2019 Color Challenge Finish

A few weeks ago we started a small project in the basement... it involved dismantling a workbench to make it smaller and moving it, and then creating a shelving unit along that wall and enclosing half of it for fabric storage. 












Sometimes you just have to make a big mess before you can get the mess cleaned up!

I had fabric in several places... the guest room closet, a cabinet in the finished portion of the basement, a dresser in the basement... and don't forget the large cardboard box and a large storage bin.  

As I moved and unpacked fabric into the new storage area I found some fabric that I pulled for use as borders and backing of this year's color challenge quilt.

Since Jen's inspiration for the color challenge centered on flowers, it just seemed like kismet that there would be fabric called "The Language of Flowers" that had not only flowers, but vintage postcards and envelopes in the background.

If you missed any of my monthly posts about these blocks you can catch up by searching for 2019 Color Challenge (there is a tag at the end of the post).  

Each month I learned a bit about each flower... as some of them I was not really familiar with... like spider mums, and glory of the snow.  And there were a several that I had no idea even existed!  Like the Bells of Ireland (that are not native to Ireland), Love in a Mist, Sundaze Ablaze and the Jade Vine.

As I shared what I learned, I also shared what the flowers may mean if used in a bouquet that was meant to send a message...  like pink carnations meaning "I'll never forget you", marigolds = passion and creativity; purple lilacs mean love while white lilacs allude to youthful innocence and let's not forget the red rose that means love.  Flowers... A lost language... See??? The Language of Flowers fabric was meant to be!!!

Since the border taken care of, I moved onto the backing...

The "Flowers of 50 states" was a panel I located while moving fabric.  Now, obviously, it was not large enough to be a stand alone backing, nor was it square enough...  I returned to the new fabric storage cabinets and located some fabric that had words printed on it... words of encouragement and positive reinforcement...

It made me think... we often speak words of encouragement to our children or spouses and family and friends... but what sort of words do we speak to ourselves?  Are we as encouraging?  Are we as kind?

Often times, sadly, the answer is no.

I recently I was putting SEW into houSEWork and made a new ironing board cover using some "word" fabric that I found during the recent fabric move... more encouraging words!  I spend a lot of time in my studio alone... I could use these reminders!  Keep a thankful heart... gratitude... start the day with a song in your heart... take courage...

     I finished off the backing with a little more word fabric and got it sandwiched... it sat for a few days as I pondered how to quilt it.  

As a sampler quilt I thought that I might quilt each block separately, but I wasn't really excited about that... It sat some more...  

I considered straight line quilting... but that is so S L O W... I really wanted to do some free-motion quilting.  Stippling?  Yes!  But then Dave was starting another project... this one in our bedroom... **sigh**  and I just couldn't focus like I needed to for stippling... Loops it is!

I really do love it!  And that two color binding offers just enough of a break...

I don't have a recipient in mind for this quilt, but whoever happens to get it will be wrapped not only in love and prayers, but words of kindness and encouragement!

Leave a comment about what sort of encouraging words you need to speak to yourself!  I'd love to hear from you.

Smile often and quilt happy!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

2019 Color Challenge - Purple - Crocus

Jen's 2019 Color Challenge block for December was inspired by the Crocus.

The crocus is one of the first flowers to emerge in the spring and has a reputation as a symbol of cheerfulness and glee as it brings the landscape alive with color after a long winter and has long been a symbol of youthfulness and cheerfulness.

"The crocus is a genus of flowers that derived its name from the Latin word crocatus, which means saffron yellow. Saffron is a spice derived from the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus ). It is one of 80 species of the genus crocus, says The Flower Expert. While not all crocus species produce saffron, they are all similar in appearance and share the name."

I had no idea that saffron was derived from this flower!!!

Now if I had researched this prior to this writing, I would have sought out a recipe that called for Saffron.  But since I did not, you get a story about a Girl Scout trip that our daughters took to Hawaii.

How is is possible that their trip took place 15 years ago???

They worked for two years to earn the money for the trip... they held bake sales, sold GS cookies, washed cars and more.  And most of the time we were alongside them acting as chaperones... yet WE didn't go.  Oh, don't get me wrong... we could have... and we would love to visit the islands... just not with a bunch of Girl Scouts!

There were other parents that stepped forward for that job.  

When we cashed in our coin jar for spending money for them the only thing we stipulated was "bring us something... but not something knick-knacky"...  The rule was that it had to be "consumable"... or fabric. LOL!





The girls politely obliged with bringing macadamia nuts, some chocolate covered nuts and.... a big ol' stack of fabric squares!

Now, I'll be honest... I don't know what the "twin size" is supposed to mean.  

Does it mean that if you sew all the blocks together you will have a twin sized quilt top?

Probably... but I couldn't do just that.  And what FUN is that???  I wanted contrast!  I wanted patchwork...

But, hey!  What a deal!  Only 13 bucks!

I have used these fabrics for a wide variety of projects...

Quilts for each of the girls and one of their friends... quilts for us... quilts for the Alzheimer Walk event held at my Dad's nursing home... table runners, even tablet covers!  


Here is a small sampling of the quilts I made...

I even traded with the GS leader for a third style of print^^!

Yet I still have a large stack of them!

The gift that keeps on giving!  You can bet that the macadamia nuts and chocolate didn't last that long!  LOL

I just love the idea of fabric as a souvenir.  Whether it be a scarf, shawl, a hanky or even a t-shirt!

What sort of souvenirs do you like to receive or purchase?

One of my favorite commercials  that made me giggle was a Disney Resort ad... A family was in the elevator at the resort with a young child and a baby in a stroller when someone asked the child if this was their first trip to Disney... the child replied with "Not for me.  We were here two years ago.  But this is my baby sister's first time.  Mommy and Daddy call her their little souvenir."  Bahaha!

Leave a comment and let me know... I'd love to hear from you!

Merry Quiltmas!

Melva

Plan to join me for a fun sew along that will feature vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!  Fabric requirements coming soon!

Linking with:

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

2019 Color Challenge - Yellow - Black-eyed Susan

I made my 2019 Color Challenge block offered by Patterns by Jen early in the month because I knew that I had lots to do this month... yet the completed block sat there staring me in the face as I pondered what to write about it...

It was bright and early this morning (5 AM!) that I suddenly recalled that when Dave and I renewed our wedding vows in 1998 on our 13th anniversary  that there were Black Eyed Susan flowers that decorated the front porch of the house we used for the celebration.  (It is a loooong story about why we decided to do it then and I'm not sure it would even make sense to ME nowadays... I mean 25 is much more reasonable)

When I searched the meaning of the Black Eyed Susan the web indicated that "Fun, flirty and charming is the meaning emanating from the Black Eyed Susan flower symbolism, add in a flair for happiness and a heart full of smiles and you have a recipe for joy. Black eyed Susan is a flower of the solar plexus. Black Eyed Susan number is 8."

As luck would have it, the block even matches the porch color with the splash of turquoise that stands out!


It was a challenging time of life for me... I had turned 33 and suddenly, after years of knowing we (Dave & I both) were done with having more children... but my biological clock seemed to think otherwise.  **Ugh**

We even, for a brief crazy moment, thought of reversing the surgical procedure that had been done in 1990! As I look back, it really was crazy...  

We stood before family and a few close friends as we renewed our vows...

"You are my best friend, my companion, my consort, my jester... my most highly honored person... so do I choose you, so do I love you, so do I promise, from this day forward to be yours.

I take you forever into my heart, and loving you still, I promise that I shall be steadfast always in my love."

The simplicity of the wild flowers gathered by my friend were perfect for the day... and 21 years later.  A perfect memory...

So, tell me... what is one of your "perfect memories"?

Leave a message to let me know... I'd love to hear from you. 

Quilt Happy!

Melva

Plan to join me for a fun sew along that will feature vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland
BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monthly Color challenge at Patterns By Jen
Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

2019 Color Challenge - Red

The October Color Challenge is RED. The inspiration for Jen over at Patterns By Jen was the Rose.

A single red flower instead of a bouquet is taken to mean that the giver is in love with the recipient. So it is really not appropriate to give a single red rose to someone who is just a friend because you would be giving them entirely the wrong message.  For a romantic occasion, it would be perfect to present the person of your dreams with a single flower and make them aware of your feelings.
While red is not one of my favorite colors, roses ARE one of my favorite flowers.  Wild roses more specifically.  They are small, they are pretty and pink and they are fragrant and remind me of my Grandma Teegarden.  She had a rouge or some sort of face cream that smelled like them... and she could pain them like a BOSS on china!

But, one of the most memorable times of receiving flowers was after dating Dave for just a few months.  It was like he had read a page out of a textbook about the meaning of flowers!

I hadn't been all that serious in our relationship... we were in college... I had a boyfriend back home... said boyfriend had told me he didn't want to keep me from having a "real college experience"... "go ahead and date, I'll be here when you come home"... and then a girlfriend back home told me that she had seen him out with some other girl.  What a loser!  
Dave was far more serious about US than I was, but he didn't give up on me.  One day he said that he was buying something for me but wouldn't tell me what it was or why.  

I had made several guesses of what it might be... all were wrong.  The next night after dinner he presented me with two long-stem roses... representing the two months since we had met.  Come on... a collective "ahhhhhhhhhh, that's so sweet."

I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I didn't realize it had been two months... or that he was quite so serious!  Though I'm not really sure why... he did tell me just two weeks after meeting that he would marry me someday.  Pffffft... Yeah, right! I blew it off. He also told me that the last thing his dad told him when he pulled out of the driveway was "No girls!  You are going to school to study.  You don't need any distractions." Bahaha!

When I realized he really did mean that it didn't take long for me to get on board... I got a sweet little promise ring that he had to borrow money from one of his sisters to purchase for Christmas about six weeks later.  I still wear that ring... nearly 36 years later!

Finding reds in my stash that didn't clash was a challenge...

Those that I had plenty of fabric for a 2-fabric block didn't play well together and those that complimented each other were too small...  

So... I have a scrappy red block!  Not all of the reds wanted to be right next to each other because of an orange-y hue to them, but I was able to position them so that they didn't cause much of a disruption or distraction.

My block is filled with hearts... little teeny-tiny hearts to big hearts... and they all make me smile!  And the memories of those two roses make me smile as well.  💓

The article at Crafty Marie explained that "these beautiful buds and blooms come in all shades of red from bright crimsons to deep wines and burgundy. Red rose flowers are synonymous with timeless and lasting romance, enduring love and also the flames of a burning passion.  

You can also change the symbolic meaning of red rose flowers by combining them with other color choices. For instance, combining red with white is a symbol of enduring, lasting love and unity which is highly appropriate to present to a partner that you have been with for a long time.

Combining with yellow stands for joyous love. Any color bloom that has red edges around the petals has a special meaning as well; these mean that friendship is now changing into love."

I have mentioned before that I used to really enjoy gardening... and then I learned to quilt!  I hear that roses can be a little temperamental and difficult to get to grow and bloom...  BUT, if could magically have a garden I would have a garden full of roses!  

I so enjoy watching the movie "An American President" starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening.  All the president wanted to do was send his girl some roses.  In the end he finally found a way... He got them from the rose garden at the White House.  Cute, romantic, predictable.  That's the way I like my movies.  I am a sappy lover through and through.  My husband has learned to enjoy them as well.  So much less drama and tension. There is enough of that in the real world...

What is one of your favorite movies?  

What is your favorite movie genre?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!  

Piece happy!

Melva

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

Linking with:

What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Moving It Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting
Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
Monthly Link Up at Patterns By Jen

  

2019 Color Challenge - September - Lilac

Jen's inspiration for the September Color Challenge block is Lilacs.  Lilacs are frequently considered a harbinger of spring. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love, while white lilacs represent youthful innocence.

Lilacs have never been my favorite flower... Reason being is that as a kid I had a severe allergy to them.  And to make it worse, on the grounds of my elementary school there was a large hedgerow of them and my classmates were always picking stems of them and taking them to the teachers to place on their desks.

Ugh!  My eyes would itch, and water and eventually swell.  

But my dislike for lilacs never deterred my like for purple.  Purple was my Dad's favorite color and lately he has been on my mind... a lot!

Last week while camping and enjoying the Carson National Forest near Red River, NM we viewed a purple sunset.  Pictures never seem to fully capture the beauty of the colors very well, but the sky was actually about the color of the fabric from my block shown above!

It was one of those classic 'Lifesaver commercial moments'... and some youthful innocence... 

We quietly watched... and in my heart I whispered "Do it again, Daddy."

Ahhh, Lifesavers... 

What is your favorite Lifesaver flavor?

Of the original five flavors available I loved the pineapple.  Of the wider variety of flavors, I always grabbed a butterscotch.  And don't forget about the Wint-o-green candies that spark in the dark!  Such fun!

Leave a comment to let me know what your flavor of choice is... I'd love to hear from you!

Stay Piece-ful,

Melva

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

Linking with:

BOMS Away at Katie Mae Quilts

What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Moving It Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

WOW at Esther's Quilt Blog

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland
Color Challenge Link Up at Patterns By Jen

2019 Color Challenge - Red Orange & Marigolds

Marigolds provided the inspiration for the August 2019 monthly color challenge block of the month focused on Red-orange offered by Patterns By Jen.

The name Marigold is of English origin and the meaning of Marigold is "mary's gold" and usually symbolize passion and creativity. 

This block really did spur on some passion for me....

The pattern called for just two colors.  

The problem I ran into was that I didn't have a large enough piece of a print fabric to make the block - that wavy stripe-y fabric, topographical looking print in the middle of the 1/4 block...  And I really, REALLY wanted it... I was passionate about wanting to include that fabric!

I had to make a way for it to work... So, a slight pattern adjustment and creativity was required.  I love it, though!  And it wasn't even difficult.  I am glad I used it.

This happens to everyone, right?  Sometimes a mood will hit and you just HAVE to do something or make something...  Something far from the plan that you have.  I know some quilters refer to it as a "DrEAMI" moment - Drop Everything And Make It.

Life this week has been filled with challenges.  Not anything life threatening, but small little obstacles and detours... ALL WEEK!  I could use some fun DrEAMI moments in my studio to sooth my soul and calm my mind... or a quick camping trip to escape the realities of life. 😉

What sort of DrEAMi moments have you had lately?  

I'd love to hear from you...  Leave a comment.

Piece Out,
Melva

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

Linking with:

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Main Crush Monday at Cookin’ Up Quilts
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Moving It Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
2019 Color Challenge at Patterns by Jen
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
WOW at Esther's Quilt Blog
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

July 2019 Color Challenge Block - Jade Vine

Jen over at Patterns By Jen chose aqua as the color of the month and a flower called Jade Vine is the inspiration.

The block pattern truly reflects the flower...

Here is what I learned about the Jade Vine...

"Strongylodon macrobotrys, commonly known as jade vine, emerald vine or turquoise jade vine, is a species of leguminous perennial liana (woody vine), a native of the tropical forests of the Philippines, with stems that can reach up to 18 m in length. Its local name is Tayabak. A member of the Fabaceae (the pea and bean family), it is closely related to beans such as kidney bean and runner bean. Strongylodon macrobotrys is pollinated by birds and bats."

Isn't it gorgeous?!?

The moment I saw it I immediately thought of my Grandma Teegarden, the Squash Blossom necklace that she had, crepes and a family reunion.  Now what in the world do these things have in common?  

Come with me as I take a little stroll down memory lane...

This is a photograph that my Grandpa took for a photography show/competition.  (He was active with the Tucson Camera Club for years, as a member and an officer) This photo of Grandma and her Squash Blossom necklace and Concho belt earned him a first place ribbon in A Class in 1975...

As I pulled fabric for this challenge block I was really tempted to use a copper or sepia toned fabric as the background to help make the aqua color pop, but since this challenge is all about shades, value and color family, I decided that I best stick with the one color family.  However, the copper and aqua color combo is currently on my design wall as I complete a pattern test for Jen.  She happens to be the hostess with the most-est of this color challenge...

Not that the "challenge police" would call foul on my fabric selections... but I have been known to bend the rules in quilting to make a pattern or kit original... I considered the two-color temptation and whether or not the block would fail to fit in with the remaining 11 blocks at the end of the year and in a completed quilt.

I do not like "disruptive students" that draw the teacher's attention away from the class... lol!  And had I gone with a two color block, I suspect it would have done exactly that... causing one's eyes to stall on only one block.  I am simply thrilled with the look of the finished block!

Back to my Grandma... she was an artist and earned her BA from the University of Arizona in 1983.  She also had a great interest in family history and traced her family as far back as she could... which was waaaaaaaaay back. She discovered that there were ancestors that came to the US on the Mayflower, along with many other details.  She had notebooks full of family info that nearly  filled a built-in bookcase in her china painting room.  I mean FILLED it... and it was six feet wide and went from floor to ceiling!  She had photographs, family sheets, birth certificates, death certificates, pictures of grave makers (and maps of cemeteries - she once tried to use a map to a cemetery as a map to our first home in IL), and stories from family members sharing what ever details and stories they could remember about Great-Aunt So&So or Great-Great Grandpa...

One time she decided to organized a large family reunion, in 1980... I wasn't really involved or interested in it, other than the fact that I got to spend a weekend with my cousins. :)  Family members came from far and wide...

There was a picnic lunch on Saturday and a brunch on Sunday morning...  She wanted crepes at the brunch... I had a hand in that.

I remember helping to cook the crepes... and filling them.  I think that there was pineapple, orange marmalade and macadamia nuts involved, but that is about the extent of what I remember... Oh, and it took forever to make them!

I don't remember being overly impressed with them, but maybe that is because they were so slow and tedious to make... and we made at least 100, maybe more!  

So you now understand how the challenge block reminded me of my Grandma, her Squash Blossom necklace, a reunion and crepes... it all makes sense... Right?

Dave and I are preparing to spend a weekend away with a few other couples and we will be in charge of making Sunday Brunch.  As I considered options for the meal, and keeping dietary restrictions (mine, as well as others) I think that an English omelet may be in order.  This is an excellent No Guilt::Go Quilt recipe.  It can be cooked in the crock pot (remember the liner for easy clean up!) As an early riser I will get up and get the crock going around 6 a.m. and it will be ready to serve by 10 a.m.... just in time for brunch! Of course, you can do it the traditional way as the recipe states and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. 

As a fancy little extra, I will be making crepes - just not 100!  I have a gluten-free no-roll tortilla recipe that is very much like a crepe.  I will make a simple apple-berry compote for the filling and have some whipped cream and powdered sugar to garnish.  YUM!  I can hardly wait!

What sort of crepe filling would you want?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear your choice.

Piece Out,
Melva

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

Linking with:

BOMS Away at Katie Mae Quilts
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Main Crush Monday at Cookin’ Up Quilts
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Moving It Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting
Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
WOW at Esther's Quilt Blog
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Magic Crafts at Ulrikes Smaating (1st Wed of month)
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
July Link-up at Patterns by Jen