I'm Not Telling...

Brynwood Needleworks - Kathy D and her Vintage finds

NOTE: This entry is late posting. I apparently selected the wrong time for it to go live. Apologies.

Yesterday was our monthly Sit & Sew at Primitive Gatherings with owner and friend, Lisa Bongean. We always have a grand time, and yesterday was no exception. Our group has an official name now, too. We're henceforth the "Sewcial Sisters". Catchy, eh?

My favorite time (aside from lunch) was when the ladies all brought out their projects, and other items they wanted to share.

My pal, Kathy D. found these two beautiful, hand-embroidered table covers. There was so much needlework (and I suspect, dedication and love) sewn into each one. Now all Kathy has to decide is how she wants to utilize them into something larger. She also brought out some of her projects, but she was up first, and I was slow picking up my camera phone.

Brynwood Needleworks - Finished Yoko Saito Design Quilt

I'm still working on names, so please forgive me that I'm not adding names of these exceptional quilters under each of their photos.

This quilt was stitched with Japanese fabrics, and the design is Yoko Saito. Don't you love the color palette? I sure do!

Brynwood Needleworks - A Sweet Wall Hanging

This was a sweet wallhanging, I think it's titled, "There! Another one is done!" (Not really, but she said she finally finished this one. Great colors!

Brynwood Needleworks - Completed Previous Block of the Week

I guess I have a thing for houses these days. I loved the Yoko Saito with the more neutral color scheme, but I love this one, too. I believe this design is called "Happy Home" by Lisa Bongean for Primitive Gatherings.

Brynwood Needleworks - Beautiful Quilt With Simple Quilting

I showed off my latest pincushions, my "Old Glory" tablemat, and then this quilt was next up. I love the pattern, and especially the understated quilting on it. It will be pretty and practical because it's so darn soft!

Brynwood Needleworks - Primitive Gatherings Wool Box

 

Last, but not least, we got to see all the models/projects for the next Wool Box! We were sworn to secrecy, so don't even try bending my arm! Let's suffice it to say, if you're currently receiving the Wool Boxes, you're going to love everything in this month's box. They won't be ready to ship until some time next week, but now we have something new to dream on.

I'll be listing up new wallets today, along with making new ones. I also have packages to mail out, and Handsome needs a haircut (which I do for him). My morning will be almost gone after I've worked through this list. Oh, well...at least I'm not spilling the beans on the Wool Box contents!

Back Among The Pines and Palms...

We finished our trip on Saturday afternoon. There was an excitement as we drove

the final corner onto our street and then into our driveway. We were home! Even

Tag recognized that we were somewhere familiar. He stood up in the back seat so

he could see out the windows, and was bouncing around by the time we stopped.

(I've always wondered just how our dogs know when we're getting close to home.)

We spent the rest of Saturday afternoon and Sunday emptying out what I refer 

to as "trip specific" items from the Flying Cloud. By mid-afternoon Sunday, the 

cabinets were tidy and the floors were all washed. Everything is back in order, 

awaiting our next adventure. If the rain stops, we'll wash the outside today and 

park her in her stall near the back of our property. She has her own little spot!

The camper "parking place" is perfect for sitting and reading a book or sipping 

a cup of tea as we plan our next outing. Tucked in the trees, it feels like its own 

quiet, little getaway. (No Calgon needed! lol) Tag enjoys the Cloud so much that 

we actually had to bribe him ("Let's go swimming!") to get him to leave the 

camper. I'm sure he'll join me in "his" spot whenever we spend more time there.

My studio, on the other hand, is a lot less ready for me to spend any time there

yet. I have boxes and bags all over right now from the trip. It's hard for me

to believe that I actually took all this goodness along with me. Oh, wait. There was

that trip to the Fox River Valley quilt shops with my quilting girlfriend, Kathy...

and that trip to Beaver Dam to Nancy's Notions. I now have my new sewing  machine to unbox and set up in the studio. This is going to take a while, for sure.

We're all glad to be back home together. I'll see my girlfriends at Paneras on 

Tuesday and a guild Board meeting on Wednesday. I'm going to get to my tasks

now. The sooner I finish my "Must Do" list, the quicker I can get to my "Fun 

To Do" list. I have a lot of incentive, don't you agree? No time to waste!

 

Have a great Monday (and week), my friends. 

I hope you find time for something you love to do, too. 

My Flower Garden...

 Good Morning, Glory!

 As I round the corner from our living room and enter the hallway

to my studio each morning, this is the sight I see on sunny days.

Light spills in from the east window and creates the cheeriest

of atmospheres for creativity in my little corner of the world.

I've placed my ribbon frame on my shelves. It was an easy move

thanks to those Scotch™damage-free hanging strips. I attached one

side to the shelves and the other to each end of the frame. They stick

together like velcro and will remove without a problem whenever I 

want. If I need to access something behind the ribbons, I can just peel the

frame off (thanks to the velcro), get what I need and replace the frame.

These are the ribbons I've accumulated since I joined our quilt guild 

nearly four years ago. Don't they look like flowers? If you live in

Florida, you can practically toss a rock in the ground and it will

grow. I do best with plants that thrive on neglect - like jade plants, 

flowering bushes (jasmine, bouganvillea, crown of thorns and palms). 

Rather, the majority of the flowers I grow are born in my studio.

These "flowers" make me smile. They represent the result of many

joyful hours spent putting fiber to fabric and they inspire me to improve.

 I purchased a couple of these flower pins in the boutique at our quilt 

show. I don't know who made them, but they're so clever! They're a 

great way to use scrap fabrics and metal bobbins, too! (My machines 

use plastic ones.) Batiks are great for this project, because it's hard 

to tell the right side of the fabric from the wrong side when folded.

 

After gently moving the ruffles and peeking between them, 

I can see that this is how the pin was made...

Cut one strip of fabric about 3" wide and about 5" long. Pink along both 

long sides. Starting about 1/2" from one end of the strip, hand sew a row 

of stitches about 1" away from a long edge using a double thread. (See drawing)

 Leave a long tail at the starting end because you'll be tying both ends together 

as you form a ruffle around your metal bobbin. (Be sure that when you gather

 and fold the fabric strip, you keep the thread to the inside of the fold.) Place 

the bobbin inside the gathered strip before you tie the ends of the threads 

together. Tie double knots and cut off the extra length of thread so that you 

don't have any hanging tails showing. Overlap the gathered ends of the

ruffle (where you tied the knot.) Now it should look like the pin above.

 The back side of your pin will be behind the wider ruffle. You can either sew

 or glue (with a strong E6000 or jewelry glue) the small pin back on this side.

Voila! 

A beautiful fabric flower pin to wear on your favorite shirt or jacket.

Happy Monday!

You know where I'll be if you're looking for me.

(Tag will be there, too keeping me company.)

Cutting Edge...

I took this photo a few months ago. I was cleaning out the work drawers in my studio and realized that I have amassed quite a collection of scissors. You already know I love pincushions and all things acorn, but even I didn't realize that I'd been collecting scissors!

You'll see my beautiful green-handled Kai scissors. They have a serrated edge which holds even the slipperiest fabrics. There are Gingher scissors of all types and sizes, along with dressmaker shears in two sizes, antique Sheffield scissors and a treasured pair of embroidery scissors in a tooled sheath that I purchased when I owned Stitches in Wisconsin.

There are scissors for applique' work, machine embroidery work, a pair that leave a pinked edge, and there are pairs of snips, large and small. There are bent-end, curved tip and hooked to get under the tiniest, finest stitches. There are scissors that fold, too.

Arrrgh! As I looked at my photograph, I realized that the beautiful rabbit embroidery scissors that were a gift from my blog-bestie, Shell May didn't make the shoot. In my defense, they're attached to the gorgeous pincushion that she made for me, so I keep them in a needlework case that travels from room to room with me. I promise to share them separately another day.

I also forgot my heavy-duty, needlepoint canvas-cutting shears and my scissors used just for cutting multiple layers of fabric for those raw edge quilts and garments. They're safely tucked in the back of a drawer in my sewing cabinet so I missed them.  The latest addition to the collection - a small pair of embroidery scissors with a British flag paint job - didn't make it into the shot either. Next time.

In my defense, I will remind you that I have three different sewing/serging machines that reside on three different cabinets, so it's hard to keep them herded into one organized group. In the interest of efficiency (yea, that's it!), each table has its own set of scissors (and needles and threads and other tools). That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

What do you call a collection of scissors anyway? A herd? Or a flock? How about a "litter" or a "pride"? Hmmmm. I think I like that one.

Are you a collector of special things in your work room? What do you find yourself looking at whenever you head into a quilt, needlework or fabric store? Certain tools, like rulers? Come on. Spill. I won't tell a soul. Your secret will be safe with me.

Greeting The New Year With A Paintbrush...

On New Year's Day I got a bee in my bonnet. I wanted to start the new year off with a house project. Something a little more involved than vacuuming and dusting. You have no idea how much I dislike those glass doors on the guest bathroom tub, but I'll tell you. It's a lot!

Having them on the tub makes it difficult to bathe grandchildren or step into the shower (if you're tall). Let's not even talk about how hard it is to keep them clean! I have to get into the tub to clean the tub - and the doors are always water-spotted, even if you use a squeegee. Gah!

The walls have been that chalky white color for the whole nine years we've lived here. I'm sick of it. It was time to choose a color that would accent the off-white woodwork.

I went to Home Depot and brought home a bunch of paint chips. I love Behr paint and the great coverage I get when I use it. Handsome and I finally settled on this color - Wheat Bread. I wanted to make sure we didn't go too dark, otherwise I might have chosen Mocha Accent. I love the color, but didn't want to darken a small room that much. (I cut the color name off the bottom chip when I cropped this image.)

Anyway, Handsome and I removed those shower doors on Sunday morning and put them aside to donate. We tried the local Habitat for Humanities office, but they said they didn't take shower doors. (Really? They rebuild and refurbish houses and don't take stuff like this?) They weren't grungy or anything. They just needed a light cleaning and we'd been really careful to remove them without damaging them. In the end, we contacted the Suncoast Humane Society Thrift Store, and they were thrilled to have them. Handsome delivered them to their store on Monday while I started painting.

This is the "after" picture of the tub area. New shower curtain, rugs and waste basket. The color is actually truer on the second photo (below). This one looks more tan than it actually is.

This is better. See all those tiles across the back of the shower? They wrap all the way around, and they were installed in the house when we purchased it. There were two young children living here with their parents, and their handprints and artwork became part of the decor when the house was built. Perhaps some day they'll be replaced with our grandchildrens' artwork, but they'll stay for now.

This bathroom is referred to as "Jack and Jill", because it sits between two rooms and is shared by both. The tub area has its own sink and the linen closet is in this section. This is the "before" photo of the sink area.

This is the "after" photo. Subtle change, but we like it so much more in  this color. I decided that the heron print was more appropriate with the seashell shower curtain than the dog images, but I had to keep that Golden figurine on the sink. It makes me smile.

The toilet side of the bathroom has a sliding door between the two rooms. It also has its own sink. "Before"...

and (a blurry) "after" shot. This section of the bath doesn't have a window, which is why I was careful choosing a color. This side could have gotten really dark had we started with a darker shade of paint.

This is the toilet area "before" painting, with my favorite grizzly bear poster on the wall. He's looking at the camera as he scratches his back against the pine tree. This used to hang in our master bath in our northern house, and I wanted to make sure it had a place in our home in Florida, too.

It went back on the wall in our guest bath. So, that's how I spent Day Two of the new year! Day Three (yesterday) was spent emptying and sorting through my studio bath closet. I'm still not finished sorting through all the things that were in that closet, but I took a few bags of yarn to my friends in the knit group at Paneras last night along with two boxes of knitting magazines. I'd say that's a pretty good start.

I'll be cleaning up the transplanted closet clutter out of the studio today and then dealing with my "piling system" in my office area so that I have that mess under control before the end of today. I need to get back to creating in the studio soon. Doing this stuff wears me out!

The Summer of Discovery...

By now, you know that most of my posts over the past four months were written right here...at my laptop on the dining table in our Flying Cloud.

We traveled nearly 11,000 miles between June 9th and September 24th, and slept in our own beds all but three nights (one night in each of our sons' homes, and one night I spent with my mum and stepdad).

The main purpose for our traveling this summer was for Handsome's musical endeavors. We began our trip with three weeks in Meadville, PA, followed by a side-trip to Battle Creek, MI to pick up the puppy; Rock Island, IL, Oskaloosa, IA; Milwaukee-area,WI; Jackson Center, OH; Romeo, MI; and finally Williamsburg, VA before returning home)

Both dogs traveled easily with us, and although we sometimes felt tight for space, we managed quite well.

We stayed in some incredibly pretty campgrounds, during some awfully hot (and sometimes rainy) weeks, and we met some wonderful people along the way.

We reconnected with dear friends, caught up with family, and spent quality time with each other. We sadly said "goodbye" to our sweet, old dog in Wisconsin.

We commemorated September 11th at the TerraPort facility at Airstream's factory in Jackson Center, Ohio...

and I was giddy-happy watching my husband make beautiful music at nearly every stop along our journey.

It was a summer of discovery for me. I learned many things about traveling in our Cloud, and wanted to share my Top 10 with you.

1. I'm not a "camper". I travel in my home on wheels and enjoy the comforts of private showers, meals on dinner plates, and being cool (or warm) and dry, as we move from one place to another. 
2. It's hard to write blog posts that don't give away the fact that you're away from home.
3. You just don't hold a grudge when you live in 250 square feet. 
4. I only need to take 1/3 of the clothes I packed for this trip.
5. I won't bother to pack quilt kits and lots of fabric. I never touched them.
6. I take direction for maneuvering the Cloud into it's camping space better than I give direction for same. Additionally, I'm really good at backing up the truck and hooking it up to our camper. Handsome is really good at driving us safely to our destinations.
7. There are things I can't do in the camper that I'm able to accomplish in the studio.
8. I missed my studio, but enjoyed the journey.
9. Four months is too long to be away from home, but
10. I can be anywhere, for any period of time and be happy...

 

...as long as I'm with this man.

We really had a grand summer. Music, family, friends and time spent together away from our everyday routines. Even though you didn't realize it at the time, I'm so glad you joined us on our journey. 

A Succulent Post...

You might recall my saying that I'm not much of a gardener. Many of the plants I've purchased over the years have died slow deaths under my watchful eye. I apparently kill them with kindness.

One genre of plants that seems to suit me to a "T", are the plants in the succulent family. I've owned the same jade plants (now impressively huge) for over twenty five years. One of them even flowers at least once a year now! They reside in enormous pots on wheels and have yielded many offspring that I've shared with others or repotted to other places on our pool deck or in our yard.

I absolutely love "hen and chicks", but hadn't had any for years. I found some while shopping yesterday and purchased a small container of them. They're so beautiful with their silvery green, waxy leaves, and when I picked them up in the nursery, there was water inside their petals.

Of course, I had to again fill them to photograph them for you. Doesn't the water look like little gems hidden inside the folds of the plant?

I know that this isn't a "crafty" post, but the fact that these plants love living with me really relates to the fact that I love to spend time in my studio. You see, when I'm in the studio, I'm not hovering over them. And these plants require so little care that they thrive from my neglect and give back so much.

I guess it's been an introspective week for me this week. I've shared more about my thoughts with you than about creating. You've all given back so much to me in return. I've read every note left for me relating to my "Because It Matters" post, and can't tell you how much I appreciated your kind and loving words. Thank you, my dear friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Next week, I'm going to launch my Eight Hundredth Post Giveaway. Can you believe it? It's actually closer to eight hundred forty now. That's a lot of talking, isn't it? You deserve a chance to win something for sticking with me, I think! So, I just want to give you an early heads-up so you know to look for the giveaway post next week.

Also, just a quick reminder that next Monday - August 29th - is my next Memory Lane Monday. I wanted to be sure to give you plenty of time to choose a favorite memory to write about on your blog and then link back here.

You can choose any subject, from any time in your life. Perhaps you have a fun "Back to School" memory you'd like to share? I've really enjoyed reading the stories of those who've participated in the past and would love to invite you to join this month.

With love and gratitude,

Because It Matters...

I know that we bloggers all keep track of the number of "followers" (I prefer "friends") who choose to add our blogs to their reading lists. I've read some bloggers who've said that they've considered removing the "followers" option from their sidebars because watching the numbers haunts them.

I've noticed lately that my numbers are on a downward trend. I say that it's ok for people to choose to go somewhere else. Perhaps they don't like the subject matter of my posts? I'm certainly a likeable enough person in my own right. I tell myself I don't care. We say out loud that we don't care, when we actually do. Why else would we even look at the numbers?

I know that between my own blog writing, studio pursuits and family, my blog reading/commenting time allotment is pretty tight. I don't like to stop by without commenting, because I'd like you to know that I care about what you're writing, your life and your pursuits. Surely, I'm not the only one who has to make decisions about where our time is best spent, so we become more selective about our blog reading. We are attracted to those who share our interests. We, sometimes sadly, have to let the rest go.

Why am I choosing this as a subject for my post today? Well, it's like this...

Thank you, Dawn - The Feathered Nest - for the sweet image.

I have been following LOTS of blogs in the years since I discovered what a blog was and then started my own. I actually have never "un-followed" any of those blogs (with the exception of one blogger who really ticked me off), so I feel like I've been a good friend to those of you who write their own thoughts on the internet.

In the wake of my numbers dropping, I thought, "Alright, ladies (and gents). I'm going back to review those blogs I've added to my reading list over the years and drop some of y'all who I don't really even recognize anymore." (Thinking, "That will make me feel better!")

Well, I deleted my name from one blog (which seemed to take forever), and then POOF! I found that ALL the blogs I've been following all this time have been deleted from my list!! All my dear friends who will see their numbers diminish by one might have the same thoughts going through their heads that I've had. BAAAA! How am I going to fix this?

Another beautiful image from Dawn.

I'm going to start by heading over to my sidebar, clicking on each and every blog that is listed there and re-add myself as one of their (your) followers. Then, I'm going to go through some of my bookmarks on my computer to track down the rest of you. I know. It's going to take a while.

The result of this massive event is that now I'm wondering if my numbers were going down because someone consciously deleted me - or if Blogger did it for them with a mass deletion of all their reading list?

I don't care. (Of course, I do!) Numbers don't matter. (Of course, they do!) I'll change who I am and what I write in order to be wittier, craftier and more likeable. (Is change even possible? I'm 56 years old!) Or...I'll just keep being me, loving those friends who like me the way I am. People with whom I have something in common. Yes. That's what I'll do.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again because it really is true. All of you, my friends, mean the world to me. I started writing my blog for me, to me. I continue to write for me, but now I write to you, too. Thanks for being there, even when you don't comment. I know you're there by looking at my sidebar.

Thanks for inspiring this introspection, Blogger. Really. Thanks.

More Fabrics For My Farmer's Wife Quilt...

I came across a kit that caught my eye last week. While "window shopping" at a LQS I saw a finished quilt hanging on the wall that I thought was really quite sweet. It had applique' (probably needle-turned - and you know how I feel about that! I did manage to finish a quilt using that technique, so I'm proud that I didn't quit), but this quilt on the wall was so pretty, I had to get the kit.

All these fabrics were included in the "Flutterby" kit.

The pattern is called "Flutterby" by Whimsicals, and the fabric line is called "Heart and Soul" by Whimsicals for Red Rooster Fabrics. Cute, right? The finished quilt was only 45" x 45", and even with the butterfly appliques', I figured it was imminently "doable" for me. 

When I opened the kit, these fabrics jumped out at me. I couldn't help but notice that some of them might be just the right additions for my "PIP" (Pile In Progress) for the Farmer's Wife quilt I'm going to make!

These fabrics are my starting point for the Farmer's Wife Quilt.

Remember, these are the fabrics that started my project PIP. I'll be sure to add more tans and golds, but I think at least some of the new fabrics will coordinate with these. 

Some of you have asked about how I'm going to organize the Farmer's Wife quilt project for anyone who wants to make one of their own at the same time. I think I'll be starting it mid-October (closer to the cooler weather here in Florida), and it will be a Sew-Along. We won't be trading blocks or anything drastic like that. All your work will stay with your own quilt. There will be no deadlines. I know that we don't all stitch at the same pace, but I'll set a goal for myself and you can see if my schedule will fit yours. I'll open a Flickr page where anyone making their own FW quilt can add photos of their blocks. That sort of thing. No one will be pressured or monitored. Fun for all. That's the way I roll at Brynwood.

I'll keep sharing my selections for my PIP, but will fine-tune my fabric choices as I get closer to actually cutting to start the quilt. I'll just keep showing you what I find and see where it goes from there.

Make your week joyful and creative!