Color Inspiration: Blood Oranges

Color inspiration truly is everywhere and if you are ever in need of a quick fix, just visit your local produce supplier.


Blood Oranges. Are they not gorgeous?! I have been enjoying this delectable fruit for the last few years, and am always delighted when they become available. The deep reddish, purple coloring comes from the presence of anthocyanins, which are a type of plant pigments found in many different flowers and fruits, but generally not found in most citrus fruits.... which makes these babies extra special.


For this quilt, I used colors found in the blood oranges and for some pop and zing added some contrasting greens and blues.



I continue to be enamored by the Moda Grunge fabrics, (by Basic Gray). Love that they work as solids but have that layer of added interest, which reminds me of worn and exposed paint. (You may remember I first started using the Grunge fabrics when making this quilt in shades of off-white and brown.)


This colorful little quilt is now available in my shop here. (Now SOLD)
Hope you all have a joyful and colorful week! xo

Hello!

Wow. I did not mean to be gone from the blog for so long! It seems that I wound up taking an unexpectedly long break from sewing and haven't had anything to show. Part life, part winter, part creative burn-out.


But happily this week, the sun has been shining, my enthusiasm once again lifting, and my creative juices are slooowly starting to flow.


I managed to make two quilts. The first one is this little mini quilt. (Yes, the trip to Rincon has sparked a renewed interest in bringing some color back to my work!) I am planning on doing a small series of these little quilts... all with the intent to get back to the basics by exploring color interaction, line, and the division of space.

And previous to the quilt above, I also made this wall hanging which was inspired by the split rail fences that are frequently found in my area, as well as something I saw ...


Last week while walking down a country road near my home, I stopped to watch two horses playing and frolicking in a small, fence enclosed pasture, situated between two farm houses. On the opposite side of the road was another pasture, but this time large and expansive, and filled with rows and rows of split rail fencing, creating many enclosed areas for more horses...


The thing was, all of the fenced in areas were empty, except for one at the very farthest corner, where one lone horse stood, head hung over the fence railing, staring across the fields. He watched with a longing look at the two horses on the other side of me having a grand, old time.


I imagined how that horse wished that all the fences were broken, so that he could gallop with wild abandon over the pastures and across the road, joining in on the horse play.


And so with that horse in mind I choose to quilt this piece with stippling, (instead of the straight stitching I had originally intended). As I quilted I imaged he, (and maybe myself?) was having a grand old time knocking down fences and running free with wild abandon!

So here's to Springtime, renewed creative energy, and all good things coming alive again!

Summertime in the Middle Of Winter

I spent all of last week enjoying summer in the middle of winter, while vacationing in Rincon, Puerto Rico. This trip was a big deal for us. First off after living our whole married life, (now approaching 26 years) on a rather tight budget, this was our first big trip that we have treated ourselves and our girls to. It was also the first time we have vacationed with my husband's side of the family, and that was really nice. But most importantly this was a journey for my husband's soul. He lived in Puerto Rico as a boy, from the age of 10 to 13, while his father worked as an elementary school principle and an instructor at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico in San German, and has deeply wished to go back ever since. (This photo shows the view of our yard and the ocean directly behind it. Yup, it was gorgeous.)


This is the house we rented. Looks pretty good here, but in truth it had seen better days. Case in point my nephew actually fell through one of the upper outside steps, seen on the right hand side. The support was rotted and gave out, making the step drop right out from under him. Thankfully the angels were with him and his one leg caught on another step, causing him to dangle upside down in a case of momentary shock, but preventing him from falling. But as far as location went, this place rocked!


The varaity of sea shells was mind boggling. This is but a small sampling of what I found. I am baffled by how they even survive the waves, which could be really rough at times...


Our shins, (as we often didn't go higher then that when it was really rough) often got slammed with broken hunks of palm trees and coconuts.


Every morning the terrain of the beach seemed to be different depending on how the waves were the night before. Sometimes there were drop offs of several feet, while other times much smoother expanses of sand.


I never felt like I was strolling the beach though... more like hiking. At night my ankles swelled from walking on an angle and fighting the under current of the waves that most of the time there was no escaping from, as they came the whole way up.


And sea glass!!! The beach we stayed on is listed as one of the top 10 places in the world to find sea glass, which THRILLED me!! Between the glass and the shells, I sent home a box via USPS that weighed 6 1/2 pounds!


Lots of pretty painted houses in Puerto Rico,


With great color combinations,


But also lots of abanoned and run down homes, which seemed to co-exist side by side with nicer homes. I never saw a "nice section" and a "bad section". Everywhere I went seemed to be a complete hodgepodge of the two.


There were also a lot of homeless dogs such as this dear pup, simply everywhere. All of them had such mellow temperments, truly sweet souls. Very heart breaking. My husband and I met a man from the states one day as we walked along the beach. He had two wonderful dogs with him, and he told us that every year he and his wife come to Rincon and rescue several dogs. They have them spayed and nutered, and help them become social and able to live in a home. Then they bring them back to the states and find good homes for them. Talk about sweet souls.


The best thing about this trip, (besides getting to see my husband's wish to return fulfilled) was living a natural slower pace, (that is with the exception of driving, which was a balls to the wall free for all where no rules of the road seemed to exist and your life constantly flashed before your eyes.) And being unplugged. (Oh, that was bliss. I did not miss being connected in the least. To go a whole week without a barrage of information, as well as feeling like I had to contribute to that barrage was incredibly de-stressing.) We got up with the sun, drank our tea and ate our breakfast underneath it as it made its way across the sky, while we watched the surfers catch a wave. We hiked the beach. Ate some more. Enjoyed the day. And after the sun went down we walked to the local bar, sat outside and drank a beer before retiring for the night. Simple, and worth trying to remember.

Random Stitching

I know I have been pretty quiet here...


been feeling that way all around.


I think winter does that to me.


I have also been a bit preoccupied with planning for some upcoming travel, (fun!)


as well as for some upcoming surgery, (not fun.)


To keep my sense of calm,


(Often easier said then done in regards to myself)


I have just been allowing myself the joy of random stitching.


I am usually so focused on making things, (and very results oriented) that I am finding this to be a very soothing place... the act of simply stitching for the sake of wanting to stitch.


Hope each one of you is finding happiness in whatever you are doing! xo

Life is Full of Lovely Surprises!

Directly after publishing my last post titled, When Door # 1 Does Not Deliver What You Expected, (which I posted just a few hours ago) I received a lovely surprise from the post office... proving that yes, sometimes door #1 does not deliver what you want but that sometimes door #2 delivers exactly what you want...


For there at my front door was a box with my name on it. A surprise care package sent by my sweet friend Michelle Engel Bencsko, filled with a selection of her beautiful Cloud 9 Fabrics!


I am going to assume that you are all familiar with the talented Michelle and Cloud 9 Fabrics, which Michelle co-created and runs with her partner Gina Pantastico. However, if you are not then let me tell you that Cloud 9 Fabrics are truly lovely and very special.


Offering an ever growing selection of various collections designed by Michelle, such as Across the Pond and Maman, (the latter of which Michelle used the delightful illustrations of her beloved grandmother Anne-Marie Murphy) as well as collections created by other wonderfully talented artists such as Miscellany, designed by Julia Rothman; Cut Out & Keep, designed by Heather Moore and the new and soon to be released collections Alegria, designed by Geninne D. Zlatkis and the Monsterz, created by Michéle Brummer Everett, Cloud 9 Fabrics manages to hit it out of the ball park every time.


Cloud 9 Fabrics is dedicated to doing it right. Not only are all the designs terrific and very original, (along with all of the colors being spot on) but all of the base fabric is 100% certified organic cotton and the dyes used for printing and dying are eco-responsible low impact dyes. The combined results is that while these fabrics are modern, they also have a vintage look, feel and sensibility to them, which I adore. Quality, quality, quality. And let me tell you, these fabrics are soft. They feel as good as they look, and they look damn good.

Thank you, Michelle! Your care package has lifted me right out of the doldrums. Perfect medicine and just what I needed! xo