I am on the home stretch with the blocks I have been working on forever it seems - one more week to completion~! Then I can start assembling the Alphabet Book. I am so ready to start something new. I have set my machine up for some quilt blocks to begin once the book is completed. I want to make a Springtime tablerunner for my kitchen table. With as much time as I am able to devote to sewing, I may get it finished in time for next year - but I am in desperate need of some soft Spring colors to work with! Alongside the tablerunner, I want to work on my granddaughter's Christmas stocking so I can have it done by Christmastime. It will feel strange to work on something for Christmas, but this year I am trying to plan ahead so I can be prepared for once! Working on two projects will allow me to have an on-the-go project, ready when I am sitting idle during naptime, and a project by the machine- which I hope to spend an allotted hour a day on during the week.(the children I nanny for take an hour nap and I am able to sit and sew during this time so my on-the-go project gives me something I can accomplish during this time - it is a precious hour to say the least!)
Remember this guy from last week? I said that he looked more like a ghost than a snowman. Well, thanks to a helpful suggestion from a new friend, I was able to fix it without starting from scratch.
Here he is the way he looks now. Thank you "Beginner" (she doesn't have a blog) for your helpful suggestion to add batting behind my snowman. It did the trick, plus added a new texture for my grandbaby to feel. I love it! I have learned as I work on these blocks that as I complete them they will start to "grow" on me. I am not always thrilled with the suggested color combinations, but I do them "as suggested" so that they will be colorful for my grandbaby to look at. This tree was one of the ones that I wasn't thrilled with visually. Now that I am adding the black thread, it seems to pull it all together and I am starting to like it better.
I was so glad to work on this bright block - "V " for Violet! Spring colors at last! After the rains that we had this last weekend, and finishing up my "U" for Umbrella block, It was a treat to add a colorful flower to this block - the arrival of Spring! I hope you have had a fun creative week! I would love to see what you are working on - please join me in posting your projects during WIP Wednesday! I would be happy to link to them in future posts. Let's inspire each other shall we?
The Fence There was a large group of people. On one side of the group stood a man, Jesus. On the other side of the group stood Satan. Separating them, running through the group, was a fence. The scene set, both Jesus and Satan began calling to the people in the group and, one by one - each having made up his or her own mind - each went to either Jesus or Satan. This kept going. Soon enough, Jesus had gathered around him a group of people from the larger crowd, as did Satan. But one man joined neither group. He climbed the fence that was there and sat on it. Then Jesus and His people left and disappeared. So too did Satan and his people. And the man on the fence sat alone. As this man sat, Satan came back, looking for something which he appeared to have lost. The man said, “Have you lost something?” Satan looked straight at him and replied, “No, there you are. Come with me.” “But”, said the man, “I sat on the fence. I chose neither you nor Him.” “That’s okay,” said Satan. “I own the fence.” Author Unknown
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-3
Warning: Put your glasses on - this is going to be a dark post! ~sigh~
It's Wednesday and time again to show you the progress I am making on my Alphabet Book.
I really need to do these blocks justice one of these days! They look so much better in the daylight hours. I tend to take pictures in the mornings when the lighting in my house is softer. Next week I will try to take them after I finish the blocks instead of waiting until the last minute!
I am staying on task with these blocks. Yay! Just a couple more weeks, and I will be able to assemble the book. I really can't wait. I have enjoyed making these, but my impatient brain has already moved on to other projects that I want to start. Do you ever do that? I am always two steps ahead of myself. I am GOING to finish this though - something tells me my granddaughter won't appreciate it as much if she were to get this when she is thirty :-)
I love to see what the fabrics look like when I put them together. I am just using what I have in my stash for these blocks.
You probably can't tell, (grrr!) but this fabric is made up of Autumn leaves. I thought it was appropriate for this block!
I thought this was cute - "Q" for 'Quack". Hope this won't confuse her! She will think Grandma doesn't know that duck begins with "D"!
This cute little rabbit needs a pink bow on her ear - I need to purchase some pink ribbon. Just wanted to show you what she will look like when she is finished.
I haven't started sewing on this block yet - I am not happy with the see through snowman! I may need to redo him and make him out of thicker material. After all - he isn't a ghost - he's a snowman!
I decided to interrupt my regular WIP Wednesday post today to participate in Outdoor Wednesday. Thanks to Susanfor organizing this fun event every week! Hop over to Susan's blog to view other Outdoor Wednesdayparticipants.
This is what we came home to after church on Sunday. It started snowing during our church service - no warning - it was raining when we started off to church in the morning. I was standing on my front porch taking this picture.
Yes, family and friends back home in Washington reading this....
This is SNOW! In GEORGIA! In the month of MARCH! Can you tell I am surprised?
Living in Washington, this is not so unusual. I have only lived in Georgia since June and haven't experienced all of the dfferent seasons here yet. We can have 70 degree days one week and snow the next! I am sure the spring flowers coming up are very confused! :-)
It was such a beautiful sight though. All was so quiet! Huge snowflakes drifting softly to the ground!
A perfect excuse to spend the day indoors on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We cozied up to a warm fire, watched movies and ate popcorn. The neighborhood children played outdoors and made snowmen that lined our street. (wish I had taken a picture - it was so cute!) The next day the snow was gone and it is starting to warm up again. Will we have more? Who can say - I will just sit back and enjoy the new season experiences of living in a new state!
One day while I was out window shopping at TJ Maxx, I happened across this beautiful sign that would be perfect for above the pantry wall in my kitchen. It had been marked down to a VERY reasonable price. I looked around - so excited that I was the first to notice this beauty - I just knew it had to go home with me. In my excitement, I didn't at first notice that it had been dropped and the corner was damaged! I was devastated when I saw it and quickly put it down. I walked around the store for about a half hour frantically trying to justify taking it home with me despite the break - I had to have it! My mind went back to a post I had read on Rhoda's blog.If you have never read this charming blog you need to! It will open your eyes to so many new ideas in decorating. Rhoda is one talented lady! If you are stopping by to read it for the first time, you really need to go back and read from the beginning. Every post that she has written is so valuable you will need to take notes! Be prepared to be immersed in beauty - you are in for a special treat!!
Rhoda doesn't let a little damage get her down. She takes it home and fixes it - making it like new! I knew I had to try her idea for myself.
Being the procrastinator that I am, this project has been sitting in my craft room unfinished for a few months. I was afraid to attempt it! If I can't make it perfect the first time around, I don't want to even try - are you like that? I really wanted to show you all the end results though, so I knew I had to get in there and just do it!
I purchased some air dry clayat Joann's Fabric and Craft store. You need to use this product - it is amazing! When it hardens, it feels like plastic and is very durable! The link that I gave you isn't the brand that I used, but it is basically the same product.
Here it is in it's beginning stage. I just molded it to the corner - being careful to keep the rustic feel to the picture. This was a perfect first project to start with - it was hard to mess this one up! As a matter of fact - it was kind of difficult to simulate the imperfections on the corner!
Here it is with paint brushed on. I first added an off white coloring, then antiqued it with burnt umber. I am not sure it I am quite happy with it yet, I may play around a bit more with the coloring - told you I was a perfectionist!
Even if it isn't perfect - no one will be able to see when it is hung up above the door to my pantry - I will post a picture after I am done messing with it :-)
I hope this inspires you to try something new. Don't be afraid to add an item to your shopping cart that may be slightly damaged. I was able to get the store to give me a larger discount due to the damage and walked away with something that I am now really pleased with.
Step out of your comfort zone like I did! You will be amazed at what you can do - now go read Rhoda's blog! You won't be disappointed! Blessings, Kymber