Big Blue

The HeartStringsQuiltProject is comprised of quilters who use string-piece methods and create countless charity quilts.  Recently, Cricket told of delivering quilts to the boys at a residential facility in Springfield, MA, and the frustration of not having quite enough quilts for the boys at a second facility.
I admire her generous actions and decided to join in.

Several years ago, I made a top that is made up of rows of traditional blocks with a few wonky ones mixed in.  For some reason, I used only blue fabrics.
Although the top was small, it was a good start.

I made a number of string pieced blocks for a border, using many of the same fabrics as are in the original panel. Originally, I planned to do two rows of them.  However, when the first batch went up on the design wall, I could see that they would overpower the center.  A pale border was added and one row of blocks was added in a zigzag pattern.  My math skills are no longer what they need to be for this kind of work, so a "fudge block" was added in the center of each side.

So here's Big Blue - ready to be packaged up and shipped out.
I'm really liking it and hope that some teenager in Massachusetts will, too.

Thanks to Cricket for inspiration.

Snow Scene

First week is a lot of sky-filling.

Blue gray skies - looks like another snowstorm coming.

A house on the hill is suggested. 










Week two and three

I painted the house.  Then I corrected it, making it larger and evening up the windows (the song "Welcome to the Hotel California" kept running through my mind whenever I saw it.)   Trees and shrubbery were added.  I love shrubbery..
I'm struggling with the teacher's suggestion of a sleigh with horses in the foreground.  I don't want this to be last century.  Thought about a snowmobile, but that might be too demanding at my level of experience.  I'll probably settle for some  children in the foreground, but I don't think I ought to attempt faces yet.

Yaupon Holly

This is a cluster of Yaupon Holly berries from a tree in the park at the entrance to the neighborhood.

Or maybe it's Possumhaw.
I'll know later this winter.  If all the leaves go away, it's Possumhaw.  If they stay, it's Yaupon.

Whatever the case, they're pretty.  And my new camera worked well.







CORRECTION - TWO WEEKS LATER  - all the leaves are gone.  It must be Possumhaw.

Second Correction - these are "drupes", not berries.  Thank you, Steve Schwartzman, for this information in your blog "Portraits of Wildflowers".  Your pictures are truly inspirational.