Saturday, February 28, 2015

One Maid a'Milking

I don't often post about our little farm life because there's really not much change over the course of weeks.  Sure, baby animals are cute and they tend to start coming about this time of year, but we don't have very many animals.



But today, things were just a little different.  This red mamma goat lost her kid a couple of days ago.  With no baby to empty her bag, she was miserable, so we decided to help her.  Richard held her and Jolie milked her.  We have another baby goat whose mamma is not able to provide enough milk, so we're hoping that we can convince her to nurse on both females.







While we were outdoors, I thought I'd take a few pictures and update you on the state of affairs at the Marcotte farm.  This video shows Jolie milking the goat for the first time.  In fact, it's her first time milking anything.  She was a bit timid at first, but as you can see, she got over that fairly quickly.



Meet Chanticleer.  I'm really the only one who calls him that, but he surely meets the description.  Yes, his tail feathers drag on the ground.  The brown feathers over his wings don't reach the ground, but it's pretty close.



The baby goat that Jolie tried to convince to nurse on the brown mamma.



This lamb is Kevin.  I have no idea why she has that name.  I'd have called her Coon because of the black rings around her eyes, but apparently I don't get to name the new babies.



Since all the animals (except the mean ones) are free to roam the pasture, it's difficult to get a picture of just one at a time.  Here is a video showing Jolie catching the baby goat and trying to get it to nurse.



I don't know the miniature horse's name.  We have two and this is the female that joined our menagerie just a few weeks ago.





One of the hens decided that a feed sack would make a good nest. She hasn't begun setting yet, and I don't know whether she will, but since we don't know how old the eggs are, we're leaving them for her to decide what she will do.



And that's our farm at this point in time.  Who knows what will change in the next day or week or month.  Richard sort of does his thing and I just check in from time to time, so I never really know what's happening.  I drop in to see the new babies playing, or sometimes to pick eggs, maybe just to walk around and chat with Rich.  For the most part I find out about things when Rich tells 
me--just the setup for me!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Pin It Weekly #103

I enjoy using improvisation when I'm quilting because it allows me to play with fabric and to deviate from following plans and patterns.  It's a great way to quilt without concerns and worries.  

We've got an IMPROV show TONIGHT!! better read these! lol Improv Tips - click for more detail on each tip.

That said, I thought it would be a good idea to let you peek into my thought processes and into the ideas of improvisation.   The "rules" of using improvisation in theater work quite well for quilting, also.  #8 is questionable--until you think about looking the quilt in the eye.  Really look at the quilt. Really.

Originally a classroom poster but a great quote for improvisers.  Remember: Mistakes are Gifts
You're allowed to make a mistake.  In fact, there are no mistakes.

A Few Scraps: Ah, Improv! Improvising Tradition review

Improvisation #bird #animal

And make do with what you have.  There's no need to struggle with whatever is missing or whatever doesn't match or whatever anything.  Just enjoy the available resources and go with whatever! 

High School Team Building Games

Spectacled Flying Foxes, Pteropus conspicillatus, Australia.


"Improvisations" Cindy Grisdela

Cindy Grisdela - Green Totem

cute birds

.make something small.  LOVE this!!


wonky geese

Motif #3 by Allegra Brelsford

Amanda Hohnstreiter | The Modern Quilt Guild

Most importantly, enjoy yourself.  There's no right or wrong way to piece a quilt or to quilt it.  Just make it work for you.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Elephant Family

I finished my Louisiana Traveling Quilt today and still had a bit of daylight, so to speak.  I'd been wanting to make a pillow using this pattern that I found on Pinterest and followed.  Sew Fresh Quilts is having a quilt along using Lorna's pattern here.  Her pattern is quite easy to follow, but you know me, I had to do my own thing, so I made a few changes.  



I wasn't interested in making a quilt because I have too many other projects going, but I really liked the idea of a pillow.  The color came about based on the scraps that were still sitting on my worktable.  


Those are the fabric scraps that I won on Silly Mama Quilts blog.  I've had them for a few weeks but didn't want to put them in the big scrap bin for fear they would get lost, so they've been waiting patiently for me to get to them, and this seemed to be the perfect project.  The little pieces in the pattern worked perfectly for using the scraps.



In Brooke's picture (above) I see one of the ears and, I think, the flower garden fabric.  I also used fabric from this bag for the little elephant and some of the background on the pillow.  


I really like this pillow.  I am excited for the grand-kids to come. They will want to play and take naps on it.  If that works, I may make a few with other animals.  




It's 18 X 18 inches so it's plenty big enough for napping.  Because I didn't have a pillow form that large, I just stuffed it and stitched it closed.  I may consider making a pillow form then adding a zipper in the bottom but perhaps not.  We'll see how it goes. 


 

Monday, February 23, 2015

Monday Modern--Louisiana Traveling Quilt Update


My Louisiana Traveling Quilt Bee quilt arrived last week, and it is STUNNING!  I absolutely love it.







It's perfect.  These colors grew out of someone else's idea because I started with gray and grey.  This block on the right is my original idea.  I did add some white and beige, which gave everyone else lots of room to wiggle into a color they liked more.




Obviously, yellow and teal are the perfect compliments.   





Toss in a little lime green for fun and we have a beautiful quilt. 


I loaded it on the long-arm and began quilting last weekend.  





Tonight it's completely quilted and is now waiting for the binding. I'll audition some fabrics tomorrow and, if all goes well, this one will be finished and photographed by tomorrow night.  However, the weather does not look as though it's going to cooperate.  





No matter about the weather, I am loving this quilt more and more! 

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: S N O W

These beautiful snowflakes are made from simple strips of copier paper.  The blog has great photos for making them!  We will be trying this soon!I know it's wishful thinking, but there's a small chance of ice and snow waaay down here in the deep south.  That would, of course, mean no school because we have no way to get children to school on such days.  Buses are much too dangerous, especially on bridges since our drivers are not trained nor are our buses equipped.  Most of them do not even have heaters.  


With this on my mind, I thought it would be fun to have some ice and snow somewhere, so why not in a post?  

wondererNow don't fall for the pictures.  What we call a snow day is really just a dusting of the white stuff.  Sometimes it melts as soon as it touches the ground.  If the temperatures get into the high 20's it will stay for a while, but even that is only a half day.  More often we have what we call an ice storm.  That's really just rain or sleet that freezes.  If the sun comes out, everything melts even if the temps are low.  The worst ice storm that I remember lasted about four or five days.  I can't imagine ice or snow for longer than a week.  

Dollar store snowflake ornaments against vintage paper. So pretty for January when the rest of the Christmas decorations come down.I did spend a week in Canada once and there was snow hip deep.  It was during our Easter break; several teachers took some of the French students to Quebec where our French teacher originated. 

The teens had never seen snow, so I took them to a park on the first night and let them play and run around while the other adults showered.  We had great fun trying to walk in the snow--and losing then finding our shoes. After these two memories, I'm tapped for extended ice and snow.


A cute, paper project to hang on a door or china cabinet. Tutorial. This is such a beautiful blog; check it out for more DIY projects!

Reminds me of my grandparent's when i was a child  Bridge to tranquility • photo: Richard Nowitz on Allposters

3-D Paper Snowflakes @A Path of Paper: I totally lifted my Snowflake Ornament from Becca Feeken and you can find her Tutorial HERE. I didn't use a ribbon spool like she did, I just used 2 circles from CS with the ribbon in between, I have a photo below to show that.  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/fleurdelisornament/

NO SEW Snowflake Button Pillow... very detailed instructions.

I love the few days a year when I wake up to a winter wonderland like this!

♕ beautiful photos of real snowflakes captured using macro lens by Russian photographer Andrey Osokin

just beautiful  would love to be sitting on that bench

Beautiful photos of real snowflakes captured using macro lens by Russian photographer Andrey Osokin.

.

If we get snow and ice at all, it will be interesting, but it won't last long and chances are that we will have only a day off from school. But I'll take that, and I have no doubt that the kids will also.  If we do, I'm going to enjoy the day in my studio.  Hopefully, we'll have electricity and I'll get to sew!

Quilted Pot Holder Pattern Christmas | Log cabin quilt pattern. - Crafts - Free Craft Patterns - Craft

Challenge quilt for our Tour Michigan quilt show coming up.

art quilt by Nicole Dunn.   I love black and white photos. This quilt is gorgeous.

"The Ravens of Angels Crest" by  Thom Atkins - Saw this today and it is stunning!

Woolie Mammoth...I just love this with the snow scenes, snowmen, holly leaves, vine, stars, adorable trees, and wintery "sayings".

Homemade Triangle Baby Quilt / Toddler Quilt by MelissaHevey, $180.00

Jeanine Malaney  'winter quiet'( i would add white glitter to the snow and a few small colored swarofski cyrstals and blue and purple and green-glitter on the water

Home Before Dark by Linda Beach - 51 x 39 inches  Machine pieced, free-motion machine quilted

Quilt by my friend Pat...first applique project!

Winter Snow Quilted Small Landscape Quilt by SoftXpressionsquilts, $60.00

AND SEW IT GOES: Small work  Like this pic - would make the snow and sky patchwork

Pink Snow by Vivian Kapusta

No doubt the quilter who stitched this fascinating pattern had a sunny seat by the window where she could watch all the neighborhood children playing in the snow. Notice how the Snowball theme is carried into the scalloped border, a clever finishing touch! Finished Quilt Size: 79" x 92". Block Size: 6 1/2" x 6 1/2".  Skill Level: Intermediate

!Insights From SewCalGal: Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative - Auction & Tutorial to make an Art Quilt

Would you call this a 4-patch variation or a 9-patch variation?



Midwinter Visitor by Chris Staver, Learn with Ellen, Adventure Quilter; See Craftsy class with Wendy Butler Berns

landscape quilts - look at this - amazing and inspiring.  http://quilting.about.com/od/picturesofquilts/ig/Art-Quilts-Gallery/Breast-Cancer-Support-Quilt.htm#

Asymmetrical Diamond Quilt