Mail Call Monday - Penny for your Thoughts

Welcome to another edition of Mail Call Monday!!  Last week I received an order that I had placed with Soma @ InkTorrents Graphics.  You may soon understand my post title.  Or maybe I'll just tell you where my head was. Some people like to write down their thoughts.  What better place than a journal?

Soma is one of my favorite artists and she recently offered some of her lovely handmade art journals for sale.

My comment:

The Joyful Quilter NOVEMBER 4, 2021 AT 15:05

That moss green one make me wish that I enjoyed painting. Soma! Best of luck with the sale of these beautiful books.

Afterwards, Soma changed her offerings to include something a little different for non-artists, such as myself.

The original offering was for watercolour books made with 140 lb. cold press artist grade 100% cotton watercolor paper.  Her NEW offering was created using 140 lb. high quality paper for pen and ink or gentle watercolor.

I couldn't resist...

It came tucked safely in a sturdy mailer:

Wrapped in paper and tied with a raffia bow, a thank you card tucked inside, as well:

Soma also included these beautiful hand painted bookmarks:

The following emails completed the transaction...

From me:

Arrived. Thank you, Soma! The little journal is lovely, as are the beautiful hand painted bookmarks you included. What a wonderful surprise!

Will I be brave enough to USE the sweet journal you sent? That remains to be seen.

Joy

Soma's reply:

I am so happy to hear that, Joy! 

I matched the colors for the bookmarks with the journal and from your quilts.  I had a lot of fun painting those little bookmarks to go with the book :)

Of course you are brave enough to use the journal.  Journals are meant to be used.  Start with one of your beautiful quilt patterns, draw that in, and then colour with whatever you wish- pencils, markers, watercolour pencils.  You will love it :D

-Soma

Until next time...

Support an artist!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC 21 - Week 47

Welcome to Week 47 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  It's been a week.  I didn't keep up with daily entries and now I'm out of town for the weekend.

Here's all I've got for you...

Monday - Quilt Guild meeting and guess who won a door prize?!

Thursday - I sewed:

That was after zooming with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color:

What were you sewing, Joyful???

A mask (straight out of the scrap bins) to vaguely coordinate with the dress I bought for my niece's wedding:

Choosing shoes (that my feet would tolerate) was another adventure:

The rest of the week was filled with appointments and work.  Thank goodness DS2 is doing all the grocery shopping!!

Have a great weekend! Please find the links. I didn't bring my computer and haven't been able to attach them. I'll add them when I get home.

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!! 

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC21 - Week 46

Welcome to Week 46 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week, my schedule was not my own.  I had hopes for the evening hours.

Let's see how that went for me...

SUNDAY - See Joy sew:

MONDAY - Mail Call Monday

It was supposed to be one of my two days off for the week, but the manager needed someone to cover for a coworker who was scheduled to work today.

TUESDAY - Boy, is it ever hard to look at all these gourmet treats and not feel hungry all day long:

Southern Season

WEDNESDAY - Wonderful Wednesday

Zoom with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

THURSDAY - Who stole the Daylight Saving Time?  I want it back.  I'm SEW tired!!  This was me at o-dark-thirty in the morning, preparing for my day and thinking about my Rainbow Scrap Challenge friends who may be working on colorful quilting projects today, as well as my  ZoomBEE friends:

The others met LIVE and in person today.  I was sad to miss out on the fabric fun.  :o((

FRIDAY - ZoomKNIT went LIVE this week, too!  I was pleased to be able to arrange my schedule so that it allowed me to attend:

SATURDAY - 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.

Colorful yarns at my friend Cindy's house yesterday:

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

Wonderful Wednesday - Baggie Mini Challenge

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  I recently mentioned that Janet @ Rogue Quilter was hosting a Mini Maker Baggie Challenge in conjunction with Wendy's Monthly Mini Challenge @ The Constant Quilter.  As soon as I saw it I knew that I wanted to participate, but with my track record for the past several months, I wasn't very hopeful that I would actually manage to complete a project.

Well...

When I received a comment from Jenny @ Romany Quilting over the weekend, I was inspired to go give it the old college try!  I'm not sure why, but her words sparked momentum in me:

JennyNovember 6, 2021 at 3:52 PM

Not a stitch of quilting, you say? Do hope you have put that right by now, or else you will get withdrawal symptoms!

I had pulled a variety of scrap bags earlier in the week and then decided on the patriotic one shown below:

What's in the bag, Joyful???

A variety of bits and pieces to tickle the designer in me:

Here's the down-and-dirty layout that I started with...

... Along with the makings of a backing panel:

Look, you guys!!  I'm sewing:

A mini quilt top was pieced from the contents of the baggie:

A backing was pieced, as well:

Here is the quilted and trimmed view of the front...

... Along with the back:

I even found the perfect strip of binding in the baggie.  This little leftover is less that 12" long:

The back was made from a lone block from the border of my (abandoned and refashioned) Sapphire Stars Mystery by Kevin @ Kevin the Quilter.  (Sadly, he's not currently blogging.)  All I had to do was add some chunks of background found within my challenge baggie:

Funny how it looks like I didn't use ANY of the scraps in the bag:

I assure you that EVERY BIT of this mini was pulled from the baggie shown in the opening photo.  Alas, it appears that I could make several more from the remains.  Thank you, Janet, for issuing this fun challenge!  Mini is my middle name.  OK, not really, but I certainly enjoy sewing small.  BIG thanks to Jenny, too!  Without your encouragement, I feel sure that the baggie of scraps would still be sitting on the cutting table untouched.

Sharing with Kelly

for

Needle and Thread Thursday

and

With Aycia

for

Finished (or Not) Friday

Later in the month I'll link up with Wendy

for

Monthly Mini Challenge

Until next time...

Many scraps. MINI challenge!!

Mail Call Monday - Surprise!

Welcome to another edition of Mail Call Monday!!  I've had a happy mailbox the past few weeks.

Wanna see???

First, this package from Kevin @ Kevin the Quilter (who is not currently blogging) arrived:

Inside was a story...

... And a copy of his Goodnight, Darlene pattern:

Oh!  Did you want to hear the story???

During the latter part of 2019, I won a prize drawing from Kevin's friend Lori @ Humble Quilts.  Potential winners left a comment about which of Kevin's patterns they would like to win.

Well...

At the time, I chose his Gracie Lu pattern.

Why wouldn't I???

I had a class scheduled with Kevin for April 2020 to learn his techniques for making Goodnight, Darlene.  I would get the pattern then.

You all KNOW what happened next!!!

The class with Kevin (and every other thing we had planned) got canceled.  That left me with no pattern to make Kevin's fabulous scrap quilt that I loved SEW much!   :o((

All's well that ends well (and patience is definitely a virtue.)  I contacted Kevin, and after a time, he managed to break away from the chickens and the airplane long enough to take a trip to the Post Office.  

THANK YOU, Kevin!!!

Then, a package arrived from Claning on Ravelry:

Inside was this darling hand pieced hexie project:

It had a story, too...

The following was found on the Quilters Knitting forum on Ravelry:

For Sale or Trade/Enable

Greetings! I have an “orphan” project that is looking for a new home.

I spent a fair amount of time this year finishing a piece of hexagon paper-piecing, just to be able to say I’d done it (and to learn a few of the subtleties). The hexes are about 1/2 inch on a side and the fabrics are mostly from an old fabric-sample book of curtain fabrics. (No idea what the fibers are; I did try to choose the less sleazy ones).

It’s now mounted on ivory cotton velveteen and all the basting and papers have been removed. The trouble is, the colors don’t suit me, or anything in my house.

I will happily ship it and add more of the velveteen. It would make a nice “show pillow” or tote bag. Free for the cost of postage.

Here's a closer look:

THANK YOU, Chris!!

I haven't decided what I will make from it.  The original intent was to finish it as a pillow for our new sofa.  Although, this may actually  end up being stretched on canvas or framed as an art piece.

Shortly after that package arrived, I learned that I had won another prize from Ann @ Fiber Designs by Ann.  She is an incredibly talented artist who enjoys sharing her work with her readers.  I feel fortunate to have received this little bundle in the mail:

These little beauties were nestled inside:

You can read a little about her process in THIS POST.

THANK YOU, Ann!!  I'm thrilled to have one gift taken care of for the upcoming holidays.  Looking at my photo above, these cards would make a lovely art piece, too.  I'll have to see what would work best for my intended recipient.

Until next time...

Hooray for happy mail!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC21 - Week 45

Welcome to Week 45 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This has been a whirlwind of activity and not a stitch of quilting.  Read on to find out what all went on in Joyful Quilterland.

SUNDAY - Sew Some Love Sunday

I found that Kat @ Kat and Cat Quilts posted the Nov/Dec Block Drive for Covered in Love.  Go have a look at the link she posted for an interesting array of textured blocks!  There's one in particular that I would like to try.  If you are curious, scroll down to Block 13: Lattice Smocking.  Kat is calling for blocks in blue and neutral.  Goodness knows there's no shortage of either of those in my scrap bins!

MONDAY - The Guest Blogger(s)

With my guest on the way out the door this morning, I decided to do something a little bit different! Where is The Joyful Quilter spending her time these days???

TUESDAY - I'm here with a public service announcement for my friends who enjoyed shopping at Southern Season in Chapel Hill.  Good news!!  Did you know that you can order many of your favorite gifts online?  Local customers can choose to pick-up at the Production Center in Graham, NC.  That's right, Southern Season fans!  Curbside pick-up is available.  If YOU happen to need help with your order, the Call Center is open from 9 AM - 5 PM on weekdays. (We're closed on weekends.)

WEDNESDAY - I thought that work would interfere with all of the crafty things.  However, it turned out that I got home in time for "business as usual."

It was a nice surprise to find that I would be able to Zoom with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

In other news...

We got not one, but TWO offers on our old house today.  Thank you to everyone who has been thinking, hoping, and praying that the right buyer would come along!!!

THURSDAY - I ended up being able to join in this week's ZoomBEE, as well, thanks to Britt's reminder:

When we asked for best and final offers yesterday, one of them sweetened the pot, but not by enough to get the house.  DH (and I) prepared a counteroffer to present to the high bidder.

FRIDAY - Look who was able to go to ZoomKNIT, too:

Better than that...

By nightfall, we were pleased to announce to family and friends that we have a signed contract on our old house.  Please join me in a happy dance!!!

SATURDAY - 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. She released the final Full Stop tutorial today.  Find it HERE.

My cutting table is a bit of a mess.  This is only one of several scrap bags that have taken up residence:

The contents is set to become my entry for the Monthly Mini Maker Baggie Challenge being run by Janet @ Rogue Quilter:

It's due by the end of the of the year, but if this baggie doesn't work out, there are PLENTY more where it came from!  Surely, I can find time to make a small quilt, right?

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

The Guest Blogger(s) - Vol. 24 - Connie on the Go

Welcome to another edition of The Guest Blogger(s)!!  The other day, I made it a point to tell Connie how much I missed seeing the TABLE SCRAPS Challenge entries she has been working on.  Yesterday, I heard back from her.  She's been busy for the last while, so I was glad to see that she has been back at her machine.

Her report follows...

Thank you, Joy. I've missed being an active participant in the challenge. Life is settling down a little, so I'm back into the scraps. July and August colors were combined. I finished and donated two placemats using scraps of teal, neutral and brown-black:

Bonnie Hunter's string pumpkin quilt pattern was scaled down to fit the RV dinette table. This might be handy should we make a trip next month as has been tentatively planned:

Several possibilities for the  greens of October's RSC are swirling in my head. I picked up the Ziploc bags of greens, neutrals and a daisy print from the free table at Comfort Quilts. Hopefully, I will get a Table Scrap project completed in the upcoming two weeks:

This has been a great challenge. I have enjoyed all the posted project photos and have received so much inspiration from you and your followers!

Happy Halloween,

Connie

Share the quilty love for Connie's Undercover Maker's Mat in the comments below!!  I  know that you enjoyed seeing her scrappy projects as much as I did!  Thanks SEW much for stopping by with a few entries for the Table Scraps Challenge, Connie.  It's always a pleasure to post your work here on the blog!

Link Party Reminder...

The October 2021 TABLE SCRAPS Link Party will be open until late tonight.  I'm hoping that YOU will join us!  Visit the Link Party HERE and add YOUR project to the Link-up by MONDAY, November 1st @ 11:59 PM.

Until next time...

Topper those tables!!!