Slow start to 2012

You know after the holidays I like to do nothing.... but there is so much to do around here. I have been slowly getting the kitchen put back together.  (Translation: it still isn't.) I like it in this minimalist way. The counter tops are so clean and shiny, I don't want to mess them up. I especially don't want to bring back the microwave which is white. I'd rather leave it in the hallway. The most we use it for is to warm something, make coffee water for the instant - which is staying right next to that m machine. Anyway, there is lots more to do, and there is alot of it all still camped out in the living room.

But I have made some new blocks.

This one had a flaw. I tried to revamp it with a new tail - extra feathers - and more wing, but I had to take out the new wing parts after the whole thing was put together.... just didn't look right.  Now it has a hole. Well, it'll be good for a card.... or a hubby. He hinted that he'd like a phoenix. Who knew?

This is a little comparison with the two different Fawkes. The one on the right went to my daughter in a card, (and is shown here from the copy I made of it, so it is kind of faded... if a screaming red phoenix can be termed faded.) I love the background fabrics of each. I always pick and choose very carefully all the fabrics for each of the HP  blocks. Love goes into those, too.

And these ladybugs (2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches) are going into a (modified) jelly roll quilt for Project Linus.  We are getting together again to make JRQs for Linus next Thursday, and I'm going to be a devilish woman, and add some artistic elements into my version. I just don't like the fabrics they cut and put together for quilts for kids. (I'm sure they would make nice enough quilts for, say, old ladies and gents, and anybody afraid of color.)  I couldn't even work on the one they sent home with me last time. - Well, here's a picture.... you decide.

Here's the whole package with "girl" written on the plastic bag. The camera has been very kind to these fabrics. The backing (at the top) and the same yellow strip are really more goldy. The landscape fabrics should, in my opinion, be used to wash a very dirty floor. These three on the right, are not this nice either. They are darker.  Below are close-ups of the same.

I like the beige fern on the right, but that's cause I'm an old lady. This combo just isn't for little girls!

Still not girlish.

So I'm bringing it back. Maybe someone else can stomach this grouping.  I am assembling some yellows and blues from my stash and will make a strip quilt that will not be the same as a jelly roll race quilt, but sewn in strips, and will turn out larger... I think, and more exciting.  Here's what I propose...

There are paper pieced parts, and some of the Happy Squares that were sent to me by my good friend, Sheila of Sew Cook and Travel. Take this violet colored link to her quilt.... OMG, it is a Beauty with a capital B. Now that's a girl who knows color and how to use it! 

(I'll probably get into trouble for bringing my own "Jelly", but I got into trouble last time for a comment I made about not liking brown. I do see some uses for brown, but not for Linus quilts, unless you are making one for a sullen teen. Anyway, this time I will be driving myself there and back, so I won't have to wait for my hubby to pick me up... and I can leave if I get yelled at too much. Last time I got into trouble for using the diagonal seams - which are prettier, I think - when all the rest were doing blunt assembly... and they crabbed at me for being too slow. (I really do think that they wanted me out of there) Going this time is a penance. I'm a bit arrogant - I know, big surprise. I'm going to try to stick with it this time as a humbling experience... (I know you are laughing.)  I was slow last time, but in my defence I have a very small button on my foot pedal, and I'm not used to using one. I always use the knee pad... I've used a knee pad for over 50 years. It takes a while to get used to different technologies at my age. If you are thinking this is all toooooo strange, quilters don't usually act like this... well, the crabbies were crocheters... monitoring us quilters. I think they may have been instructed, and thought that they needed to enforce rules. I hope we've all learned our lessons.

I guess that's enough ranting for today. Here's one last picture of the true (and self adorning) Christmas tree. We leave the fruit on the trees for months after it ripens. It's pretty, a good storage method, and in the cooler weather the fruit stays fresh and keeps on sweetening. There's nuthin like tree ripened.

Love and Hugs to you all!

Terri

The Quilter's Gift

Just a quick note for today I start restocking the kitchen.... not just food, but all of everything that has been lying around the house for nearly 2 months... wash it all and put down paper on the shelves. Ugh! Not my favorite kind of work.

Here's what I wanted to show you, one of my Christmas Gifts.  A Jelly Roll.  It's called Slices by Creative Cuts and the back says it's the Exotic Batik Slices.... here are 2 pic of it unrolled.

in all it's yummy but noncaloric goodness!

See the two hearts on the center fabric? I figure that is she and me... my daughter that sent this gift. Thank you, Chrissy!  I love it!

Hugs,
Terri

Our Christmas "Tree"

Merry Christmas to you all and to yours!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

Happy Holiday Hugs to you all!

Terri

Unexpected gift, donations and fabric purchased

Hi Folks,
We had a lovely time with our local kids today, and the granddoggies. We had dinner and exchanged gifts. It was fun! Thank you two!

So here is my little Show and Tell for today. First is my gift from Sheila at Sew Cook and Travel. She sent me cookies from their local place, a card, and little squares (2.5") that she cut of her fabrics. Aren't they gorgeous?

Below is a closer look at the squares. Thank you, Sheila!

Next are the two paper pieced butterflies I sent to  two dresses studio for her Butterfly Effect project. She is ending her affiliation on the 31st so I wanted them to count for her time on the charity.  Artists, and we amateurs make butterflies to commemorate the innocent children who were victims of the holocaust.  I've wanted to donate for over a year, it seems, so right at the deadline I got it done. You can still donate. Just go to her site to find the museum address to send in your bflies. You can use any medium from paper to leather, feathers to fabric.

And below is my donation to Beth's House block party. She is at  Love Laugh Quilt and of course, her deadline to join in is on Dec. 31 also.  I tell you, if you're waiting for me to get something done, you've gotta have lots of patience!  It's a paper pieced (but you knew that!) Lighthouse... get it?  I did make a house! And I especially wanted some pebble fabric for the edge of the island... I thought I had some... I looked and looked. I have my fabrics sorted by color, so it should be easy to find anything. NOT!  I looked in the browns and the bird colors.... yes, I have a small box of colors that look like birds to me. I also looked in the top layer of the multicolor fabric.  Still NOT!  I looked through the HP patterns for Hagrid's Hut.... thought I singled out that fabric for that pattern.... NOT!  So while we were out  on Monday I stopped at my local quilt store and found all kinds of fabric that I couldn't leave without.... but no pebbles.  While waiting for the cut lady I continued to shop - any of us would - right? Guess what was in the cut rate bin right inside the door?  I did find some. It was all brown... and you all know I don't care much for browns.... but it looks so good as the edge of the island. Don't you think so?

You know some of the quilting bloggers are trying to reduce their stashes..... Here's the fabric I couldn't leave without.

This is gorgeous... lighter and yellower than the photo. I got a yard.  I think it might make a really pretty baby blankie as a center panel.

Really. Could you leave the store without some of this? Please!

These are 2 different quarter yard pieces... for HP paper piecing. You know magical fabric.

     On the left - more magic                                                          on the right - pebbles!!!!

And this is white and metallic gold! Yum

So you now you know my weakness... but then you do know my weakness.

Love you lots,

Hugs,

Terri

Sending off some blocks...

Howdy folks!
I'm reducing my stress/guilt UFOs by one. I started this quilt as a wedding gift, but neither the bride nor the groom liked it, so it's going to a church group who makes quilts to give people in need.  I like the idea, and I might just give away a few more of the unfinished things around here.  Here's the first candidate - an old picture from last year.

Since this picture I've sewed rows together. There's all kinds of color, and a variety of off white set with it.  I'm hoping they will make it look great and give it to someone who will love it.  It's going to Sarah Craig who blogs at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Sending it tomorrow, Sarah.

I sent off some 4 patches a while ago, too.  It's for a breast cancer charity...(BTW my daughter just had her  reconstructive surgery. She's in alot of pain still, but hopeful that she will be done with surgery now.) The charity is run by a daughter who lost her Mom to the disease.  You can donate a few blocks. To see the requirements go to Regina's blog. I sent 11 blocks this last time. See if you can beat that!

Also sent off two paper pieced butterflies that have been hanging on my design wall for a while. I sent them to  the Butterfly Effect... you will have to look around for the address. This blogger is done with her project and handing it over to a museum now, but they are still collecting butterflies. Make one in any medium - painted, collage, fabric.... whatever you like to work with. They want one for every little kid killed in the camps during the holocaust. I think I'll make another and that'll be one for each of my kids who were healthy and lived into their 40s so far. (How can that be? I'm younger than that, am I not?

I've got a neato idea for a house for Beth at Love Laugh Quilt. Her deadline is Jan. 1, 2012, so I'm cutting it kind of close. (I always do this. Think of something at the last minute.) I have the pattern set, I'm picking the fabrics, but I thought I had some pebble fabric... and I just can't find it. I looked in the brown box, I looked in the bird box (mostly browns in there) I looked a little ways down into the multicolors... nothing. Maybe I never did buy any... I have admired it many times.  Anyway, I'll make a second choice for that part of the design, and maybe I can send it off on Tues or Wed.

Sew what are all you doing? I love reading your blogs.... probably why I'm not getting much of my stuff done. I know my hubby would love to have some time on this contraption. Maybe tomorrow.

Hugs,

Terri

Name tags

Hi Friends,

Yesterday we spent the day finishing and shipping all the Christmas gifts and cards. Whew! All will be to their recipients before the 24th, so good job!

Here is one of the things we made... Yes, I said we.  He was roped into it, and I think he enjoyed it, too.

We stamped with a brown ink using our thumb prints, then drew on some reindeer horns. The noses are sticky "jewels" and eyes are sticky  wiggly eyes - Voila!

An out of focus (sorry) close up. I think the grandkids will love them. The eyes move, and so it could be a game to make them look as funny as possible.  If you do this - don't do like I did... write the recipients name on the back first! It'll be easier that way.

Sew I'm back to sewing - I have another gift project in mind, but it's not for a birthday or Christmas.  I'll show it when it's been received.

Hugs & Happy Christmas,
Terri

Folded Wreaths

Hello Friends,

I've been making little wreaths for the small packages we are sending for gifts this year. Here's the picture of one for each of my kids, their spices and their kids.

The big one on the right is made of 8 - 6" papers and the others are all 12 - 3" papers. I used Sandy's Space  as a starting point. While making all these I learned that you don't have to be that precise and that there is a pocket on the front and back for each of the tabs, so use one in front and one in back, and it'll turn out less bulky. The project is a bit exasperating... especially if you have a shaky hand. So beware. I used premade bows - had to go to 3 stores looking for them - so much stuff is already gone from the stores. Also, there is a gold or silver thread with which to hang them on the tree.

I used 12" square scrapbook paper in a color they liked, or representing something the recipient is interested in... one has musical notes, another basketballs, etc. I thought I'd make some for an ETSY shop, but there is too much of that afore mentioned exasperation.  Besides you can make your own.  I have every confidence in your abilities.

Next up, tags to id. the gifts. And then we wrap and ship.

Hope you are doing better with your Christmas preparations. The kitchen is scheduled to be done on Dec. 23, but I'm not holding my breath.

Hugs,
Terri