Bring Me Flowers

Yesterday I focused on Bring Me Flowers. I need to make the flower pot that goes with these, along with the stems. And I need to appliqué a small circle in the center of each.

And what is this??? My old guitar. When I was young (Elementary School, I think) I took classical guitar lessons from a lovely woman who had immigrated from Cuba with her family. My brother and a friend also took from her. My brother stuck with it and even now still plays and takes an occasional lesson. I moved on to the flute and band. I wasn't a bad flute player! But for the past few years my guitar has been calling me. It's been over 40 years - but I miss it.

I've held on to the guitar all these years and it made the cut to come to our small house last year. Yesterday I took it for new strings. And so, it's ready to go. I'm going to buy some easy music and see if I can pick it up and start playing again.

Hoper you have a great day!

Applique and Hand Piecing and Worm Jerky

I'm happy to say that I WILL have room to add some bugs and things to this block. Yay! This block is getting close to being finished!

And I finished another Farmer's Daughter block last night. Lots of progress!

Last night Cooper's long walk didn't happen until 6:45 pm when it finally began to cool down a bit. The extreme heat brings about the death of many earthworms in the area - they come to surface and end up frying on a sidewalk or road. And then we are left with scattered and dried up worm 'jerky' - all over the place. Cooper loves worm jerky. I know - yuck, right? By the time we return from our walk, he has had quiet the snack.

I'm not sure what I'll stitch on today, but I do know I will stitch on something. Hubby's is not playing golf - simply TOO HOT - so I may stick to hand stitching while we watch a movie.

Have a nice day...and stay CooL!

Strip Sets!

I got my sewing mojo going early yesterday! I worked on strips sets for Marmalade - this is an easy and fun quilt pattern. I actually got ALL the strips sets sewn and pressed, cut them all up into subunits, and even began to stitch the subunits together.

Yesterday I spotted a HUGE butterfly on one of our two butterfly bushes. We've planted a butterfly bush at almost every house we've owned, but this is the first time we've really had success. They are growing and blooming like crazy!

We are officially in the HOT part of summer here in Alabama. I read an article a couple of days ago that listed the states in order of how miserable their summers are. Alabama is Number 4 most miserable. I'd have to agree! HOT and sticky. At the bottom of the list - the more pleasant summers - were Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington state.  After living in Alabama my entire life, you'd think I'd be used to it by now?  Hubby is much more acclimated than I am because he is outside much more. Now that the July 4th holiday is behind us, I think I might be heading to the pool more - it was very crowded over the weekend.

So what's up for today? I'm thinking it might be a handwork day... maybe a little appliqué (RFLQ) and maybe a bit of hand piecing (Farmer's Daughter and Bring Me Flowers). Sounds like a plan!

Have a great one!

No Sewing...BUT, Still a Great Day! AND Happy July 4th!

I was drinking my coffee, still in my pajamas (hadn't EVEN had breakfast!) when I looked out the window and my plans for sewing WENT OUT THE WINDOW! The guy in the brown uniform was outside with two HUGE boxes!

Hubby was playing golf. I should wait for him, right? NO, I couldn't wait. I opened the boxes, got dressed, ate breakfast and started on construction. Times TWO.

I put them together all by myself and even moved them into place. And I love them! They are not fully styled yet...give me some time, and I'll get there. I want to find some PRETTY lidded boxes or baskets to store current works-in-progress. No more visible plastic bins. Forgive me for wanting my sewing room, where I spend so much time, to be pretty. It's visible as soon as you come in our front door. I still want to hang curtain panels - maybe I'll make them? And yes, my desk needs cleaning off. It's a work in progress in itself, though I'm SO glad I ordered these shelves.

Yesterday Hubby and I ran some errands and then had some porch time with the dogs.

Today we'll be grilling out hamburgers and hotdogs, and in general...chilling. For those interested in the cookbook I mentioned yesterday, you can find Cotton Country Cooking HERE. It's been my favorite cookbook for 40 years!

Happy July 4th to you!

A Quiet Weekend...

Hubby and I are enjoying a quiet weekend. Yesterday I made one of my 'childhood memory' recipes. This is a vegetable spread - so good on sandwiches or crackers. It's from the Cotton Country Cookbook.

Vegetable Sandwich Spread

2 tomatoes

1 stalk celery

1 cucumber

1 bell pepper

1 small onion

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)

1 tsp salt

Chop vegetables; drain on paper towels. Soften gelatin in 1/4 Cup cold water. Add in 1/4 Cup boiling water. Let cool. Stir in mayo and salt. Fold in vegetables. Chill. 

This is SO GOOD! And so simple. Tastes like summer to me!

Hubby and I worked together to install the new base on my Accuquilt Studio - it's now a Studio 2 and folds up. My new shelving units are supposed to arrive today!

In the afternoon we went to the pool and swam a bit. (Note to self: remove headphones from around my neck BEFORE swimming! I think they are fried. Wah Wah.) And then simply relaxed in the shade. Last night we grilled steaks. A good day, I'd say.

Today I plan to get behind my machine and sew. Looking forward to it!

Happy Monday to you!

Teeny Tiny Skinny Bias Strips

Yesterday I set out to make 1/8" bias strips for stems on the RFLQ. I was hoping these Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Stems would work for me. They didn't. I'm sure they'll work for wider strips, but for the 1/8" strips, I couldn't sew close enough to the bar. I used my zipper foot as the directions called for and scooted my needle over as for as I could - but still, couldn't get quite close enough!

So I moved to Plan B - I used a 1/4" bias strip maker - that pale yellow thing on the left above- and pressed them in half when I finished. Much better! They are a bit bulky, but I'm okay with that.

Oh, SO SKINNY! I think I've made enough for this block - I hope so!

I made a strawberry pie in the afternoon - bright and cheery to celebrate the 4th of July. (No, Cooper did NOT get a piece.) Laundry - done! Groceries - bought! Plants - watered!

Today we were planning to go to Atlanta to visit a friend in the hospital, but got word early this morning that it is not a good day to go. He's not doing well. His wife is exhausted. So sad. So we will switch gears and stay put. I might do some machine sewing...while I listen to my current book.

Okay, about my new headphone set and listening to books.... I'm addicted! Yesterday I 'read' while I did my grocery shopping and later while I did laundry. I 'read' while I made the pie. My initial goal was to read one book per month this year. Well, I'm going to blow that out of the water! Happy girl...

Have a happy day!

Back at Home

We came home from the lake yesterday afternoon. Despite lots of rain, we had a great time. We grilled chicken our last evening.

Cooper wore himself out running and swimming. He was exhausted each night! A very good thing. Cooper was born to be a lake dog, I think. He love nothing more than running into the water, swimming for a bit, running out of the lake and making FAST loops around the yard. And then repeat. And repeat. And repeat! Swim. Run. Swim. Run!

I began stitching on another Farmer's Daughter block. It's coming along nicely.

Today I plan to make some tiny bias strips - 1/8" - for the stems on Block 3 of RFLQ. 

Wishing you a wonderful Saturday!