W.I.P Part 3

Home renovations were on the agenda for my 4 day weekend...and though I did manage to clean my house and clean out a bedroom in the attempt to start sheet rocking, renovation took a backseat to sudden quilt inspiration.

It almost always happens like that - suddenly and overwhelmingly. An idea takes hold and I'm a slave to creativity, then I get bored with the project...well, not really bored. I think it's more that the Muse has left and I can go no further on that particular project until the Muse deigns to make another appearance. I decided to make the Pink and Green Quilt last year around this time, collected my fabric between then and the start of 2007. I managed to get a good start on it in April. And today, I'm happy to announce...

THE TOP IS DONE!

I was on such a roll last night that I finished the last 7 rows and started the frame around the center medallion. Then this morning, I free motion quilted the medallion on to the top and it was done!
I knew it would be big, but I don't think I was fully prepared to see the actual finished size! It's slightly larger than a king. Which means that I have absolutely no place to lay it flat in order to sandwich and pin it the 3 layers!
As soon as the Mail Man arrives, ending my impatient wait for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I'm heading to the Lake with this beauty of a quilt top where it will be spread across my Mother's living room floor (the only room in either of our houses that will accomodate the size - well it was either that or my sister's garage floor...and that's just a little too dirty). Of course, finishing this quilt will have to wait until Harry has been read (which would normally take 3 days of nonstop reading, but I have to work on Monday and Tuesday - ugh!).

Have a great rest of the weekend and to those who share in the Harry Potter love, happy reading!

Postcards

I meant to post about this a while ago. Last month I participated in Andrea's summer postcard swap. I showed you my cards, now here are the others posted on my newly created inspiration board (which I have been wanting to create since seeing this, but never really had the space...until now! And yes, I know that's a wire and this is a board - of sorts, but I've always really loved cork boards)
Such talented people, such creative ideas (the long, dangly beaded mirror things are something I made - once the epoxy is 100% dry, they'll get hung in my maple tree in my front yard to reflect the sun)!And here is a little thank you Mati sent me for sending her my old polaroid after her's broke. I love this elephant! Mati, you are just so talented!
She also sent pola's of the beach and chinese lanterns. I tacked up the beach one with the ocean inspired July buttons from the Button of the Month Club
And you can see the Simply Photo postcards that I ordered from the totally talented Jen - they are very inspiring! Lovelovelove!

Oh, I am feeling very much the empowered female do-it-yourselfer. I bought this yesterday! All I really needed was the drill...my old one died a horrible death - okay it just quit working, but to me it was horrible! I didn't realize just how much I use that thing; I was so spoiled with the convenience of my old cordless drill....I never had to use hand held screwdrivers. And having to use my Dad's old, heavy electric drill that has no reverse, just to drill a few holes in a 2x4 - it was monsterous! I hated it! So, as I wandered Home Depot buying paint, screws for the kitchen cabinets and sheet rock screws, I somehow found my way into the power tools section and there, the starter kit called to me..."Tiffany, your old drill is dead, you need a new drill. Over here, look at me! You know I'm a good lightweight drill. Your Dad has one just like me! And look at the other fun stuff that comes with me...think of all the stuff you can cut through with my buddy, the circular saw! And even though you really don't need another flashlight, it's cool!" I'm telling you, that drill was very persuasive!

Well, I have the next 4 days off (got smart with my vacation time - I'm taking mostly loooong weekends - it's lovely!) and it's supposed to rain, so there will be much revamping of home interior this weekend. Or at least, that's the plan. I really need to finish one of the many home projects that I've started in the last couple years! The kitchen still needs a new floor (which requires underlaying and a pneumatic flooring stapler - which my Dad has), the kitchen cabinets need to be painted and put back on (which is where the paint and screws from HD come in, as well as my NEW cordless drill - and I did get a good coat of paint on the doors yesterday), the bedroom that I ripped walls out of last year needs to be sheet rocked (but in order to do that I need to clean out another bedroom that holds a bunch of my parents crap, so that everything in the other bedroom can be moved to create space to bring in the sheet rock). Slowly but surely, it'll all happen!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Carbon Leaf

Last night was AWESOME! My brother, nephew and I got to see Carbon Leaf live in Portland at Monument Square!

You can check out more pictures here. Next week is The Cat Empire!

Home Away From Home

Past the hidden house
on West Neck Road
Left here

Down the lane
further still
Past the little marsh
You'll find the driveway
the Lake and home

(I'm off to Portland this afternoon with my nephew and my brother. Carbon Leaf is playing a free concert in Monument Square! I hope to get some good pictures!)

Vacation in Motion

on the road back to my folks house...

Latest Finished Projects

At the end of May, Julie posted some wonderful photos showing the "signs of summer". It was this one in particular that really created the spark of inspiration for me. I could totally see this picture in fabric. I didn't want to copy it, but just draw inspiration from it to create my own piece. This is the result:

"Pomegranate" - 30" x 18" completed late June 2007

Base: solid green cotton, layered with scraps of green print cottons and a layer of pale green tulle and free motion quilted to hold everything in place

Branch: brown crinkle rayon easy appliqued over base (easy applique = fusible web)

Leaves and Pomegranate: scrap cottons, lightly stuffed with batting, quilted and stitched to base

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And the headbandana that I mentioned earlier...I finally took pictures! Bare with me, they aren't the best of picts, esp. the first one - where I forgot to shut off the flash and well, I look psychotic.

It's a headband...

it's a bandana... it's a headbandana!

I love headbands and bandanas, but they always slide off my head. It annoys me to no end that I'm constantly fixing them. But this...this I love! It seems to really stay in place and I can adjust the width of the band just by folding it or accordioning it (which is the way that it is sewn at each end).

I just made another pair of capris (no picts yet) and am working on a pair of wide leg linen pants for my sister. I'll have to get her to model them for me as soon as I finish them.

Until tomorrow...have a lovely evening all!

Sunday - 5 a.m.

Sunrise on a cloudy day...

Mini-Vacation Wonderfulness

5 days of relaxation. 5 days of no computer, no phones ringing incessantly, no one needing anything desperately-right now-this minute! Just a moment to relax...