Happy May Day ~

It is a great time to get back to blogging again.

I took some time away to grieve and ponder the universe. I cannot say I have any answers but I am getting back to the rhythm of my extraordinary life, day by day.

I start some new projects ~ this one found on A Crafty Fox blog

Playing with colors for a folded log cabin surprise gift

Working my way through Liberty Stars Quilt from the book Material Obsession

Noodlehead Cargo Duffel in Liberty quilting cottons

And a few economy blocks ~ Red Pepper Quilts tutorial in Liberty lawns

Goodness I see a theme.

I have also begun to Instagram. And the above pictures were taken about a month ago. It is quick and easy and probably another reason for the lack of blogging. I am trying to feel my way and see how to do both without feeling redundant. I do like reading blogs and see that there is a place for both. There are many crafty people out there. I will be sharing a little crafty project of my own with the rainbow of colors shown above. 

 So with Springtime here, it was time to tackle some of those less crafty projects around the house. So with pen to paper I wrote down 40 items that needed my attention and that I have been neglecting for far too long. I am now 10 days in and have found an amazing amount of dirt along with an equally amazing amount of guilt lifted off my shoulders. Perhaps my brain has known all along that these things needed to be done. It also just feels good to have a somewhat clean house. I still have 30 days of cleaning to do.

 I felt that sharing it keeps me honest and on track. 

Have a great May!

Frugal ~

My head is out of the clouds, for now and I am back to a somewhat normal routine. You know the one, sew, sew ,sew, maybe a little housework, squirrel, back to sew. Oh yea, I forgot about the important one on the minds of my family, 'what's for dinner' because fabric doesn't taste good. But it sure does look good.

Some may call it obsessed, I call it frugal. Okay, obsessed. I have not gotten tired of a single scrap of Liberty fabric. I have my HST's on top for the Liberty Stars quilt, bookmarks backed with used color catchers (I knew I kept them around for a reason), a passport pouch and the triple-zip pouch. I have a little pile of scraps for more little things. Luggage tag!

What is even nicer is that when I look at my collection I am constantly reminded of all the good times. I see the crafty people who lend me a zipper, the trips we have taken as a guild and laughed at each others shopping pile and not to be forgotten the talented quilters who share their tutorials. 

I am sure we could do it alone but what fun would that be? 

stack-o-quilts ~

from the top down ~

Beatrix, Modern Quilts Illustrated using Sense & Sensibility fat quarter bundle
Little Leaves, Elizabeth Hartman using Tea With the Queen fat quarter bundle
Strawberry Fields aka Cabbage Patch, Material Obsession using  Phillip Jacobs cabbages
Hawaiian Postcards, Lisa Boyer using assorted Hawaiian print fabric (not the king size)
BFF, Four-Patch Frolic, fabrics purchased in Montana the weekend of my brothers wedding
Granny Squares, Blue Elephant Stitches tutorial using Amy Butler jelly roll
Modern Workshop, Oliver & S using Tea with the Queen fat quarter bundle scraps
Avalon, Material Obsession using Laura Gunn fabrics

 

One of the creative ladies in the San Diego Modern Quilt Guild posted a picture of her pile of quilts on flickr the other day. Inspired by her picture, I rummaged around my closet and there I found what I had been hiding. At first I was embarrassed, then felt a pang of guilt that I have a stack of unfinished quilts this high. I should complete these very pretty quilts that I worked so hard on. Sometimes I am not inspired to create a quilt back and decide what design to free-motion quilt to put it all together. Eventually I will, but some I think I made just to learn a new technique, some were made because of a vacation and others because of the fabric line I loved so much. So I will not be hard on myself and just leave these beauties for another day.

I am still working on the king size Hawaiian Postcard quilt that is taking up every last pin I have, a Super Secret quilt to finish, stitching up Piece by Piece this weekend and any other project that may pop up. A squirrel moment is the very thing that derails my best laid plans.

What's in your closet?

under the liquid amber tree ~

Cabbage Patch quilt top finished

under the tree

The Cabbage Patch quilt was giving me grief! I  made a commitment. The skies have parted and I made a decision and I am sticking with it. I don't know how many quilt shops I went to, dragging my quilt in tow, trying to find the perfect fabric. Well too many and now my stash is even bigger. (Don't tell my husband.) I did have a choice to finish it the way it was, without the two end borders or to keep looking. I was having the same trouble in finding the fabric for the centers of the cornerstones and did the very same thing, kept purchasing the requisite amount of fabric only to decide, once home, that it would not do. One of those fabrics will now be the ends of my quilt. Yea! No more fabrics stores....for now. It is a sweet fabric from Lakehouse called Penelope.

Now to decide the back of the quilt!

Now the other 'squirrel' project ~

Using the scraps of leftover fabric from the Cabbage Patch quilt

 

clockwise starting from the upper left:

4 ~ Richmond 

6 ~ Road of Friendship

8 ~ Greek Cross

5 ~ Streets of London

And I think I have found a little project that they will be just perfect for. I will have to play around before I commit. I think my brain puts things together before I even have a chance to realize it. It is a project I have seen in 'blog land' and have been wanting to join along. I measured my finished blocks and they happen to be all the same which just happens to be the very size they need to be.

So now I don't have to feel guilty that I am making quilt squares for nothing.

 Everything came together quite nicely. I love it when that happens!

Summertime ~

Strawberry-walnut bread
from King Arthur Flour cookbook

Strawberry Fields quilt aka Cabbage Patch

mint and tomatoes from my garden

All things summertime ~

Delicious strawberry-walnut bread. Surprisingly, for as delicate as strawberries are, the strawberry flavor really came out. And what is better than the quilt top being done ~ celebration!

The garden grows bigger everyday. Waiting for those delicious tomatoes in the foreground.

Here comes August ~