Box of Curiosities

 Box of Curiosities

A box of possibilities, inspiration, orphan blocks, and hours of fun.

There are times when I take this box down from the shelf and just look at all of the pretty blocks, or all of the pretty fabrics. As silly as this sounds it is comforting to me. When I've had a stressful day or can't seem to calm all of the thoughts in my mind, I can open this box and get lost is all of the fabric and possibilities. 

Shimmer - The Easter Eggs

Shimmer - The Easter Eggs

Tula Pink fabrics provide so many little hidden in plain sight gems! Whenever I look at anything I have ever made with Tula's fabrics I see elements in the prints that I had never seen before. Just one of the many things I love about her fabric collections.

Sea Turtles, a tire swing, bees

Dragonflies and raccoons ... those eyes 💜

Bumble Bees

A toad 

The eyes, ears, and antlers of a deer. Hearts and daisies, too.

A fawn sipping from a pond

A child swinging

The Queen

This is fabric from the Elizabeth collection

Horses - or prancing ponies as I refer to them

The eyes of a tiger

Octopus and fish - under the sea

Part of an anchor ...

There are so many things to see and find

 

Shimmer - The Fabrics - Tula Pink

 Shimmer

The fabrics - Tula Pink

Most of the fabric that I used in this quilt were by Tula Pink. I used all of the Tula Pink fabrics that I had in my fabric stash on this quilt.

In the picture above you can sort of see how I organized each block.

I used a clear storage container and construction paper to keep all of the blocks in order and ready to piece.

Also, the whale fabric in the picture above is not Tula Pink, I believe that fabric is a Lizzy House fabric, but I could be mistaken.

I love Lizzy House as well.

I threw some batting over the back of the door to my sewing room to make a design wall.

Sometimes one has to make do with what we have.

Some of the Tula Pink fabric collections are represented in the picture above.

Parisville

Acacia

Moonshine

Elizabeth

Prince Charming

I also used fabrics from other Tula Pink collections, such as,

Eden

Salt Water

Sadly all of these fabric collects are Out Of Print (OOP) but, Tula Pink has many other collections that are currently out there on the market and, as we all know ...

Tula Pink never disappoints. 

Shimmer In Tula Pink

 Shimmer In Tula Pink

The quilt pattern, Shimmer, is by Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew and I used fabrics by Tula Pink

In March of 2017 I took a class on the construction of this quilt at a local quilt shop

Gina's Bernina

For me this was a quilt project that required a lot of organization.

After cutting the fabrics for each block I placed them in a box with a piece of construction paper between each new block. 

There are quite a few parts and pieces to this quilt block. It's not a difficult block to make but the placement of the fabrics for each block is important.

This was the only way I could keep the pieces cut for each block in order.

It took a bit of extra time organizing things this way after cutting all of the fabric requirements listed on the pattern but for me it was necessary.

Once I got the fabrics cut and organized the piecing went pretty quickly.

I chose to make the Queen size quilt

98 x 98 inches

Each block measures 14.5 inches square and this quilt project contained 49 blocks.

This is the first of several posts on this quilt project.

This is one of the quilts that I would like to make again. This finished quilt was completed in August of 2017 and gifted to my daughter.

Family - Doc Gibson

 Family

Doc Gibson, Grandpa Doc to me.

This past week my Mom and sister were here for a visit, a couple of months before that I had cleaned out a storage unit and found a box of family photos. I knew that I needed to get those photos to my sister, our family historian. Below is one of those photos.

Contributor: Cindy W., my sister and our family historian.

I learned something this week.  I didn't know Grandpa Doc played basketball!   Here's the proof.  Introducing the 1929-30 basketball team of Crawford High School.  Look at those shoes!!   And belts on their uniforms!   And the way the socks are bunched down.  Some are rolled.  Grandpa is the guy standing next to the coach. 

Red/White Jacob's Ladder

 Red/White Jacob's Ladder

My red/white quilt obsession continues. This time with another very traditional quilt pattern, the Jacob's Ladder.

This quilt with have 49 - 12.5 inch blocks. 7 rows of 7 blocks each. The quilt will be 84 x 84 inches when completed.

I have completed 25 of the 49 blocks that this quilt project calls for.

It's a very enjoyable quilt project.

#gibbygirl63

LINT

 LINT

Recently, I cleaned and oiled my sewing machine ... and boy was it in need!

I'm ashamed how dirty my machine was.  YIKES!!!

Lots of sewing as been going on around here as of late. It is so hot outside these days so indoor activities are a must.

Mini Quilt For A Cellphone Case

 Requests

Occasionally a family member will request a little quilty project. In this case my sister requested a mini quilt for her cellphone. She saw a reel of how to use the mini quilt in a clear cellphone cover. I made a couple for her to work with.

These little half square triangles were leftover from the Colorful Hedgehog quilt top I completed a couple of years ago.

Family - WWII Veteran Maurice Carpenter

 Family

Maurice Carpenter

WWII Veteran Staff Sargent Maurice Carpenter

Contributor: Cindy W., my sister and our family historian

Earlier this week while in West Milton I posted about our Uncle Maurice, our dad's brother-in-law and the faithful husband of our Aunt Joyce, who celebrated her 90th birthday this past January.  Here are some pictures of Uncle Maurice during WWII and he and Roger on one of our beach vacations.  True heroes live with honor every day and Uncle Maurice is certainly an example of that.  His faith, his love for his family - God, Country and Family - he was a great role model for the rest of us.

Uncle Maurice and Aunt Joyce led music in their church for many years. They are both wonderful musicians. 

CHEESE!

 CHEESE!!!

Last week I got to have dinner with family from out of town and family that lives close.

Great nephews and niece

My nephew, who's beautiful bride was taking the photos.

Red / White Scrap Box

 Red/White Scrap Box

Presently, I am working on a Jacob's Ladder quilt in red and white fabrics, so my red/white scrap box if filling up pretty quickly.

This box always holds fabric scraps but presently there are several orphan blocks as well. It won't be long before I will have enough orphan blocks for another quilt.

Home Upgrades - Windows

 Home Upgrades

Windows

I now have 3 windows in my home that have a decorative film on them.

My kitchen window that my sister and brother-in-law helped me with a few years ago. My sliding glass door which I completed a couple of weekends ago. And, now I have installed the decorative film on the small window in what will be my bedroom once I get the floors done.

I love the decorative element this window film provides. It is an easy DIY and it makes such a big impact.

This is the summer of getting my house in order. Presently, I'm looking for a recliner for my living room.

New Sewing Room

New Sewing Room

I am culling and downsizing my sewing notions, fabrics, and I also want to get my ongoing quilt projects quilted and bound. I want to begin machine quilting some of my quilts on my domestic sewing machine.

I am researching the best and most efficient way to do this.

Presently I am researching a quilt frame that will keep the quilt from bunching up while trying to machine quilt it.

Work smarter not harder.

 

Red / White Jacob's Ladder Quilt Project

 Red/White Jacob's Ladder Quilt Project

Another Red and White Quilt

Another traditional quilt block ... Jacob's Ladder

I'm loving the look of this block. The blocks are 12.5 unfinished and are coming together very quickly. 

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt # 22 - Strings

 Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt # 22 - Strings

As you know I recently cleaned out a storage unit, in doing so I found many sewing room treasures such as the blocks below.

I found 16, 8.5 inch string pieced blocks. Over the weekend I pieced the blocks together. The panel above is presently 32 x 32 inches. I have decided to make this an ongoing project. I plan to make blocks as I have the scraps to make them.

Introducing ...

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt # 22

STRINGS!!

DIY - A Mini Dining Room Makeover

 DIY

A mini dining room makeover

This past weekend I did a little DIY and make over.

I got the idea for the decorative window film from my daughter. A few months ago she purchased on Amazon some decorative window film for her sliding glass door. I loved the result and decided to do it on my dining room sliding glass door.

I love it!!!

The decorative window film allows so much light into my dining room and living room.

It also allows for privacy.

This table originally came with these stools. I purchase four ladder backed cushioned chairs to go with the table. My dining room area is relatively small and the chairs ate up a lot of that space, so I decided to store the chairs in my utility room and bring the stools back in.

It has really opened up the space and I love the results.

Practice, Practice, Practice

 Practice, Practice, Practice

As of late I've been trying to sketch more. At one time I did quite a bit of drawing. When I was in elementary school coloring and drawing was my favorite thing to do. I regret that I didn't stick with it. So now I've been sketching and bit and really enjoying it. I've decided to practice sketching as often as possible, just for fun.

Pencil and colored pencils.