15 minute challenge ~ march 6

there have been some great responses to my photo challenge celebration giveaway. a big THANK YOU if you have joined in.

if you haven't yet and you would like to try to win a few of my photo art note cards click here.

i will draw a winner on march 12.

my white cyclamen is blooming. it's much more fragrant than my pink one. i notice that the fragrance gets stronger the longer the bloom has been open. 

my weekly report card for the 15 minute challenge:

tuesday, feb. 28th: hexie sewing

wednesday, feb. 29th: hexie sewing

thursday, mar. 1st: TAST (couching) leaf onto the wonderful husbands stocking

friday, mar. 2nd: TAST (couching) leaf onto the wonderful husbands stocking 

saturday, mar. 3rd: applique on secret birthday blocks

sunday, mar. 4th: applique on secret birthday blocks 

monday, mar. 5th: sewing of secret birthday blocks ~ brainstorming the (string tulip) jubilee project 

this week i did manage to get time in on all seven days but on some days it really was only 15 minutes. between things being a bit busier than usual and me feeling somewhat less motivated i didn't get as much accomplished BUT it wasn't a total loss and i have  Kate at Life in Pieces to thank for that.  you might consider joining up and seeing if it helps you out as well.

in looking back at the 15 minute challenge posts i realized that i have quite a few projects that i am juggling around. i like the variety this offers me in what to work on.
 
one of the projects that is new to the list is my (string  tulips) jubilee piece.

the jubilee project is all about making oneself a quilt in celebration of a major life milestone such as one of those upper decade birthdays that we all hope to get to at the same time that we dread having done so. many of those involved are recognizing a 50th birthday and all the memories and accomplishments that come along with that year.  i won't be 50 for a couple of years but i know myself well enough to get a head start. i really cannot justify starting another new project when i have so many that are quietly waiting for me to become re-inspired to work on them.
so after much thought about how i could have my cake and eat it too i realized that i have some  string tulip blocks that have been calling my name for quite some time now. i thought if i used them i might be able to participate in this group celebration as well as finish a project.  good on me right~!?!

so i'm going to start sharing some photos of the brainstorming that i've done for the past couple of weeks . . .

i thought that i had approximately 50 of the tulips but when i counted them i actually had 70~!


and then as i got to digging around i ended up finding  27 more~!!!
i really liked making these string quilted tulips. i may have to make a whole jubilee series of quilts~!

the centers of all of the tulips are cut from hand dyed oranges that i dyed myself. they range a bit in color and a few have the usual  'surprises' that can be found in hand dyed goods but for the most part they all look very similar. i think this commonality in the tulips will help hold the whole project together nicely as well as possibly reducing the 'busy' factor a bit.

i'm also thinking that i would like to use red and/or cheddar fabrics somehow in the setting but have made no firm decisions as to just how or where. 

so what i do have is a few sketches of some of the possibilities:

this sketch shows one of the ways that a single tulips could be appliqued onto each block as well as a possible setting that could be used for those blocks and a possible border idea.

this sketch shows four tulips arranged within one block as well as the blocks within a possible setting.

and here is yet another possibility.

i also have thought about:

•  a strippy set
• incorporating the tulips into a vine somehow
• a row by row setting with the tulips 'growing' neatly together, somewhat like in the bottom portion of the last sketch

as well as many combinations of all of the above. the possibilities are probably endless.
i'm not sure of any sizes or measurements yet and will have to get down to seriously mapping some of that out. 
so this is just a barely scratching the surface sort of start but it is a start and i'm beginning to get more than a little excited about this project so you're bound to see a lot more of it either here or within the jubilee blog or maybe both.


recent gifts include:

• a sun filled day that is melting the last of our recent snowstorm away
• a very tasty pasta salad with a balsamic dressing
• a wonderful husband who is willing to vacuum on occasion 

A Celebration GiveAway~!

who's ready for a teeny tiny bit of springlike goodness in their life?

in my neighborhood there has been precious little snowfall this winter. i live at a fairly high altitude and this is not, and should not be, the norm. we actually had our first really "big" storm yesterday. all afternoon it fell in great big beautiful flakes (think Christmas card here). by the end of the day we had approximately four to six inches. this morning i woke up to a bit more. so here we are on the first day of march and our world is whiter than it's been all winter long.
so what's a sunloving girl who wants to put winter behind her to do?
she cozies up to her houseplants (indoor jungle) and shoots photos of the new growth.
and she feels a little bit better.
how about you, are you ready for spring and the warmer blessings it brings?

~!!~NOW COME AND CELEBRATE WITH ME~!!~

it's a small celebration but i'm happy with a recent accomplishment so i'm hosting this spontaneous giveaway.
this is due to my setting a small photography goal for myself and then making it happen. in early february you may have noticed that i began starting each post with a 'photographic moment'. i chose a theme and began to explore that theme with my camera for the month. 
i had so much fun doing this and many of you commented on how much you liked seeing my photography work.  thank you~! 
so today i decided that anyone commenting on this post could have a chance to win three note cards (of my choice) featuring my photos. not a big deal just a little something from me to you in an effort to show my gratitude for your encouragement and support of this part of my creative self.

i recently had cards made up using my own images. this shot only shows some of them. i will have more cards made up as i continue to take worthy shots so if you think a particular image would make a good card always feel free to say so. these were made by a company called snapfish. i felt they did a great job but i am not being paid to advertise for them. i may have cards made up by a different company next time (suggestions welcome) or i may use my prints to make cards myself . . .
i love having choices.

so here's what i would like you to do if  you are interested in winning. leave a comment on this post telling me what you think my theme was for february. easy peasy. you don't have to get it right you just have to guess. within the same comment i would also like you to suggest a theme that you think i should consider for another month's worth of posts. (i'm starting a list so go ahead, challenge me~!) still easy peasy. on march 12th i will draw one of your names and announce a winner. i will contact you and get your mailing info and send them off for you to enjoy in whatever way you might like.

i may also include another goodie or two . . .

:-D

so enter if you're a regular reader and tell your blog friends if you think they may like to participate. i love and will include new readers too.

my hope is to continue challenging myself  and very possibly making this a regular giveaway opportunity. my energy levels and time dictate a lot as well as the response (or lack of one) that i get from readers for this giveaway.

recent gifts include:

• a goal met with satisfactory results
• blog friends to share my happiness with
• a deep love for photography and the way it allows me to  immerse myself deeply in the moment whenever i am behind a cameras lens