Sunday, December 2, 2018

It's all Good

Vintage Ceramic trees keep popping up at my house.  This one is special because Norma custom made it just for me.  
On the kitchen counter.  I went to 2 Christmas Fairs before picking up Mr. Hip.  Is that wrong?  ha ha  I got this great table cloth for only $8.
Thank you all for your kind comments wishing Mr. Fun good luck.  The hip surgery went well and he is doing really great!
Can you believe how many meds I'm keeping track of? 
 I've been busy working on my Yellow Whig Rose quilt.  I'm well into the 3rd block.  I'm thinking about how to set them and what to do with the borders.
 Here are some ideas.
Do you rough sketch?  What does this even mean?
2019 Sew Along!
I excited to participate in in Barbara Brackman's 2019 Sew Along.  The quilt will be 9 paper pieced blocks and the border blocks.  I stink at paper piecing, so I thought this would be good for me.  Oh yeah, and fun.
Kevin the Quilter asked me to demonstrate how I arrange things.  My first ambition as a child was to be a window dresser.  I do love to arrange objects and set up displays. 

It is mostly intuitive for me, but there is some thought and design process involved.

I started with the tree and the little quilt.  I added the troll and the Avon bottle because they are of the same time period; 1970s.
I added the mini tea set because it is Christmas themed like the tree.
I added another dolly to make them a group of 3.   Three is always a good design number like 1 (tree) or five (the items in the tea set).
 I added the black miniature dress form and sewing machine, which also tied in the black on the nesting doll.
 **Forming relationships between items is key for me.  They have to relate to something else in the grouping, tie in an object or create balance.**

I added the little mushroom pincushion because my friend Pauline made it and I love it. It also plays off the red and white little quilt in scale and color.
 The tiny camper and spool/tree were added for kitschy fun and they both have blue.
 They also create balance with the mini sewing items.
 Here you can see I arranged things from tall to small.  I also created a triangle with the 3 Christmas tree items.
Viola'
Back to charting meds and Holiday Decorating.  Hope you enjoyed this surprise Sunday post.
xo

20 comments:

Frog Quilter said...

Lovely eye candy post. I have always loved the ceramic trees. Where do you get them?

Nancy said...

So glad the surgery went well and the recovery is well on its way! Oh, those meds- that's a lot. They remind me of when I had cataract surgery and had several different drops for several weeks, charts for tracking, one underway, then add in the other. It was quite a production. I like hearing your thinking process in arranging. I was thinking that the mushroom, in addition to being cute and the right red, really balances the height of the items. All effective.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

I wish Mr. Fun a speedy recovery. I bought a lot of yellow fabric this shopping season. Now I have an idea for what to do with it!

CecileD said...

Oh I'm glad your husband is OK !! Not fun for Mr. Fun ;)
Love love love your blocks ! I prefer the first setting ...
Your ceramic trees are gorgeous !

Judy in Michigan said...

Such a nice surprise this morning. Keep on decorating - you are a natural!!

Lori said...

No wonder my decor looks like a jumble! LOL Cute little vignette. I do rough sketches as well, as opposed to soft sketches. LOL!!!
Take care, Glad to hear surgery went well.

Aunt 'Reen said...

As always, your holiday decorations are cheerful and beautiful! Wishing your husband a speedy recovery from his hip surgery. Love those Whig Rose blocks, I see another amazing quilt finish for you in the upcoming year.

Amy said...

You would make a great florist! My mom was one, and she always ascribed to your technique! Very cheerful. Have fun with Mr. Fun! Do any of the meds make him dopey? Remember fiber!

OTquilter said...

I love seeing all your decorations and learning about our thought process for both quilting and decorating is so inspiring. I decorate for the holidays vicariously by enjoying other people's decorations! Hoping the hip recovery is smooth for both the patient and the caregiver!

Karen said...

I think the yellow background is such a good choice. I love seeing each block as you move through the process.

I suck at paper piecing too! Some people find it oh so easy and want to paper piece everything. I find it a challenge and not relaxing. There are times, though, it is a necessary evil.

Janet said...

I'm glad things are going well for Mr Fun. I LOVE your applique project - it's delightful! I look forward to seeing how this project develops. My scribbled drawings are terrible but it helps clarify things in my head. What an interesting post on your display creation -thanks!

Pinkadot Quilts said...

I am so glad things are going well for Mr Fun. Every Christmas display needs a troll doll (-:
I too write things down and then have no idea what I was trying to remember......

Kyle said...

So glad to hear Mr. Fun is doing so well. Love all your "little things" If you love collecting, it's even better to figure out how to enjoy them. Love your displays.

Janet O. said...

LOL How many ceramic trees do you have, Barb??
What Mr. Fun doesn't know,. won't hurt him--but I'm guessing he knows. :)
Oh, that looks like my Mom's collection of meds. I have made a weekly chart to track each days meds, and put the pills in one of those pill dispensers that has several compartments for each day. I like your idea of numbering the lids. I have just written a big black letter on the top of each bottle, the first letter of the pill name.
Your Yellow Whig Rose blocks are stunning! That is going to be a gorgeous quilt!
I used to do more rough sketching. Now I do more flying by the seat of my pants.
The SAL design looks like it should be fun. Have you chosen fabrics, or is Barbara giving suggested colors?
I'm glad Kevin asked about your design process. I found your description fascinating!

Wendy Caton Reed said...

So happy to hear that Mr. Fun is recuperating nicely. Don't mix the meds up with the cookies! I love, love, love the Whig Rose blocks and any setting you chose will be fantastic. Thanks for the vignette tutorial. You would be a great window dresser!

Barbara said...

Glad to hear Mr. Fun's surgery went well. Great idea to # his meds :) Wonderful collection of ceramic Christmas trees. Love your Whig Rose blocks and yes, I do rough sketches, too. You have such a knack for arranging little vignettes. Love what you do with your collectibles :)

Kevin the Quilter said...

Thanks so much for the lovely post Barb! I am so glad your hubby is doing well after surgery. I am sketching constantly! Especially when I am on the plane flying. Your arrangement techniques have always fascinated me. I appreciate you taking the time to expand upon your process. Now, if I only had an eclectic collection of items like you do!

Barb said...

Glad hubby is doing good...and yes, that is a lot of medication to keep track of...good luck. Love all of your Christmas decor

Angie said...

Glad to hear Mr. Fun is doing well! I hope he is chasing you around the house soon!
Love the reindeer tablecloth - just the right amount of modern design!

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