The bloodhound - a photoshoot with the dog

He posed so prettily:  Just for me:  Okay, I'm not telling the truth!  I took about 50 pictures and got two good ones.  I really need a book on how to take pictures of dogs.  Unless they are asleep, they are moving and normally in the wrong direction.  Or, their tail is wagging wildly or they are in half bark with a screwed up face -  just like people.  So, you see, I feel totally lucky to have this one posed, perfectly still, with that half smile, giving me his best side, chin up, tongue in, both eyes open, just waiting for me to get it. 





 

December comes but once a year: Calendar

Now, I'm Ready!  'Tis the season to be young, or young at heart: 







 

Handmade Zippered Pouches:


What I made yesterday:  Six Atkinson Design pouches.  Terry calls them her Cash and Carry pouches. Oh, I do love to keep my cash and credit cards contained, but  I like to contain other things in my purse.  I contain pencils and pens and little reminder note pads.  I contain my lipstick and chap stick and blush, my comb and brush.....every little thing to keep me pretty.  I contain......well, you get the zippered pouch picture. 







and the zippers......well, they came from - where else but  Zipit's Etsy shop where the choices are enormous and the prices are just right for my zippered pouches. 

 

When You're Smiling


 
 
 
Lyrics To Live By:  When You're Smiling,
when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you.
When you're laughing, when you're laughing, the sun comes shining through.
But when you're crying, you bring on the rain.
So stop your sighing, be happy again. 


Billie Holiday
Rufus Wainright
Louis Armstrong
Frank Sinatra, et al

Strip Happy....Quilting on a Roll

 
 
 
As a rule, I don't buy jelly rolls (my mistake), but I did win a door prize jelly roll package last week!
As a rule, I don't purchase quilt books on how to make jelly roll quilts (my mistake), but I was given this Strip Happy Quilting on a Roll book by Donna Kinsey,  for hosting a meeting in my home last year. 
So, putting the things I don't usually do together was easy yesterday afternoon when I matched the package of jelly roll strips with the jelly roll book.
 
Added to the pleasure of the day was the border....Colors of the Wind by George Mendoza.  
 I think Margaret J. Miller, author of Smashing Sets, would approve of the use of the non-matching blue in the border!
 
 
 
 
 
On page 7 ~
 
 
In this book



 

Energized

I woke up refreshed and full of energy....marked a couple of things off my must-get-done-now-list, so decided to sew/play.

First out was my Fourth of July modern mug rugs.  I know, a little early for the season, but I had this red, white and blue fabric at my fingertips.   Six completed!  6" x 6"





I  picked up a panel of unwanted fabric the other day at Tuesday Bees sit and sew day and decided to give myself the Christmas spirit.....five holiday hot pads finished before I could even say
Ho! Ho! Ho! 
Imagine someone not wanting this fabric!




Had to do a little piecing on the back of three of them, but I like their one-of-a-kind personality - gotta go!  Chill Out! 



 

Big Winner Reveal


 PHOTOCRAFT -  learning more about mixed-media and digital transformations!
 
 
 
 
 
 
I WON!  I WON!  My very own copy of   PHOTOCRAFT

Yes, the holiday season has begun...I do love opening gift packages. 
Thank you Susan.
Thank you Christy.
 
 

the day after blues




when all the food is gone -

 

For all we have ~




for freedom and love and family and laughter, for God and forgiveness.....I give thanks everyday.

Want an easy quilt?

Just find a Brandon Mably big design and there you have it.  I used his Gone Fishing design for Rowan, Westminster fibers.  Center panel is width of fabric x 72".  Added a contrasting 2" border, then came back with another flamboyant fabric - and there you have it. 

Stitched up and hanging out ready to go to the quilter. 

 
 
 

The fabric coffers were getting very low

Coffers:  cof ' fers.....A box or chest, especially one of value!

I haven't allowed myself to purchase much fabric for the past year or so - until I could use what was on hand.  Storage space is tight in my sewing room, but the other day I realized I had some empty shelves.  What?   I hardly had a scrap of blue or green,  yellow or red!  Yes, my treasure chest of fabric - my fabric coffer - was almost empty.    Much to the HuMAn's dismay, I've been out.....collecting fabric, one yard at a time! increasing the value of my fabric coffer. 







snicker
 
 
 
 
 

Welcome Signs

We are having the most beautiful weather and I love everything about it....and I love everything about this door:  its strength, its warmth, its color, its rugged energy is an invitation to come inside.


D is for Doors

NOoooooo Not A T-Shirt Quilt!

It's one of those never say never moments in the sewing room!  I was never going to be one of those quilters who had nothing to do but make a T-shirt quilt.........until last week!  But, you see, it's that time of year when I change the summer closet to the winter closet and all those Harley Davidson T-shirts were in my way, just seemingly taking up precious space.  I did ask the Harley man's permission to get rid of all those T-shirts and got his nod of approval.  He probably thought I was going to throw them in the trash....which in retrospect, perhaps, I should have done!  But in any event, I went to the fabric shop and bought the required amount of woven iron-on fusible (not cheap), cut the logos off the front and back - sleeves too - of all those shirts (took precious time).....now I'm rolling, rolling, rolling, got my motor running:


Twenty T-shirts, from across the country all made to be wild and free!





Did I tell you that I design quilt patterns too!  Here's my plan ~  it works for me!




I'll sash each Harley block with the Kona mustard and use the Kona blue as the cornerstones....will think about the back of this quilt when (if) I get that far along. 


 
 
 In the meantime, it's time to kick-start my day, hit the road and ride!   And never say never:  Oh, and if you see any typos, get over it....I'm in a hurry!

 

How to change the scenery:

A photoshop mini tutorial.  Use the eyedropper tool  to select a color in the picture, then swab with the brush tool to clear the air and brighten the sky.   Adjust size and opacity of the brush as you go to get the desired effect.  This is a great tool to enhance any part of any picture. 

I liked this picture, but decided the tower looming over the mountain was a distraction. 






Blue skies, nothing but blue skies
do I see: 

 

Windows

Windows that make statements: 
 
 
 
This window was steamed!  After a hot bath ~
 
 
 
It was a very art deco medicine cabinet....black installed in the  green marble tile wall....was quite stunning.  Not even going to mention the depth of the little window sill. 
 
 


PS:  I quilt too!



 

November 2012 Colors of Fall Calendar




Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
                                                                          albert camus

Rags To Riches


Lyrics to live by: 

Must I forever be a beggar
whose golden dreams will not come true
Or will I go from rags to riches
My fate is up to you

 

Sights at Hot Springs

We spent a few days in Hot Springs and came home energized:




It was his birthday so I decided that we deserved a break.  He decided on The Hamilton House, a bed and breakfast, on Lake Hamilton in Arkansas.  It was a good choice.   We lounged in our suite:




Enjoyed the Hamilton House Bed and Breakfast dining room view: 




and the music: 




Waded barefoot in the stream:


Had a picnic at a roadside park:  Taking time to listen to the leaves falling: 




Hung out on the Arlington Hotel veranda, enjoying the wine and beautiful weather:






Visited galleries, antique stores and flea markets:



We just thoroughly enjoyed the ride:



But it is so good to be home!