This is a lily native to the eastern US called Turk's Cap. Nine different species of moth/butterfly use this plant as a host to grow their caterpillars on ... it's toxic to cats ... and I have not, yet, seen any flowering here in my neighborhood but should, soon. :) Pretty, eh?
Today was hot, hot and humid - typical July Fourth weather here in Maryland. :) Some of our neighbors (as usual) started their firework celebrations early with loud bangs - clearly none of them have ever owned animals with loud-noise-fear issues! At least they did stop before midnight. Sigh.
I got a package yesterday from Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, VA. It's a nice shop with lots of mixed media goodies as well as pretty quilting fabrics, books, and ideas. :) I got a copy of the newest issue of Simply Moderne magazine:
There were several of the project designs in this issue that I like enough to make - especially a very cute sampler of patchwork giraffes - and the quilt on the cover set off some creative ideas in my head. Maybe I'll keep it together long enough to try them out? :)
In addition to the magazine, I got some fabric designed by Tilde that I actually have plans to use:
I stuck my hand into the photo so you could judge the scale of the print. :) I have a wonderful collection of applique self-portrait blocks from members of Mimi's Grad Class that we exchanged last year .... that are 'burning a hole' in my back brain, begging to be made into a quilt. I am thinking of using this print in some way as part of that project. :)
I did not accomplish much today ... well, not true, now that I think of it. I DID make my first tiny step toward cleaning up my house by cleaning my bathroom sink area. I had to do that to accomplish my one 'sewing' activity of the day.
I found some of the vintage blocks that Joan Z. gave me at the last Grad Class meeting and decided to hand wash them. The ones I sorted out to start with (there are a number of them) are 21 Grandmother's Flower Garden blocks hand sewn using what looks like 1920's prints with hexagons that finish about 1 1/8" on a side. I washed them in Soak brand gentle detergent and laid them out to dry on my blocking boards.
I also thought about a design for using them and decided to divide them into two sets - one of 12 blocks and one of 9 - sorted by color in a 'rainbow' arrangement (mind you, 20's fabrics do not get very 'rainbow' in coloring; they tend toward softer contrasts:). I am thinking to arrange the blocks in a vaguely hexagonal wreath and am still pondering whether to put a larger hexagon in the center. I feel eager to make these two small-ish quilts (likely to be lap sized, maybe 60" square or so) ... I guess working only on UFOs could only entertain me for so long, eh? :)
Other than that, I read, ate and slept for most of the day. I am suffering with my occasional-but-aggravating insomnia that keeps me awake until 5 or 6 a.m. and then makes me sleep most of the daylight hours away. Grrr! Hope to get that under control soon as it is a colossal waste of human interfacing time.
:) Linda