A Start and a Finish, of Sorts - WIP Wednesday

Wow - can't believe it's been an entire week since I last posted.  I've been immersed in a new design this week.  I got the idea on Friday and I already have a finished top!  But I'm not quite ready to share it, yet.  So here are a couple of other things I've been toying with in the last week or so:

First, none other than Lorna MacMahon's Zany Zebras!  

These are for a pillow I'm making for my cousin's daughter.  Obviously they are unfinished, but I enjoyed making them.  I have to say I'm pretty impressed with Lorna's designs - they are challenging!  And cleverly done.  I made them in pink as you can see.  I'm going to make a big floor pillow with Harper's name on it.  I think they're super cute!  Gonna do the elephants next, for her twin brother.  

Also, I made a throw pillow cover , too.  It was completely improv but I'm pretty happy with it. It features Marcia Derse and Malka Dubrawsky prints that I got at Quiltcon.  They are wicked cool prints that go together so well I almost think were made for each other...

The piece I finished also features both these fabrics, and I was originally going to put this on the back, but now I think it is perfect for a pillow.  It needs a little tweaking, too - as I accidentally flipped one of the borders and one of the corners is just a little too small (I wanted them wonky but this is a little bit much!) but even if I leave it the way it is, I like it. I'm trying to decide if I should quilt it or just add a back and make it a regular pillow.  I'm thinking that white space needs to be filled.  

Last, I've finally come back to visit my tree.  And I'm so glad I did.  I started experimenting with canopies and this is what I ended up with:

I  considered leaving it leaf-less, but I was staring out my studio window at one of the Post Oaks with its new green leaves and they looked like blobs of different colors as they danced in the wind.  Of course it's exaggerated, like the rest of the piece but I'm diggin' on those blobs of green and I think it adds a lot to the piece.  I'm just appliqueing them on.  I seriously love this tree - those aboriginal fabrics make me so darn happy.  I'm waiting for my next design inspiration for them - I adore working with them and I have a lot of it left!

So that's me for this Wednesday.  Can't wait to see what everyone else is doing - it's so fun, thanks Lorna at Sew Fresh and Lee at Freshly Pieced for doing the linkys!  


Oh and I wanted to add the finish of the hexie baby quilt I made for my temporary daughter's (my exchange student) new baby bro:

It's so fun!  and I have to say I'm pretty gaga about the binding - it turned out perfectly!  Don't have a photo of the back, but wish I did -it's super cool, super soft yellow and gray chevron MINKY!  I also want to keep it for myself...but I made if for the baby, so off it goes.  Boo hoo...NOT!  Because I have a bunch of hexies from the same line left, so I CAN make another.  Hooray, Huzzah and all that - lucky me.