ART OF LIVING - BELLA FIGURA

Here's two clearer pictures of the happy happy happy quilt 

that Deb, a wonderful woman and quilter, 

was making using fabric 

she had won from my giveaways!

Gorgeous hand quilting!

More 

fun and happiness 

was had at Judy's last Friday. 

It all started 

when I spied this yummy bag of scraps!

I put a more-black-than-white piece together. 

Without a plan...

I made a more-white-than-black piece.

After I sewed them together, 

I went to press...

Judy walked by and said, "Oh, it's a house!"

Yes! (grin)

It wanted to be a house!

(thank you quilting muse!)

I have "played" many times before

BUT

Victoria Finlay's new book

15 Minutes of Play

is filled with inspiration...

taking "play" to a whole new level...

and just happened to be sitting on Judy's gigantic pressing board!

Something was missing...

a fun and happy 

love fairy

OF COURSE!

Here's another house on its way to be quilted.

I used Jan Mullen's Daisiez pattern,

but they looked more like snowflakes!

These were so much fun, I couldn't stop!

Well,

maybe I stopped once... 

to treat my self 

(in the midst of this crazy season) 

to some

much coveted 

Mendocino line from Heather Bailey

from Etsy - the Janeymacshop!

(Ask me how many times I walked by these bolts 

at Fourth Corner Quilts 

and thought,

"Gee, that's cute, 

but I don't need some of THAT, do I?"

Then it was gone 

and it was time 

to pine 

and obsess 

and wallow 

in remorse over

a missed fabric opportunity!!)

I am also treating my self to Italian lessons! 

Why?

More happy and fun thoughts

about all things Italian... 

Amalfi Coast

Rome

Cinque Terre

Venice

music

pasta

history

art

I'll leave you with a charming passage 

from 

La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales -

She is talking about the Italian phrase, "bella figura", 

which sort of translates as courtesy, the way a man rushes to open the door, the way Italians take an extra minute to dress well not to show off but to always present their best self..."Italians are innately more fluent in the language of courtesy."

"But I relish the the flourishes of bella figura, each an opportunity to transform minor interactions into memorable interludes. When I confide my perspective to Enrico Paoletti, president of Societe Dante Alighieri in Florence, 

his elfin face lights up.

"Ah Signora, you are learning the Italian secret!"he exclaims. 

"And what is that?" 

"Our greatest art: the art of living."

Ahhh!

I am curious 

if you have any fabric you saw, 

didn't buy, 

and now covet?