodered bag with her QR code as the woven design! Attendees at the show were coming up to her and scanning her purse taking them directly to her website on their phones! As she remarked how cool is that!

Full week ahead with open house at studio on Sunday at Three Elements, Christmas in the Village in Gagetown and the December DCC hop next week! We are all about monkeys, sock monkeys that is and with Rit Dye involved the results will be colorfuiiy creative! Here is to stitching up a creative week!

                                  

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 07:52 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Friday, November 18 2011

It's Fowl Friday with the ever fabulous Fran & Freda! Freda is feeling fabulous and wants the whole world to know, the rooster she met last summer on Hatch.com is baaaack! Oh my not sure where it will all lead, but at the moment I am NOT sleeping in the nest but am on the couch!

Freda maybe fabulous and also oblivious to what is happening here but I am keeping my eyes both wide open and in Debra's direction! There is disturbing activity happening, more birds are hanging around, the dreaded owl to be precise! Whatever can Debra be thinking! It is definitely not in our best interest at all! These owls maybe wearing silly grins and dorky scarves but they don't fool me! Freda well that is a different story! 

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 04:50 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Tuesday, November 15 2011

A bonus this month with the Designer Crafts Connection hopping twice! Today's hop features the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner! I am fortunate to have had the company send one to me to use. Before it arrived I did some research and read reviews, all very positive. The website features great videos and instructions. As soon as I opened the box I knew this was going to become a necessity in my studio! Already loaded with a memory card and batteries, I simply flipped on the switch and was ready to scan immediately (within a few seconds to be totally accurate.)

Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner presents the "Scan & Share" Blog Hop Challenge

 Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner has partnered with the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop to offer the "Scan & Share" Blog Hop Challenge!

 

This challenge is two fold?first for participating "Scan & Share" Blog Hop designers to create personalized gifts and projects in a wide array of different crafting categories while using the Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner and second, having blog hop followers join in and share their creative ideas.

 
To submit your "Scan & Share" ideas, click here. The blog hop follower and participating "Scan & Share" Blog Hop designer who creates the most creative and productive ideas using a Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner will each win a Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner (Please visit their facebook page and "like" them too!)

Now on to my project, since I am primarily a sewing designer and love to sew I wanted to use the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner in an apron for my daughter the pastry chef. I have a cookbook of my Mom's like a lot of us do, the one where she handwrote in recipes, pasted in ones from friends. The pages are worn, many covered with spots of dried batter and the book now has to be handled carefully. With the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner I could gently open the book and hold it over the page scanning in whatever recipes I wanted. The Friendship Muffin recipe is one I remember her having a container of this mysterious batter which was portioned off to friends and supplied us what seemed like forever with muffins! Here are some of the recipes included in this retro cute apron along with an image from the Vintage Workshop Kitchen 11 collection.

The details I added to this apron I made using the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner to personalize and make it special could be applied to a purchased apron. Printed out on Avery Printable Cotton it can simply be ironed on, no sewing required! Just think of all the special thoughtful gifts to be made! Hop along with the DCC button to the right to be inspired with more projects and ideas just in time for the holidays!

I also wanted to create a fun detail with adding wooden spoon appliques. I took out my favorite wooden spoon, picked up the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner, took off the cover and placed it over the wooden spoon. It required two scans, it is a big spoon. :) The scanner has a Stitch feature which "stitches" scans together, just make sure to have adequate overlap. Below is my scanning of the spoon, "stitching" them together, sizing and printing out on Avery Printable Cotton. 

I printed out the recipes onto one piece of printable cotton after scanning them.

I cut them apart, ironed onto the fabric border and stitched in place and yes there is the Friendship Muffin recipe!

(When using the scanner please be aware of copyright issues, scanning for your personal use differs from scanning work that is not yours to be combined and sold in items.)
Here is to creating with inspiration, integrity & great products!
                                                                                          
Disclaimer
This website and blog belonging to Debra Quartermain Design are written and edited
by myself, Debra Quartermain. I give my honest personal opinion and review of all the
products that are submitted to me. I reserve the right not to review or use products
unless I feel I can give a fair assessment.

I am not paid to review products. However, I do receive products free of charge to
try out. I will and do accept and keep free products and other forms of compensation
from companies.

Importantly this blog and website abides by word of mouth marketing standards. I
believe in honesty in both opinion and responsibility to my readers and the companies
 I deal with. I will only support and endorse products and services I believe in and based
 on my personal and professional experiences. I cannot verify anyone else's experience
with a product and any claims or further information should be obtained from the manufacturer.

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 12:03 am   |  Permalink   |  5 Comments  |  Email
Monday, November 14 2011

Happy Monday! It also happens to be my birthday, I have had quite a few but am happy to be having another one, celebrating with my daughter at lunch and later out for a special evening!

Tomorrow the Designer Crafts Connection hops again with projects featuring the exciting Flip-Pal TM Mobile Scanner! My design is just about complete so check back tomorrow to see how I used the scanner. It is going to be used lots in my studio from now on, the rave reviews are right on! I was fortunate enough to receive one from the company to use in creating my project.

This week I am teaching a papercrafting class and a workshop for kids plus working on several projects. The kids want to make lions as they are big Lion King fans so I am designing a couple of fuzzy felines! Happy creating! Debra

Posted by: Debra Quartermain! AT 01:52 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Thursday, November 10 2011

In the latest issue of Crafts 'n Things I designed a cute Santa for Dow using my favorite technique of needle felting wool to STYROFOAM Brand Foam. He is coming up from the chimney made of Make it Fun TM Project Bricks. They are really fun to work with to make realistic walls. The small rectangular bricks cut easily and can be painted.


(photo courtesy of Crafts n' Things)

The bricks are stacked alternating the joints just as in a real wall although these 'bricks' are much easier to cut! Full instructions to mkae this cute Santa are in the issue. Happy creating!

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 12:35 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Monday, November 07 2011
November is a busy month for the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop! We hop the first Monday of every month but this month we have TWO hop dates, today with ideas for Fall/Thanksgiving Decorating and on the 15th with a very cool Flip Pal Mobile Scanner Hop! Also we have even more exciting give aways with the Sizzix Fresh Vintage Blog Hop involving many of our DCC members. Details below.
 
Here in Canada we have already celebrated Thanksgiving but I wanted to share some easy decorating ideas for this special holiday. Many of us are both short on time and space when it comes to decorating for a holiday or event. For my mantle this year I used a lovely illustrated book opened to pages with elf and fairies carrying pumpkins and gourds. Choose a child's storybook, artwork or vintage cards, add some silk leaves and pumpkins or gourds. I have a special figure which reminds me of my daughter Kate dressing up for Halloween. I add silk leaves here and there surrounding candle sticks, books for a simple touch of fall festivity. I sprinkle them down the center of the table.



Visit our NEW: Designer Craft Connections Facebook Page for details on our November 7th and 15th great give aways!
Be part of the in crowd. LIKE our NEW Designer Craft Connections Page on Facebook so you will learn about our challenges, giveaways, and announcements. Make sure to share our Designer Craft Connections Page with your Facebook friends so they can join in the fun.  
 
Happy creating! Debra
 
 
Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 12:10 am   |  Permalink   |  3 Comments  |  Email
Friday, November 04 2011

I am very pleased to be exhibiting at the 37th Annual Christmas Art & Craft Fair, Capital Exhibit Center, Fredericton, NB. It is right around the corner from where I live so I get to walk back and forth from the show whiich I enjoy, home in five minutes!

I am introducing a new line of pillows I have been working on Pillow Talk. 'Express yourself in every room!' Here is what my couch looked like this week, kind of an explosion of pillows. If you are in the area it is a beautiful show to attend.

My chair I recovered gets the gift of my very first pillow I designed, I changed the construction details after this first one. It is now almost 2:30 am! Show all day I am off to bed! Keep creating! Debra

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 12:14 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
Wednesday, November 02 2011

I have been designing holiday and home decor items. I love to sew! In the class I taught this week we made holiday ornaments, a whimsical elf in a stocking. I am also preparing for a big event this weekend and so this explains my brief posting at 4am! Are you into holiday creating yet? Follow the JOY, Debra

Posted by: Debra Quartermain AT 01:29 am   |  Permalink   |  0 Comments  |  Email
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Debra Quartermain Design

 Magical Mimi to Grandlittles, I love to create, decorate & celebrate. Sharing  joy and inspiration from our 200 year old home, Quartermain House B&B on the east coast of Canada.

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    Fredericton, NB
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