Old Blocks-New Project

I've had these little 3 inches blocks for a couple of years with not real idea of what I wanted to do with them. I've pulled them out many times but couldn't make up my mind that spoke to me ........ until Autumn finally arrived the other day.

 

 

 

I thought I'd do a giant pumpkin, so this is the design I chose and sketched out.

I chose fabrics from my stash for the pumpkin and shadows areas.

You can't see it very well but the background fabric is a speckled beige.

I made the stem curly which adds interest. Now for the leaf.

I'm liking it....now all I need to do is stitch it down and quilt it.

Measures roughly 18 inches square.
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On another note......Needled Mom has graciously offered her winning of "The Sun Needs a Cool Sip"
 mug rug
to be offered for another chance. Thank you Mary!!
The next name from Random was
Texas Jenny Wren!!
Congratulations Jenny. Just leave a comment and we'll talk via email.

Mug Rug Thursday

The winner of "Even the Sun Needs a Cool Sip" is

.................................

Needled Mom

 

Congratulations!!

We'll talk via email.

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Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Okay that was my Frankenstein impression....LOL

I thought I'd salute Mary Shelley who wrote Frankenstein's Monster.

Below are some of the steps I took while designing this mug rug to be given away.

Trace monster onto Steam-a-seam and press to wrong side of fabric.

Did I mention that Steam-a-seam is my favorite adhesive. I should have bought stock in it.

Cut excess fabric from inside the traces area. I do this before I cut around the outside. It just works better that way. I've also saved the parts needed to finish the design. (mouth, scar, bolts, etc.)

Place outlined cutout onto background fabric.

Add mouth and scars for best effect.

All done.

"Frank" is up for grabs.

All you need to do is leave a comment and you are in the count for "Frank".

I'll announce a winner October 3rd.

House Haunters-BOW

House Haunters #4 is here.
First, the details. I found a brick fat quarter in my stash which worked well for the steps to the house.
Below is shown how the process took place.

I cut the steps to the shape needed and used a dark brown as the side shaded area.

Here I used the same brick fabric to add a little interest to the windows. This reminded me of an unwashed window pane.

I used a dark green for the grassy area and the signature red chimney. These two fabrics tie all the houses together.

 

 

Some of my "FOLLOWERS" and blogging friends have asked that I add another house to the mix, making a total of five. I have given it considerable thought and have decided to do "ONE" more house. Stay tuned for the final house coming October 2nd.

 

From My Garden-BOW

 

Pumpkin

is the next block of

From My Garden.

I just love this block!!

 

I found the following recipe on the Internet:

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• (Optional - add 1/2 cup walnuts)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• In large mixing bowl cream butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy
• Blend in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract
• In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
• Pour flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture
• Drop tablespoonful of dough 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets
• Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until golden around the edges
• Place cookies on cooling racks
• Store in cookie jar or Ziploc bags.

 

Into The Woods

 

Before it rained yesterday....BTW, I'm doing the happy dance cause we got 3.7 inches, I went on another nature walk with my trusty camera.

We were having some dozer work done so I felt fairly safe.

Warning: Photo heavy!!

I love the way light and shadow appears in nature, so most of these pics were taken with that in mind.

These types of pics help me when I'm doing foreground/background blocks.

A tree trunk with character for sure.

This poor tree was riddled with bore beetle and woodpecker holes and a giant spider's web.

You can't see it very well but this tributary has recent hog prints in the muddy area.

And finally, Buzzard Bait and her sister kin are munching on range cubes. I had to feed them or they would have followed me around everywhere, begging...LOL

 

Dinner Last Evening

Evening meals for mom and me are sometimes a surprise, especially during weekdays. But I was feeling pretty good and decided to jazz dinner up a bit.

Pork chops simmered in white wine, a teaspoon of Olive oil and dollops of orange marmalade.

 So yummy.

A mess of green, baked sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas and cornbread.

This meal also will be great tonight as leftovers.

 

Mug Rug Thursday

Hi everyone! It's that time again..........Mug Rug Thursday!

But before I get to that....... I need to announce the winner from the Pincushion Hop. If you missed it, you missed seeing all the beautiful, creative pincushions from all around the world.

I made three little pincushions for the HOP.

All that was required to participate in the give away was to leave a comment.

 

 So the winner from the Pincushion Hop is........................

 

Quilting by Dawn

Congratulations!

We can get together via email for the particulars.

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Now to Mug Rug Thursday....

 

The winner of the Whale mug rug is......................

Gene!

Congratulations to you!!

Leave a comment and will get together via email!!

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In honor of the fading summer heat, here's the next mug rug........

"Even The Sun Needs a Cool Sip"

Just leave a comment and you are in the count for this HOT mug rug.

I'll announce the winner September 26th.

 

House Haunters-BOW

Oh boy, it's House Haunters #3 block.

 

I'm really proud of this one. I used a bit of my most favorite fabrics (bricks)

on parts of the mottled cream house. It almost looks like most of the bricks have fallen off. 

I did not use all of the part of the pattern, choosing to simplify the windows and the door.

I used the red chimney and dark green grass to tie this block with the others.

 

 

Here's a close-up of the bricks that I've added to the front of the house. I'm using a non-stick sheet to protect the surface of my ironing board.

Here's a look at all three so far.

Pattern #3

Feel free to use all, most or some the house.

If you wish to enlarge or reduce the pattern, that's great, as well.

Until next week........ 

From My Garden-BOW

From My Garden is weeks' block is

cherries.

If you are just joining us this is fourth block. I am working from a seven inch square that will be trimmed to 6 1/2 inches. I'm using black DMC floss. To copy the previous patterns scan back to the previous Tuesdays.

 

Pincushion Blog Hop

 Welcome Pincushion Hoppers!!

First of all, a big thank you to

Madam Samm. our coordinator

&

 Kristen,

 our fantastic cheerleader!!

 

What a wonderful time I've had viewing all the pincushions. Boy, do we have some talented and creative bloggers out there.

 

Here are the other wonderful participants for today

September 16, 2013

 

 

Ravelly1 (You are here now)

De Zondagssteek

The Tilted Quilt

A Stitch In Time

A Simple Life Quilts

Jane's Quilting

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Dancing Moon

Bloom Where I Am Planted

Busy Bee Free

Marpie's Sewing Projects

The Stitchin' Post

Sew Much 2 Luv

Lixie Makes It

Rose Creations

Sunshine Reflections

Needled Mom

Sew Incredibly Crazy

 

Allow me to show off a few of my pincushions, first.

 

This pincushion is also a thread catcher and the strip just below my initials is a magnet. I use this pincushion when retreating.

These two pincushions were in a gift package from an apron swap years ago.

 

This pincushion was given to my by my great-aunt. It was in her sewing collection for years. The hat-pin was one of hers. For those who don't know what a hat-pin is, it acts as an anchor when pinned through the hat and into the bun of a lady's hair.

 

Now to the pincushions I made.

A little owl with great big eyes.

A pear with leaves and stem.

A machine embroidered

Pin Cushion

As a give-away, just leave a comment

stating which NUMBERED

 pincushion you prefer and if your name is picked by my Random Picker,

 I will know exactly which you'll receive!!

It doesn't matter if you are a "FOLLOWER" of my blog or not to

participate but appreciate your support!!