I thank my lucky stars:

Yes, I'm thankful that I have a brain....and most of the time am quite successful at using it; however, today wasn't one of those days.  I guess I should have 'done the math' a little more accurately. 

It's like this.  Our guild activity for the next several months is to make black and white stars.  Each month we will be prompted about the size to make  and how many we are to take to the next meeting to swap around with other participants in the activity.  Last month went beautifully.  I made my four 12 1/2" blocks for the swap and came home with a nice variety. 

For round two, we were told to make ten 6 1/2" blocks.  Not a problem.....made many this size before so I'm sure that goal can be reached on this rainy afternoon.   Woah......meaning cease or slow down the course of action.  While my little black and white star is a cutey, it is not 6 1/2" square!!!!!   It's only 4 1/2".  What the, er,  I mean, where did I go wrong?  As the voice on my GPS navigator dodad says, "re-calculating" ! 

 

 

Thankfully, I  hadn't cut too much fabric and had only made up 10 of the little four-patch centers.    May not be such a waste after all since all our blocks will ultimately be divisible by three!  You see, if I finish 2 more, then I can attach these three 4 1/2" blocks to one of my 12 1/2" ers.  

Thanking my lucky stars as I do the math......re-calculating ~ 





 

A little orphan block diversion

Just a small diversion this morning.  When I opened my emails and discovered that I could have a better free-motion-quilting-learning-experience if I brought a quilt sandwich (or two).....and the best way to get this ready in quick fashion for the workshop was to use orphan blocks left over from prior workshops and classes or quilts. 

Luck be a lady this morning.   I found 6 blocks and quickly put them together.  But the quilt maker in me decided it needed more  - it needed borders.  I planned to enlarge my diversion by sampling a few border fabrics.  A plus to adding borders:  I have even more fabric to practice my free-motion quilting! 

I first auditioned gold shot cotton with the black

 

 

and the purple/magenta

 

and finally the orange dot.  This one won my heart.  My favorite of all the fabrics I had on hand.....the orange with purple dot Kaffe.  Will you be my valentine? 

 

I really could have used two more blocks for balance...but since I'm calling this my diversion quilt, then it is what it is: 

 

Done and Done

 

 

Ramona is hosting a free-motion quilting workshop Saturday, February 14 from 10 - 3 at Quilt 'N Stitch in West Monroe.  Here's the Nela MQG link.  Don't miss out on this great opportunity to practice free-motion quilting on your domestic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organizational Mojo~

I had my organizational mojo working this morning when I was abruptly interrupted by the HuMan!
He wanted my pajamas! 

and the nonsensical conversation continued (just long enough to interrupt my organizational mojo). 

Me:  Why do you want my pajamas?
HuMan:  I'm washing clothes!
Me:  What color?
HuMan:  Does it matter?
Me:  Louder YES! 
HuMan:   You'll have to explain that one to me.
Me:  Still LOUD.  If you are washing whites, then I'll just take off my tee shirt.   But if you're washing colors, then I'll have to take off my flannel bottoms.  It's cold in here.  I don't want to strip naked if I don't have to! 
HuMan:   Hmm....hadn't even given the cold air a thought!  

What a pile of scraps!
 

I stalk off to the bathroom to go ahead and get it over with:  took off my tee shirt and flannels.  Now he can wash clothes until his little heart is content. 

Mojo is a power that may seem magical and that allows someone to be very effective, successful. etc.

I've not yet gotten my organizational mojo back, but I'm working on it without interruption.   Success is now in sight.......but I
still must get my thoughts organized  about how to frame this long lost and almost forgotten quilt top sample I made for a "what to do with your half-square triangles?" quilt guild program.     I think  I'll make it the medallion center and frame it in a multi-colored solid border, pieced together in an improvisational style. 

Also on the morning agenda was selecting a binding for this little dotty quilt....yes, the black and white dots won out. 

Yeah, baby....got my organizational mojo working! 

organized and focused:  success

 

There's a STAR out tonight ~

The local quilt guild is subdivided into three 'chapters' which is confusing to the non-locals who try to find our guild's meeting date and place since each 'chapter' meets at different times on different dates at different places!  And, what's more the guild's funds are diffused as is the camaraderie, the activities, the programs and demonstrations.  We are a small quilting community and it seems apparent to me that so much could be accomplished if we banned together as one each month. 

 

 

Time to stop whining about what will not be ~ 

My HuMan of the house continues to tell me that life isn't always black and white....that what is apparent to me is not so for everyone and I should just embrace the way it is.  When things can't be changed, then it's time for me to change the way I think about it.   So I have and console myself in knowing how much I enjoy my small little quilting 'chapter' and how active we few are and how much we give back to the community and to the guild. 

So, as I was saying, the local guild has three 'chapters' and I'm a part of the Sunshine Chapter and you guessed it, we  meet in the sunny part of the day....which would be the afternoon and our very first 2015 activity as a group is all about stars - in black and white.  There was much smiling, cheering and hand-clapping when our activity rep presented to us our  first assignment to get our quilts made.  

This month we are to make four 12 1/2" star blocks with the stars being the dominant black.  And, we are to keep one of the blocks as our own and put the other three into a brown bag.  At our next meeting, those participating will take home a brown bag with three star blocks unlike the ones we brought.  What a great way to re-mix.   Each month will be different, but in the end, we'll all have enough stars to complete a nice size starry black and white lap quilt. 

It was 'bout dinner time last night that I had two of my four star blocks completed.  Today will find me searching for more star block patterns and more black and white fabric to get my first month's assignment finished.   

 

May all the stars align to fill my black and white quilt top.

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana Traveling Quilt ~ an update to my update!!

Every now and then I remember that both my short term and my long term memory is failing me.  Anybody else out there remembering that it's happening to them?  Ah, come on!  Don't make me feel so alone. 

Was it only yesterday that I bragged blogged that I had completed my last rotation to our Louisiana Traveling Quilt.  Yes, only yesterday and almost simultaneously with my post did I get a comment from Mary that she didn't need to get this one again......she had already finished her block and sent it to me and she didn't want it again!  Okay, now what?  It was just about then that both my short term and long term memory kicked in!   The ten of us have been working on this project for the past ten months....each adding our block and passing it on to the NEXT one in the rotation!  Month by month, we were adding a block and passing it on:  not a hard thing to remember. 

Okay, I have now meekly unpacked the box that I had prematurely packed and labeled and organized my thoughts around adding another block to finish the top left corner....the same corner that I should have finished earlier. 

 

Well, I'll be a donkey's behind!  In just about  no time I had this one done. 

 

 

 

Here it is....all my houses sewn in to complete this quilt top. 

 

I like it ~  I like my neighborhood ~ a very friendly neighborhood ~ no bickering ~ no slacking ~ everyone doing what needs to be done ~ to get the job done ~ 

It is now repackaged and on its way to the postman

to be on its way to its final destination

Glen, this is a great Louisiana Traveling Quilt Theme:  HOUSES!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana Traveling Quilt - an update

I've been traveling today, but stayed in the house all day and sewed.   I was just a tad behind in my Louisiana Traveling Quilt so had a busy afternoon playing catch up to get Glen's quilt block finished.   Glen chose houses for her theme and even sent along in the traveling packet some paper-pieced houses. 

 

 

I selected two houses and one tree to surround with my 2 1/2" blocks.  My add-on is now finished and it will be in the mail to Mary first thing in the morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

Love to travel - love houses.  This was my first traveling quilt experience and was so fun that I hope to do it again.   Ten of us added a block a month and now we'll all get back our quilt top to add on even more blocks or borders and then quilt it! 

One corner left for Mary to do her architectural magic.

 

Beaches - Peaches

It was a week at the beach.  The air was cool but the rooms were affordable!

  Do you get the picture?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't cry over spilled milk

This one didn't make the cut......the rose parade passed it by.   We're not crying. 

I don't make new year resolutions but often have a resolve or two.  And one of my  resolves for the year is to make the most of what's on my table. 

The HuMAn humored me with a dozen red roses some time back.  Oh, there was no particular occasion, he was just expressing himself.  After a month or so, he decided he'd had enough of the red roses and put the vase outside to air.  I balked.  I was still enjoying the roses, dead or alive, so the roses came back inside.  As long as I kept them in my studio then he was okay. 

Well, this morning I, too, decided the roses needed fresh air....as in outside the house fresh air.  But before I let them go,  there was of course pictures to be taken.  

Being able to let go of what can't be is an attitude.....just as 'don't cry over spilled milk' is a saying that means 'let go of what can't be"! 

I can't bring these roses back to life just as I can't put spilled milk back in the glass....

we'll just let the cat enjoy them both. 

Enjoy what's on your table.                    

Marty

ColorBoard No. 28

Oh, yes, I've been doing  something

but with the rainy days and overcast skies,
there's been no good time
for getting pictures


of my sewing projects. 



I secluded myself in Photoshop
this morning and
dreamed of  springtime
and garden angels and dill and rosemary
that I know are out there
waiting for me. 


While waiting with hands on chin, pondering
how to find my way today
I put together ColorBoard No. 28.....


Hope you, too, are finding your way
today. 



Marty

 

Looking at the back side

2014 is very nearly coming to an end so here's looking at the backside ~

A friend once told me that people on the street don't want their pictures taken....I gasped!  What?   Do I have to sneak around to their back side to get pictures of people anymore?   Once I started doing this, I realized that the back side often makes for better viewing.

For example, which picture of this couple do you like best?  The front or the back?

 

 

 

I didn't even notice what they were wearing in the front picture?  Or the color of their hair.    Not much of a picture, really, with their eyes on the street.  Yes, I was pretending to take a picture of the junk filled patio, so as not to offend the couple walking toward me.   You, know, they might not have wanted their picture taken! 

 

But when I sneaked around to their back side.....

 Doesn't the back side draw you in as they glance at the menu outside this Italian restaurant?   What might they be discussing?    Is it "what shall we have for dinner?   Do we dine in or take out?  Sausage or pepperoni? Red wine or white?" 

 Shaggy dogs have no side better than the other.....all sides were good of this shaggy monster.  Oh, but what a lovable personality was there.   I asked, but he said he didn't care from which direction I got him.  He wasn't sure he had a 'best' side so I could just gape on....he wouldn't be bothered. 

and the back of heads didn't take away from what the picture was suppose to be about ~  the beauty of the decaying building façade ~

And the fun of the back side of this boat master. Oh, My!  He was so busy doing his job that he didn't really care that I took the back side of his jeans. 

If I had the front of her, would I enjoy the back of her hair as much?  Would I even notice the fishnet hose?  Or the purse?   I would probably not even have taken a picture of this lady on the street simply because she was wearing a black dress!   Now, I'm delighted to have sneaked to her back side to get this picture which tells me much about her personality.  Her black skirt doesn't match her black blouse and her brown purse straps don't match any of the black and her taupe shoes don't match the outfit at all.   And, she really doesn't care that the humidity has her hair in a frizzy state.   She's up and dressed and out on a stroll and enjoying every moment of her day. 

and the back side of the friend who suggested that people didn't like their pictures taken!   She appears to be headed somewhere.  A lady with a vision.   A lady on a mission - to get to the top of this climb and have a breath left in her when she gets there.  She probably has no clue that I sneaked around and got her back side.  

Yes, here's looking at the back side of 2014.   

 

Happy New Year

 

 

 

Ink Blots and China Marker

and the fun continues on this rainy Sunday afternoon.....with no particular place to go!

First, there was an ink blot

oh, my....the ink blot became a turkey with just a little help from my Sharpie china marker.

 and the little gosling

and on the other hand....reversed side of the ink blot became just another figment of my imagination.....a barnyard fowl with a little Sharpie china marker help. 

Imagination the possibilities 

they are endless around my house

 

 

 

 

 

The Ink Blot summarized my year ~

I had ink
           and fabric
                       and brushes

add water

                         and what appeared says it all about the year just passing

I clearly see a bear with his backside to 2014, and he's not looking back
                                      moving on

  Yes, it's been a "beary" good year. 

 

Oh, Christmas Tree ~

 

Oh, Christmas Tree ~