two season potholder

This is my entry in the Prudent Baby Sewing Machine Double Down contest to win a new Brother sewing machine.  Of course my entry is last minute (today is the last day to enter), but if I don't wait until the last minute I will spend forever trying to perfect an idea, driving myself crazy to get every detail right.  Until, that is, it's the last minute anyway and I have no more time.

I call this a two season potholder not because you can use it for two seasons per year.  That would be ridiculous.  I named this one "two season" because, to me, each side resembles a tree in a different season.  This side with the buttons looks like a tree in spring with lots of colored, budding leaves.
 

After I placed the purple tree on this polka-dot fabric (it's Porcelina by Michele D'Amore for Marcus Fabrics that I picked up during my first trip to my local fabric shop a few months ago), I realized that I had another season: winter.  This tree reminds me of a bare tree in winter . . . with fabulous colored snow!

I wonder if these colors are too 1970's shag?  I really like the dark purple terry.  It's definitely not something I choose often.  I really didn't mean to mix so many fabrics, but I just went with what looked good at the moment.  Last (very late) night, I thought that these fabrics didn't really mix that well, but after I looked at it this morning, I decided that not only does it really not matter but I also kind of like these colors together.  After all, isn't one definition of creativity making uncommon combinations work together in a fun new way?  I thought so, too.

I followed Prudent Baby's tutorials here and here because I believe the rules required it.  I always forget how thick potholders can be with all these layers.  It really takes patiences and awareness to sew all these layers correctly the first time . . . two things that seem to disappear with every passing minute after, let's face it, 9pm.  And for a little extra fun, the loop I added at the top was made from the selvedge of the Porcelina fabric.  Now I can remember where to find more.

Wish me luck in the contest, unless of course you entered a potholder, too.  I will be hopping over to Prudent Baby on Monday February 14 to see the winners.  I'm sure they won't disappoint!