ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC26 - Week 35

Welcome to Week 35 of the 2026 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week is the last chance to finish up my YELLOW scrap projects before Angela's official announcement for September's Color of the Month.  There are quite a few meetings, events, and classes to fill my days so I'm not sure how this will play out.

Read on to see how my week progressed...

SUNDAY -  The day began with my Weekly Morning Art Zoom on Get Messy.  When everyone else signed off, Britt and I stayed to finish up our projects.  This is the collage added to my new Collage Scraps Altered Book journal, along with the "ransom note" letters after auditioning several different positions for the word placement:

MONDAY - Errand Day

After lunch, I headed up to the studio for this week's Library Crawl with a lesson from Helen Wells about Starting Points for art from nature.  I turned to one of my favorite nature books and selected this image that I've been saving for years:

Since it held several points of interest for me, it seemed like the right time to incorporate it into my art.  Three iterations of my inspiration image on the same page.  Across the top depicts the lovely seascape beyond the trees using acrylic paint:

Along the bottom of the page, you can see versions one and two.  I began by cutting the inspiration image in half and using my "complete the picture" technique on the upper then lower half with my acrylic markers.  This was such a fun exercise!

I later met with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color for our Weekly Zoom Call...

I spent the time straightening up a few things on my table.

TUESDAY - Stay at Home Day (or NOT!)

During the new Early Explorers hangout, I did another page inspired by yesterday's lesson by gel printing "leaves" directly onto the page, adding some mark making for additional leaves in Stabilo Woody crayons and Caran d'Ache Neocolor II.  The branches and stems were drawn in with colored pencil to complete the page:

Later, I took a Lino Cut class with @linolordpress just to see what stamp carving was about and then after tea time, I headed back up for Tuesday Explorers and worked on this collage:

After dinner, I zipped up to my Monthly Evening Quilt Bee.  Here is the small group of friends who attended this evening:

I showed off my latest quilt projects and completed not ONE...

But TWO pages in my new Collage Scraps Altered Book journal:

WEDNESDAY - Wonderful Wednesday

During Midweek Meetup, I worked on the final painting in my Watercolor journal.  This was from a FREE class with Tammy Kaye that I missed a couple weeks ago:

Later, Belinda and I met for the Joyful Art Zoom.  Here we are before getting started on the day's projects:

No art photo today as I spent the time setting up my NEW watercolor journal.

Next I scooted over to Beth's for their community's Artist's Showcase at The Gathering Place in the main building.  Here we are with a selection of her knitwear on display:

I bought these two beautiful postcards and grabbed a cocktail napkin from the circulating hors d'oeuvres to add to my personal journal: 

THURSDAY - Quilt/Art Day

Weekly Quilt Group met at Britt's this week.  I shared my latest YELLOW scrap project with this group of friends, none of whom were in attendance at the meeting on Tuesday.  After lunch, Britt and I enjoyed an ART-venture.  I brought my computer to watch the Permission to Play lesson from Lisa Riehl that I missed yesterday afternoon.  Britt decided to paint along.  Here we are with out completed watercolor landscape paintings:

FRIDAY - Knit Group

We met at 1928 Millhouse Coffee today.  Tracy was a real trooper since her return flight from her trip to New York City didn't arrive until 2 AM:

After a quick lunch, I went upstairs for Deandra's Art Zoom.  I keep meaning to circle back to the Inchie Challenge, but a page in my personal journal called to me this afternoon:

During my Weekly Evening Art Zoom, I started with an image to build a collage around, but switched tactics midway when the colors weren't flowing.  Once I found the tomato plant and the garden phrase, the page came together quickly:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will stop by for a visit Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  I hope to catch up with everyone this weekend.

What about some YELLOW scrappy progress this week, Joyful???

I auditioning binding options for the runner that I quilted at the recent mini retreat:

The decision and a finish coming soon.

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!

Wonderful Wednesday - Scrap Club Ugly Fat Quarter Swap - Meeting the Challenge

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  This week I'm here to share the story behind the scarf project I completed at the Mini Retreat I attended the weekend before last.  If you saw the finish and don't care about the process, please accept my apologies.  Around here, special projects deserve their own blog post.

This one qualifies...

Back in February, Jeff from Scrap Club suggested those of us going to Quilt Con in Raleigh should to an Ugly FQ Swap and make a challenge project from them.

Here we are at the event...

Jeff, Me, and Teresa

These are the Fat Quarters that I pulled from the bag: 

Along with a goodie bag with two more FQs and a pattern Jeff had designed.  I spent several months contemplating what quilt design to make with the fabrics.  Ultimately, I thought that using Jeff's quilted scarf patter would make the PERFECT challenge project.

Along came Britt's Mini Retreat...

By Day Two, I had finished two of the four projects I brought.  Spoiler Alert - The day ended with my Medley Charm Scarf from JB Handmade as a completed project.  You can find Jeff 's recent work @jbh.studio on Instagram:

As I worked on the scarf, Maggie cut scraps for an exchange.  That pile of fabric on the arm of the sofa was for me:

Here I am stitching down one of the sides:

I used the extra FQ's from Jeff, along with a few from Maggie, and included a "turning string" to make the tube turning easier.  I'm happy to report that it worked like a charm:

Then came the part NOT accounted for in the pattern...

Modifications were made to transform the scarf into a Quilted Cowl.  They don't fall off!  However, closing the circular tube cleanly is a bit of a challenge:

Thanks to Stacy's bag (made at last year's retreat), I'm thrilled with how it turned out:

Until next time...

Challenge SEW Met!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC26 - Week 34

Welcome to Week 34 of the 2026 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week will be a bit of a crap shoot.  IF sewing is going to feature in my plans, the machine will have to be unpacked.  So many other things to do!  We'll have to see how the energy flows.

Read on to see what transpired...

SUNDAY -  Day Two of the Mini Retreat at Britt's:

The day ended with my Medley Charm Scarf from JB Handmade as a completed project.  You can find Jeff 's recent work @jbh.studio on Instagram:

I'm thrilled with how it tuned out:

MONDAY - Art Day

The day began with a new watercolor lesson from artist Tammy Kaye.  I watched, but didn't get very far with the painting.  After lunch, I returned   to the studio for this week's Library Crawl over at Get Messy.  We took in the Our Archaeological Dig lesson presented by Lisa Goddard.  Here is the layered mixed media page I created:

 

I later met with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color for our Weekly Zoom Call...

Before heading off to my Monthly Quilt Guild meeting.  While I could have seen Karen Bolan's Zoom presentation at home,  there were several things that I needed to take care of which couldn't be done online.  Bonus...  Someone brought me a gift.

TUESDAY - Stay at Home Day

Here is the "Bag of Joy" that my friend Diane delivered last night.  See the little Crumb blocks?  They've been identified as my next fun scrappy project to work on:

WEDNESDAY - Art Day

I finished up this week's Tammy Kaye landscape painting during the Jen and Joy Show:

Later, I sat in on another painting session with Olga Koelsch.  This time we painted a Primrose, but achieving the transparency seemed a bit more challenging today:

THURSDAY - Quilt/Art Day

Weekly Quilt Group met at Gayle's for Carol's going away party.  Here she is with the quilt top we put together for her:

 After lunch, Britt and I met for a Zoom-y ARTventure.  No headache this week, but I still didn't get much done.  Sigh...

FRIDAY - Knit Group

We were back at Beth's house this morning.  I missed getting a photo before Linda left, but here are the rest of us:

And this is the "commission" painting that I told you I would share once it was delivered:

After a quick lunch, I went upstairs for Deandra's Art Zoom.  I meant to circle back to the Inchie Challenge, but another page in my new Collage Scraps Altered Book journal called to me.  I'm trying something different this time.  I selected the image of a Coleus plant to pull colors from and built from there:

I did the same with a collage cluster at my Weekly Evening Art Zoom:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will stop by for a visit Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  I'll be along later.  Unfortunately, I ran out of time before needing to leave for Craft & Chat at the local bookstore...

With my friend Tracy.  The event was well attended today with nine crafters in the house:

Just prior to the release of this post, Tracy sent a photo along with the following comment about the landscape I painted for her.  "$2 thrifted frame! Looks so professional!!!"  Alas, I couldn't get the photo she sent to upload here. I'm so happy that she loves it: 

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!

Wonderful Wednesday - Weekend Mini Retreat

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  I'm here to share the Mini Retreat that I attended over the weekend a my friend Britt's house.  When the husband's away, the quilters will play!!  UFOs, show prep, and fun projects were on the agenda.

Members of my Monthly Evening Quilt Bee were in attendance on Day One:

We got busy right away...

Maggie brought handwork.  If memory serves, she was finishing the binding on this:

Sue brought a selection of fabrics to make project bags.  This is the first:

Britt started the morning working on the booth layout for our guild's upcoming Quilt Show:

I worked on a layering a UFO in YELLOW with my RSC Quilt friends in mind:

Maggie moved on to her second hanging sleeve:

With the inner border applied, it was time for border selection for Britt's donation quilt made with Tim Holtz fabrics:

Petals are appliqued and minimal quilting is done:

UGH!!  Britt ran out of fabric before running out of border to stitch:

Since I didn't bring binding options, and didn't find anything quite right in Britt's stash, I switched gears and layered up the next  UFO project in YELLOW:

By this time, Sue was stitching on her second project bag:

After dinner, I happily quilted that larger pinned project:

Here we are on Day Two...

Maggie came bearing scraps for me:

These orphan blocks were included:

We tried another potential layout when a fifth block was pulled from the bag:

This is what I finished quilting last night and just remembered that it had been to late for a photo:

With that out of the way, I then moved on to trimming up the UFO tablerunner:

Sue completed her second project bag:

Maggie's project of the day was cutting for a swap she's doing with another quilt group:

While looking for binding options, I noticed this long-neglected UFO on Britt's design wall...

I'm pleased to say that I guilted her into making a bit of progress on it:

Done with cutting for today, Maggie settled in with the binding of another quilt for the Show:

Before time to go home, Sue managed to complete her third project bag...

And here she is with the weekend's body of work:

Since the first finished photo of her Tim Holtz quilt didn't turn out, I took another before leaving:

I also whipped out one more project which took a bit of finagling to get to the desired result...

It's a quilted scarf with directions that defy logic, but work well in practice:

Until next time...

Let's got SEW!!!