The Grateful Woman

Tonight..the backing for my star quilt has been finished.

Thanks to my son for ironing the fabric.

Thanks to Sherry for the measuring lesson!

Folded and ready for mailing.

The quilt is too cumbersome for me to quilt.

 I see that the backing fabric is a second with some fading.
A Foust deal, I think.
That is OK with me..I think it is busy enough not to matter.
Did you notice that my cat Boo..has stamped his signature here??

 
The binding is on on my sweatshirt...I cut off the neckline and the cuffs.
One of the reasons I do not go to the pool is that with my arthritis, it
is painful to dress when wet...
If I just pull on these..no one needs to know, what I do not put on.

 At Wednesday night quilting, we had a scavenger hunt.
For my 30's fabric that I lost.
Drenna won...she found it here..who would have known!!

On minding my own business

A 2019 failure...so far...but hold tight..there are 11 more months in the year

(or so I amuse myself, by noting)

Even though I have learned thru fire, what not to say to folks in grief,

my impulsive self still makes mistakes.

One thing I know, I will never tell anyone to "be grateful, or be positive."

People do that when they are strong enough..

People mean well.  It is, however, easier to cross onto someone else's sidewalk

than it is to clean our own.

I have had three great productive days....unbelievable.

Naturally, with my ego, I assumed that the rest of my life would continue thus !!!!

Today, I pulled a muscle in my back keeping me in bed until 4 pm.

I did not (well a little) say, poor me...a wasted, nothing accomplished day.

Instead, I said...isn't it great that I have a warm toasty house with lovely flannel sheets.

Two cozy cats..one asleep on my pillow and one asleep against my curled legs

meds for my back..

The house is empty, full of peace.

Why could I feel this gratitude today.??

Because I was able., that is all...I was just able.

On self-care
Now-a-days, I celebrate the good.
When I eat brussels sprouts, I now say...good girl, you ate a veggie, not a cookie.
I no longer say, you fool, you should have been eating sprouts for the past 70 years
The pool..if I go, .I say...good, old lady...you went to the pool today.
Not,....... Diane, .....Who are you kidding...you have not been there since November.

My son is gone for the weekend.
He just came in for 30 minutes to check on me.
He cleaned the kitchen.
He transferred the laundry.
He gave me a hug..and he was gone.
I am the luckiest woman in the world.

The Presents of Mind

Mama said that in order..to clear your mind...give to others...

I made these presents in the last few days.

She was right...It brought me joy.

 Crumb quilting..from saved bits of my man's shirts...presents

for my son's 34th birthday yesterday.

Mug rugs for his tea and cookies

Tonight, Evan made his father the cake and frosted it.

The children wrote notes about all the things they love about their daddy.

        It was all so perfect.

 Pencil pouches for Lynsey's two teachers.

That class is always complaining about no pencils.

My girl says that when the teacher steps out of the room, the boys break them.

I had ordered a box of 150 sharpened pencils before Christmas.

Just waiting for the energy to make these pencil cases.

 At one time, the Etsy shop, Oilcloth Addict, offered a bag of scraps for

a  reasonable price..That shop is closed for now.

It is quite fun to zigzag the pieces together to make a scrap pouch.

 Since the front has a piece of clear vinyl, I doubled the back in order

for some pretty to show through.

The girl took these into her teachers today..They were met with

delight...I was glad, Lynsey was glad, the teachers were glad. .a great success.

The fabric for the mustard star backing is the dark purple with the dots.

By far, the most votes and I have enough of it.

I am pleased as I wanted something more subdued to counter the vibrant front.

Tomorrow, the goal is to iron and ready the backing for quilting..

The library.:...

Our library advertises that they are friendly and kind.

Since I am now all modern- like...converted to online ordering of my books,

I was hoping for individual glory....but, oh, no...not such a friend is this library

In my initial excitement of my newfound skill...I ordered 20 books.

No note from the library...how brave I was...nor how slow it was going to be.

No nice note about my exuberance...and how forward thinking I am, since two of the books I requested are not even to be published until March 2019!!!.

The library is testing the patience of this old lady.  I order....I want...

Not so fast...It seems indeed, that I am not the only customer of our library!!

The children are going to their mother's house for the weekend

I hope to be productive in the quilting room

Excited me will be joining my group at a Sit-and-Sew Monday.

Tuesday night our Modern Quilting group

Wednesday night our IQ group..

"Just go sew" is always the answer..

Help Needed...foggy mind...

Picking a backing depends on enough fabric at hand.

This???

 Help needed...I have enough of all of the above.
I do not have enough of the white or light pink , but could piece it.
Let me know what you all think.

I am exhausted.
Teacher meeting in the freezing day.
Poor AD/HD 8 year old Dylan wiggles his way through 3rd grade.
Glad he has the "voted mayor" thing under his belt.
And the Muldoon charm...big brown eyes.

I am on a ski slope.
Sometimes I fall and hurt myself
Sometimes I soar gleefully into the air with grace.
Tonight I deal with it with red wine, sausage and mac and cheese.
Because, as you know, if there is a God...it is not me!!

Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild Holiday dinner. 2018

Marvelous friends. Just marvelous

I love our Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild

My Rising Stars

The border is finally on my mustard star..whew..

The joints and strength in my arms no longer let me reach this high.
Wow...guess I will need help with the great big
backing on Wednesday night.

 Nine month old baby Ava brings the softness right out of her 13 year old brother..
Baby sister is thriving.

Dylan and his 3rd grade bestie on the play date.

Wahoo...finally a friend here...who  understands..xo

Cold Outside, Warm Inside

Near the cold cotton fields of Missouri sits my purple log cabin

beneath Margaret's machine...to be gifted to someone who needs

a purpley quilty hug

How wonderful is that?!

February birthdays are soon here...L will be 10 and D will be 9

All the money in the world does not make a doll bed like

the love from a daddy.

Lynsey is going to go to Walmart to chose the color spray paint.

Then, my GD and I are going to make the bedding together.....love..

Today, nervous me promoted a play date for both Dylan and Lynsey
Lynsey conned her daddy into helping them make slime..
Slime is so out of my comfort zone.
Meantime, Dylan is refitting his friend with play shoes for the muddy
Carolina woods...Friend came in his church clothes...
Stay tuned..
Did I mention that grandma here feels old.???
A new word...to me...Starushka

Everyone used the tree  house.

The girls are making brownies...the boys are at the creek...all of a sudden,
Grandma feels young again...everyone is having so much fun.
Evan was invited to hang out with his friends...Oh, my
Fourth graders, third graders and eighth graders...
Youth...wonderful..youth..

Cozy me is once again, reading my favorite author...Anne Lamott
 Snuggly by the fake fire, nodding off

                                                     Enjoying the luxury of being myself.

Thank you Michele for posting about the passing on of Mary Oliver
With Heart and Hands




So it goes for a lovely Sunday afternoon.

O'Stuff

My girl gave me a bird feeder for my birthday.
My son set it up..
A few sparrows came before Stitch and Boo got the drift.

Here we go....the squirrel fits totally inside the bird feeder.
This bird feeder, it seems, is quite popular...except with the birds.

Now that I have moved on from card catalog to online library choices,Impatience flares.
None of my choices are readily available.
 I have thus reverted to Thriftbooks for immediate gratification.

Last night I read, Silas Marner by George Elliott..(Mary Ann Evans) 1861
That is about right as I feel that old myself.  I needed the large print, anyway.

Tonight, the best time at IQ...We laughed and did some fun gossip....ha ha..
If you were not here...well........
We basted Marie's Kaffe quilt below.


We tried my new teas from Harris Teeter...Thank you Beth
We ate an awesome treat from Sherry.

And, as I was looking for my loose tea strainers...I found 13...a collection, me thinks!!!

 After all that, I learned that loose tea needs to be in a tea pot.
Oh, well...we all tried a different tea and a different tea stainer.
Too much fun.
We laughed until 9;30
I just love our friendships.

Now, we are planning a new sit and sew.
And, planning a new mountain sewing trip.

The best Christmas present of all.

A story from Lynsey.
She dictated it, her daddy typed it.
Granddaddy auto corrected to Grandpa...but that is ok.
I love you Lynsey!!💓💓

On my New Year's resolution  list....quilting my vintage feed sack flimsy
I have started it....following Jean's direction...instead of tying it to keep it in it's era,
I am machine wiggle stitching it....to keep it stable enough to use.
(putting the border decision on hold for my mustard star quilt)...

Humming along on my New Year's resolutions....
I am certainly the sorry sort to not being able to stay out of the business of others.!!!
Still on a see-saw...just know that the grey skies help one to appreciate the sun.

Grandma Does the Phoenix Thing...

Tonight I finished the basics of this quilt top.

Next up....the border.

I am eager to get it off my design wall to make room for other things..

Like the String Thing Along...

or my purple AHIQ improv wall hanging

or Sujata's new sew along....Unconventional and Unexpected...

This quilt is larger than I usually do..especially with a border...I usually do

just lap quilts as I am not too good at free motion quilting.

These stars are about 14.5 inches big.

 Dear, dear Cousin Ann gave me a generous gift cert to my favorite

online store...Hancock's of Paducah.

These came in today.

Just  like mood swings...my mind swings too.

As I brag on my brain finding clarity after 5 years of trauma..

Today I find...not so fast.  I have completely lost all my

30's/40's fabrics.  I emptied the drawer when my son moved in

put the fabric somewhere tidy,,,,now oh, so lost.

 An interesting to me different idea..muslin in new colors.

Here: celery and light grey.

I hear that folks de-stash...me..after 50 years of collecting....never...but...now...

I realize that age is upon me and my time is limited.

I only want to have fun with my prettiest fabric.

Next on the agenda...a bit...tiny bit of de-stashing.

OK..maybe a bit more..

Had my doctor's visit today.. She deemed me healthy.

No high blood pressure, heart and lungs in order...etc.

Only fat and only old...and only joints eaten by arthritis..

Guess that is not all that healthy. Oh, well...

Edema under control with my expensive new support stockings.

She said that I had an enormous amount of stress with little support.

I had had too many surgeries at once.

It would take time for healing.because I did not have the luxury of just caring for  myself

TIME????  I have been nuts for 5 years...from the very day of

my man's ALS diagnosis...I have been a freaky sort...saying stupid things,

mind askew, moods worse.
Patience...not my virtue..

My doctor made me happy...telling me that I was doing a great  job

with what I had going on.

I think I will keep this doctor forever!!

I worry about my son and my son worries about me...all wasted emotion!!

He went out tonight, but before he did...he picked up my new medication,

he vacuumed, cleaned the kitchen, emptied the garbage, etc, and

folded my newly washed fabric above!!!!

I feel loved.

I feel lucky.

I feel blessed

xo

The Grey and the Purple

Drenna is a purple person.
Happy Birthday to Drenna from me...
with a Fat Quarter Bag


I love these bags....I have two of them myself.
They hold absolutely everything for a sit and sew.

The  most amazing thing has happened...After 5 years of trauma, my mind is finding some clarity
some..that is.....
Thanks to instructions from my friends, I was able to:

1.Put Hoopla on my I-pad, Now I can watch library movies on my I-Pad
when the other places are taken by my grands.
2. Order my books online for pick up at the library.
My first book is already ready.
I even saw an 8 year old using the self-check out..so I tried it.
and I could do it.  That might not seem so overwhelming to you.
But, my mind has been blocked forever..

3.  Get together and actually part with a basket of scraps for my sister.

(Truth:  In the first 10 days of the new year, I have not minded my own business, once)
Not once....
But, I have two things done on my New year's list and it is only the 10th of January.

.
New Years Eve in Charlotte, there were 191 EMT calls in Charlotte
...half of them were drug overdoses.
My XDIL lost a friend on New Year's Eve.


The 13 year old grand is watching, Jane the Virgin on TV..Jeeze Louize
He is watching it over and over.

 I spent $84 for a pair of support hose so I do not die of edema. grrrr

Now the grey...depression...the swing of grief out of the blue...ugh.
Once again immobilizing me today.
Back into the bed I go..
Cannot focus, cannot sew.
I have no control over grief...even though some folks might say I do.
At least the waves are much further apart.

My son's car is kaput...causing me great stress...Anyone have another for sale?
Both AD/HD boys are causing me stress with their schoolwork and attitude..
And like our Lynsey says....Grandma...you cause your own stress!!!

Out of  my problems..into helping others...

Help needed for prison quilting outreach..

NC Hurricane donation update from My Carolina Home

Tomorrow is another day..
xo

New Year Stars

Em and I are working on our different versions of the same star pattern

Pattern from:

Then Came June

She put a 2 inch strip between her stars.
I am all out of my mustard fabric, so I will have to be more creative.
Below are the recorder cases...one for Lynsey's friend on the bus..

So  far it is the 3rd day of 2019
Just to tell you, I have done nothing on my list yet!!!
Who was that who said, resolutions start in February
to let us all rest up from the very thought of it.
My list needed a nice long afternoon nap today.

Thanks to Katy, here is the link for house blocks
 to help the California fire survivors.
The pattern for the house is right on this site as is
the address for mailing.
House blocks for fire survivors
A great idea!!

Mrs O'Quilts Wants to be like Everyone Else. Happy New Year too!

My girl and her man are nuts about their new dog.
At 6 months old, she now appears on the antique quilt I gave Emily.
Also, eating the Raggedy Ann I saved for 36 years from my girl's childhood.
Em insists that all is well and Rosie is still being trained.

They took a trip today to Mt.Hood area from Portland to show their Rosie the snow.

Evidently it was all a great success.

I want to be young again too.

My mother would have said..We had our chance and...

Be grateful I lasted so long!!!

She was right, as usual...

I see that bloggers are making to-do lists for the New Year.
Here I go...jumping on the same bandwagon..
.I must make some goals to improve my life.
I must, I must, I must.
Always looking to see how I can self-actualize and be a better person.
I saw a note on someone's door once that said,
"Change is good....You go first."

2019 Goals

1. Finish my purple challenge wall hanging.

2.  Go to the pool one or two times a week.

3.  Learn how to do linky parties.
Mind my own business.

4.  Get involved with library.

6.  Take a class at the library.

7. Get more involved with the J.
8 Go to every sit and sew around.
9.  Quilt the feed sack quilt I got from Ellen (1 yr)
Mind my own business.
10 Quilt my  group quilt of Kaffe solids (5 yrs)
11.  Give my sister some scraps.
12.  Mind my own business...Really?
( counting on being a slow learner on this one.)

13. Go to bed by midnight...no more 2 or 3 am.
14.  Make my son a quilt from the remnants of his fathers shirts.
15. Be conscious of doing something nice for someone else
16. Try new sewing techniques and patterns.
17.  Mind my own business.
18. Do a daily reading

19. Learn to order books online from the library
20. Learn to upload my pictures onto Instagram
21. Mind my own business
22.  Do the String thing along.
Mind my own business.

Let's see how this goes...

My son has a mentor who has  helped him tremendously in his recovery.
This mentor is now moving away...I must keep the faith that my son will continue
on his miraculous journey toward health.

Tonight, dear Lynsey had a serious talk with me.
 She said that she was starting to think that there was no Santa..
 She said that the kids on the bus said...no Santa!.

Lynsey googled it tonight...
There were several sites she quoted saying no Santa...but then, there were several sites that said yes...Santa is real. I told her that I believed in the magic of Santa and that each person could have their own opinion, like there are different opinions of God..
She started to quote the U-tube families she follows,
 They also seem to have opinions on the subject!!!...
Oh, my...., Oh my..
Lynsey will be 10 in 7 weeks....Dylan will be 9 in 8 weeks.

For New Year's Eve tonight...I had great anticipation...We would play UNO and eat popcorn And laugh and have fun and  be merry...Wrong..
Evan said 13 and a half year olds do not play UNO...Jeeze...
Lynsey and Dylan started fighting
My son got irritated and left for a meeting...and I started missing my man..
Good thing it was not yet 2019!
Back to the top to resolutions!!!!

Above, my son did some fireworks with his children tonight.
Brave me said nothing....OK...almost  nothing..

Now it is 2019, a brand new chance at life.
Happy New Year!!!
xoxox