Snowman Placemats

Well, here is the first finish of the 26 projects I've brought down with me!  This was its picture when I snapped all 26 for the "Just a few projects to complete this winter..." post.

Here are two of the placemats at our little bistro set on the balcony:

And here are all four on our table!  That's an old stack 'n whack tablecloth I made using Bethany Reynolds' LeMoyne Star pattern out of her Magic Stack-n-Whack Quilts book, but the setting is my own design.  I like how the red quilt makes the heart on the snowmen pop.

I decided to quilt a different design in each of the plain sections of the placemats.  The background behind each snowman I just stippled with a snowflake hanging down every so often.  I used a terrific Madeira thread, Polyneon, that has a real shimmer to it.  When I took a Joan Statz class years ago, she praised that very quality of this thread, and, as the store had it on sale, I bought a few spools (1000m each) to finish the Joan Statz quilt, as well as for future use.

Poinsettia - this is the first one I quilted. I drew it in my sketchbook first to get the feel of free-motion quilting it. I still might go back in and do Leah Day's Checkerboard design... Note to self: maybe not such a good idea to follow the lines in the fabric as guides when they weren't cut out straight!

A rather gooby snowman - his hat did not work but his arms, buttons and scarf did! I love my "wind" swirls! The wavy lines are supposed to represent snowdrifts.

For the wreath I traced a circle with an erasable marker and then just free-motioned the feathers around it.  I'm really comfortable with feathers now since I took Angela Walters' class on Craftsy.  I did a stipple with a random holly leaf here and there behind the wreath.

This was the second one I did, just free-motioned a feather down the centre, and then some randomly spaced straight and wavy lines.

And here they are, rolled up.  I've seen several fiished quilts rolled up and photographed on various blogs, so thought I'd do the same.  Looks cool, and this is the way I've stored all my small quilts over the past many years of quilting.  I haven't washed these yet, but I expect they'll crinkle up nicely.

Rhymes With Orange

Nothing.  Nada.  Rien.  And that is just what my collection of Sulky decorative threads had in the orange department.  So after a trip to the Bradenton Farmers' Market today, we swung by JoAnn's so I could use one of my coupons and buy a spool of thread while Joe waited in the SUV.  This tactic usually makes me stay on task.  Usually.  I also checked out the OttLite lights, (we DID agree beforehand that thread and OttLite were my two tasks!) as the light in this sewing room is dismal.  I've noticed since I turned 50 yet another physical phenomenon:  I cannot have enough light for my eyes!  Well, I got my spool of orange Sulky (with a 40% off coupon) and also scored a terrific deal on an OttLite, and so far this evening, I am loving it.  I got the OttLite 508 Illumination.  It has a revolving tray as well as a three magnifying glasses in one rectangle which is attached to the bar of the light.  (Think they designed that feature with moi in mind, ha.)  It was 50% off, and then I had my $5 off $35 coupon, so it cost me only $40!  Yay!  Okay, confession:  I did go off task a teensy bit:  I bought a spool of Gütermann invisible thread (50% off) as well as a new-to-me magazine, Quilty, which I've already put in my stocking, without looking at it!  It's the one with Christa Watson's Colorful Chevrons quilt on the front. I find it fascinating how many quilt bloggers are getting published, just in the past several months since I started following Leah Day, and now a few others.

Here's a sneak peek at what I've been working on this week:

I bought the kit for 2 placemats and extra fabric to make 2 more just a few years ago... Funny, but the first project I choose to work on required me to purchase white fabric (I'd brought none with me and needed white for the extra 2 snowmen) as well as backing, and today orange thread!  Darn.  Had to go to a quilt store AND JoAnn's for Sulky thread.  SO annoying. LOL.

Cloud 9 Quilt

I went to the Sarasota Quilt Guild Quilt Show this past March, and was it ever a good show.  There were some stunning quilts, but the show stopper was this one:

It had no less than 4 ribbons on it.  I seem to recall a mother/daughter team had made it.  In the Merchant Mall I saw a beautiful modern quilt on the wall (at the time I did not know anything about modern quilts) and I knew I just had to have the kit.  It was only $40 for the top and binding, and because the next month was my birthday, I decided to treat myself.  I even found the same line of fabric which I used for backing a couple weeks later at Alma Sue's Quilts in Sarasota!  This is the second quilt I quilted on my longarm.

Here it is on the design wall in my sewing room here in the condo.  I got the top pieced before we headed back up north.  It went together in a snap!

My Five Senses - I Am In Awe

Just had another "ahhh" (awe) moment this evening:
I am so thankful for my ears.
-whether it's the smooth sounds of Leonard Cohen, or the heart-soaring, literally expanding my ribcage melodic lines of the "Gladiator" soundtrack, specifically "Earth", or David Foster's magical syncopation of "Winter Games", or Mark Knopler's lyrics, I am just so profoundly appreciative of the ability to hear music...these are on my "Easy Listening" playlist, just a few of the 77 songs.

I am so thankful for my eyes
-even though I need a stronger pair of reading glasses, (erk!) I am seeing my snowmen placemats take shape tonight as I satin-stitch the appliqué pieces--such cheerful colours!

I am so thankful for my fingers
-picking off a piece of orange lint with tweezers that somehow got glued onto a black "coal" button, guiding the fabric, or caressing the soft fur of Bella or Rocco.

I am so thankful for my nose
-although I can't think that I used it tonight in my sewing room, unlike the above 4 senses, I guess I do love the smell in here whenever I walk in: a combination of scented candles, or the lotion (Coconut Lime Verbena) I've put on many a time in here...

Nearly forgot...I am so thankful for my tastebuds!
-that savour the fabulous marzipan covered in dark chocolate that I found at Aldi this afternoon for only $1.19!! (I must confess I bought 4 bars...they'll keep a long (ha!) time in the fridge.)  Okay, AND the dark chocolate bar called "Choceur", from Austria, that I also got at Aldi...yup, I keep a good supply in my sewing room.  Always.

May they always work as well as possible.

Just a few projects to complete this winter...

Um ya.  I decided to do what I see several other bloggers do, and list the projects I would like to finish over a set period of time.  I think many set out in January those they want to complete over the year.  Well, I brought several down to Florida with me.  So this afternoon I decided to take a picture of each one and write a "Finish List" post.  I've already dumped the Rubbermaid tub and Canadian Tire rolling plastic toolbox, and organized the projects into the drawers in my sewing room here in the condo.  Quite frankly, I cannot believe they all fit into one tub and the toolbox.  Well, choke, I have brought down no less than 26 in-progress, (WIP) or to be started (and finished) projects!!  Yikes.  And, one of these projects actually is 3, because I have 3 sets of 5"squares which will most likely not all go into one quilt.  Here are the first 5 pictures:

Naala came to pay me a visit, and used the bundle of reds for an armrest!

A Delicious Salad

I concocted a delicious salad last night, and recreated it again tonight for supper.  This is mostly copying a salad we had at our next-door neighbour Jude's house earlier this summer, but also similar to one we also enjoyed at their Florida home a couple of springs ago.  I put both Romaine and Iceberg lettuce in the bowl, and then topped it with red pepper, strawberries, mango, green onion, cucumber and radish, both sliced really thin, grated sharp cheddar, chia seeds, and pecans we'd bought at Adcock's in Georgia.  I used 1/4 cup of Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing, and tossed it all together.  I love putting fruit in a salad along with veggies, and I just adore the Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.  Mmmm.

Of course, a glass of the Tall Horse Shiraz from South Africa just added to the overall enjoyment!

Road Trip Day 2

We were on the road again at 6 am after grabbing a java at McDonald's, and a breakfast sandwich for Joe.  I had my proverbial scone!

Shortly after daybreak, I spotted what at first looked like snow in one of the fields.  I asked Joe if it was perhaps cotton, and he said it was.  Cool!  So again, I can work in a quilt aspect on this post!  I have always wanted to see cotton growing in the fields.  It just is such a deep symbol of so much for me, my sewing, quilting, of course, but also the thought of so many slaves slogging away not so long ago.  So here are two shots I took, zooming along at 70 mph!