LOTSA PIECING!

This top is all together and now I need to purchase some flannel for the backing!  Hard to  picture cozying  up in front of the fireplace this Christmas under it while the heat wave has us in its grip! lol Jelly Roll Twist pattern,  60" x 70"  .

I cut out more pieces for another few blocks;  it's working out nicely to add one block a day at least.

Lena is still very suspicious of the house--she thinks the dog is lurking somewhere but she did go outside today and back in on her own when we got the afternoon storms roll through.  

 

A STORY

I will tell you a sad story with a happy ending--Lena, at the best of times, hates it when company comes to stay;  add to that if dogs are included, she will disappear for days but this time, she was gone for several days, I found her and tried to keep her in my room but she escaped only to be chased by the recent cute puppy!  That was the last straw for her and she has been gone for a week!  I couldn't bear to do anymore grieving so I tucked the fear deep down....tonight saw me walking the yard again calling and calling!  I have lost several cats here to predators and the sad part of that is the not knowing what happened for sure and not having a body to bury.  I was walking and crying and calling and praying that I would find her one way or the other so I would KNOW for sure and be able to stop looking for her everyday. 

 I was heading back to the house after an hour of this when I heard the littlest meow--I turned to listen in the direction I thought I heard her and sure enough, she was in Bill's tractor shelter!  I had taken food out with me and I lured her back to the house 

but she is sure there is a dog lurking to chase her again--I'm hoping she will  settle down soon for her sake!  

Thank you, God, for helping me find my sweet Lena!

 

A NEW ROUTINE

 Will, Maverick and Goose were all safely delivered back home. 

 Yes the house is very quiet but also a bit empty.  

I'm going to be glad for all of the visits these last few weeks 

and not be sad about the goodbyes, well, not too sad!  

Nothing like laundry and a good cleaning out project for therapy

 so that is what is on the agenda for today!

MUCH LOVE

I've given a farewell to my daughter and grand daughter;

and welcomed this guy for a visit.  

(the dog and kitten are his and all three of them 

head home this afternoon!)

 

JUST A SATURDAY!

That second quilt was finished and now both go home to be bound!  We sure had fun in the studio this week!  I love working with my daughter; creating, laughing and working through the hard things and the joys of this life.

Later in the day, Maverick needed some serious energy-eating activity so we rode in the golf cart and he ran, ran, ran around us in large circles!  Such a happy, beautiful pup.

I finally got to see this shrub up close (remember, I've been marooned in a health cocoon for 10 months!) AND was able to get a photo and google it--called a Cat's Claw Vine or Esperanza.  A 5' shrub loaded with these large clusters of flowers!

The turtle oases set apart from mowing in the halfway mark from the house to the pond--about 400' from the back of the house and another 400' to the pond!

When back to the house and after hosing off a pond-dripping dog, he took a nap and Goose had a good game of fetch with his mousey.  He loves this box where he can escape the 'loving' ministrations of his big brother, Maverick!!!  Here he is emerging....

and he likes to take his 'capture' to Abigail for approval!  

 

FRAME WORK

We loaded one quilt on and Marsel finished it in one day!  

She did a simple meander which is perfect for a quilt that will be donated to the senior home.  We did get the other tumbler one loaded on and are hoping to get that one done today!

The hibiscus has been very busy putting out multiple blooms each day--they love the hot and humid weather!  

 

FULL STEAM STUDIO FUN

The blocks are all cut for the Christmas in July Jelly Roll Twist quilt--about 60" x 76" as is without borders.

Marsel worked on her Civil War reproduction fabric quilt.  We took a drive to my local quilt shop to find a sashing fabric and bombed--the color was too dark or too light or too yellow or too brownish.  She wants unbleached muslin and will wait to find it!

Meanwhile, I pieced another of her precut Tumbling Block quilts, 

and another one....She will be layering them up and stitching them up for donations to her local senior home when she gets home.

And then we emptied my overfull 'solids' bin and weeded out pieces not worth keeping, ironed and folded and now I can find just the right color without tackling the erupting volcano of a bin!

Look how nice it looks now--no spilling out the top now!!!  We had fun doing it-sorting, ironing and talking.  It is so true that a chore with another more than halves the work!

And to close out  the post, here's Maverick;  ready to head to bed with his teddy.

 

STUDIO TIME

This was our view from the studio window

--storms brewing to the east!

Morning time requires a lot of energy discharging for the pup!  He likes to play with his snake toy;  we gave him a problem to solve by wrapping it around his neck.  He didn't mind it 

and beat the prank by totally ignoring it and us! lol

As we spread out the projects Marsel brought for us to work on, the kitten climbed right up and sprawled on both piles! 

 So cat already!

Marsel took advantage of my design wall and laid out her finished blocks.  She only needs a few of the square-in-a-square blocks to finish it all!  We decided it needs some pale beige fabric for sashing and a border with the dark brown in the star points to use for cornerstones in the sashing.  It's nice to have a plan!  This project is already 10 years old so it is about time we conquer it!

 

BEING TOGETHER

I added a row to the Jelly Roll Twist;  it is a breeze to pick up the pieces and make two seams and have a block!  

Nice and quick when I have just a minute!

I even added the first of the three outer borders!

This little guy plays hard and zonks just as hard!  

Both pets have settled in nicely!  Phew!

 

A TREASURED VISIT!

I have two more Georgia peaches here for a week's visit--not Bruce this time, but my daughter and grand daughter!  

And we have two fur babies to keep things hopping--Maverick the Aussie Shepard and his sidekick, Goose the kitten!

They are good buds and like all children-you have to enjoy them sleeping because they don't hold still for long!!!

 

IMPROVING

I had to do some laundry (washer and dryer are in my studio) 

so I happened to stitch a few more blocks.  That's why it is so handy to have the pieces laid out for quick access!

Next time around, I stitched the border fabrics on the latest table runner!  I won't be loading it onto the frame until Monday since we have church today and a carry-in meal after the morning service.  I'm doing better with my cold and will kindly avoid shaking hands or hugging to make sure I don't share this cold!  

 

JUST KNITTIN'

So grateful I can knit and enjoy a textured yoke on a top-down sweater!!  I'd go crazy just laying here!

And a shout out to my parents who are celebrating

 their 72nd wedding anniversary today!!!!

 

PUT THE BRAKES ON!

No biggie, but I am down with a head cold! 

 It's been a long time since I have had a cold but here it is, 

uninvited but manufacturing snot in abundance. 

 Down time and plenty of fluids; I know the drill.

Watercolor, 8 1/2" x 11"

 

WOOD AND WOUND!

Now this is a wooden bowl! 

 I am thrilled with the way this turned out!  

It weighs 7-8lbs, is made from a Live Oak Burl, 

16" long and 8" wide, and 5-6" high.  

This is a back  side of the bowl.  I think it needs a permanent place of honor on the shelf so I will need to do some rearranging to give it a proper spot!  It is too heavy to put on the table where I would have to move it for meals! lol  What an adventure!  

Here is how my ankle looks now--I have no pain or discomfort,

 I am very happy to report!  I have to change the bandage around noon;  I am very interested to see how it looks compared to the crater on my forearm, which is healing beautifully.  

Mary and I had a great day yesterday, shopping and then lunch at Applebee's then more shops-we even included a stop at a local quilt shop!  A perfect day!

 

MIGHTY STITCHING!

I cut all the pieces I needed, and all that I could eke out of the Jelly Roll, for the Christmas in July quilt.  It will be 56 x 72" which will be a nice size for a wintertime snuggle!

I put all the pieces in a shallow box like this so that I can grab and stitch a block when I have a minute!

I also decided that the diamonds needed to be bordered

 so I cut the pieces leftover from the fat quarters do make it.  

All of the squares are attached to the central panel now! 

 I only have three rows of borders to attach now!

This morning I will drive into St Augustine to have the other 'spot' on my ankle removed since the first skinning didn't remove all of the cancerous cells.  Mary is going with me so we can do some shopping and lunching afterwards!  Nice way to sweeten the day!

 

A NEW OUTFIT!

The sweater is done, blocked and ready to wear! I even sewed a new skirt to go with it!  The sweater is a wool/cotton blend that is very comfortable and makes the sweater less heavy and it holds it shape which would not be the case if it was 100% cotton in most instances.  I have another skirt ready to stitch up today!  

I forgot how much I like making clothing also!

 

JUST PIECING SOME MORE!

I sewed the diamonds into a table runner--

but now t I have to decide on borders.  I do have enough of the fat quarters leftovers to make a mixed border for it.  

The rows went together pretty easily 

with only a few re-sews for some point matching!

These blocks are fun and easy--I will  have  blast arranging them--in an orderly manner or very random?  As soon as I get the all of the strip pairs sewn, I will have a lot more units to choose from for each block.  This will be larger than the lap quilt I usually make but I am just going to make blocks and see what happens!