Blog Archive

Monday, June 24, 2024

Blue Blazes and Flaming Butterflies!

It's hotter than a  blistered bug in a pepper patch! 😂😃 

Welcome , y'all and a Marvelous Monday afternoon to you. ❤🤗

Are you feeling the heat? It was supposed to be in the low 90's today, but by early morning, it was already 98 degrees . But I am not complaining, I sure do love summertime. ❤ 

Anywhoo! By mid afternoon, I retreated indoors and sat down to the sewing machine, and in no time flat I pieced up the Whatcha MaCall It blocks and the Flaming Butterflies together. 

Whatcha Ma Call It Block Tutorial was posted on April 29, 2024. 
I appliqued the butterflies while camping Quartzite in January of this year. 


Soon I high tailed it to the farm to see if I could snap some happy photos . As soon as I opened the gate Elsie  greeted me with a look . "What are you doing here? " , Elsie mooed. 

Hello, Elsie.  "Hmmm, Did someone say the gate is open?" 

 She walked up to me with a fast gait, but when I reached out my hand she retreated and went up the hill with the other gals.  At that moment, I just knew I better close the gate.

Gertie is enjoying lunch on the hill. 

A long snake skin in among the dead thistle. 

 I made my way to see the bees ,and look at what I found in the beeyard. YIKES! A SNAKE SKIN!!!! Well at least it wasn't the snake, but gosh that sucker is longer than I am tall!!! 











  The bees were busy buzzing about and gave me no mind. 

My favorite Scrappy Yellow Butterfly. 

I looked around to see if there was a photo opportunity at the pig barn, but alas with no ladder, I could not hang my quilt. 

Soon I made my way back down the road and stopped by the old corn crib. I slung the quilt over the fence and snapped away.

 I will take better photos of Flaming Butterflies after I add the borders.

 A gentle breezed began to blow Flaming Butterflies until it fell off the fence. 

Flaming Butterflies flapping in the breeze. 

After picking it back up and snapping a few photos,  I was on my way back down the hill. 

Sorry for the wrinkles. It was pressed earlier, but it had a journey while out on the farm. LOL

By that time , Elsie and the gang had made their way down the hill in hopes that the gate was open. They were trying to act real inconspicuous munching away as they eased toward the gate but, I caught on to their game. LOL😀😂🐄🐮🤠 Thank goodness , I  had closed the gate. 

 I was excited to see Edna, but when she saw the gate was closed she huffed and turned her back to me. 

"Oh sweet Edna, do not be mad at me! " I exclaimed.  She grunted swished her tail and was on her way. "Don't you want to see my quilt , Edna?  "

 "NEEEEIGH", she said as she continued to the other field. 

Meanwhile two of the youngsters were quite inquisitive. Aren't they the cutest?  


I will be posting better photos of Flaming Butterflies  in the future. I still have to add a border , but that will have to wait until I purchase some fabric. Do you have any suggestions on colors or prints for the border?  

Well that is what has been going on in the holler and farm today.   This evening , I will water my plants and then head back out to the farm and perhaps pick some blackberrries! Eeeeh it's cobbler season! Lol. Thank you for dropping by and don't you get too hot out there! 

 As Always...

Happy quilting and stitching, y'all

Melisa

"I'm glad it is hot enough to complain how hot it is."- Unknown

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗❤🧵

Dedicated to my sweet baby sister, Amy . This quilt is for you. I love and miss you so much, Amo! 💗💗💗

Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes- Early 2024 parade of home freebies.
🌞A Berry Nice Parade- A Parade of Past Strawberry Freebies   2024 Parade of Strawberry freebies as of May 2024
🌞Root a Toot Toot - A Patriotic Parade -  An early 2024 patriotic parade  of previous freebies. 
🌞Buzz Buzz Busy Bee Parade-  An early 2024 bee freebie parade. 
🌞Messin and Gommin in the Kitchen -  2022 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 

My Merry Monday stitch that I am working on.  A prim little Santa. 

I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needle workers to meet.

Angela of  So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Nina at Creations, Quilts, Art , Whatever by Nina for Off the Wall Friday

Frederique at   Quilting Patchwork Applique for Patchwork & Quilts - Saturday

Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Kate at Life in Pieces for  Stitching Stuff ( Sunday) 

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap - Sunday 

Melva at Melva Loves Scraps for Sew & Tell- Sunday

Brenda at Songbird Designs for Monday Musings

Judy at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Carol at Quilt Schmilt  for To Do List Tuesday 

39 comments:

  1. That has turned out so pretty, Melisa! I love the red background for the butterflies and the chain that the whatchamacallit blocks create in between them. So pretty! I know you'll find the perfect border - maybe something that combines blue, red, and yellow?

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    1. Aaah thank you so much, Diann. I am pleased with how it is working out so far. A pop of yellow would look great in the border .I am going to keep my eyes peeled for some pretty fabric when we go out this weekend. Fingers crossed I will find something. Have a Terrific Tuesday. Hugs.

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  2. Good morning, from Holland! LOVE your gorgeous quilt, and I'm sure you will find a pretty fabric for the borders. That Snake skin would freak me out, goodness....I have been stitching a few of your CUTE CUTE Christmas freebies, and look forward to the cute Santa stitch that you've shown here....The amount of things you make and share, makes me wonder if you have more than 24 hours in a day haha....Have a lovely day! Nicoline

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    1. Good morning, Nicoline. Thank you so much . I sure hope I will find the perfect fabrics so that I can finish this top soon. I am so excited that you are working on some of my Christmas freebies. I hope you are enjoying each and every stitch. I am hopes of finishing this new Santa soon. Lol thank you for the sweet giggle. I wish I had more hours in the day. I want to stitch all of the things. Have a wonderful day. Hugs.

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  3. Lovely quilt, Melisa. The blocks are lovely and can't to see what color border you decide to use. I love the background fabric. The critters are all wonderful. Every time you post pics of the farm, I fondly remember spending so much time at my grandparent's ranch. The cows, the goats, the chickens oh my!!! All wonderful memories! Enjoy your Tuesday! DarleneJ

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    1. Aaah I am so glad the farm photos bring back fond memories, Darlene The critters have always been my favorite. I am very happy with how the quilt has come together. I can not wait to add the borders and then get it into the hoop. Have a wonderful day and thank you for dropping by. Hugs.

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  4. Just look at that azure blue, summer sky!! Just beautiful! Flaming Butterflies is going to be a lovely quilt, Melisa. The butterflies look great intermingled with those pretty red, white and blue blocks. It sounds like the perfect day to wander around the farm to snap the perfect photos.

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    1. Wasn't the sky beautiful? It was supposed to be cloudy but fortunately all cleared up and it was a beautiful day . It was a great day on the farm and I was delighted to be able to get a few photos of the quilt. Have a great day and thank you for the sweet visit. Hugs.

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  5. Good thing for a warm afternoon so you had an excuse for sitting down to the machine and finished the piecing for this sweet quilt. Quartzsite-we were there in February.

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    1. Oh yes, that is always a good excuse to head to the quilt room . We enjoyed Quartzsite and especially enjoyed escaping the cold here at home. You went to Yuma too didn't you? Thank you for the sweet visit Vicki . Hugs.

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  6. WOW! I love how the blue squares trail through your Flaming Butterflies. They really set off your gorgeous butterflies. Those young calves are just the sweetest, especially the one with the ears sticking out! Hahahaha

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    1. The blocks cam out better than I imagined. I am thrilled with the results though I still have not figured out what to do about the border, but I am sure it will come to me. Oh those calves are the cutest! I think these 2 are besties because they are always together. LOL. Thank you for the sweet Tuesday visit, Susie . Hugs

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  7. What a lovely flimsie finish, Melisa. Such pretty colors in this one...I like the R,W,&B squares with the butterflies ["Butterflies are free"} for a little bit of patriotism in your quilt...nice work hugs, Julierose

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    1. Aaw thank you so much, Julierose. I was thrilled that all of the fabrics came from my stash too. There is no telling how long the white print fabric has been residing on the shelf, but I am glad to now have it in a quilt. Have a blessed day. Hugs.

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  8. What beautiful work, Melissa! I've always liked your walks around the farm.
    Hugs

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    1. Oh thank you so much, Isabel. Some days there seems to be more action on the farm to photograph and other days it is very quiet there. Have a blessed day. Hugs.

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  9. Please tell Edna my little grandson and I thought she looked quite beautiful in her first picture. Her coat is shiny and loved the pose she struck for you. Why am I not surprised that even your farm animals have big personalities!!😉

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    1. LOL. Edna will like that , Maureen! I will certainly tell her ; she can be quite a diva at time. Hee! Hee! I was hoping she would come to me but alas she had other things on her agenda. I went out to the farm today and didn't see hide nor hair of her. LOL. Have a blessed day and thank you for the sweet visit and giggles. Hugs.

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  10. Flaming Butterflies is beautiful Melisa! Maybe something yellow-ish for the border? Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong. Love the little antenna on the butterflies too, you did good. Glad that was a skin and not the snake. I enjoyed your walk!

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    1. Yellow is a great suggestion, Linda. I am going to keep my eyes peeled for fabrics this weekend when I am out and about. LOL - that snake skin was right in the walkway toward the bees. You know me and snakes. LOL. Have a wonderful evening and fun in the quilt room. Hugs.

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  11. Your quilt top looks fabulous, Melisa. Well done! Glad the girls were able to escape through the gate. Ewww, the snake skin was long. Stay cool and hydrated!

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    1. Aaah thank you so much, Robin. I was super excited to get the blocks pieced together and look forward to working on the border soon. The gals are always a hoot on the farm. I could spend all day watching them. LOL. Have a great evening. Hugs.

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  12. Flaming Butterflies is so pretty and cheerful, Melisa! For the border, I immediately though a small muted, antique-looking yellow floral?? If not yellow then go with a red floral one!! Good to see Edna (even if leaving in a huff!) and the girls. Those calves are just the cutest! Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings!

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    1. Oh a yellow floral would look lovely . I hadn't thought of a floral. It would frame it in perfectly don't you think? Edna is a hoot! I never know what she is going to do and I always love seeing the gals especially the calves. We have some cuties this year. Have a wonderful evening. Hugs.

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  13. Oh Edna. .. and the gate! I smiled as her antics brought back memories of a similar cow. . .She was named Buttinhead. We raised her on a bottle. She had horns and used them to open the gate! Your butterfly quilt is beautiful. I enjoyed all the fluttering photos as butterflies flutter! Does it "need" a border? I like it as it is!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects

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    1. Buttinhead!!! How adorable! Now I want to name a calf Buttinhead. I bet she was a doll and I bet spoiled rotten as well. You get attached to the ones raised on a bottle don't you, Terry? She sounds like an escape artist herself- I bet it was a sight to see her open the gate. Thank you for the sweet visit and bringing a smile to my day.

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  14. Your newest quilt is a beauty! I think I would lean toward blue and white or just blue for the outer border and then red binding, maybe. OR...a bright multi-color floral to go with all the lovely butterfly colors. All your critters look so happy and healthy. I was thinking Edna had an itchy nose in the first picture. Sorry you are in the heat now. Thankfully, we are nowhere near that warm right now. I'd rather come upon a snake skin that big than the fella who shed it! Sheesh! LOL

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    1. Oooh those are some great suggestions, Ginny for the borders. I hope I can find some pretty fabrics. I would like to go to a shop to see the fabrics but alas no quilt shops nearby. Maybe this weekend. when I am out and about hubby will take me to a shop. Oh yes, Edna and the gals are well fed and cared for. We love our critters. I think she did have an itchy nose or was nipping at her ankle. The flies are terrible this year. I am so glad I missed that snake. It looks like it was a whopper. Lol Happy Tuesday, Sweet friend. Hugs.

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  15. Lovely quilt top! How about a narrow red border (same as sashings), and then do a blue & white checkerboard all the way around with the occasional red, yellow, green and lavender in place of some of the blues? It ties in all the colors that way. A scrappy binding of all the scraps you have left, whatever the sizes. Or find a floral print in your stash with all those colors to tie it all together would work, too, and again, a very scrappy binding. Can you tell I'm a scrappy quilter? Deb E

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    1. Oh wow! You have given me something to think about Deb. My mind is already swirling with thoughts of what fabrics I could play with in my stash and I adore scrappy bindings! What a great idea. Thank you so much for the fabulous suggestion. I need all of the help and inspiration I can get. Have a wonderful evening and Happy quilting. Hugs.

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  16. Flaming Butterflies turned out beautifully! The red makes for a very bright and fun backgound, it's unexpected. Hope the girls all forgave you for not making their dream of an open gate come true.

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    1. LOL, Kate, I did not see hide nor hair of the girls when I went out to the farm today. They must still be mad at me. Hee! Hee! Thank you so much for the kind words on my butterfly quilt. This one seemed to come together quickly. Have a fabulous evening. Hugs.

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  17. Your farm animals are sneaky, edging towards that gate must as well you closed it securely behind you.

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    1. They are Jenny. They are so smart and cunning. I can not tell you how many times, they have been out of sight and I go up on the hill and then there they come headed toward the gate. LOL. Thank you for the sweet visit. Hugs.

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  18. Oh my the cows are only interested in you for gate opening. But the youngsters are cute. Your quilt is looking great. Maybe look for a blue or red with flowers.

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    1. LOL  I am amazed how the cows know when a gate is open.  I thought one of them was going to skirt right pass me and head for the gate. I am glad I went back to shut it. LOL. Thank you so much for the great suggestion, Bonnie. I have been studying it today. A floral would be perfect especially for the butterflies. Happy quilting. Hugs. 

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  19. Yay! The quilt top came together so nicely, Melisa. Congratulations on this big step.

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    1. I am so excited Jeanna. I am hoping to find the border fabric very soon. Thank you so much for the sweet compliment . Hugs.

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  20. Good morning! Your crafting is awesome! You are such an inspiration and so talented! On your patriotic hutch photo on the right the cross stitch with the blue house is that one of your lovely patterns? Thank you, Teresa

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