Scrappy Hearts

The View From Sunday

Springtime in Paris

It was the brainchild of my dear friend Bunkey. She saw the kit at our local quilt shop and she decided we needed a day in Paris. We planned a menu of "French" food and a day of sewing with the French themed fabrics.

The day started with a french toast casserole with bananas, walnuts and maple syrup. Then it was down to the basement to quilt. Bunkey had her three machines set up, we picked our spots and started sewing.

While we sewed we watched a couple of French themed movies. To begin, Midnight in Paris, which we love. Next it was French Kiss which neither of my two friends had ever seen before. Finally, we watched You've Got Mail, just because we were in a Meg Ryan, romantic comedy sort of mood. 

Bunkey was the first to finish her quilt, followed by Marie. Dinner was a crock-pot vegetable "french" green bean soup,  salad with French dressing, and French bread. Bunkey is gluten free so she concocted "French" cruellers and beignets from a gluten free chocolate cake recipe. Delicious!

I had completed most of the piecing at Bunkey's, but I did not put the bindings on until I arrived home. I would not let myself go to bed until I had the top finished. 

I am loving it! I need to find a backing fabric and the batting so I can give the quilt to Marie to finish on her long arm. It is such a happy quilt. Here is a closeup of the fabrics:

It was such a great way to spend a rainy day! I think we need to find an Italian fabric so that our next "trip" is to Florence! I love Italian food!

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On the Wall

It's been a while since we have taken a look at my design wall. I am lucky enough to have a relatively long hallway between my loft and Mark's office. It is there that I hung a large piece of batting, perhaps king or queen size. I love having the space to lay out blocks and refine my quilts before assembling the top.

Currently, I have several projects on the wall. Unfortunately, many of them have been there a while with no change. I am beginning to make progress however.

This is the view down the hall toward's my husband's office. You can see my exercise ball hanging out on the chair. Sometimes I drag it into the hall and sit on it while I ponder my block placement.

First up on the wall is the New Year's Day Mystery, hosted by Merry May. I really love this quilt but I had selected the cream and red fabrics from the Paris Flea Market collection of which I have all the fat quarters. It wasn't until New Year's night that I realized I didn't have enough of the red. I tried the green and wasn't sure I liked it. So it sat, for a few months while I pondered the lack of red situation. Now, after trying to purchase more of the red, I think I prefer sticking with the little bits of green. Still not sure, but it is coming together!

Next up on the wall is this adorable flannel baby quilt. First I couldn't find all the flannel, then I didn't have enough yellow chenille, now I think I have all the pieces. Hoping to pull it all together on Sunday - the poor baby will be in kindergarten before she gets it!

This Thangles tablerunner has been in the works for years. With all the movement, first into the studio that I gained when my daughter moved out, then into the space I occupied when my husband moved in, now into the studio I have in our loft. It's a wonder that I didn't lose more than a couple of pieces. The tablerunner will measure over 50" when it is finished. Hoping to have at least the top completed by my spring break. We'll see if that happens!

Right now I am juggling a few projects, trying my best to finish up some long standing UFO's while trying desperately to make a few new projects for friends and family. Looking forward to a rainy Sunday so that I have an excuse to sew all day!

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The Last Snow of the Season

well, perhaps it was the last snow of the season. It sure looked pretty coming down.

 

I have been happy for the snow this winter. There is nothing like enduring cold weather without any snow! Unfortunately, it did not stick to the pavement so we were not blessed with a 2 hour delayed opening. 

The snow did make for a very pretty morning!

It was a very pretty morning. By this afternoon, the snow was gone. Perhaps the daffodils can now bloom without the fear of frostbite!

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Project Life 2014, Week 11

Well, I knew it was bound to happen, but I am a week late on Project Life. The problem was my trip to Lancaster. I brought home so much ephemera that I just wasn't sure how to handle it. My old habit would have been to put the photos and the journaling in the page protectors, take the photos and do my post. Dealing with the over abundance of paper some other time. If you know me, you know that dealing with it later means dealing with it never. So I stopped and thought long and hard about what to do with the paper...you would be so proud of my solutions!

The beginning of the week was very simply handled. I had made a couple of commitments to a couple of friends so that took up the the early part, a repair of an overnight bag and a photo block for an anniversary quilt.

The first insert in the weekly spread is the AQS Quilt Show Program. I wasn't sure I wanted to hold onto it, but I just couldn't recycle it so here it is. 

The middle inserts include a list of quilt shops in the Lancaster area, absolutely a must keep! My solution for the business cards, a business card page protector from Office Depot. I have a whole package of these and I think this solved much of my anxiety about how to store information that I may need for my upcoming business venture. 

The final insert is a 6x12 page protector which hold a few photos from our adventure, the room key and business card from the hotel we stayed in. When I turn that insert over, you see the right hand page of Week 11.

Pictures of Bunkey and I as well as the Lancaster country side are featured on the back of the last insert. The final page for Week 11 includes a photo of the sunrise on March 12th, an invitation to a bridal shower I missed over the weekend, the photo quilt block we made and a picture from our workshop in school on Thursday. As always, a very full week!

The picture of the Flatiron Building in NY was taken off of my daughter's Facebook page on the first day of Spring. It is actually included in the spread for Week 12. I left the slot in the page protector open so that I could see the two beautiful sky pictures together!

Tomorrow I will try linking up with Jessica Turner over at The Mom Creative. I am not sure if she is doing weekly posts, if not I will post next week when she begins April. If you are the least bit interested in Project Life, I encourage to stop over at Becky Higgins' site and check out all of the inspiration! 

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"A photograph is the biography of a moment."

Art Shay

 

First Day of Spring, 2014

Today I took a tour of our yard to see what I could find...Spring is here!

Wednesday in Second Grade

When I got into the classroom this morning, around 7:15, I realized that the current set up is just not working anymore. Time to re-think, re-design and re-vitalize our space. We received a new writing program designed to be used as a "tool" this school year. In order to do that and help the students acquire the new verbage we need to do some moving around.

Today our classroom looked like this:

Considering this is the week before report cards, I think my desk is looking pretty good! More on the classroom update as it happens!

Planning a Party

This little package, with the beautiful blue bow, started it all. Actually, I think it was the finished quilt that started it all, but I digress. You see, Bunkey stopped by The Little Shop and saw this latest kit designed by Deby. No sooner than she had seen it, she hatched a plan and that meant a text to me. Of course I agreed, who would pass it up? Saturday, March 29th, we are celebrating Springtime in Paris.

Together with another friend, we will get together to sew our Springtime in Paris quilts, eat French food and watch two of our favorite "French" movies, Midnight in Paris and French Kiss. It sounds like a plan!

Actually, the fabric included in the kit is really quite charming. The focal fabric is Gay Paree by Michael Miller fabrics. I just love the colors and the brightness of the blue and green in the fabrics. It just makes me smile! The pattern is designed to make great use of the focal fabric which will be cut into 10" squares so that you can see the design. I can't wait to celebrate with a couple of my quilting buddies! Now to find some vegan French recipes!

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I Think It’s Time

Yup, I think it's time to retire the bag. 

Delayed openings on a Monday are a real treat, but too many people are complaining about the continuing snow. So, I put the bag away.

Unfortunately, I don't think it was soon enough. Today I woke up to a call from school - a two hour delayed opening! YES!

The snow makes for such a pretty landscape. Unfortunately, Mark is not thrilled with the snow and he has seen enough! Today he was kind enough to dig me out so that I could head to work.

I really would have loved the opportunity to stay at home and really enjoy the snow. Oh well, perhaps I will have to wait until next year!