Can you find the fabric?

So this post is showing my silk oak tree, which I started from a seed several years ago. (Can you tell I'm proud of myself?)  I didn't even know if I had a seed or a piece of dirt.  (I picked up the seed from a neighbors tree.)  Here is my baby...

I used some thin strips from the scrap bags to tie it to the stakes.  It is almost 8 foot tall!  It needs a bigger pot, and now would be the time to transplant it.  They have the most curious flower - a big orange comb shaped thingy.  They shed flowers, leaves and seed pods, but what tree doesn't?  They are drought resistant and that is a very good thing around here.  We usually don't get any rain between April and October.

That's all for today.  Gotta get back to piecing.

(Heart) U all, especially my followers,

Terri

New cause!

It's called the Butterfly effect. I couldn't pick up the button - it's a pretty one, but my skills at computer things, or my computer itself, prohibited the button.  I like the cause, and I'm getting to work on the project this afternoon... I'll leave you in the dark for a few moments until you click on the link and read about it yourself.  A little mystery~

Here's the quilt I'm working on now, when I should be doing 9-patch or the Project of Doom patches.  I loved this quilt as soon as I saw it, and am only using fabric from my stash to make it.  What do you think? (Remember you can enlarge any picture by clicking on it.)

The photo from the QuiltMaker Magazine showing the quilt put together.  I copied off the patterns and had to make some of them in reverse - which I did with the help of my light table, a leftover from my typesetting business (which is now out of business for 23 years!)

Still working on the trees.

Once I have the patterns made I pick a big bunch of the colors I like for the project and take them to the couch.  While watching TV I match up the colors to go into the block. Makes the sewing go faster if all the decisions are already made. These fabrics above are for the stars.

Here are some finished blocks of the trees that are done, and waiting for the next step, trimming and then hanging on the design wall. (I keep parts of the projects together in box lids I get for free at Costco.  You know they are always trying to get rid of their boxes. They are a good source for box lids.  Not a good source for moving boxes as they are all cut open or display boxes.)

Some of the unfinished trees are waiting on the end of the ironing board.

Since it's Friday, I'll wish you a happy weekend!!!!!!

I'll try to have something on the design wall for you to see on Monday.

Love yuz,

Terri

New challenges!

New year, new challenges!  I've signed up for some new challenges and would like to share them with you. Since I am a new blogger, I'm having trouble figuring out how to add their buttons to my blog, so I'll just show you the links to their blogs... in case you'd like to join in.

The nine patch challenge  on Anne Marie's blog is appealing to me.  I have made them in the past and they are easy and can be a fun and beautiful project.  Since I have one that is a modified 9 patch in the works, in fact it's on the design wall now,  I thought I might be able to finish by the September 1 finish time.

The Project of Doom over on the Sewhooked blog is a mystery quilt.  One block of Harry Potter paper piecing per week.  There are weekly prizes for the best?  finished block, but don't quote me on that.  All I know is the button is bugging me. I just can't get it to download.  Anyway, you know I love HP - reminds me of an old flame, all that moral fiber.  I've downloaded the pattern and will be sewing on that sometime today.

For my third, and final challenge, I have a button on the side panel... you can go see from there... a little side trip... a little intrigue. I am evil, I know.  BW A HA HA!

So no dirty laundry to hang today - no pictures of messiness, no boobs hanging on the wall,  but tune in tomorrow, you never know what you'll find.

Love and OOO's to all my followers!
Terri

Another big reveal...

As promised - My Mess!
Okay, I told you I was not interested in housekeeping.  I do want to keep my house, but only in the financially responsible way. (Its all the trees in the yard that I have started from pits, and my darling tangerine trees... oh, and we can't move anyway.)  So I thought as a penance (having been R. Catholic in my youth) I would bear (or should that be bare) all and show my defiant and nonconformist side...

 This is the approach down the hallway... see the very excellent grandkids gallery of art on the left? On the right are maps of where our #2 son and family are living and a poster of flowers of the Sierra Nevada - mountains east of us. Straight ahead is a door to an even messier room we call the "way back room" cause it is the room farthest in the back.  It's the storage and supposed to be workroom for making cards, etc, with rubber stamps.   There is my design wall on the left with a modified 9 patch on it.  Haven't gotten around to that one in a while.

Here is the view from the doorway of my sewing room.  I feel so lucky to have one.  When we moved into this house 11+ years ago this room had a queen size mattress and box spring in it. That has since been given away, and good thing cause where would it fit now?  You can see a picture of me and my #4 granddaughter on my cutting table (a buy from a local rummage sale - was a drafting table). to the right is an old TV "chest?" that I inherited from a kid who didn't want it anymore... works as a bookcase for quilt books and as fabric storage.  To the right is the industrial shelving we got from a kid's friend who didn't want it anymore.  That price works for me!

The other end of the industrial shelving... you can kind of see some of my orchids (should be spelled  "or kids") the fussy plants.  One of them has bloomed 2 years in a row, but the rest of them - NO.  When it blooms you are sure to see that... I'm always so proud to see any blooms on any of my babies.  Anyway, on with the tour... My boom box on another rummage sale table - this time a computer table that keeps tools, Cd's and the fabric I am currently using... next the ironing board slipped under the arm of my very excellent sewing machine cabinet that I got from my sister, but it had been my Mom's outfit when I was in high school and that makes the machine and cabinet antique.  When I first got it we took it to the fix it shop and had it cleaned and checked out, and it was so impressive to the owner that he gave me a compliment on it... He showed me all the newer machines in his shop and told me they would all be in the landfill before mine...  it is all metal parts and will last and last.  I like old cause I am.

And the last stop on our tour today is a look at the sewing room floor.......

Speaks for itself.  The shopping bags are full of little tiny pieces I thought I might use for that drop and sew down technique, but now I'm thinking I might use them for filling some faux fur pillows.  My maternal grandma made big floor pillows for her great grands, and I am approaching the time when I'll be having some of those.  One grandson is 18.5 already, and the oldest granddaughter is 17+.  I would just as soon they wait, but you know how that is.

Well, I enjoyed this sharing bit.  Anybody else brave enough to show and tell - without cleaning first? Remember I have no dogs, cats or little kids on the premises... when I did, I cleaned like crazy. Nobody is going to be hurt here... unless they aren't wearing shoes in the sewing room... there is a pin hazard. Nobody living here eats off the floor anymore, so I feel safe leaving my  mess.  If I cleaned like there's no tomorrow I'd never have time to sew, blog, draw, make cards or bracelets or do any of the things I love.  Let's face it, I'm getting old and don't want to spend my time cleaning.  You have to prioritize... what's more important. 

It's just lucky that my Mom is not coming.

See you tomorrow! I don't know what I'll be up to, but you know what I won't be doing.

XXX and OOO's to you all for stopping by

Let me know what you think... give it to me honestly, I can take it.

Terri

Jean's the winner!

Just noticed a new comment on the Make a Boob site, and it is Jean from Jean's Page.  Thanks for leaving Mrs. Moen a happy comment.  I hope you will make her some boobs, too, but in either case you are the winner of the afore mentioned quilting books, and as soon as I can get your address they will be posted to you.  I hope you like them, and make some awesome quilts from them.  If you have run out of relatives and friends to give your quilts to I have found it very satisfying to give them to Project Linus.  There are chapters of this charity all over - just Google it to find one near you.
Thank you, Jean, for being a follower and participating.  You made my day brighter!
Love to Jean and all my followers!
Terri

a closer look

Would you like a closer look at my Make a Boob offerings - they go into the mail tomorrow. Click on the pictures to get an even closer look.

Some of the paper pieced butterflies.

Some of the free pieced fabric - just scraps from the scrap bags.

Some of my boobs actually have birds or butterflies or crayons on them!

They are just basically fabric on two sides of a bit of leftover batting... Just like making a quilt. only round and small.  It's a good cause, and a way to reduce your stash or scraps. There is no set amount you'd have to make... Make one for every victim you know.  I have saved one out for my little vic.  She had her third  round of chemo last Tuesday, and just starting to feel better now - on Sunday. ~ Pause for a little cry. ~

That's it for me.  Come back tomorrow for a shocking reveal of my messy studio.

Love to all my followers and to all of yours,

Terri

Giveaway Time!!!!!!!

I am so happy! Elated, actually to have 10 followers now.  Thank you all for making that space for me in your lives. I really appreciate the vote of confidence.
So I told myself that if I ever got to 10 followers I would have a Giveaway.  What should it be, said she.  I think it should reflect recent blogs and be something from the sewing side... How about 3, no less than 3, quilt books!  I have A Constellation for Quilters, it's all kinds of star patterns by Carol LaBranche. Also, Flowers of the States most of the patterns are paper piecing the state flowers designed by Sue Harvey. The third book is Applique Made Easy, a Rodale book edited by Karen Costello Soltys.  So there you go, if you piece, paper piece or applique there is something for each of those disciplines, and if you don't but would like to learn, these books can help.  Now how to give them to one... Whoever of my followers is listed first on Mrs. Moen's Make a Boob blog leaving her a heartening comment after I publish this post, will have the books. You'll have to do some research for the link... that'll make it more competitive.  You will need to
e-mail me to give me your address, and I will ship the books right away.  Good luck!

Here are the offerings.
Lotsa love to all of you,
Terri