"DARK DAYS" CHOICES ,,,

 

I know, I know ;))))

I can hear you saying--

she CUT them apart????

Whaaaa?

I could not seem to work with 

a long strip 

for a center..

so, I cut these

apart...

Yup...

👀😐😟👀 

(after a whole lot

of measuring to leave 1/2" 

on each side.)

That was hard work for me--

the math challenged gal.

They came out measuring

4 7/8ths unfinished.

Because there are five of them

{that ole Magic Number 5};

I decided on a 9-patch setting...

Above are the four choices

I have on hand for the other

four blocks...

I want to use four of one 

of these patterns,,

Here they are separately, so

you can tell me which one you like

(or none of the above?? hahaha)

This one  is my own coffee dyed fabric

representing "making do"

and gives a more Prim, homemade feel;

this one represents a 

"Rocky Road" ahead!!

Dark roses.....representing

"Climate Change"

[which is REAL!!]

And

Deep maroon...to pull in the center...

[this last one is the most "matchy"

and the darkest choice]

*************************************

I am following K3N on Youtube in making the 

Comfort quilt tutorial she is presenting as

a year long project...

This will be all done by hand--

and slowly....

As you can see, I have pressed all the

seams on the Pom blocks' 

and those seams are 

invisibly basted down....

I will do the same on the last

4 as soon as I make a decision on

which one to use...

After.....

The blocks will be whip stitched together

into the 9-patch

and then appliqued to a big 

20" backing cloth--

probably cream???-- I haven't

decided yet.  

Let me know what you think.

about the choices.

I really like them all--;)))

each one gives a different 

"Feel"...

And....

there will be other blocks, so these

fabrics will figure in those too,

but  

in different configurations...

and still using some version of the 

9-patch in each..

Hugs, Julierose

La Blageuse

(deciding-euse)

WATERCOLOR PLAY, et al

 

I got this lovely set of 

Sennelier Watercolors 

for Christmas...;)))

I decided to give them a 

bit of a play...

I find water coloring very intimidating.

But.....

After watching "K3N Cloth Tales" on

Youtube last night give a 

tutorial on this process

I decided to

give it a try to see how

it goes...

First, I collaged scrappy bits 

all over my

inexpensive Mixed Media paper 

I just used glue stick and tore up papers from my 

collage fodder folder:

torn pieces of brown paper, 

coffee dyed papers crinkled up, 

a picture of one of my stitcheries I copied,

and some torn tissue paper bits

along with scrapbook paper orts.

Then I searched and found this magazine picture 

of a woman looking out into the future.

I thought :

she is looking at the "unknown"

which lies ahead of her...

and, reflects my state of mind

these days.....

I left this to dry thoroughly

overnight...

Then....

I wet up some Payne's Grey and

Rose Madder--two of my

favorite colors...

and proceeded to just blob them

all over my collage --

except for her image.

The result is a subtle, slight change...

which I really love.

It integrates her into the background

a bit more I feel...

💟💜

I will let this dry overnight and

then proceed to add some 

"mark making"

over the surface...

What a fun and easy way to tip toe

into using watercolors...

👀Have a looksee

 at Katharine's 

"Cloth Tales" Youtube channel for

all sorts of lovely tutorials...

in both paper and fabric...👀

😊

*******************************

This morning we ran a lot of errands and

stopped into the Waterford "Shack" 

restaurant for a late breakfast

(brunch really).... 

I had the "Classic": 

2 eggs (over med), toast,

home fries, and bacon-- 

(I won't have to eat the rest of the day!!)

Yikes!! I haven't eaten like that

in ages--what a treat;)))

And Tom had his beloved Hash special

which included all my items plus hash...

Wholley-Molley!!

😉😋

**********************************

Now I feel I need a nap...

What a luxury to be able to nap

in the afternoon...or whenever!!

Hugs, Julierose,

La Blageuse

(waiting-for-drying-euse)

"DARK DAYS" FABRIC PULL, et al

 

Here is my first fabric pull for my 2025 

statement project:

"Dark Days"

Maybe the dark roses for

the upper section↧↧↧

and

this earthy one, 

 for the lower half...↥↥↥↥

I may be making some improv

shapes for the surrounds...

I no longer have any of the 

fabrics I used to make the

pomegranates..

And,

seeing that I am just going

to use what I have on hand

these are my first choices...

It will reflect my own feelings

going forward (?) into 

2025....

******************************

On a lighter note I am happy to

report that I was able to 

👏👀FINISH👌👀

the embroidery x-stitching

bordering my little redwork

yearly calendar piece

from my Kathy Schmitz kit!!

Such an adorable piece...

I do love her drawings...

SO HAPPY

😀😁😂😃😄

I switched out to my own darker 

red/maroon-ey thread after the

first 3 top blocks...

Which you can see if you click 

to enlarge...

↓↓↓

I ironed it this morning

And

will now be looking to see what I 

have in stash for borders and

backing.  

No batting as I stitched it

to Pellon 101 before

sewing...

*********************************

Tom is working on setting up our stereo 

speakers in the living room

while I am working on

one of my Christmas gifts:

It is a 

"DOOZEY"

😅😆😕😗

This is how far I've gotten

Two border pieces (top sky area) seem to

be "missing"--uhhh

or perhaps I haven't put it together

correctly.......  

(Ask me how I know this may be true)

[👿👺👹]

I will say, as a "puzzler" since

childhood, these pieces do not

go together and stay put easily...

They are not as thick as I prefer...

But....

I am still enjoying working out 

the different areas...

and have finally gotten all the

pieces right-side-up!! 

And sort of

arranged in areas where 

they may be used...????

We shall see....

Stay tuned....

Hugs, Julierose,

LA Blageuse

(puzzling-pieces-and-fabrics-euse)

IT'S THE BERRIES, et al

 

👹STRAWBERRIES UN-PICKING...👿

I began doing this hand quilting two days ago....

 B  U  T  .......

When I turned the pice

 over 

the whole backing was 

all bunched up!! 

This has never happened to me before...

👾

So this morning I began

taking out all the 3 rows 

I had done...

luckily I caught it early on...

I will be un-pinning next and re-ironing this piece and 

cutting out behind the appliqued pieces....

I think maybe that extra fabric

behind the appliques 

had something to do with it

And....

perhaps I wasn't careful enough 

with the pinning.?????

*******************************

Here is my interpretation of

#Hillside Heart Prompts for this

week--which are:

"Playful" 

and 

"Singing in the Rain"

{you can click to enlarge any pix}

It's an outdoor concert--

[see orchestra on the right]

and The tenor (L) 

brought his kitty 

with her umbrella 

to listen...

😂

Across the street 

these skaters are 

groovin'

to the music...

and don't mind 

skating in the rain...

😁💦

[that's my story and I am 

sticking with it haha]

These were difficult prompts

for me--it took me quite a 

while to even marshal

my thoughts into what I

would use from my

magazines...

I couldn't find any 
rainy day pix 

so I used my white 

gel pen to draw

 raindrops and puddles..

what fun!!!

****************************

My Junque Journal's next pages 

are set up:

I put in quite a few journaling cards

so that I can take a little page prep

break....

******************************

We are having a lovely, soft, and wet snowfall this

morning --

covering everything into

little mounds...

So pretty.....

************************************

Tom is making his 

spaghetti sauce today

so no cooking for me...

😉😋😍

I will just toss a little side

salad for us to go with....

Y  U  M

Hugs, Julierose,]

La Blageuse

(ribbit-ribbit-euse)

..

FIRST REAL SNOW OF THE SEASON, et al

 

Here's our view from the  tv room on the

East side of our house...

I love how my climbing rose looks with

its snow frosting;)))

Tom put up those solar "flaming" lights

on each post--at night they just glow

and really do look like flames!! 

[My "10 yr old self" just loves to

watch them hahahaha].

*************************

Two of my Christmas Cacti are just

beginning to set bloom:

This lovely white one...

and

I am not sure if this is the yellow one???

We shall see...

The other two are stubbornly just 

waiting......👿

******************************

After yesterday's post--

here are the 3 I have finally

chosen to work on...

Early this morning, before I ventured out

into our frigid weather (Brrr 6 windchill),

I found what I think can be the backings for the

Christmas Strawberries

16" wide tablerunner.  

The rest of the red berries print used on the front

and this lovely leftover Christmas landscape

I found at the bottom of my Christmas box...

I am going for Christmassy prints as

these Strawberries do look like 

Christmas in their reds and greens...

to me...

I hope to sew this backing together

and layer 

this up 

this afternoon...

***********************

On this cold cold day I am cooking

us a chicken dinner with

all the fixins'--

[I cheated by purchasing 

a pre-cooked bird just

big enough for the two

of us with enough left

over for sandwiches

tomorrow...]

:'))))))

Hugs, Julierose

La Blageuse

(hoping-to-just-be-"whelmed"-

per-you-,Naan,-euse)

;)))

WIPS OVERLOAD, et al

 

I pulled out all my little pieced tops

this morning--I have some 

32-- 

yes, 

THIRTY-TWO!!--

In various stages of finishing...

YIKES!!!

👀😢😕👀

and 

All these above,

on the ironing board, 

are at least sewn together..

not orphan blocks...

[I haven't even counted those or

corralled them even....]

I am so overwhelmed--

👹👽💀

but this is just 

STEP ONE..

and ↶↶↶↶

Not counting these two which I have

unpinned and set aside for now.

{Why not start a NEW

WIP pile, right???}

WHAT????

Really????

These are just pinned up ↨↨↨

Willy-Nilly as they are in

the same colorways...

******************************

I left the room shortly after

doing this bit....

I have sort of put them in 

these categories:

1. Finished except for backing 

and layering pile;

2. Just possible pairings tops

{separated all the greens

for instance}

3. Strip sets begun from 2.5" 

jelly rolls

And

that is as far as I have gotten...

 this was my cutting space↡↡↡↡↭↭↭↭

👺👹👿

 *****************************

Later.....

I did sew these

into one big,  long

strip for a table runner--

so that is one decision made 

;)))))

And, of course, another WIP is born....

S  I  G  H....

I had planned on sewing a lot of these starts

together in one big kahuna piece--

or two maybe--

but they really are just all so different!!

If I can steal our living room floor for 

a while, I may lay them all out 

and take a picture...

that may help?????

In the meantime, in between time,

I NEED a cuppa my 

Yorkshire Gold Tea 

to calm my spinning mind

down...

stay tuned.....

Hugs, Julierose

La Blageuse

(opening-a-new-can-of-worms-euse)

*** Added note: at 1 p.m.

I cannot work up any enthusiasm for

finishing any of these right now...

Most are hanging back up--but at

least in organized piles...

there was a reason why 

I stopped work on these....

;(((((

I need a snappy nap!!

;)))))

*****Note Two --Added

at 6:30 p,m,

after a great dinner

(sauteed shrimp and rice) and

a Manhattan--courtesy of Tom 

;)))))

I have gotten over the "shock and awe" hahaha

of seeing all those WIPS in a pile now...

AND

I have chosen 3 to work on right now:

L: Strawberries runner: choose backing;

Middle: Improv mess to puzzle out;

R Large Ojos runner: choose borders and backing...

I love working on runners and quilting them seems

so easy for me...so I thought two easy--

and one puzzler...

;)))))

SEED CATALOGUE PROMPTS--Week One

 

Remember this?

I cut down an old seed catalogue

into a tall traveler's size notebook for

the "#hillsideheartprompts"

hosted by 

"Caroline on the Hillside"

on youtube.  

She will be setting us

two prompts per week during

2025...

So, 52 pages....

of total fun and

joy in creating....

The first  prompts 

for this week

were:

"Sassy" 

and 

"Luminous"

Here is my 

finished page...

↧↧↧↧

I felt this girl (culled from

an Elle magazine) was

certainly "Sassy" looking in

that outfit...👀👀😂

{click}

I just 💖using 

magazine images 

in my journals...

so they are part 

gluebook and

part collage...

[She is gazing at the

luminous sky and the 

newly risen moon...

perhaps dreaming of her 

lost love,,,,,]

I used gesso to push back the images

a bit and make them seem more

luminous along with silver Stickles. 

The moon is cut from an old book

page surrounded by torn tea

bag paper...

and

a bit of outline with

my new black "glaze" pen 

smudged its rim...

The roses are on a netting which

matches the netting she is

wearing...

Thank you so much Caroline for hosting

these weekly prompts...

💓

hugs, Julierose

La Blageuse

(crafting-with-joy-euse)