Mail Call Monday -

Welcome to another edition of Mail Call Monday!!  Last month, I mailed a Tall Quilted Thread Catcher to a friend from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  She insisted on making something for me in return.  Who am I to complain about that?!  :o))

This package arrived mid-week last week:

Enclosed was a beautiful card:

With a hand written note:

And THIS darling mini mini:

Oops!!  HERE is the front:

Rainbows, of course!!  From my friend, Diann, who blogs at Little Penguin Quilts.

Thank you, Diann!!  I am thrilled with my wonderful Rainbow Goose Mini Mini.  (My name, not hers.)  I plan to add it to my gallery wall...

As soon as DH finds the time to install my gallery wire!  Sigh...

Until then, I'm using the back as a mug rug by my reading chair.

Until next time...
Appreciate unexpected gifts!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC19 - Week 8

Welcome to Week 8 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  I did a bit of sewing, a bit of knitting, and a bit of other stuff this week. Scroll through it all, if you only want the highlights.

SUNDAY - Mt. Washmore was calling my name.  Once that was all taken care of, I concentrated on laying out my newest quilt, MSQC's Pecking Order.  First, with a single-colored block:

YELLOW, of course, for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!

MONDAY - Tonight was Quilt Guild.  When I arrived, I was met by a "little bag of joy" from my friend Diane.  Snippets of the projects that she's been working on during the past couple of months.  LOVE!!

Those in attendance enjoyed the phenomenal art quilts of Nanette Zeller  from Southern Pines, North Carolina whose work has been featured on the cover of TWO issues of Quilting Arts magazine.  One of the issues included a bit of YELLOW and was sitting in front of my favorite piece of hers:

Nanette's BLOG is a wealth of creative information.  Her weekly articles include Find joy in the creating, and "Don't Give UP!".  They are sure to nurture the art quilter in YOU.

TUESDAY - The day escaped me.  I even forgot to add what DIDN'T happen (until Sunday.)  Oops!!  I know that I got some Squishy Mail, but you'll have to wait until Monday to see that.  Sorry!  Just following The Joyful Quilter's standard protocol.

WEDNESDAY - Yay!!  It's my STOP on the Show Your Wings Blog Hop over at Just Let Me Quilt blog.  Carol gathered quite an array of quilt bloggers and EVERY post was engaging and on theme.  I released my post early this morning.  Here's a preview of my project and be sure to note Mr. Finch:

It's Girl's Night Out.  Only four of us showed up, but we had a very enjoyable evening.  There was even some YELLOW stitching:

THURSDAY - 

FRIDAY - I left the house early this morning on my way to Knit Group.  When I arrived home, I realized that I had NOTHING pre-written for tomorrow's post.  :o((

Quick!!  Search the camera to recreate the week!!  That was AFTER I reacquainted myself with my machine on a bit of YELLOW sewing for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

SATURDAY - Well, we made it through the soggy week and managed to arrive at LINK PARTY day over on Angela's So Scrappy blog.  I'm headed over to see what wonderful YELLOW projects the other RSC Quilters have been working on during the past seven days.

Until next time...
Get Scrappy!!!

Design Floor Friday - Sewing the Night Away

Welcome to another edition of Design Floor Friday!!  I'm here to report about February's Friday Night Sew-In.  I'll tell you this much right now, don't expect to see my niece's T-shirt Quilt.  It smelled like rain and I didn't feel like schlepping my machine!

Here are this month's participants, along with their projects...

Karen showed off the embroidery floss that she has organized:

Betsy was binding a quilt:

Sarah worked on her sweater:

Karen made some Tea Bag Cozies...

Along with some reusable Roll-up Grocery Bags:

Linda worked on her Scrappy Trips Quilt:

She recently completed this lovely quilt top:

Ella worked on this pattern from an Augusta Cole workshop:

She also brought this beauty to bind, if she got bored:

Karoline marked for more hand quilting:

Marian laid out  the borders of her Pumpkin Wall Hanging:

Ann stitched stars:

For those who visit my blog regularly, you might be able to guess whose spot this is.  If you guessed mine, you'd be right.  The M&M's could be a BIG clue!  I brought several projects to keep me occupied, in addition to my photography to capture the event:

Congratulations to Betsy on her now-completed quilt:

I made progress on my Altered Rainbow commission basket...

And... Cut and pressed turquoise HSTs for a Mug Rug Swap:

Apparently, Karen was tired of sewing and decided to trim her hair:

Ella was busy sewing sashing...

... While Linda sewed strips for additional blocks:

Marian attached another border:

Karoline made progress on another block:

The squaring up 40 HSTs is next for me:

Marian was thrilled to complete her Autumn Wall Hanging!  Well, it's as done as it can be without letters in the open space:

Overall, it was a productive night.  Thank you, Ann, for hosting.

Until next time...
Enjoy sweet sewing time!!!

2/20/19 - My STOP!!! - Show Your Wings Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Show Your Wings Blog Hop!!  It is being hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt.  When I signed up, I had an idea about what I'd like to make.  It's a new version on an original design from a number of years ago.

In lieu of jumping right to a NEW project, I have decided to share a couple of older projects that seemed to fit the theme.

Some of you may have seen these before, but I know that MOST of you have not.  (They are THAT old!!)

First...

This is my original design, made for a Mug Rug Swap on Ravelry:

DS1's response upon seeing this one was "You can't give this mug rug away!  I want it!"  Below, I give you Sixteen Winters - named in honor of my then sixteen-year-old son:

Next...

The center panel was layered with acrylic paint in a Bee Workshop, using a commercial stencil:

The darling circle fabric was sent to me by a sweet blogger friend.

Lastly, something NEW...

I free-cut a little Gold Finch (February's Color of The Month is YELLOW for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge ) for a new tree scene and tested him out on the older quilt by placing him right over the Cardinal to see how Mr. Finch would look on his chilly branch:

He definitely didn't fit in the winter scene!  Fortunately, I was able to find time for making a new habitat for Mr. Finch.  I was SERIOUSLY beginning to wonder if I would!  :o)) 

Unfortunately, we will have to deal with the glory of evening photography.  :o((

SEW...

Choosing fabrics and a potential layout was my next step:

Then the stitching began...

First, with the hill and some free-motion zigzag:

Here, if you look around the machine head, you can see how I added the tree top and quilted it on:

The bird flew in, looking to find a perch next:

After that (and the sky quilting) I added some flowers in the foreground to give the quilt a bit of whimsy:

More quilting was needed in the sky area, as well as on the hillside:

It's an odd angle, for sure, but it's one of my favorite photos because it gives you a better look at the "grass" that I quilted into the top of the hill and a nice close-up of the flowers:

I opted to apply a bit of Steam-a-Seam Lite 2 to hold down the bird.  Foregoing any quilting on it for the time being:

Raw-edge applique and a raw-edge finish, as I couldn't decide on an appropriate binding fabric:

The perspective on the Quilting Arts shot below (my quilt's not really on the cover!) makes me wonder if the entire piece should be cut down a bit:

I'll decide that another day.  In the meantime, I hope YOU enjoyed seeing my quilt On the Wings of Summer take shape.  I've got a couple more quilts to share.  Please, read on!

But, WAIT!!  Another take on the Show Your Wings theme...

Flying to the Candy Dish, original design:

Butterflies in 3D, original design:

Three butterflies and one dragonfly pop right off the face of the quilt!  (See what I mean in THIS post.)  It was a fun experiment and, at the time I first posted it, several people were asking if I had kits available for sale.  I felt honored to be asked such a question!

I'm guessing that many of you hadn't seen these older pieces.  That's why I decided to share them for the Show Your Wings Blog Hop.  I felt that they totally fit the theme.

Here is the list of participating bloggers:

February 18

What About Rheema?

Hill Valley Quilter

Nutz For Redwork

Kathy's Kwilts and More

Melva Loves Scraps

Creative Blonde

Keepsake Moments

Whims And Fancies

Quilt n Party

Seams To Be Sew

February 19

Patchouli Moon Studio

Vroomans Quilts

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Songbird Designs

Quilts Fabric and Thread Tales

Kathleen McMusing

Life in the Scrapatch

DesertSky Quilting

Clever Chameleon Quilting

February 20

Creatin' in the Sticks

MooseStashQuilting

The Joyful Quilter - You are HERE!!

Home Sewn By Us

Selina Quilts

Websterquilt

Beaquilter

Cynthia's Creating Ark

Ms P Designs USA

Bumbleberry Stitches

Mageez Room

February 21

Just Let Me Quilt

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Sew Fresh Quilts

Quilt Fabrication

Words & Stitches

All Thingz Sewn

Kathy’s Quilts

For The Love Of Geese

Two Maker Chicks

madeNcorrea

That Fabric Feeling

You won't want to miss a single post.

Creativity and imagination are in the air!

  Thanks, again, for hosting, Carol.

Linking up with Cynthia for Oh Scrap!

Until next time...
Let your quilting take flight!!!

Show Your Wings Blog Hop - Coming Soon!!

Hop! Hop!! Hop!!!  No, it's NOT Easter.  It's time for another Blog Hop.  Today begins the Show Your Wings Blog Hop with Carol at Just Let Me Quilt.  I'm busy trying to finish up the project for my day!  While you're waiting for my post to be released on Wednesday, I hope you will go check out what the other bloggers have in store.

Here's the complete list:

Check out all the amazing bloggers who are participating:

Today - February 18

What About Rheema?

Hill Valley Quilter

Nutz For Redwork

Kathy's Kwilts and More

Melva Loves Scraps

Creative Blonde

Keepsake Moments

Whims And Fancies

Quilt n Party

Seams To Be Sew

February 19

Patchouli Moon Studio

Vroomans Quilts

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Songbird Designs

Quilts Fabric and Thread Tales

Kathleen McMusing

Life in the Scrapatch

DesertSky Quilting

Clever Chameleon Quilting

February 20

Creatin' in the Sticks

MooseStashQuilting

The Joyful Quilter

Home Sewn By Us

Selina Quilts

Websterquilt

Beaquilter

Cynthia's Creating Ark

Ms P Designs USA

Bumbleberry Stitches

Mageez Room

February 21

Just Let Me Quilt

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Sew Fresh Quilts

Quilt Fabrication

Words & Stitches

All Thingz Sewn

Kathy’s Quilts

For The Love Of Geese

Two Maker Chicks

madeNcorrea

That Fabric Feeling

Today was a busy day and I didn't get home from Quilt Guild until late.  I'm off to check out at least a few stops before it's time for bed.

Until next time...

Show Your Wings!!!