Harvest Home...Blackbird Designs

This weekend Cottage Tapestry got stretched to the Quilting frame. So on Rainy days, I’ll inch my way through quilting it. On to the next quilt dream…. A Harvest Home layer Cake will become a confetti cake quilt. If the fabric or the pattern look tattered it is probably because they are—they travel to work with me daily for coffee break dreams. I don’t know if it’s the name of the fabric or the muted colors but Blackbird Designs Ladies really tugged at my heart with this group. I’ve toted the fabric so long I’m almost hesitant to cut it up into pieces. It should be fun.
Summer time has kept me busy with my garden. I’ve got huge daisies this summer – temperatures have only been above 81 degrees about one week this summer. The Roma tomatoes are going to be delicious if we can just get them to keep growing.
I’ve made several garden signs and sprinkled them up and down the road where the dogs and I walk daily. It’s always been a favorite saying of mine.
Work hasn’t been the bright spot in my days but I’m grateful for the paycheck. The mailbox brought smiles from Libby.
And Remember Happiness is always defined as a puppy and a quilt. Bruno has a dog bed but tucks himself into this wicker basket. Everything sleeps better on a quilt.

Back to Work

OK—I didn’t post every day last week, but I did have a really good week. Lots of good memories. I went to Green Bay alone for the day. I stopped at a Quilt shop in Crivitz Wisconsin and treated myself to this charm pack from Kansas Trouble quilters. Great colors. I must have tried on 20 dresses and found two for keepers. Can’t wear them to work, but there is always Sunday church services. In the winter, you dress for warmth and the weather, but dresses are nice for the summer. I had lunch and came home.
Here was my weekend project – My new old bike. I found the bicycle at a city wide garage sale with a sign that said ‘free’. I should have photographed the before photo. A spray can of primer and one of flat ivory paint I have y new treasure. It had no basket, so I hit a bicycle grave yard and found it for three bucks. It’s still a work in progress – I hope to add more baskets and next year I’ll fill the basket with moss and soil for the flowers. But it’s a great first year start. Don is even sold on it. He disassembled the bicycle for easier painting. I transplanted black-eyed- Susan’s to grow in front of the wheels.

Sunday morning Ransom treed this fellow up a tree four feet from the Covered Porch around back. He was a small guy---Don figured about 150 pounds. It was amazing. I’ve seen them in the road, I’ve seen the droppings in the woods, but in 20 years—this is the first bear I’ve ever seen “Up Close and Personal”. He climbed over 25 feet to rest in that tree. Ransom had him treed. To protect him, we dragged in inside – But it was amazing and frightening at the same time to see the animal in the wild…. A memory.
I’m back at work this week – grateful for my job. It’s different; my friend Lora has a new job. I’m one of two girls in the house now.
Until tomorrow---

I'm a Stalker...

OK—I confess… I’m a stalker. Not the people kind… the porch kind. I finished piecing my quilt and set out quilt and camera in hand for a photograph. I always knock first.
No one was home and thought as long as I didn’t photograph a house number what harm could it cause? Fate intervened and of course the homeowners pull into the drive right in the middle of my photo shoot… Lesson learned, I get caught at everything. I better live a clean life. They were real nice people. Told me to take all the photos I wanted, I could even paint the porch if I wanted.

Here are the borders attached to the piece. After it is quilted I’ll show a complete shot. You may notice that the borders are different than the pattern (see previous post). I could tell you that I’m adventuring out on my creativity…. That I was trying to ‘make it my own’. But truth be told… I lost the pattern. I carry patterns with me everywhere I go—Being an Mom that works inside AND outside the home---there’s usually more time to read about quilting than actually doing it. I could have figured it out, but I just didn’t want to use the brainpower necessary to duplicate the pattern details. I kept looking at the pile of scraps left from piecing this quilt…It look like a lot of waste to me. So I opted for making 300 half square triangles from the leftovers and I’m really pleased with the outcome. And I have border fabric leftover now for another project.

It’s 55 degrees today and overcast, but the pups and I have been weeding the garden and with a sweatshirt the temperature is just about perfect….

Until Tomorrow----

Sunday Evening

Sunday Morning sun gave way to cooler temperatures and cloudy skies in the afternoon. Here’s a snapshot I took leaving for church this morning.
Only three kids today, but they got tons of TLC with the small number.
The afternoon nap was a must and then I hit the sewing machine. Here is my progress. The quilt is called Cottage Tapestry by Fig Tree quilts. There’s an eclectic group of fabrics that are completely out of my comfort zone. The shabby chic style fits Chelsey perfectly and it will probably be hung in her room after a brief visit to our back porch. The quilt might have fit better in purchasing a fat quarter bundle of a special grouping but I had fun playing with the random fabric to create the quilt picture. Here’s Chelsey’s favorite block.

Tomorrow the pieced borders will be put together. It was a great quilt to work on matching seams. The instructions were easy to follow. A beginner could knock this one out in no time. I’m even going to attempt the scalloped edging.

Here are flowers on my garden work table. Both kids are on their way home from weekend trips. Even though I don’t have to work tomorrow, I’m going to get up at the regular time to have coffee with Don and see him off to work--- besides I don’t want to waste a minute of this week sleeping.

Gratitudes:
Families, Our Sunday School Lesson
Spaghetti & Meatballs, Homemade
Cooler Temps

It's Raining....

It’s raining—both literally and figuratively. I guess the sign I made fits. For the past three weeks the boss has been telling others I was laid off. He has this plan that everyone in our office takes a week off with unemployment because of the economy. Well, week one went by, and I wasn’t. Oh yeah, I had taken a vacation day and came back and my name was on the payroll girl’s email—I got the cc copy. (I sound bitter, don’t I). Then the rumors went around again on week two and I was still working every day. Week three comes around and I get the notice. It could always be worse. It’s just for a week until the next rotation comes around. I think God was definitely telling me I need to slow down too. The boss said, “It’s nothing personal,” when I asked how much money was the company saving by doing this….But funny, when it’s happening to you—It sure feels personal. I can think of a million things that are going undone --- but someone in the office said… when it’s your turn, you just walk away. It’s not your problem anymore. I’m really trying…..

So, I went home and picked daisies for the table. I love my new paper napkins—a Walmart special. I changed a few quilts around and changed my dishes on my shelf.

I make lists--- Lists for quilts to make, chores to do, gratitudes, reasons not to be angry… I’m a list maker. I’m hoping to post every day I’m off—because I’m going to keep things in perspective.

Quilting has taken a back seat—truthfully… it’s been all the way into the trunk. Summertime, kids being home, family stuff, have all come before the needle and thread. That will change this week. Here is the Basket for April BOM at Country Loft and the March block for Ruby’s Garden. Yeah, I think I’m getting my groove back.

Well, the rain has stopped—both literally and figuratively---I’ve got week off and didn’t have to use vacation time. These two guys are becoming buddies and they are ready for a run….

Gratitudes
my family
summertime
Corn on the Cob—w/lots of butter

Gifts from Tanya

Summer is in full swing with hardly time to stay in and type. I wanted to show the surprise I received from Tanya on Saturday. Handmade gifts from Utah--- there’s fabric, paper, recipe cards, cards for sharing and a handmade box that I’m fighting my daughter for. Thanks again for sharing your talent.

We’ve been working on housebreaking Chelsey’s pup. I don’t know if he’s trained or we are. He is reminding me that puppies are a lot of work. Chelsey’s being really responsible and taking charge of him, but puppies take more that one person – exhausting.

Weather has yet to hit 80 degrees, but the garden seeds are popping out of the ground.

Snowshoeing has been replaced with watering flowers, biking and running Ransom along side of the road as the bugs are real thick in the woods.

Gratitudes:
Quilting friends
Letting go, kind of like being Brave enough to ride the bicycle with no hands---(even for just a few seconds)

My Grandmother's Quilt

I’ve been stressing because I wanted to post about quilting--- and there just hasn’t been a whole lot of that out there. But I realize you have to keep life in prospective and I’ve been doing tons of good stuff and the fabric isn’t going anywhere. All good things in time.
Quilting first off. Don has taken off for a few days to deal with spring home maintenance. The kids brought home college junk and now he has declared part of the basement a fire hazard so he started going through it. This is what he found in a box, one of my Grandmother’s quilts.
Chelsey’s response: “Mom—she picks out better fabrics than you!!!” It needs a little repair, but I’m going to work on it tonight.
It’s hand pieced and hand quilted.
We have a new addition to our family. Chelsey has gotten a pup for her apartment at school. He’s part terrier and part Chiawawa. His name is Bruno because Chelsey says he needs a strong name because he’s a little guy. He’s 4 months old. Ransom is adapting better than we thought. Here’s a photo of them together.
Our robins have flown the nest—Sunday Night. I think they just outgrew the nest and fell out so they had no choice but to fly. Here is the last photo of them together all 4 of them.

Saturday morning Ransom and Bruno found this in the woods. They were barking and Chelsey came to see. There was a Doe behind the garage. Usually they are just as scared of people and run away if you get near. Chels grabbed the pup thinking he’s was going to get stepped on and when she turned her back the doe head-butted her. T he dogs were screaming and she was screaming and I came running out to the porch. First thought—the doe was sick or something. Then I saw something like a cat at her feet. She was protecting her fawn.
We called a DNR friend later in the afternoon because the fawn remained behind the garage and the doe left it. He told us that fawns are born with no scent and since they are too fragile at birth to travel the does keep them in tall grass and come back often to nurse. Sure enough for 48 hours that fawn lay alone with Mom coming back and forth to check on it. We kept the dogs away.. But by Sunday evening he was gone. We’ve never seen anything that close to home.

There are miracles in your life every day--- you just have to find them…

The Robin eggs have hatched and the nest is almost overflowing with baby robins.
I haven’t bought hanging baskets for the front porch because I don’t want to disturb them or frighten the momma bird from carrying for them.

Both of my kids are home for the summer, each having summer jobs.
Eric turned 21 last week, so we celebrated. It was an adjustment, but we’ve kind of settled into a routine. It’s still hard to let go… but I’m doing a fair job of loosening the “apron strings” so to speak.

My garden is planted. The porch is filled with Geraniums on the steps. I even have an Official pumpkin patch this year since we cut trees down last fall. The planting followed two and a half days of a slow rain, so the seeds should be cooking in the soil.

On the sewing front, I’ve been stitching away on my BOM projects. I’ve also got 15 blocks of a 25-block quilt almost together. Maybe pictures by the end of the week.

Summer is in full swing I guess. We’ve even thrown in some bike rides. I haven’t posted as much, but I’m trying to hold onto every moment of the season.

Gratitudes:
Rainy days to slow down
Chelsey making me laugh
Watermelon

My First Pin Cushion.....

I opened my mailbox yesterday to surprises from a quilter. Mary sent me a continued reminder of how wonderful quilters are. Included in the package was a tagged Skeleton Key.
I’m still trying to decide which I love more --- the key or the tag. She created a pin cushion for me. The first one I’ve ever had… My Mother had a sugar bowl that she kept her pins in. Truthfully, I think I kept my pins in a Tubberware dish until a neighbor about 23 years ago told me about the magnetic keepers. I purchased one…but honestly there just isn’t much “soul” in a cushion like that. It’s completely functional, but this pin cushion I now have will last me the next 25 years. There is even are brass heart medallion stitched to one corner.

The “Pray” block is going to have a home close to me. On the job front, I’m in inventory control. I’m paid to be a control freak---It’s what makes me good at my job. But in life issues, many times I can’t be in the driver’s seat. Things are just out of my hands. Mary and I have chatted about that. This block will keep reminding that sometimes you have to sit in the back seat and let someone else 'Greater' drive….

Thanks again Mary…..

The Bird's Nest

I’m still here. I’ve been enjoying the change of season. Winters are pretty tough up here, My few perennials seem to have survived and are peeking up from the ground.
I may even purchase flower baskets for the porch this coming weekend.

I made Mother’s day gifts for my Mother and Mother-in-law this year. I stenciled each a Garden sign. I guess I’m the last person in the world to learn how to do this, but I just love my first attempt. I quilted each a make up bag from the Moda’s free line of patterns. Then I got my Mom the new Debbie Macomber she loves and My MIL the movie the Women. I totally recommend the movie – it kind of restores your faith in female friendships.

I was cutting back some shrubbery last night when I looked on the porch. Here’s a photo of the wreath I received for my Birthday. Well, look at it now. People pay good money to have a bird’s nest planted there and nature took care if it for me for free. Don peeked in for a photo opt and looks like we are going to have three babies.

I had been seeing a couple of Robins around acting like they owned the yard, but I didn’t see any nests in the trees close by— Now I know why.

Work is the best it has been in a while--- I guess it’s all in attitude…..

Gratitudes—
My daughter home for the summer
My son plowing through finals—one every day this week
My faith – holding onto it tightly

Mental Health Day

Sooner or later it had to happen…I spend time in prayers for Eric’s good grades, for his health. I’ve spent time hoping for Chelsey’s safety and hopes that she’ll make good choices. I’m always asking for guidance for Don and for God to never leave his side. Somewhere along the way I forgot about myself. This isn’t a pat on the back, keep the crowns and Oscars away. It’s merely an observation that as wives and mothers and even employees on our job, we sometimes put ourselves in the backseat---- maybe all the way into the trunk. That’s where I was at…..

I took a mental health day----- and I’m one of the lucky ones, my boss totally supported me. I slept in, drank an entire pot of coffee by myself, finished quilting my House Sampler
and even got the machine part of the binding made. Ransom and I got the solace we much needed.

After a salad and a nap, I took the Easter decorations and tucked them away until next Easter--- that sounds much better than “I threw them in a tote and chunked them in the basement”. I have never been one to chart the passage of time. I would really like keeping the pause button close at hand. But I have to remember that like most televisions, you pause too long and the TV turns off and moments are lost….
You just can't hold on too long too anything...

I completed another block of Ruby’s Garden—tons of fun.

Then--- for the first time Ransom and I ventured out with my new toy alone. It’s a hand held GPS like the hunters use. After the snow melted and I lost my trails, I spent one week getting lost three times---not really lost…just more or less misplaced. Don has been working with me on North, South, East, West, Using the sun to find my way home. Needless to say—I flunked out of wilderness school and he decided I needed this.
Playing in the woods is so much more fun than walking the side of the road. I’ll probably have to stop in about a month because the ticks will get too bad, but Ransom and I are living it up now. Don has still been going with me – even with the GPS—today was my first day alone…

…and because I’m typing…you know…. I made it home…..

Catching Up

In a funny way, I feel like a stranger to my own journal. It’s been several days since I last posted. Busy living life I guess. Time to play catch up.

Quilter friends --- are the best. So far, they’ve accepted me without perfect kids, perfect house and perfect quilts. They are most accepting in spite of missed stitches and the occasional exposed knot.
An on-line friend offered to be by personal antique dealer and sent me—on faith three of the greatest canning jars after I commented how I loved them on her sight. I sent her a check, but I marvel at her trust. They will be filled with tulips—from the florist--- hopefully by the time the week is out.

Several have emailed me on Linda’s gift of quilt patterns. Truly, I felt like a slacker, only being able to send patterns… but I just couldn’t picture that grandbaby without out them and knew the child would probably graduate from high school before I could do them.. I got them from www.Rabbitshaven.com. Go to the store locator and if you can’t find one close, there is an option for designer to contact you personally—quite a treat—and I purchased direct from her accounting department.

It’s Easter. My Sunday School kids made these bird’s nests from squashed paper bags with moss gathered from the woods.
Yes—every four-year old discussed their Easter basket the Easter bunny left this morning, But I focused on the newness of life—second chances—and prayers of thanksgiving to God for every treat in each basket.
Here’s my Basket on my Front Porch. We’ve hit 50 degrees 3 days in a row. Spring is just about here. I’ve seen three Robins. We’ still have spots of snow in the woods and we’ve got a good four weeks that we could still get snow… who am I kidding…we could still get snow almost any day of the year living in the U.P….. but I’ll call it “good” in about four weeks.

Here’s a little stitchery block of the month I could pass up…Great for the Covered porch the pass few days. It’s called Ruby’s Garden, from Waltzing with the Bears. Buggy Barn is sponsoring it and as always they do a great job of preparing it and shipping it monthly.

My friend at work has a birthday tomorrow. I had been studying the free pattern for the little bag at Moda fabrics for a while.
Well, Saturday morning I pulled this together. Can’t wait for her to find it on her desk tomorrow. She’s a card maker. So, the trinkets are for cards she makes for others. The gum is our continued secret--- granting us the power to work in an office of men. As long as we chew the gum it keeps us from having tears in anger, in sadness, in ridicule, and in times when we, as women , just don’t want to be at work…. But boy… we sure are grateful for that paycheck twice a month…..

You do what you gotta do….

Have a great week everyone….