Collaboration

Last fall my daughter, Casey, suggested that we might collaborate on a project, and since it involved quilting I readily agreed.  Also, to collaborate with my talented daughter and learn from her was exciting.  She had several ideas and sent me sketches.  After a bit of back and forth on the sizes, colors and design, we were off and running.  Her ideas were based on bringing the outdoors in by using constellations, but in a very minimalist style.  That style was a challenge for me, as I tend to over do it, just a bit, (wink)  

However, we were able to agree on the designs and once completed, I felt that they turned out quite well. Click here and here to see the photos of the completed quilted blankets  They are hanging in Tanner Goods shop in Portland, OR and are for sale!    

Sweet Memories are Made of This

So, back to my somewhat regular routine.  Not that I could ever say I have a routine.  I sorta do whatever, whenever, and try to enjoy what may come.  After returning home from Alabama, and my most wonderful new friends departed for the great northwest, I dragged around for a few more days, still reminiscing about the fun we had.  You might have read about Nifty's, Bonnie's and Tina's purchases while shopping around Cleveland.  After finding those treasures, we hit the thrift store and each bought a few shirts. Then the girls treated Steve and me to a delightful dinner at our favorite local restaurant.  A few martini's, some nice wine and delicious food gave us new strength to head home and cut up the newly purchased shirts.  We continued laughing and cutting up into the wee hours.

Tina rescued the "seams" from all the boxers and shirts and made balls for the cats to play with.  Sorry Tina, but the cats don't get those balls.  I found a much better use for them.  The smaller ones are perfect for filling up the glass of my new Target lamp.  Now to make more more more.

Instead of getting back to work on my dogwood quilt, or any of the other projects that I have started.  I just couldn't wait to play with those shirt scraps that we shared.   I decided to make Friendship Star blocks.  Along with scraps from Tina, Bonnie and Nifty, these shirts turned out to have just the perfect color combinations.  For me at least. I think it will be the perfect quilt full of memories that will last forever.

Got twelve blocks whipped up in no time.  Not sure where it will go from here, but I've got lots of scraps left and it will continue to grow.  As I hope our friendship will continue to grow.

check out the pocket
another "Nifty" idea

My new/old coffee table

Last summer my cousin's husband, Joe, ran across a mother load of old factory carts sitting out in a lot in our hometown.  They were all in pretty bad shape, but he was able to purchase a couple at a great price.  After showing me his deals, I immediately ran over to this lot to pick one up for myself.  Alas, the owner decided that he didn't want to part with any more of his carts for the price that my cousin paid.  He had raised the price 5 fold.  Feeling quite disappointed, I just couldn't dig that deep into my pocket for something that I would have to completely restore, I returned home with no cart.

 A few days later, I went out my back door to find this cart.
Joe to the rescue!
The picture doesn't do the paint color justice.
It wasn't blue, it was florescent blue.

Despite my protests that he should not feel obliged to share his luck with me, he insisted.
The cart sat in our garage collecting assorted piles of stuff for several months. A couple of weeks ago, I  decided it was about time to talk our friend, Phillip, into sandblasting the metal parts for me.  He and my husband, Steve, took the whole thing apart and sandblasted it, put it back together and Steve sprayed the metal parts with a sealer.  I sanded and varnished the wood.  And the family room is now graced with my new/old favorite piece of furniture.  I can't take the credit for the idea of using this old cart for a coffee table, but if you click right here, you will see the very pricey inspiration.  Needless to say, my version ended up costing  . . . .  well let's just say, if you move the decimal point over to the left 2 digits, you will get the idea.

Thanks Joe, Phillip and Steve.
I am thrilled with my new coffee table.

good books

After visiting Jacquie's blog  I  must  talk about it. She is working on this incredible minimalist quilt and had referenced one of my favorite artists.   I have been drooling, slobbering through Quilt Artistry ~ Designs from the East by Yoshiko Jinzenji for months and months.  If I ever decided that I would resale this book on eBay I would have to note that it was a bit crinkled and looks as if it had been dropped in a tub of water.  Then a couple of weeks ago, I received Yoshiko's latest book, Quilting Line + Color.   It is going to look the same way in no time at all.  Of course these are two books that I will never part with. They are so soothing to page through.   Even if you don't like the minimalist style, they are both worth checking out, in my humble opinion. 

I have had some wonderful linen and cotton fabrics laying on my cutting table waiting for the right moment. They have been there for about, er, ah, well, judging by the dust, 6 months.  As much as I would love to make a quilt for my bed in white Jinzenji style, like this,

it would never, ever do.  With two cats and a husband who, although they love all my quilts, they just don't seem to get the fact that I would like to try and keep them clean.   While the four or five colorful quilts that are currently piled on our bed

don't show cat hair, grease, coffee and food stains, an all white quilt would not survive.
I learned that lesson from a previously white matelasse.   Let me rephrase:
I would not survive the stress of constantly trying to keep it clean.
As you can see, I don't even bother making our bed anymore. 

So back to the fabrics that I am going to use ~~~ I think ~ ~~  My bedroom walls are greige.  They've been that way for er, oh, um, a couple of years, or more.  Waiting for just the perfect complimentary bed coverings.  Currently the bed quilts are in a constant state of change, as is the wall decor.  Why is it that I can always give a quick and easy opinion when a friend asks for decorating advise at her house, and I can never make a decision at my house?  Do you have that problem?  Sorry, I am rambling around again.

So here are my fabrics:

Linens with a few Kona cottons.  Various shades from charcoal to pale gray.

What I would really love to use would be this:

 All white/oatmeal/neutral linen. Perhaps add bits of deep grays here and there. Then lots of lovely stitching.

Sigh...........

Maybe I could settle for something like this:

That just might hide all the cat hair and coffee stains.  Ya think?

Maybe the answer would be to make  the grays quilt for my bedroom. Wait a minute!
A light bulb moment. I can throw in some bits of hand dyed and shot cotton in terra cottas, turquoise, eggplant, fuchsia etc, etc, etc.

 
It may not have such a cool serene feel, but in the long run, I think I might like it even better.  Maybe I am not too much of a minimalist after all huh?   I am not too sure how long I can live without lots of color around me.
  I could always make the white/neutral quilt for my minimalist daughter's bedroom/guest bedroom.  It might stay a bit more clean if it is only used a few times a year.  Plus, I'll still have the books to drool over whenever I feel that urge. 
Thanks for helping me work through all that.  And if you have a chance,
be sure to check out Jinsenji's books.