Friday, August 29, 2014

End of Summer Tablescapes

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Cuisine Kathleen has issued another tablescape challenge!  

This time, it is "A Farewell to Summer" & she forbids anything "FALL" to be shown.
Us Northerners never want Summer to end, so we don't rush that Fall season (although it IS my favorite) because we know what comes after it.
When I lived in FL, I couldn't wait for summer to end!

We haven't done much entertaining this summer, as my hubby hasn't been feeling well.
However, I did have the gals from my new neighbor's sewing retreat come over for lunch a few times.  They currently live in Atlanta so they truly appreciated Ohio's less humid weather.

It has been a lovely summer here with cool breezes & moderate rainfall every few days.
I think I've turned the lawn sprinklers on only TWICE the entire summer! 


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This little table for four was set up in my sewing room, just for dessert.  I used these small "Agapanthus" printed luncheon plates on moss green QUILTED placemats with pretty scalloped edges.

Purple & yellow were the primary colors, with mimosas being served in amethyst champagne flutes. 
My neighbor has agapanthus blooming right across from my gazebo, but did I remember to capture a photograph before they died?  Noooo...bad blogger, bad!


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I used Annie Sloan chalk paint for the first time ever, to paint the base of this domed pastry server.  
Rubbing that wax on & off really gives your arms a work out!

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I used ASCP "Versaille" color, which matched my newly purchased, hand-painted hutch.

Isn't she DARLING???  I just love the little birds on twiggy branches.  
This gives me a place to set up tea & coffee along with cream & sugar/sweeteners, leaving more room on the table for food.
There are two shelves with lots of storage space behind those pretty doors.

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I even painted this strip of wood on the front of the TV cabinet to match it.  Wish I was brave enough to try painting some birds on it!  

My friend suggested stencils, so I may try to find one that is similar.  I just placed my little white ceramic birdie nearby, to continue the theme.

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I have a new secretary in the sewing room also, which I'm using to display my teacup collection.
It works perfectly when there is a bigger crowd, such as a recent quilt class I held here.


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Let me leave you with a mouth watering shot of one of the desserts I made for the sewing retreat gals...LEMON BREAD!!!  You KNOW how much I ♥♥♥ LEMON!!


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No recipe...just buy the box mix by Carnation...Delish!

Thanks for hosting the party, Kathleen.  It is always fun to join other tablescapers & see all the pretty dishes on display.

Thank YOU for stopping by The Gazebo House today.

If you come by next week, I hope to share some pictures of a quilt class I took yesterday with Sue Jones on her "Colorful Cubes" quilt pattern.

Here is a snippet of the various blocks made by each of the gals in the class, stuck to a flannel design wall, as they finished their first block.  Even with the wide variety of fabrics, this grouping would make a cool quilt.
Can you guess which block is mine?


   

More info about it later...I hope you have a SAFE Labor Day weekend!  Enjoy the last holiday of the summer!

Monday, August 25, 2014

Quilted “Cinch It” Tote Bag

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My latest project, which I quilted on the long arm, is this darling "Cinch It Tote Bag"
from the free pattern on the website, All People Quilt
Here is their version...I just tucked my sides inward to form the different shape you see above, in my photo.



You might have to register to download the complete instructions.  Do so...you won't regret it.
I love that site...so many great ideas!

I also constructed mine a little differently, from their instructions, as I put a backing beneath the batting & pretty French Provincial fabrics, so I could quilt it on my Innova long arm machine.
They have you quilt just the top & batting, without a backing, on your domestic machine.

I hope you can see that I used a Fleur-de-Lis block pattern, which came in my Auto Pilot program, in keeping with the Frenchy goodness of the fabrics.  I didn’t want it too heavily quilted, just enough for an accent.

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Side view of the boxed corner.
Below is the one my sewing buddy, Anne J. made from the same pattern.

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We shopped for her fabric together at Ohio Star Quilt Shoppe &
started to work on the totes together at my house one day.
We each completed them on our own at home.  

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I love how she was able to embellish her plain yellow strips with an embroidery motif that mimics
the floral swirling vines in the fabric.  Brilliant idea & Nice job, Anne!!