One Flower Wednesday, a wonderful find & Finished Christmas Decorations!

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”      ― Thomas Jefferson 

 

When I was out Christmas shopping this week I made a fabulous find at the Department store for only $5!  Just look at this beautiful book!

 

It is an abridged copy of Frank Baum's famous story of the Wizard of Oz!  The foreward of the book explains that all of Frank Baum's original words are used in this abridged copy so I can say that I have finally read the book...........(well someday I will really read the original unabridged edition but I was elated to find this copy!)

 

So as the story goes.....after coming back from meeting Professor Marvel, Dorothy couldn't open the door to the cellar when she saw the tornado coming so she went back to the house where she hit her head and passed out on her bed..............when she woke up and looked out the window she saw many things flying by in the tornado (including the witch which I showed you a couple of weeks ago)...........Another thing she saw was a couple of fishermen in a boat............try as I might I just have not been able to find any fabric with the two men in the fishing boat so here is what I have to offer instead.........

 Remember that Karen at Journey of a Quilter has her One Flower Linky each week.....Don't forget to check out the other beautiful flowers growing in Karen's Garden......click HERE

 

And I am happy to report that my Christmas Decorating is DONE!  I showed you my Christmas Village on my last post and here are my Santa and Reindeer on the fireplace mantel..............

 

 This is a beautiful ceramic set that my Mother made so many years ago when she was in a ceramics class.  Every year that I went to help her decorate her house I loved to set this out.  After awhile Mama said it was too much trouble to set it out and it took up too much room and so she would try to talk me out of it but I'm stubborn and I always managed to talk her into letting me put it out again..............finally one year she said, "Ida, you love that set so much you can have it."    

(My Mama is smart!...she figured out how to get me to stop forcing her to put it out at her house......and at the same time she gave me an heirloom I will cherish forever.......)

 

Time to get to all the projects I have to finish BEFORE Christmas so Ta-Ta for now..................... 

One Flower Wednesday.....Under the Rainbow in Kansas......

"Someone who thinks the world is always cheating him is right.  He is missing that wonderful feeling of trust in someone or something."― Eric Hoffer

Hope all my American friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and to all by bloggy friends hope you are all looking forward to a fabulous Christmas holiday.............

Today I have another Kansas flower to show you..........this one also comes from the "Under the Rainbow" series by Timeless Treasures............I don't know if I have mentioned this before but when I first started making the Oz flowers I didn't know that Timeless Treasures had made 6 different Oz fabric series........But as I began looking I found them and was able to make the fussy cut flowers I have been making..........so all the sepia tones I have found come from the "Under the Rainbow" series...........here it is...........the tornado!

Since this is so small, it will go somewhere near the upper left to mid center of the Kansas side..........I will still have lots of "tornado-ish" skies with stuff flying through the air on that side and the sky will eventually transition from brown to yellow to green and then to blue as it reaches the right side of the hanging to the Oz side............I see it in my head but we shall see how it looks when it finally makes it to the quilt.........lol..........

 Just a reminder to all of you that Karen at Journey of a Quilter hosts her One Flower Wednesday linky each week and you can see more hexagon flowers there by following the LINK.....  

Today I will start getting the rest of the Christmas decorations down from the attic.........maybe will have my tree up by the end of the day........I also need to finish up a couple of swap blocks and sort out the PS charms I received in a swap and.......well I won't get any of that done if I don't get this post finished so I will just say "see you next time..........and Ta-Ta for now!
 

One Flower Wednesday, Tornados, Witches, and Headed Home....Oh My!

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”      ― Ralph Waldo Emerson  Before I left to go on vacation I worked on a couple of flowers for the Kansas side of the Oz hanging............these came from the same fabric as Miss Gulch on the bicycle and Professor Marvel that I showed you before..............I had a FQ of the fabric but then I found and bought a whole half yard which allowed me to make several more flowers out of that sepia tone fabric which is perfect for the Kansas side ............. Well, yes I made two but I'm only going to show you ONE since this is ONE flower Wednesday.....hahaha........there is a method to my madness;  I am actually driving home on Wednesday and then back to work on Thursday and Friday, Monday and Tuesday so I wanted to be sure I had something to show you next week.......... So here is Dorothy after she woke up inside her house as it was being taken away by the tornado...........        see the Wicked Witch flying by the window??? Me thinks her flight will be short-lived when Dorothy's house lands in Oz................. So today Nana and her best cooking buddy made some jello and banana treats...........the hardest thing is waiting for them to be ready! and our snow globes are having a little bit of problem with the glue setting so we are waiting on that too before we add the water and glitter to them..................... so I'm going to get the very last bit of Nana time before it is time to go to bed and get some rest for that long ride home...........so I will talk to you next time and just say Ta-Ta for now...............

One Flower Wednesday....And the Monkey Business Winner Is.......

You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.         --A.A. Milne


So last week I showed you the "Not Flying" Monkeys and asked for opinions on what I should use for the center.............and here is what I decided on..................

 

 Yes, I think Miss Gulch is the perfect center for these sock monkeys who will go on the Kansas Side of the Oz hanging.....somewhere in the tornado..............Yes, I know in the story there were no sock monkeys in Kansas but I am taking "poetic license" or "artistic license" or some kind of license to put them over there since I'm in charge of making this quilt.....LOL.....

And I have to say that I just couldn't leave it alone.....my apologies to my friend, Sunny, but the hanging just NEEDS some flying Monkeys...........so I spent a little time with my fabric pens and came up with this............

 Amazing how some flaring nostrils and straight eyebrows can make some cute sock monkeys look so mean!  But..... where there's a will there's a way............these winged guys will go on the Oz side.....somewhere near the dark forest and witches castle....................Oh....don't forget to go check out the other flowers growing in Karen's OFW at her Journey of a Quilter Blog............click here!

Last week I finished one more tote bag.....this one for my SIL, who loves animals but especially doggies...............

 I used the same pattern that I had used for a couple of the totes I made before but I wanted this one a little larger so I added a few inches..., and well, it turned out quite a bit larger.......I tried to get Ally to show you all just how large this bag is......

  .....but she was having none of that.....lol.....she made a very quick getaway.......usually you can't get your animal "helpers" to stay out of the way of your quilty photos....unless you specifically want them IN the photos!

I made this post in advance of my little break from work so all I have to do is hit the "publish" tab on Wednesday morning.  I will be visiting family for a few days but I will try to post again while I'm on the road.....I usually have a project to make for the Grands.....I try to show you something then ............

Oh...one more thing before I go.....I am at visiting my Sis and her husband at their little ranch right now and having a wonderful time....so we will both just say "Ta-Ta for Now"

 
  

One Flower Wednesday...."FLYING?"Monkeys and some Swap Stuff

“Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.”   ― Franklin P. Jones     Several of my followers have mentioned that they don't like the Wicked Witch's flying monkeys....or that they are "scary" or "creepy"........and for some reason there has been very little Oz fabric made that shows them....maybe more people agree with that.....in fact, I've only found one print which is a panel and ,I think, I probably won't get it......but I do have some monkeys for the Oz hanging I'm just not sure what to use for the center  yet.......   well if we "imagined" some wings on them maybe they could fly.....lol....   so anyway............here are some "maybe's"...........

I'm liking the three on the left......what do you all think??
 While you all are thinking about it why don't you hop over to Karen's OFW page where she has more lovely flowers for you to see......click HERE.....
 

Ok, so I'm off to finish one more bag......I remembered one more person who needs one......here are some things I sent off last week for a swap....both were pieced and lots of fun....

 

 Ok I am off to make another tote bag.....Ta-ta for now......


 

One half Flower Wednesday, Traveling Stash, and don't forget about my Giveaway!

I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.         -Robert Fulghum

So last week I teased you all with a sneak peek of the sneak peek I have for you this week..............LOL............
well without further ado....here it is..........remember the little red point on the left side petal of last week's flower? It's the tip of one Ruby Slipper............and here is what it attaches to........................

and so it will look something like this when sewed to last week's flower:

tada!

Ok then..........next week I will show you the flower that fits above this partial flower.............bwahahahaha.....I love a surprise!! Oh and don't forget to check out the other flowers at OFW..........click here

Next on my post list today is to let you know about Traveling Stash Box#3, which is set to go out to the lucky winner from my sister's blog at Hilachas next week so head on over there and sign up.......I, ahem, might have gotten a little peek at what's inside.....and there's some good stuff.........giveaway ends August 19th.......... 

.................and last but not least........if you haven't already signed up for "Ida's 102nd Post/After Birthday Giveaway"........you need to hurry because Mr. Random will be picking a winner on Friday night, August 17th..........Green Fairy Quilts is sponsoring my giveaway with this gorgeous jelly roll of Pink Windsor by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda.....

and you can get your chance to win it by being one of my followers and commenting on my last post..........just click on the jelly roll to go to the giveaway......

Well I guess that is all I can come up with this week so I'll see you next time...........Ta-Ta for now.....................