Nine Patch blocks

These are the Nine Patch blocks I received in my first block swap since rejoining the Block Builders Bee (one of many bees affiliated with the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston).

This bee meets once a month to share a lunch, show our latest quilts, stitch a little and visit a lot.  Four times a year we trade blocks where you can make as many (or as few) as you wish to trade.  The day of the trade, you get back the same number of blocks that you put in.  (Hint:  Be sure to hold back some of the ones you made as you won't necessarily get your own blocks back!)  With luck, you will not get many duplicate blocks, as the goal is to have a diversity of fabrics for a very scrappy looking quilt. 

The nine-patches above are just some of the ones I received at our June 2012 trade.  I did not make many blocks (only 32 of the "X" block and 32 of the "O" for a total of 64) yet I did receive a few duplicates.  If I had more time, I would have made many many more -- a few traded over 200 blocks!  Did I mention that these are 3" blocks? 

I'm tickled to be back in this bee -- I was a member about 10 years ago, long before I began this blog.  I am already stitching up blocks for the September and December trades.

Bubble gum?

Oh the joys of youth ... and summer ... and bubble gum! 

Until 

You step in it - but that's not what I meant to say, rather ...

until 

you sit in it and then...

share it (via your tush)

with the leather car seat! 

Wait, it gets better... 

It is the leather car seat in the new car that your wife drives! 

Fortunately my sweet husband told me of his zany mishap as soon as he returned home.  Apparently he sat in bubble gum when sitting on a curb at the gas station while trying to fill my car's tires with air (could happen to anyone, right?).  After examining the gummy trails all over my driver's seat, my first thought was (...no, not to cry nor to call my Mom but...) to check in with today's Guru Master of all Trivia...

 Yes, I am referring to the Google Search Machine (surely you use it often?).

Typing in "how to remove bubble gum from leather seats?", I was rewarded with several selections....shall I leave you hanging?  ...nah...

First remove as much of the gum as you can with your fingers (in my case, there wasn't much that wasn't squished into the leather, sigh).  Then get out your scotch tape and start plucking the gum off the leather (press and pull).  It worked great.

Who knew that one of the many marvels of Scotch tape (not the Magic tape) is to remove bubble gum from leather?

I actually used clear Scotch Packing tape.  After an afternoon of stick-and-release, I have a gum-free driver's seat once more.

Whew! 

Now I should tackle the chore of freeing the gum off of someone's shorts. Or maybe that can wait for another day..... (any tips on how I should do this?.... ice, right?)

Meet Aelita

Have you met Aelita Andre?

If not, please allow me to introduce a young artist at work

(or at play?)

 
I'd love to be creating with her.  Even better, I'd love do this (slightly messy) art in my classroom with my students!  Will you come and paint with us?

The video below tells a little more about Aelita.

This sweet five-year-old, Aelita Andre, has a new solo show opening in 

the Agora Gallery 

New York City 

June 12th to July 3rd, 2012

Be sure to check out her website to see her amazing body of work (and more videos too).

Happy Summer!

It's official .... Summer is here!  

How do I know?

Is it because my two classes that I love teaching have ended and I have brought all my teaching left-overs home to sort, organize and pack away until I need them again in the fall?

No.

Is it because I have watched my niece cross the stage at her college graduation?

No.

Is it because my own kids have been promoted from 8th grade (another stage-crossing of sorts: walking under a balloon archway)  and are ready to embrace high school?

No.

It it because I've discovered Pinterest (what fun!) or have signed up for "Another Little Quilt Swap #7" or have plans to sew more (clothes, quilt blocks, finishing quilts, etc.)

No, no, and no.

It IS because our Air-Conditioning has decided to stop working effectively this morning!
It is summer in Texas, and fortunately I think the thermostat is not rising too far into the 90's today .... hopefully the AC Repairman is not swamped with calls and can pop over tomorrow!


Until then, please send cool thoughts this way!  Meanwhile, I think we will head to the movie theater tonight ... have you seen Men In Black 3?




By the way .... click here to learn more about Another Little Quilt Swap #7, hosted by the fabulous Kate North.

This will be my fourth time to sign-up, though only my third time to participate.

Click here to see "Early Evening", my ALQS#6 entry or here to see "Big Foot - Framed", my ALQS#4 entry.

Of course you probably wish to see the two quilts I received also, right?
Here's the link to see "Zinnia", the quilt made by Nickels in Germany that I own from ALQS#6, and click here to see "Blue Vase" by Sue McBratney in Australia for ALQS#4 that lives with me.

(I missed the all-important deadline for ALQS#5, so did not swap in that one, though I had intended too!  Sometimes life just intercedes with different plans ...)

the Cretan Stitch

My ongoing work in the Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge features small sampler pieces of each week's featured embroidery stitch.

The fourth week (of TAST - Take a Stitch Tuesday) features a stitch I had never used before, the Cretan Stitch.  I enjoyed using two colors, one overlapping the other as I worked on this sampler piece.  Exploring the stitch's length and width was fun too.  I even tried a few free-flowing, rambling Cretan stitches, letting the inner-stitching-goddess take over!

One enjoyable feature of the TAST challenge is learning about each week's stitch,  from the basics of "how-to-stitch" to the details of the individual stitch's history.  Did you know that this stitch, the Cretan Stitch is named for the island of Crete, where the local women have used this embroidery stitch to decorate clothing for centuries?  There are two variations, called an Open Cretan Stitch and a Knotted Cretan Stitch (to learn more, click on any of the highlighted names).

Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST), an annual challenge hosted by Sharon B of Pin Tangle fame. Click here (to go to the beginning of the 2012 TAST Challenge).   Join in anytime for a year of fun stitching ....or check back with Pin Tangle, or any of the participants to see where our Tuesday Stitchings have taken us.  Or look back on my blog and click on my TAST label to see my posts.

If you enjoy embroidery, or would like to learn more about the many stitches (from their history to a step-by-step how-to) click here for Sharon B's Stitch Dictionary home page.  She has compiled an amazing compendium of information and wonderful photographs!

Faux Lox-n-Bagel

Have you ever seen Lox and a Bagel on a Cupcake? 

Yes, it does look like a mini-bagel and a sliver of smoked salmon, with a bit of cream cheese to hold it all together.  Doesn't it?  But appearances can be deceiving (by the way, Photoshop was not used to enhance the images).

This delightful creation was made by one of my Teacher Assistants, Laura K and her sister Julia.  I had to share a photo before eating it ... and yes, I enjoyed every last bite!

The faux lox-n-bagel is made entirely with sweet and yummy edibles and the cupcake was tasty too!  I wonder what they will make and share with me next?

the Feather Stitch

I am running a tad behind, as per my usual, 

so without further ado ...

Here is my sampler piece for the 3rd week of 

the 2012 Take A Stitch Tuesday (TAST) Challenge.

the Feather Stitch

The feather stitch is an embroidery stitch that I know, as it is one I learned back in my youth when I was an eager embroiderer and a happy Girl Scout.  The bottom row in gold and the middle row in bright blue are examples of the classic feather stitch.  At the top right is a free-form feather stitch 'snowflake' in purple, with a rambling, meandering medium blue semi-free-form feather stitch in the corner.  At the top left, the curious shapes (sidewise hearts or fish missing their eyes or ... what do you see?) were inspired by another TAST participant whose version looks more like tessellating fish lips (smoochie smoochie) but you'll have to see her work to believe me!  Click here for more feather stitch highlights or here for a view of the fish lips (on Flickr).

For more about Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST), an annual challenge hosted by Sharon B of Pin Tangle fame, click here (it will take you to the beginning of the 2012 TAST Challenge).  Please join in anytime for a year of fun stitching ....or check back here with me, or with Pin Tangle, or any of the others participating to see where our Tuesday Stitchings have taken us.