Thanksgiving Leftovers

That, indeed, is the name of this quilt top. It consists of what I call "crumbs," scraps too small to fit into my category of normally useful. That is, less that 2.5" square, but at least 1" in both dimensions. I'll share the link for the tutorial, aptly entitled "Mile a Minute" Blocks!

Background: I heard about this block on Stashbuster. So I read through the tutorial (quite easy) and committed it to memory. I was having a bad day, so I just sat down and made a bunch of these in browns (Browns?!) and stuck 'em in a box. They're in the box about a week and a half when I hear that my beloved Uncle Don has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Of course I called and offered a prayer quilt. And he says, "You know, I'd like one that's a little funky." Doy! I had already been at work! So, simple framing with black and--would you believe it?--the border fabric was cut and just waiting in my scrap box! I only had a few inches left over. Talk about "A God Thing!"*

*That's what we say--a lot!-- in our Prayer Quilt Ministry when something comes together so perfectly with supplies and timing and requests. It's amazing. Even the beloved atheists in my life might agree that we get an awful lot of happy coincidences. (If I had a smily, I'd put one here.)

Starry Night?

Take a look at these bee-yoo-tee-ful quilt squares. This was a block swap from the About.com quilting forum. We were to make a star block out of batik fabric with the same creamy fabric for the background. I made 9 of the middle left star and sent 8 to the swap hostess. So did 8 other quilters. Just a few days ago I received these in the mail. Pretty, huh? This is a possible layout. I don't know exactly what I'll do, but I really like 'em!

You might have noticed the creamy honey color between the quilt squares. What is that, you ask? It's our new carpet! Yes, it's installed and I really like it! Somehow it makes the room look like the light is on.

Okay, big brag time: last night's Mission Improvible show. Well, if you missed it, you missed plenty. I gave a lecture on Galileo and Tod translated it into mime--folks were laughing so hard, I hardly got a word out! I sang a torch song to the writer of Afoot and Afield in San Diego, Jerry Schad. Scooter did his disturbingly hilarious interpretive dance while I recited a beat poem, "Squeezed." I got to practice my Parisian accent for "Cirque de la Lune." (And I gotta tell you, it's hard to exaggerate Parisian French!) We had nine people in the show and every one of them shone. Starring moments:

• Mamie's intros & playing with the audience (I think they wanted to take her home!)
• Steve "I think my head is stuck!"
• Marc made "Birds fly upside down" make sense
• Scooter's dance (and coconuts!)
• Tod's impersonations of Elvis and Ozzy Osborne
• Carl and his wrench
  
• James in Quick Cuts
  
• Matt's tiger

Girl Scouts CAN!

Tuesday saw our Girl Scouts starting into my cross-stitch workshop. They picked exactly the patterns I expected them to do. Two choose the Chinese symbol for longevity and the other is doing a Harry Potter Tribute. These were online freebie patterns and you can find them by clicking the titles. These girls can sew a quilt, do wirework, peyote stitch, and use a rotary cutter without trips to Urgent Care. I am looking forward to seeing how they do!

Wuthering Heights Tote Finished

Yes! The next tote is done--totally out of my stash. I'm hearing the DJ say, "Give it up! Whoop-whoop!" Yes, the voices in my head are very supportive.

I bought the fabric while visiting Dawn in Pensacola, Florida. It was a collection of fat quarters with a label that named it "Wuthering Heights." I know, I know, the fabric is totally not me. But that doesn't mean I can't love it! And make pretty stuff with it! So that's a Stashbuster Alert!

Check out the link to the right for my next improv show: this Saturday! Come and join us--it's fun, safe, clean, and family-friendly, not to mention great for your health--laughter is GOOD FOR YOU! (And cheese is always funny, but that's off-topic.)

Cleaning Out My Stash!

I'm offering these beads on Freecycle.org. They're totally free, no strings attached. (Pun intended.) The largest are 1" long. The blue are glass with metallic lining, the brass are nice-looking plastic. This is the whole lot.

Old Blocks Become New!

I love love love quilting for charity. I'm so grateful I can help others in this way. When I have orphan blocks, I put them aside until I have enough--5 is my minimum--to send to Marine Comfort Quilts. It's a totally volunteer organization started by a Marine Mom. They put together a complete quilt of 30 blocks and send it to a military family who lost someone in the current conflict. Each of the blocks is signed so the family knows that they are supported by people all over the country. I've even brought in completed blocks to Girl Scout meetings and had them sign 'em.

If you're interested in this organization, here's the link: Marine Comfort Quilts.


All but two of the blocks pictured came from old blocks that never made it into quilts. When I helped to empty a friend's condo (as she was moving to assisted living), we found the cobweb blocks! They were probably twenty years old but in good condition so I framed 'em to get to the regulation 12.5" and signed 'em in the plainer spaces. What a great way to keep such beautiful work alive!

Quilting in the Conflagration

So I got it finished. Jewel of the Orient. Now I can hand it off to Cathy... I feel so impotent with this fire raging through my city. All I can do is sew and cook... I've already cleaned out the extra pillows and blankets--I almost gave away my husband's favorite warm blankie!--and canned ready-to-eats--they won't take homemade goods and took them to the stadium yesterday. Now they're asking us to stay off the roads and conserve power.

I think I'll go sew some more. I just have to be smart about the iron. It's hot inside and too smoky outside to open the windows!

Wildfire Sets Home Improvement Back

This is my dining room in preparation for the carpet installation. It's a pretty good idea of what the rest of the house feels like. So, all ready, right? Yup, all ready! Even the weather's been cooperating: nice and dry, a little hot, windy but that's fine. It should sweep the new carpet smell right out of the house! Everything's ready. So let's relax. Turn on the TV. Smell the fresh... smoke? Huh? What's that on the news? My city is burning? Hmm. Better answer the phone.
"Hello, this is Cole's Carpets calling. We noticed you were in a certain area of San Diego. Are you sure you want your carpets installed tomorrow?"

Gee, I guess there are more important things than home improvement... ya think?



What's that? This is SUPPOSED to be a creativity blog, you say? Okay, here's some gorgeous fat quarters I picked up in Columbus.

Tonight's dinner was a masterpiece:

• Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Confit and Homemade Creme Fraiche
• Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
• Tomato Tart from scratch
• Chocolate Chip Blondies with Vanilla Ice Cream or Creme Fraiche

I cooked all day... and I did make the tart dough in my studio, so it still counts as going to my studio and making stuff!

Jewel of the Orient

We're currently getting the house ready for new carpet, moving stuff from room to room in preparation. My studio will get to keep its unique blueberry carpeting, but that means I get to put a lot more stuff in there. Like mattresses. Remember that beautiful tabletop I cleared off? Well, now it's folded down to make room. So sad...

This is a prayer quilt in progress for Robin, who's dealing with breast cancer. The pattern is Jewel Box and the fabric is Oriental so I'm calling it Jewel of the Orient. I was told she likes peach and sage--the sage came out a little turquoise in the pic-- so I found these in the Asian fabrics.

This will be cut up for the border. I like it so much, though, I may need to get more for the back!

My Cutting Counter

This is how I set up my cutting space. On the wall next to it hang my large rulers. Everything here I find useful and it's easy to get to. (Well, the tassels are just fun.) Underneath this is a large cabinet where I keep my supplies.