GOAL #1 (with tea)

Connor's quilt is all quilted now;  simply, with horizontal and vertical lines making boxes..

and I cut, sewed and ironed the binding strips this morning.

I decided on black and white to show on the Red Rhythm side...
with none-- or just a smidge-- showing on the landscape side...

(I store all my bindings on toilet tissue rolls-- (;)))--and pin the end...
I had some leftovers from another quilt, so just added to the length 
with these prints... I have to make sure I have enough 
to go around--
(ask me how many times I've come up short --;000).

                                 (Sorry for the blur...ack!!)

 I've used black and white along with black and grey scraps for this binding--hoping to begin sewing it on tomorrow--bindings are
always a struggle for me..but I know, once I start, it will be ok...;)))

So, I am still working on goal # 1--which is to finish Connor's quilt-
It's getting there-- in between bouts of back issues, and stomach bugs--
grrrrr....

Then; Goal #2 is to make 4 quilt labels and attach them....

I usually use muslin and a permanent ink pen to ink in the words
over my light box...(using a lined piece of freezer paper to lay it out
underneath...)

but, I get ahead of myself...

Hope you are all enjoying this Sunday.  It is sunny here, and with the newly fallen snow, very bright and....sparkley..so pretty. 

hugs, 
Julierose, La Blageuse (goal-oriented-euse)

READY, SET, GO!!

Helga and I are at the starting line.....

And we're OFF...

I managed to get the first half quilted this morning ...
tomorrow I will be doing the 2nd half...

Then I walked my first 10 min on "Trevor" (our treadmill) out of 30...
I plan to hop on Trev and do another two 10 min segments...

My cold seems to be getting better at last...

And, here is my first paltry effort at drawing les femmes...

Part of my art goals--to draw faces and then learn to color them in realistically...
I've added my own had altered papers and stamps...

AND.. Farm Girl ladies (Dawnie, Barbara, Jackie, Collette aka Rheema):

 .....I acutally CUT OUT  those 23 pieces for my Cow block...can you guess where I'm going with these blocks???

Whether or not they will go together remains to be seen...I've labeled them and put them to one side until Helga feels she is ready to sew a "scant" 1/4" seam--that girl is SO Stubborn--she just doesn't like to sew 1/4" seams or straight ones either!! LOL ;)))

The rains rained down last night and all of our snow is gone--which doesn't make me sad at all.....it is 53 degrees right now...
hugs 
Julierose, La Blageuse (quilt-euse)

FUN

What do all these quilts that I've made have in common??

They all have an underlying pattern for sure....but...

I have definitely strayed from that pattern and done

my own thing in each case. 

My New Year's word for quilting is 

FUN

I mean, you can tell just by looking at these that I truly enjoyed making them.

the first one dates from mid-90's (shhh --I used

a yellow marker to make those dots in the rose centers)

the beach houses were inspired by someone's blog post (sorry, I don't recall who it was) but I liked making those free form parts and then putting the blocks together free form...and all done by hand.

the third wall hanging

 (Oh and that's the other thing--they are all smallish)

was from an online class with Jude Hill, and

again, I strayed--she like the top but not the bottom) but--

and this is the important thing--I LIKE the whole thing.

And my Crazy Quilt pictured lastly, 

was a whole Summer of sitting on my back deck and 

hand sewing a bit each day, adding all kinds of 

scrapbook- like ephemera:

laces, appliques, beads, ribbons--

what great fun to riffle through my "fancies" stash 

and audition placements and think up ideas...

SO,

this being said :

I was totally enabled by two of my blog friends

(who shall herein remain anonymous,

 but you know who you are gals ;))) )....

To join into a their year- long "Piece-a-Thon"--I even got the

book-- Farm Girl and.....when I leafed through it....

SHAZAMMMM !!!!;0000

23 pieces in one block????

Are you really serious--

Well, not my style at all, gals...

Instead--

I will be taking the "ideas" in that book and 

drafting my own versions---

that won't give me  nightmares--

there are waaaay too many

1/4" seam crossings for this ole gal....

makes me very nervous just looking at the directions..

Heavens, oh my gosh...I am sure you all will

be flying through all those blocks with ease...

JUST, SAYIN' 

that ;))))

My pieces will look VERY different--and as I am learning to draw

 in my art pursuit this year --AND

I thought I'd take a page from Mary Lou Weidman

 (if you've never read her books --do, and you are in for a huge treat) 

AND

first of all DRAW my own version of a 

Cow, 

a bossie, a Moo-person, 

A Moooolin Rouge

apparition...

(Udderly groaning here)

;00000

FOR FUN...

Stay tuned 

I will show my stabs at drawing my own cow..

but maybe you won't want to see that..just

ummmmmm

avert your eyes, and mooove on...

Hugs, Julierose, La blageuse (bovine-euse)

(How do I stop this centered text???aaargh)

P.S.  I go and get my final check up and get my

glasses today--YAY only a few more days of drops .

GOAL ONE--Step One

                        Here's where I left off--the top and batting are QAYG together...

Now to figure out:  just what was I going to do??  
Hmmmmm...I didn't leave myself any helpful notes; don't you hate to leave off a project in the middle??? Re-entry is always a bear  ;0000

Well, one little step at a time.

A.   Set up dining table for quilt basting...(this is actually a sweater blocker
board, but is really great for pin basting as I can slide it around so I don't have to reach too far....)

B.   Pull quilt plus backing fabrics out of "Closet of Shame " 

(phew, at least I had them all hanging together--will wonders never cease??
--just sayin')..;)))

The scene on the left is one of a fisherman , streams and mountains (Connor has just found "fishing" and loves it); the little foxes will border this scene to add width....I like that muted green behind the little foxes...it picks up the dark green in the scenic print nicely...a quieter backing to offset those 
"rockin' reds" on the front...

C.   Next Step: sit down and ice my back--and....that's it for today 
(this step comes to you from the hubster--"You're done for the day"!)

I am sipping the remains of my morning coffee and planning on a big salad for dinner--oh joy!  Back to some kind of try at weight loss regimin.  :0000

Oh...didn't I  add that to my Goals listing; hmmm how come that one slipped my mind--quien sabe? Not able to ROTF&LOL... 

Anyhoo, a quiet first day of the New Year....
Hugs,
Julierose, La Blageuse (on the road back to quilting-euse)

GOALS--REALLY?? WHO ME???

GOAL NO. 1 and first up for me this year:  finish Connor's quilt

GOAL NUMERO DEUX (;)): MAKE FOUR LABELS FOR MY GRANDS QUILTS
Now, why do I always balk at making these--they are so important and as these will be going away to college gifts, I NEED to make them....just sayin' guys....

GOAL TROIS:  FINALLY FINISH UP MY HEXAGON PROJECT: "MONET'S JARDIN"
And this is really stuck--(so stuck it's hanging in my "closet of shame"...calling my name).

GOAL FOUR: FINISH UP MY SNOW FLOWERS HEXAGON PIECE
Same problem--how to set it...applique or what (are you starting to see a pattern to these
 unfinished pieces....??Hmmmm???)

GOAL FIVE : MY LAST SIX CRAZY QUILT BLOCKS: this will be a Summer-on-the-Deck project (Summer will come----right? ;000)

GOAL SIX: KNITTING; finish my YOWZA shawl for myself--I gifted three so far--
and make some more socks as my two pair are showing wear...

THEN: I'm just not able to open my "drawer of shame" or riffle through my hanging pieces as--
in keeping with
                                    2016 's: "Julierose, the Medical Issues Years"

 (wait for it.................now that my eyes are so much better I....(Aaaaargh):
 I threw my back out yesterday a final insult to end up 2016!!)

But I think you get the idea--After Connor's big quilt, I will be not making any big quilts
this year (now, don't email me --if, well, if I do after all .......hahaha)

This will be the year of table runners, lap quilts, dolly quilts for my two little grandgirls,
small wall hangings and place mats, napkins  etc etc...

I may even learn how to FINALLY put in a zipper (be still my heart!!)

I am joining in with quilting jet girl on 17 finishes in 2017 (even though I don't list 17--figures!!)

hugs and

                                           HAPPY    NEW    YEAR
                     to all of you, my wonderful, generous and faithful followers...
                                           you all give me such JOY


ALSO the biggest thing is to USE UP MY STASH FABRICS!!!!!

NEW YEAR'S MAGICAL SPIRIT

                                      My latest attempt at colorbook shading..

I see her as the Spirit of Peace for all of our world
in the coming year....

hugs and
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FAITHFUL BLOGGING FRIENDS...

Julierose, La Blageuse (coloring-euse)

HEARTFELT TIDINGS TO YOU ALL

"THE HOLIEST OF ALL HOLIDAYS ARE THOSE KEPT BY OURSELVES
                                 IN SILENCE AND APART,
                                       THE SECRET ANNIVERSARIES OF THE HEART."

                                                      Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "Holidays"

It is with a grateful heart that I send you, all my blogging friends, this  warmest of wishes....
thank you for all your commenting, emails, and general uplifting support,
 and helpful---- just "being there" for me.

Hugs from Julierose, your Blageuse
 [now almost "eagle-eyed" ;)))  ]