Even Better

I'm a slow learner but I do eventually get it!

At one point I'd have rushed in without having the whole picture and that just leads to all kinds of half finished projects.

I'd like to do a spring wall hanging that has the feel of light/white barked trees like our poplars standing against an aqua sky. I am ready to dress the veranda for spring so the hanging would be appropriate. I'd bought an area rug to anchor the seating area in this front entrance.

I flapped the new rug down and gathered some things. (This led to an editing in the basement storage area but that is a different tangent.) ;^) This gathering would be my idea of what the home dec people call a story board where you review your options then finalize the decisions.

Hmm, this rug is telling me that the room is now calling for some colour punch.

I went digging in my stash of spring fabrics. The grouping to the right is too light for my liking. The stuff set aside for the sunshine room is looking like it will work way better. It has a hint of aqua but the greens go with the few plastic dishes a got a few years ago. The more saturated colours are taking me in another direction but I'm liking it.

So this will be the fabric for the veranda. I can pull a few turquoise things for accents. I can also see that greens will be better for painting some of the wood pieces that I have for the veranda. I don't have a finished veranda to show but I think I have saved myself some work in the long run as I now have a better idea of how this veranda will function throughout the seasons. I'd originally thought of painting chairs, table, bench, chest, etc. various colours but I am thinking various greens will be more cohesive.

Now I still think I'd like to try the first idea of the trees with the sky behind but this can be a smaller version and possible a table runner or something.

I also had problems with blogger and deleted past browser history. Whoa, I need to do that more often obviously as things seem a bit faster now.

Inspiration indeed

I very glad that spring has finally arrived but I must admit I'm not quite as enthused with the spring weeding as I once was. I might just be getting weary in well doing. ;^) It just seems to me I'm always going over the same old ground and not really seeing much progress. I'm thinking there are going to be more shrubs in the cart than perennials from now on. But I've still time to be surprised by the late bloomers, so here is hoping.

I was happy to leave the weeding and to go visit the grand kiddies. They were my reward for doing my farmer's errands. I got a new rake and I got some stabilizers for the Thread project.

I've been pondering the veranda. I needed something to inspire the decor for it. While cruising various blogs I read that a floor cloth (rug) can cozy up an outdoor space. So I had my eyes open while I was out and about and yahoo! ...

Now this doesn't look like much but it 'spoke' to me.

The veranda is an outside room with screens, not glass. The floor is just as you see it, worn rust coloured paint with some 'oops' from various projects that weren't to be done in the house. That Rooster of mine!!! It is our main entrance and I need to find ways to welcome visitors and discourage my farmer from using it as a storage/work room.

This great deal came with a 5' x 7' rug, a long runner, 20" x 54" and this small mat 18" x 30". All for the great price of $38 which included the taxes. There are a lot of colours in the stripes and dark is probably more practical. So now I have a place to start.

I went to the thrift shop and got a few good things including 2 pillows, and an aqua pail.

I also got a few articles of clothing as I'm also cruising blogland for style inspiration. I am NOT ready for any big reveal in that particular department.

BUT...

This rolling cart was going to fit in the car with all my other stuff somehow. Mixed media supplies get ready to be rolled! YES!!!

A Dandy day

I'm really hoping that these dandelions don't look quite so cheeky by the end of the week.

A stroll around the yard is showing some promising things. The bulbs are not in huge amounts but spread evenly about. Some daffodils under the shrubs on the north side that I see from the sitting room would be a great addition next spring. I've made a note on September's calender page. I've been leaving the perennials alone so hopefully they'll respond with some nice full groupings which means less open ground for those dandy yellow flowers!

I did some severe pruning of unwanted wild shrubs last fall so I'll follow through on their discouragement. The 'good' shrubs all have slow release fertilizer ready to bring them forth strongly.

I will need to pace myself so that means alternating weed days with play days. But the yard is my focus for this week.

Sunny summing up!

WOO HOO! A sunny day!

Finally!

1) The veranda focus became the bedroom focus. Hard to get into the outdoor room when I was in my winter gear!

2) The flower beds are cold, wet and full of dandelions which luv cold and wet. grrrr

3) I have at least begun to look for my stabilizers so I can begin the thread tests. I don't want to make a book but I may make a box to store the loose pages in.

4) A mixed up week as I was away from home 3 out of 5 days! Must be some kind of record. But I did start a mixed media technique.

5) My DD's quilt top has been smoothed and repinned. I do have all the pieces and extra fabrics in a basket so I can begin to sort out where I am. I also need to establish a perfect seam allowance that matches the old one. I need 2 more rows and I can't quite remember what the next colour combos are.

Hopefully I'll absorb lots of sun rays next week and spring ahead with a gigantic leap.

It's a grey day!

Grey rainy overcast skies. Grey poplars. Grey pussy willows. A very faint fuzz of green in the tree tops. Spring IS coming!

I can't seem to resist whole cloth quilted coverlets. This was such a great deal. A queen sized coverlet, 2 shams and two pillows for $69 Canadian. And a teal pillow for $20! I'd been looking for an icy pear but this wonderful light grey is very chameleon and works! If I had got this one first I just may not have accumulated the 5 that I now have. well, maybe not. This would take me through all the seasons. But I do use them for the other bed, the round decorator table and the hall cedar chest cover. They add texture and I can lay a smaller lap quilt to the foot of the beds, a colourful topper to the table and a few pillows to the chest.

The master bedroom is coming together wonderfully.

I had bought 2 wall sconces, and a overhead fixture. I wanted some, not a lot, of bling. They were close but not matching and I got my son in law to spray paint them ivory. He is SO much better at it that I! I also have a low ceiling that slopes so chandeliers are iffy. Stuccoing the ceilings was a mistake that will be rectified with nice painted beadboard as soon as I can get my rooster away from the other projects. The walls will be a light peachy pink.

The bookcases will be extended to the ceiling with a (fake) fire place in between. A slipper chair would be a good find.

I will put the toile paper (thrift shop find) inside the book cases and cover lots of books with tan butcher paper covers. I want it calm in here.

I grew up with this dresser. I did refinish it. The sconce that is perched precariously on the head board will be on the wall on each side of the bed. My 'stuff' is on a low stool. I can't imagine the wonder of spreading my stuff on a bedside table. aw, it'd be very cluttered so this is good. LOL

Now Dh has a chest that could be upgraded. I tried but it looked better in the downstairs hall. oops!

The other wall has pretty much been gobbled by the closet and main door. There is really just enough room to walk around the three sides of the bed. That's okay, I don't want to give dust bunnies too much room to race about.

With the plan in place I can work on the quilts for the foot of the bed! I am so pleased with how this is working out.

All over the place!

We circled the city, tied a knot and returned home before dark. The driver is late 40's, I am early 60's and the leader of the pack and a serious shopper is mid 70's.

We hit a white sale but I put back my towels after a quick lesson on best towels. Really? But I got a gorgeous pillow for a song and a pepper mill. Then it was off down the hall and a brief sit down at the food court for us coffee drinkers. The shopper came for a quick lunch so we could keep up our stamina. The dollar store got me napkins and I was going for goblets but again, good advice that not all dollars are deals! Really?

Then I got the deal of the day at Winners which I'll show next week when master bedroom is the deco project of the week. ;^)

We hit a thrift shop where I got another piece of enamel ware which has become a collection here in the playroom but will be very useful when the dye shed is operable.

An errand in an odd and far corner of our circle, LOL, then Home Sense is straight off to another corner and I talked sternly to myself. ah, another white pitcher (collection!) and voila! 12 goblets , in a box, for $14! Really!!! Got my hands on gorgeous towels but if DH got his hands on them they wouldn't be gorgeous. Reality! vbsigh I'm still lamenting that loss!

A few food items for the others as my DH doesn't trust me with the necessities of life since we differ on which is more important: food or settings! ( since I hate grocery shopping; I hang out in the magazine section!)

I did keep a weather eye out for veranda inspiration and only saw one hanging bell which didn't quite 'ring' for me!

Still grey and rainy so I'll get a bit of laundry rotating and study up on this week's list.

Game called on account of rain!

And it does look like I'll be having a cup of Timmy's some time this morning! With rain on the forecast from Saturday night to Thursday, a girly day with friends seemed a good use of some down time.

So yard/garden isn't happening as the focus for the official start of my spring work projects but I do want get started on the new weed crop before it begins to look like a jungle out there.

Veranda is up for the spring deco project. I haven't any real idea of what that will look like but perhaps I'll get some urban inspiration.

My daughter's wedding quilt won't be done in a week but it'll stay on the list until I do get it done.

I want to keep a balance with at least one day for sewing and one day for mixed media art. I'm thinking of working through a book on thread techniques and I'll get back to AB 101.

Looks like a date with the grand kiddies for Friday and hopefully we can be outside for most of the weekend.

So my game plan has changed a bit. I'd hoped to keep up the momentum from a successful last week. Here is hoping! In the mean time... good morning, Timmy!!!

Saturday Sums

What a week!

I pretty much focused on Machine Quilting. Nina just gobbled up pretty much whatever I shoved at/under her.

1) The challenge turned out well, I think. I did go back and add some MQed pinwheels.

2)The convergence MQed well and it is also okay although I think I like bargello better and saw some great examples at the Quilt Show.

3)I did push the big quilt for the show because I knew the MQing on it would be super easy and fast. It was good to get back at it as I do like doing it.

The quilts are hung in pairs with strips from high rods that help hold the 100 year old church together. :^)

4) I think I like art quilts with facings rather than bindings but I'd like to try eliminating some of the bulk when they are turned back.

5) I am happy to have a clearer idea of what the kitchen will entail. I was getting too complicated and had gotten away from simple.

I really should have made the Quilt Show one of the five things to do as it was really the focus of the week. Between getting things ready, set up and take down; there hasn't been much time for anything else. But that is my last deadline, especially since the wedding quilt is also done. Now: on to house AND garden!

find the finish

Darn sheep! I've no time to be finding where they have wandered in from. And actually the grass could use some thinning but I'm sure I don't want fertilizer! Means more cutting and I'm not sure I can find more time for grass. ;^)

I didn't want to finish with a whimp so I kept the creative juices going with a few parts from the scrap bin. Not quilted as I now need to fine tune the playroom not to mention the whole house which kinda got ignored this past week. TGIF

Kitchen Conundrum

When we first moved here we weren't even going to fix the house. Time past and we began to fix things. The kitchen got a quick IKEA fix at least 25 years ago and for the last 5 years I've been collecting ideas for a better fix.

Going thru my folders both actual and computerized I realized I have way too many options and they will not all fit. A review of them shows I like simple, uncluttered and open. Hmm! The DIY home blogs have been an eye opener and I am rethinking some things. I'm short and I like open shelving so why do I think I need upper cabinets all of a sudden!

With only the sink in a fixed position I've been able to move the stove and fridge around. The room is square and originally had 5 doors. I think we have it figured now.

The bake centre is in front of a covered door which leads to an old pantry I'd like to reclaim.

Along that same wall is the fridge and a bookcase that serves as a coffee bar. It just needs something better than a bookcase to facilitate filling the coffee pot. ;^)

The stove will go back to this far corner. We thought we'd like a fan which vents out but it just doesn't work on the outside wall in the final plan so we'll just buy the best charcoal non vented fan. (and try not to burn anything!)

What we have really wanted is a narrow island that will house the sink. I tried it out by putting my cutting table in the centre of the kitchen and it is a hit! It should actually line up to the side of the main hall doorway. The old sink is first thing anyone sees when they come in the door. I'd put a nice hutch there with simple island.

That leaves a cramped table area but we have downsized to 2 and I do have a dining room. My rooster says we can cantilever a bump out with windows on three sides for an eating nook. Whoa! I like, I like!

So there is a general plan in place and I think the place to start is the island. Then we can tear out the old sink and all the cupboards on that wall. I'll need a hutch for dishes and a counter for baking.

I will have white or creamy white cabinets, wood floors, and a mellow yellow kitchen. I'd luv a white farm front sink but some are saying nay, nay. A little more research is needed.

The seasonal things are pretty much limited to place mats and to bring in the aqua which is the primary spring colour I found this table runner and this fabric:

Facing the deadline

For sure I needed some more motifs.

I cut four more out and fused them in place. Then they all need some stitching to further secure the edges which I'd like to make less noticeable but I'm not exactly sure how to best do that. Good thing there is always a 'next time'! ;^)


I thought I should also outline some of the flowers in the background with some free motion quilting. Needs some hand stitching on the back facing but DONE.

The facings are easy to apply. I'd like to figure less bulk in the corners, though.

The wider vertical strip on the left end changed the dimensions of the zig zag quilting and that threw a curve in the works and I could have resolved the open ends better, I think. But it is okay, another next time!

I won't hand stitch this down just yet as I'm thinking I should add some quilting to those pinwheels.
This set up can be improved but not for this quilt. It is go, Go, GO!

Much ado

I'm multi tasking in a mindful way. I know I start too many things but I have only added something that does need finishing this summer and I have a deadline happening right now. ;^)

I also rush the finishing way too much so this will give me some thinking time.

I did quilting on the challenge. I also did some ripping to make it better. It is awaiting the facing as I consider if it is done.

I have a top I did as a quilt along. It is okay but not necessarily a keeper. My niece is marrying this summer and I think it is 'her'.

Now she may have some European influences in spite of being a modern gal so I got some striped backing on sale that has all the colours. Not such a great look in the photo but I'm feeling good about it. There is a golden yellow in that yellow brown.


As I was pondering the convergence I got the quilt sandwich ready. I can take the time to pin baste it as I think about the applique on the convergence. In fact I stopped pinning because I have already changed my mind about how I was going to do the MQing so I'll start pinning it differently. I was going to just do wavy lines up and down but I think a wavy checkerboard might be better. Heck, even faster!

I did cut some fusible backed motifs while I considered the MQing options and I have slept on their placement. This picture will be helping me decide if I need more/less/different, and how to finish them.

So you see it is much more than "much ado about nothing"!!!

look what I found!

I was away for the weekend and hopefully rested and refreshed because I have a lot to finish up for the quilt show. I was tempted to just put down quilt show five times on my list but the devil is in the details they say so I will detail the new week in the side bar and in my day book.

I was also very excited to FIND out something about my style. My word for the year is find and I do need to identify what my particular style is. I'm all over the place but not really settled on one thing. I know I can't 'do it all' so I'd like to fine tune my options. I was MQing the straight lines on the convergence and admiring the way it has layers, depth! As I read about mixed media techniques I am very drawn to the layering and how that creates such richness to pieces. I thought about my favorite quilt! My style is going to involve layers of depth, of interest! I'm quite delighted to be discovering these things.

This Trellis quilt is a pattern that I tweaked many, many years ago. The lattice has 2 white tone on tone fabrics that hardly show any dimension. That was a bit disappointing but value is something I knew I needed to work on. I do like white lattices and I surely didn't want a bold lattice.
I did not have enough of the Hoffman floral fabric so I added a very close fabric that I'm almost sure has some polyester in it. But it really works well and the bit of brightness adds some depth to the florals peeking thru the trellis.

I really like the border fabric, the subtle pattern and washes of colour. I also felt very much in the 'zone' with the free motion quilting. I hate marking and I found the path for easy outlining of the trellis. Then I did leaves and flowers in the open areas. I just think 'leaf' and draw it and I must admit I can do a better drawing with the sewing machine needle than I can with a pencil. Same with the flowers which are pretty much fantasy. I like a subtle variegated thread. I used the even feed foot for a spine in the border and then just filled in with flower shapes.

But it is really the layers that I like so much in this quilt. I want to leave bought patterns behind but this one so appealed and I was pleased with how it all turned out and now I find that I understand why. Layers are the way for me to go! 8^)