Texas doesn't have the "fall" that a lot of the country has, but we do notice temperatures getting cooler, but still a good number of days when you still need an AC on.

Also this time of year is considered Hurricane season and the ever watchful eye for where those storms in the gulf are heading.  I'm inland enough that what we get, if one heads our way is wind and rain.  Right now a lot of this country could use a good soaking rain to replenish the water in a lot of streams and lakes.

I have decided to make a major change in my life.  2 years ago I bought a 1910 home on an acre of land, with the plans to revive it and make it beautiful again.  I had to come to the conclusion with my income and age, that this wasn't a manageable option for me.  One I couldn't do one thing till I did another, and when I forgot and left a faucet on all night and the water accumulated under the house causing that area to settle a little, and I called 2 plumbers to fix the drain pipe in the shower (1 said he was to busy and backloged and couldn't get to it - the other never bothered to return my call), an estimate from an electrician to run a 220 to hook up my dryer that ran over $600, I decided enough was enough.

I'm moving into an apartment where I don't have to worry about a yard, or repairs or ???.  If it breaks just pick up the phone and call the apartment office and let them fix it.

I will have a room dedicated mostly to sewing (but will also serve as extra sleeping space when needed).  So rather than worry about repairs and things I want to change and can't I will concentrate on all this fabric and quilt patterns I've collected for years and start turning out some finished quilts.

STAY tuned for photos as I progress in making quilts and other projects.  My first goal is to finish the 4 pieced quilts that I've been collecting fabric and patterns for my 4 children.  Then I will start on the 11 quilts for my grandchildren (all are applique - either needle turn or machine raw edge). 

I have recently acquired a lot of storage units (cabinets, dresser, chest, and other units for storing fabric and patterns).  And I had started organizing everything so "hopefully" I could find it better/easier.  Once moved and set up again, still have a few boxes to go through.

Hi, I'm still around.  I've been working on organizing a room for my sewing and slowly it is coming together.  Found the Habitat ReStore near me and have been able to get a lot of items for storage at extremely reasonable prices.  I have one 18' wall that is dedicated to storage, a combination of many different storage units all work together to house a lot.  I have a 6 drawer dresser, a man's chest (2 larger drawers, 5 small drawers and shelves behind a door), a book case, 5 cabinet boxes (2 with a shelf, 1 with 2 drawers and 2 just open box), and 5 roll arounds with 7 plastic bins in each about 2" deep.  Have a little storage on the opposite wall, and room for my sewing machine, serger, cutting table and a lateral filing cabinet for patterns, books and other paperwork.  Need to fit a cutting table in soon.

This week moving window AC units around in the house.  Bought one that covers more BTUs for the main house and will move a smaller one in the window of the sewing room, will make the space cooler for me to work in.

Found some beautiful fabric at the local Quilt store last Tuesday.  Texas Lone Star State themed and some beautiful Christmas fabrics, 2 pieces that are boots with Christmas designs.  Can't wait to get in there and get some started.  I have 4 squares that are maps of Texas with the counties, rivers and lakes etc printed on it, I'm planning a throw for each of my children for Christmas.  Thinking the Christmas Boot fabric would make interesting Christmas Stockings, table runner, place mats or Christmas tree skirt.

Will also be working on finishing the 4 pieced quilts I have been gathering fabric and patterns for, for my 4 children before Christmas.  Once those are finished, I will start the 11 art/appliqued quilts I'm making for 11 grandchildren.  I've started some on a couple of the applique, and have been gathering patterns, fabric etc for these for several years.  I now (I think) have everything complete so that I can start working on them.  A project for 2014 to finish before Christmas.  I have some cut out, some that I've finished a few blocks on, but mostly just gathered all the supplies.  Have a lot of the applique patterns traced to freezer paper, so I'm making progress - just a long way to the finish line.

Long Absence

I have been absent from here for so long.

A lot has been going on in my life.  I bought an older house (to small for all my STUFF) almost 2 years ago.  I have arranged, rearranged and arranged again trying to get things where they were in a workable order of arrangement to be useful.  Bought a storage building and moved a lot of the unpacked, partially  unpacked and other amounts of STUFF into it, giving more room in the house to work at arranging.  NO it isn't done yet and probably won't be until I find a way to add some more rooms to the house.

But I have made progress in arranging a small room 10x18' into a sewing room.  One entire length of wall 18' long is almost now floor to ceiling storage.  Don't think it will house all the collection (as my friend's hubby calls what she has "her inventory" - he says it is beyond "stash") of my inventory, but hopefully I'll get projects together with all their parts and work my way through some finished projects that have laid unfinished way to long.

Well I am late and posting but it s finished and given to my Ex on his 80th birthday 24 Oct 2010.  It was fun to do has a long history survived an apartment fire.

Life is interfering with my desires to make things.  Didn't realize it had been so long since I posted here.

After the fire in the apt I lived in, stayed with my granddaughter while waiting the renovation then rented a house and now bought one and move in on my birthday - how good is that.  Now I'm back to trying to find a place for all that I packed in a house that was built before people had tons of "Stuff" rather than the minimum they needed.  So I will need to add storage in the  form of closets (trying to keep the integrity of when the house was built as I do) and other ways to store my over abundance of clothes, cooking paraphernalia and large stash of hobby (patterns, embroidery thread, fabric, quilt paraphernalia etc).  It all takes time, energy, money (maybe that should be first) and help.

Of course there is the needed minor repairs, rework some not so well accomplished upgrades (ie: bathroom) revise some antiquated plumbing, rearrange the yard  (to many plants just placed any ole where to get them in the ground), restore flooring to original, inside walls back to original, paint inside and out etc etc.

A good bit of work and way to much for me alone, but I have had promised help so will see.

Quilt to the Quilter

I don't know where all the day goes, but I stay busy and before I know it the day is gone. In 2008 I pieced a quilt top using pillow squares and a large panel of photos of animals, birds, and fish. Most were in colors that went well with autumn. I'd found some fabric online and was able to get fat quarters and a couple of jelly rolls of the same fabric combination. I used the jelly rolls to add to the squares to make the row of them the same width of the large panel, I then added a 2" border of solid green and an outside border made with the balance of the jelly rolls adding a little from the fat quarters in a piano key pattern. Having almost lost the quilt in a fire in my apt in Jan 2009 after only being there about 3 weeks, I found it under rubble soaking wet with absolutely no damage. Washed and dryed it. After putting everything in storage for 6 months I found another place because the owners of the apartment kept giving me completion dates and then never meeting them. After the 4th or 5th extension, I got tired of it and found another place. Unpacking seemed to take forever (and isn't totally complete) because every thing washable had to be washed and every thing else had to be cleaned before it could be put away. Every thing was covered with smoke residue.

The quilt top was given to my EX for Christmas 2008, with a promise to finish and quilt. Somehow after bringing it in the house I lost (misplaced or accidently threw away) 1 side of the piano key border I'd made. Really think it is still in the guest bedroom somewhere. I've used it to bring things into to unpack and organize. I was able to find enough of the fabric to remake the 4th side and get the quilt together. It is now at the quilters and I'll get it back about the 1st of Oct in time to get the binding on it to present to him when we celebrate his 80th birthday at my house on the 24th. Hoping that the majority of our family can be here. Should be around 30.

I've been Absent

Seems I have my plate full and running over with things to keep me busy and before I know it each day it is past bedtime.



For the past month or so I've been busy trying to reorganize, rearrange my house. I love it, the rooms are all nice and large, with 10' ceilings (which I like and don't like too). The higher ceilings make the rooms feel so nice and large but to change light bulbs, hang drapes, get in the very top of cabinets etc - YOU need an 8' ladder, other than that I like them. The big disadvantage to this house is that when it was remodeled from a older smaller home and enlarged - they missed the opportunity to add storage. I have 2 closets (1 in each bedroom). There is lots of room for other storage, but it isn't here. The bathroom is huge with NO storage available except a cubby hole over the large shower, which you need an 8' ladder to access, there is also one of these cubby holes over each bedroom closet and the closet housing the hot water heater, my washer and dryer - I have plans but at the moment there are budget constraints that hinder my progress. HMMMM The cubby holes storage is nice for things you want to keep but they are not easily accessible so for all intent and purpose they are almost useless as storage for me.



Spring this year in Texas has been one of the most beautiful in a long time. The Texas bluebonnets outdid themselves along with all the other spring bloom we have each year. After a long spell of very little to no rain at all with all the small ponds (tanks as we know them) dry or almost dry we had a long season of rain and seems it was at the right time to provide our spring flowers and trees the needed watering to show their thanks with full bloom.



Since Feb I've almost finished several quilt tops and hope to get them totally done before April is over. I made a small lap throw and gave to a friend for a donation to the Church school her twins go to. They are seniors this year. The top was a scrappy rendition of 2.5" squares. The backing was in the school colors Navy and White. I used a solid navy fabric and had it machine quilted and the quilter used white bobbin thread so the quilting showed. The school has one annual fund raiser each year. Each class contributes something for the auction as well as individuals and local businesses. The senior class donated a large (very large) basket filled with items for a picnic or gourmet meal - including my quilt. The basket brought $800 at auction. The array of items being auctioned were really nice from fishing gear, hair styling to a vacation complete with maid service and private chef. Almost all the items auctioned (including the silent auction) brought in more than their value. I was treated by my friend to attend the Bar-b-que dinner and auction.


My quilt tops -


One is a pinwheel made with two fabrics white with a flag print. I started it with some 4.5" squares of the fabrics making half-square triangles and run out of squares. I was able to find more but these were 5.5" and I could get enough to make a queen size quilt top. Since I had the smaller ones with the same fabric, I worked out an arrangement to use them too in the quilt. I've taken the larger half-square triangles from the 5.5" squares, assembled them as pin-wheels and then joined 6 to form a rectangular block. I ordered some red and blue fabric (same print) with white stars to use with white for sashing. I will set the quilt together with the smaller pin-wheel block as corner stones and use the white, red/white stars and blue/white stars strips as 3 color sashing.


The second is a scrappy quilt with 4" square (very few alike) pieced very randomly. I put them in a clean small wastebasket and just attach as I pull out a square. The only time I put the square back and get another is if it happens to be the same color or fabric as the one I'm attaching it to. I do rows of 22 squares then join the rows and sometimes when joining the rows two identical fabrics are together. But these have happened so randomly that they still look good. I have a few more rows to add to this top and it will be finished.


The third top is a 9 patch. I had a collection of 4" squares and sorted out the fabrics into colors. I then pulled the pink, red, blue, purple, yellow, and green and made 9 patch blocks. I've set the blocks together using either the darker squares for 5 with 4 alternating lighter or vice versa, in the same color family. I will set the quilt together with white sashing - no corner stones. I will alternate the color so the color will make diagonal rows.


I have two tops I'm assembling for a friend. She had bartered with another lady for a quilt in exchange for an antique Santa figurine. The blocks the lady made are beautiful and she did a fantastic job of the assembly. She make Dresden plate on a neutral background and then 9 patch to alternate between the Dresden plates. When I laid it out on the floor I felt the beautiful work of the machine applique of the Dresden plates got lost in busy look I suggested that she pull them out and make two tops. So we got some additional fabric that coordinated with the 9 patch and made more, then cut the blocks into fourths and will assemble as a disappearing 9 patch. The dresden plate will (at this point this is the plan) sashed and a border added. I was lucky to find enough of a blue print she'd used in the quilt to use to complete the two tops. We will use as the wider borders on one top and as sashing on the other. We then found a solid red to do the reverse with, using it as the wide border on the quilt with the blue sashing and smaller blue border, and as sashing and small border on the other.


Lastly I have a quilt top I made for my ex last year. I have attached a narrow green border and 3 pieced (piano key borders). I made the borders when I made the quilt but then had a fire in the apt where I lived. Everything was in storage for 6 months and I got tired of waiting for the apt to be finished and found the place where I'm at now. Seems when I unpacked and I had all 4 border strips two got separated from the other two. I attached 2, then this past week found the 3rd and now need to find the fourth and that top will be finished and ready or quilting.

My goal for 2010 is to finish at least 4 pieced quilt tops, 1 each for my 4 children. I have an art quilt top to do for each of them, not sure I can do the 8 between now and Christmas. I won't give one thier quilt until all 4 pieced "or" all 4 arts are done, so that I can give them at the same time, to keep from favortism comments. I have the fabric and pattern for oldest son, oldest daughter and youngest son's pieced quilts. I'm getting BOM kits for oldest son and oldest daughter's art quilt. I have the fabric for youngest daughter's art quilt (I'm having to design it as I couldn't find one I like that I wanted for her). I still need to decide on the pattern for piced quilt for youngest daughter and need her to give me her color choice as she is going to change her bedroom colors. If she doesn't make a decision and let me know soon - she may get something that I choose.

Life here is BUSY

Which is good, no time to dwell on things not worth thinking about.



Yesterday I sent a little scrappy quilt throw top, batting and backing with a long arm quilter. It is one I did using 3" squares and is totally scrappy very few of them are the same fabric, and they are very radomly put together. I made it for a donation for a friend son's school. She has twin boys that are seniors and the senior class is donating a Picnic basket filled with all kinds of goodies for the school's annual auction/dinner fund raising event.



I've pieced for several years now, and I've done hand quilting, but didn't have time to do hand quilting on this one, have never machine quilted and didn't want my first attempt to be displayed before so many at an event, so elected to have it professionally quilted. The school colors are Navy and White. So the backing is Navy, the binding will be white and the quilting on the Navy will be white so it will show up. She is doing a feather stitch and I'm anxious to see it finished, I'll do the binding. Quilting thread for the top is varigated.



I have 2 quilts in the work in progress (WIP) stage. I have 36 blocks - 9 patch, 6 of each color, pink, blue, red, purple, green, yellow and will set them together with white (now have enough white fabric to do this and more). I have a pinwheel that has blocks 36 made from 5" squares white on one side and a flag print fabric on the other, then I have 16 made from 4" squares using the same fabric to add for corner stones. I made the 36 into grouping of 6 for 6 rectangle blocks and will sash with 3 strips, one blue with white stars, one red (identical to the blue) and one red. Very patriotic, and will get it quilted and use on my bed or guest bed for patriotic holidays. The 9 patch not sure if it will be put away for a future great grandchild or what yet.



I have quilt patterns, BOM and fabric for 8 quilts for my 4 children (4 pieced and 4 art type) and 1 each for 11 grandchildren and 7 grandchildren, but inbetween guess I'm making and stashing for future Greats as that number is still growing.



I just got a commision to make a throw sized quilt using a "Morning Star" quilt pattern. It will be a scrappy type using browns. Not only are the blocks scrappy but also the sashing. The corner stones are white and the white fabric is used to make half square triangles on either coner of the sashing and the end result looks like an Ohio Star. Neat quilt pattern, looks easy to make.

new Quilt Porjects

With the start of 2010 I finally have my house where I can devote some time to sewing. Jan 2nd and 3rd I made 36 9 patch blocks using 4" blocks. I chose 6 colors (pink, yellow, blue, green, purple and red). The 9 squares are all a different print in each block and most have 5 darker and 4 lighter squares - you are right I goofed, 3 blocks ended up with 4 dark and 5 light squares.
I plan to add a border (width is to be determined) of white or navy to each block with mitered corners, then assemble. Not sure I have a piece of fabric large enough to make all the borders the same - so this quilt may be a work in progress until I can go shopping.

On the 5th I took all the miscellaneous 4" blocks I had put them in a new clean trash basket and stirred them up. Then using an assembly line method, sewed them in groups of 2, then 4, then in rows of 21, then sewed the rows together. I have 11 rows and I'm out of those squares. That quilt is on hold until I get more squares and they are on the way shortly.

Of the 4" Squares I had I pulled the ones that had squares of the same fabric and will work on a trip around the world quilt today. Not sure I have enough for the full top, but will get a start.

The past several months I have been involved in a Round Robin which has been interesting to say the least. There are 3 groups of 5 ladies. I am in two of the groups. I had volunteered to do two blocks in the event the hostess didn't have enough to fill all the groups. Each lady in the group makes a block (we had size guidelines - that few followed). Once our block is finished we mail to the person below us on the list. She adds a border (pieced, appliqued etc) and mails to the person below her on the list. After the last 4th border is added it has completed it journey and is retuned to person that made the block.

At first I was at a loss as to how these borders would look, what I would add etc. But once I it all got started and I began to receive the many beautiful small quilts it was not difficult to decide what to add.

Thanksgiving is almost here and this year is soon to be history. I moved here the 1st of June and it really doesn't seem like 6 months have elapsed - but they have.

A lot has been accomplished in that I have 75% of everything unpacked cleaned and most put away. I still have some fabrics, books and miscellaneous I'm still trying to devise the best way to organize so I can find something when I need/want it.

I'm working on a couple of Round Robins which were really neat ideas and work into a useful item for me. There are groups of 5 ladies (I'm in 2 groups because they were short a person). Each makes a block and sends to the lady on the list below her name. The remaining 4 ladies each add a border (pieced, appliquéd, decorated as she might) and when the 4th is added the piece is returned to the originator of the block. I have a small glass top table in my living room, for games, zig saw puzzles etc and think these will make really neat little quilted table toppers for it. So I chose two holiday themes (valentine's day and 4th of July) for my blocks. I also want to make other small table topper quilts to use in there for other holidays - Yes I Know I need more projects.

Where does the time go?? I'm still trying to organize my BOM kits, UFOs and embroidery projects and my fabric stash. In a house with only a closet in each bedroom makes organization resourceful to say the least.

My daughter gave me a nice wooden shoe rack that will hold 15 pairs of shoes for Mother's Day. I have it together and it will make a perfect place (got the idea from a quilting friend) for my fat quarters - but think I may need 1 maybe 2 more.

I've pretty much taken over the storage area of the spare bedroom for my fabrics. My BOM kits, UFOs and Embroidery pojects are in (or going in) large plastic containers by my sewing chair in a corner of my bedroom. I have my sewing machine in the Family room - but don't like the clutter that generates around it - so that is being moved into my bedroom also. Don't like sewing on carpet but will have to try not to drop pins and needles.

Once all the storage and rearranging is finished I can get busy sewing.

So Many projects where do I start

With the fire in my apt, then putting everything in storage, now in a house and unpacking has taken a big part of this year. No the unpacking isn't finished but it is getting there. Everything has to be cleaned before it is put away in the house - which is taking forever.


I do now have it down to where I can take time to do some fun things. I did the two blocks for the round robin on a Yahoo group. And I have enough of my craft/quilt/embroidery where I can start working on some things. HOORAY I've missed it. Making the two blocks really got my creative juices flowing again. I have the two blocks from other ladies in the round robin (RR) and I'll begin work on the border I am to add to each so they can be mailed hopefully prior to Oct 25 the scheduled date. Then I have a beautiful CQ quilt to assemble. It was made for a charity auction on a group of mine. It has been lost and was actually in storage when I thought it had been stolen when I had a break-in, now found I need to get it together. It will be assembled as one huge block, with all seams embellished with trim, gimp, lace, embroiery etc. Not sure of the backing yet. It is done in white/off white and ecru (mostly) with pastel embellishments, and is so striking. I may have to make one for myself as I really like the way it turned out. Rather than a solid light colored backing I may choose to piece on, and then tie the two together hiding the stitches in the embellishments on the front CQ side.


Yes, I know I have to many irons in the fire, but busy life keeps me young, if not in body otherways for sure. In November I will have my family here for Thanksgiving and I'm excited and looking forward to it. The first time I've been in a place in a long time where I could have them all. I thoroughly enjoy the day and cooking for them. We've had several gatherings at my youngest daughter's but I like to do it, so this year will get to.


I have a tower of plastic drawers that I just took outside and sprayed with the hose, it got partially clean now I will have to take soap and rag or pinesol and finish cleaning it. Then once it is dry will be able to put all my needles, threads, scissors, small rulers, etc in the drawers smaller ones. It has 4 small and 3 large drawers, the larger ones are perfect for the projects I'm working on when I want to have handy or put away till next time at the machine. Need to get another to put near my sewing chair in my bedroom for the hand stitched quilt and embroidery projects. I have two large plastic baskets of projects waiting on me there. Some where some time in the near future need to select a fabric and recover that chair - it matches nothing in my house, but love it.


Have 4 cornices to make and 2 chairs to upholster for the living room. Have the upholster fabric, just need to get rest of the materials.


Someone said on a group yesterday that they needed a few hours added to each day, that would help, but since that won't happen, need to make the most of the hours I have. Which I don't always, but think once the unpacking is done and things are more organized where I can find something when I want it without looking for hours

Round Robin Blocks Done (Almost)

The last couple of days have been good. I finished (almost) the first of two round robin blocks. I had chosen a Valentine's day theme and used identical red/white fabric, with design reversed. I then cut out free hand some red and white hearts and machine appliqued to a 9 patch. Thinking I had a lace heart to put in the center - well I havent found it. So ordered a new one, and will add to my block once it makes it rounds and comes back home. This block is my first attempt at machine applique. I did an overcast on the white hearts and a satin stitch on the red. The satin was maybe to tight as it made the center of the block pucker a tiny bit. Need to practice more but didn't take it out since I'm putting the lace heart over the center and maybe a cupid. The heart for sure and will try the cupid and see how it looks.

The second block is for 4th of July theme. There are 5 ladies in each group. We each make a block (square or rectangle) about 16" and send to the person under us on the list. Then each of the rest of the ladies as they get it add a border of 5-9". After the last lady adds her border it is returned to the person that made the block. The borders are pieced or appliqued continuing the theme of the block. This photo doesn't do justice to the fabrics. This block is awesome (I think). Just wish I had more of the flag fabric and would make a quilt. Maybe do one using a pretty flower print instead. It goes together easy, works up quickly.

I have a small table that I had used in a breakfast area in another house and have it in my living room for a game table. I want to have several small quilt table toppers to use on it, having one special to each holiday.

I now have a start. How many holidays to go????

My first Round Robin in a long Time

I've signed up for a round robin and really looking forward to it. This one is different from any I've done in the past.


We have a group of 5 ladies. We each make a block then send to the person just below each of us on the list. Then we each add a border to the block, sending to the person below us. Once it makes all the rounds the block with it's borders is returned to it's owner. At first I was hesitant, but after sufing I found a number of similar round robins and found the small quilts to be very attractive.

I've toyed with a dozen or more ideas in my head, and with each I really liked the thought but wasn't sure I had time to put it together. So while ironing some fabric that had to be washed after the fire, I found 2 pieces (1/2 yard each) of the same design. One is red design on white, the other the same design in white on red. So I will be making a checkerboard background square and applique red hearts on it, and maybe add a few white ones. The end of the Round Robin is the end of Jan which will mean it will be home in time to use for Valentine's Day. I plan to quilt it into a small quilt for a table topper for a "game" table I have in my living room.

Morning Glory Block

I'm in the process of designing a center block with morning glories (appliqued) to center a small quilt. It originally was to be used in a round robin - not sure that will happen. Original rules were a group would be assigned of 6 people. #1 makes a square (14-16" appliqued, pieced etc) and send to #2 on list. That person through #6 would add a border (appliqued or pieced from 5"-9" wide). I thought 5 borders of this size on a 14 or 16" center block would be to many. Even though the borders are all pieced or appliqued or in some other way much more than a piece of plain fabric I think they would overwhelm the block. So there has been some discussion and not sure of current status.


Either way decided I liked my idea for my square and even if the round robin doesn't work out, will make it and add borders of my own choosing. I have a small table in my living room that I'm using for a game table for games and/or zig saw puzzles. In between I plan to keep a table cloth on it that somewhat hides the legs (as I don't like them for that room) and top with a small quilt. Somewhere when I have the fabric (find it or buy) and work into my growing list of projects plan to make a tablecloth in the shape of a plus sign. Center a square the size of table top, and then sides long enough to touch the floor (or nearly) and that will hang straight and meet at the corners.


I am leaning as time allows (or I move in ahead of something else) to make several themed little quilts for using there. I'm thinking the following themes, winter, spring, autum, summer, valentine's day, 4th of July, easter, halloween, thanksgiving, christmas and the list goes on and on and on. Where or where are some little elves that I can brainwash into my way of doing and thinking that can help. LMAO.


Found one of the several rolls of freezer paper I've ended up with over the past several years. Many times because when I put things in storage it went to thinking I wouldn't need it. Then decided to do a project needed some and bought another roll. So now I have enough surely to last the rest of my life. I got my morning glory pattern traced on it last night, now today make some extra blooms, leaves and cut out, iron to fabric, cut out and start assembling my block.


Worked in the yard yesterday. Watered all the front, including some slow soaking of the 4 oak trees that were planted when this house was remodeled. Planted 2 hydrangeas (red), cape jasemine, 10-15 lilly of the valley (didn't count), oleander (red) and have still a clumping bamboo and a mandevilla (pink) to plant. Kow where I'm going to put the bamboo - near my bedroom window between me and my neighbor. Don't know about the mandevilla but I'm leaning towards getting a pot so I can bring in just in case we have an unusal winter and it gets to cold.

Have many more plants to buy and plant to get this yard where it looks nice. But a project I enjoy.

All my paintings shown here are originals. Some are composites of things I've seen, remember and add as I paint. Think this one needs a bit more work.

An original all from something I envisioned in my head

Another original all from what I saw as I painted.

Organization

It is getting there, slowly but surely. I have two large plastic containers beside my sewing chair. One is for quilting projects and it is getting full and the other for embroidery (Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery and Counted Cross-stitch).

I have a group of piles of fabric in my bedroom, in the process or sorting into color families and sizes to be stored for later use. I also, have a number of squares (4", 2", 3" and 5") that I have on the sewing machine. Need to sort these into color families too and see where I can use them. I originally purchased them to use in Art quilts where only small bits of fabric are needed, but then found the Block of the Month kits (BOM) for the quilts I wanted to make and then they are the fabric that the design was intended for. I have fabric in sizes from fat squares to yardage. I need to measure all the yardage and pin a label to each with yardage, so that when I'm looking for a fabric I'll know how much I have. This house wasn't designed with much storage and once I have a purchase agreement (next year) I have ideas to add a lot of good storage, but until then have to devise ways to store my stashes. Need storage for my stash, for seasonal decor and for linens.


I really need to concentrate on moving everything out of the garage and into the house if possible as hurricane season is here and not sure how water tight it is. We had a thunder shower last Wed with blowing wind and every thing was OK and stayed dry. But the winds that accompany a hurricane can be stronger and from all angles. It is a stable older building (garage) but does have some spaces where you can see daylight around the doors etc.

Where oh where are little elves to help put things away and read my mind so they put them where I want them.

Back to Stitching

Now that house is fairly organized and arranged I need to get busy on my projects. And the delima is which to start on first.


I did make 3 small coasters for a granddaughter and two great grandsons. I was sorting out some 4" squares into colors for a trip around the world quilt and found a few that really didn't fit - or that I didn't like with the others. I pulled out 3 (a hot pink, green and red) squares then used some felt and some 2.5" squares for a four patch block for the back. Sandwiched them together and machine quilted in an X corner to corner. They will be absorbent, can be tossed in the washer and think they will enjoy keeping their drinks on them. Since they are in their favorite color each will know which is theirs.


Now where do I start, I have complete kits for a couple of the art quilts and have more BOM kits coming to complete others. But they require fusible, I have it - know where it is, but haven't found my iron yet. Maybe in one of the next boxes I unpack - hope so.


So with that said, I'll do some of the hand sewing on the applique blocks I have together and in the meantime keep looking for that iron. And will try and finish up some Unfinished Objects (UFOs) that are partially completed.

Here are a couple of photos of my new home. First is the front and the other the back showing the patio.

Need to spruce up with flowers etc. Of course first comes all the unpacking, I'm making progress slowly. Finally I can walk without every muscle in my body hurting.

My New Home

I'm IN, well sort of. I have all the furniture in the house, and some boxes to be unpacked and some are emptied. But there are still a lot of boxes in the garage to find the bottom of.



It is so nice to be in a place to call home, and be settled (hopefully) for the rest of my life.



Now, I'm anxious to get everything put away and straight so I can play. But have a feeling I'll start playing a little before it is all done.



This fall I will have a nice fall garden, turnips, various greens (mustard, kale, collards), beets, onions, cauliflower, squash (yellow crook neck and zucchini) and broccoli. I hope by then to have a small freezer so I can put some away for the months to come. I have a small pressure canner and for things that don't freeze well like beets can put them up in the canner. I enjoy doing this and look forward to have the harvest from spring and fall gardens. There are several fig bushes in the yard so will be making some preserves. There are also, several pecan trees.



At the moment I'm so very glad the previous landlady kept pushing move-in date. But to think I could have been in here right after the fire and never had to put things in storage, is a bit of a disapointment. But I didn't look for another place, until she put ceramic tile in the living room and dining room. Even with that I was going to try to cover it with rugs and work around it, but the constant promised move-in dates that came and went were the last straw.



Now to only get things more organized where they are handy when I get ready to work with them. Now I can concentrate on getting quilts made for my family. I did find the Charity CQ blocks from my group that I thought had been stolen in a break-in I had several years ago. When I found them I wanted to scream with joy but afraid the neighbor would call 911, I just said thank you.



I'll shortly post photos of the house and the CQ blocks.