Tree Challenge

WOW!

What a CRAZY few weeks!!!

LIFE!

Nothing major, 

but lots of real stuff to take care of!

Why does it always happen at once?

AND,

one of the things I had to get completed is this...

I am part of an ART Group in my guild.

We came up with an group project idea

of a tree.

Everyone who wants to participate will get a section

of the tree to interpret any way they wish.

The only rule is your limb has to be at a certain place on each side 

so it can connect to the next limb.

Pretty cool!

I think 17 people are doing this!

One person is creating the tree trunk.

Then the rest of us are each doing a section of the tree.

I got a top section of the tree!

This means mine doesn't connect to anyone!

And here's how it started...

The tree limb had to connect at the bottom corner and be that wide.

But it's really too wide for 

an 18"x18" square!

So,

it had to split so it could become smaller!

(Don't you LOVE the sky fabric?!)

Then,

the birds I wanted are Chickadees!

They're so cute!

The original plan...

YES, it changed!

was to make them realistic.

BUT,

I saw a scrap of this great fabric...

and...

you KNOW...

the bird HAD to be made from it!

And I couldn't have just ONE lone bird!

So,

here's my AUDACIOUS birds!

They all had to have crazy colored bodies!

It all started with the bird on the top right...

crazy bird!

...........

A funny little story...

My Dad, (Whom I'm caretaker for),

always called me "Birdie" as a nick name.

I asked him, a few years ago, why that nick name?

He said I was flighty!

Like an airhead!

Thanks Dad!

NOT!!!!

I actually have always had a carefree

attitude about things.  

I don't get worked up or bent out of shape 

over things that are out of my control.  

And I KNOW, 

things usually work out the way they should.

Even from a young age,

this is me!

I took offense to why my Dad called me 

"Birdy"!

But, 

The truth is...

he has never understood me!

God made me a this way!

I LOVE life!

I LOVE people!

I'm CREATIVE and HAVE to create!!!

And so, as I've gotten older,

I'm kind of liking birds now!

I can embrace the difference between me 

and my other family members.

And I can see why they don't understand me...

I'm different from the way they're made...

and I LOVE being ME!!! 

...........

Then the leaves came...

I wanted more leaves, but didn't want to take away from the birds.

Oh my!

The dilemmas we get into!

LOL!

And aren't they FUN!

I had everything pinned down for a few days while I looked at it...

then decided...

just go with it!

so I removed all the pins,

held my breath,

and pressed it all down!

I LIKE IT!

Here is my Tree Challenge completed!

AUDACIOUS CHICKADEES!

Everything is quilted!

We decided as a group to put a facing on our blocks

so the bindings wouldn't distract from our connecting pieces.

This has to be handed in so the WHOLE project

can hang in the USA

(University of South Alabama)

Library!

This will hang there for 2 months!

Once it's all up and hanging,

I'll post a picture of the whole project!

It's going to be SUPER COOL!!!

Stitch those pieces of life together!

They make a BEAUTIFUL quilt!

Nina Clotfelter