Tuesday Archives #168 : WORDY Projects!

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: WORDS!

Words on quilts, words on projects, words on signs. Search your archives for those wordy projects! 

I'm going to rejuvenate my "trunk load of word quilts" but also wanted to share one of my stairways that is happily decorated with many of these quilts. I had a twenty-five dollar coupon and have recently treated myself to Lori Holt's new Spelling Bee book and now have a few more "wordy" quilts in the planning phase that will make a fun addition to this gallery of quilts.

I'm glad to have Tuesday Archives back and as always, look forward to what your have to rejuvenate for your archives for this week's theme!

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Jan. OMG: My "FABULOUS" Finish

Whew...I got  my FABULOUS mini finished with a few hours left in the month!

What ya think? The word Fabulous itself, well, just didn't look very fabulous to me.

I let myself play and had fun just letting my creative energy guide this little project.

(Think: "mathmatical" less than "< " sign.)

It  measures 22"x23" inches and has found it's place among our stairway of word quilts:

2016 is definitely off to a FABULOUS start that has happily included lots of sewing.

Sharing with everyone at these two linky parties:

 and 

And of course, I close unable to resist wishing you a FABULOUS day.

Jan. OMG: My FABULOUS Word Quilt

I find affirmation in using a word to "define" my year of growth and self exploration ahead. Last year I found myself  content to just BE....to let things evolve around me and just kinda watch to see what my role would become as our family found ourselves maneuvering though a huge change in our dynamics. It's been that kind of change that seems to come along every now and then, shakes things up, tests your resilience, your Faith. I can tell ya, it's not always easy watching our young adult children work to find their way in the world. My husband and I certainly hold tight to one another as we learn to balance love with boundaries. Support vs. enable.  I'm especially grateful for his patience as I processed  the many emotions these changing dynamics brought forth over the past 18 months. I'm so rejuvinated to have finally reached a level of acceptance that has truly lead me to my 2016 word/motto:  

With all that life and learning shared, quilting/blogging certainly help keep me sane. I have been contemplating a few different words to define my year...searching for a word that would empower me through situations I can not control. A word that will remind me not to loose myself in emotions and circumstances that are not mine.  I received this mug for Christmas as a gift and just smiled. I started to let the word FABULOUS set in... 

 Then, only a few days later as I turned the page on the calendar,  

I knew immediately I had found my motto for the year:

Not the kind of Fabulous that exclaims, yet the kind of fabulous that finds you just working to be the best you can be. To be happy, creative and content in your own shoes. To notice all the things in  your daily life that make it good. But, first, let's not put the cart before the horse. My One Monthly Goal for January will be to create my FABULOUS word quilt: 

I'm going to miss ALYofF and will be joining

 everyone at OMG to set/share goals this year.

 and 

Well, my days of lounging in my pajamas while the weather sits between -3 and 18 degrees have ended and I have to do that thing called: Go To Work today. 

I end this post kinda curious if you use a word to create a focus in the New Year too?

My Trunk Show of Word Quilts

When I heard about the Trunk Full of Quilts online trunk show event hosted by Soma of Whims and Fancies and after touring the show myself this mornig from the comfort of my home, warm in my winter bathrobe, sipping my moring tea, I was inspired to take a look through my own archives and share all the WORD quilts in my collection of quilt.

  

My "trunk" was a little more full than I remember!

Here is one of my very first quilts: Oh Happy Day. 

These letters were traced from a lettering template and appliqued on.

Thennnn I found the book: Word Play Quilts by Tonya Ricucci 

and found myself adding words to wallhangings...

...and even on the back of quilts to personalize them.

Most of all, after making wonky hearts on and off for a year, I pulled them altogether in this Aniversary Quilt I finished for my husband and I in 2014 by adding our "favorite" words to the quilt..  Click over to here to read more about this fun finish and check out my tutorial for making those fun hearts! 

(Be forewarned: they ARE addictive to make!)

I continued to use this book to create my "word" for 2014 which was:

And my "word" for 2015 that has been:

And my latest finish which most of you have seen, our grandson's birthday quilt. 

Once again, I used letting templates and appliqued these words on.

Thank you again Soma for this fun trunk show and for my being awarded such an awesome prize!

In gratitude and...

Elmo Quilt Part 2 of 3

This quilt is brought to you by the letter  and the #

Oh this quilt has been fun and easy to make! Always fun to see a quilt transform from this (Part 1)

...to this, isn't it! 

Elmo and the background are both flannel. I had fun free-motion quilting this one with squiggles, circles and hearts using a rainbow thread. I outlined all the letters and Elmo's body, mouth, neckline and couldn't resist a big heart on his body. (And now that I'm thinking about it, I probably should have quilted around his nose....oh well, it's already in the wash.) I think it will fine. The whole quilt is only 3'x3' and I didn't want the quilting to be too dense as it's just big enough for our two year grand guy to drag around as his cuddle quilt. (Pssst...I even machine sewed the binding on! I know go figure, me the Queen of Hand Binding! LOL!)

As much as he loves Elmo, I think he's also going to love the softness of 

this fleece backing embellished with a BIG #2:

I can't wait for our little guy's birthday party next weekend!

 I know his reaction is going to be priceless, for as many of ya have commently previously, Elmo has been a fav of toddlers since our kids were young.  See his reaction by clicking right here: Elmo Series Part 3 post. (LOL!)

I know, I'm having too much fun today! 

Anyhoo....hubby is working a late shift today, so I'm off to start my Dog Gone Cute blocks.

That's what's going on in my little sewing world. So glad ya stop by!

Everytime you link and share here at Tuesday Archives you will be entered you into a monthly drawing for a $15.00 Gift Certificate to: (pretty cool huh!)

Winners will be announced the first Tuesday of every month! Thanks for stopping by!

Just BE! My Mini Word Quilt...

 As I shared last week right here, I find affirmation in using a word to "define" my year of growth and self exploration ahead. I've been so inspired by your New Year's Quilty goals and commitments, but for the first time in my life, this list making, goal orientated, do three things at once kind of gal is finding herself content to:

Yep! Just content to BE....ME right now and quite honestly, I'm rejuvinated and excited about this new found peacefulness. I'm motivated to simply enjoy the process of quilting as my craft, my creative outlet, with no deadlines or commitments. This little 11"x14" wallhanging now hangs right at my desk as a daily affirmation to be peaceful and to look forward to the year of self expression I have ahead of me!

 Funny thing is, I actually think that by doing this, I'll  find myself PLAYING with my quilting more and well, who knows what might come out of this creative little brain of mine! So how about you? Just for fun, comment and complete the phrase: Just BE...

With smiles,

V:)

My Word for 2015 is...

My word for the year actually surprises me. I've been bouncing "CREATE" and "LAUGH" around in my head, but this is seriously what I felt like this Sunday morning! (Though, I must say my bathrobe is way cuter!!!! LOL!) "My word" ended up being neither of these!

The house has emptied of family gathered from far and near and any signs of holiday celebrations have been returned to storage for another year. The floors have been cleaned, beds have been changed, and as I sipped my first cup of coffee, morning greeted me with the comforts found in creaky old house noises during Winter, laundry spinning, dogs sleeping and snow once again beginning to fall.

I checked my email and was so overwhelmed with the love of over 200 messages, that I just enjoyed reading each one with a smile and took time to clean out folders and get things processed. I also found myself getting my mind-set shifted back to "work" mode.

I find affirmation in using a word to "define" my year of growth and self exploration ahead. I've been so inspired by everyone's blogs and your New Year's Quilty goals this morning, but for the first time in my life, find myself without a list in hand or huge aspirations ahead. So I used my scraps and spent the morning creating this little wallhanging as perhaps, this truly is my year to just:

I find myself content. I find myself just needing to go with the flow right now. I find myself just wanting to enjoy quilting as my craft, my creative outlet that needs no deadlines or commitments. I'm learning that though there are many things going on in many young adult people's lives I love and work with, that I'm not the one in control and that perhaps the best thing I can do for each of them is to just BE me...quietly. (LOL!!) Perhaps this too is the gift of middle age?? That in letting go, you also empower? That by being their foundation, you give them strength? That by listening, you offer encouragement? That by accepting, we create freedom? That by being ourselves, we set an example? Atleast this is what life is teaching me right now...
as I find myself content to just BE me in 2015.

So this week will find me slow stitching this little wallhanging as Jackson obviously keeps warm underneath. I'll look forward to sharing it finished next Sunday. Until then, how about you...do you use a WORD to define your year? If so, I'm curious. Please do share and tell us what it means to you. I'm off to spend the rest of this snowy day stitching...quietly!
With smiles!
Val:)

ALYof F: Feb. Crazy Heart Quilt Finish & Tutorial

"Thanks buddy."

 As I described here, I wanted to get my pile of scrappy, crazy hearts finished into a quilt for my February ALYofF goal. Sometimes it really is amazing what we can create out of a bundle of scraps. I'm most proud of the fact that this finish is truly made from 100% scraps. Even the backing was pieced with leftover pieces from previous quilts made:

This quilt represents 100% play! I had no pattern, no sketch. I just played with fabric, hearts, ribbon, words and even quilting. I used a Hearts Sonnet pantograph and love how the hearts and music notes complete the quilt! This was truly a liberating finish that makes me smile!

As part of my February Goal I also wanted to create a Crazy Heart Tutorial. 

( Click this picture to check out that post.)

This quilt was made in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. I love ya babe!

Oh! and it's safe to go back into the studio...it's no longer littered with scraps of pink, red and white. It's actually clean...for now!

THANK YOU for the motivation:

Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts

and

Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs

Stop by and check out everyone's February finishes and 

thanks a bunch for stopping by to see mine.

 With smiles!

Val:)