Sunflower

If you are looking for the big sunflower I mentioned in a earlier post, sorry it had to go. I tried to get a cool sunflower picture in my header without great results as it was way too large. So back to the drawing board on that one!

I am proud to add the HEARTSTRINGS icon to my blog. This is a group of gals that gives so much of their time and STASH to give the warmth and love of quilts to those in need. So far I haven't contributed due to other commitments, but have the strips cut and waiting for my donation.

Thanks, Mary!

Here is the scrappy strip quilt that went in the RV before binding. I tie my quilts so no fancy quilting to show but someday there will be!!

Paris approves of the blue and yellow strip. This one went to my sister and I really had a hard time giving it up. It is by far the prettiest quilt I have made. I have lots of left over blue and yellow though so there is another one in my future I think. I am really hooked on strip quilts!!

Ok, who said you can't teach a old dog new tricks? I got the pictures in the post. Wow, I amaze myself sometimes. It just goes to show what good old fashioned "stick with it ness" does. Now if someone would just tell me how to reduce the size of that header sunflower, I would be set.............and could get off this computer and do some quilting!!

I am be slow but I am steady! LOL

Its a learning process?????

Well, got a header on here that is way to big but can't figure out how to make it smaller. I also have several quilt pics that I could post but, can't figure out how to get them in the body of the posting. BUT, yesterday I had NO pictures and not a clue how to get any on here, so it is progress and I will keep trying. (maybe have to find someone to help!)

The huge sunflower is from a couple of summers ago. We have some this year also but they aren't quite as big. Gardening in Arizona is a real gamble so you never know what or how much you will get because when the temps get up there, not much survives at our house. This year we have all kinds of little grape tomaotes and a few cucumbers. Last year there were some and the year before bumper crops. So we put it in the ground and pray and if it doesn't produce, go to Sprouts and buy some veggies!!

The whole garden thing got started when ex teacher aide me, decided to teach my granddaughter about seeds. So we went to Target and bought an assortment that I knew would be different shapes and sizes, got cups and dirt and came home and planted, watered and watched. Low and behold, they grew!! So hubby askes me what I was planning on doing with them..............well, when I worked at the school, we just sent them home with the kids. Duh...........We gave up trying to grow anything in our garden plot a long time ago, but being the great grandpa he is, Dh bought wood and dirt and built a raised bed so we could plant the plants...........and we had beautiful sunflowers and cucumbers and squash. So the next year he built another bed and the year after he fixed them with shade and water. So my little seed experiment has grown into veggies that are worth about $50 a lb.............if they produce!!

Great thing is, our grandkids love the garden and look forward to it each year. Julia has a green thumb. She wanted to plant a seed out of one of her beloved Pink Lady apples. So we told her it would NOT grow and she said she still wanted to plant it and...............we have a start of a apple tree growning in a pot on the patio. It has survived two very hot AZ summers and a rather cold winter with frost. It is growning like crazy and she reminds us often that we said it wouldn't! I have a picture and if I ever figure out how..........will post it!!

Gratitudes

flowers growning outside my kitchen window

grape tomatoes that we can't eat fast enough

a great husband who takes my projects the rest of the way................

watching little ones learn and discover at our hand

Yahoo!!!

I've got pictures on here! Now we won't talk about how long it took to get those two pictures in place..............and the header is another story all together but I am happy!

Now I need someone to read and look at them!

So if you happen to visit..............please, please leave a comment so I know there really is someone out there!

I am doing a happy dance!!!

Moving right along

Good grief, can't believe that I gave up the ship again so easily. Not sure this blogging thing is for me. I would love to become part of the blogging quilting community that I read so many blogs from, but not sure how to break into that. Need to get pictures on here some how I know. I enjoy their sharing of pictures, thoughts and help but its not something that seems to just happen.

Mailed the blue and yellow strip quilt to my sister......long story there but, it was beautiful when finished and I had a hard time parting with it. She is not happy with me at the moment and that made it harder because I made it with such love for her. Oh well, she seemed pleased and that was that. Once it leaves my hands it is not mine any more and I must move on. (kind of like having kids move on).

Finished the scrappy strip quilt and it is in the RV. We used it this weekend on our camping trip and it was so nice and warm. I really like the idea of the muslin foundation layer adding to the bulk of the quilt. I have started one from all the bright strips I had left over from another quilt and looking forward to another one. I think I will do the braided border like Bonnie shows on her new quilt pattern on her site. (quiltville).

Also trying to embrodiery some things. I haven't done this for 40 years!! I made a set of kitchen towels before we were married and a few other things but then moved on. I did lots of counted cross stitch. Anyway, would like to do some redwork although I do like using lots of colors too. Need a hand project for the RV and vacation. I might make some Christmas things to sell for extra cash in Dec.

I will try to get better at this blogging thing.....pictures some day I promise.

Gratitudes

a supportive husband

a supportive family

sugar free OREO'S

lots of little grape tomatoes fresh from the vines

home grown cucumbers