NEW CURTAIN

I like to make home dec items using my quilting skills.  Recently we were discussing Gwen Marston's technique at my Modern Quilt Guild.  Gwen makes these small pieces of works that she calls sketches.  Sometimes they are complete in themselves and at other times they lead to a larger piece of work.

I love the rainbow colors and I use Kona solids a great deal.  I love how the quilting shows up so well on the solid fabric.

I decided to make a sketch piece using Kona medium grey for the background.  I called this little piece:  Roy G. Biv #1

This was a piece to practice on and then I increased the size and changed the design a little bit and made a larger piece called Roy G. Biv #2.

This became the curtain for the small window (24" x 36") in my Powder Room.

The two pieces hang together.

The room is so small it makes it difficult to get a really good picture.

I love how this looks in the daytime with the sun shining through it.

The recycled stained glass window pane hanging above it has the same colors.  The yellow in the ellipse does not photograph very well.

My DH and I found a stack of these windows about 25 years ago on Factor's Walk in Savannah, GA.  We bought several and have enjoyed them in our homes over the years.

-sandi

BOTTLE TREE

Some friends of mine have a Bottle Tree in their backyard.  You can sit on their patio and look out onto their garden with all of its beautiful plants and statuary and their Bottle Tree.

I fell in love with the Tree.  I wanted one.  I began to plan where I wanted it in my garden.  The more I looked the harder it became to find the perfect spot.

Finally, it dawned on me that the reason it looked so good in her yard is because her patio is ground level and her backyard is perfectly flat and level.

Not so at my house. So I thought maybe I would have to put it in a spot that I could only see if I went down into the garden.  When sitting on my deck/porch I wouldn't be able to see it.

In the fall, the DH and I went to Ketner's Mill Festival and were enjoying the vendors and a beautiful fall day when I spotted this interesting contraption on display.   We walked over and this is what we found.

Can you see the shape of this iron structure?  It is a hanging bottle tree!  Well, I was so excited and we purchased two of these to hang on my porch. 

Next came collecting the bottles.

Aren't these gorgeous?  I went to the wine store and the clerk asked me what I was looking for.  I replied that I was looking for wine.  She asked what brand or what kind I wanted.  My answer, "I want wine in some pretty red, green, yellow and blue bottles".  She laughed and said "So, you have a bottle tree, do you?".  Wise woman.  So I began to collect the bottles.

Now that it is spring it is time to assemble my hanging bottle tree.

I decided they should not be hung one under the other but, instead, side by side on my porch.

Now each time I walk out on my porch to sit and relax I see my Bottle Trees.  

There is an added bonus.  Looking outside from my living room I have this view.

Life is good over here at The Frogpond.  I do love living in my little neck of the woods.

I will continue to collect bottles.  I think it would be fun to have a color theme for each month.

-sandi