Houses for Houston

A group effort could get lots of houses, i.e. refrigerator magnets,  made and then sold and then money donated to  "Houses for Houston" or for any worthwhile fundraiser. 




I'm posting as a reminder that giving back, no matter how done, is a blessing. 

Praying for all who are in harms way today. 



 

And....just where have you been?

The days just get away from me.  The intentions are always great...the intentions to get a blog post completed, along with completing another community service quilt.  And it seems the need to make quilts for wee ones in need  has taken precedence these past few days. 

Taking a moment this morning to show some pictures of several of the fourteen quilts that will distributed to the Children of CASA headquarters today. 

First is a charming leftover from some quilter's "I don't want this anymore" box and all it needed was quilting.  Done and delivered to  a child in need. 

Well, well, well...............three "RAG" quilts all clipped, washed and dried for that special ragged edge appeal.    Rag quilts come together so quickly with totally unrelated 8" or 10" or even 12" inch blocks and scraps of left over quilt batting. 

 

 

 

 

As much as I enjoyed making this quilt with all kaffe fassett fabrics, it just needed to move on.  A good size for community service.  Hoping a child in need enjoys the exuberant colors of kaffe fassett fabric. 

 

No strip of fabric goes to waste around here.   The old saying, "Waste Not, Want Not" is worthy of remembering. 

 

 

 

 The red, white and blue log cabin quilt top was someone's leftover grabbed up by moi, knowing it would make a delightful quilt for some baby girl in need. 

Yes, I'm a happy quilter today....not the least bit anxious or depressed or feeling needy....Hopeful that there will be more in the days ahead..... Smiling as these quilts move on to work magic and ease the pain of someone who is hurting. 










 

Of course I was disappointed ~

.......But certainly not sad that I entered The van Gogh Cherrywood Challenge 2017.  While my entry was not selected, I feel as though I am a winner for stepping outside my comfort zone.   I'm not comfortable when I put my work on display but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the process of making.  No, I don't like every quilt I make, but I always enjoy the process.  When that joy is no more, then I'll take up another hobby! 

Here's my entry.  The flowers and vase were  made using only Cherrywood hand dyed fabric cut into  those little tiny snippits of fabric that we call confetti.   Was it only last March when I participated in a workshop led by Nadine Cain that I learned about 'confetti art'.

No, I'm not the least bit sad with this pretty floral smiling down at me from my sewing studio wall.

TTFN
 

When I'm Away.....I Play ~

I'm now back home from the most wonderful retreat house....the one called Tangi House....with a group of quilters who call themselves "The Pelican Partiers ."   We gather as a group, making our path over and down from Texas.... Monroe....Lafayette, Louisiana.  We call it meeting in the middle, twice a year for 4 glorious nights and days just sewing and laughing.  We mix it up with a little bit of a chocolate martini, mango margarita (or peach) or whatever the provider provides!  We always have a bottle or two of wine...and of course, have to finish the bottle since the cork never fits right back into the bottle after opening.  Some prefer tea - and that's my true story. 

We each have our personalized wine glass which also serves as the margarita glass and the martini glass.  Now, how is that for packing as a minimalist should pack. 

 
 
 

We sew too!  Here's the proof.  One among us wanted to learn how to make the "No Guts Boxie Pouch", a free pattern given to us on Craftsy.  So when one does, so does the masses.   

 

 

 

Ginger and Lilly worked on their Laura Heine....Abilene.  Here's Ginger's WIP:

 

She already has a personality.....and we know this is no bull.  Before Ginger finished for the day,  this bovine had the cutest nose and a lipstick hot pink tongue.

 

I came home and put the final border on my quilt top....a pattern I found in Simply Modern #4 by Sharon Holland.  Sharon calls her blue and green quilt Bloomescent.   I really, really like the Malka Dubrawsky hand crafted fabric in each flower petal. 

 

 

 

 

and the back....also using Malka's fabric and a little bit of ZenChic for the right-size-to-finish.

 

 

 

Here's another of my starts.  I did the 9 blocks made in the Denyse Schmidt  minimal style and hope to finish this one out in the next few days. 

So, it's home again, home again, jiggety-jig ~