Quilts of Valor 2016 March

Good Morning!!!!
Are you ready for your quilty inspiration????

Well - lets just dig right in!

Above

(Left) Made by Marjorie quilted by Lois

(Middle) Made by Marjorie Quilted by Lois

(right) Made by Laurel - quilted by Lois

(Left) Made by Columbine Quilters quitled by John A

(Middle) Made by Howard K Quilted by Lois

(Right) Made by Howard K Quitled by Lois

(below)

a close up of the quilting on the the left quilt

above

(Left) Made by Hands all Around

(Middle and Right)  Columbine Quilt Guild

(Left) Judy V in Thorton

(Middle and Right)  Hands All Around

(Left) Marsha G in Paoli

(Middle)  Joan, Karen, Patty and Peggy  ( those log cabins are SO tiny!!!)

(Right)   Kay  ( that is the only thing on the label)

Hope you enjoyed todays' Quilts!!!

Entropy

One of the challenges this week was Entropy - not in the Physics definition, but in the random breakdown and decomposition of things.

There is a ranch by me, that had a really cool old silo that I wanted to photograph. So I asked for permission and started walking towards it.  Mind you, they warned me it had been abandoned for a while and they didn't know what was living in it.

BUT! I promptly learned when I went up to it.... birds - lots of birds... and yes - I showed my weak side - I did scream , when they came flying out.

Once in was cleared out though - It was ALL mine!!!

'

On this one I wanted to show the breakdown of the bricks, and the decay of the building, but I also wantd you to see the inside. When shooting into a dark space - you get a LOT of dark space. So I really had to adjust my camera settings - more so than I thought to get a little highlight on that back wall, and not wash out the front.    Others have no problem I am sure, but my brain hurt!

This is a whole silo shot - the whole thing is not breaking down, but I just thought it was so cool, and of course the clouds were playing along with me - gotta love it when that happens.

Enjoy your day!!!!

Moo Time Quilt ( Its a finish!!)

I got this adorable Layer cake from Sew Downtown ( our local shop in Greeley) and I just couldn't cut into it - so I used the whole 10 inch square and I am so glad I did.

You might have already seen this quilted - but it is back to tell you - IT IS BOUND!!! Oh yes it is!!!  Can you believe it - Bound before the end of the year!!!

And - Because I wasn't as organized as I normally am ( Ok - that's enough laughing from you all!)  I had to take the photo all by myself.  And this is the one time I didn't cuss the wind - it held that quilt up pretty nicely!   Yay wind .... and now since I am done with the wind - it can go away!

This was me being talented and holding with one hand, shooting with the other - you are impressed aren't you?

And just so you can see the texture of the quilting

Yesterday afternoon I was out on my shooting excursion for the week - Look what I found!!! This was on the top post of the entrance to a ranch!!   I couldn't help myself, I had to hop out and take a photograph of two!!!  

It says singer on it!

Here is the other side without so much sun glare

That is all - you may head back and quilt!!

Linked with:

Confessions

Crazy Mom

Quokka Quilts

Quilts of Valor 2016 March

Good morning!!

Let's check out some Awesome Quilts of Valor today - shall we?

The Columbine Quilt Guild QOV bee did a ton of Quilts!!!
These first three are from them

Below
(L) Palmer Divide Quilters  ( C) Kathy R - the ACQ past president!!  ( R) Columbine Quilters

Below
(L) Columbine   ( M)  Sharon KW quilted by Alycia  ( R) Fran F in Monument

All Three of these (below)  Are from Columbine Quilt Guild

 And the last one for Today - from Columbine Quilt Guild!

Enjoy - and get to Quilting!!!

Fork

Early on in my Blogging adventure I thought it would be really cool to have a recipe section, and share the yummy amazing food that we eat..... and then I realized

You actually have to cook more that 3 or 4 different items to share new recipes.....  It was a short lived thought!!

One of our Photo Challenges was Fork.  And oh my gosh - the images from the other photog's were great !  All I could think about was food with a fork - and it made me make a meal..... one that I am actually good at - and one that my boys eat often.... and in many ways ;-)

I present to you:     FORK

This was an editing lesson in Photoshop and it was fun!  That was a really round plate, and I was able to play with it just enough to make it more oval - and not loose the shape of the chips.

This is Chicken Salsa  ( or that;s what I call it)
I think my mom made this too - but this blog is not about her, so I am taking all of the credit - and it is the One recipe that I can not mess up, burn, or overcook....

Ready?

use a 6qt Crockpot ( that's what mine says it is - and full disclosure , My Mom gave it to me and said it was the best - and you all do NOT argue with Mom!)

Place 4-6 skinless Chicken thighs ( i use them frozen)
1-2 cans of black beans -drained and rinsed
1 pkg ( usually 16 oz) of Petite White Corn
1 can of Rotel

Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Open it up and shred the chicken.

The first night we make tacos out of it, the second taco salad, and the third - well - with my crew - there has never been a 3rd night....

there you go - a real recipe from Quiltygirl.... and maybe others - but I can cook it ;-)

Monday Monday..... after Sunday

We sewed, we stitched, we bound, we labeled... all on Sunday.... and Wow!!!  The team of quilters that works on Quilts of Valor - they are totally awesome!!   And then - we had a second 4H group join us for a while - young kids - so excited and full of energy, and oh gosh.... I wish I could tap into their energy this morning!!

I'm drinking my fruit shake and I added a peach to it - so maybe that will pop up my energy level??? Goodness -  it was a great day!!  and I don't have a single photograph to prove to you we existed - I was THAT busy!!!   So much fun!



This is a True Shot of my design wall - I didn't even try to make it pretty for you......

I have a lot of the strips up now - these have been the leader/ender project for me, and wow - all of a sudden there is a LOT done -

The bottom Left corner is the March Scrappy Blocks ( This post  )   I have enough cut that I think I will make a whole quilt - or a quilt until I run out of the fabric, with it!

and  My Allietare - ALL the rows are not into rows .... AND!!   Sit down.... are you ready?

Half of the rows are Stitched TOGETHER!!! There is a Light at the end of the tunnel!!!! Yay Me!!

Another photo for you - In my photo challenges - the hardest part is choosing just one image, especially when you shoot 400 to figure out what you are doing ( Thank Goodness for Digital Cameras, I couldn't afford my film addiction!)   

You all will by my lucky friends - I will show you all my "Other" Images - until you are sick of me and cry "Mercy"   or send my chocolate begging me to stop!!!


Ha ha!

Linking up with:

Cooking Up Quilts
Pathcworktimes
Love Laugh Quilt
Em's Scrapbag

Depth of Field Blur

This weeks challenge was a Depth of Field Blur - BUT!  The real challenge was to get Blur in front of, as well as behind your selected image.   That front part was a bit of a challenge for me... But here is my Submitted Image:

This is the Scrolling on our bench on the deck. So nice - didn't have to go to far.... But I did - I have a LOT of rejects  Ha ha!!!  

I tried to accomplish this with my Puppy too. He did NOT like being behind the fence. He reminded me that the ONLY time he should be in that fenced area is when I am working with the Big ( dumb - his words , not mine) Animals that can't see him and could possibly smush him.

So we took his photo, and he climbed back up on my lap - all is good in his world now.

My self critique of this one - I couldn't get the fence to the left to blur out. Didn't matter how close or far away I got - well - I couldn't get too far away or Puppy left me.  So now I have something to work on....

March 2016 Scrappy Block

So for March - hopefully you can clear out that 2 1/2 inch strip drawer and start in on some 1 1/2 inch strips.    I don't know about you - but every-time I think I am ready to see the bottom - more strips appear!!!


I use this block as part of a scrappy rail fence.  In this example I did them in the same layout - but!  If you go to the bottom of the page - you can see where one is Very scrappy - and not in any order - very randon

This block will measure 8 1/2 inched by 8 1/2 inches

So for this block you need:
(3)   2 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch pieces
(2)   1 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch pieces

Unless you are doing a random placement - lay them out like above.

and the stitch the rows together.

Because you will be laying them out like a rail fence - it really doesn't matter which way you press.

If you have longer strips  you can create strip sets like below, and then just cut them into 8 1/2 inch blocks

A sample Layout:

Here is the more random one

None of the blocks were exactly the same and I mixed up the placement of the strips - 

For each block though - you will notice there are (2) 1 1/2 inch white and (3) 2 1/2 inch wide pieced

I created a PDF file as well - you can find it here:

http://www.craftsy.com/user/949071/pattern-store

Enjoy!!!

OMG (One Monthly Goal) and little progress

Today was going to be my big finish - the big reveal..... and then......  I ran out of Month!!!

My One Monthly Goal for January and February was to finish this quilt

And here is where I am:

Those are rows..... Stitched together...... I have at least 1/2 of the rows put together!!  And two of those rows are even stitched together!!!

So this rolls over to March - This time..... I'll get there right????

In the meantime - Look at what I get to see......

PS - I did not edit this photo.  If I could have figured it out I would have like to make that little ice reflection at the bottom right stand out more ....

Come back tomorrow - the March Scrappy Block will be posted!!


Linked to:
http://redletterquilts.blogspot.com/2016/02/omg-its-finished-party-february-2016.html

2016 Quilts of Valor Feb 24

I host a Sew Day once a month, and you all - at our January Sew Day - SO many quilts ( FINISHED ONES!!) were delivered - that it took me a long time to take all their photos - so most of these - came to me at the end of January.

All those people who say quilters are too busy in December - they have NO idea what these quilters can accomplish!!


Here we go
(L) pieced by Ethel Quilted by Kathy and Sue, ( M) Pieced by Jean Quilted by Kathy and Sue ( R) Pieced by Deb Quitled by Kathy and Sue

(L) Quilted by Bea, quilted by Kathy and Sue  ( M) Pieced by Nancy E and the Peace by piece Quilters quilted by Kathy and Sue  (R) Greeley Group Quitled by Kathy and Sue

(L) Pieced Connie and Kathy, Quilted by Kathy and Sue   (R) Pieced by Kathy F in Texas Quitled by Kathy and Sue

Pieced by Elenna in Eastern CO , Quilted by Kathy and Sue

(L) Pieced by Unknown Quilted by Kathy and Sue (R) Back of Harriets

Front of Harriet's Quilt - Quilted by Kathy and Sue

Enjoy!!!!