The Guest Blogger(s) - Vol. ? - Debbie Mows the Grass

Well, sort of...

Welcome to another edition of The Guest Blogger(s)!!  I received an email from Debbie M., one of my Get Messy Art membership friends.  She's been busy with her TABLE SCRAPS Challenge for the FRESH CUT GRASS this month.

Here is what she had to say about it...

Here is my May challenge piece. I live near a farm that raises goats. I love to watch them play. I keep telling my husband we need a goat at our house. The goat could earn its keep by keeping our grass down. Since I can’t sell him on the idea, this is my goat keeping the grass mowed down.

I replied:

Thanks, Debbie! What a sweet entry for the challenge. Love it!

Here's the accompanying photo that Debbie sent:

Give Debbie some quilty love in the comments below.  I'm SEW happy to share her adorable entry with all of you.  I know that you enjoy seeing her work as much as I do!  Thank you for sending the photo for the blog, Debbie.  It's lovely to be able to post your project (and anyone else's without a blog.)  Quilters are always looking for ways to USE the scraps from our cutting tables!

Link Party REMINDER...

The MAY 2025 Link Party opens on  Friday, May 30th @ 12:01 AM.  There's still time for YOU to join the scrappy fun, even if you haven't started sewing yet!  Small projects are quick and entries can be added until Wednesday, June 4th @ 11:59 PM (EDT).

Until next time...

USE those (table) SCRAPS!!!

The 100 Day Project - #100Days100ThingsDecluttered - Week 13

 Welcome to Week 13 of the 2025 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered, a special edition mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I started The 100 Day Project last week.  I'm excited that I've committed to it, again.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was hesitant to participate before last year.  I'll be releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those of you who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

For those of you who missed last week's post, I hit the 400/100 mark!!!

My decluttering efforts for  Week 13 included stored items left from Dad's kitchen:

4 sm. storage bins

2 hot mitts

3 pastry bags

1 cake decorating booklet

24 (poly blend) cloth napkins

14 cookie cutters (new in pkg.)

1 cookie press (nib)

1 smart scoop (nib)

10 random gadgets (nip)

2 sets tongs 

3 bottle sealers

1 bottle opener 

1 pizza cutter 

2 bx. food saver rolls

1 marble rolling pin

1 rolling pin holder

Total: 70/100

Updated 100 Day Project Total: 470/100

Again, I'm pretty close to the next milestone!  What did I do???  I went rummaging for 30 more items, that's what!

How did you do, Joyful???  Let's take a look...

I went through the two large tubs from DH's shop out back and discovered these additional items to part with: 

3 mesh strainers

4 frying pans 

4 baking pans

5 sauce pots

1 cupcake pan

1 loaf pan

1 kitchen scale 

1 plastic bowl

2 (more) oven mitts 

6 kitchen towels 

1 (more) pastry bag 

3 cooking pamphlets

3 pot glass lids

1 sm. ladle

1 grater

1 sushi mat 

2 funnels

2 metal trivets

2 cutting boards

16 chip clips

Revised Total: 130/100

Revised 100 Day Project Total: 600/100

I didn't count as I went along.  I just sorted through the bins to see what could go.  As it turned out...

A whole lot left AND the count rocketed by last year's total!!!

Thank you to those of you who encouraged me in my decluttering efforts this past week!  I appreciate your kind comments.  They continue to make my decluttering journey more worthwhile.

Here are a couple of the comments about Week 12's results...

Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

You're doing great, keeping up with your decluttering goals, Joy! I am not as organized as you, but things do go out here and there. Every little bit counts, right?!

To which I responded:

Thanks, Diann! Every little bit definitely helps throughout the year. I really like trying extra hard to get things out

during the 100 Day Project.

Chantal @ At the Corner of Scraps and Quilts

Congrats on reaching your goal of 400! Whoop Whoop! I have to crank up my efforts as I've been slacking lately. (Too many bags of goodies coming in, lol.) You are my inspiration. Bravo! ;^)

I replied as follows:

Glad to be of service, Chantal, and thanks for celebrating 400 with me!

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week for a review of the project.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC25 - Week 21

Welcome to Week 21 of the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week ???  Who knows how it will go?!  It's going to be a busy one, that's for sure.

Let's find out together...

SUNDAY - Dare to Roll started my day with working on the JUMP prompt from Messy May using the following methods - pens, pastels, stitching, favorite supply/technique/tools, and write it:

After lunch I attended Consie Sindet's @atopserenityhill May Creative Playdate.  She gave us a laundry list of prompts to work through our page.  It's nothing like I normally make, but it was a lot of fun:

MONDAY - Day Off

I started the day off with a bit of art.  The SISTERHOOD prompt was hosted by @lilysolstudio.  She suggested adding multiple female figures and nature into our pages.  I did that like this...

Lunch was followed by some decluttering before it was time for my Weekly Zoom Call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

By the time we were finished talking, it was time to get ready for this month's Quilt Guild meeting.  Our Silent Auction was tonight.  I did well and only spent $20 and a large portion of that was for one of those wooden ruler holders so I'm pretty pleased with myself.

TUESDAY - #100Days100ThingsDecluttered

Open Studio with Barb found me working on the FLOWY prompt using a collage background with acrylic inks on top:

Later this afternoon, I took a watercolor class with Tracy Weinzapfel @twstudios.  Watercolor is NOT my first art language:

WEDNESDAY - Day Off

Today was an errand day.  Post office, donation center and a trip to the grocery store filled my morning.  The afternoon was filled with an art class from Jesse Robertson @keepitcolourful.  This is the background for my Tulip Still Life painting and it took 2+ hours to paint:

THURSDAY - Day Off / Doctor Day

I had to get up at o-dark-thirty to take Knittingsuek to the hospital for her 2nd cataract surgery.  Here we are in the recovery room waiting to be released:

I got home in time for Curiosity Collective.  My WOBBLE page might not have been as successful as I would have liked, but in my world... DONE is better that PERFECT.  Today's prompt host, Tamara Luc, joined us for the Artist Date.  As always, she's a bundle of energy and a ton of fun.  I did have fun trying to write with a liner brush and looking for some collage images to add the page, but no photo is available.

In neighborhood news...

One "build kit" arrive on Tuesday and another arrived this morning. House #15 and 16 ready to go:

FRIDAY - Work

On the phones today... It was quiet.  I kept thinking about all the things I could be doing at home.

On my way to work, I noticed that the foundation was being poured for house number 17:

By the time I got home, framing was well underway on house #15.  After dinner, I worked on the next couple of pages for Messy May during my Weekly Evening Art Zoom.  Today's SEASON prompt on the left, followed by tomorrow's REST prompt thanks to inspiration from @susisjournaladventure (who hosted yesterday's prompt) on the right...

Britt and I stayed after to finish up:

SATURDAY - Work

On the way there, I met for coffee with my friend Tracy.  Here we are with her holding the mini mug rug I made last week.  I gave it to her as part of her birthday gift...

Before we left, I borrowed her sock blocker for a photo of my test knit of her Lucky 13 Socks:

It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  Me?  I didn't do any GREEN scrap sewing this week, but here's what I didn't share last Saturday:

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

The 100 Day Project - #100Days100ThingsDecluttered - Week 12

Welcome to Week 12 of the 2025 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered, a special edition mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I started The 100 Day Project last week.  I'm excited that I've committed to it, again.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was hesitant to participate before last year.  I'll be releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those of you who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

Here are my decluttering efforts for  Week 12:

2 bundles of packing paper 

1 bed skirt (new in package)

3 unused rolls of film 

1 hoodie drawstring 

1 pr of pants (new with tags)

2 cardboard boxes

1 bag of trash from our home office

1 handful of receipts (dating back to 2020)

7 old envelopes

1 Santa hat

1 pr. scissors (that don't cut well)

1 bag of recycling from the studio

13 perfumes from bathroom

1 sm. storage bin

1 overnight bag (that hasn't been used in decades) 

4 decorative items

2 large storage tubs from DH's shop

Total: 43/100

Again, my goal was to hit 400 this week... And I came pretty close to doing so.  On the plus side, I emptied one of the two boxes in our bathroom closet (that DH has been bugging me to go through for a very long time.)  This week was finally the time that I dug into it to see what was really in there, along with some low hanging fruit from the shop out back.  I'll call that a win!

Updated 100 Day Project Total: 395/100

But...

Since I was thisclose, I took another look at the studio (since that's what I'm supposed to be concentrating on) and found the following items to part with:

3 books from the hallway bookcase

2 books from my studio library

Revised Week 12 total: 48/100

Revised 100 Day Project Total: 400/100

Thank you to those of you who encouraged me in my decluttering efforts this past week!  Your kind comments continue to make this decluttering journey of mine a somewhat less arduous task.

A couple of you had a few things to say about Week 11's results...

Deb @ Happy to be Scrappy dropped 9 empty boxes to the recycle center Monday =) Now if people would stop ordering from Amazon and Chewy ......

I replied with something snarky along the lines of the following:

As if people are going to stop ordering from Amazon, Deb!

(I am wondering if her comment means that she has joined me in my decluttering efforts?  It's never too late, even though there are only a couple of weeks left in the "official" 100 Day Project.  Participants often choose their own timeframe or continue for an entire year!)

Sara, who blogs @ My Sewing Room, said this:

Good job! Just a few small items removed this week for me.

This is how I responded:

Thanks, Sara! Your few small items rival the few that I parted with a couple weeks ago. Better luck next week!

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week to see what goes in the box during the next 7 days.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC25 - Week 20

Welcome to Week 20 of the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week my days will be filled with lessons from an online art event.  Will there be time for GREEN scrap sewing?

Keep reading to discover the truth...

SUNDAY - Happy Mother's Day to all of you motherly types out there!

My day began with my Weekly Morning Art Zoom using an altered magazine image of artwork by Susannah Rains-Haddad, along with two of my favorite colors to create this Messy May prompt celebrating COLOR...

And ended with a tasty dinner out with these two:

MONDAY - Day Off / Doctor Day

Random tasks prior to my appointment and afterwards I did some art based the CURIOUSER prompt for Messy May.  A search of the internet found a this funky coffee shop located in Winston-Salem, NC which is about an hour from our house...

And I was inspired to create the following mixed media page celebrating Curiouser Coffee:

It's also known at the coffee camper.

Until it was time for my Weekly Zoom Call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

TUESDAY - #100Days100ThingsDecluttered

Work

Before work, I worked on the 1st two layers for the UNLEASHED prompt for Messy May:

It was my first day back in the Call Center in ages!  After work I ran a couple of errands, including the pharmacy and a quick grocery run. Before dinner I started a painting based on one of today's Mastering Mixed Media Expo lessons and finished it up after dinner.  I completed this floral painting based on the artwork of Nikol Wikman:

SO MANY LAYERS!!!

WEDNESDAY - Work

Before leaving, I finished the last two steps on my UNLEASHED page by adding the focal point and (what I thought was) the day's identifiers:

Back at the cash register today.  I'm not sure which task I like better.  Possibly retirement!

THURSDAY - Day Off

I attended my (Weekly) Quilt Group meeting with the following members in attendance:

Then it was home for Curiosity Collective where we worked on the ADJUST page.  While I got a start on that page, I started and finished the LABRYNTH page shown below:

FRIDAY - Day Off

This morning I was off to Knit Group.  Did I remember our group photo???  No, I did not, but a took a photo of my freshly finished Lucky 13 Sock by Tracy @ OnWoolenPond:

After lunch I headed upstairs for Get Messy's Open Studio with Deandra.  I worked on the CORE prompt for Messy May.  Hand-cut mini Apple Core blocks completed my page:

I prepared the next couple of pages in my Messy May Journal during my Weekly Evening Art Zoom.  Britt and I stayed after to talk about the projects we planned to take to tomorrow's Sew Day with members of our Monthly Evening Quilt Bee:

SATURDAY - Work

It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.

I did some GREEN scrap sewing today at a Sew Day with my Monthly Evening Quilt Bee.  I'm pleased to say that I achieved a fair bit of progress on my projects:

I missed a group photo before half of our attendees left for the night, but here I am with the members of today's clean-up crew:

Thank you for the help, Britt, Mary Ann (not pictured) and Dawn!  What a fun and productive day.  Special thanks to Knittingsuek for arranging the event!!

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

The 100 Day Project - #100Days100ThingsDecluttered - Week 11

Welcome to Week 11 of the 2025 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered, a special edition mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I started The 100 Day Project last week.  I'm excited that I've committed to it, again.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was hesitant to participate before last year.  I'll be releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those of you who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

Here are my decluttering efforts for  Week 11:

1 worn out fingernail implement

2 tissue holders

4 gift bags

2 studio boxes

4 keychains

2 upcycled mailers

Total: 15/100

Again, my goal was to hit 400 this week... Again, I failed to hit it.  On the plus side, I emptied TWO studio boxes this week.  I'll call that a win!  (Please remind me not to buy any more books for my studio library, as the shelves are bursting at the seams.)

Updated 100 Day Project Total: 352/100

Sorry!  No photo of the small items decluttered this week.

Thank you to those of you who encouraged me in my decluttering efforts this past week!  Your kind comments continue to make this decluttering journey of mine a somewhat less arduous task.

Some of you had a few things to say about Week 10's results...

Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing blog commented with the following:

Congrats on your progress. I did a little myself yesterday cleaning out above the shelf in my closet and in the chest of drawers. 2 more closets and one more bureau to go for me....slowly it happens.

Here's how I replied:

Thank you, Kathleen! Glad to hear that you were inspired to do a little decluttering, too. Keep peeling back the layers!

Sara, who blogs @ My Sewing Room, said this:

Good job! I've hit a wall myself this week with the decluttering, but will get back on track next week.

This is how I responded:

Thanks, Sara! I hope your decluttering mojo returns. You CAN do this!!!

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week to see what goes in the box during the next 7 days.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC25 - Week 19

Welcome to Week 19 of the 2025 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  I've got a lot going on this week.  I'm scheduled to work, I've got errands to run, and there's an online Mastering Mixed Media Expo going on.  Don't forget it's Messy May over at Get Messy Art Journal Community!

Will there be any time left for GREEN scrap sewing, Joyful???

SUNDAY - During my Weekly Morning Art Zoom, I worked on the DERIVE prompt for Messy May based on a piece of art that I did back at the end of January of this year:

This afternoon, I watched the All-Star Sampler Platter from The Global Quilt Connection.  In the photo below you see Lyric Kinard introducing Jen Simonek from Loose Ends, an organization of volunteer finishers for those special projects left behind:

Her presentation "How not to leave a mess" was aimed at all kinds of fiber crafters and gave the following tips for managing your work prior to death or disability:

1. Take a hard look at your stash

2. Take a heard look at your WIPs

3. Leave a note in your WIPs

4. Find a Craft Executor

5. Use the resources on our website

6. Let people know about Loose Ends

MONDAY - Day Off 

This morning I attended a virtual watercolor class with @tammykayeart and here is my painting based on her example:

While visiting her website, I saw the supply list for an upcoming class and decided to paint it to include in my MIL's Mother's Day card using some of the techniques learned in the landscape class:

This afternoon was Swap Club at Get Messy.  I signed up for my first ATC Swap.  Color me excited!  The theme was LINE and I got my set of cards made during the hangout:

Once Swap Club was over, I watched one of the three lesson I missed for Alex Kincaid's Spring Florals Watercolor Workshop.  My sample strokes were nothing to look at, though.  Then I did some of catching up on things around and for the house before catching up on the NEW Mastering Mixed Media Expo videos from Tam LaPorte @ Willowing Arts.  Day One either didn't appear in my inbox or I accidentally deleted it.  Either way, I'm only 3 lessons behind now.

TUESDAY - #100Days100Things Decluttered

Day Off

This morning I watch the first of three lessons for today at the Mastering Mixed Media Expo and then did a bit of decluttering.  Bonus Points!!  I emptied another studio box:

I noticed construction efforts on two houses in the new neighborhood next door:

I checked in with Barb at Get Messy's Open Studio after lunch.  My task was to gesso a spread in my DIY Lay Flat Journal.  Sorry!  Nothing photo worthy.

WEDNESDAY - Work

I did a post office run this morning and a quick stop at the grocery store this afternoon, before I went home for my Weekly Zoom Call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color...

Once we finished chatting, I went to get ready for a Celebration Day dinner:

After dinner, I watched the last two videos from Alex Kincaid's Watercolor Workshop.

THURSDAY - Work

First thing this morning was some concrete work in the new neighborhood next door.  Two driveways and two foundations (not pictured) were poured:

Before I left, I did a quick watercolor painting (loosely based on the view out our back door) for today's NATURE prompt for Messy May...

And took a picture of my APERTURE prompt response from the other day:

After work I watched the Mastering Mixed Media Expo lesson from Jackie Schomburg and created the following page using her methods...

And followed that up with a lesson from Jennifer Bonneteau @ rainbowslinger.com

using various techniques, including pen and watercolor:

This afternoon's big news!!  Another family moved in down the street:

FRIDAY - Day Off

I went to Knit Group and then had lunch at the Clubhouse with Beth and her husband.  We missed our other knitting friends:

Thanks so much, Beth!

After lunch I missed my friends at Get Messy's Open Studio with Deandra in favor of doing a favor for Knittingsuek who needed a ride to her post-surgical appointment.  However, my alarm didn't go off and I was late picking her up.  Fortunately, we arrived right on time and hopefully she will eventually forgive me for causing her such distress!!!

Once home, and with dinner out of the way, I attended my Weekly Evening Art Zoom where I worked on the Mastering Mixed Media Expo class from Cindy Gilstrap that I watched this afternoon.  There are still a few more details to add:

  

RSC Quilter friends, do I get bonus points for using

fabric scraps that I painted GREEN???

SATURDAY - Work

It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.

The answer to the question at the top of the post...

NO.  There was not a single minute for GREEN scrap sewing.  I haven't even set my sewing machine up since I got back from the mountains, but here's what I have available to work with for the month:

Perhaps, next week will be a sewing week.  Only time will tell.

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!