Mini Mania Challenge....yep...I challenge ye!:)

Went outside to plant the Hellebore, Russian sage and ginger plants my in-laws dug up for me from their yard.  That's all I did because I was being devoured by the gnats! Bug spray was NOT helping!

I did get a few photos before fleeing the outdoors.

 This is Dinosaurland.  Everytime we find a lost toy in the yard we put it here.   I added an astronaut this afternoon!

 Something else was in the garden...this little mini I made after being challenged!  

My buddy Jo and her pals have been honing their sewing skills and have asked us all to join them! The new flickr group is called Mini Mania Challenge or MMC and I just realized that means 2100 in Roman Numerals OR what we are in now...the 21st Century! How cool is that?:)

Ok...I digress....back to the challenge.

Tiny pieces, colors, patterns...that's what it's about.  What can you do with a set criteria?  

Every 1st of the month is a new challenge with photos posted the last day of the month. 

In the new flickr group we can post sneak peeks and easily ask for help without having to send out several emails!:) They have been challenging each other since February with me just joining in this month.   Visit the flickr group to see what the others did with May's challenge and the past months.

(My new favorite way to finish the binding....bring to the front and use perle cotton!)

 You all are invited to join us.  What's great about this group is you can play or not play.  You can make a mini you LOVE and keep it! No swapping, no mailing, no stalking a partner to hopefully make something they would like...do your best work only to be sad because you have to send it off!  Skill building and Brain building to boot!:)  Right now it's an invite only so if you are interested just let me know and I'll send you a flickr invite. You then will be able to post photos and chat but you don't have to join to be challenged. Anyone can follow the new instructions on the 1st of each month!:)

The minis make great presents too....my mom loves hers!:)

Come on and play!  You won't believe how tiny the pieces are for the next challenge!:)

Speaking of tiny...the boy gave me some pixie lilies for my birthday...I hope the deer don't find them!

(Pin cushion, coaster, needle and scissor cases from my buddy Sandie!:)

Still hand stitching!

~d

I wanted to keep it!

My coworker's daughter got married. They sent this beautiful invitation to the wedding reception.

I was inspired!

 A little graft paper....a sharp pencil...the perfect fabric....viola!

 A mini quilt that captured a moment and hopefully they love it!

 I know I do and I sure didn't want to give it up.

But give it up I did.

Maybe this Father's Day weekend we'll grill more burgers and cheese!!!

Please?:)

~d

Merry Kissing Frog to You!

I didn't send any last year...and felt terrible...so I made amends and made some Christmas cards.  

Fabric scraps win the day again!!  I wish I had kept one for myself!

 A couple Humbug bags....helicopters for my brother and Hello Kitty for the boy's girlfriend!

 We did Secret Santa this year and I drew my niece.  After a little snooping I found a quote from Dinosaur Comics that she likes:

"The time for questions is over.

Now is the time for unbridled optimism."

I so agree!

 Embroidered it on some linen and made it into a pillow.  I also put a loop at the top in case she just wants to hang it.  Love that fabric!!

This year's tree is a two foot tall Cryptomeria  'Black Dragon' . Isn't it adorable? Several days after Christmas we will plant it near our front porch.  It only gets about ten feet tall and five feet wide. Perfect!

(Sketchbook Challenge December theme..."Gift")

Here's hoping your day has been Merry and Bright and that you have been smooched by your favorite frog!;) HaHa!!;)

xo

~d

We miss you girl! xoxo

Fabric and Dirt

Been busy. Wanted to get my April swaps done since it's time to work out in the yard. But it's so hard to stay away from the sewing machine...and even harder to mail these puppies....but I did!:)

This mini rainbow ticker tape quilt went to Missouri...this was for the STUD (Swap Til You Drop) Swap. The theme this month was "Hip to be (not) Square"....yes...it couldn't be square or rectangular. I think this fits the bill!

This wee mini coin quilt went to Texas...and eight of the 3.5" camping theme squares to various places around the world for the Mini QT Swap. The tree fabric is from Spoonflower. Love it!:) So now I can concentrate on Round 6 at ORBC....Hexagons!!:)

I started a few tomato seeds for the veggie garden....these are jiffypots...they are only about 1/4" tall until you add water and presto....2" tall peat pots ready for seeding...and the plastic greenhouse....the containers you get your apples in from Costco!:)

Now they are resting nicely on the warm spot above the refrigerator and I'll put them in our south facing window as soon as they sprout!:) Hope it works!

Old garden location...only about 4-5 hours of sun now that the trees are getting so big. This is looking north.

New garden location...plenty of sun...as viewed from Fairyland before the sassafras leaves come out to hide it. This is looking south...old garden on other side of the house.

Whitebud and fading forsythia.

Fern unfurling.

Bleeding Heart loveliness.

Dena....Dogwood!;)

xoxo

d