Flippin" the Switch to Happy

Guess what we found at Aldi tonight.....amongst the bananas and bread???

Fat quarter fabric packs...OMG

The grands were wonderful..At Aldi,they loaded the cart, unloaded the car

and put all the food away when they got home.

Tomorrow Dylan goes to work with his dad.   Evan helps his mom move,

and Lynsey comes with me to Guild Sit and Sew..with her machine, 

her Ipad and her homework. 

Last week helping Carol snip threads at Wednesday night quilting.

Today's happy news was a visit from Susie

Susie has been following my blog for years...

She just happens to live in Charlotte close to me..

Susie gave me a scrap rope bowl she made and taught me how to make them.

She gifted me with more clothesline and inspiration.

We had a great visit which lifted my spirits for sure.

Family love here...Daddy and his girl,,,

Double Stuff for life's difficult days

Thanks Drenna for the cool quilting napkins.

Outside today, was cold and blustery 

Inside was warm and toasty!

Just What the Doctor Ordered

The grands are at their mother's house for the three day holiday.

Another vacation for me.

Best day at CMQG

Tonight I worked on a WIP from forever ago.

Had to work on the above..to justify the below new work

Pictures not great...Disappearing nine patch from a saved charm pack plus.

Jean's lighthouse runner made for Muggs birthday.

Jean's divided four patch.

Below...pillow covers made by Muggs
and, scarf made by Sherry..birthday present.

Big and wonderful bargain at Walmart yesterday.

All Halloween 90% off...included were these vinyl tablecloths.

I bought 10...ha ha...Merry Christmas my friends.!!!!!.

Travel design walls for 39 cents each!!!!!

Someone was making American Girl dresses at our CMQG today..

Jean said she had patterns for me to borrow..Yeah!!

My favorite of all...Memory Quilts from Diane (#2) Krebs
From the shirts, pajamas, etc of her long gone uncle..made for family:

In the squares below are shirt pockets

All four of these are wonderful..using pockets and sleeves et.al.
There is nothing like a sit and sew with quilting friends..

Rope Bowl Crazy

Here goes Grandma O'Quilts...obsessed with rope bowls.

The above red rope is a macrame rope from Amazon.

50 feet for $11. Red Macrame rope

I added the Walmart white, 50 feet for $1.88

This is the same one that I tried to dye with Kool_Aid.

I want a pretty connection here...what can I do with what I have around here

without buying something new.???

Trying to keep this inexpensive.

The red rope was a bit pricey...I have half of it left....so I

think I will use it for contrast instead of an entire bowl.

I have not given up on my Kool-Aid dying...just need to try a different type of rope.

Meantime, I think I am messing around avoiding things I need to be making for the holidays..

Hmmmm. Fun though...

As for the family, my bro and his wife of 33 years and their cats have gone home to NJ
Homelessness has impacted their health.  Way too sad..

We had a fun two day visit...Canasta non-stop and yummy food.  I am so glad I spent the time

teaching the 9 and 10 year olds the game before the visit..

The moody 14 year old won every game with his poker face.

My CAT scan showed a nice big belly button hernia....Not a mass...grateful.

My wise doctor said she wants to let it go for awhile until I get my energy back from

all four of my recent joint replacements...At my age, she said it would take about a year...

My last knee replacement was 6 months ago.

Charlotte has skipped fall...Tomorrow morning it is to be 28 degrees.

No reading under the trees I guess.

I survived the sadness of yesterday.

Tomorrow is a happy day to look forward to with my sewing friends and my meeting peeps.

Happy Birthday, My Love

On and on it goes...the love and the grief...xoxo

Washington Post: ALS and Complicated Grief

That Halloween Thing

Here in Charlotte:

Meantime, on the west coast:
Poor dear Rosie, has been dressed as an Irish sheep.
Mercy on us all please. xoxo

Halloween used to be my favorite holiday. My husband and I would wear masks and witches gloves...make a spooky sound, flash the lights and crack the front door, just so much.  The children would squeal and laugh.  It was so much fun...I loved to decorate...
Bringing out so many Halloween quilts. 

Tonight I gave it all to the parents of my grandchildren...

It was their turn...and their way..and their children. I sat outside to read.

Thank God, they get along.

It started to pour rain and thunder as my family started out.

They needed a car and a million umbrellas..so disappointing.

Grandma sat on  the porch eating the rest of the candy that no one would come get, because of the weather.  My son has now tossed the real pumpkins into the woods for the deer, and put away all the decorations.  I am glad.  Tomorrow is a new day

I am glad Halloween is over. Holidays bring it on...

Sunday night my brother and his wife come for 3 days.

We have not seen them in four years.

He wants me to cook food from our childhood.like Grandma did.

I will try.

My daughter and her man are coming for Thanksgiving.
They will cook...grateful...

Then Christmas and Christmas get-togethers and New Year.
I already have 3 events booked for December..Life running away.

Today it was 80 degrees F.   Tomorrow morning it will be 38 degrees F
I have brought in the Christmas Cacti from a summer outside.
Winter is here...and I love it.

Walt Disney and Mrs. O'Quilts Have Something in Common

Here I go again...This time several variables.

Per our Ellen...salt...probably 1/4 cup.

Three packages of Kool Aid in very hot water.

On the stove...cooking while stirring...

On and on...such patience in our household..

Time to rinse....hmmmmm   Hey, Walt Disney....Now what???

Try number two...We will not be discouraged.

A Learning Curve for Grandma

This adventure started by soaking the Walmart clothesline in clear water in the sink, so it would absorb die.  Kool-Aid has acid in it...so no vinegar was needed

Then..one package of grape and one of cherry. mixed in a random jar in very hot water. 

 I later added another grape.

Using what was on hand???  Come on...the insurance buys one many gifts when having surgery.

Must put all things to good use!!

Plus this went into the microwave!!

Into the microwave 2 minutes on high.

Five minutes out stirring...

Back into microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Five more minutes stirring.

I am usually not a rule follower.....but this time I followed U-Tube instructions.

I poured the die outside and brought the rope inside for a rinse.

Hmmmmmmmmm

Just remembering that Walt Disney filed for bankruptcy 5 times before he created

Disneyland.

Back to scratch....Walmart rope $1.88

Kool-Aid  12 cents each.equals 36 cents.

My time invaluable.

Walmart listed no content information on the rope.

Creative grandma is now sitting under her tree to read a book.

Remembering once again, that the turtle does not move until

it sticks its neck out xo

Grandma is a Wizard

Above is the snack bag I made for Lynsey with the awesome and adorable vinyl that

Eithne bought from Ireland.  It is lined with Ripstop.

Tonight Lynsey said that she had promised her friend,
 Saylor a snack bag with a dog on it??

And it had to be done TONIGHT!!!!

Lynsey cut the dog with the Accuquilt cutter from laminate and went to bed., leaving

her grandmother to figure it all out.

I must admit it was fun!!

Now, the girls can have lunch together with their snack bags.

Today was the day that Lynsey shared that one friend was bullying the other behind her back.

Lynsey stood up for her friend, thus the urgency of the snack bag.

Today was the day that Lynsey's first friend got her period..in the middle of English class

Fifth grade, age 10.  All was transmitted to me in such a cavalier way..because starting at age 10,

They know it all.!!!!

Tonight was the night that Evan, age 14, asked me to watch the baking show with him....and he had no fever...He also hugged me...What is up??  I loved it.

Tonight was the night that Dylan, age 9 stayed up way too late helping his father outside fix brakes on a customer's car...

At the end of the day, my seesaw life felt quite good.

Friday is a three day weekend...teacher work day on Monday.  The children are spending

that weekend with their mother.

I have finished 100 tissue holders for the holidays...

So proud of Grandma O'Quilts!!!

Stay tuned...Tomorrow's experiment is to dye Walmart's clothesline rope
with...Kool-Aid!!!

I am so old that on Instagram, I misspelled Kool-Aid.

It has been a long time ago..forgotten hot Arizona summers of my youth.

To Be Wild...or Not to Be WIld.

I am so not used to this haircut...I think I have two boys...Oh, well....it was her choice and she is still adorable.  Proud she has a mind of her own.
Stephanie struggles in recovering from her heart attack...5 months later...She stayed home yesterday to rest....Evan was on it and cleaned up the entire kitchen.  Dylan was on it and did the litter box.
Lynsey was in the kitchen making salad and the birthday cake for Wednesday night's quilting group.
I put myself in quiet time with The Bookish Life of Nina Hill


Today, I cancelled everything but breakfast out with  myself...the best company.
Tonight I put these random gifted charms on the board...divided nine patch just for fun.
All instead of the millions of UFOs I have.
Wild Thing blocks

The Silent Patient is tonight's read under 24 quilts...with tea...
I am freezing....trying not to have to put the heat on..brrr
Now, I have a hernia...Jeeze Louize....To fret or not to fret.???
CAT scan on November 4th.
I am reminded that a turtle only travels when it sticks its neck out.
Even so, I am staying home from MQG to clear my cluttered mind.

Alternative to wool pressing mat....KatyQuilts

Yesterday and Today

A bit more of Portland. Hot Chocolate at Powell's books.

Back yard for Rosie.

Outdoor pillows made by my girl. Wooden benches and table made by my SIL

The next door neighbor!!

Back to Charlotte..Tonight there is a cold rain!

A lovely day today with friends at Guild Sit and Sew

It is nice being back out in the world able to walk pain free.

A great meeting tonight with wise peeps.

How could I be so lucky??

Lynsey, Dylan and baby Ava....17 months. 

So much fun Big Air with Gammy and Wayne.
Many people love these kids.

How nice was this of them taking the kids for such fun.
I am way grateful.

And so it goes...I am desperate for chocolate...which I now remember that I gave away
due to my stomachache..What was I thinking??
I am now going to straighten my sewing room...I offered Lynsey $5 to help me..
FIVE dollars, is that all Grandma?????
So she is playing Mind  Craft with her brother while  I sit alone in my mess!!
Tomorrow is another day!!!