Sunday, December 22, 2019

First Christmas In The New House


It has been a different Christmas season here at the Bula home in Bakersfield. It’s a new house, new area and new weather. Warm and very nice. I did have to put on a sweater the other day it did drop to 40 overnights.   Problem with the new house is you must spend time figuring out where all the Christmas decorations will go in the new floor plan. It was quick and easy at the other homes.  OH, But I forgot, I have no decorations so you would think this will be easy. It’s not. 36 years of Christmas decorations (or as Joe calls it, "Christmas crap" all gone, all lost in the Camp Fire. Which I’m not really feeling that bad about losing.  Some of that Christmas “crap” needed to be burned.
I do look forward to the day when we hit a holiday or life’s milestone and not always be remind of what we lost in the fire. Looks like that may not happen for a few years. But we are so blessed.
It has been a different Christmas season here at the Bula home in Bakersfield. It’s a new house, new area and new weather. Warm and very nice. I did have to put on a sweater the other day it did drop to 40 overnights.   Problem with the new house is you must spend time figuring out where all the Christmas decorations will go in the new floor plan. It was quick and easy at the other homes.  OH, But I forgot, I have no decorations so you would think this will be easy. It’s not. 36 years of Christmas decorations (or as Joe calls it, "Christmas crap" all gone, all lost in the Camp Fire. Which I’m not really feeling that bad about losing.  Some of that Christmas “crap” needed to be burned.

I do look forward to the day when we hit a holiday or life’s milestone and not always be remind of what we lost in the fire. Looks like that may not happen for a few years. 
With the new house comes new stuff!  Which is what I’m focusing on. I wanted to share with you some of the new Christmas items I have found for our new life and house.
This neighborhood is very festive. More than 75% of the family have some sort of decor up on their homes. Some are very elegant, and few make you giggle. We have never been in such a Christmas-y neighborhood. I love it. I make Joe drive down every street to see the lights. He hates that. but doses it anyways. Everyone is in the spirit of the holiday. And of course, I want to keep up with Jones. but I don’t have any decorations and it will take some years of collecting to build back up our Christmas stash. Just like fabric. So, I did some research and found out you can rent lights and have them installed and taken down. WOW! How much can that be? Well its $1,200! I don’t think so.

So, I made some big red bows, there are YouTube videos show you how. The Magnolia Housewife was a great one. I bought some holly and lighted garlands (Amazon).  Some ornaments at Home Goods. love the Home Goods. I even have 2 cross stitch ornaments I made last year while driving 7 hours (one way) to visit Matthew and his family for the holidays. Now I can walk to his house. but I drive, its is 2 miles.


 I’ve also been looking to replace my Christmas china. Haven’t found anything that goes with my house which is blues and greens. But I follow a blogger Miss Mustard Seed and she posted about finding these vintage (1970) 12 Day of Christmas plate set on eBay. She too was having trouble with Christmas colors. I found them! Let the biding begin. So much fun. Then I needed a dinner plate or charger that would go with my new finds and I found a very classic Lenox pattern called Opal Innocence. I bought 8 dinner plates for now. I’m still looking for a silverware pattern. But the wine goblets on the table are the real find. Again eBay, I liked them because of their white snowy design and a gold rim that goes with the Lenox dinner plates. They are called, Arby's Winter Wineglasses. I did a little research on them and found out they were a giveaway gift in the 80's from Arby fast food restaurant. Buy a burger get a free glass. Too funny!  but they are perfect! 
So, when we are having that big dinner party (ha ha) and invited the president, please don't tell him the glasses are from Arby's!

But instead of mopping over what we lost. Which I can easily do. I’m focusing of the future and enjoying being able to make new memory. So, I made a video of the house to give you a peek of the Bula's simple Christmas time.



 Oh, and how can I forget the beautiful Nativity set I’m collecting by artist Patrice’sBrewster. Love collecting. Because this is the real reason why we are celebrating with family and friends, enjoy feasts of food and presents under the tree.  Its Christs our Savors birth. Merry Christmas! 


Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Joy of Piecing a Quilt!

I am having so much fun making quilts. Traditional quilts not art quilts. I been working hard and have taken some time off in Dec and Jan to just play in fabrics. Most of you know we lost everything in the Camp Fire that wiped out the town of Paradise California. Which mean for the last year I have had to replace a lot of personal possessions. One thing we are dearly missing is cuddle quilts. Which to me are the quilts you throw over the sofa and are there when you want to cuddle watching TV. And they should always go with the decor of your house. I was raised by an interiors decorator and that’s how we roll. Plus I now have a grandchild and you need quilts to cuddle your grandees in.


This first quilt I wanted to make was a kit I bought a month after the fire. My idea was to hand piece this. i lost all my sewing machines and I thought it would keep my mind busy while we where transitioning through all the fire trauma. I have to keep my hands busy or I’ll go crazy.
The kit was a pre-cut from #LaundryBasketQuilts. What a beauty. The quilt is called Alaska.  

I have not pieced a traditional quilt in at least  5 or more years and I was a little rusty. I spent a lot of time with my new favorite sewing tool “ the seam ripper”.  At one point I wondered how many time can you remove stitch from the same fabric and it still holds up. 4 if you want to know. I soon came to realization that I need to find my perfect scant 1/4”. Scant being the important part. My BERNINA 765 arrived and I adjusted my 1/4” and all was well with the world and my piecing. Just like riding a bike.







When Margot came over she really liked the quilt so I’m now making her a cuddle quilt. That will be in the next post. This has been so much fun.  Now to decide if I will quilt these myself or send it out?















Friday, December 13, 2019

Upcoming Retreat Feb 23-28 2020 Pacific Grove



Have you ever wanted to learn how I do this kind of art quilting? Or should I say painting? Actually, there is no paint used on any of my quilts to create these flowers - it's just luscious fabrics like batiks, hand-dyes and mono-colored prints . I have an independent study class February 23-28, 2020 at Empty Spools Seminars. February is a great time to visit the beautiful beaches in central California, so fly right into nearby Monterey and get out of the cold.


This quilt started out with a photo for inspiration. I took this photo in my backyard in El Dorado Hills, CA 4 years ago. I did a drawing, then a tracing and then the most important part, selecting my fabrics. I hand-dyed a lot fabrics for this Camellia. Batiks work great, too. Avoid solid fabrics - they don't work because they are too flat. Your fabrics can have little prints on them as that gives some great texture. The key, as always, is to have more fabrics than you think you will need.

Don't forget about the values in your fabrics. You will need the lightest lights to the darkest darks. Watch me select and arrange my fabric palette in this video.



At this retreat you may want to work on your Thread Painting. 
My quilting technique is called Renegade Thread Play because I had to invent a new way to quilt my flower quilts. I've been doing this a long time and back in the 90's it was pretty wild, if you can believe that. Traditional quilting did not work so I had to be a Renegade
The threads soften the bold fabric shapes and adds details like veins in the petals and leaves. It can also add more shading or accentuate the highlights on the edges of a petal.
It's another tool for adding more color and value to finish off your beautiful flower quilt.

 This is called Fresh As A Daisy. I am also showing you the back of the quilt and my thread painting.

And yes, I wind a lot of bobbins.

 I'll show you how to curve your threads as you quilt to give your flower that 3-dimensional look.  I'll also share a secret for how to sew through thick fusible web. 

 Let's say you want to relax, play with fabric, and enjoy the great venue without all the thinking that goes with creating from your own picture. Well, I have another option for you. I have many beautiful patterns you can choose from that will guide you through the complete process of creating a beautiful flower.  If this appeals to you, go to my site, melindabula.com and decide which pattern you want to do.  Let me know your choice and I will email you the supply list for the flower you want to make and you're ready to select fabrics for your visit to the beach. If you want, I can make up a fabric kit for the flower you select.

 I hope you will  join me this Feb 23-28 at Empty Spools Seminars . any question email me at, melbula@comcast.net