Valentine Challenge

In January, my quilt guild issued a challenge. Make a small quilted piece with the red heart provided and the theme of "My Funny Valentine". I stitched the cupid in stem stitch (a la redwork), added the heart and beads around, and quilted the words, "Fat, Naked, Dangerous". Yeah.

Bye bye apple trees. Stupid beaver!

The four feet of flood waters that raged across our entire property as a result of Hurricane Irene was devastating. See previous posts. We lost lots of plants and weren't sure what would survive the winter in their weakened states. The trees, though, seemed to be holding up well. Guess the beaver thought so too. Here's all that is left of two of our apple trees.

Sentimental Journey Postcard

May Arts Ribbons issued a challenge. Use these four ribbons in a project with the theme, "Sentimental Journey". I came up with this fabric postcard (4' x 6"). I layered the white crinkle ribbon with the pink ruffled ribbon. I added the lace trim to the sides. I embroidered fly stitch with a fine gold metallic thread. Then, added the Celtic knot beads and glass hearts. To the right, I embroidered roses with the taupe silk ribbon. The bottom of the heart is chain stitch with ecru #12 pearl cotton.This is the back of the postcard, ready for a message, address and a stamp. Where would your sentimental journey lead?

Alliance for American Quilts

The Alliance for American Quilts is having their annual fundraiser. Usually, they ask artists to create a 12 x 12 inch square, quilted in any way. This year, they have asked it be a house-shaped 15 x 19 image. All art is donated to the Alliance and are sold on eBay. So, I made a fairy house in a tree. I'll take another pic to show how dimensional the bark of the tree is. Behind the door...



This is "Rose Song", which I made for the Alliance a few years ago.

CQJP 2012

Here is my "block" for January for the CQJP (Crazy Quilt Journal Project). Each month I will do a paisley. They will then be hung from my Ease "valance" as posted below. I crazy quilted the front, used Timtex in the middle and a plain fabric for the backing. I beaded the edge. The Timtex gives the paisley a sturdy base, so it doesn't flop.

CQJP 2012

I am participating in the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012. This project is to bring heightened awareness to the art of crazy quilting. The idea is to make a small crazy quilt piece each month. Someone discussed having a word to represent what you desire in 2012. I chose the word, "Ease".

1. freedom from labor, pain, or physical annoyance; tranquil rest; comfort: to enjoy one's ease.

2. freedom from concern, anxiety, or solicitude; a quiet state of mind: to be at ease about one's health.

3. freedom from difficulty or great effort; facility: It can be done with ease.

4. freedom from financial need; plenty: a life of ease on a moderate income.

I decided to make a header, or valance of sorts, to begin the project. I embroidered the word ease and then added florals and fairies around. From this, my monthly crazy quilted pieces will hang. You'll have to stay tuned to see how this comes about!

Crazy Quilt Sneakers and iPhone case!

Yes, I am easily amused! Just got my custom printed Keds today. I created them with photos of one of my crazy quilts. I am impressed at how they turned out.


A few weeks ago, I ordered a case for my iPhone and used one of my crazy quilt blocks for the graphic. It turned out fabulously! Now, what else can I get my crazy quilts printed on?...

2012 Herb of the Year - Rose

2012 Herb of the Year – Rose
Betty Pillsbury

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln

Rose 'Alchymyst' growing in my garden

Think for a moment of standing in the garden on a warm June day. The sky is a stunning blue, the sun is warming your back, bees drone lazily in the background and roses are blooming with wild abandon. You approach the rose bush, first taken in by the beauty of the flowers. Just standing next to a rose, you catch the delightful aroma of its gorgeous blossoms. Leaning in to take full advantage of this olfactory delight, you inhale deeply. Immediately, a sense of peace and comfort envelops you. That is the magic and medicine of rose.

Roses are necessary in a garden for no other reasons than their beauty and that emotional response of comfort. There is healing in the witness of beauty. It’s a balm to the psyche. The momentary pleasure of the sight and scent of roses really isn’t momentary. If you allow, you can recall that moment in the sun later when you need a sense of calm. “God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December”. – J.M. Barrie

In herbal medicine, roses are considered to be cool and dry by some and slightly warm and moist by others. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it? Roses have a gentle, but powerful action. I find roses to be physically slightly cooling while simultaneously warming the “cockles of the heart”. Rose petal infusion makes a lovely, soothing anti-inflammatory for irritated skin.

My embroidery for an herbal thesis quilt.

Roses are most definitely antidepressant. Recall inhaling a fragrant rose and the sensation of calm and contentment that envelops you. The effect is also achieved by ingesting tea, tincture, acetum or glycerite of roses. Or, perhaps by enjoying rose petal jelly on your morning toast. Rose petal honey is lovely, as are candied rose petals. The uplifting sensation is welcome to me especially in the winter when fresh roses in the garden are a memory of last season.

My granddaughter, Salena, helping me harvest rose petals in my garden.

“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.”