Tuesday, April 09, 2013

My Day for the APRIL SHOWERS MUG RUG HOP

The April Showers Mug Rug Hop started yesterday.  Today I get to share my creations.

When I joined this hop, my first thought was that I would digitize a design for my mug rug.  So I tried several designs.  I digitized an umbrella that looks pretty good.
But it wasn't what I wanted.  
I digitized another umbrella

Still not what I wanted.


So I took the first umbrella and added some words to it. 
I even made the mug rug - it says "April Showers water our lives"
It looks pretty good, but I didn't think it was what I really wanted either. 

Finally, I had an idea that I liked.  Rain, frogs and flowers--now that is April to the little boy that still lives inside me.
 A close up of the design
And my finished mug rug makes me smile.  The edges are rough and wonky - like I am.  I didn't want to bind it, so I did it pillowcase fashion and sewed the edges rounded. The quilting is a design that Leah Day calls paisley, but it reminds me of drops of water also.
I think this will be a fun gift for someone.

For those of you that do machine embroidery, I will offer the embroidery file "Frog and Flower in the Rain" to six people.  Ask in a way that makes me smile or even laugh out loud.  Be sure you are not a no-reply blogger or I will pass on to someone else.  Be sure to tell me the machine format that your machine needs so I can send it to you in your format.   If you are a follower that will make me happy too, but it is not required.


Now if you want to know where all the other stops on this fun Blog Hop are located, here is a list:

MONDAY, APRIL 8:
Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy
 Patty @ A Stitch in Time
Jenny @ Squawk That
Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt
Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio
Lisa @ In The Boon Docks
Julie @ Jolie Maxtin: the project girl
Beluah @ Sowing Stitches
Karen @ Bungalow Bay Quilts
Cyndi @ Stitch, Stitch, Stitch
DeAnna @ Georgia Girl Quilter
TUESDAY, APRIL 9th
Gina @ Sew Much and More
Sharon @ Vroomans Quilts
Theresa @ Bumbleberry Stitches
Jennet @ The Feathered Nest Studio
Patti @ A Yankee in Queen Liz's Court
Gene @ Gene Black - Alabama Artist
Susan @ Susan's Scrappy Domain
Bente @ I Like to Quiltblog
Deb @ Quilting & Other Craft Therapy
Megan @ AnnieOak Designs  
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10th
Hayley @ Mrs. Pickles
Karen @ Sew Much 2 Luv
Mélanie @ Les passions de Cliodana
Cindy @ Quilt Doodle Doodles
Jamie @ Busy Bee Quilts
Judy @ That Other Blog
Regena @ The Distracted Domestic
Amy @ Domesticity and other Ponderous Things
Denise @ My Whittle Adventures
Heather @ a Reformed Heath'n
Marica @ ~Englating~
THURSDAY, APRIL 11th
Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures
Jill @ Apple Avenue Quilts
Cathy @ Cathy's Chatter
Quilter Kathy @ Kathy's Quilts
Marsha @ Quilter in Motion
Pat @ Life in the Scrapatch
Connie @ Shepody Mountain Crafter
Vickey @ Gingersnaps Quilts
Danielle @ A Geeky Crafty Life
Gwen @ Get More Done...Today
Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After!
FRIDAY, APRIL 12th
Bobbie @ From This to That
Leslie @ Les Quilts
Kristen @ Meadowbrook
Lavonna @ ZellerWear
Lynn @ Thimblemouse & Spouse
Amy @ Sew Incredibly Crazy
Martha @ Living Life
Shawn @ Creative Inspiraciones
Rhonda @ Sunrise at Ravelly's!
Toye @ Quilting Adventures of a Ginger
MONDAY, APRIL 15th
Cathy @ Cate's Linens
Nicola @ Sunshine Reflections
Martina @ Sunshinequilting
Judith @ Frimart
Anita @ Anita's quilts en handwerken
Linda @ Sew Nicely
Kris @ krislovesfabric
Laura Ann @ The Fuzzy Hat Quilter
Carol @ Just let me Quilt
Selina @ Selina Quilts
Mary @ Crooked Gulley Art Quilts
Marisa @ Passion et Couture
TUESDAY, APRIL 16th
Cathi @ Quilt Obsession
Jane @ Jane's Fabrics and Quilts
Heidi @ Nutz4Redwork
Cherry @ Cherry'sPrairiePrimatives
Christine @ Quilt Monster in my Closet
Vickie @ More Stars in Comanche
Pauline @ Stekje
Jan @ Jan's Art Friendzy
Nissa @ Nissa Made Stuff
Robin @ As Sweet As Peaches
Lyndsey @ Sew Many Yarns
Eleni @ That Other Blog
Wednesday, April 17
Jen @ Quilter in the Closet
Marjorie @ Marjorie's Busy Corner
Elita @ A Pieceful Perspective
Green @ So Sew Green
Mara @ Greco Mara
Wendy @ Why Knot Kwilt?
Gmama Jane @ GrandMama's Stories
Debby @ Debby Kratovil Quilts
Britt-Inger @ Hill Valley Quilter
Connie @ Freemotion by the River
Beth @ Words and Stitches
Kathy @ iHeartSquishy
Thursday April 18
Merry Gay @ Merry Gay in Stitches
Mary @ Sew Maybe I Can
Joanne @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt
Linda @ Buzzing and Bumbling
Mary @ NeedledMom
Sherry @ Peanuts Patchwork
Fredrika @ Feltfree på Åsly 
Shauna @ Welcome to Shauna's World
Sharon @ Dancing thru Threads
Madame Samm @ !Sew WE Quilt!



113 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

They are all great, but I love what you went with - for the reason of the child within us all!

tubilinha tiacarminha said...

Tenho certeza que vou beijá-lo e este sapo vai ser o meu príncipe.Você vai enviá-lo para o Brasil,minha casa é acolhedora...Parabéns pelo trabalho criativo.Vejo prêmio se aproximando...da sua casa.tiacarminhapezzuto@gmail.com

Joanne said...

This is just plain fun! Thanks for sharing your creativity and talents with us today.

Michelle said...

I love your mug rugs! Your last one with the frog is wonderful.

Judy B said...

I love your froggy mug rug, just 2 cute! I am a follower, but don't have one of those new fangle embroidery machines, darn. Sew glad you joined the hop Gene and thank you for sharing.

AnitaS said...

Lovely mug rugs. The frog makes me smile too.

Sowing Stitches said...

Gene,
That is one happy little frog perched under the flower 'umbrella'. :)
thanks for sharing!
Beulah

Nati said...

Lovely ideas, thanks for sharing.

Mara said...

I am so glad your froggy found a place to stay dry!

newsurfiegirl said...

Gene I love your little froggy he is gorgeous. We have frogs here that also love the rain!

Debby said...

Gene. Great designs! Both are awesome; so glad you shared not one but TWO!

charlotte said...

Gene, your frog is perfect! I can see why you kept going until you got there. It has such character.

Els said...

Mooi!! En goed gevonden van de kikker!! Mooi gedigitaliseerd!!

Sparky said...

To the wee child in all of us, i still love frogs...your mug rugs are hopping good

Martina said...

Oh I love your little frog on the mug rug!

Nana B said...

I love your inner child. I on not have a working embroidery machine so please don't count me in the give-away.

Judy Cooper Textile Artist said...

Great job on the mug rugs. I use an embroidery machine but we do our own designs.

Elizabeth Coughlin said...

That's just too cute; love the frog!

Carol Swift said...

Your two umbrellas were lovely, but your frog and umbrella flower are just too cute..love it! Having a little purple in it made it even better. :O) I enjoy machine embroidering on my Bernina (ART) and would love your cute little frog.

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio said...

Nice mug rugs.

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

very nice Gene!! I just love the frog under the flower....

Jeanie said...

Your frog is just darling and I also like the umbrellas... I hope they will also become mug rugs. Thanks for sharing today. I don't have an embroidery machine so please leave me out of your great giveaway!

Martha said...

Your mug rug is so cute...thank you for sharing with us.

Unknown said...

Gene what a great way to celebrate April showers. I think your final art rug is wonderful. It would do us all a bit of good to remember the little boy or little girl inside of us...my grandson loves frogs. I hope you enjoy your day.

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures said...

Love the frog!

Barbara said...

Makes me smile too!

Linda C said...

Hooray! Gene is participating this round. Love those frogs, and the umbrella but no embroidery machine here but it is sweet of you to offer it as a giveaway to those who do!

I think we are going to need those umbrellas here in AL, come mid week.

Dee said...

I love the frog shielded by the flower - rock on!

Catherine said...

The frog makes it all special! My sister and I would listen to frogs at night when we were children. It was our lullaby. Now I live in the desert and I really miss frogs! Thanks for sharing.

Stacey Napier said...

If you're feelin' froggy, I would love that little design. My boys were just out last night catching frogs in our yard. They found two unsuspecting little frogs, named them, "fed" and "bathed" them and then, reluctantly let them back out into the wild. My husband and I laughed because we are sure the frogs hopped on back to their families and insisted they had been abducted by aliens!! Thanks for the cute mug rug!

Patty said...

I like your final choice. The frog and flower is so cute. Although I am a follower, I don't have an embroidery machine. I will have to pass on this.

Teresa Quilts said...

Love both of your mug rugs! No embroidery machine here, either, but thanks for the giveaway. Love your froggy.

Unknown said...

You found my frog and what a great place he is now living. Loved your mug mat. I also embroider and just love frogs.

judy said...

These are just the cutest designs.
Judy

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Wonderful work Gene!

Kathy H said...

I liked your umbrellas, the second one reminded me of beach umbrellas and I am not ready for that yet! Your frog under the flower umbrella made me smile this morning. I love those types of pictures.

Debbie said...

Your design is wonderful.....makes me smile. Great job.

Gwen said...

How fun to have a guy here among all of us ladies! And what a great job you did on all your projects, but your frog is REALLY cute!

pinsandneedles said...

Great job with your design process! Love the frog.

Rhonda said...

Little Froggy is too cute. I love that he's sheltered from the rain. I'm a Janome gal and use the JAN format.....just sayin'!

krislovesfabric said...

Love that frog, it touches my heart today because it reminds me of my son's imaginary friends "the fogs" which traveled everywhere he went in little "fog cars" behind him when he was 3 or so...he can say his "rrrs" now, btw! Thanks for sharing your creativity with us today!

Needled Mom said...

Very cute!!! I am a frog gal too. There are certainly a lot of frogs croakin' out there these night. I am a PES stitcher.

Bonnie58 said...

Love the embroidery. I would love a copy. I use a pfaff and I believe it is a vp3 format. Thanks for sharing and for the opportunity on the draw
bonnielarson58@gmail.com

Bonnie58 said...

I am a follower. Love your blog

Linda said...

Hi, Gene! You did such a great job on your mug rug design! (The artist in you certainly shows!) I don't have the machine for machine embroidery, but if I did I would be so pleased to have your design. Someone will be very happy!

Joyce Carter said...

Hi Gene. Your design is too cute. I really love it. Growing up with brothers, I happen to like frogs,too.Yours made me smile. Great job. Thank you for sharing.

Quilter Kathy said...

Ribbit Ribbit...adorable!
Love your statement...rough around the edges like I am!

✄ Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy ✄ said...

Absolutely awesome Gene! I especially love the little froggie!
You did a fantastic job on all of them - thank you so much for participating in our hop!
Erin

Frederika said...

Its a cute mugrug.
Thanks for sharing Frederika

Scrapatches said...

Your flower umbrella and frog mug rug makes me smile. Thank you for sharing. I do not have machine embroidery capabilities, so please do not include me in the giveaway. Have a happy quilty day ... :) Pat

Lou said...

Such a sweet froggie!!!!

Britt-Inger said...

Your mug rugs are wonderful. Love them all
Thanks for sharing

Dogwood Lane Rambles said...

Always like to see some embroidery especially by machine cuz that's my thing. I never bind my mug rugs no time for for such stuff pillow case turn is the way to go.

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

So cute! I love seeing what can be created with embroidery machines... I don't own one but I can see how fun they must be.

Julie said...

It was fun to read about your process. Great results!

Janet said...

I love the frog sheltering under the flower! Too cute. I don't do machine embroidery so do not enter me for your giveaway. Thanks

HeatherK @ A Reformed Heath'n said...

I just wanted to say how totally cute that froggy is! I may be a little partial since my mom decorates her kitchen with frogs :) Thanks for sharing! (I don't have an embroidery machine, so don't include me.)

Gina Loomis said...

Your mug rugs are awesome and I love the frog/flower! It is very fun and the frog is just too cute! Thanks for participating and inspiring us today!

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

Oh froggy, you ate just darling !

vicki said...

I like all of them, the last one is so fun. Thanks for sharing. vickise at gmail dot com

Gill said...

I like your mug rugs Gene!
Thank you!

Patricia Lessell said...

I knew your mug rug would be great and it so is. I would really love a copy of your design because it sure beats our youngest grandson turning me into a frog all the time with is magic wand. Look I really like frogs but being constantly turned into one isn't fun cause I can only croak and not talk when he does it. Really guess I'm lucky it doesn't really work.

Susan said...

Love the frog, rain and flower. They remind me of the times I have been in Alabama to visit family, lots of flowers, frogs and rain. Very fun for a girl who grew up in the desert climate of So.Cal. Thanks for sharing.

Amy said...

Love your little froggy mug rug! Very nice design, great work!

Patty said...

Cute frog! thanks for sharing.

Marcy said...

Nice mug rugs. Glad to see you are keep your family quilting tradition.

Cecilia said...

Your frog design made me smile! It reminded me of my son when he was young and used to catch the little tree frogs and put them on his sisters. I would love to have this design to make him a mug rug of his own. My machine uses .art format. Thank you again for sharing.

Tammy said...

I am a machine embroiderer.I use PES format. I have a Babylock Ellisimo. I love it.Would love to have your design if it is still available. Thank you for your generosity. Great designs...Love the mug rugs. And believe it or not I love frogs. I have this huge old toad garden stature. I actually need to repaint it as the green has faded so much over the years. I follow yoru blog via Blogloivin

Terry@ a quilting blog said...

What adorable mug rugs Gene...love the little frog!!! Thanks for sharing :)

The Slow Quilter said...

Love the frog and flower Gene that is a great mug rug, do you have one with a turtle? HA, HA, I have PES format and just had my machine service so I would love it.

Bobbie said...

Little froggy on a rug winked his eye and said with a shrug I would sure like to eat a tasty little bug! I don't have an embroidery machine but i do have a California mom that has a birthday coming up and she would love it! ( *if* I win I will figure out what she needs )

Paula said...

I love what you say abaut quiliting - Life is like a patchwork quilt. You can make yours bright bold and exciting or you can try to copy your neighbor's pattern. It's brilliant

I see that you love what you do :)

Pauline said...

Gene, I love your froggy mug rug! The umbrella is also sweet, thanks for sharing!

BizyStitches said...

Love what you came up with. I don't have an embroidery machine so you don't have to put me in the drawing, I just wanted to comment.

Unknown said...

Your mug rug is beautiful. You did a nice job!
Marisa.

Unknown said...

I just leave a comment, but I want to let you know that I following you via GFC and bloglovin. I love your blog! My day to participate in this blog hop is on April 15, I hope that you will visite me.
have a nice day.
Marisa from
http://passionetcouture.blogspot.ca/

Judith said...

Beautiful mug rugs! Love the kid in you Gene. Thanks for sharing...Judith, Texas

Bente-I like to QuiltBlog said...

gorgeous mugrugs lovely motifs!

Simone said...

So very adorable! It made ME smile! Thanks for blog hopping right on in with your artistic inspiration.

Gmama Jane said...

Oh dear me. Gene, I just got a Brother Embroidery machine, PE-&&0 and I couldn't tell you what "format" it uses if My life depended on it. To say I have a HUGE learning curve on this little puppy would be an understatement. I have pretty much mastered letters and that's about it. I finally had an ah ha moment yesterday when after making 8 mug rugs with my daughter's photography business' name on each one and the thread kept breaking...I decided to call my dealer. His first question was What kind of thread are you using? He didn't have to say another word. I had ordered a great "deal" on machine emb. thread from an Internet store and blah blah blah...the *great* deal turned out to be a Big Bust! I changed my thread and put in some Isacord..Voila!..no more breaking!! So note to self, buy Good Thread, NOT the best deal. Geez, I have sooooooooo much to learn in this machine embroidery department. Wish I had you to bounce my problems off of!!
Love your cute little frog, Gene
Blessings

Gmama Jane

tink's mom said...

There was nothing wrong with your first 2 umbrella's but the frog is priceless. Thanks for sharing it with us.

ThreadCatcher said...

Your frog and flower design made me smile. Thanks for sharing.

Beth said...

I loved your little umbrellas but the frog & the flower were really cute too. The frog mug rug definitely made me smile. Thanks for sharing

JustPam said...

The frog under the flower is perfect! I wish I had an embroidery machine so I could make my own frog. Ribbit!

evelyn said...

I liked both umbrellas. But the frog was priceless! Looking at him just makes me smile. ( I don't have an embroidery machine.)

Cathi said...

I absolutely adore your frog mug rug. It made me smile the second I looked at it!

Unknown said...

Lovely little frog! Thanks for sharing your mug rug!

Karen O said...

So cute. Your designs are great. Thank you for sharing them with us.

sandra said...

Your mug rug is adorable and it made me smile to.

Rina Mason said...

Love your little frog,he made me smile. I have one that lives somewhere outside my bedroom window and I know it's Spring when I hear him singing about how happy he is to be alive.

Emily C said...

Love the froggy, he's adorable. Will skip the giveaway, I sadly do not own a embroidery machine =\

karen k said...

Hearing how you came up with your design was interesting and it turned out wonderfully.

karen k said...

Hearing how you came up with your design was interesting and it turned out wonderfully.

Janarama said...

I like all of your designs, especially the little frog. Adorable.

Mrs.Pickles said...

lovely work thanks for sharing!

gtcoursey said...

Ribbett!!! A frog and an umbrella. Who'd a thunk it!!!! Thanks for sharing.

LJ said...

Your final design is so sweet. It reminds me of a book I read to my grandkids about rainbows and a little bunny under a flower.

Snoodles said...

I'm not in the draw, since I don't have an embroidery machine, but I wanted to let you know that I love your mug rug! Padsworth swears it is the spittin' image of his cousin George, who (last we heard) was residing in Alabama...did he sit for the portrait? Heehee!

Beth said...

Gene! I thought the umbrella was cute, both of them in fact. Then I saw the frog! So adorable. That would make me smile every time I saw it.
I am not in the draw either since I do not have an embroidery machine, but good luck to everyone who does.

Barb said...

wonderful mug rugs...

Scrapbook-ChickADoodle said...

Your umbrellas are sweet, but your frog & flower are absolutely adorable! Thanks for sharing.
Even though I love it, I don't have an embroidery machine, so don't include me. :-( Good luck to those that have one!

Newbie Jen said...

Very cute embroidery!

Teatime Creations said...

Very cute froggy rug. Love the design process creative people travel through - and very little ribbit, ribbit.

DeAnna said...

I just love it. Great work on your digitizing! Machine embroidery is so much fun! Thanks for sharing.!

ShirleyC said...

I love your design and your mug rug. That little frog is too cute! He looks like his mouth is open waiting for a bug!

If I should be lucky enough to win, my format is PES. :)

Lavonna ZWB said...

Lovely. Thank you for sharing with us!

Ellen said...

The flower is so sweet to keep the frog dry. Love it. I would love the design to make a mug rug for my daughter who adores frogs or to put on a shirt for her birthday(she will be 25). It would make her smile. My machine is a brother and uses PES designs.

Pamela said...

Your frog made me laugh! Don't enter me in your giveaway, but I just wanted to thank your for sharing!

Stitches said...

Thanks for sharing.

Elita@Busy Needle Quilting said...

Hi Gene! What a cute mug rug! I love the final design. It's so cute! I don't have an embroidery machine but wanted to say Great Job! :-)

apple blossom said...

cute mug rug

MoeWest said...

Your frog and flower makes me smile too! Great job! I don't have an embroidery machine :-(

Sunshine Girl said...

Oooh that little frog is just adorable - love the way he is sheltering under a nice flower. Thanks for sharing.