The Year of the Mouse and Freezing Weather

My favorite blog...Caroline is sooo generous with her free tutorials.

Here she gives us her studio tour. If any of you have an idea on how to make my sewing room look like this...please let me know...ASAP!!  Thank you...

SewCanShe

If in doubt, make a potholder and practice your free motion quilting.

This year is....Year of the Mouse...
When my son was 6 months old, I got him this small t-shirt from Chinatown
in San Francisco .
I could never bear to part with it...
Finally about 20 years ago, I made it
into a potholder....In the kitchen drawer..the mouse reminds me...
My son turns 35 on Thursday.
Just in case you did not know how far back my stuff goes!!
Or, how much I love my stuff!!

The story of my life...disorganization!!!
I was just about to make a bracelet using the snap set above...when..
I could not find the tool to install the snaps with..
I had to buy another one....My poor dear daughter...when I go...

My tough days are spreading out...now I can have 2 or 3 good days before a bad one.
Progress.   Today I made chicken soup...it was that kind of day...
and I made stuffed peppers which were gobbled up immediately.
Lynsey and Dylan helped me so they could learn how.

I usually like to skip Easter because Mr. O'Quilts died at Easter...maybe this year, I can do something different.
Today in Charlotte high of 39 and now it is 29  brrrr.
Dylan just came in from helping his father fix a neighbor's car...
Below freezing brave boy....
Of course wearing his favorite pants.

Tonight's wonderful book;

School notes:
This week is the end of semester one...
Evan's ninth grade, half gone.
Lynsey setting up for middle school next year.
Dylan ready to be next year's big cheese, last year at elementary.
They bring joy to my heart.

A Crisp Sunny Sunday

This tute is from Missouri Star utube tutorials Four Patch Frenzy

I am naming these two quilts after my cats...This is Boo!!!

This large snowball is Stitch!!

Gotta work on my photo skills...just so excited to share.

 An unbelievable joy to have two finishes in January 2020

Good news:  Lynsey went to Guild Sit and Sew with me yesterday.

Here she is..pulling her own bags..quite the grownup ...calling herself 11, even

though her birthday is a few weeks off.

And, our dear adolescent Evan....made pancakes and scrambled eggs for his siblings while I was asleep

Just a joyful day.

A Totally Random Post

Just so you know, Isabella likes her birthday bag!

Below shows the last stitch on my valentine quilt Halloween quilt
In the comforting light of tomorrow, I will show off my second finish of 2020.
Since this is no prize winner, I quilted it with the lovely adjustable wiggle stitch on
my lovely Janome 8900/

Fast and easy...this is not a prize winning quilt.
All the children now have a Halloween quilt for their bed.
My guess is that the  high schooler really does not care...lol

Jeeze Louize did I just spend 9 hours in the emergency room Wednesday night?????

Quite a lesson in gratitude, me thinks...

My doctor wanted to rule out an infection in my hernia...I was expecting an emergency

operation,  TBTG it was an infection in the tissue surrounding the hernia, not the hernia itself... and I was sent home with antibiotics....Amazing Grace.  Others there were not so lucky.

Did You Know that Feeling Abandoned by Your Support System is Perfectly Normal in Grief

Everyone says that they hate meatloaf.
I make the yummiest meatloaf.

Under great pressure, everyone here liked it the night I made it.

However, once the leftovers were defrosted, not one member of my family 

would even try a warm meatloaf sandwich...Whatever!! I ate it for two lunches myself.

“Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the thing you can't hear, and not bothering.” A. A. Milne

I love the quotes on Julie's blog. (The Quilts too)
This is from Quiltdivajulie
I so needed this quote today..Thank you A.A. Milne and Julie too!!

Tomorrow Lynsey and I are going to our Charlotte Quilters Guild Sit and Sew
She has a sewing friend her age who is coming too..
Last but not least....a second showing of blooms from a Christmas cactus.

Always telling myself that the morning light saves me.

Bee Monday, and More

The first Queen Bee Sit and Sew of 2020

Lucky me had it at my house on a rainy, rainy day..
Seven of us..laughing away.

Above quilt, blue and yellow large snowball lapquilt.

All quilted today...I just need to self bind it tomorrow...and DONE!!

Isabella had a birthday party.....inviting Lynsey...

This present is a week or so late....but I think she will love it!!

The inside and pocket of the Isabella bag

Supervision.....Stitch adoring the Shamrocks I am auditioning for the bag handles..

Since my doctor's visit the other day...I am even more aware that I am no
longer  40...ok...50...60?? Last night I ordered a sock fitter from Amazon for $8.
I already have one, but I lost it.  Now the old lady can put on her own socks!!!!
Sometimes... It is nice to be waited on...😀😀

Lately, when grief comes rolling in again,.. I start  to miss my grandmother too..
She always lived with us...We were best friends...Here she is playing canasta...
She was such a card fanatic..
Grandma was born in 1896 and died in 1996.
Now it is 2020.. Where did time go????
That was 24 years ago??? I was 48 when I lost my clear minded
very smart grandma....This is the one who taught us to sew.

And, so it goes....more rain tomorrow...more sewing and sleeping.
Because I can no longer afford our Stephanie...I have to be on bus duty
and child pick up duty for after school tutoring...so much for the pool for me.
Just for today, it all is good!!

Good Things

Last night little L helped me select a quilt for my bedroom wall.

I had not seen this improv piece in awhile. All made from scraps

I was delighted she chose it for me....

Now, the same girl has finished her pillowcase at her sewing lessons with Tawney.

She is thrilled!!! Upcoming Saturday, she will be coming to Guild Sit and Sew with

her friend from Sewing class...My heart...Oh, my heart.

I went to the doctor and the doctor said....

No, you are not having heart problems...Your heart is fine.

Maybe you have anxiety????

No you are not having BP problems, there is a good pulse in your

ankles and your BP is fine..

Your feet are cold because of aging...UGH

Keep your feet up and buy wool socks..

I went right home and ordered online...In my amazing world,

 these yummy wool socks were delivered, today...

I told my doctor that I was a bit lightheaded when I first got up in the morning.

She said...same as cold feet...that happens as we age...

WE, ha ha..She is 37.

She said, sit up slowly, say five gratitudes and you will be fine.

My nerves are calmed by the morning light,

By my support system, my wonderful doctor 

and my sewing machine!!

(My son, doing rug shampoo is a great thing too!!!)

Sunday, a Day of Rest

Last of the rope bowls for now...rope all  put away,
nice and tidy...so I can get other things done.

Four patch linky with yellow kona and Kaffe shot cotton purple

I like this better than yellow and white. version.

This old grandmother would like to give a shout out to

our school system which brings children back to school,

Tomorrow!!!! 

The Good and the Bad and the Just OK..

Last night's bowl...

The fabric part of the bowl is from this:

There is just enough contrast to make a difference.

Tonight I started this one. I had to stop.  My wonderful machine is in
the shop for cleaning and I am beside myself. This alternate one is so loud.
Cannot justify keeping my son awake, just to calm my soul

Tonight I went to a party...Wow...me...all grown up...Not quite.
Without the dear Mister, my son and the kids had to take me, as I no
longer dare drive in the dark.. Good sports driving all the way out there.
The catch is when they all had to come back and get me as well....
Everyone was crabby as it was way past their bed time.
My son struggles sometimes when the children are disrespectful and overtired.
I do not like to inconvenience my family like this....still.....

So...good:  my son was willing to do all the driving tonight for his mother.
Good, today, Lynsey had her first sewing lesson with Tawney...She loved it!!!
Good news, I was able to take a lovely  nap. Good news:  Rope bowls relax me.

Not so good, I have tremors in my hands now...and I dropped my snack plate twice at the party.
Not so good....family fatigue and irritability.
The engine light on my old car keeps coming on, but my son was able to fix it.

Not so good, the old widow alone amongst her couple friends...
The very good...reconnecting with old friends..
The also good....school starts back again Monday.

Procrastination

Monthly color challenge....
Sooo fun..Join in my friends.

Hmm, not enough contrast...how about these:
I will make another yellow block...solid with Kaffe's shot cotton.
It really is not due until the end of the month.

After Christmas sales?????

I was so sure I would not buy any after Christmas sales...but...$1 bag of bells can be used 24/7
And $3 fabric for next year's holiday potholders.
$7 is not bad for a little shopping fun.

Speaking of Christmas....sigh...joy..relaxation...
This arrived today.!!!
My heart refuses to make a rope bowl until at least one of the five
imminent projects has been finished...

More distraction

Just so you know this girl is going to middle school in 8 months.
A big thanks to Bella for the skating invitation!!
Other distractions:
Level 526 with Wordscapes on my phone...
Freecell and blogs on my computer..
Reading the painful book

Finally...I have started:  Here we have American Girl Doll, Carlos with his quilt
I just made the binding.

I remember Great-Aunt Carl being mad at me for not being able to
repair this quilt...really, she had no idea of what a horse barn could do to fabric..
I do think she would be pleased now,if she could see Carlos so happy.

A piece of Civil War Repro fabric fit the bill for the binding.
Now....to the rope bowl......stay tuned.
Love!!

Our Beloved Chosen Family

In one of the holiday boxes, I found this antique quilt from Great-aunt Carl.

I have had the quilt about 15 years.  Having lived most of its life in the horse barn in Greenville, Alabama, it is totally destroyed.  Aunt Carl did not know why it was there in the barn..hmmm

She insisted that her grandmother made it... But, I could not tell for sure from the fabric.

 Great-aunt Carl is my step-father's sister.  We called my stepfather...John-Henry Washington Newton Burt...(John-Henry for short).

 Great -aunt Carl died the same week in May that my mother died...five years ago..They were both in their 90's

It is not salvageable.. so I was using it as padding for the Christmas dishes.

What to do???  I cannot bear to toss it.

Epiphany!  I cut up the few usable parts...few....

These will be perfect for Lynsey's American Girl Dolls and doll beds.

This keeps things in the family...our "created by love family."..forget the gene thing.

My father who raised me was my step-father, since I was 10.  No genes here...My children are both adopted, no genes there....My grandchildren came from my son and his wife...etc...

So no one in my home has my genes...no one at all...

Awwww...but do we share love...Amen we do.

I will bind these with blue as Lynsey insists they be androgynous...ha!!

There are some tiny pieces for the doll house beds.

I am immersed in this terrible book.  It is all Linda's fault.

No wonder I cannot sleep at night!!

It follows a line of African tribes fighting with each other, selling off the human booty

to the British for slaves.  OMG  Terrible...

Then,through generations in America, how slaves were treated .

The reason I keep reading, is that it is so very well written.

I have to take sewing breaks from all that I am learning.

Trials of the O'Quilt family....

One dead fish...of course it is the big favorite $8 one

Kids home...OMG  Listen to the noise.

Teenager gone to party...yes I checked with the mother.
New Years bonus...Petco gave my son credit for his $8 dead fish..Wow

From: Quilting Gail I found this!!!!
I plan to make this my new 2020 theme after so many traumas the past 6 years...

Like I said before, I was born in a snow storm in Boston 72 years ago...
I pride myself on maintaining that storm as long as I live.

Already New Year's Eve has Arrived...12:19 am

The splurge on colored rope...Can you believe this was here in less than 20 hours..OMG

I cannot sew with it yet because I want to mix it with the neutral clothesline rope

that has yet to arrived...although I hear...it is on its way!!!!

Tonight....a lovely chat with my blogging friend Kara.  She is doing that chemo thing.

Inspiration came through the phone from Kara to me...that she is sewing and sewing.

Giving away to the chemo nurses quilts..giving thanks
 Now, she is just making basic quilts...for the comfort of others.

A few years back, Kara and Melissa, in the mountains of Tennessee organized a lot of my scraps. and delivered them to me in Charlotte....how nice:)

Tonight is the night...with my new found inspiration, that I too..will start another basic quilt to give away.

God only knows how hard life is...and a quilt to hug you in stressful times is a blessing.
Here is the bag of 3 inch strips all organized....so not by me.

With great energy, I have now sewn all these strips into pairs
Tomorrow I will cut them for four patches.
There was a lot of yellow, so I have used that as a color binder.

Now:
I have a bag unfinished, but on the table ready,
Rope for my latest addiction to bowls
  This new four patch inspiration,
  Quilts basted to be quilted,
Tops waiting to be quilted,
 450 UFOs
 6,584,930 ideas for future quilts and projects.
My heart is beating quickly...Is it the sewing excitement or the chocolate????

The children will be home in the morning
I already sent them their chore list via Evan's phone
so they will not be surprised.
The boys will be making bobbins and Lynsey will be preparing
her sewing machine for her sewing class on Saturday
Stasi sent me this picture this evening of her girls reading.
Love

Guess what I just found in a dresser drawer!!!

Only the best of friends would give me M&Ms for my birthday.

And, then...with the New Year, there is this:

Anne Lamont: We Need to Talk
Thank you Carol for this link...
I just LOVE Anne Lamont

Another Nightly Adventure

I love this book.  I really love this book

Which is why I read it in small amounts to wrap myself in the warm fuzzies of community.

I am still on my stay-cation with the children at their mother's house.

I ponder:  Should I keep reading on the screened in porch wrapped in a quilt, while

the rain and wind comfort me...or should I do the dishes and go get groceries??

Should I continue to stay up until 3am happily sewing and creating and sleep until noon,

Or, should I feel guilty for "wasting" time.  

Should I dust and vacuum?  Or take a cozy nap by the fireplace with a book folded by my side and a cat on my lap?

It has been noted that I still think I am forty and expect self to still have all that energy.

My darlings will be home on Tuesday....

I am having just a lovely day today.

Still a comfort...

Without Grandma...off they all went to the mountains on horses..
A wonderful time.
I have done the dishes and the laundry.
Feeling so completely rested, then I heard a friend my age had a stroke
and is in the ICU.
Many bloggers seem to be putting out their word for 2020
My word is one I never thought I would say...me such a fighter.
Acceptance of life on life's terms.
Acceptance....so hard.

What to do to avoid that bag I am making...ugh..should have used
Batiks so both sides are the same.
Ah Ha!!! Make another rope bowl.
Taking a chance here on using my beloved Kaffe circles.

This bowl is nice, but not a stand out like I had wanted.
Large prints are best for these bowls, but high contrast is a must
This bowl does not have that.

I made it until I was totally out of rope.  Amazon Prime to the rescue in a few days.
Voila...the lining cut for the bag...the right side and size.  The rest for another day.

My son is thrilled with the new fish tank.
He is quite the baby and bought the fish before the top of the tank arrived

 

I see that Eamon is not the only one thrilled with the new fish...

Hmmm, lets see how many are left in the morning.

ps...I notice that if I cannot comment on someone's blog...I just left
click on "show in a different window"  Voila...then I can comment.