Sunday, November 29, 2015

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Z O O

We've just returned from an afternoon at the Alexandria Zoo with one of the younger grands, Marley.  A couple of hours well spent enjoying the beautiful weather, well-behaved animals, and a lovely walk.  The zoo in our area is privately owned or, at least, run by the City of Alexandria.  It may not be huge in acreage, but it's big on animal varieties and habitats. This zoo has over 500 animals of which there are 160 species.  















All of the photos that I've shown thus far are from the many that I took today while we visited.  They do not appear anywhere else on the web because I simply have not had time to post them.  So if you see photos that look vaguely like these, I apologize, but rest assured that they aren't mine.  

African Safari Animals Quilt

The quilts, now, are on my "heart, quilts" board or I found them on Pinterest while looking for zoo quilts.  I hope you enjoy them and are inspired to make a zoo quilt of your own.

wholesale woodland animals | Shop | Category: Baby Blankets | Product: forest friends template pack

JillFischer1 by Luana Rubin, via Flickr  love it, love it, love it!

Zoo It Yourself Block of the Month


Stacks Image 1513  this is amazing. xxx

Original pattern, ZeBra quilt using tsukineko fabric inks By Sherrie Cahill 2013

Gen X Quilters - Quilt Inspiration | Quilting Tutorials & Patterns | Connect: Market Unwind

The Zoo quilt ("Wend's The Zoo pattern" at Material Obsession)
Great to give as a gift for your grand daughter or grand son.  Just sew the fabric around the panels and you have a wonderful gift to give and one that they will cherish.
Mom and Me: Baby Steps Pattern- Cute zoo animal quilt.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Pin It Weekly #129

Still thinking of Paris

Sacré Coeur et Place de la Bastille, Paris, France

Gorgeous street, Paris. (Startup jobs in Paris can be elusive - catch them quick before they're gone: https://jobbatical.com/explore/paris)

♔ Notre Dame, Paris, France

You can't go to Paris without seeing Versailles. Tips for planning a Paris Vacation.

*Red Poppy Quilts*: WIP Wednesday:

Want it, Need it, Quilt!: All things French:

Paris... I want to take this shot in colour, evening, light rain.

Landscape Quilt     "Paris"     Artist Jeanine Malaney

amy millsaps paris quilt 500px wide

Champs Elysees, Paris, France

Great way to name or date a quilt: embroidered postal cancellation

April in Paris - Paris Antique - Quilt Fabrics from www.eQuilter.com

#france #paris #eiffeltower

New Look.. Paris Inspired Bedroom #paris #love  Script Quilt Set - Gray

A beautifully designed staircase in Montmartre, Paris. Find gorgeous details and hidden wonders in the city of romance, here: http://bit.ly/15fwz3g.

'Paris Landmark Patchwork' from the 'Tres Jolie' collection by Timeless Treasures.   TTPRSMOP

Catacombs, Paris There are the bones of more bodies down here than people who currently live in Paris.

Paris Rendezvous - Eiffel Tower Rose - Quilt Fabrics from www.eQuilter.com

Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris, France. Such a beautiful sight to see! #CheatOnGreek #Contest

A Free Self-Guided Walking Tour Map for Paris, France |  Free tools and resources for trip planning & Free or cheap things to see and do in Paris | Intentional Travelers

A bad day in Paris is still better than a good day anywhere else. www.mediteranique.com/hotels-france/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Pin It Weekly #129

Ernest Hemmingway

I read an article recently in Smithsonian Magazine about the life of Ernest Hemingway.  The Smithsonian article is mostly about his love for Hadley Richardson and his marriages as told by one of his friends.  

Advice for Writers from Earnest Hemingway

I thought I'd look up a few of his novels and share a bit of his work with you.  Since he is known for his war writings, I've not considered his work something I'd especially enjoy.  I may have to rethink that.  He won The Nobel Prize in Literature 1954  and the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for The Old Man and the Sea and for his journalistic and contemporary writing.

The Old Man and the Sea: Finished

this will go down in history as the first hemingway book i've ever enjoyed. lady brett ashley would be no friend of mine.

A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway


Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, on their wedding day in 1921

Hemingway was married four times but, apparently, his love for Hadley lasted until his death. He and Hadley had a son and he had two additional sons with his second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer.  He was an adventurer and world-traveler, living in several countries during his lifetime.  As he grew older, Hemingway suffered mental and physical disabilities, committing suicide in 1961.

50) Men Without Women, Ernest Hemingway, 1927

"There is only now and if now is only two days, then two days is your life and everything in it will be in proportion."

True At First Light : A Fictional Memoir, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0684865726/ref=cm_sw_r_pi_awdm_aOmJtb1V4TVF0

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

A quilt or two? {part 2}

This morning I walked into the studio a bit late, and this was waiting on the design wall.  It's been a work in progress for a few days now, and I was sort of stuck with which way to go. 



Actually, I've been stuck for a few days.  Maybe a week.  Okay, maybe two weeks.  This photo was taken on Nov. 14, and I was making changes at that time.  So, maybe I've been stuck for a while.   




The problem, of course, was the confusion of colors and well, the mess.  The whole big mess.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Or what I thought I might accomplish.  At any rate, I figured out a couple of things.  My way of cleaning one of my messes is to divide and conquer.  So that's what I did.  

I took all the blocks down and separated them into two distinct sets: one of mostly pastel pieces and one of mostly geometric shapes. Both stacks had a few of everything.  But now at least there's a theme to each.  




After that, it got much easier.  And thank goodness, because before that, it was definitely not easy.  By this evening I'd completed the top, pulled together some fabrics for the backing, and loaded the whole thing on the long-arm.  And there's more good news! I have enough blocks for another top.  


Since I finished the top, I'm linking up with

Monday, November 23, 2015

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: T I M E

Yes, Time!  Because my time is so far off it's shocking that I haven't missed any appointments.  (It helps that I don't have many.)

Watch is also a noun which reminds me of time and old.:


My adventures in Wonderland began when I followed the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole.
Image result for time:



PRINT:  Clock Face "Time" Mixed Media Drawing on Distressed, Dictionary Page:

Swedish Mora Clock- white ... so pretty: antique hourglass ,.. Thinking of having pictures put in a hour glass for our unity sand set !! Pretty Awesome idea for our wedding!! .. now to find where i can this done at !! ??!:

Dishfunctional Designs: Collecting & Displaying Collections Of Clocks: Art Deco Manning Bowman wall clock:

Lot 14C: 18th/19th c. New England Hourglass~♥~:


And, oddly, a few clock quilts.  Mostly these are clocks with quilted background because, really, who can sleep with clock in the bed?  Isn't it enough to have the thing ticking away on the nightstand?
Free Quilt Pattern and Tutorial - Tick Tock Quilt:

Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com...Quilt clock... Free pattern and tutorial.:

Dresden clock:

north winds quilting: The Clock Quilt

Many DIY-Button-Clocks from Mason Bee:

Art Quilt - Clock Quilt with Traditional and Modern Fabrics by SeamsTooGood on Etsy:

Necktie Sunburst Clock also checkout http://www.thediyshow.com for more inspirations

I have to admit, though, that the idea of quilting fabric and then turning that into a clock is intriguing and artful.  I'd gladly hang any of them in the studio or the house.  What about you?  Can you envision a quilted clock in your studio space?