Paisley Where Are You? T.T.T. [Sept 1, 2011]

Ladies & Gents,
I am sorry to report that I am just not going to be able to carry out T.T.T. this week.  Hahahhaaa, did I run out of ideas?  Hardly.  That'll be a cold day in you know where...

Unfortunately, our family has had quite an emotional blow today.  This morning was amazing - the girls and I played pretend all morning and we were having quite a time the three of us.  Disaster struck at noon.  My dog Paisley, a.k.a. Miss Priss, the most difficult 3lb Yorkshire Terrier the world has ever seen, ran away while we ate lunch!  She is small enough to fit through the slats on the deck and well...today was the day she decided to bust out.  I suppose she wandered out to do her business in this new green world that she is still unused to and then got completely turned around.  Needless to say there was a very big panic from moi and the Darling Daughters were whipped into their stroller to find Miss Priss.  I found a few people who saw her, some teenagers who actually had caught her at one point but she escaped from them, and then the trail went cold.  Speaking of cold, I hope she isn't too cold right now out there alone, in the dark.  I can't even bear to think about it.
We have notified every authority, posted signs, contacted the microchip company, called all the local Animal Hospitals, even had an announcement over the local radio station.  Unfortunately, being a "Teacup" Yorkie she is very adorable (well, personality aside...she is adorable looking but quite difficult as anyone who has met her can attest to) and she might be adopted into another family rather than returned.  All I hope is that she is found and if not returned then at least loved by someone.  She gave us 8 memorable years of her life and I truly hope she has at least another 8 coming her way!
If you've gotten this far then thank you for reading this.  I never meant to go on for so long.  
I hope that you will still post for the Think Tank if you have brewed up some ideas of your own.  I'll get into the spirit again soon...I just need a mental day off from everything creative right now.  
Feel free to rattle off anything that has been brewing in your creative little heads.  It can be anything, quilting, home improvement, fashion, crafting, DIY gifts, cooking...whatever you have recently thought "hmmm, you know what I should create" is perfectly appropriate for the Think Tank.  Have a blog?  Grab the Thursday Think Tank button displayed on the right. 
Please leave a link to your T.T.T. on your blog in the linky party below or leave a comment with your Thursday Think Tank ideas!  
- rebecca lynne

Big Mistake [Botanika Improv Quilt] & WIP

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.  ~John Powell

even the photo is ugly

What was I thinking?

Bleh.

Are you as disappointed with this as I am?  I was literally crushed.  But, I think I have made a recovery.  You can see some of my newer blocks below...some of my favs anyway...

Here are a few things I learned from this mistake.  I'm now creating blocks in groupings...like little families.  Changed up the borders, they don't need to be so uniform.  Have fun, this doesn't need to be strict and serious it is supposed to be whimsical and free form.  

Wonky Flowers

I am in love with this Wonky Flower block.  It is finally what I was thinking in my head and very fun to make.  I didn't worry about lining up so much as making it screwy and that was cool.

C'est Moi

C'est Moi needs its bottom border and I think I am going to thin out the peachy frame to make it more delicate.  But I just love that graphic, don't you?

Remember our friend the Bird?  He used to have a crown...  I started doing all these crazy things with borders around him...I actually sewed them on and everything.  It was horrible.  So, I went back to the drawing board realizing there was a reason we all fell in love with him in the beginning!

Here he is restored to his former glory with his crown.  No it isn't sewn in yet, but don't worry...I am not going to change it this time!  And I like the little bit of gray/green strip at the bottom now, adds a bit of interest to "The King."

The King [He's a bit wrinkly from all the seam ripping of borders, needs an iron]

I decided he needed a Queen...or at least a girlfriend.  This is what I think I am planning for her...

Friend for the King

Trying to work with Groupings.  Love the little Butterfly tucked in there!  But there is a lot of white, may need to change this layout a bit.  

This is my design board now with everything on it.  I am trying to throw it all up there and see what relationships pieces have with each other.  I don't know, I kind of like the mish mosh with not as much white as I thought I wanted originally.  Looks kind of interesting.  What do you think?  Do you like the white or do you think it should be closer together with less white between?

My Other WIP Tally's Include...

Working On
- new! Tumbling Blocks Challenge [need 260 more finished blocks]

- new! Across the Sea QAL [need to sew blocks together]

Some of my Across the Sea Blocks

- Hummingbirds & Hexagons: Top Done [needs backing & quilting]

In Limbo
- I don't even have the energy to go there.  Let's just leave it at LOTS.
Finished
- Feeling Fussy Fabric Swap Pieces were cut and sent out

How are your WIPs faring this week?  Drowning like I am???  Linking to W.I.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!  Be sure to check some other folks out!

- rebecca lynne

Tumbling Blocks Challenge - Accepted

The challenge is officially accepted. Helen has set a deadline of September 4, 2011 to have all of the blocks sewn.  Thank you again to Helen at Archie the Wonder Dog for being supportive and for sending me some of her supportive friends to nag encourage me.  Ha!  I have already met so many wonderfully encouraging people through this challenge that I just cannot let you down.  Plus, there is now more to the story involving The Mr...

The Drama Continues

Scene: 

Saturday Night.  The MRL Television Room.  The Mr. & Mrs. sitting side by side watching some brainless television show via Hulu (too cheap cool to do the whole whole paying for cable thing...ha)

Dialogue:

The Mr. turns to RL and asks - "so, um, what is going on with that box the one with all the black fabric in it..."

Mrs., alarm bells going off in head - "oh?  the one with the fabric for the bed quilt?  I'm just trying to see what to do about it"

The Mr. - "yeah well I nearly fell over when I saw that...it really brought back some memories.  it would be really cool if you finished it, I mean if you can finish it...eventually"

Mrs. tries to play it cool - "we'll see...I found my slender rotary cutter at least"

Mrs.'s Inner Monologue --> Agh!  So he did notice.  Damn.  ;)

The Infamous Tumbling Blocks

Many of you asked about how many blocks I have to go, how many there are total.  I responded to each of you individually via email saying that I didn't know how many there were...I was just sewing at will basically...

So, I started to do just that.  To sew.  But those unfinished pieces kept leering at me.  I played with my sewing machine tension, remembered the trick of making Tumbling Blocks (ugh, aligning those points?  pain.  but I mastered them once and it took me about 10min to nail them again...ha, so there points...so there...na na nanaa naaaah na), I changed my thread, refilled my bobbin...

Fine.  Enough Procrastinating.  I finally decided I had to count.  I had to find out exactly WHAT I was facing.

After counting, and recounting, and pulling small black pieces out of Miss V's hands (repeatedly) I determined that there is enough cut fabric for 390 blocks.  Each block is a little over 3 inches wide.  I think I intended at one point to create 400 blocks, but I recall a vague memory from 10 years ago of being in the midst of cutting and losing count and rather than count all 1200 pieces (400x3 for each fabric) I decided to just start sewing.  After last Sunday there are now 100 blocks sewn.  I have 300 blocks to go.  10 of which I need to cut out first from the fabric that I found leftover from this disaster.  This will only result in a quilt that is almost 60" thereabouts -- which means I am either making a throw or I am adding something.  Ugh, adding MORE?  Come on.

Note to Self:  Why did this project go awry?  Where were the anal math/documenting skills you have today?  I have to say I am amazed that this project could have gone so off course.  10 years ago I had No Children, No Dogs, No Law School, No *Profession,* No True Adult Responsibilities...I mean what was I doing with all my time that I could not sit down and finish this?  Well Rebecca Lynne?  Tell me?  Uh hunh, what is that saying about youth being wasted on the young???

TOTALS:
Goal: 400 finished blocks by September 4, 2011


Countdown Thus Far: 100 sewn blocks


To go: 290 pieces to sew into blocks + 10 block pieces to cut


Miscellaneous: Whether to add more to the blocks once finished, a border perhaps?  Or just call it a day and leave it at a throw?  Any thoughts, feedback, advice here is greatly appreciated... ;)

Helen, the photo below is just for you...

Reunited and it feels so gooood! 

- Peaches & Herbs

- rebecca lynne

GIVEAWAY WINNER: My Memories Suite Version 2.0 Digital Scrapbooking Software

DRUM ROLL PLEASE......

Congratulations to Erin of Missy Mac Creations!  Who said: 

Visited the My Memories website - and would like the Purple Party digital scrapbooking kit (http://www.mymemories.com/store/display_product_page?id=LJKD-CP-1106-3173). 

Initially I'd love to have a play to create a nicer blog (because, let's face it, my header etc is shite).Thanks for all the chances. :)

I will be contacting you personally, Erin, to tell you more about how to receive your Free My Memories Suite Software!

- rebecca lynne

2011 Jamestown Regional Celtic Festival

The 2011 Jamestown Regional Celtic Festival

This weekend we went to the Celtic Festival in a neighboring town.  As a child I remember piling into the car and meeting my Grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, & Cousins at the Scottish Games held near Albany, NY each year.  Being part Scots the games were an important part of my upbringing and I was shocked after meeting the Mr. to find out that he is part Scots too and had never been to any Gathering!  Sacrilege!  

Needless to say I have been hoping to introduce this part of our heritage to Miss E & Miss V.  I was pretty choked up at times during the Festival, listening to bagpipes always does that to me...  I'm going to keep this post limited in chatter (I know, shocking).  Instead I am sharing some of our photos from the Festival in the hopes that you will see how much fun we had just through the visuals.  

Alpaca Yarn

Scottish Blackface Sheep

      

See the leg in these photos, working the spinning wheel?  That is Tammy...those are her sheep in the photo above.  Tammy is spinning unwashed wool (with grease) here.  I asked Tammy why she didn't wash her wool and she explained that when the wool isn't washed it retains the natural grease and is more water repellant than washed wool.  Good for sweaters and such.  Anyway, we chatted for quite a bit she and I...I came to find out that she recently acquired a treadle loom while I had been recently gifted a garbage bag full of unwashed wool with no idea what to do next with it.  She had the most beatific smile when she learned that I knew how to weave - she offered to teach me to spin if I taught her to weave!  Hahahhaaa, this truly is Far Far Away for me at least.

 

Miss E loves the pipes - she should - she listened to them in utero and as a newborn.  

She said and I promise I am not ad-libbing, 

"the pipes are calling me Mommy." 

She danced all day long...

To Die For Meat Pie.

The Mr.'s Choice - Shephard's Pie

Have enough sweet popcorn Miss E?

As if the day wasn't amazing enough...the whole Festival took place on a lake.  It isn't Scotland, but it was special anyway.  Did I mention how much I love it here?

I hope you all had a good weekend too!

- rebecca lynne

Tribute to Archie the Wonder Dog

<< SHAMELESS PLUG >>

Don't forget to enter this week's Giveaway!

Basket of Denial - I mean - Tumbling Blocks

Last week I visited and began following Helen at Archie the Wonder Dog.  Helen, not that I want to speak for her but this is just based on my own observations, appears to be a long-time quilter but short-time blogger.  She created her first post on Sunday August 21, 2011 - but you can tell that she is totally herself when she blogs and I think that is the way to be!  She is a powerhouse with already 46 Followers and the drive to continue her internet adventures to the max...with Archie of course...

Anyway, if you pop over to Helen's blog you'll see that she has the same talent for chattering that I do.  So, it is no wonder that once I left a comment on her site, and she emailed me, that I responded, she wrote back...and well you know where I am going with this.*  The subject?  The hexagons posted on her blog reminded me of the tumbling blocks quilt I started for Mr. Making Rebecca Lynne oh so long ago.  No no, not last year...or the year before...no no no no no...I began this project in 2001.  First it was just a because gift, then it was a welcome home from a year abroad and far away from me gift, then it was an engagement gift, then a wedding gift, then I misplaced the perfect backing I had found for it, then I misplaced the blocks themselves, then I forgot about it completely until...well...Archie the Wonder Dog reminded me.  And guess what, in all of my reorganizing and unpacking of my stash I found the blocks and the backing too.

SO.  Where does this leave us?  Helen has encouraged me to finish this quilt.  After multiple emails back and forth you understand, Helen wrote, and I quote,

  I think you need to post about it and then we can all nag (sorry, support) you with it!  He must really like it - do you think you could get it finished for Christmas?  

Alright.  I do need motivation.  Helen's got my number.  Yes.  Yes, I will take on that challenge and I challenge all of YOU to help me with your nagging support.  The Mister does deserve it, he deals with three females (read: drama queens) all year long and thanks to him we moved to wonderful Far Far Away, NY and are much better off.  Therefore, it's on...

Challenge Tumbling Blocks

[if this truly becomes a following I am making a button...so come on, make it worth my while...

free reign to nag me?...awesome]

As I've stated in the past, I did a whole minimalist thing for quite awhile.  The Mister was also on board with that way back when and pretty much 90% of everything we wore and surrounded ourselves with was black.  The tumbling blocks are a testament to this stage of our lives as they are made up with three black fabrics, one gray on black floral, one blue gray on black swirl, and one solid black.  The backing is a black on black asian print theme - The Mister is way into everything Asia as he spent a year teaching English in Taiwan and learning Chinese.  Yeah, he's one of those linguistic types.  [And he's a grammar nag.  :P]

Before we get to the photos.  Let me just add that when I took this box out, and suspiciously brought it downstairs to the sewing room, The Mister just raised his brows and gave me a look.  A look of "uh hunh, this again..."  I think he has just about given up on me ever finishing this, so that really should be motivation enough, right?

Box with Hexagons

The hexagons lived in this box for 10 years.  Oh wait, what I mean to say is what I thought were all sewn together hexagons lived in this box.  See, see the finished hexies right on top in this photo above?  Oh contraire mon ami...  I dug a little deeper into the box and...

Yup...

PIECES.  Some of these are still just unsewn pieces!

But my annoyance soon gave way when I discovered my long lost rotary tool.  I knew I had one of these!

In the end, the quilt should look something like this.  I hope.

I'd like to thank Helen, and Archie, for encouraging me to straighten up and fly right.  As a shout out to Archie the Wonder Dog (the dog, not the blog) I am contributing to the Dogs in Blogs tonight by including The Girls.  Both Portia & Paisley thank Archie for finally getting my priorities straight...by featuring them in making rebecca lynne of course...

Portia & Paisley [a.k.a The Girls]

What do you folks think?  Can I do it?  Will You & Helen nag/support me through this struggle?  Go on, you can egg me on or tease me, I can handle it, leave a comment below...  ;)  

Have a great weekend everyone.  I will be MIA.  After all I have a lot to do!

- rebecca lynne

p.s. I am pretty sure Helen will know...but just so you all do too...I truly am very grateful to her encouragement and any antics in this post are just that...antics!  I think Helen would be the first to agree - I'm allowed to have fun on my blog, really.  ;)

*See Erin?  I'm a stalker too.  ;)

GIVEAWAY: My Memories Suite Version 2.0 Digital Scrapbooking Software

Anyone notice a difference in my blog layout?  Hunh...nudge nudge, wink wink...  See the buttons I've added on the righthand side?  I whipped those up last night using the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software!  Seriously, it was so simple.  I really liked this digi scrapbooking software and had fun using it.  If you scroll down you can see how to enter the giveaway to receive your OWN copy of the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software for free.  Plus, I have included a Coupon Code for $10 OFF the My Memories Suite Software and $10 OFF My Memories Merchandise!


In my last post about the My Memories Suite Software I wrote about the Word Art Designer and Photo features of the software.  I also demonstrated how I created the Thank You image below using solely imagery found on my computer and the Word Art Designer tool.

Thank You Card using making rebecca lynne imagery

No templates needed.  I simply used a blank album format.  In fact, the Blank Format is pretty key so I am adding two screenshots to show you want I mean...

First when creating a new Album you can select Design Your Own (highlighted in orange here)

Then when creating your album page you can select Blank Page and start with a bare page!

What I failed to mention about creating an image like the Thank You above is what you can do with it next.  If you'd like to learn more about how to create cards, albums, iPod movies, DVDs, and photo albums watch this clip from Lisa Jurrens at My Memories.

Here’s what’s on the video –

·         Software Screen Tour – finding your papers and embellishments.

·         MyMemories.com website tour (and description of different types of products on the site)

·         Beginning information on album creation

·         Introduction to SOME of the tools (and references to the other video tutorials that are available)

Welcome to the Family! from Lisa Jurrens on Vimeo.

Before getting to the giveaway portion I'd like to point out a few more cool things about this software.  Unlike my last project I decided that this time I was going to shop a bit in the My Memories site where you can find embellishments, frames, templates, and lots of other goodies to create your digital imagery.  I was very impressed by the amount of variety at the shop...and...cheap person that I am...I loved that there was a Free Downloads section as well as a Dollar Store.  This means I was able to spend very little money to create my projects!

Also, I liked being able to get into the My Memories shop while working within the software.  If you look at the upper lefthand corner of the screenshot of the My Memories digital software below you will notice a shopping cart button.  Clicking on that baby gets you right into some of the latest and greatest in the My Memories shop.  This is a live image from my computer not one given to me by the My Memories folks...and look...in the first three rows are FREEBIES.  So, that was cool too, it wasn't just all about shoving more product to buy in my face.  (Personally, I downloaded the freebie found furthest to the right in the third row down...the masks...I love using frames in my digital imagery.)

After picking my items I downloaded them to my computer.  (To learn more about the downloading please refer to the video above.)  I use a Mac and found that I could download my goodies and literally place them wherever I wanted to.  Looking at the screenshot below you can see me installing the Happy Go Lucky papers into the My Memories folders on my computer.  But, once I got going, I downloaded them right into my "Scrapbooking" file which is where I keep all of my digital scrapbooking imagery.

Now, once I had my goodies in my Scrapbooking file, or in the My Memories folders in my Applications folder, I was looking around to get the items into my project.  At first I was using the standard method of the Control Panel within the My Memories Suite software (see video).  Below you can see my screenshot of the Control Panel method of searching for images on your computer.

My Memories Suite Control Panel browser for files on your computer

Then, quite accidentally, I discovered I could drag and drop the image I was looking for into my project!  I was trying to find a specific frame I downloaded (yes...I downloaded quite a few!) and was going a bit mad because I couldn't find it.  Using my Finder I located the frame and thought, pssht why not, and tried dragging and dropping and VOILA, it worked!  Well, that sped things along quite nicely because I could search my Scrapbooking file by image and simply drag and drop what I wanted to use next into my project.

Smaller Window is my Finder and I have mask2.png highlighted; if you look behind the smaller window you'll see the larger window displaying the My Memories Suite software and the same mask2.png in my project after I dragged and dropped it there.

In case you are on a Reader or in the case of my changing my imagery, here are the blog buttons I created tonight using the My Memories Suite Software.  What do you think?  Do you like them?  I was going for something simple, easy to read, but fun.  Thought my blog could be a bit more structured and organized...  Of course I have more buttons to make - like a digital scrapbooking one - duh!  But so far...do I have a thumbs up? 

My Final Thoughts on My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software

All in all, I am really glad that I was able to try this digital scrapbooking software.  I felt extremely comfortable using it because the tools are simple to use and very clearly marked.  Unlike other digital scrapbooking software I have used, I did not feel pressured to spend a lot of $$$ on a bunch of digital scrapbooking merchandise to use the software.  Instead I was very happy using a combination of My Own Imagery & My Memories downloads...many of which were freebies!  Also, the digital scrapbooking merchandise that was available is awesome and I already have a wishlist under my My Memories account for future reference.  ;)  And, most importantly, as I hope I have demonstrated above, this digital scrapbooking software does not require you to use a template!  I created both the Thank You Card and making rebecca lynne buttons using a Blank Format meaning us creative types can really have the freedom to do whatever we want...which, you have to admit, is exactly the way we like things.

Without any further ado...

******** GIVEAWAY & COUPON **********

Here is your chance to win your own My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software!  The My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software is easy to use, fun, and awesome software to create one of a kind digital scrapbooking pieces!  It would be really great for the beginner digital scrapbooker as well as appeal to a more experienced digital scrapbooker who already has a stash of their own imagery.  My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software would be extremely useful to anyone interested in making invitations, cards, photo albums, and as you've seen me do imagery and buttons for blogging!  

G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y

You will each have five chances to win the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software giveaway hosted by making rebecca lynne: 

• 1) Become a follower of making rebecca lynne and let me know by leaving a comment below.  If you are already a follower, well, then you rock obviously, and leave me a comment telling me as much!  ;)
• 2) Visit www.mymemories.com and choose your favorite My Memories scrapbooking goodies (papers, kits, templates) and leave me a comment about what you'd create with your favs.
• 3) Facebook the giveaway!  Copy this:  
• Comment for a chance to win a digital scrapbook software giveaway at http://makingrebeccalynne.blogspot.com
• Then leave a comment with your Facebook ID to let me know!
• 4) Follow the My Memories Facebook page at Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/mymemoriessuite  Then leave me a comment with your Facebook ID to let me know!
• 5) Twitter the giveaway!  Copy this:  
• Comment for a chance to win a digital scrapbook software giveaway at http://makingrebeccalynne.blogspot.com
• Then leave a comment with your Twitter ID to let me know!

Winner will be chosen by Tuesday August 30, 2011 9am (EST United States)

Please no more than 4 comments/entries per contest post. Also leave an email or account ID so I can contact you when if you are a winner.

C-O-U-P-O-N

If you are interested in Buying the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software NOW  then you are in luck as making rebecca lynne readers will receive $10 OFF the My Memories Suite software AND $10 OFF My Memories merchandise using this blog's exclusive coupon code!  That is a total of $20 in savings.  (Wow, I sound like an infomercial.)  Simply use the following Coupon Code: STMMMS92078

Thanks for playing!  Good Luck!

- rebecca lynne

<<<<GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED>>>>