May 2009 Desktop Calendar

Click to expand image to full size, right-click and choose Set as Wallpaper or Background. To really jazz up your desktop, right-click on your background and choose a color that coordinates with the calendar - you'll love it! And you can make all your quilting friends jealous!

Piecing at the Improv

In the words of Britney the Brainless Bimbo, Oops I did it again...

Remember that box I live and quilt in? I tried sneaking out of it again. I took an improv workshop through our guild and the supply list said to bring asstd fat quarters and scraps of any old fabrics...lights, mediums and darks. That was it. No patterns, templates, rulers. Now for some, that's liberating. For me, well, you might as well have told me to go to church without underwear. Are you kidding?!

But I was willing to do it, if it meant growing...stretching.
I pulled a stack of fat quarters out of my stash. I bought them 2 years ago during Sample Spree at Quilt Market (Houston), and, since just buying them was cracking open the window of my box, I felt they'd be the perfect grouping for this workshop. They're from the Katmandu Collection, designed by Mark Lipinski. Aren't they gorgeous?!
Oh! That reminds me! The day after I bought the collection, I saw the perfect buttons to go on a Katmandu quilt, and though they cost an arm and a leg, I bought a bunch, and filed them away when I got home. It wasn't til just now that I remembered them and dumped them out for the camera - and that's when the Obvious Train hit me: they don't go at all with the Katmandu fabrics! They're blue and pink for crying out loud! What was I thinking?!
That could be one of my basic problems...

Back to the workshop.
Turns out that everyone else got the memo that said "Bring lots of variety, don't match, just grab it all." Not having received that memo, mine, of course, all matched. Precisely. I traded for some variety and the teacher took pity on me and gave me some of hers. And my 17 year old MJ further rescued me by driving over with my bin of black and white fabrics. He's a good son.

But finally, my project went from thisto this
I still have to trim and quilt it, and maybe throw on some buttons (no, not those), and get it finished by guild next Tuesday.

All in all, it wasn't a horrible experience, and my 15 year old Gillian says she actually would like to have it. I don't know where she came from...

Button It!

Ever since I found my grandmother Stella's button box, I've collected buttons. After I've totally worn out a shirt or whatever, I take off the buttons before throwing it away. I heard that Cary Grant used to do that, too, so I don't feel so weird...or cheap.
Notice in the photo above, that the little jars even have a button lids. I knew I had to have them the second I saw them!


These are some of the buttons that started it all.


Those giant buttons are about 1.25" across. I probably won't ever use them...


And these remind me of Necco Wafers!


Some of my novelty buttons. I won't use these either, cuz they're too cute!


And look what I found when I dumped out my big button jar! That damn Little Foot I've been missing for over a freakin' year!
Now I have to apologize to the kids, my husband and even the stupid dog.

April 2009 Desktop Calendar

Click image to expand to full size, right-click and choose Set as Wallpaper or Background. To really jazz up your desktop, right-click on your background and choose a color that coordinates with the calendar - you'll love it!