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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Christmas in July (then and now) Blog Hop


My favorite time of the year...Christmas in July. Carol really knows how to gets us 
in the mindset of starting our holiday stitching...
Before you know it, we will be stitching up, all our favorite fall projects, as well.
(that means Halloween is right around the corner)
WHOOP WHOOP!
Ok...getting back on track here.

Then 
Yes, he was over it. He is either running away screaming or doing the happy dance.
I will let you  be the judge.
:-)

NOW
He's had time to recoup and recover a bit.
(possibly after imbibing in his favorite toddy)
He has managed to regain his stately composure, once again!
This is "Jolly Old Santa"
 from "Seams Like Home" designed by Joan Jones.
Hey, with a name like that who wouldn't love her, right?
OK...I might just be a little biased here.
I have had this pattern in my mile high stack of must do's, for a very long time.
For some silly reason, I didn't buy the pre-made face when I bought the pattern. 
Let's just say that stopped me in my tracks..
It was time to put on my big girl panties and figure it out.
Now I'm here to tell you, having  absolutely no artistic ability, with the
instructions provided, even I could manage to make a face that looks like Santa.
I started off with a piece of scrap fabric. 
Using a light board, I traced the face pattern onto my fabric with a pencil.
Then I went over it with a brown "Pigma Micron" pen.
Next came the eyes.
These were done using  Derwent "Intense Ink" pencils.
It wasn't until I sat down to write this post,
 that I realized I had bought the wrong thing.
She recommended Prismacolor Colored pencils.
(I am guessing they might be close, to the same thing)
If you have never used these, you color lightly with them, then go back with a damp pencil tip and blend it. I will say, I practiced that on another piece of fabric first. It doesn't take much water. 
My first try looked a little more "Goth" than I was going for. 
LOL!!!

 I penciled in the black pupil first, then went in with the blue for the eye. Once it's dry, you go over it with an iron. It heat sets and makes it permanent. Final eye details were drawn in with a black Micron pen, and the white dot was added with acrylic paint.

I painted my blush on with acrylic paints. If you have never done that, you want almost no paint on your brush. Work it into a paper towel, until it seems like there's no point to it, what so ever.
;-)
The pattern shows you exactly where to "blush" your Santa face.

The real fun begins when you start layering his beard!
There are lots of layers. Laying all my pieces out numerically, was a
big help.
Getting it ready for quilting was easy.
I love Thermoweb's "Spray and Bond" basting adhesive.
No sticky needles or skipped stitches when quilting, but best yet...
There is no obnoxious oder, like so many other basting sprays have.
I have to give this product a "10" thumbs up!

Check it out for yourself

I hope I've inspired you to go out on the limb, and give "Jolly Old Santa" a try!
There's still plenty of time...
Thank you Carol for giving me that "push" I needed to get this guy done.
Now, I can hardly wait to start on one of your fabulous Halloween quilts!
(winky winky)
One last little thing...
I asked to post today!
You see, today is my birthday and being able to spend it with
my online friends and blogging buddies, is my biggest gift!
You have inspired and supported me more than you know, over the past 10+ years...
"SEW"
I've got a little gift to give one of you!
It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you what it was, so your going to have to trust me
Tee hee hee. 
I promise it will be good!

I will pick a winner Sunday Aug 2.
Unfortunately due to the crazy costs of international postage, 
this will be USA only.

Thanks for visiting...
now check out what my fellow bloggers are tempting us with for the holidays, today!

88 comments:

  1. WOW. Jolly Old Santa is absolutely stunning

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  2. Wow that turned out awesome. I love it!

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  3. Jolly Old Santa looks amazing! (And way out of my league!) I do like to make a new Christmas quilt each year, so this is my reminder that it's time to get moving on that. Oh! Have a terrific Happy Birthday!

    P.S. I don't have a blog, I just like to read them...

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  4. You did a fantastic job with Santa! Happy Birthday!

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  5. The face on Santa is amazing! Great job. Happy birthday too.

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  6. Such detail on your Santa, amazing work! Hope you have a blessed birthday!

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  7. Really love your Santa - He is so adorable --- thanks for sharig!

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  8. I like using the Inktense pencils. Your Santa is wonderful! Happy, happy birthday!

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  9. I love your Santas! Doing that face would have done me in--I don't think I would have attempted it, but you did a great job on it! Happy Birthday! Enjoy the day!

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  10. Happy, Happy birthday! Your Santa is amazing. I am going to check out your spray. The part of "no skilled stitches and no gummy needles" is very attractive.

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  11. Happy birthday! Your Santa face is amazing! Yiuvwere brave to try it!

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  12. Happy birthday! Your Santa is so detailed and gorgeous, a great achievement!

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  13. I am not surprised at all that you were able to do such a great job on his face. You are very creative! Happy Birthday Joan!

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  14. I really love your sense of creative style Joan. Have a very Happy Birthday. Unfortunately I am in Canada, so am ineligible for your draw, but, wanted to wish you well on this sudpicious day!!

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  15. You did an awesome job with your Santa. He is absolutely adorable.
    Wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY for today and hope you have a wonderful one.(I had one on Monday. I am older than you so we don't have to talk about our age. Hahaha

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  16. would have been in the same boat, not buying the face and procrastinating. Oh, and at first I thought the basting spray was a fancy IPA beer. But, seriously, have a splendid birthday and I hope you get to celebrate with whoever you can during this odd year! Happy happy day to you and a year of blessings and quilty goodness too!

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  17. Happy Birthday! That face and beard on Santa looks amazing! Making faces is hard for me, so of course, I need to try this painting/pencil/whatever thing. One more thing on my have-to-try list that already has several of your ideas on it. I seriously need to move closer to you so you can demo these things for me. You always make me smile with your funny applique projects...love the running Santa! Thank you for sharing your then and now with us! xo

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  18. Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to YOOUUUUUUUU Happy Birthday to you. (singing :) )
    Your Santa's are wonderful. Looks like you had a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  19. I always do the Happy Dance when Christmas is over, doesn't everybody? Your "then" Santa is my kind of guy, but your "now" Santa is spectacular! Thank you for showing how you made him and for the good tips on the colored pencils. Great projects as always!

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  20. Forgot to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY and thank you for the giveaway!

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  21. Your Santa from Dec 26 is so much fun! And the "now" Santa is just amazing! Love all those details in his face and beard. Happy Birthday and thanks for the giveaway!

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  22. First of all, Happy Birthday! Hope your day is special.
    I love both of your Santas! Thanks for the recommendation of the basting spray! I’m in the market for a new can!

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  23. Congratulations on your birthday! So fun to see how you made your Santa. If I win, I have an address in the US you can send it to.

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  24. Oh my goodness, such gorgeous projects! The santa face just blows me away with its detail. I wish you the happiest of birthdays! Sharing a birthday with quilting friends is a wonderful plan.

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  25. Happy Birthday Joan! Love the Santas. I have used those same pencils on fabric before and they are great.

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  26. Happy birthday. I'm so happy you requested today as your hop day so we could spend it with you and send you warm wishes. December 26 is fabulous and the current Santa is WOW. Well done. I have the Inktense pencils but have not used them yet. I was planning to use them when I dye my own fabric next.

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  27. Hi Joan! Happy Happy Birthday to you! I hope you are having a fabulous day, enjoying yourself and the comments directed your way. Oh, poor Santa - I'll just bet he was exhausted by the 26th. Your new project shows him all refreshed and ready to go. Both are so darn cute - thanks for sharing with us. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  28. Santa's face is perfect! Thanks for showing how you did it! Love both Santas. Happy Birthday, and hope you have a great day!

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  29. Happy Birthday Joan! Today is also my husband's birthday and I'm making him a pie. I hope someone in your life is making your day special for you. Your Santa quilts are great. The dancing Santa is quite fun and your painted Santa is pretty impressive. Thanks for sharing them.

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  30. Happy Birthday a few days late. Mine is tomorrow, the 30th. Love your Santas. Great job on the face. Thanks for always explaining what you use. Great inspiration.

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  31. Happy Day! Just happened to find your site.....what fun it is. Made my day and it isn't my birthday!

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  32. Thanks for the inspiration. I am ready to work on Christmas projects but I don't think I am ready for the fabulous Santa project you made. It was great to visit with you today, Happy Birthday!

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  33. Happy Birthday! Thanks for sharing your Santa projects, and good for you with his face. I'd be a bit intimidated as well, but yours came out just right.

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  34. Happy Birthday! Wow! I'm just amazed at that Santa face! Your work is incredible.

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  35. Happy Birthday to you. My birthday was yesterday. I love Santa's face the detail is wonderful.

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  36. Happy birthday! Your quilts almost make me forget I don’t decorate with Santa (except a few ornaments) and make a Santa quilt.

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  37. Happy, Happy Birthday!!! I just love your Jolly Old St. Nick! Thank you for the surprise giveaway! They’re the best!!

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  38. thanks for the detailed info on Santa's face! fantastic job.

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  39. A very happy birthday to you. Your quilt is amazing. You almost have me convinced that I could make it.

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  40. I am always in awe of birthday girls who do such beautiful detailed work and can teach it all to us paint-by-number quilt-making learners. Thanks for sharing your sweet talents.

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  41. So impressed with your artistic Santa! Happy Birthday and enjoy!

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  42. Coloring in parts of the design is a newer technique to me--sure looks nice though!!
    barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

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  43. Dec 26 made me laugh out loud! I can just hear him yelling 'woo hoo, it's over'. The second version is great - particularly the eyes and all those different fabrics in his beard.

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  44. ps. meant to wish you a very happy Birth Day!

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  45. Wow thanks for explaining how you did his face. I did wonder how it was done.

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  46. I think you did an AMAZING job on your Santa face. I like the Inktense pencils better for card work, so I imagine they were great for this, too. A perfect companion to the earlier Santa! Thanks for the surprise giveaway, and a VERY happy birthday to you, to you!

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  47. I've had the same Santa pattern for years (at least 10!) and I did buy the pre-made face too. You have inspired to find it and maybe I will make mine this year. Yours turned out great! Happy birthday!

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  48. Well the post disappeared before I got my address typed:) Anyway, I do love your Santa! Nancy A: SewingGranda@gmail.com

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  49. Happy Birthday!! I always look forward to your posts and I'm still giggling about the December 26th Santa. I really do need to try painting fabric sometime. I love using markers and have not tried pencils or paint. Looks like fun! Your projects are always over the top fun.

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  50. Happy Birthday!!! The DECEMBER 26th gave me a great giggle.

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  51. Well, Happy Birthday!!! Love your projects! Santa on the 26th gave me a chuckle, so cute! I have been wanting to try the fabric painting but haven't found the Inktense pencils yet. Do you know if another brand would work as well? Thanks for sharing!!

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  52. Happy Birthday!!!!! Hope you have a great day! Your Santa is fantastic!! And the December 26th Santa is cute! Thank you for sharing them.

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  53. A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! Love both of your projects, Then and Now, too Cute!
    Carol O
    ottersL@pacbell.net

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  54. Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday dear Jooooan, Happy Birtheday to YOU !!
    Oh yeah, your Santa face is fantastic. Way tooooo much work for me to want to do but wow I will gladly admire yours. And, your present is in the mail.

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  55. Happy Birthday! What an ambitious project! Well done! Thanks for sharing, overall, how you did the project. It was interesting.

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  56. You cannot say you have no artistic abiity! Your Santa looks awesome! Great job! So glad you thought about this project and shared it with us! Happy, happy birthday, Joan!

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  57. Happy Birthday! So nice of you to celebrate with us by sharing your creations. I love the old and the new Santas, and am amazed by the face - great job!

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  58. Happy Birthday Joan, hope today was a great one. Your Jolly Santa is awesome. What a great job you did. You absolutely have artistic ability!!

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  60. Wow, that is amazing! You did a great job. I have Prismacolor pencils but I have been wanting to try Inktense pencils. Thanks for the description. Now I want to try them even more.
    Happy Happy Birthday!!!!

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  61. I usually feel like The Happy Dance. It's wonderful!

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  62. I absolutely adore your Santas! Thanks for the inspiration and Happy Birthday!!!!

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  63. Your Santa is brilliant. You really have hit the nail on the head with this one. It is a fantastic face. Love it.
    Hope you had a wonderful birthday. Not sure how much you could get out and do but hope you still had a good time.

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  64. Cynthia Joy WilbanksJuly 30, 2020 at 6:22 AM

    Nice job on Santa's face. Happy birthday

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  65. Well, of course, he was doing the happy dance. I well remember the 'day after'; what a RELIEF!! That's such a cute quilt. The one by Joan Jones was absolutely gorgeous. Two quilts at a time...a blog hop project and a UFO, can't get any better. :) Thanks for all the great tips. I'm thinking of trying to find the pattern since your explanation was spot on. At first, I thought there was no way to try this. I have even LESS than "absolutely no artistic abilitiy"! Thanks for really cool patterns, Joan. Happy, happy, birthday; you really deserve a night on the town with a lovely dinner out. Hope your day was sweet.

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  66. Joan, I've been dong a search for "Jolly Old Santa" and am not having too much luck. Can you give me further information on Joan Jones or the pattern that might help me find it? Even a tidbit might be helpful.

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  67. Happy Happy Birthday Blessings!! Hope had a Special day!! :D Love your Santa!! Way fun!!

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  68. Happy Birthday! Love your Santas--I have a couple "Seams Like Home" patterns and I love them! I need to dig them out! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  69. Happy Birthday. Love your projects.

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  70. Happy Birthday! Wow, these are amazing - thanks for showing us the process of your newest Santa. So cool. You rock!

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  71. Happy Birthday šŸŽ¶šŸŽ¶ to you!!! Love the Santa!! Thanks for the inspiration. I just might have to give it a try.

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  72. You nailed that face!!!! It's perfect for Santa. I often paint my faces on projects and love what you did. I'm always excited to see what you have made and you never disappoint. I hope you have the bestest birthday ever. Have a Happy!!!!!

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  73. What a great Santa!! Happy Birthday!

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  74. Happy Birthday. I have never painted a face on fabric (or anything else for that matter):-). You did a great job.

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  75. I love the Inktense pencils and blocks, they are absolutely amazing and so are the Prismacolor pencils, but the Inktense does a better job imho... I used them in that nativity botm I did back in 2015 so have known about them for some time. You did a really great job on Santa's face, I knew it was a Santa's face, and that beard is absolutely perfect. I love that wallhanging and I like the Santa celebrating Dec 26. I think we all feel that way once Christmas is over each year.

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  76. wow, you did a great job on Santa's face! Hope your birthday is fantastic!

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  77. Awesome Hop projects and a giveaway, too? Thanks!!

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  78. Happy (belated, because I'm behind on blogs) Birthday!!!!! I hope you had a fabulous day! I love your Santa face! I've been wanting to try Inktense pencils--maybe Santa will bring me some in December :)

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  79. Santa running away! I laughed out loud! Thank you for sharing that, and the chance to win.

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  80. If I were Santa, I'd be running away! Beautiful work on Santa's portrait.

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  81. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! One day I'm going to try that applique style quilt drawing. I'm not really sure what to call it but your Santa is gorgeous! The detail in the hair is especially fabulous. You make it look so easy to do, but it must be tedious. Well done and thank you for sharing. I may try that basting spray you mentioned. I still have some 504 (or whatever it's called) on hand, but I would love something that smells less and may be less obnoxious. You're so talented...please run a funny or any blog hop again so I can join.

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  82. Your Santa face is incredible.. GREAT JOB!

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  83. Happy Birthday! I admire your painting skills but think I might be more successful with the rear end view of Santa doing his happy dance.

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  84. Happy Birthday! For someone who says they are not artistic - well, lady - damn!! Beautiful job on the face and such character to your piece.

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  85. Belated Happy Birthday! Hope it was a fabulous one. Love those Santa’s

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Thanks for stopping by today. Your comments really do make me day!
;-)