Logic: Try to follow mine

 The rug saga: Love the big circles rug we put in the dining area.

 And was totally happy with the smaller zigzag-y one in the living area. 

But then when the two long runners came, I didn't even open them up to see what they looked like. 

Suddenly I realized that I had two rugs I couldn't use anywhere. So I started trying to imagine a place to put them...eventually (soon if I have my way) we plan to rip up the beige carpets in the bedrooms and replace them with the white Pergo I have in my studio which is impervious to everything dog. In my imagination I thought they could go bedside, so when one gets out of bed one has a nice soft rug to stand on. Blech. Not thrilled with that idea. Back online to Overstock and lo and behold this rug was on superdupersale. 

Safavieh Handmade Nantucket Multicolored Cotton Rug (7'6 x 9'6) 

OK I have it all figgert out now. I am returning the long runners. I have ordered this rug to go in the living area, and will put the one that is currently there in Dave's room since he has a big open space and needs a soft rug (to fall out of bed onto, his latest nighttime adventure).

Now I am happy. Again. It don't take much.

OK. Next! My friend Mary and I are on the same page, Decorating. So off to Homegoods, TJMaxx and Marshall's we went. I found two different bedside chests, and brought them home, and kept one and returned the other (no picture was ever taken of that one, no loss) the next day. Then went to my other TJMaxx and found the second exact same Lane chest. I love these small but  efficient chests. Hated the handles.
 So off to Lowe's to replace them. I had only one choice, but they worked.

I only really needed one drawer, for my glasses, the latest book, dental floss, and the two remotes.
So the rest of the drawers got filled with ten pairs of shoes! This makes lots more room in my closet.
I am so proud of myself that I actually deleted all the online shopping carts full of sale yarn that I have been saving.

And then while looking for something else (???) I found this quilt in my quilt closet. Forgot all about it. Lime green is on my mind these days (paint colors?) and this has several of the shades I really like. 48x36, ready to hang, except for the rod pocket, of course.

I also uncovered this little treasure trove. Pink is also on my mind for my room. I bought these yo-yos online years ago. Can't remember why. Don't laugh. You do the same thing.
+++++
We woke up to 0 degrees today.
I want my money back. The South is supposed to be warmer. Grumph.

Inspired and Satisfied

 Saturday I went window shopping with my friend Mary and saw the most beautiful furnishings and rooms, and decor and came home to my beautiful new living/dining room and felt satisfied. And then I entered my bedroom and knew I needed to give it some love. We have this pug, Tony, who will be 2 in a week and is in the chewing stage. My duvet and pillows are his fave, and like a baby, he sucks on corners until he drops off to sleep. So there are little 'mouse holes' he says, all over the duvet. But we'll let it stand for the time being. Doesn't he look like a prince snuggled up on the cushy pillow? 

Nevertheless I thought a bit of rearranging would be just the thing today. I moved my chair and ottoman back to its former corner, but put the turquoise end table on the other side along with my about to be read books. And then decided that the TV in the guest room could come to the foot of my bed. I want to snuggle up and watch Downtown Abbey and then doze off without having to walk downstairs. Not to mention watching Netflix from my chair whilst I knit...To test the HDML setting I plugged in the laptop and voila! I got great reception. Later I borrowed the dvd player from upstairs and brought it down and enjoyed the first two episodes of The Honorable Woman while I knit. Really good BBC drama.

 There was some furniture elimination too, a table and lamp went out and in came the drop leaf table from our guest room 'warehouse' to hold the TV at the right height for viewing. It feels so good to use what I have. The best part tho, is that I culled lots of stuff out of my chest of drawers and made them so much more organized and easy to find what I need. I discovered that I have four pairs of black leggings...wha? (not to mention about 30 pairs of unmentionables that Christmas feasting has rendered too tight. More inspiration to get fit).

I am thinking about what color to paint this room, in the Spring. Not red. Not white. But I am finding yummy hues on Pinterest and dreaming. And then I am also thinking of new art work to make for this room, and got lots of wonderful ideas in Anthropologie and the other high end shops we visited. Mostly stuff that I can adapt for my real life, Les Petites Knockoffs.
Just a few days ago I didn't seem to have enough wall space, and now I have found a lot of naked walls. Woowoo!

A Summer Day in the Garden

It may be January, but already we are talking about what we'll be planting this Spring.

2014 Finished Work

I've made a photo album on Google of the 121 finished works. I don't know how to put it in the blog. Here's the link. Happy New Year!

Decorating

  

 O happy day! I am so thrilled at the new rug and all the COLOR! Could this be any more me? Dave and the boys are just as happy as I am. It's 8x10' and has 80 circles. woowoo!

 Good thing the dining room set is white. Altho red would have worked too. ha!
We put the other rug in the foyer where it will brighten up that area and keep the wet paws off the wood floors.  It's definitely all color all the time at Chez Johnson again.

It's a Blog Hop!

I am participating in a blog hop and have Four Probing Questions to answer. Gosh I hope I know the right answers.
1. What am I working on?
Honestly, I am knitting.

 This is the 13th jacket that I am knitting for a reader, as promised back in 2013. Well, I am really loving this project and keep thinking that the next one will be for me. And I have been hanging my own work in my new house. We moved here in January and I am just now getting around to decorating. 

  

 Earlier this month I made these quilts:

1. sold

  2.Circles and Stripes
Hand dyed, dye painted and stenciled cottons, fused and machine quilted. 12.5 x 24" $200 Email me
.
3.Art Deco Panel

Hand dyed cottons, fused, machine quilted.

14x24. $250 Email me.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Hmm. Genre is the word I am stuck on. I am a fuser, which means that all my quilts are fused, not pieced or appliqued. So that makes my work different than regular quilts. Also I use my own hand dyed fabrics, and make them as colorful as I can.

3. Why do I do what I do?
O geesh. I have been doing this since 1981. That's a long time. I guess I do it because it is my career, my art form, my necessity. Currently I am making small works, and love to make them affordable, so they don't collect in my quilt closet. When I am not knitting or quilting, I paint and make collages. Lately I have been posting my newest pieces on my Pinterest page. 

4. How does my process work?
Here's a little tutorial on my old blog:
http://fibermania.blogspot.com/2012/01/fusing-101.html

My old blog, Fibermania, was a teaching blog, and the sidebar has lots of links to process tutorials. Nowadays, I have pretty much said all the same things five or six times, so I just refer to the old blog posts whenever a question like this is asked.
In this, my new blog, I am posting current work and talking a bit about gardening, knitting, painting, collages, and of course quilts.

I was asked to participate in this International Blog Hop by Kathleen Probst, a really wonderful art quilter. See her answers to the Four Questions here. Thanks Kathleen for inviting me and Happy new year to everyone!

Christmas Greetings

 Merry Christmas to all my readers, and thanks for visiting and your lovely comments. First thing: The rugs are from Overstock.com but I got mine at Marshall's and TJMaxx after discovering them online. The 8x10' version  (with the circles) is on order.

After a little rearranging here is the 5x7' rug in the living room. I set up Dave's flea market desk as our stereo shelf. We had to raise the ceiling lamp because we kept bonking our heads. This is supposed to be the dining area. Ha. Not for us.

We assembled the new dining room set, which is as Goldilocks said, just right. I am enjoying the light reflecting off the whiteness which brightens that part of the room.

 I covered the white couch with a QAYG quilt, and had to wash it once already, but at least it is getting used. Suddenly color  has invaded our space, making it so much more inviting. I dreamed of all the quilts I have that might work on the walls here.

It's too warm for the fire today, no complaints, and the thunderstorms are just so lovely, no shoveling rain!

 Merry Christmas from me and The Boyzz!