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

Progress

I have finished the strip quilt top, have the borders pinned and the backing bought and washed and ironed. Wish the sandwich part and basting was done as it is my least favorite part of the process. I also have about 8 blocks finished for the blue and yellow strip quilt finished.

I should not have started the blue and yellow one because I promised to do UFO's but all the fabric was out and I was on a roll! I do love the way the colors are coming together on that one but will need to set it aside while I finish the scrappy one.

We have fleece for the kids new blankets, ScoobyDo for Colin, of course and a panel with beautiful horses on it for our horsy girl, Julia. I need to buy thread for the edging on them and get started. Colin would like his NOW! Joann's didn't have the thread when we were there. They don't seem to have recovered stock wise since that last major sale they had.

Weekend plans are progressing for my son's 37th birthday this weekend. He had wanted to have pizza and just hang out but then we decided to try a snow trip and lunch at Mackies. Still trying to work out the logistics but it will be fun.

Can not believe that he is that old. He definately doesn't seem like a 37 year old to me but guess that is a mother's view. By his age, his dad and I were long married parents of teenagers with many miles under our belts. His aging process seems so different.

A friend called today with sad news that one of the teachers I used to work with lost her husband yesterday. He had cancer but was in remission, got ill over the weekend and died. She is the same age as I am and I think he was about the same. Makes you wonder how come some of us live to very old age and others die so young. I think almost 60 is pretty young compared with 80 or older. Does make you want to make the most of every moment that is left. Joanne was very close to her husband and had just retired, how sad for her to have two of the constants in life gone so closely together. She is very close in my thoughts this evening.

Gratitudes for today

Fairly good heath for my husband and I.

The ball of warm fur asleep on the chair behind me.

Healthy functioning kids

Scooby Do and horse fleece to keep the babies warm and happy.

Frustration

Major frustration going on here. I am trying to add pictures to this blog and it is not happening. Not too wise when it comes to this computer thing although I try. Maybe some other day????

Really shouldn't be doing this anyway. We are headed to Tucson in the RV first thing in the morning for the quilt show and I am supposed to be getting things together. Oh well, how hard can it be to gather sox and underwear for a overnight stay? Got my debit card for the quilt show vendors, what else could I need! I am really excited about the show. This will be the third one we have gone down for and the other two were fun.

FOUR more strip blocks and the blocks are done! Whoohoo! Jan. is still with us and I have a quilt that is making progress. I was headed to Joann's tonight for the 50% off calico sale to get backing and maybe border fabric but we got the heavy rain that they have been forcasting for the last three days. Decided that I needed to keep my bottom right on the couch where it belongs. So maybe I can convince hubby to look for Joann's in Tucson. If not, I have a 40% coupon I can use next week.

I have found several quilt patterns in the last couple of days that are milling around in my head. Need to cut some squares or strips out of the collection of blue fabric that seems to have taken over my stash and see which one I like the best. I have always wanted to do a blue and yellow quilt but a lot of the blue is dark and not sure how that will work.

Gratitudes

great week with grand kids

trip to the quilt show with hubby

cream of mushroom soup on a rainy night

sugar free cookies to have with my tea

quilt to cuddle under while I wait for my husband to come home tonight

Good Starts

I have been reading several blogs written by quilters. I love the pictures they post of their work or just the great things in their lives. Hopefully I can master the methods and do the same on this blog.

Progress! The strip quilt is going really well. There are only 9 more blocks to go. I am really pleased with it, Dh is not so thrilled. He would much rather I go and buy all the yardage for a pattern out of one of my many quilting books or magazines and do that. But, I love the scrappy quilts. They are, to me, the true form of a quilt. When you take little bits of what seems unusable and make a big useful thing. I love the way the many fabrics and colors go together like one big blended family. This one is for the RV though and the whole idea is that it will stay in it.............so won't be seen very often. I thought the extra layer of fabric using the muslin foundation will make it a warmer quilt too.

Just went to Joann's with the kids and bought TEN yards of bleached muslin. I see many strip quilts in the future. There have been several pictures in the blogs that have given me ideas for the next one. Think blues and yellows as I have lots of dark blue left from the last few quilts that have had blue borders or backing or something. Think I am in a blue period..............just the color!!

On a personal level, life is good. Kids are back from the winter break and we are back to rushing around to get them to school and hubby off to work with a hot meal before he goes. It is hard getting going again after a break and this time is really hard. The long break made me realize what life with out caring for them would be for me and DH. In the back of my mind I am thinking that life is supposed to be winding down a little and its not. I love them so much and I want the very best for them but................think it is time for us to slow down the pace a little. Time will tell.

We are headed to Tucson on Sat. morning for the quilt show there. Taking the RV, will park it at the casino and go in the jeep. Hopefully we will fit some other side trips in and not just sit at the casino when we are done. Guess that depends on how the money holds up.

Many of the blogs I have read have inclued gratitudes. I like that idea so I will borrow it for my blog.

Gratitudes

By far the most important is the love of a gentle man.

The hugs and kisses from the two grandbabies.

Having the cash to buy TEN yards of muslin and Julia's flannel for her "purple bunny blanket"

Pink Lady apples and a cup of tea