Cold, rainy Wednesday...

in The Valley, definitely a "make your own sunshine" kind of day. Here's a little sunbeam from my house to yours *VBS* My youngest grandson AJ, who turned one in May. This is last summers picture and the only all YELLOW quilt I've ever made. Didn't know it would turn out to be "his" quilt when I made it, but the fit is perfect. He's got a million dollar smile and is a happy sunny baby.
 I've mentioned before, once a month at least, that I'm taking part in a Rainbow Scraps Challenge this year. The color for June is yellow. And I have lots and lots of yellow scraps. I use yellows, golds and cheddars frequently in my scrap quilts. I love the sparkle they provide. But I was hard pressed to choose a block to showcase 'yellows'. I thought I would do the "Spools" block. I like it and it's fairly direct, whether planned or scrappy. I found, however, I'm not crazy about the sew and flip aspect, and the idea of making a whole quilt with the 4 s-&-f corners didn't enthuse me. I had scraps left from the Sunnyside Up quilt, and decided to meet my obligation by re-purposing them into 5" 9 patches. An entire quilt of them is NOT the plan. They will become part of something else, eventually. I'm an OLD dog, but I can learn a new trick, LOL.
 Although some of you think all I do is play games on FaceBook, I really DO sew quite a bit. I pulled some scrappy parts from a bin and made up this little table topper for July. Quick, easy and happy. It's about 20" square.
 
The Rubbermaid I'm working on emptying is the one with the 2008 Orange Crush Mystery from QuiltVille. I stopped several blocks and the half row, short of getting it finished...no surprise there. I've cut the parts I need and am sewing on those right now. No promise that I will do the pieced border! I hope you have sunshine in your corner of the world today, as for WI, we need the rain.

Wednesday Works in Progress...lots!

and a Happy Sunny Wednesday to all in Blogland *VBS* Busy weekend is past, and supposedly summer has begun...but we've had freeze warnings the past 2 nights, and my furnace continues to run as needed...brrr! I'm back in stride with cutting up scraps...an hour or so a day, at the dining room table, really produces results! Some are being used in the Orange Crush mystery...especially the lights!
 THIS is what's on my list today. I have enough of this "Kitchen Sink" variation(San, at Gypsy Quilters design) to sew an 88" X 96" top. I hope to get the pairs laid out today and joining them into rows.
 Bonnie has posted the 5th step in our mystery, and this is what my blocks will look like! I love them. Here's 9 blocks laid out together. I had lunch with Betsy yesterday, and she fell in love with the secondary pattern they form. I hope everyone was safe from Saturday nights storms across the nation, and that you all had a lovely Memorial Day weekend *VBS*

Tuesday Tidbits....

a little of this and a little of that...what used to be refered to as "a Duke's mizture"...that's what I have for you on this wild and windy Tuesday. And a smile *VBS*, of course... Part of my Mother's Day loot, a thoughtful gift from DD#1 who love the "All you need is love" fabrics from Moda. This will be a nice addition to my Moda JellyRoll from JulieQ.
 Another piece of the Orange Crush Mystery...a revised square using a different red.
 Here's the first attempt for comparison.
 And a little show stopper for sure. DGS#10 is now officially 3 months old and growing nicely. A picture for Gram on the quilt she made him. He'll be visiting the end of the month...hurray for that!
My bruises are healing and the scrapes are closed over. The stiffness is past and I feel almost human again. Thank you for your good wishes, thoughts and hugs. AND suggestions...I will be speaking to the village clerk about that unmarked end of the foundation slab.
This village is tiny, just over a thousand people. An attendant is something that will never happen, but I think the bright spray paint to indicate the edges would be a very good idea all around, and an inexpensive 'fix'.
My corner of the world is finally turning green, I see tiny 'squirrel ear' sized leaves. On the old river road, the faint green 'mist' now hangs on the hill sides, soon to be full fledged woods. The growing season is upon us, at last.

Speaking of Jack....

who fell down and broke something, *S*, it was Finn who came tumbling after. A few days ago, after cleaning the garage, I took the recycling into the village as my last act of the afternoon. Turned out to be a real show stopper. To make a long story short, I didn't notice the recycle bins were shoved back further than usual and that the pavement ended before the last of the bins. The drop is about 2"... plenty for me to turn an ankle. I did and went head long. My bags of newpaper and plastic broke the fall, but I've been a pretty banged up, bruised, aching MESS these past few days. I tore up my palm, elbow and knee on the left and hit my right shoulder hard. I'm feeling much better,but have a ways to go. Luckily I didn't break ANYTHING. I'm very grateful for that1 *VBS* I got borders cut and sewn on my little Prairie Children Broken Dishes. Now to get it basted and quilted.
 This great red is what I felt would work beautifully for my Orange Crush Mystery. I was pleased as punch to have 2 yards of this old RJR to put with black. Should be great, right???
 But cut, and sewn into Step 4, of the Quiltville mystery, this is what happens to my gorgeous red.....
 I could hardly believe my eyes. I thought it was the lighting in the sewing area. But full spectrum, natural or plain old lightbulb....it just DOESN'T work. Luckily I've only cut a part of what is needed, and only made two blocks. I'm now in search mode for a brighter red. I don't want it to JUMP off the quilt, but being able to see it in the block would be nice *VBS*