The World is my Valentine

A joyous gift from Smazoochie during the darkest part of my life.  Beth, I will never forget you!

Lynsey has had 4 Covid tests all negative.  Doc said that viruses have mutated and are worse now.  Today is day six. Tonight she was well enough to place my Accucut squares in place with the HSTs I made during my nightly meeting..

She did three for me to assemble tomorrow.

Someone wants to play peek-a-boo all the time.

Where is Aoife????  No one knows..xoxoox

Mama Said

Mama Said, There would be days like this!

Lynsey is my right arm....so  helpful.  She has been so sick with a virus on the sofa for 4 days now.  She has Vicks on her chest and neck. She has Tylenol.  She has a decongestant...Nothing fixes the all over aches she has...Poor Lynsey is pathetic to watch. Her throat is so sore she can barely eat...Tests negative for Covid, negative for Strep, negative for flu, negative for mono, and all her blood work is fine.  We are so used to throwing an antibiotic at things for a quick fix...that this is frustrating.  A virus...a lot of viruses going around said the doctor.  Hopefully she will soon round the corner.  Meantime,  her  brother is stepping up...Wonderful!!!!    And a big thanks to my sister for bringing treats today.

I am sewing and listening to my grandmother's favorite singer..Jim Nabors 

Being comforted by my grandmother...born 1896, died 1996. Missing her tonight.   

     

Someone has Ennui

First of all, I have looked everywhere for the applique blocks from forever ago, that could possibly work here.  But, oh no, I cannot find them.  I got myself so aggravated that today, I had to take the piece off the wall.  Here are the blocks, taking a rest.

From the scraps of the Crossroads quilt, come this baby top. It is now, halfway assembled. I did move some of the blocks around due to value.

I so miss my husband.  We used to ply our arts together, then meet for lunch. We used to sit outside and read together...He with his Irish tea and me with my diet Coke. Good memories.

So getting weary of orange.

Will look around for either a new UFO or a new  sample block.

There is even more blocks left of orange....into the basket they go for another day.

Lynsey is still out of school sick.  
Dylan made hard boiled eggs, pealed them for sandwiches.  He chopped them with mayo and onion...Voila with toast, they were yummy.  He also made the corn bread for the chili the other night.  Tonight his sister insisted that she would feel better, if he made brownies...yes!!  He preheated the oven, set the timer, did the mixing, did it all.  And, he now gets himself off to school with no delay..

 with his sister sleeping off her virus .  I just love to see him so grown up!! and helpful.

Finally a new picture of our Aoife....She is starting to look a bit more like her mother!!

 

My Mind Ponders

                     Thank you all for your input on my antique Pineapple blocks.

Every suggestion was a good one.

The other day, I found these repro scraps in a box and sewed the together

Today I wonder if they would work for the middle of this table topper.

I could tea dye them, and use yellow or red lattice to hold the entire thing together.

What do you all think about this idea??

Let me know.

Today, the pool and lunch outside with a friend.

She devastated me by telling me that one of my camels only has three legs..Whatever.

They are bookends from India that I am trying to give to a good home..

A nice chat on the phone with another friend, CMQG meeting, cooking dinner.

And after making a nice dinner,  saying grace and eating together, the three of us.  Then, 

the children started fighting, ruining the mood for the meal. Second night in a row.

I have taken all their electronics and they have cleaned the kitchen and apologized to each other....but, not so fast.....more attitude.

So I am keeping their stuff till tomorrow morning to see if their attitude improves.

My precious sewing room now has remotes and cell phone, etc...and they are in bed, crabby still...

I am not crabby, however, I am going to sew somemore...xo

The Squirrel Thing

Trying to understand the "squirrel" thing that bloggers are talking about.

I went to my tidy big sewing room to pull some reds for a valentine something.

This is what I ended up with from a random box under the table.

8 antique pineapple blocks I bought at an antique show maybe 15 years ago.

What to do with 8?  What to do with them?  Thinking I could make a center of some sort.for a table topper.  Blocks are fragile..any ideas.  I do not just want to "collect" any more. I want to make things useful or/give them away.

In that same box, I found another baby Mola from Panama from about 40 some years ago.

I made a mug-rug/potholder from it for a "Thank You" to a friend of mine.

This piece of Civil War fabric made a perfect backing.

I still have not pulled any red fabric for a Valentine top...

Is that what is called "squirreling"???  Going from one thing to another, forgetting the first goal??  Thus, making a clean sewing table into a great big mess!!

Today was such a lazy, sleepy day.

I hope I do not sleep thru the pool class tomorrow.

School back in session.  Grateful.

 

Blue and White for Winter

Tonight's block against the background of Katy's gift to me.

"Circle of Squares" from Toefeather blogspot.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/151222499961436567/

AND my first block with the beloved Marcia Derse fabric.

No snow in Portland, however, Mt Hood has snow.

A lovely family trip.

And snow in Charlotte...Lynsey and Dylan helping out.

I must go to bed before one tonight...My new self-care.

Kids home now...it is time.

 

January 22...Happy Quilty Love, 18 months Aoife

Aoife's mommy loves her soooo much.  She made a birthday tent for her.

Mommy made it even more special for the night.

Aoife was not interested, thus no picture of Aoife..sigh.

I am so thrilled that my girl loves quilts and uses them!!!

I made the butterfly one 40 years ago..stuffed and hand quilted.

Final horse block.  I realize that I could not decide on the corner blocks because the value was off.  When I was sewing it together tonight, I put it by mistake, into star form.

Mistakes are good.  Value good now!!

Another random block using leftovers from my Crossroads quilt,.

Crossroads top done, Basic grey border 2.5 inches, binding will be in dark blue.

Once again, plans awry....I do not have enough of this blue, plus I am wondering if it is too dark and might show thru the white in the top.

Better close up of the white grunge.  Now it is finished from my stash.  I should have bought more....

Winter's eve in Charlotte, last night so pretty.

Whose bed is this anyway???????

Kids coming home tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my son's 37th birthday.

Last night I went to bed at 3 am and got up this afternoon at 1 pm.

Going to try better tonight

 

Midnight Fun in Charlotte

 Snow, Snow and more Snow.  Too bad it is at midnight!!

As I was messing around with the random Flying Geese, I found a block I liked.

Cannot decide on the corners, grey?  white?  I like both. AND

They are my Marcia Derse.  I finally let myself cut into them.

I like this enough for a mug rug, but 12 and a half inches is too big.

Tonight I figured out how to Zoom and use the Accuquilt cutter at the same time.

Thank goodness most of my carts are on wheels.  Wheeling it close to my computer was no big deal.  Now these donated shirts are 2.5 inches square.

Only problem....I discovered that my shoulder arthritis bothers me when cranking...ugh.

The electric one is way too pricey, even on sale.

I worked on my Crossroads quilt, but got sick of it, thus my new block and my new squares. Now, I am leaving the big mess for bed...something I hate when the children do it.  Gotta check out the snow first!!!

This time I have ice melt.

PS.  Just so you know, Meatloaf and I are the same age.!!!!!

News  you can use!!

The Very Cozy Inside Day

 I hate my new phone. The pictures are fuzzy and the sound is off..Here is my Crossroads more than halfway done.  Almost finished with block 9 but I did not have it me tonight..

                                 

Here I am messing around with Flying Geese orphan blocks.

And my Kale candy from Sherry to save my day...(Yum)

Today has been a wonderful day.

Once again I have so many projects to work on, I do not know where to start.!!

The Oregon Alpaca visit was a success!!

One more day of zooming and sewing...Four hours of Zooming and four hours of sewing!  Yeah me.!!

Rain and yuck cannot mess with my serenity xo

Dear me I published this on the wrong site.  Now, I do not know how to fix it...Sorry xo

Grandma Finds Serenity

Starting, as usual with our Aoife.  She has learned to squat.

It is her preferred method of reading now.

Tonight's work:  Crossroads process.  Parts seem uneven cuz it is not sewn yet.

My new work station by my computer.

I Zoomed with my friends for 3 hours tonight..Wonderful!!!

Zoom and sew, zoom and sew!!!  Win and Win!!

My basket of two patches are ready!!

 This afternoon, I sat down to read and fell asleep for two hours...

See my relaxing view:

That view would comfort and relax anyone.

Sigh!! 

I am all ready for the midnight hour!!

Now, on to my weakness:

I said, NO new fabric in this New Year!!  Then Wanda sent me a sale link for Marcia Derse fabric.  Just please note:  this is all Wanda's fault!!

The ice/snow event in Charlotte has left the walkway to my car solid ice.

I cannot leave the house.  The children are staying at their mother's house because there is no school tomorrow....a weather day!!  Folks like me in the woods will take days to unfreeze, especially with below freezing weather every night.

I am puttering in my sewing rooms, and sewing and just being free to be me.

People Everywhere Just Wanna Be Free 

The Storm and I

Lori Holt, Scrappy Crossroads block

Dressing Monkey for her walk.

Portland is a great place for showing of her purple rain boots.

As the cats and I wait for the big bad storm to come in a few hours, I am busy distracting myself with my birthday chocolate bar that I finally found.  Lori Holt is also helping me stay calm with her tute on one of my favorite blocks...Just happens that I found these 16 patch blocks already made.  So much fun with a lot of the work already done.

Today, I used my new and awesome street walker for exercise.  I Zoomed friends, some quilters, some not.  I found a battery emergency radio from hurricane preperations and an LED light  that uses batteries.  I am going on the belief that we will keep our power.  If not, there are a few quilts around here to keep me warm.and I am as prepared as I can be.

The calm before the storm.

 

Something Fishy

Our Aoife enjoying a rare winter sunny day in Portland.  She is down by the riverside.

Down by the Bay

Trying not to worry here, down the hill in the woods with a winter event coming..

My cul-de-sac in the woods is the last to thaw the ice and snow because of the trees.

My neighborhood often is the first to loose power.

And, I somehow have become freaking old!!

Above is the backing I just finished for the African fish quilt top done tonight.

Below is our Lynsey  and the clean fish tank.

Lynsey was in the school play last night...so awesome.  I went double masked with my kn95ers.

I said, I am getting rid of  the fish tank...
Really, for two fish..??  Noone cares and no one cleans it.

Miracle words because the two fish of Lynsey's: Chloe and Kari seem to live

forever!!!!!  Tonight's plea from grandma got results.  

Here, both Lynsey and Stitch admire the results!!!

I am going to call this Something Fishy quilt (see close up of the circle of fish) a finish.  Because, now I can put it on the to be quilted someday stack and start something new...