January Pondering

I was lying in bed this morning pondering my word HOPE, when my eye landed on this block which I had put into my Dear Jane quilt. I thought of my early days in 4-H and could actually remember the pledge! "My head for clearer thinking, my heart for greater loyalty, my hands for larger service, and my health for better living..." Aha! I believe it makes sense to renew this pledge after sixty years. YESSS!!!

Getting started with Wonder

Today, I wondered what would happen if I tried this, and this, and this,

It was with great wonder and amazement, I actually came up with these letters.  My word for this year is Wonder, as in looking at the world with wonder.  I don't have Tonya's book on putting letters together, or anybody elses, so I just decided to wing it.  After about an hour, this is what I had.  Hmmm.

Then, I pulled some other fabrics and came up with this.

I wonder what would happen if I added some applique, did some hand quilting, bound it with the curved top.  I will look at it on the design wall for a few days and see what happens.

January Challenge Update

I want to know how you are doing!  I want to know that because I have been totally and unproductively searching for my Word Play book for two weeks now.  I was doing that big clean up in my room and I had the darn thing in my hands.  Now, it is nowhere to be found!

I even started a process post and had to stop because all I did was search through stacks of books for my precious book.

Doesn't that make you want to AUGHHHHHHH!

I Got Trees!

See what Miki made for me?

I squee-ed when I saw it, cos it's just so cheery, but would you look at it? One big tree all decorated . . .

. . . and a medium tree, complete with birds, and then a little tree hiding in between.

AND . . . hand applique and hand quilting . . . and all that beading! Such an amount of work! I'm so honored!

But wait, there's more . . . check out that binding! I LOVE THAT! So unexpected, and very awesome indeed!

I know it's kinda Christmas-y, but I wanna leave it hanging all year.

And not only that, but look what else was hiding in the package for me! How did she know? I can hardly wait to use this in something . . .

Thank you so much, Miki! I really love it all . . .

January Challenge

Oh Oh Oh......I am soooo scatterbrained these days.  Someone should have rattled my cage!

For January I want you to take one of those words you thought about  and make a small hanging for your sewing room/area/closet that will inspire you throughout the year.  Think about what you want to look at in June and in September and in December and hopefully into the next 50 years. 

Make it a positive word of course.

And size is up to you, but I am thinking something smallish like a 12 or 20 inch rectangle or square or circle even. 

What will inspire you, what will make you feel good about your work, what will make you happy?  What will keep you grounded?

Give this one to yourself, you deserve it.  And let it take you through the new year!

glen:

Any more triangle trees out there?

As the instigator of the December swap, I feel slightly obligated to check:

Did everyone get their tree quilt/project?

Have we seen them all here?

I've had lots of great comments on the one I got from Margaret (top)

and I had fun making the one for Beth (bottom)

as well as an extra for a friend.

Poppies in Bloom

Well, not really....but those colors really brighten up my winter blacks. I added my Gee's Bend inspired blocks to some silks and a scarf was born. A bit of quilting to hold those logs in place and I'm ready to wear.