For sewing this week, I played with scraps in a slightly different way... the start to a quilt above is from an online design I saw... goody goody gumdrops
I decided to mainly use my aqua/turquoise scraps for this, with lavendar, lime, fuchia mixed in
After all the time I spent on my watercolor quilt, I thought, I should gather some other sized squares from the color bins, to organize some scraps by size and shape not colors
My watercolor scraps are cut to 2" square, so I moved up in size to 2.5" 3" and 3.5" squares of all colors in one location. I used the 2.5" box (in front here) to pick out ones to use in the new block.
I think the pattern was meant to use 5" precuts but I'm just pulling 2.5" pieces large enough to do the outside bits, and one 2.5" to use in the centers, from my recent collection of all colors
Surprisingly it has been fun!
I hope I won't miss them all separated by colors, but it is just some squares and the color bins remain
12 blocks so far...and a mix of blue/green colors for rainbow scrap challenge July color
I sewed tiny bits together to make another needle book, and stitched the layers together with quick lines on sewing machine.. Now I plan to do hand stitching before turning it into a needle book
probably chain stitch, fly stitch, colonial knots, or rows of straight stitch... then trim, bind, fold to hold felt needle storage
I chose these fabrics to do my hexie spiral this month....
yum, this is one of my fave colors., blue green light to dark
I dithered over inserting a strip between the larger border fabrics on my watercolor quilt. White?
then after sewing all those tiny squares, adding another row around of them, decided to sew the larger watercolory fabrics right onto the center
In the quilting stage, I'll couch over a thicker cording in white or navy, maybe lime green to create a visual stop from center to border, more subtle than a tiny strip
It makes me happy to see on my design wall when I enter the room, but how to quilt it???
Welcome to this week's list of likes, starting with my puppy Alfie, 2 years old, and is developing a real sense of humor! He is greeting human friends now without prompting, and today greeted a schnauzer while out on a walk.
Speaking of walks, a few pictures
the weather is hot, so when I see gathering clouds, it's a cause for celebration! I love the rays of turquoise and the white tinged clouds in this photo
usually it's blazing hot intense sun of high altitudes here, creating mighty shadows
alfie spotted this baby bunny on a walk, sooooo tiny but since Alfie is a scientist dog, he observes behaviors of wild life
However, this wasn't normal
the wind was so very harsh and this was bobbing and weaving, scaring the pup so no pic with it... he stayed far back, playing it cool, pretending to sniff a tree no time to dawdle mama
beautiful day lillies
wonderful cloud formation this afternoon!
Fine Dining
Avgolemono
I made chicken, rice, lemon Greek soup this week, and we had it four times ! I love having soup to warm up pre meal....
yep that's feta cheese on top!
Alfie's like this week:
Watermelon!
He is not an adventurous eater, and after the last two weeks of (urping daily, the diarrhea daily) an emergency room visit and flagyl medications he is ready to eat again!
Heyyyy this tastes good! He just nibbled the tiniest bit of red melon, but it's a testament to bravery for him to try it!
such a big dog, such tiny bites!
Oh btw, Mama and Daddy loved this tiny black watermelon, so much sweeter than usual
Reading on audio books
another series by Connolly.... love it.... set in Ireland, mystery, great reader! Waiting for my turn at the next book in series
Reading on E book
Her royal spyness solves another mystery
Watched an old movie on FMC that brought back memories 1963
surfing brings new meaning to "moon=doggie" of the 60's when this dog surfs
our conversation starter this week:
Describe a memorable Fourth of July celebration
No one I knew set off dangerous fireworks in their neighborhoods when I was growing up.
We went to city fireworks, being shown over the Bay in Tampa.
When I was about 26 I moved to Canada to be with my then boyfriend,,,, I drove, and we spent the fourth of july in Oakley Kansas, at a fairgrounds.
A truck rode up to the bleachers with an organ on the flatbed, and someone started playing patriotic songs. Those of us in the bleachers were singing along and when the first boom! went off I felt a little hand in mine!!!
What?
A little girl about age 4, squeezed next to me and held my hand for the duration! Ahhh the mom was somewhere and smiled, and it felt cozy!
While visiting my sister who lived in Salt Lake City Utah at the time, we went to a fairgrounds, sat on a blanket on the ground, and the fireworks were so close they nearly set our blanket on fire!
I often went to Disney World who sent up fireworks every night... magical parade and all that color
I have a request of others.... stop firing off fireworks right next to my home, til midnight for weeks after the holiday.
PLEASE stop PLEASE if this starts my pup's intestinal upset again, I might scream
Another cute video to share:
excuse me maam is this yours?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6D15BmcCino
horse love connections
please visit these folk to read about their holiday memories, and let me know to add in your link if you wrote an "I LIKE" post too
whew it will be good to see the back of this week! Rainbow scrap challenge color is:
pastels
pretty much I worked on putting those tiny 2" squares together, each finishing at around 1 1/2" really making my quilt smaller
19" X 22" ish.
too small so I got these out to put on another whole row around this center...
then sew the pieced rows to the center matching edges... and my idea is to border with the larger pieces and prints
see some chosen, on the outside edge on the design wall
maybe some floral appliques after all that is done
close up... colors blend from block to block to create a scene
ridiculously hot and sunny here, our pup is sick, life is a challenge right now
when I'm stressed, I sort, so I looked thru my scrap bins and pulled out pieces that could be cut into 3" squares, 3 1/2" squares and 2 1/2" squares and plan to keep a little box of mixed color same shapes and sized squares for use later.
it's calming to sort, don't you think? handling fabric is better than nothing
welcome to this week's list of likes.... starting with Pink roses and a poodle!
we walked a lot this week, which I like very much despite the temps being 99 F. at 8 AM
this was the sky on our evening walk this week
flowers in community garden like some I used to grow in Maryland
such a cute pink tricycle being used as a lawn ornament in a neighbor's yard
what is this flower? a ball of flowers seen in another neighbor's yard this week
another sky shot mid day... we live in the high prairie foothills of Colorado
my precious puppy turned 2 last Wednesday
Alfie: I had some tummy upset this week... I suspect it is emotions.... I know I get to stay with the pawrents now, no going back, but I panic when the Mama leaves for a walk without me.... like she did last week. The Daddy was here but..... no mama, would she return?
Of course she did, and I kept a VERY close watch of her after she got home, but it scares me. This is the best home, and best pawrents a poodle could have so I worry about losing them, know what I mean?
Mama: oh my baby.... rest assured as long as I am here, you will have a home with me. I was proud of you this week when you were brave and went right up to people I like here. The man even kissed the top of your little head! And we walked next to a doodle, you overcame your fears, while his mama and I talked a bit.
there was a bit of upset when I gave him one of your treats. Have no fear of going without... I will always give you treats.... thank you for sharing with the dog that could become a friend...
I love Alfie so much....
Fine Dining recipe trial this week
I love fruit and we got so much this week.... bananas peaches, cherries, black seedless grapes, a tiny watermelon, and fresh blueberries...
I tried scones again this time using the food processor. Well. The processor didn't mix the dough so DH had to roll up his sleeves and hand mix the butter into smaller bits... I made a glaze out of cream/almond extract, and powdered sugar
they are SO good, and now that we know how to do it all, we'll make these again
recipe online
at sprinkles & Sea Salt blog
also tried a banana smoothie in said processor.... bananas go bad quickly in this heat, so in the processor you put banana, yogurt, extract, honey, and a bit of milk....
O.M G it was very good
not so much on TV but I am catching up on Love Island, and Murdoch Mysteries is back on ACORN
Painting and sewing a lot, see Sat posts for that
discovered this lovely peach wine...
our conversation starter this week :
did you go to the beach as a child? did you like to collect shells?
build a sand castle? have a favorite swimsuit or toy?
I grew up in Florida so vacations were often at the beach, with plastic rings to float on the warm gulf water at Clearwater beach.
This was when my family noticed I tanned very fast, I was adopted and my birth father was Italian. I still got drenched in Coppertone, and still love it's fragrance.
As a teen I stayed with my friend's family, or drove myself to find the peace feeling the sun, breezes, and hear the surf ruffle cochina shells and palm trees. I wore bikinis then. I always left with shells.
I fondly remember visiting a work associate friend at her Anna Maria Island house...
"If no beach, did you go to a lake or river?"
as an adult I entered the floating competition on the Hillsborough river, so full of tannins that colored our skin. My sister lived on a lake, and I did try to learn to water ski but that lake had many gators which are a bit scary!
Videos and tshirts
I always have a large dog, this is a cute song celebrating them
I love a musician who feels music and I LOVE this song
love this ETSY t shirt
please visit these fine folk to read about their weeks, and let me know if you want to join us, I'll add in your link!
Every day is an opportunity to create, right? Right now I am drawing/painting each morning and when my puppy was being funny one morning I painted him
I am using the ICAD prompts this time, but not on individual index cards, in my watercolor notebook... same size image but neatly in a spiral bound format.
plus I don't need any pressure right now, so like Joy I am using the prompts as I like, skipping around
some pages using (on the top) "trace" and windsor newton watercolor pens with a stamp, "trace of blue"
on the bottom half, "coastline" or "serene" using inktense pan color, brush, a stamp with the watercolor pens , and scratching the end of a pencil to create phantom lines
I love it! For the next two paintings I used "lucky" and painted a 4 leaf clover with inktense color, then did a pentangle of drawings in each petal with pen
the bottom image is crossroads
as to fabric, I pulled out the basket of random scraps and put together some pieces to
"start my engine"
I limited these works to just what was in that accumulated scrap pile of all colors
and
I do not know what these will become but they were fun to make. Can't ask a lot more from fabric
While listening to my audio book, my mind wandered and I thought how am I using the RSC prompt this month to use pastel color?
I generally use light/pastel in the one color of the month to set off saturated color...
I thought, what if I focused on green, purple, pink, and yellow?
I got out my box of 2" squares, and found pastels to use for a background
arranged them into colors
My "plan" was to applique spring flowers over this background...
so I started putting them up on the wall... it will change since I move squares each time I enter the studio, LOL
I see tulips in pink and purples, yellow pansies or little white flowers dotted over it.
then I thought about neighborhood photos I took, and how to include them?
I printed 4 of them onto fabric (in my home printer)
but since I have so many little squares left, maybe they will become a second art work. I love the photos (click on an image to enlarge)
I could see them surrounded with squares from my "watercolor" box... there are always more scraps aren't there?
for this one, I will be adding a sort of border, then stitching them together this week, I hope... then applique some pastel flowers, some thread work, maybe a bead or two?
Surprisingly it has been fun! 
