Thursday, November 8, 2018

Art With Fabric - Monet Blue & Give Away!


Welcome to the Art With Fabric blog hop hosted by Alida at Tweety Loves Quilting and welcome to Melva Loves Scraps!  Details of the give away will be at the end of the post, along with the links for all participants in the hop.  Be sure to stop by each blog and see the amazing inspired art they present.

If you are a first time visitor, I hope that you will take a little bit of time to look around my blog... 

     You can learn a bit about me on the About Me tab at the top of the page...

          And you can get a brief tour of my studio on the Studio Tour tab...

               And finally, you can enjoy all of the Quilters Through The Generations stories that I have featured.  {{BTW, I am currently seeking quilters that are willing to share their family's story of quilting.  If you are from a family of quilters and interested in having YOUR story documented and preserved let me know!}}

This hop has the special theme of "My Favorite Color"... And my favorite color is blue.  There is such a wide range of shades!  

I did a  quick search for Monet and found that he used lots of blues.  So, with further research I found a 1985 Chicago Tribune article written by Larry Doyle that explained that it was likely linked to an eye problem...


"Late in his life, French impressionist Claude Monet, who died in 1926, produced a series of paintings most notable for the fact that they were very, very blue.

He may have been trying to make an artistic statement, or capture a particular mood. Or the reason the canvases were blue could have been because that was the only color Monet could see."

Dr. James Ravin, an ophthalmologist with an undergraduate degree in art history, has spent five years studying how Monet`s failing eyesight and visual difficulties affected his later work. He has consulted Monet`s letters to his eye surgeon, talked with art historians and examined a pair of Monet`s glasses.

In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Ravin discusses this influence on an acknowledged leader of the impressionist movement.

''The cataracts that blinded Monet were an important influence on the way he saw the world and the way he painted it,'' the article concludes.

Monet`s visual difficulties first became apparent when he was in his 60s, Ravin says, when his loose impressionist style began to blur even further. By 1918, Monet wrote a note to a Paris eye doctor to complain of the change.

''I no longer perceived colors with the same intensity,'' he wrote, ''I no longer painted light with the same accuracy. Reds appeared muddy to me, pinks insipid, and the intermediate and lower tones escaped me.''


My Grandma Teegarden was an artist.  Her specialty was china painting.  After her retirement from the University of Arizona she returned to campus as a student.  She earned her Bachelors of Art the same year that I graduated from high school.

As an art major she had to study all mediums of art, including watercolor, oils, acrylics, still life, portraiture, abstract, pottery, etc.  In the end, china painting was still her forte.  And our family has an abundance of china!  She too had cataracts in her advanced years.  Following her surgery in the 1990's she was in awe of the brilliance of colors and commented that she had not realized how dimmed colors had slowly become.

Monet noticed a dramatic change after the operation. The cataracts, which had formed a yellow-brown filter on his right eye, had been removed and now

''Monet was able to see colors he had not seen for years, particularly violet and blue tones.''

Ravin explains that similar to a person who has been in darkness for a long time and then goes out into the sun, Monet saw the new colors as brighter than they were.

''I see blue,'' Monet told his physician in 1924, a year and a half after he had cataracts removed from his right eye. ''I no longer see red or yellow. This annoys me terribly, because I know these colors exist.

''It`s filthy. It`s disgusting. I see nothing but blue.''

Here is a screen shot of my "Monet Blue" search...



And... here is my Monet Inspired Mosaic quilt...


The block pattern I used were 12" blocks and happens to be one I drew out myself while still in my early quilting career years.  



The pieces are designed to be off-set so that matching seams is not a problem.  In fact... I try to never have the same sized blocks opposite each other (I however failed in this one... can you see it?)  I didn't notice it until I was marking the lattice quilting lines on it!  And I was not going back to rip out one block to remedy the problem...






The border is made up of 4-1/2" and 2-1/2" pieces, offset again so that seams never match up.  I filled the border with free-motion feathers...



The back features blue butterflies bordered with bright yellow...
I love that the feathers pop on the back!



A few weeks ago my mom sent me a devotional that talked about a quilt being a useful work of art.  I have struggled at times in frustration because many people do not see quilting as art... They view it as a hobby or a craft... and then someone goes and calls a quilt a blanket... **ugh!** **deep breath**  I am sure I am not alone in this.

 If you are a quilter, repeat after me... "I am not just a quilter.  I am an artist."  Thank you Alida for coordinating this Art With Fabric hop!  

 You can follow this artist over on bloglovin', facebook or instagram or by email (sign up in the right side bar)... 

 Now is the time to give the details of the pattern give away!  Simply leave a comment telling me what your favorite color is before November 12th.  


And don't forget... check out all of the other Art With Fabric posts!

 Quilt Happy!

 Melva

Monday, November 5th, 2018

Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

Wednesday, November 7th, 2018

Thursday, November 8th, 2018

Friday, November 9th, 2018
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Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Pick A Pumpkin Blog Hop & Give Away!


Welcome!  

 And thank you for stopping by for the Pick A Pumpkin blog hop which is hosted by Carla at Creatin' In The Sticks!  We will, no doubt, see lots of pumpkin-y inspiration!

Fall is a favorite time of decorating for many.  It it kind of the "kick-off" for the many seasons of decorating...  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter and Valentine's.  

 The nice thing about Halloween and Thanksgiving is that many of decorations can carryover.  Anything pumpkin (with out the jack-o-lantern face) and leaves can serve as double duty.

It is for this very reason that I wanted to make a wall hanging that could be used from late September through November...  it features pumpkins of all sorts, flying geese and leaves. 






Last year I had participated in the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks blog hop where I featured my Pumpkin Log block and some yummy pumpkin recipes.  The inspiration for my pumpkin blocks came from this block...

As I made my variety of  pumpkins for my fall wall hanging I recalled the story of my Mom being tricked into eating sweet potatoes... You see, Mom is not a fan of sweet potatoes!



Shortly after Mom and Dad had been married she had enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal with Dad's family.  When it came time for dessert, which was "pumpkin pie" (one of my Mom's favorites) my Grandma Schleich >>> (who was an excellent cook and rocked an amazing apron) served up the pie and then watched her closely and asked if she liked it... she said yes.  When she was done with her pie it was revealed that the pie had been made with mashed sweet potatoes, NOT pumpkin!  Everyone had a good laugh...

 And because I was influenced by my mom's taste, or distaste, for sweet potatoes, I never tried them.  






My first pumpkin was string pieced with scraps of orange...
When our children were young, and we still lived in Illinois, we participated in a fundraiser called Market Day where you could order a variety of food boxes for a reasonable price, AND support the group that held the sale.  One of the regular items I would purchase was a fruit and vegetable box.  The fruits were always good, as were the veggies, but not always vegetables I would choose to buy.  I sometimes had to be creative to use them...

 One such time was when the box included sweet potatoes!  I recalled the story of the "pumpkin pie" and thought I would give it a try.

We LOVED it!  It was even better than pumpkin.  It had a creamier, smoother texture.  From that time forward I knew what to do with sweet potatoes.  :)  Pies!

 The second pumpkin was just a patchwork of orange...

 After moving back to Colorado in 1995, our family had been invited to visit a Ranch in Stonewall, CO for the day.  We enjoyed horseback riding and touring the ranch on a beautiful fall day.  When it was time for lunch we all balked a bit when we were told that sweet potato fries were part of the meal. Dave and I bravely tried them and with much surprise enjoyed them.  Their girls enjoyed them as well.  


Ok, another way to cook sweet potatoes!  And now that I have to follow a restrictive diet that did not allow for regular potatoes (they have since been added back in), sweet potatoes are now all we eat.  Wow!  Has my taste palette expanded and matured.  I have to say that white sweet potatoes are not as soft and mushy as the regular potatoes or yams.

 I can still be a picky eater though...
The third block was a wonky log cabin... One of my favorite blocks to do since there is no worry of precise cutting for the width of the logs.

Recently one of Dave's customers brought us two winter squash.  It looked basically like a pumpkin, but looked as though it has some warts.  I knew that I would be able to treat it as pumpkin and use in muffins or breads... or even a soup.  I did a quick search for some butternut squash recipes.  I came across one for Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole.  I was feeling brave and wanted to try it...

 It called for corn tortillas, which I cannot have, so I substituted some grain free tortilla chips in their place.  I omitted the spinach since I didn't have any on hand.  It makes a large portion so I divided it in two smaller cake pans and froze one for a meal in the future...

 When I placed the casserole on the table... Dave was skeptical.  Okay, so was I... We each dished up a small portion and ended up going back for seconds.  We ate half of the pan and saved the remainder for another meal.  It was just as good the second time around! I recommend it! 

 For my final pumpkin block I just used a handsome looking plaid...

I had a beautiful day to photograph my quilt... It was reassuring to know that our dog, Shelby, was performing a security sweep of the various locations  in the yard... she gave the all clear. 😉






























Thanks for stopping by!  I am offering another pattern give away.  This one is for the Blossoms pattern by Great American Quilt Factory.  Now, it looks a little old school, but I am certain that using modern, brighter (maybe even batiks... ooooh! That could be nice) fabrics would bring it to life.  

 Simply leave a comment before November 10th letting me know... 
Did you know you that sweet potatoes could be subbed in for pumpkin??? 

 Do you think this is something you would try?  Our youngest daughter would probably prefer this... she is a hater of pumpkin anything... Sweet potatoes though are a different story!

 Be sure to visit all of the hop participants.  There is inspiration in abundance!

 Quilt Happy!

 Melva

Tuesday, November 6th

Wednesday, November 7th

Thursday, November 8th

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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Let's Go Camping - Friendships Made



Friends made while camping have a special bond... most of the time because it involves laughter, dirt and lack of sleep.  

While I was in Girl Scouts, I never got to experience Girl Scout camp... I did enjoy several youth retreat weekends that did involve laughter and lack of sleep, but not dirt.  This is from an Up With Youth event held in Estes Park in 1983...

Both of our daughters participated in Girl Scouts (I was even a Daisy and Brownie Troop leader) and both went to Camp Elliott Barker located near Angel Fire, NM.  Our oldest, Heather, had desired to have a horse.  So she signed up for the horseback riding camp so that she could learn about caring for the horses as well as improving her riding skills.  

 The next year she signed up for the Outdoor Program Aide camp... (she may have decided that caring for a horse was way more work than she had originally thought.  😉)  The OPA program was training to be a member of the camp staff.  She and all the other OPA girls got to pick their camp names... they said it was easier for the younger campers to remember "silly names" than the actual names... I think there was a bit of privacy offered with the camp names as well.  She chose Tigger as her camp name.

She participated for two years as a camper and when she was 16 she became a junior counselor and was part of the paid staff.  She knew all of the camp songs, she was trained in first aid, fire starting, orienteering, etc.  

 She loved the independence of being away from home for 2 months... I'll be honest... I struggled a little with that (yeah, yeah, yeah... I  struggled a lot!  She was only 16!)  

 They would have a ten-day session followed by a two-day furlough.  And she didn't always come home.  It was a two hour drive home... a few times she opted to go to a friend's place that was "closer".  Like I said, I struggled a lot!
     
None the less, she gained great experience in handling all of her laundry and other needs and emergencies of life.  

 She was even a cover girl for the camp schedule one year!!!
I love the fact that Dave and I were able to encourage both of our girls to strive to be leaders, and upstanding citizens, contributing to the future of our world.

 Heather has not stayed in touch with any of the other young ladies that were counselors while she was at Camp Elliott Barker, but I know that she holds those memories as special times in her mind.  

When I asked her about her favorite memory from camp she said, 

 "The camp outs! Not necessarily the sleeping in tent or cabin with 3 walls 😳 but cooking over a fire, making s'mores, and singing songs!"

 Make new friends, but keep the old...
One is silver, and the other gold.
A circle round that has no end
That's how long I'm gonna be your friend.
Did you go to Girl Scout camp or Youth camp? Did you make life long friends?
Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you. 💖

Piece Out,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series


Linking with:
Let's Go Camping with Pat Sloan
BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts
Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts
Linky Tuesday at Freemotion By the River
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

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Wednesday, October 24, 2018

2018 Monthly Color Challenge :: Blue-Violet



If you happen to be looking for the prize give away it is on the Peek-A-Who hop post.

This month's color challenge of Blue-Violet by Jen at Patterns By Jen, was a tad bit easier than the Red-Violet of last month!  Last month I had to dig deep to find just the right shades of fabric to include...

As I pulled fabric the favorites "floated to the top" quickly...



As I pieced this block I pondered just how fragile life and relationships can be.  A word or statement to another can be misunderstood and cause some great pain.  A month ago my husband and I recently made the decision to leave the worship team that we have been a part of for nearly 17 years because of a "statement" made... an action really, but actions speak louder than words... and that action cut to the core.    

So... after being committed to attending and leading worship for so many Sundays we were a little lost about what to do on that first Sunday "off".  We decided to go for a leisurely Sunday drive on Highway 12 and enjoy the scenery of the Scenic Highway of Legends.  This was an area that was ravaged by the Spring fire this summer.  Many homes were lost, many more threatened... and by the grace of God the tiny villages of LaVeta and Cuchara went unharmed.  

We stopped for a little hike up the face of what used to be Panadero Ski Area.



Dave was a ski instructor there when he was in college...  It was quite the trip down memory lane.  



Image may contain: tree, sky, plant, outdoor and nature
But as we hiked and talked we sought solace in the presence of God in the midst of His great creation.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. ~ Proverbs 18:21

The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. ~ Proverbs 15:4


Did you notice the blue-violet color of the Colorado skies?





We would be foolish to believe that we have never said or done something that caused damage in the relationship that had seen better days... much better days!  Our families were very close, but over the years, as I said, comments were made and misunderstood (on both our parts) that caused pain.  The pain was never addressed and simply ignored and brushed aside until we suddenly realized there was a pile of hurt much larger than the rug, and the rug could never hide it.

 We have had the opportunity to visit, share and discuss some of the hurts with  with ears and hearts that were ready to listen and try to understand the others views, perceptions and interpretations of what has taken place over the years and where the chasm of damage and carnage collected.

 It is no easy task to sit and discuss the topic of conflict and hear, receive and acknowledge your part in the whole messy situation.  Was it worth it?  Apologies were offered by all parties present and healing has begun.  

 As with all scar tissue... it will take time.  And the reality is that the scars may never fade completely, but it can serve as a reminder of where you have been and lessons learned.

 I am so grateful for the therapy time that quilting offers!  And the beauty of the fabric...  Some of the most beautiful quilts and patterns occur when there is contrast... Often the greater the contrast, the more beautiful.  


Of course, they do say that opposites attract.  So there is that...

 In quilting, or even home decor or fashion, when there is a clash of colors it is easily corrected by selecting a different option...

If only life and relationships were that easy!

 Do you use your quilting time as therapy?  I have also used house cleaning as therapy... crank the 80's rock & roll and clean to my heart's content.  I always feel better after a good therapy session...  How 'bout you?  Leave a comment.  I'd love to hear from you 😁

 Sewing is good for your health...

 Melva
Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series
Linking with:

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts
BOMs Away at What A Hoot
Color Challenge Link Up at Patterns By Jen
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Monday, October 22, 2018

Peek-A-Who Blog Hop & Give Away

Welcome to the Peek-A-Who blog hop, hosted by Marian at Seams To Be Sew!  Details of the give away will be at the end of the post... along with a list of all the participants in the hop this week.  

Fall is in the air as the temps drop, the leaves change color and scatter across the yard, and pumpkin spice takes over everything!

The name of the hop inspired the wall hanging I am featuring...  As well as this picture!  Part of the fun of Halloween is trying to figure out who is "behind the mask" (ok, so masks are frowned upon now days, but I think you get the idea.)     

 This Halloween photo is of my husband's family... circa mid to late 1960s.  Who IS behind the various masks???  Left to right - Dave, Pat, Michael, Linda, Sharon and Marcie. 

 It is actually pretty funny to look at some of the other Halloween photos and realize that the same masks and costumes are there, but on different kiddos!  

No more waiting... Here is my project.


My wall hanging was sketched out on a piece of paper while in the car...


Not all of my ideas were used... because of practicality (how do you really make a spider face recognizable?) as well size restriction.  I used six inch blocks and raw edge applique to make the face parts... for a quick and fun project.  It finished at 21" x 24".  If you wanted to use 12" blocks and a few extra faces it could make a fun throw.
Though I love each block and the personality that shows through the placement of the eyes and nose, the mummy was a favorite to make.  I used bias tape as the wrappings... 
Frankenstein has a comical look on his face, while the cat looks concerned...  and the witch, well, she had a bad hair cut. Ooops!


Fall and Halloween have always been a fun season to decorate for.  Years ago there was a small tree in our front yard that would get decorations for various seasons... in the spring it would have plastic eggs dangling from the branches and in October it would hold ghosts and pumpkins.  I must admit that I do less seasonal decor changes since our girls are grown and on their own. 
In 2000 the youth of our church held a fundraiser.  Members could pay to have a "pumpkin patch" delivered to someone's front yard.  The pumpkin patch consisted of about 20 newspaper filled pumpkin bags.  The only way they would be removed was if that person paid $20 and selected another church family to receive them. 

It was all supposed to be done on the sly and be a surprise... but trying to keep a group of pre-teen and teenagers quiet as they unloaded the pumpkins from multiple vans was a little tricky!  Let's play the quiet game... yeah, right!

Over the years we have had definitely had some fun with costumes...  Check these out!


I love the boots on the wrong feet!  haha, yes, that is me...  


Halloween 1992 - Dave with our girls... 
and our family - a volley ball player, a couple football players and a yellow M&M in about 2004 (I spy a quilted hanky wall hanging in the background that I made for my Grandma T with all of her hankies!)

  

 Our friends held a costume party in 2000... we borrowed the cave people costumes from some friends.  There was a lot of laughter and crazy antics that happened at that party. 

 Don't we look great???

 Below was a fundraiser at the local art museum... we were in "Pair-a-dice"... I know a little cheesy, but it was fun too!


Time for give away details!  I will be having a random drawing for a beginner friendly and fat quarter friendly row quilt.
Rules are simple... leave a comment before October 28th.  
Tell me which character of the quilt is your favorite... or let me know which costumes are prize winning!

Remember, if you are a no-reply blogger you will want to leave your email address along with your comment  (ie. - melloscraps(at)nolanqualitycustoms(dot)com) so that I can contact you if your name is selected as the winner.  

 The hop give away features prizes from the Fat Quarter Shop and Timeless Treasures... use the raffle copter


a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway



 I have several social media platforms.  You can catch up with me on facebook at Melva Loves Scraps and on instagram @MelvaLovesScraps.  Or you can follow along via email (sign up on the sidebar) or on bloglovin' too.  

I think that covers all of the details... Be sure to visit all of the hop participants! Their links are listed below...

 Piece Happy,

 Melva


Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations series
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