I Like #26

pattern from Fusion Beads

*I Like being so enthusiastic about a project that I take one more look at the design wall before going to bed, I want to do one more block, or with beading /knitting, one more row.

"Just one more row, then I'll stop and walk/do the dishes/make the bed" or whatever.

My pal Cindy and I got together again to do beading... our new group is called "Just Bead It" and we're the co-leaders... and the only members, lol. I started this adorable bracelet with a new to me technique, 3 drop peyote.

Luckily I learned 2 drop peyote making Nancy's leopard bracelet, so this was one baby step new.





 I went for a lovely walk under the pear-blossoms and blue sky and 60 degree temp. After that, I thought it's such a rare day, the kind I LIKE, so I should sit on the back porch again. I know..." I'll read a magazine then recycle it". I couldn't pay attention, so I thought, heyyyyyyy all this daylight should help me read my beading chart, I'll just "do one or two rows"

Bwaaaahahahaha. One, then another, then another til I ended up beading for an hour!

*I Like freshly washed sheets. It's an event changing the sheets on our king-sized bed. I remember taking home-ec in Junior High, and learning how to fold hospital corners as there were no fitted sheets. All were flat, and had to be ironed. I remember the feel of crisp fresh sheets.

Although we use unscented detergent now, and no fabric softener we use the dryer which leaves them soft. I love the first night in new sheets. No ironing for me.

We are still using flannel but the time is coming when we must change to regular ones.

*I Love pretty sheets. Floral, stripes, colorful, clean white with a touch of lace, anything pretty. It makes me happy to see them each time.

I found these vintage sheets EXACTLY LIKE MINE!!!

When I went away to university I had bright yellow sheets with tiny flowers. The image above from pinterest says its vintage from JCP. Yep. Vintage... well I went to university in the 70's.

My granny's yellow scrap quilt went to school with me. I loved that room so much. I still have the twin sheets but some thief in my family absconded with the quilt and won't tell me! Grrrrrrrrrr.

* I Like folding clean laundry and putting away clean dishes.

from pinterest

I think it's like sorting my buttons, my fabric, and beads. I love to sort things, and so I don't mind the sorting kind of chores. Not as good as beading, just one more row but I don't mind those chores. After living without a dishwasher in Tampa, I LOVE having one now. As to the washer.... well I like a washing machine just not OUR washing machine that takes walkabouts in the basement.
 It also displays lies.
It says, time left: 10 minutes. HA! 10 "washer-minutes" maybe. That last 45 min.

It's kind of satisfying isn't it? Turning the higgeldy piggeldy laundry basket into stacks of towels all tidy, bundles of matched socks, etc.
(you all think I'm crazy don't you lol!)

*I Like Temple Oranges.


They are in season right now, and it's a very short season. We got a box from the Lion's club. They are sweet and tart and juicy and full of seeds.
My very favorite Florida Orange.

*I Like COLOR!

 This site shows you fresh combinations derived from nature... enjoy it! I'll go back time and again...
https://designschool.canva.com/blog/100-color-combinations/

*I Like bossa nova music... and Astrud Gilberto's version of it might as well be Spring... enjoy!

Or click here to go to:
https://www.youtube.com/ 

 As always, please let me know if you did an I Like post too. I'll include it here so we can create a circle of contentment and notice the little things around us that make us happy.
Please visit these fine folks
1.http://forestpoodles
2.http://littlepenguinquilts
3.http://imworkingonaproject
4.http://3poodlesandanana

5.maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
6.https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
8.YOU!

Check back later in case some new ones are added. 

Celebrating strong women

Happy Woman's Day....a few thoughts of my own

If you can’t see beyond the outsides of a woman---you’re missing out.

A woman’s beauty comes from inside.

Strength plus

Empathy 

Integrity

Perseverance 

Truth

And some really fine ideas

Because she thinks for herself while caring about others

Don’t be afraid of her...celebrate her.

Whatever a woman chooses to wear is

                                                                       “women’s clothes”

Whatever a woman chooses to do to contribute to society is

                                                                          “women’s work”

Do not be limited by people who fear your abilities

                                              all words by LAPaylor  (c)2017  

Abstract possibilities

I have decided to work on my nature abstracts during the color challenge this year at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.
Remember the aqua piece?
I really love it. Right now I love it more than the Red one I'm still fussing with. Too much red actually but I have a specific goal in mind for these quilts. Anyway...
When I got stuck on the RED piece I pulled out some embellishments and scattered these dragonflies over the aqua piece. 
Pretty 
Lends it depth doesn't it? And focus? 
Then I found this

A quilted three layer scrap from my palm leaves quilt.

LOVE it!

so I played with the possibility of it going with the abstracts.

Oh, and Improv is a technique, a way of working. Abstract is more of a noun, the finished style.
Abstraction is a verb, a way of seeing the world.


So I tried it on this

What do you think? Kind of changes it from water to a mountain landscape now. Do I like the idea of ocean or mountains??? Hmmmmm

It's all wrong on here, and although the colors were pretty on the red piece, it was distracting.

Speaking of the red piece,

 I sewed the center sections and didn't have length enough to piece in the sidewalk across so I had to mix in a bit.
This setting was pleasing to me, but

Mr. Not Afraid of Color said it was too Christmas-y to him.

Blink, blink... really?

Now I've auditioned approx. a hundred other reds and patterns including this...

Which has a sparkle of glitter. I could do some straight line hand quilting with thick threads.
Or mix these two

I believe I want to engage the borders in some way, and this elongates the width. Can you believe this is nearly square? I don't love squares as shapes but these abstracts are what they are.

So I am enjoying the process now.

As I have "just done the work"
meaning going in the studio with the intent to sew, I am seeing a cohesive grouping develop.

 A sort of style.

I used to do whimsy most of the time. I still love to laugh at my art (or WITH my art) but I am growing.

The RSC has taken me out of my comfort zone. I like to work in colors of the season. Red would have felt much better in February, and Aqua this month as soft spring colors are all around us.

That being said




Each abstract work teaches me about art:
1. what I like
2. how to achieve a look
3. how colors interact
4. principles of design and their impact
5. the balance of "follow your heart" intuition and the principles of design (line, balance, color, etc) After all...

fridge art

linking to among others
http://www.conniekresin
http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/
 

Working in Red

"Collections" & "curiosities" and "Time"

I feel most free to do abstracts when I pull fabrics from my scrap bins. These strips were very narrow, maybe an inch wide or less. I wanted to see where the scraps most people would toss, might take me

First... sort into like sizes, which is when I found the tiny odd shapes, and a number of very skinny strips which I sewed into these sections:

I also found this in the scrap bin

made in a previous abstract session last year.



Hmmmm could it be used?
Where am I going with this?

I told you before I usually see nature emerging from abstractions. This time I just sewed. One strip and one piece to another.

There that pleases me.

Oh I need a bit more here... ahhh that's it!



Which orientation do you like best???
This...

or this...

I like them both... so it's not sewn yet.
One rule of my abstracts is to keep dithering to a minimum.
This is the time for snap decisions.

Laughing! Of course I had to stop when I got mired down in this decision, find embellishments and place them on for fun. Now I see it as the "old curiosity shop"
See the little walkway into the shop? the windows? the sidewalk in front?

I amuse myself!
See what scrappy goodness is going on over at http://superscrappy   which was my inspiration today
Linking to among others on links page:
http://www.sewcanshe

"I Like" #25

* I Like The Spring Chorus  singing on my mantel! (poor bunny forgot the words)

God bless the animals of our world.

singing, "Fly me to the Moon"

 Let's do our best not to endanger them, shall we?

*I Like this song sent to me by Sonja in Hawaii.  My post yesterday made her remember the Dylan song of love and circles---- enjoy it!  (but come back to finish reading lol )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkZxk_eMeS0

* I Like the TV show, The Outlander based on book series by Diana Gabaldon.

I have read ALL the books in series, and although the show is not exactly how I imagined the books, it captures the sense of place, the intensity of being suddenly in another time, we are both mesmerized by the show while watching. I want it to go on forever.

I saw her and heard her lecture at the Library of Congress Book Festival on the Mall. She was funny and smart. Just as entertaining in person as in her storytelling. She is a scientist who decided to write.
Thank Goodness. 

*I Like the Threadville book series, and am reading

by Janet Bolin

It's about a town full of sewing shops, with relate-able characters and of course a few murders! I love them.
All criminals will be tied and basted!

*I Like these sweet buns from Trader Joes.

 WARNING: these are addictive to the point as soon as I finish one I want another right away !! Although they are made from real ingredients like sugar and butter, they are not conducive to my waistline, or what I call a waistline these days. They are pure and simple comfort food.

*I Like sorting fabric in the studio

Note the labels so I can find what I put away

 I got to put some away, make use of my new rolling carts, see what I own and want to use, and even got rid of four pieces of fabric I would never use.
That's four out and a Meeeeeelion yards stored.
It's my collection. It's my artist's palette. It's important and valuable and now I have space back to actually work with it.
Satisfying.

*I Like finishing a project.

 I sewed on the sleeve and label on my V-day quilt so it's truly finished. I finished the beaded bracelet for my good friend Nancy. (see the post of items here: click to see)  Also the shortie starter-bread socks are done and on the needles are the last pair to come from those skeins. That's socks on the feet not wool in a storage
 drawer.

Some people don't like finishing things. I do. I really do. I like starting them, working on them and finishing them. 

In fact I would like to make a project from each book and pattern in my studio. 

There's a goal... shouldn't take more than 300 years of solid making to achieve. 

* I Liked this funny dog cartoon and real pictures site that says only dog owners will get this
if-youve-ever-owned-a-dog-then-these-make-perfect-sense

* I Liked this short animated film, Pixar's Piper. So CHARMING! Heartwarming!
 I recommend this one but it won't embed
full version HERE!

this is a short version of the film but you can watch it right here. Go to the above link to see it all, and you should because it's a reminder to keep trying.

Peace and Joy

 As always, please let me know if you did an I Like post too. I'll include it here so we can create a circle of contentment and notice the little things around us that make us happy.

Please visit these fine folks
1.forestpoodles
2.littlepenguinquilts
3.imworkingonaproject
4. 3poodlesandanana
5.  /tunaquilts
6. https://canadianneedlenana
7.maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
8.YOU!

Check back later in case some new ones are added.

Beaded bracelets times two

Pattern source Fusion Beads

Today's post is brought to you by the word BEADS! 
I made the bracelet above for my good friend Nancy at pugmomquilts. 

She loves leopard print, pink and purple, shiny sparkly, and treats made by friends. She is a giver, she makes many quilted items to give to others. Now it's her turn to receive...
I started with these:

Here's a secret... I saw a finished purple bracelet made from crystals, and liked the components but not the design so I bought it for the beads and cut it apart! I buy loose beads, why not something finished that can go back to being loose beads?? It was brand new, nothing wrong with seeing potential in something.

I used those purple crystals on the outside edge.
The  bracelet was done, bead by tiny bead with peyote stitch

I learned how to do two-drop peyote stitch and reading a chart backwards while s l o w l y making this. I used matte finish pink, irridescent purple seed beads that are like a dupioni silk, blue/purple depending on the angle.Bright metallic gold added sparkle. I tried many different fringe options til I settled on this drop crystal, purple crystals and gold sort of picot design.
Just like with quilting, sometimes you try and discard designs or beads til you find just the right one. The clasp is just the perfect touch I think.
Of course I HAD to try it on...

Ooops, shouldn't have done that... now I want to keep it! Thing is, I never would have thought of making it if it weren't for Nancy. I had fun, learned a lot, played with pretty sparkly things, and am happy to send it off to her for her birthday. Let's all celebrate the fact that such a good woman was born while we were here on earth.

Then, my good friend Cindy, my beading and quilting partner, a woman with talent and great kindness tempted me to add to her bead order at Fire Mountain Gems.
Twist my arm
Well, it's always more fun to shop with a friend, even on-line, so when the order came in I was surprised to get this...

Cindy went to the Hampton Quilt show and said this bag sang to her... "take me to LeeAnna!" so she did.
Perfect colors, turquoise and fuchia and gold and dogs. I was so excited then she said, it's got stuff in it...

 Huh:?? What's this!?!
The beads I ordered ...

plus, this!! A bracelet made for me! Out of shiny silver and bronze and black crystals...

 and the cutest clasp. Cindy takes great care with details, and she put little seed beads inside the links to the clasp

 and the company sent a little Barbie-sized carrier of bead soup that she passed on to me. Oh my stars! I am a 4 year old in a grown woman! These are so much more sparkly than anything I own! 

And who doesn't love a little plastic container?? Of any size? 

What is it about plastic boxes that makes us all think organization is within reach??
So I had to put on my new bracelet right away and admire my too fat wrist now embellished with a little bit of love...

One more bead related item... for my friend Cynthia W. who gives me  absolutely  terrific scraps, a little thank you gift.

She works large, and I work smaller and she gives me glorious Enormous scraps. In fact we met at a workshop when I was hovering over her table admiring her fabric choices. When I saw her trash pile I asked if I could take them. They were so big to me! She said, wait and I have more for you.

As it turns out she and I became great friends She is a rare gift to me. Smart, well read, human rights activist who stands up for her beliefs. She loves travel and history and art and we never run out of things to talk about.
So I took a fat quarter and folded it into a square, brought the four corners up together

around this little string of beads

sort of flatten the bundle and fold the top down, tie a nice ribbon and you have a gift wrap a quilter would enjoy. Nancy's gift will be wrapped in funny fabric too.

Just writing this post reminded me how important my women friends are to me. Each person brings a connection no one else can. Each friendship is so very important to me. It's not something we regularly talk about but I am sentimental.

Eliza and I often note that we are very sensitive which some people see as a weakness but we realize makes us even stronger in a way.

After all, the important thing in the world is what we love and what makes us vibrate with love.

It  is circular to me...
Loving and being aware of loving. Receiving love and being aware that we are loved.

It is so important.





 

From Purple Mountains to the Ocean

Remember this?? Purple Mountains Majesty? From my box of scraps?? the first post is HERE
For years  I've been working on a series of free form  landscapes.
This year for the rainbow scrap challenge, I decided to use the color that month, follow my heart,  and just make what makes me happy. No big plans, just enjoy my fabric. 

did you notice how the effect changed when I sewed the sections with a gentle curve instead of overlapping the raw edges? I did. 
Every sewing day is a learning day. I don't know which effect I prefer on this piece but I lost a bit of wildness when it was all tidy and seamed and finished off. I also added in some more curvy bits and a sky. It will be somehow floated on a background next. 
For now, lets look at the water scene..

I took skinny long strips and started sewing them together. Color is so soothing and exciting at the same time isn't it?? No worries, just sew, spritz, and press. it will work. Some curves, some random seams. When my pieces were too short I joined them on an angle and loved how it turned out. 

 when I added in the bottom strips, and I love the really skinny stripe's effect in the corner, I didn't like the abrupt color change, so I think I'll lay a little raw edged cutaway strip as an applique.See it like a little hill?

11" tall X 21" wide

 Anyway, as I sew, enjoying myself, I start to see nature emerge, and go with the flow. This became an ocean scene, and I see it quilted, with stringy green thread for grasses, some clouds maybe with paint. Maybe it'll get longer if I add in a horizon with sky at the top, I don't know. This is enough for now. 
I am content!
This is the purple mountains with sky added

18" X 21"

Can't you just see it all quilted?? 

I can! I do like the curve sewn in here.







 
I also made some scrappy diamonds to go with last year's gemstones...

some black and white, some colors with black. They are loose now, because I think these, with the white ones will be used somehow to set the gemstone. 

As usual, click on images to make them larger and see details. 


I plan to enjoy the RSC this year, but working with the color of the month with no big goal in mind. Just use of color. 




 It flows with my mantra of "follow your heart" and feels better to me than a fully designed bed quilt. I don't need another bed quilt but I always need artistic expression in my life.