I Love Cardinals

There is a Cardinal couple that visit my birdfeeder on a regular basis. Their colorings are such a contrast against the stark white of the snow in winter that they add a happy note to the seemingly too long winter.

A couple of years ago I decided to add some Cardinal decor to our home. Last year I started this wall hanging and have finally finished it. Now for fresh paint on the wall and I will be hanging it to remind me that winter doesn't last forever.

Too Much Snow, Must Be Time To Make A Snowman

Between the icy cold weather we've had and the snow that keeps coming back, you'd think I wouldn't want to remind myself by making snowmen. However that's exactly what I did. Quilted snowmen that is.

I found this free pattern on Debbie Mumm's website but I'm sorry to say it has since been removed from her site. While my piecework isn't perfect I still had fun making this wall hanging.

Just in case you're wondering what I've been up to, I'm working on other UFOs, taking online art classes and, of course, planning this year's veggie garden. And in a major move, my art table is now next to the window and I can't believe how spacious my studio looks. It is a much more inviting atmosphere to work in then before. I'll keep it this way until late in the spring when the sun shining in the window makes it too hot to be comfortable. I'll be out working in the garden instead of inside anyways.

May you all enjoy a wonderful weekend. Hugs!

A New Wall Hanging

I came across an interesting tutorial a while back at http://craftygiveaways.blogspot.com/2008/07/folded-flower-tutorial.html

I played with it a bit and then I came across a Pinterest entry where someone had added to the design. Well, I couldn't resist so I drafted a block with this folded flower and pieced the area surrounding the flower using the paper piecing method.. I chose the appropriate colors for the block to coordinate with our bedroom colors. I decided that I would place a wall hanging made from three blocks in the little hallway between our bedroom and master bath.

Each block measures about 5 1/4 inches. I added beads to the center of each flower.

More To Share

Yes I've been busy. On my last post I showed blocks for a quilt I had started working on again after starting them 5 years ago. I used the following book for the patterns for that quilt.

Now keep that quilt in mind as I continue. I found the directions for an interest three dimensional pinwheel block on this blog http://pumpkinpatchquilter.blogspot.com/2011/09/3d-pinwheel-block-tutorial.html
This was my first attempt at the pinwheel.

So...I started thinking this would be nice added to another block from the above quilt. So...along with five more pinwheels and the garden girl block I chose I have a new wall hanging.

I bet you're sitting on the edge of your seat now. (teehee!) So...drum roll please.

I embellished the pinwheels with buttons and the girl with buttons, lace and pearls. Now on to the next project. See you soon!

A Touch(?) Of Winter And A WIP

Needless to say you've all probably heard about the snowstorm across the country last week. Hubby had to snowblow the driveway out 3 times this week. And I was hoping for the same light weather this winter as we had last year. (Sigh...) Sorry but since I don't have a FaceBook page anymore I just had to do a little rant here. LOL

I do have some quilting to show you though. I started this quilt top about six years ago. It's about time I finished. I have to add more blocks to it but I thought I would show you what I've done so far. So making a promise to myself, this quilt top will be finished in time to start a new one. Another LOL

I think there are three more blocks to be completed before I assemble them and then there is a pieced border to finish it off.  To be continued.... After all I've acquired a quilted wall hanging pattern that has pieced cardinal blocks in it. Can't wait to start it! So many quilts so little time.

My SAHR is finally done!!!!!

I just had to share this. Sunny over at quiltingdreams.blog invited interested quilters to join in a stay-at-home robin a few months ago. And I'm finally done with my quilt. Yay! I decided to stop at wall hanging size instead of full size because it will great on the bare wall about our bed. That is as soon as the cornice is nailed up...that is after the hubby gets the new plumbing installed. LOL. Well anyways, my project is completed and awaits it's new location. I machine quilted everything on it but the center block. The center block is my own design and I hand quilted that part. I guess you could say I'm not a purist.

No, I Have't Fallen Off The Face OF The Earth!

Here it is 10 minutes after midnight and I'm still awake because I'm unhappy with this new laptop. I can't go more than ten feet from the WiFi router or I lose my internet connection. Makes it a bit hard to work in the studio. No, it's not the router. Our other laptop works fine with it.( I can even go outside with the old one...no problem.) It's under warranty but if we can't figure this out, then back to the manufacturer. I really don't want to do that because I'll have to delete everything I've downloaded. I'm just glad I didn't add all my programs to it before we found there was a problem. Sigh :(  Sorry, I just had to vent.

You deserve to see something besides my complaining. This is a wall hanging I made a while back and just recently quilted it. I had a lot of blue in my livingroom for 23 years before we moved where we live now. Now my decorating colors are red,sage, and brown. Blue doesn't fit in anymore and after 23 years of it, I've really had enough. So, what to do with it? Hmmmm....

I was just looking for some more clip art from my files on this computer to add to this post and just numbers show up on the window, not thumbnails. This is Windows 7...auuuugh! Whatever happened to XP? Frown :( Forget it. I'm logging off and going to bed. Night all!

A Finished Wall Quilt

Hi everyone! It's been busy around here. I've been trying to transfer everything to the new laptop and Whew! this is like moving a household. Unless you've done this before, and I haven't, it's a big job. Too many days trying to get set up again! Plus I have to learn how to use my Photoshop program so my photos may not to be up to par until sometime in the future.

But I do have something to share. I have finished the wall hanging I was working on. I wanted to embellish it with antique lace but couldn't find what I wanted in my lace stash so off to the fabric store I wandered. Alas, there was a pretty beaded ribbon trim and I scooped it up. I placed it on the sewing machine block and I think it mimics the  decals that are found on an antique sewing machine.

At Last!

I've finally finished with my last flower. I've enjoyed making a variety of them but, with this last one, I'm bringing my flower making to an end. I admit I don't really like doing so many of one item. It has helped to have each one in a different fabric. Now on to something else.

I've had this pattern in my files for a while now and decided this was the time to piece it. This is a free pattern that you can find at  http://www.mccallsquilting.com/ It's kind of hidden in their files so enter: Sew Much To Do in their search engine and you'll find the pathway to the directions. If you want this pattern don't forget to download the templates that go with the pattern.  When I finish this wall hanging I'll be placing it on the wall over my restored treadle sewing machine. Or rather where I'm going to locate the machine when it's restored.

I'm trying to come off the quilting bug for a while. I want to get back to my artwork and I'll have to can my tomatoes and butternut squash soon and that's going to be my priority until that's done. But I promise I will continue to blog every week or at least try to.

What's new pussycat?

Catchy title huh? I'm feeling just a bit silly today. This time of year one day it's sort of warm and the next? Snow coming our way they say. This week brought a Winter Aconite to bloom in the front garden. this afternoon I found a snowdrop in the side garden ready to bloom when the sun  finally reappears. It's a bit strange though. I planted many bulbs in the side garden two years ago last fall, including snowdrops. All that came up the next spring were daffodils, crocuses and odd ones I can't remember the names for, but no snowdrops. I figured I planted them too late or the ground was too wet for them to survive. Maybe all it takes is determination from those little bulbs. I'll excited and can't wait to see what else appears this year. Here's a couple of pictures of that aconite.

  A few years ago my husband and I visited Lancaster, Pennsylvania where I went a bit crazy in the fabric stores. One of the pieces of fabric I acquired was a print of various sheep. In case you hadn't read about my interests on my profile, one of the things I enjoy is spinning yarn. Any fabric that I come across with sheep on it never gets left behind and out the door it goes and into my stash. The following photo shows a wall quilt I made for my studio (my husband calls it a craft room). I wanted to make that sheep fabric to show up more so I decided to use it in a wide border around the patchwork block center.

Waaaa! Missing out on my quilt guild meeting

Okay. I admit I'm being pouty (lips protruding). Our quilt guild meets twice a month and, since the last meeting was canceled due to bad weather, I was looking forward to tonight's meeting. But, lo and behold, our driveway is partially melted and just soft enough to make it hard to negotiate. I just don't want to get stuck trying to go out so poor me, I'll just have to wait for the next meeting. I've finished a wall hanging that I made for a friend who just bought a new-to-her house and I wanted to share with the other members. So I'll share it tonight with you and wait to share it with the guild at the next meeting. The really sad thing is that she told me she likes blue but not pink. LOL! So this one will likely be sold and I'll give her one from my stash...Blue birdhouses. Sorry, I don't have a picture to share with you.

But, looking on the bright side, a small group from the guild meet at each others' house one afternoon a month and tomorrow is the next meeting. The driveway will definitely be frozen firm (single digits tonight) enough to manage the trip out. You think that a driveway shouldn't be that hard to deal with but ours is 350 feet long! Oh, the country life. Haha!

 Here's another one in progress to share with you. The pinwheel blocks were a quilt guild exchange. there weren't enough of them to make half of a quilt so I added my own four patch blocks. But it still wasn't big enough so...a four inch muslin border and another row of pinwheel and four patch blocks for the border. It's big enough for a twin bed now and altogether it makes for an interesting pattern. I'm very pleased with the effect. Now to quilt it. Won't be tomorrow...going to the quilting group! Think I'll take some handwork to do.

Sunday Night

                        

My husband's week long vacation has wrapped up and he's gone back to work. We had plans to paint two rooms and put new shelving in the pantry. The plans were good but we only got to the shelves in the pantry. Actually he cut and positioned the supports for the shelves and cut the shelves to fit. This week I'll do a paint job in the pantry and hopefully have the shelves filled with supplies. I can't complain though because this dear man had to take time to snow blow our long driveway at least four times during his week off. Too much snow this year.

I've been scrolling through other blogs and trying to find why I like the ones I do. Sometimes it's the banner or the background. But I think my favorites ones tend to be those that have either a series of photos that were taken of projects in progress and those that give directions on making things. And I'm still trying to play with this blog again. I've left it alone so long I've forgotten how to do things.

                              This quilted hanging is in my kitchen.

This week I've spent a lot of time working on a quilted wall hanging  that is to be a gift for a friend who is buying a new house. The wall hanging is finished except for the hanging pocket and label. I'm also progressing on my snowman table quilt. A twin sized pieced quilt is basted and awaiting machine quilting. And then there is the mystery quilt that I started with my quilt guild. I've spent so much time on my quilting projects that I'm feeling a little burned out so tomorrow I'll take time to do some art journaling. Gosh, I guess I'm too busy.

After the fourth

I'm sharing a couple of quilted pieces with you that I've made. I hope you enjoy them.

Our garage saling yesterday was somewhat of a bust. We followed signs that were posted but most of the sales weren't open. We found only 5 or 6 in our travels. My daughter made purchases of a dry sink, a chair and a lamp. I only came home with a fireplace bellows that I have plans for so... Stay tuned!