Moving Forward Again

My energy is returning -- and while this post might look like I was crazy productive since my last post, it actually shows the results of a week's worth of "a little here and a little there."

Our September decor is out - sunflowers and apples with a few black and white touches like these ceramic acorns.

Every year after school started, my mom would take us to the apple orchard where she would buy a whole bushel of apples to make applesauce for the winter months.  The owner always gave each of us girls an apple and one year, I lost my first tooth when I bit into mine.

I've added another few rows to Grandiose (Macnas-inspired no. 8) so now there just a very few more to go.

I had hoped to have all 12 quilts in the series finished by year end - I now realize I'll be happy if I have all 12 quilt TOPS finished in 2025. The remaining four are ready for layout and assembly so I'm pretty sure I can meet this revised goal; and if 2-3 of them get quilted as well, then hooray.

The leader-ender block progress for Incandescent is moving this one forward on the design wall.  Once all the blocks are sewn and pressed, I'll do a bit of rearranging (maybe) before sewing the top together.

I finally decided on the alternate fabric for these 3" HSTs and got everything die cut so I can prep Xanadu (not previously blogged about) to become another leader-ender project as I continue my way through the series of Macnas-inspired quilt tops.  Each of the color stacks contains at least 4-5 or more different fabrics/prints/textures.

Once all the HSTs are made, I'll decide on the final layout - for now I'm happy to have this part of the prep work done.

Finally, after thinking about it for several days, I created my week 36 shipping tag for Shana's Full Deck Challenge 3.  

This is the tag's reverse side - as you might have guessed, the prompt was Flowers.

I also worked in many short sessions to create a total of 60 altered vintage slide frames.

This group features postage stamps with bits of torn tea bags.

Another group has bits of old road maps.

All the others have different types of script or text in their windows.  All of these will make great bits to add into my journals and altered book projects.

There are lots of tutorials out there for altered slides - most of them completely disguise the original printed words and logos with paint or paper.  I tried one or two that way and they felt all wrong, so I went back to my ink pad method with little bits of collage.  

* * * 

I'm not 100% yet as my focus/attention span is still shorter than usual and I still need an occasional rest break, but I'm delighted to be doing as much as I am.  

We've also had some marvelously cooler weather which means reading on the back porch.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Everything has a value, provided it appears at the right place at the right time.  It's a matter of recognizing that value, that quality, and then to transform it into something that can be used.  If you come across something valuable and tuck it away in your metaphorical suitcase there's sure to come a moment when you can make use of it."  Jurgen Bey