A little peek

Since I can't show the QOV blocks just yet, I started another project using some fabric I was "paid" with for a favor I did.   I added some mirage fabrics for the small squares.  I am not sure I am happy with them for this. I would like the pattern to POP a bit more.  The mirage blenders seem to get lost in with these bright strips.
Here is the first two blocks I made and joined.  Joining the two makes the full pattern.  This is adapted from a pattern so I will not be showing 'how to' on this one.

I have also made lots of bookmarks.  I am planning to put some in my Etsy shop - which at this moment is empty.
Here are a few of the bookmarks:

 

The white angel one just doesn't photograph well.  I suppose I will leave it out of the shop.
I hope you are having a pleasant and creative day!

"Where I've Been"

Several people have asked me lately "Are you okay?"  I haven't posted since Friday- the Rainy Day - but I didn't get washed away.  I have been working on a project for the Quilts of Valor "GO for a Star" blog hop.   Marjorie is hosting the blog hop and you can read about it here.
The basics are simply to get as many quilters as possible to make a quilt for Quilts of Valor (QOV.)  There will be prizes for those participating in the event.
This is a country specific blog hop as this is for the USA QOV organization.  The QOV mission statement states "The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover ALL combat servicemembers and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. This foundation is not about politics. It's about people." (note that I discovered that there are also QOV organizations in Canada and the United Kingdom.)
That said, everyone is welcome to visit and comment.  We love all our worldwide friends.

I don't like posting without a picture -and since I have been working diligently on the tutorial and  video for the blog hop I don't have anything new to share.
So I will leave you with something "older" that I made.

One of many Disappearing Nine Patch quilts I have made.

And this painting that I painted a few years ago.

Tomatoes for Pablo
(a tribute to Picasso) 

Be sure to watch for the blog hop.  I am hoping you will learn something and be inspired to make a quilt for Quilts of Valor.

Rainy Day

What do you do on a rainy day? It is raining steadily here today. I have several things to work on. I need to make some more of these delightful machine embroidered free standing lace bookmarks.

 I made some more of the Happy Easter bookmarks.  A lyre design -it looks black here but is a wonderful deep rich purple.

Then I made this cross bookmark and a heart design bookmark.  (FYI- All these designs came from Embroidery Library.) Do you see the little hearts in the design? It is so cool to watch these stitch out.  I guess I was tired last night;  I feel asleep sitting in front of the machine several times -but only for seconds at a time.  I would start to nod and then "jerk" back up.  The pink heart design was last and it was watching it that I feel asleep.  Did you know that pink is a calming/soothing color? Maybe that is why I kept nodding off.

I am working on a quilt project but I can't show it yet.  I will be in the GO! for a Star Quilts of Valor blog hop the week of April 2-6 and you will see it then AND get a tutorial AND (hopefully) a free paper piecing pattern.

The Secret Revealed

This is the second post about my challenge.  The first post is Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks. First off, I have to say that there were lots of good guesses!   But only one person nailed the answer.  Let's give a big round of applause to Leslie at The Crafty Unicorn Quilting.
Both quilts are designed with blocks that are indeed Card Trick.  One of them is set "on point."  That would be the top one.  The second is simply Card Trick colored differently.  I exported the pictures from EQ without the lines to make it a real challenge.  I confess that I could not have figured this out at all had I been in your position.

I saw an episode of The Quilt Show with Paula Nadelstern,  She had a puzzle quilt in which each block had a matching block in it. (similar to this challenge) That just got my imagination churning.   I sat at the computer and fired up EQ7 and had a go at it.
The word "trick" in the title of the post was a clue but I don't know if that helped Leslie or not.

Here is Card Trick on point with a more traditional coloration:

And here is Card Trick with a horizontal setting and a traditional coloration:

So you see, simply changing the colors around can make the block appear completely different.
Thanks to everyone who played along.  You made it really fun for me and I hope you stretched your mind  a wee bit.  Mental puzzles have been proven to help keep the brain more active and "younger."

I haven't taken a picture but I won some wonderful vintage sheet fat quarters from Debi at Quilting With Debi.   Thanks Debi,  they are wonderful and will go in a project soon.

I also want to let you know that I will one stop on a blog hop that starts April 2 and runs through April 5.  I have added the blog badge on my left sidebar.