Gifts of Kindness

When my girl decided that her friends in Ireland might want a cat food bag, or two...I put out to my friends a request for some.  Look what Jane brought in to the water class last week...One for me and one for my Em...Polar Bears on a dog food bag....Jane, you are just too cool!  I made this one up just now on this rainy Carolina day.

 You know about the "lemon" thing that life dishes out once in awhile???...Sigh...Well only a quilter finds "lemonade" in fabric:)  Look how my dear sister and MP cheered me up!!!  Folding fabric is a give of love.

 And Jean....

 Of course, I too had to get into the act with some Lizzy House Pearl Bracelets on sale the other day at Fabric.com....an extra coupon from Retailmenot sweetened the deal.

My gratitude list.....Family, Friends and Fabric.......

Finished By the Hairs of my Chinny Chin Chin!

Just finished my one patch...ok, nine patch/one patch....Just in time to link it  up to Crazy Mom's Finish it up Friday....instead of Saturday(:

Practicing my free-motion quilting...calling mine the wildflower design...as each one is wild and different...ha ha, just like me... Now, Esther's are perfect!!!  I am only an Esther wannabee:)

Saving the beautiful backings no more...

Learning the technique to our family's wonderful Irish Soda Bread...passing it all down to the next generation.

Then there is more fun stuff....

Navy and Yellow  and I love this blogpost too from Victoria and of course....the best of all...episode 4, the last episode of the Great British Sewing Bee

One more... lucky to be alive... Friday..

We are getting a storm in Charlotte...tornado watches and dark skies...hopefully, it is all talk.  My favorite time is the breeze before the storm.  Sitting in the back yard with my Azaleas and my favorite Snowball tree, relaxing, just like you know who...!

I am reading a real book, since I cannot read an electronic book with my concussion symptoms.  This is one of my favorite authors...I love her command of language and her take on life.

Today's finish is once again orphan block potholders.  A random pinwheel and a Japanese "X" block.

 Since my fall, I have started using things I love...I have learned that life has it...here today, gone tomorrow...sometimes.  So, on the potholder below, I used one of my bakelite buttons.  It was hard...but a grown up girl just has to do the right thing!!!

 Also finished a cat food bag example to send on to Emily in Europe.  Now she will know how to make them herself.

 Spring in Charlotte is just stunning.  So very grateful for so very much.  Linking up to Finish it up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts

My mother gave me this Azalea to remember her by!!  LOL..I took this picture to show her on my IPad when I go to visit.

One of several Clematis in our yard.

The Cat Food Bag Recycle

Hello Emily....Hello Ireland....Thank u Charlotte....Seven cat food bags all washed and ready for sewing..  So strong and so adorable ...

 Zoey...just dreaming....

And.......... Episode three of the Great British Sewing Bee!! Sew much fun:)

Scraps

Again...again...cleaning my sewing table reveals fun scraps and orphan blocks...left over from these were 9 more four patches.  I think that this is my favorite part of quilting...putting together something from whatever....ha!!  And, of course here, I practiced once again my free-motion quilting.

Lemons on the back. No significance, just cute fabric....Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

 One more adorable vimeo from pat bravo....

Liberated Potholders...

When life gets all freaky....make potholders!!!  Guaranteed.....

My Milito

RIP

1998-2013

XXOO

For 15 years, the best cat ever............

Bird in the Bush

Spring is just like an orphan block..it all comes back to life in a different form.

 Only a quilter knows how important a stash is for trying out 6 choices for a potholder back!!!

So a potholder is all I finished this week....My potholder tute...and linking it up to Crazy Mom's Quilts
P.S.  Just made this one under the guise of cleaning up scraps in my quilting room...ha ha!

 Ripping thru the scraps with some zest of lemons...adding bananas to the back..Fun!

And from Beth again....The Great British Sewing Bee..part 2

My IQ of Diminishing Returns....

This is not a phone....y... story!!!

My mother always said that I was special...a cut above....nothing like a mother talking, that's what I say!   I also say that used to...does not count..all that is so over.....

This morning I was off to exercise in the pool half asleep..evidently..Whining about the cold water, I did not realize that I had put my new and awesome I-phone in the bra of my swimming suit instead of the bra of my clothes.....a sad mourning for me!!!  The pool friends put my phone in a bag of rice.  I went to Verizon where I was told that water damage was fatal and not covered by my insurance.  They said that I would have to still pay the 2 year contract that I had just signed and pay $600 for a new phone.

Off I then went to the Apple store, carrying the dear phone in the big bag of rice.  They said that I would have to wait 2 hours for an appt with a technician...so fine, but first I had to explain my fool problem of water exercising with my I-phone in the bra of my swimming suit(:     With my loud voice, I evidently explained it all to the entire busy store and then...gesturing and pulling the phone from the bag of rice, I spilled the rice all over their I-pad display.....

Lordy, they were so ready to see this old age pensioner leave that store.  $150 for a new phone and $50 more for insurance...giving me two more times to swim with my new phone!!!  During my wait, I browsed their rice covered I-Pad display.  Thirty minutes later, I had concussion symptoms...eyes, ears, head and neck....can you believe it...almost 10 months later...  

Sooo, since I am once again on a fabric buying budget, I thought that I had better tell this story with the fabric that I do have!

I really, really, really love my I-Phone.

Now, to cheer us up comes,via Beth....The Great British Sewing Bee.....Enjoy!

Cut up Jelly Roll Quilt #2

I have finished this next quilt with the Jelly Roll quilt top I made....cut up...Quilt #2.  Last post was Quilt #1 with the same Jelly Roll quilt top.

  Backing is from IKEA....but I dyed it yellow to mellow out the stark white.... 

 A few weeks back, Marie and Jean brought their cutting machines. My practice below....

While doing the non-stop, everlasting cleaning of my sewing room, I found a stack of coffee filters.  No doubt someone had posted a brilliant use for these, which I have of course forgotten(:  

I decided to use one here as a stabilizer and pattern for this little experiment.

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday....another beautiful day here in the Carolinas.

Oh, two Beths commented on Feedly as a good alternative to Google Reader and Bloglovin.  So now, of course I have all three....Feedly seems best, so I will stick with that one......for now..

Good heavens, I just got an email from my brother....bumper sticker said, "Parking for witches only...all others will be Toad."  Nice to have a brother:)

Jelly Roll Cut up #1

Cut up the Jelly Roll quilt, practice free-motion quilting, make a cuddle quilt...DONE!

 Cute backing from IKEA.

Linking up here to: Finish it Up Friday at Crazymomquilts

Judy's Grief Group

Dear Judy...the package is ready to be packed and sent to you tomorrow.  Look at the aprons I found on Amazon!!  I even got free shipping when I added my quilt basting spray.

 Here are the Fabric markers...buy one/get one free at ACMoore last week.  The muslin squares are ironed on freezer paper.  The freezer paper can be re-used..eg ironed..and there are some extra muslin squares.  We taped the edges so the children would not color into the seam allowances.  It is all ready to go.  I usually scotch or masking tape the squares to the table for added stability.  The markers are permanent, thus the aprons.  I hope you and the children have fun.  When you are done, just mail the finished squares back to me.  Decide what you want us to do with the squares...eg quilt them for a "mug rug" for their milk and cookies, or a mat for them to put a picture of their loved one on, quilt them for a little wall hanging, or maybe a tiny pillow to take to bed or??  Let me know.  Be sure to have the children put their names and the date and Miami on them somewhere.  I am including some fabric pens for that.  Let me know if you need anything else.

If this project is a success...there are always white T-shirts to be colored, sun visors, etc and other projects to help your children work through their grief...xxoo sending hugs.  Diane

How to use a rainy day....

My daughter has lived in Europe for 2 and a half years now.  Look what I found in her old room!!!!  (Bought at Michaels with her 50% off coupon)....  Amy Butler, two sided paper....so pretty...so thick...so fun..

 Thanks to Ruth and Emily...years back,  I scurried to Paper Source to buy some envelope templates.  Oh, I did not want to spend the money, but, it was oh, so worth it.  Using glue stick to close them and tape to secure them.....the two sided paper makes the envelopes  very sturdy.

 And, just look how perfect they are to mail off these treats to friends who have been so kind !

 Here is our rainy day treat...Mr. O'Quilts working from home; me fresh back from the water exercises....Homemade pizza!  This week at our local grocery store, Harris Teeter, the dough balls are $1 each. It is the very same dough used in their in store daily fresh pizza....So, $1 each for the dough...one today and more into my freezer...HT pizza sauce on sale this week for $1 a jar....eeeekkk fresh mushrooms and onions, adding spinach for me at the end...Delish!!!  And a money saver (for of course, Fabric.com)  Me, for one, would never want to have to choose between yummy food and yummy fabric!!  And, Lent is over....

All of the fun stuff having been said....hmmm I am so annoyed with Google Reader.  They said it would be over in July...but I think that they are getting a head start.  Every other day it disappears...just UGH!  I have moved things to Bloglovin, but thought I would work both ends of the deal till July...And, I cannot figure out Bloglovin....Just venting....ok, maybe whining:)