A Weekend in Peace

So thrilled with this next step.

I sized these blocks with my Electric Accuquilt Cutter 10 inch die; the size of a layer cake.

Sew easy and sew much fun.  A friend came down today to cut a million 2.5 inch squares with my cutter.  It was done in a  heart beat!!

Look what I was able to do today:  Garden!!!  On my cane. I removed the pansies, tilled the soil and am ready to plant the begonias my friend picked up for me. I think that the Gardenia from Great Aunt Carl in Greenville, Alabama will like the company.. Great Aunt Carl is long gone as well.  Her Gardenia plant keeps living and giving.

I cannot tell you how happy that made me.

Emily in Portland sent me this picture of the neighbor's rose bush.

This is why  Portland is called the "City of Roses".  And Aoife's middle name is Rose.

My dearly departed man would have loved this, as he grew and showed roses, his favorite flower.

Another good day. The friend who came down this morning told me that when I moved in in September, she was so afraid for me because I looked so depressed and fragile...I did not even know this woman.  I am amazed......and, of course grateful that I was able to get better.

Lynsey had asked me if she and her friend Jazmine  could visit me this weekend...But, the family is going to the mountains....Deep inside this loving grandma, I am relieved.  I am better, but so not what I  used to be.

My goal for this nice long weekend is to quilt a small quilt and start nothing new!!!

Letting Go

 Accepting reality that my one bedroom apartment holds a small, but packed, fabric shop and that I am 75 years old.

Wondering how soon I will be bored with this scrap project.  Realizing that I feel this way often in the middle of creating.

Then, I found a bag with these 1.5 inch strips.  Long ago, my friends Kara and Melissa organized fabric from my scraps.  Kara was driving through town and took 2 GARBAGE bins of scraps from my house to her house in the Georgia mountains...Next time she came through, she brought them back.  OMG, they had transformed my scraps into a brilliant organizational stash. What a gift.

This is what is considered fun when living in a fabric store.  Many lost things are found as new.

This gift , this find, made it so much faster working on my blue scrappy log cabin.

My letting go deal is to give any log smaller than 6 inches to the art teacher...Sigh...even letting go of those is hard...This is because quilting and fabric collecting are two different passions.  Lucky me has both.

Every day now I try to make into a good day.  Seems to be that that means staying up till two or three am and sleeping till noon..  I am able to concentrate on good books now, not needing to read pablum.  Jodi Picault is one of my favorite writers. And, my pool friend/instructor said today that I am getting stronger every day.!!  Hard to believe. She seems to be looking at things from a different perspective!!!

It feels good to hear.

Thursday at 11 am, I was in bed asleep when  the fire alarm went off...Jeeze Louize. First I was crabby, then I just  dressed  and went to Trader Joe's   Oh, dear...I did not brush my hair...I did not bother with a few other necessities either...But who cares??  Old ladies get away with a lot.  Thank you workers on the second floor for making a silly mistake....The noise got me up and going.!!  

They always have lovely tulips at Trader Joe's.  I  bought brilliant orange and red blend.  When I put them in a vase, a thorn nipped me.  Jeeze Louize, they were roses instead...Please God, do not let my mind go just  yet!! At least I recognized that these  tulips were unique!!

The other night at 2 am, in a slump, I ordered Brach's jelly beans from Amazon...Really?  Me thinks I am a bit neurotic!!!Well, they came today.  I tried to hide them from myself, but I could not.  Already the pink and white have been eaten

Marie came by the other day to show us her I-spy quilt.

They are my favorites for kids.

We are very, very lucky here in Charlotte.  Our May is  kind of like a nice March with breezes and cooler temps and lowish humidity...Things are a changing, but June is soon.

June first is my wedding anniversary, friends' birthdays and my doctor's appt. to determine my surgery date.

Hmmm Gotta be braver, cuz I am so not a big strong lady!!!

Tomorrow a friend is coming by to use my electric fabric cutter...How to make new friends....One of these machines and lots of dies...Lucky, lucky me!!

Let There be Love

Let There be Love  (Anne Murray and her daughter)

Pat bought a new mountain house.  Look, there is a quilty barn star on it.

Such a very good omen.

Monday's surprise:

Met a few friends for lunch.  I have to have an operation early this summer...and, I am so freaked out about it.  Felt so lonely and needed support.  So five of us met at a restaurant for brunch.  We have  been through some hard times together.  I did not know it was an operation party for me/??!!!

One friend drove me there, one friend bought  me lunch, one friend had a selection of  these earrings for all of us to wear the day of my surgery to help with the hope thing.  I felt so cared for.

We caught up with each other and we laughed...It was mighty fine!!  I am grateful.

After my nap, I sorted fabric and read some of  my book.

Tonight, I put all the possible backing fabrics in one  place.  I hope I remember where...ha!! If you are reading this, they are in clear windowed boxes on my red rolling cart.

And so it goes. A lovely day in Charlotte for an outdoor lunch; actually for an outdoor anything.

Just Messing Around

I made a quilt like this for a friend of mine with brain cancer.  She had it on her bed at the hospital which delighted me..It was even drapped at her wake. ..Four and a half inch squares with random logs around it...So scrappy and fun to make  I will probably make it big  enough to square off the blocks at 12 and a half inches.

 

While chatting with a friend on the phone, I messed around with this.  Gotta keep making them as they run out the door as staff gifts.  People here are so nice to  me.

Below are the last of Wanda's scraps and those from reproduction fabric.

It is as painful as an injection to  use some of my dear fabric.

The one below,  used on the above potholder, is a Celtic knot pattern.

I love it.. sigh...I used it anyway and  the stress of that lead me to a glass of red wine...

I know folks are  probably bored with potholders, but I want to have a record of them.

Yesterday, I gave 6 quilts to Mary Jerz for long arm quilting.  I will pay her to put the extra fabric on the sides, because my one natural shoulder is now painful.  Hoping not for a fifth joint replacement...jeeze.

My darling grands when I got them, seems like 100 years ago

This picture puts a smile on my face.

Today was a good day.  I always am thrilled to post about good days.

I am trying to figure out what is enough for me.

Is it enough to sleep late, read on the patio, walk to the pool and swim.

Is it enough to make potholders and bowl cozies to give away...maybe more rope bowls?

As I look hard for the bigger picture, I realize that I have no place there., as I am in the little picture .Guess my place is to cheer my world, one potholder at a time.  And give things away . I so like to do that.  Spreading cheer and goodwill.

I like to stay up until 2 am and sleep to noon...Well, I am retired!!!!!

The other day at the grocery store, I carefully selected a perfect tomato..just perfect.  Today I found it at the bottom of my purse...where I had put it for safe keeping...Sigh..I am so losing it.  At least tonight, I salvaged half of it.  redemption.

What  joy it is to get another snap of Aoife...She will be 3 in July and is quite the terror...OMG

Lucky Aoife has the face of an angel.

ps  I just read through my older posts...Jeeze, I see that I say  the same things over and over again....Pls forgive...OMG...Pls God, I am not losing it already!!

What I Cannot Control.....And, What I Can

 I can control a potholder...a mini piece of art to give away. 

I cannot control that for  me, 75 is too old to parent teenagers.

No pictures from yesterday, but it was so good.

My DIL brought me 6 children and an ooey gooey cake to celebrate Mother's Day early.

A great idea so she could have all day today by herself.

I could not control this, but I am eternally grateful for my healthy DIL

I was visited  by 3 grandchildren 2 step-grandchildren and a friend of theirs:

That was three 14 year olds, one 13 year old , one 17 year old and a five  year old.

It was also, 5 phones, or more!!  A great time as I received so many hugs....I told them that I was hug deprived...

Especially Dylan...so charming at 13...sigh!!  He fixed some settings on my new I-pad.  Honestly  he is the go to for this. He is a wonderful hugger.  A proud grandma here.

Their mother is amazing...so proud a MIL...so proud.

I may not have honored  boundaries as she is in charge now, but overnight, I got old and teenagers became too much for me.  It was the  right decision, just hard.  Grateful that they still love their Grandma.

This is not finished, but I could not wait to post it.  All scraps, all me, all repro. I am thrilled I can quilt.

Tomorrow is the day for more quilting on it.

And I so love the backing.  I wanted to save it..I tried to use other fabric to save this one.

But, at the end of the day, my joints and naps reminded me that I am 75 and should not save one thing.

Always it is Aoife and her friend/enemy/sibling rivalry/ love, dog, Rosie.

Sad, no sign of my son.  Glad I am at peace and know I cannot control another person.

Happy today to have brunch here with new friends.

Happy to have my wonderful new apartment patio, enabling me to read and relax in the fresh air.

My sweet daughter remembered me and my DIL and sister and friends...I know that this is a made up Hallmark  holiday...still it is nice to be thought of.

I quilt quickly, I make  mistakes, There is no quilt police.

Can you imagine if I drove my car the way I sew????

I would have tickets galore.

That is why I sew fast instead of drive fast.

Mothers or not, it is nice to enjoy our day .

Scraps, my Best Friends

This is all in pieces but the main part .  Feeling a bit challenged...not right.

I do like most of it, but the outside white border.  I want the first inside border but do not have enough of it.

Thought I would put it out here for suggestions.

Now I think I will piece the border with different whites...eg what is left of the inside border fabric with the other as filler.  

This is my favorite part of quilting:  working with color and scraps to create.

A great day today as I got out of myself.  Even the dentist visit was fun...OMG  

What is wrong with me/??

Hysterical laughing with friends tonight at dinner.

The awesome pool this morning set the tone.

Tomorrow is my last day at PT....sad, but I do know that after my operation this summer, I will ask for more PT.  He is oh, so helpful.

I have not seen my cleaning lady in two weeks.  Maybe she no longer loves me???  Or maybe she is tired and short staffed.  

I am learning to chill!!!

"Just Joey" has opened with the most lovely smell.

Thank you Candace for this gift of love.

 

Today's Cheer

Aoife helps her daddy make and plant her window boxes.  Lucky Aoife to have a daddy like that.

A gift tonight from Candace, just picked from her garden.

"Just Joey"  It is like the color of the rose, "Whisky Mac".  My husband won a first place in a  rose competition for that 45  years ago.

Wednesday Women today.  Linda saved my day by using her brain to organize a backing for my grey hexie quilt.  Looks like my big quilt days are numbered as I can no longer get up from the floor due to arthritis pain.  And my remaining one shoulder needs replacement....But, so far so good, on smaller quilts and  of course potholders for my sanity.

I have to have an operation this summer...trying not to freak.  

And, of course to make the most of my days. Lovely sunny days would cheer anyone.

Tomorrow dentist and pool....

xoxo

 

As Midnight Approaches

 

If a miracle ever happens and I feel the urge to straighten up.....This is usually what happens..

Distraction.  I found a few  unfinished bowl cozies under a pile....

The other side.

Cleaning is so over-rated xo

Yesteryear

Picked  up two packs of these in our art room....just up for grabs.    

I ordered 4 inch EEP papers on Etsy to keep me busy during dull times.

From my vintage quilt collection...or from what I still have left.  Era: 40's.... quilt, now on my bed.

Unfortunately this picture does not  show the yummy blue from that era..

Our beloved Stitch now lives with my grandchildren in the country

with two other cats and  two dogs and five children.  Stitch is still the boss.

That family renamed him something like  "Boots".  He will always be a quilting cat to me.

My handsome son.  This picture is special to me because, three  years ago, he took two busses and a train from his camp to bring it to me.   Now, I have not seen him in 10 months.  The Foxglove is planted  in my garden at my new apartment where it flourishes.

I gave a potholder to a new friend.  Just stuck it on his door.   He is 90 and fragile.....yet he walks and swims.  He says it is hard, but he does it anyway.  I am 75 and I say  it is hard and I do not want to do it at all.  Just want to sew.  But, old Tom was certainly a role model.  Shamed, I walked today.

I just love Australian fabric....Heck....I love all fabric.

Wanda, thank you for the scraps...I  think I have played enough...back to finishing stuff already started.

Potholders make such a quick fix for color and design.  

Then I give them away 

Oh, Happy Day

 Oh, Happy Day

Our Aoife playing with her wonderful used $10 dollhouse....Don't have to be rich to enjoy.

Below, the $25 used playhouse in my girl's back yard.  Of course, it did come full of wasps..but a little elbow grease and a lot of love  made it perfect!!

All found in Portland Market Place by my daughter.

More  fun tonight with Wanda's  scraps...Making you know what!!!

Love in process......

On Amazon I found these little spray bottles for my starch water.  I can take these in my travel kit for Sit and Sews...Four in a package....gave two to my sister.  In my old age, carrying things is a challenge.

Below is lazy.  I do not measure....lazy, I said.  My sister came over today to help me with the backing to my grunge hour glass quilt.  I was too cheap to spend an extra $5 to get enough backing...sigh...Now this strip on the back will make the shortage difference.

Below, joy again, in the vase....Tulips from Trader  Joe's...in season I guess, cuz the price is so right.

My African fabric snowball quilt on the wall behind it.

Today, I slept till noon.

Went to the pool for an hour.

Visited with my sister.

Took a nap????

Sewed while I did a few Zooms with friends..

Oh, Happy Day.

Now it is midnight and I am raring to go....!!

Is this what retirement looks like???

Linda from Vintage Turtle, thank you for the comment.

Pls send me  your email so we can talk more.

xo

Fabric and Friends and Naps Galore

First things first:  Hancock's of  Paducah has a lot of reproduction prints for $4.99 in their sale section.

https://www.hancocks-paducah.com/SALES

Our visit to Gastonia to see Eithne...She lives in such a lovely period house there..

Eithne has her interfacings, etc. in this hanging.

One more fun potholder.

Above lovely Australian fabric scraps from our Wanda

Already a potholder has  been created and chosen from my potholder basket at my front door.

Borders...OK  one set of borders...on this quilt.  Got too tired or lazy to apply the last two..

I did however, order a backing....or two...hmm...money on fabric is never wasted....Like buying happiness.

Just talked to my daughter.  Seems like when daddy was working, Aoife and her mommy took a 3 mile hike to see a waterfall;.On a glorious spring day in Oregon.  Aoife rode in a back pack on her mother's back some of the time and walked other times..Emily insisted that the trail was full of hikers.  .Oh, to be young...I am exhausted just thinking about it.

I am always exhausted.

Thank God I have my wonderful apartment.

Peace and serenity abound.