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Jack hasn't been getting much (okay, any) face time lately... so, here's a quick picture of him today.
Not the best lighting (he put his back to the window), and the cat is all scrunched over, but, he wanted his picture taken and I wanted to share with you. Last week, right on developmental schedule, he cut a hunk out of his bangs. In true Jack fashion, he turned around and said "Mom! I cut my hair!" No trying to hide it, just excited at his "accomplishment"!
The latest on Frank is that there's nothing going on. Nuh-thing!Two weeks ago he stopped taking ALL medicine! YEAH!The first week was when we needed to watch the closest. If an underlying infection had been there, it would take a few days for the antibiotics to start to clear out, then a few more for a potential infection to show itself.We've seen the Surgeon and the Infectious Disease Specialist (last week in Salt Lake City). Frank was given a 5% chance of recurrence... which would likely have led to more surgery to remove more bone. Gratefully, there is just NO activity happening.So, it looks like our Celebratory Trip to Arizona after all The Madness, will be able to happen and just on time.
I can see that the quilt is nearly done, but I really have worn myself out. I've been doing normal things, plus designing and sewing this quilt. It's just kickin' my butt! Here's a little sneak peak at the blocks... 
I've really been enjoying working with these fabrics! I enjoy or have wanted to make quilts with the following color themes:- Red, White, & Blue
- Red, White, & Black
- Caribbean - Blue, Aqua, & Green
- Turquoise & Red
- Pink & Brown
This quilt has all of those combination. It's turning out to be a very happy, cheerful quilt!
The Progress Report is that I'M MAKING PROGRESS! I can see it. I can feel it. I'm excited about it. I think I'll make my goal of having the quilt AND pattern ready to go on our trip to Arizona next week (though due to shipment of the plastic bags (to hold the patterns) we may leave one day later than scheduled).I just added up my notes on my calendar... I put a fun hanging calendar in my Sewing Studio and as I leave the room, I jot down the time I've spent in there, the project, and the step. In the past five days, I've spent 12 hours on this quilt and it's design. It's not much per day, but, it's a LOT more than I've been spending on any ongoing project. The boys are all missing me... especially Tom (who's been picking up more than his share of Domestic Duties while I design and sew away).Today, Frank was helping me with snipping pieces apart after I ironed them. When I ask what he thought of the colors he said they are "Crack-A-Lackin'!""Ding-Ding-Ding!" went my head. I'll probably call my pattern/quilt "Crack-A-Lackin'!" or perhaps "Qrack-A-Lackin!"? Hmm...Which brings me back to names. As I see the completion of the sample and pattern, I MUST finalize a name for my company. Must do this. Any other input would be great, I think I'm leaning towards......but what else?- Sparklin' Designs
- Shiny Quilts
- Angel Quilts
- Suzy Quilts
- Suzy Q-ute
- Suzy Q Sparkles
- Suzy Sparkles
- Suzy Angel
- Happy Quilts
- Happy Happy Happy Designs - ooh. I LIKE this one. I get a LOT of positive responses from an email address based on this phrase.
- Shadona Designs
- Color Me Happy
Also, as I think of names, my Minds' Eye wanders to possible graphics to go along with them.Everything is fuzzy now, my eyelids are heavy and my body is sore (this much fabric cutting and work all at once IS hard on me.) I MUST get some well deserved rest! :D
Off my list, I've accomplished everything but The Pampered Chef work, which REALLY needs to be done... tomorrow![Truth be told... Tom took care of dinner and the dishes, so, I just had to stop to eat. I'm very lucky that way... Tom helps me A LOT in the Kitchen (and around the house in general!)]I did make it upstairs to start cutting fabric, but first, I wanted to sort by value (you know - light - medium - dark - like that.)I quickly pulled fabrics into groups of 10, approximately by shade/value, and re-stacked them. Then, I'd snap a picture, look at the image on my digital (small) camera screen and rearrange a few. I did this twice, first rearranging the bottom (lightest) row, and the second time rearranging the middle row.I wanted to make this little collage to show you what I did, then I thought "I can switch this to black and white so we can really see the value".
After switching the pictures to black and white, I realized I SHOULD have done that with my camera in the first place... used the B&W setting. Because on looking at this, I see AT LEAST seven fabrics that should be moved about.Color is tricky that way. You see the color and forget about the VALUE... even when you're trying. So, here are ways to find the real VALUE of your fabrics...- Turn off / down the lights in the room (I use to do this all the time, but forgot about it today). If you have just a little light from another room, you see the value more than the color.
- Look through a piece of colored plastic (red or green work well - unless you are looking at that color of fabric, then use the other color - so, for a red and green quilt, this would be tough to do).
- Photocopy the fabrics and look at the printed pages. (This is an older method that will work if you can't do any of the others.)
- Switch your camera to B&W, take a shot, and then look at the picture (this would work for film or digital cameras).
- Take a digital picture, upload to the computer, convert to B&W, evaluate.
Many people underestimate the power of VALUE in art (and quilts ARE Art, if you were wondering!) In order to really SEE the different areas, you need to have light, medium, and dark shades... they all work together to create contrast, which keeps the eye moving AND helps you to see different areas/shapes.Yesterday I showed a neighbor my fabrics, and she didn't think I should have the (one) pink or the beiges... I had to explain about value. Try removing the bottom row from the fabrics above... you loose so much of the contrast in the fabrics. The blocks I'm working on need contrast to really show off the design. So. Today's lesson for you is about looking for different shades, even if they are all in the same color family, using lights, mediums, and darks is critical!
I just finished the very first draft of the pattern.
I printed it out (and emailed it to my friend to review) and now I'm taking a break from it. I think I'll cut some fabric and then read and edit it tomorrow, because right now, I'm SICK of looking at it! Also, I have some work to do for The Pampered Chef. I'd like to set up my website, and write an email and also create a flyer for a show my friend ask me to do on my trip to Arizona. 
Right now, it's time to play a game with my boys, then cut fabric, then dinner, then work on Pampered Chef, then work on my Mom's Cornucopia hat, then bed. I've got plenty to do in the next six hours! :P
I went into those boxes last night, and I found 22 more fabrics.
Unfortunately, I was looking for dark fabrics and all but two are light! This is okay, just not quite what I wanted for the design I'm working on.Then, I started thinking about something else.
The name of the block I'm working with is "The Cheerful Child" (also known as "The Miserable Wife", but I prefer the first name.)
So, I'm thinking to myself that the above fabrics don't really seem "childlike" or "cheerful" to me. Then I remembered this great Timeless Treasures fabric I've had forever!
Isn't it great! I'm not all that into "farm" or "barn" or "cow" things, but for some reason I just LOVE this night-time barnyard scene. By the way, my having this "forever" translates to, "it's out of print", but Timeless Treasurers does have several current barn-themed fabrics that are similar.
I pulled fabrics to go with it...
This color palette is MUCH easier for me to pull from my stash. It's just cheerful AND happy to me! So, I'm working on the written pattern and now I'll be using the Barnyard Scene (probably as the backing) and saving the Rose Mosaic Fabrics for another upcoming (and as of yet, undecided) pattern. :D
