Quilt Design Wall

We actually stayed home this weekend, and I spent some hours on my sewing room "re-do." You may remember that back in February I cleaned everything out of my son's old room to make it my sewing room. My old sewing room is also on the third floor, but I had WAY outgrown the space with all my STUFF. I decided to move all the fabric and sewing machines to the other upstairs room, and use the old room for painting and crafts and my books. So, I painted son's room, and then I accepted a teaching job at the end of February. End of project until this weekend! We have travelled out of town almost every weekend since school was out in June.

Anyway, I have this lovely room with peach walls ragged with a yellow glaze.It is sunny and fresh. Since these rooms are actually finished attic space, the walls are slanted, limiting design wall space. I have had two of those sheets of pink builder's insulation for several years, covered with some of the boys' old blue flannel sheets. That was not going to cut it in my pretty new space, so I used my JoAnn's 40% off coupon to buy some luscious thick felt in a warm beige color. It will look great in there, although I am not sure the color is the best choice for auditioning fabrics. I have heard taupe works well, so maybe these will be okay.

Anyway, it took me several hours to wrap the felt around these insulation slabs. After pinning the felt to the back, leaving about six inches to wrap around, I glued the edges with a hot-glue gun. The corners are sort of mitered to reduce bulk. Of course the slanted one was quite a challenge, and I did not cut at the proper angle to match the ceiling slant.

But they will work! I will get DH to bolt them to the wall for me. These insulation sheets are 4' x 8', which makes them difficult to move around if you have 8' ceilings. You can get the folks at the home repair superstore to cut them for you to the size you need. I mean, really, unless you have a pick-up truck, it is hard to get something that size even home from the store. We managed it in an SUV, but I ended up cutting off about eight inches. The insulation board is very light in weight, and cuts easily after scoring with a razor blade. (Exacto knife.) I wrapped the cut edges in wide clear packing tape to keep the little pink slubs from getting everywhere.

DH was supposed to help me install shelving, pegboards, window blinds and curtain rod, etc., but he had his own to-do list this weekend. But I think we are staying home again next weekend, so hopefully, I can get my space organized soon.

I have four customer quilts waiting for me, so I better get going.

For those who are nature lovers out there, here is a peek at our second brood of four baby bluebirds this year. They look big and blue, so I bet they will be leaving their hot little box this week.

Cherry Blossom Pink

Look what happened in time for Easter! When we moved in fourteen years ago, I planted Yoshino Cherry trees along our driveway instead of the ubiquitous Bradford pears. Only two survived, but they have become lovely mature trees which add fragrance and beauty to our yard. They do not have edible fruit, but the blossoms are worth growing these trees. In fact, this is the same variety that graces the National Mall in Washington, D.C.While I was photographing the cherry trees, I kept noticing bluebirds flying from tree to tree in the front yard. It is time for the annual battle for the birdhouses between the bluebirds and the house sparrows. If you look carefully, you can see both in this pecan tree.
One more day of school until spring break! Last night I worked for about an hour on the next lesson in my Think Like an Artist quilt workshop. Nope, not going to show you yet! This one is supposed to be a self-portrait. Well, a self-portrait along the lines of Domestic Goddess in yesterday's post. Suffice it to say, this does not look much like me! I am not happy with it yet and make totally scrap that one and start over. Our teacher spent the day traveling to Florida and has not made any more comments today. I can tell you that this class is stretching my comfort level!

Quilting Gardeners

Have you ever noticed how many quilters are also gardeners, or at least flower lovers? Perhaps we just like pretty things! My roses started blooming on Thursday last week. It is a fine time to work in the yard, before it gets too hot! And the roses have yet to develop black spot or attract aphids or Japanese beetles.

The mountains were starting to really turn green as the leaves have emerged. The ferns are up and the wild azalea has started to bloom.

Of course, in the mountains, the rhododendrun or "laurel" as the natives call it, won't bloom for at least another month. It is breathtaking when the entire creek bank is covered with tall flowering shrubs. We spent the weekend up there again, working on the cabin. OK, so I did the shopping and cooking and watched the men mud the sheetrock and install the garage door openers.

At home I have two bluebird boxes, one of which is now occupied by an infant bluebird and his unhatched sibling in the egg. At least I think there is only one baby- when I checked the box this morning, the mama was sitting on the nest and didn't budge when I opened the door.

Time for me to quit fooling with pictures and finish the quilting on the Three Crosses wallhanging. I should have it finished in the next day or so.