valentines day

Art Cards 2011 – Week 7

| terriaw

We don’t usually celebrate Valentine’s Day in our house (we prefer to save the celebration for our anniversary), but I ended up picking up  a box of Godiva biscuits for Dave, and he bought me this lovely bouquet of spring flowers. It’s been so refreshing to have flowers in the house this past week!

I can’t believe we are in week 7 already for this art card project. Yippee! That means we are getting closer to spring with each passing day.

I decided to sew a little art card using snippets from my tiny Valentine’s Day stash.

We had some problems with our washing machine earlier in the week, with water spilling out and flooding the unfinished half of our basement with a shallow layer of water. Thank goodness everything of value was stored in plastic bins or on shelves off the floor. We had to throw away a bunch of empty cardboard boxes, and hang a pile of rugs out in the winter elements to dry. After testing the washing machine, we think it’s fixed and still working, so we are relieved to not have to spend $400 on a new one right now.

I pictured those adorable mini clothesline quilts when I illustrated a whimsical art card to reflect Wash Day, using my watercolor pencils and Micron markers. You might not be able to see it in the photo but I also rubbed on some glimmer chalk to add a little extra sparkle.

I find it’s healthier for me to focus on the positive and try use such an experience as a chance to challenge my imagination and illustration skills.

Don’t forget to stop our Flickr group to see what Michelle and Sandra have been doing on their art cards.

Valentines Day Table Runner

| terriaw

I finished my Valentines Day table runner, which I pieced together and quilted last year, but I never finished sewing on the binding. Now I can count this as another finished project for the year!

It’s simply uneven strips pieced together, with a border around them. Our buffet table measures about 17 inches deep and this new runner is about 14 inches, so it fits nicely. I love this combination of colors – brown with red and pink.

I appliqued the hearts with my old sewing machine, which never cooperated when doing applique or zig-zag stitches. I ended up hand sewing over the spotty machine stitching because it skipped every couple stitches.

For the binding, I pieced together a combination of the leftover fabrics, which looks cool as you wind your way around this runner.

I’m so happy I stuck with this project, and finally finished it! It adds colorful cheer in our living room, especially this time of year when things look so drab outside. It’s actually the only Valentine’s Day decoration we have in the house, except for that bowl of red and pink MnMs.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, I have to give a shout out to thank my friend Vicki for sending me a surprise Valentine’s Day package!

She is famous for her whirligig pinwheels, so I feel honored to get a towel with a red-and-white-pinwheel-band through the middle.

I will be wearing this adorable heart brooch for the rest of the week!