Thursday, April 11, 2013

April Showers Blog Hop, Water Lilies!

Happy Friday!
 
Welcome to Friday on the April Showers Blog Hop!
A big thank you to Erin and Madame Samm for organizing this for us!
 
The Perfectionist (go away!) in me is arguing with the Zenist (trying to keep me calm!) in me ......

I picked some cute fabrics to make some bright flowers. 
 I had tulips in my head, on a bed of green grass.....
trying to think of April showers, bring May flowers, I planned on making 4 sets of flowers, but ....
I didn't realize the smaller the Dresden petals, the more you need and the bigger the inner circle, 

(edit: 2 inch strips, made 24 petals, I think 4.5 inch circle)

but I had to keep going. 
So, as my 4 sets would not make 4 dresden flower circles.
 Ok, so I put the colours together for 2 flowers. 
Then I had to pick a colour for the centres. 
When I opened my green bin, out jumped a bright green, so I thought great, for a bed of grass! 
Enough for 2 mug rugs!
So back to looking for fabric for the centres, I thought black and white check....
But it wasn't in the bin, but wavy black fabric was, good for contrast...
No time for hand applique, I prepared for fusible centres
I put the mug rugs together, pillow case style...
laid the petal circles down
ironed down the centres
Voila!
Now, Perfectionist says they are sooooo dark

So, Zenist, says, in her most calming, soothing voice.....
 think about sitting outside in a warm summer evening
near the pond in the back yard, (natural or your own design)
look at the dark blue water, long shadows across the surface
see the green leaves and stems?
Open your eyes, what do you see?
 
W A T E R   L I L I E S
 
 
 floating on the pond surface....
 
My Zen lady won out!
Now I love them!

If you leave me a comment, tell me which of my lillies you would like,
 I will send it to the luck winner!
 
Enjoy your day!

 Erin  has the list to visit my other friends today!
 
Take care, Leslie

102 comments:

  1. Great job...and you made me laugh...I think we all go through the same thing. They are both wonderful! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. muito legal!!Eu escolheria o segundo.Obrigada.tiacarminhapezzuto@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. They are both great......the pink one ! Thanks for sharing your zen lilies.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your flowers turned into beautiful water lily mug rugs! I love both colors. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cute mug rugs. I can't decide which one I like the best. If I win, surprise me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Would love either, they are both winners.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Too funny the conversation you had with yourself. I love the pink one!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such lovely creations. Thank you for sharing with us. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely waterlilies! >Love both, but the pink is calling for me,lol!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love Dresdens! Both your mug rugs are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  11. O lovely your flowers are. Nice colors you used. Thanks for sharing.
    Frederika

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the pink waterlily very much.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh they are both lovely..One of my favorite colors is pink so I would say that one..but either one is very pretty and the person would be very lucky to have either.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good morning Zen lady....your flowers are lovely....good job there....please do your fellow creators a favour...add your list to your post so we can find them as easily as we found you......they will so appreciate this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. They do look like water lillies. How lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ha! I am glad you ave us the heads up about the Dresden petals. I old have realized it too late.

    ReplyDelete
  17. *old=would. .....auto correct on an iPad grrrrrr

    ReplyDelete
  18. These are wonderful. I have always loved dresdens but not thought of using one for a mug rug, thank you for sharing your idea. My favourite is the waterlily mat.
    ks(dot)eyles(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your work is beautiful. I favor the pink water lily,

    ReplyDelete
  20. I just bought a dresden ruler and need to at least try one pattern, a mug rug would be a start. Both your mug rugs are pretty. I love the blue only slightly more than the pink!

    ReplyDelete
  21. They are lovely and I love water lilies. Yay for the Zen lady!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What lovely water lily mug rugs! The pink is definitely my favorite! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love both....but choosing pink..thank your for this chance

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your Dresden mug rugs turned out just lovely. That pink one pops right out there...love the colors!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Very nice. thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  26. How pretty! I think I like the pink one best. Very nicely done!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Leslie,
    Since the Dare to Dresden blog hop in January I've been 'collecting' Dresden variations...and your lovely water lily pattern is the latest in my collection! :) Curious though, what size in the circle for the center?
    happy Friday! Beulah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Beulah, it is a 4.5 inch circle, and gives about 1/4 inch extra all the way around to overlap nicely.
      Thanks for your kind words!
      Take care, Leslie

      Delete
  28. Your water lillies are wonderful! I especially like the pink one.

    ReplyDelete
  29. However you came about these mug rugs, they are great! The blue one is my favorite! THanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  30. these are both wonderful, love your color choices and perfect background choice!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Your lilies are beautiful. My favorite is the blue. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Loving the dresdens - beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  33. The mug rugs are lovely. I like them both but am partial to blue. Great job! (Isn't it great the way quilters can start out with one idea and end up with another totally beautiful design?)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thanks for showing us your mug rugs! Very nice!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Beautiful! Pink would brighten my day... I like how you captured the give & take process of quilting in your post.

    ReplyDelete
  36. It's lovely to think of a cup of tea floating on a pink water lily in a mug rug pond. Thanks for sharing your process. I'm glad your Zen side won out. That size would also make great sunflowers.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh< yes! I can see the water lilies floating in the pond. Great job! I love the Dresdens, especially the pink one. Thank you for sharing today.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Beautiful mug rugs and the pink one would be welcome.Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  39. The blue water lily is calming to me. Great job. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Love your water lilies! Either would look wonderful in my house. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  41. The water lilies are so wonderful - especially the pink one. Love the zen!

    ReplyDelete
  42. These are beautiful! These are both very pretty, but if I had to choose one it would probably be the pink one, no wait, the blue and yellow. Yes, definitely the pink one. :-)

    Thanks for sharing your creations with us today.

    ReplyDelete
  43. What pretty mug rugs. I think(?) my favorite is the blue and yellow. I am glad Zen won out.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Very pretty, both are wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I love these! how beautiful! I love the pink one the most though and would be so lucky if you pick me!
    hulseybg at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  46. Youe mug rugs are so beautiful. Love them both. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  47. Gorgeous dresdens. You did a wonderful job on both of them. Although I am very partial to the pink..lol...my inner girlie girl comeing out. she is a sucker for pink....

    ReplyDelete
  48. Your mug rugs are so pretty - I especially like the pink one!
    Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Really nice mug rugs. I like the purple and yellow/gold one. That is the college colors of the school my husband went to. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  50. How unique to use the Dresden pattern for water lilies. Very nice.

    ReplyDelete
  51. They are both lovely! Maybe the blue?

    ReplyDelete
  52. Love the blue and yellow. Thanks for the chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  53. I love the pink one, and I love Dresden Plates..

    ReplyDelete
  54. Very pretty! I love Dresden Plates and the pink lily is my favorite. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I think I favor the pink one but they are both so very pretty. Good thing that the Zen lady talked the Perfectionist Lady down from the ledge, LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  56. I'd be happy to win either. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  57. What a very sweet and beautiful set of mug rugs - oh to see water lilies, but that is a ways off in this neck of the woods.

    ReplyDelete
  58. love the pink one thanks pink is my fav color

    ReplyDelete
  59. Very pretty water lilies! I like the pink one best..Thanks for the giveaway..

    ReplyDelete
  60. Cogratulations to your inner Zen lady, she helped you create two wonderful mug rugs ;-), I love the pink one, but both are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Such pretty water lillies! I too like the pink one best!

    ReplyDelete
  62. Both are pretty, but I like the blue (or is it purple?) and yellow one the best.

    Thanks for sharing. Susan

    senstrings at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  63. the pink one is divine! thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  64. i love the purple and yellow one. thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  65. These mug rugs are original! I love them! You did a nice job on both of them. Sorry, I can not pick one, I would like to receive any of them as a gift!
    Marisa from
    http://passionetcouture.blogspot.ca/

    ReplyDelete
  66. I forgot to tell you that I just discovered your blog through this blog hop and now I'm following you via GFC, my day to participate in this blog hop is on April 15, nice to meet you!
    Marisa.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Beautiful dresdens. I love the pink one the best. They are really well done.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Both are wonderful, the pink is my favorite. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Cute and I love dresdens. Your zenist did a fine job because they turned out so well. Why is that our stash usually doesn't match the idea(s) in our heads? Anyway, that's been my experience too many times.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Great job, Zen side! Love that blue one the best!

    ReplyDelete
  71. They are both lovely:) I am leaning toward the pink one:)

    ReplyDelete
  72. Love them! We have water lilies in our pond and your Zen side has captured them wonderfully. Pink please!

    ReplyDelete
  73. I love the wavy fabric in the centers! Blue for me.

    ReplyDelete
  74. I love the wavy fabric in the centers! Blue for me.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Only a God can be perfect. Let your Zen side shine. I like the blue.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Very nice. I love the color combinations. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  77. I love the pink lilies! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  78. I think I like the pink lillies the best. Nice job!

    ReplyDelete
  79. Fantastic! Beautiful! Pink for me! Thanks for participating & inspiring us!

    ReplyDelete
  80. good for you, Zen Lady!! :) Great job and thank you so much for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  81. Love the internal dialogue! Great looking mug rugs!

    ReplyDelete
  82. Awesome! Your mug rugs are beautiful. Thank you so much for participating in the hop!

    ReplyDelete
  83. I think they turned out awesome! I love new ideas with dresdens. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  84. I don't need to be part of the giveaway, but wanted to tell you I love your mug rug idea. They are so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  85. They are lovely - thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  86. They are both lovely but pink is my fav color!
    smjohns63 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  87. They are gorgeous! You did and outstanding job. I love the blue one!

    ReplyDelete
  88. Lovely. I am glad that the Zen lady won out and now you can enjoy the results of your hard work.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Very pretty. So hard to choose .... I think pink.
    Thanks for sharing & for the chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  90. Such lovely water lilies. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  91. I love the pink lily the best!
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  92. I love them both...but the Pink one is my favorite! Thanks!! :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visit and saying Hello!