Wordless Wednesday

- rebecca lynne

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Miss E's Rainbow Quilt

My oldest daughter, Miss E, is always fascinated when I am making something.  She inevitably asks whether the result is going to be hers and all too often that answer is "no, not this time..."  When I told her that I decided to make her a quilt she was so thrilled one would think that I had never made her a quilt before!  Apparently, in her mind baby quilts don't count.  When I consulted with her on color she insisted that her favorite color is Rainbow --- I guess in the world of a 4 year old Rainbow qualifies as a color all on its own...

Luckily for Miss E I had recently read and loved Emily Cier's Scrap Republic and had in my stash a set of 5" color wheel charms from a color wheel charm swap.  The result was a beautiful color wheel rectangle which definitely holds its own amongst a stark white background.

Unfortunately, with three children and a full time job, it took me quite a bit of time to complete the quilt.   I kept being asked "Today Mommy?  Will it be done TODAY??" However, given the fact that Miss E sleeps with it each and every night since the day it was finished I think she has forgiven me for the long wait.

Miss E's Rainbow Quilt was pieced and quilted all on my Bernina Activa 130.  The quilting was simple using Aurifil cotton threading in straight lines with the center block of color being quilted in blue thread.

I made a special label for Miss E so that she would always remember why this quilt was made and what was going on in her life at the time...

Whenever I share this quilt with anyone they can't help but smile - after all there is a child in everyone of us that still enjoys the beauty of a rainbow.  This quilt was so simple that I admit I would never have made it had it not been for my little girl insisting on getting exactly what she wanted!

I am entering Miss E's Rainbow Quilt in the ROYGBIV category of the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  She is going to get a kick out of this post when I show it to her in the morning...hahahaaa...

- rebecca lynne

Making Christmas - Still Halloween!

I followed through on my pledge to do Day of the Dead decor!  I had to hold myself back from buying a million things under the sun to make it all perfect this year...I am trying to remind myself that it will be more meaningful if I build up our decorations over time (not to mention help our budget!).  

So, I had the girls make Sugar Skull Banners to place on our front door.  They had so much fun coloring them!

Then right inside the entryway I moved my precious bird cage, an awesome thrift store snag from when I just moved to Far Far Away, and used some fake cobwebs to make it look ghastly.  

I found this Sparkly Raven for $7 and was psyched because it was originally priced at $22!  A benefit to being behind on the holiday decorating is all the discounts you can find...

And the Mr. even got involved and changed our lightbulb to match the atmosphere!  Next year I hope we can string sugar skulls from our tree outside!  Oooh and add orange lights...yeah...

You MUST go check out Kristy's amazing Christmas paper pieced pattern.  Quick!  The download is free for a limited time.  And don't forget to link up while you are there!

- rebecca lynne

Going Double with Wiksten Tank [TGIFF]

I am going to Quilts=Arts=Quilts at the Schweinfurth this weekend (with a bunch of my WNYMQG peeps!) and at some point in my unrealistic unreasonable stubborn get an idea in your head and then you are obsessed until it is accomplished even though you have absolutely no free time at all kind of way decided wouldn't it be great to try out that Wiksten Tank pattern and wear something you made to that quilt exhibition?

Yeah - I don't know - sometimes I'm too crazy for myself.

What's even crazier?

Making two new tanks.  Yup, I'm certifiable...

I love the feathers, but I've got to admit that this isn't the most flattering photo.  The Mr. said uh, that is a bad angle...sweet isn't he?  Hahahahaaa!  But I adore this pattern in this fabric so I had to share it anyway, my ego can handle it.  ;)

The second tank came out much easier/faster/better than the first.  Using Julianna Horner's line for JoAnn Fabrics!  I love the green...

Glad I scratched that Wiksten itch - my brain was getting Marcelle withdrawal...have to nail those triangles.

Now to decide which tank to wear this weekend!

- rebecca lynne

No Comment???

Life in the MRL studio has been, well, to call it scattered is putting it mildly...I am literally like a frog jumping from one thing to another.  This usually works pretty well for me but eventually SMACK this frog hits a level of anxiety amidst the chaos.  That moment is tonight and I am probably going to get off the computer after this post and regroup (i.e. reorganize the studio and prioritize the 4 projects littering my cutting station).
First I am regrouping virtually with a few snaps of my WIPs - I swear I have been doing something it just doesn't feel coherent (inner monologue: because it isn't, you dope).  I finished my nametag, above, however I will be ripping it out and redoing the embroidered name because clearly it needs to be lowered and will bother me forever until I adjust it.  U-G-H.  Don't ask how it ended up floating up so high, I don't really know what I was thinking except I thought there would be less below the "lynne"?  Math was never my strong suit.

Then every night as a reward I have been working on my Marcelle Medallion.  Between us - I am scared to pieces of putting those stupid triangles together which is probably why I am stalling!  Agh!  I am freaking that they are not going to line up.  crap.  Only one way to find out right?

And because I acquired some beautiful fabric at a local fabric shop (i.e. rare for me out here in the middle of nowhere) I began making a Wiksten Tank...this took just a few hours and I am just putting the finishing touches on this evening.  I ordered this pattern last year which is unusual for me because I usually figure out garment patterns via trial and error...I printed it, taped it up, etc. in the Spring but never got around to using it.  Finally!  I am so excited to have something for me - to wear!

Lastly, but definitely not least are Emily's October month's Bee Blocks for the Modern Stitching Bee.  I was very on top of this having started them the very first week of October until I decided that the block on the left was growing wonky, one link of the cabin was out of place and it kept growing worse.  Plus, that bright blue wasn't jiving with the request Emily made for Navy.  So...I ripped it apart.  

Don't worry it is back together now but I have to catch up and finish these babies to mail them to Emily!

Lastly - and most importantly - I have been blog reading via my phone as usual and realized --->
I CANNOT LEAVE COMMENTS ON BLOGS VIA MY IPHONE ANYMORE!

What the HELL?  

(sorry, but really this puts a cramp in my blog socializing)

What is going on?  Does anyone know?  Can I fix this?  It is absolutely Infuriating.  First to type up your comment on such a small stupid keyboard and then to press Done/Enter whatever and have the damn thing disappear???  AGH!!!!  I've left comments all week without realizing this until yesterday - who knows, maybe I visited you and had an opinion but you will never know now...

Don't forget these are still ongoing...

Ends the 26th of October and I still haven't found anyone with my favorite Pink Buttoned Up from Good Folks!!!

Read my latest Halloween Post for Making Christmas here!  Link up for prizes!

- rebecca lynne

{who is off to tear apart and regroup her studio...}

Making Christmas: The Halloween Edition {Week 2}

Welcome to Making Christmas - The Halloween Edition!

Personally I have always struggled with decorating for Halloween.  It wasn't until recently that I realized that it is probably because my family didn't really do much Halloween decorating when I was growing up.  But, I would really like to do some decorating for my girls to get them in the mood for the holiday.  Lots of people on our street already have ghosts, ghouls, and pumpkins all over their front yards!

But - I wasn't feeling the ghosts and ghouls too much.  I thought about doing a bat theme, or witches, or just keeping it simple with pumpkins but nothing was really grabbing me.  With the young Misses in the house I am just not gravitating towards the very dark Halloween I used to love in the past.  Our house decor is lots of bright tertiary colors (hence the green banner above which is our playroom!) and tons of wood...making all of that dark and mystery just seems wrong...I guess I don't think scary is the only way to go when talking about the unknown and ghosts and death.  I want my kids to think about it differently.

{source}

That is when it hit me...The Day of the Dead!
The bright colors, the celebration of death and respect for the souls that have moved on and annually come back to visit...yes, I could totally teach my children about that!  It is still a lot of skulls but with bright colors and a fascinating history involving the native beliefs being co-mingled with the Spanish conquistadors introduction of Catholicism...  Much like how many Christians visit gravesites to leave flowers and say prayers Dia de los Muertos is a larger celebration with a similar sentiment.  I began exploring Day of the Dead decor to inspire our Halloween season decorations.

Day of the Dead Skull Garland

Embroidered Banner

Day of the Dead Banner

Retro Skull Garland

Sugar Skull Pillow

Cookies

flowers used for celebration

paper flowers

{source}
I am thinking we need to decorate some sugar skull banners and hang those up...if I cut the eyes out then they will glow from our windows and look spooky from outside while remaining festive inside.  Paper flowers and yummy sugar cookies will be fun to make with the girls...

{source}
And who knows...maybe I'll just have to do myself up as a Sugar Skull just to top it off!

Now don't forget to link up any of your Making Christmas or Halloween ideas to our Making Christmas Linky Party in order to be eligible for the prizes!

  Join Along and Remember to:

1. Grab the button from my sidebar 

2. Make a holiday related post; update your Making Christmas List and show us your makes from the past week!

3. Link your post below, Title your Link with the Theme/Name of your Post (i.e. Christmas Pillows or Sugar Cookies)
 (Yes, visit each Making Christmas Blogger and add a new link each week, more chances to win!)

4. Visit the other links

5. Remember to visit Kristy next week for the next installment of Making Christmas!

- rebecca lynne

2013 FAL Q4

I cannot believe I forgot to link up for the Quarter 3 of FAL 2013!  Dude, I even had finishes!!!  Agh!  Hahahahaa oh well, I have been very busy with this, this, getting ready to do this, and I'm even trying to lose some last minute pregnancy gain by doing this.  I have spent more time in the kitchen doing this 30 day cleanse than I have ever spent in my life.  I am totally distracted and it is taking up a lot of free time.

However, I am going to remain faithful to Leanne and accountable to myself and continue on with the Quarter 4 of the FAL!  As usually my focus has changed...but what else is new?  This is MRL we are talking about, I get easily distracted by shiny objects  beautiful fabric.  ;)

Project 1: Guild Nametag
Listen Steph, if you are reading this I am GOING TO DO IT RIGHT AFTER I FINISH THIS POST.  I SWEAR!  I, Rebecca Lynne _______-_____ am the worst Guild President ever for not finishing my nametag for my Guild's nametag challenge (uh, from May, which in my defense was a meeting I did not attend...however, I attended all the subsequent meetings and no I have not finished that nametag and yes I am going to burn eternally in sewing guild pergatory until I get my &@#! together...).  However, as I stated to our Guild Treasurer/good friend/and fellow AMH worshipper in late September, if I am going to do something I am going to do it well.  Better to be fashionably late than show up early and looking like a hot mess.  :p


Project 2: Zig Zag Quilts

Three Zig Zag, or Chevron or whatever you want to label it, Folksy Flannel Quilts for my girls for Christmas.  These are all cut but need to be finished.  I have one top down...

Project 3(+): Twin Quilts

I've made progress on this since last time...but still no FINISHES!  I better get this done before these damn twins are in college...  Just sayin'

Project 4: Purple People Pleaser

Yeah - no comment.  I just need to quilt it and get it over with.

There are only a million more but I'm being realistic here.  :p

Linking up to FAL Q4!

- rebecca lynne

p.s. If you haven't already please check out the Favorite Fabric Swap!