The other day, I had to run to town for something or other. As I was driving the same dull road I drive every time I go to town, I noticed a car next to mine. It wasn't the car I noticed as much as the passenger in the car, a black dog with hair so long it covered his eyes. The window was down and the dog's paws were on the door and his face into the wind, long hair flying, and an expression of pure joy on his face. It was probably the same road that the dog had been on many times before also, but for him, the thrill of the ride hadn't diminished over time.
It made me smile to watch the dog enjoying his ride, and reminded me that it doesn't take much effort to enjoy the simple things. I get so busy getting my work done that I forget to stop and enjoy what I have right now. Who knew you could learn something from a dog?
Ok, enough deep thinking for one day. On with the design wall, or floor in this case.
I'm still plugging away at the Summer Crossroads quilt, but since it doesn't look much different than it did last time, I'm not going to show it. I've made a few string blocks, mostly in brown since that is the color of the month chosen by soscrappy for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Last month was blue, and it put me on such a roll that I not only made my blue blocks, but I cut up all the remaining blue in my box for either future string blocks, EPP, or half square triangles. I'm happy to say that I no longer have a blue scrap box taking up room on a shelf!
I hope I can say the same thing about the brown scraps next month, but my momentum definitely slowed over a hill this month, so we'll see. When I put these brown blocks down to photograph, I noticed that I cut one wrong, so I really only have two finished.
I also wanted to show progress on my English Paper Pieced stars. I had one block completed before Saturday, but this is what I completed during the three hour Storm Spotter class Saturday afternoon. Doesn't seem like much when they are laid out does it? During the morning class, I worked on hexagons.
In my excitement over eliminating a scrap box, I almost forgot my stash report. Or maybe I almost forgot because there's not much there. Except for one strip of white muslin, I haven't used any fabric from my stash this week. Everything else has been from fabric already cut.
That's it for me. I hope you check out the links below and see what wonderful creations other quilters have come up with this week.
Blessings,
Marti
Linking to:
Monday Making 16 at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Board Monday at Bits and Bobs
Main Crush Monday 18 at Cooking Up Quilts
Moving it Forward 8 at Em's Scrapbag
Oh Scrap! 20 at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
It made me smile to watch the dog enjoying his ride, and reminded me that it doesn't take much effort to enjoy the simple things. I get so busy getting my work done that I forget to stop and enjoy what I have right now. Who knew you could learn something from a dog?
Ok, enough deep thinking for one day. On with the design wall, or floor in this case.
I'm still plugging away at the Summer Crossroads quilt, but since it doesn't look much different than it did last time, I'm not going to show it. I've made a few string blocks, mostly in brown since that is the color of the month chosen by soscrappy for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Last month was blue, and it put me on such a roll that I not only made my blue blocks, but I cut up all the remaining blue in my box for either future string blocks, EPP, or half square triangles. I'm happy to say that I no longer have a blue scrap box taking up room on a shelf!
I hope I can say the same thing about the brown scraps next month, but my momentum definitely slowed over a hill this month, so we'll see. When I put these brown blocks down to photograph, I noticed that I cut one wrong, so I really only have two finished.
I also wanted to show progress on my English Paper Pieced stars. I had one block completed before Saturday, but this is what I completed during the three hour Storm Spotter class Saturday afternoon. Doesn't seem like much when they are laid out does it? During the morning class, I worked on hexagons.
In my excitement over eliminating a scrap box, I almost forgot my stash report. Or maybe I almost forgot because there's not much there. Except for one strip of white muslin, I haven't used any fabric from my stash this week. Everything else has been from fabric already cut.
That's it for me. I hope you check out the links below and see what wonderful creations other quilters have come up with this week.
Blessings,
Marti
Linking to:
Monday Making 16 at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Board Monday at Bits and Bobs
Main Crush Monday 18 at Cooking Up Quilts
Moving it Forward 8 at Em's Scrapbag
Oh Scrap! 20 at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
I love your string blocks. And those stars! Too cute! Good luck with brown.
ReplyDeleteI love them all. Perhaps the stars the best.
ReplyDeleteYou are so talented.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Your string blocks look great! I want to make some sometime.
ReplyDeleteI love your stars. I have some hexagon stars as well but they've been on the back burner for many many months.
ReplyDeleteEliminated a scrap box?!? I didn't know that was possible! Love the string blocks. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteI love the colors. I could see that matching a wide variety of decors.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on using your scraps and even reaching the bottom of one bin!
ReplyDeleteDogs do look like they are having such a great time when they've got their head out the window. Love your hexie project and your string blocks. Hope you get to stitch as much this week.
ReplyDeleteI do learn so much from my dogs who live in the moment. Can't see what is wrong with any of your strings. Love the EPP stars.
ReplyDeleteThe stars and string blocks look wonderful Marti. Way to go on utilizing scraps!
ReplyDeleteI like your thoughts on enjoying the moment. Our dogs (Ahem! cats. Sorry Buddy) are really good at doing this.
That is what I love best about my dogs! Especially my male dog, Otto, who is an absolute fanatic when it comes to chasing tennis balls. I see that joy in his eyes that you are talking about every time he sits there with his tail twitching, anticipating the release of the ball from my hand, and then he leaps off the deck to chase the ball and I think, Wow, that's what it looks like to seize every possible joy out of every moment in the day.
ReplyDeleteI think your EPP stars look EXCITING!! I've read about that technique, but haven't tried it yet (only because I have SO many other projects in various stages of simmering, stagnating, and fading into oblivion. Notice I didn't say that any of my projects was nearing any kind of finish line... I've lost enthusiasm for my needleturned applique project and it would be nice to come up with another hand sewing project to replace it. I do like having something portable.
I would have loved to have seen that adorable dog, what an image!!! Animals are amazing for sure!!!
ReplyDeleteYour star blocks are amazing and that is going to be a gorgeous quilt someday!! Good job on all the stash busting, I am only adding to mine!!
hello Marti....love the string blocks and the EPP work is gorgeous too...It seems to me you got alot done...EPP is quite time consuming. I loved your bit about the dog...dogs have so much to teach us about living life to the full!
ReplyDeleteYour description of the dog made me smile - my Amos used to love to ride with me. Love your string blocks! Thanks for sharing on MCM. :)
ReplyDeleteFun to think of the dog. Lessons to learn.
ReplyDeleteYour brown strips especially caught my eye - very nice.
: )