CQ Journal Projects

I guess it’s time to face the fact that I am no longer a regular blogger. At least, not a regular FREQUENT blogger. Just too busy (and forgetful).  But I will try to be a more regular blogger, even if it means adding another layer of Post-it notes to my desk and computer desktop. HOWEVER, I have made a list of things I need to blog about, and assuming I don’t lose it in the next couple days, I have a lot to show you.

Above is my CQ Journal Project for August.   Remember, I am doing primarily seam stitching (if it looks a bit sparse) so as not to compete with the vintage needlework that these blocks will frame.  Here is a picture to date:

I have four blocks left. The block in the lower right-hand corner is just a stunt double, LOL.  The real block that goes there is the one I am working on for September.  As usual, these blocks are just pinned, and their order may change. And a bit of stitching will be added to cover the connecting seams.  Right now, I’m thinking that those yellow flowers on the left side are too loud (the ones next to the too-loud light pink flower). Must tone them down.

The September block will be done next week (at least that is the plan) and so far I have been able to keep my head above water on the CQJP. I have given up on TAST.

In my next posts, I have some CQ “Snowballs” to show you, some Victorian Ladies Round Robin work, the CQI Retreat in Utah a couple weeks ago, garden goodness and autumn decorations, cool fabric and sewing projects, and more.

Hugs,

Turning Three

My sweet granddaughter London turned three last week.  She had several parties - one at her mom`s house, one at her grandpa`s house (my ex-hub), and one here at our house with my kids, including her dad (my son Shane).

I made her a Winnie The Pooh cake, as she loves to have me read her the WTP stories. Heck, one could read her an encyclopedia and she would be happy.  Anyway, the bear color is a bit funky, but other than that it turned out OK.  It sure was delicious!!!

Here is London (with a sidelong glance to where her Daddy was standing).  Her curly hair is getting long and it is just sooooo cute!!

Then we told her to smile, and she lit up just like the candles!  And of course she helped us sing Happy Birthday, and she knew all the words.  :-)

Then before we knew it, she took a deep breath and blew out all the candles!  She`s got the routine down, wouldn’t you say?

Her present from Grammy and Grandpa was this cool whiteboard/blackboard from Ikea. We also got her markers, erasers, chalk (white and colored) and art paper.  She is already really dexterous and loves to draw, just like her daddy.  My son Shane is an artist (oils, portraiture, etc) and supplements his art income by working part-time as a graphics designer for a power beverage company.

Here is Shane and London. Sorry the picture is blurry.  Rarely is London perfectly still enough for me to get a good picture!!

* * * * * * * * * *
In other news, we have been working on updating our living room.  There is a line of fabrics that just came out that I am totally in love with.  It is called Indie (by Pat Bravo) for Art Gallery Fabrics.

I love this collection so much, I bought a fat quarter of each fabric in the collection to make a quilt for our living room (after Christmas!)  And it inspired me to get rid of some of our furniture - pieces that did not match, were dark/black, etc.  We went to Ikea and bought a great media center in white. Bruce assembled it in one afternoon and was amazed at how solid (pure wood, no venerrs) it was and how perfectly it went together.  As soon as I bring out the autumn decorations, I will take before and after pictures.   

The only other major thing was that I needed a chair.  I have been using my old sewing chair up in the living room, and it really needed to return to my studio downstairs.  We shopped and shopped at the major furniture chains.  Then I remembered the Country Furniture at Gardner Village.  Over the last 30 years, I have bought and loved many pieces of furniture from them.  The most important thing for me is comfort first and foremost.  It has to support this aging back of mine.  Eighty percent of the chairs we looked at were eliminated as soon as I sat down in them.  Wait a second, that didn`t sound right. I am not THAT heavy, LOL.  I don`t mean that they were broken when I sat in them, but they were eliminated from consideration.  hehehehe.  But you knew that, right?  Right?????

Anyway, I had taken Bruce`s truck so I was prepared to purchase something that day if I found anything.  I looked through their rooms and displays and came to the last room in their showroom and saw this chair sitting there.  Loved the colors. Hmmmm…..

The Chair on the showroom floor

I sat down, and BINGO!!  The right colors, the right style (modern, not too big), great support, great quality, and ON SALE!!  I knew in less than five seconds that this was The Chair.  I talked to the saleswoman and she said yes, the floor sample was for sale.  I paid for it right then, they wrapped it and loaded it into my truck, and a half hour later I was home. I even unloaded it myself and had it set up in the living room (no wonder my back hurts) before Bruce got home from work.

We are loving our “new” living room; it feels so modern, clean and uncluttered.  My new chair is great.  And if you don’t believe me, ask my cat Boomer.  He is in it more than I am.  I guess that means it gets the Royal Feline Seal of Approval, LOL!

Hugs,

Crazy Quilt Journal Project

I finally got around to downloading the pictures off my camera so I could post a picture of my Crazy Quilt Journal project for the month of, um, let’s see …  July.  Yikes!  August’s is in progress, and I plan to take that block plus my September one to the CQI Retreat next week.  More about that in a minute.

To refresh your memory, these blocks are primarily stitching on black, as the 12 blocks will serve as a frame around a vintage needlepoint piece.

The goal is for the blocks to enhance and compliment but not overwhelm the centerpiece. We will see as things progress. August’s block will go right below July’s, then there are just August through December, 4 blocks, to finish for the bottom. I will probably begin sewing it together in another month or two. Right now everything is just pinned and the blocks have not been trimmed

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Next week is the annual Crazy Quilting International Retreat, here in Utah (West Point). There are only 13 of us this year, but as we do have a Canadian member attending, it will be officially International. Some of our regulars had to miss out this year due to family and work conflicts. Darn!   But everything is set from the classes and supply lists, to activities, menus, games, swaps, shopping and more. I will make sure to get good pictures to share with you!

Hugs,

Victorian Ladies Round Robin Blocks

I am participating in a Round Robin (RR) called Victorian Ladies with the Crazy Quilting International Yahoo group.  This type of RR is called a Do Your Own Block or DYB. Each of the six participants pieces 6 crazy quilt blocks and sends them out in the rotation. When you get someone’s set of blocks, you pick one (they are only 6x6”) and embellish the entire thing; stitching, beads, silk ribbon, or whatever.

Here are my six “naked” blocks. I chose to print out vintage images on silk of Victorian women in different activities; reading, sewing, playing the piano, etc. The silk prints are just pinned on, because each stitcher will determine where on the block to place it. In most cases, the antique lace has not been sewn on either, and the stitchers can also determine where to put that.

The blocks are intended to be very low-color as they will be made into a small wall hanging in our neutral toned bedroom.

Playing the Piano

Picking Flowers

Reading

Out for a walk

Holding Baby

Sewing

These are winging their way to Hideko in Japan, who will be the first stitcher on my blocks.

I thought I had taken pictures of my CQ Journal Project block for July and posted it, but I could not even find any pictures on my computer.  I guess that is for the next post.

Tomorrow we are having a birthday party for DGD London, who will be three on Friday. But because of scheduling conflicts, the family party is tomorrow night here at our house. I am baking her a Winnie the Pooh birthday cake and today we went to Ikea and bought her an easel with a blackboard on one side and a whiteboard on the other. Plus markers, erasers, chalk, etc.  I can’t wait!!

Hugs,

Lauren Visits

Yikes! It has been almost a month since I posted!  Is anyone still out there?!?  LOL   I have actually been thinking about you all as I bustle about my summer.  It has been a busy one and a hot one, and from my blog reading, I can tell it has been the same for many of you.

I have taken pictures here and there, so I hope to get caught up a bit with blogging this week.  And I still need to take pictures of my CQ Journal Project blocks and to-date progress, and promise to do that this week.

Last week I had my granddaughter Lauren here to spend the day with me last week before school started. She’s 8 and going into 3rd grade.  Actually, my son Ryan and her mom Kim are getting married next June, but have been together for over 5 years and we have known and loved Lauren and her brother Easton since they were little.

The plan was to have sewing lesson #2.  The first one was about a month ago, when we made her a tote bag (visible in blue in the background of the second picture, below). She learns quickly and did 90% of the sewing. I only did enough to show her, plus I attached the handles.  No good pictures of that.

Anyway, our plan went awry as soon as Lauren saw the gold Victorian pincushion that my friend Gerry K had made for me some time ago.  Lauren fell in love with it and wanted to know if she could make one like it.

Well, luckily, I have been saving candlestick bases for just that, so, she selected her favorite (the biggest and heaviest one!) and we got to work.   There were plenty of crafty lessons along the way, but the only sewing was making the red velvet square into a round yo-yo; so I taught her about gathering stitches, yo-yos, and stuffing things.

We also had fun glueing the components together, and it was quite a challenge since both of my tubes of E6000 were dried up. We ended up using the silicone that I used to glue together my recent garden ornaments.

Another lesson was a color one. As a typical young girl, she loves anything flashy and bright. She wanted red, pink, purple, silver, gold, jewels, flowers, strawberries, butterflies, etc. on it.  So first we selected the color red, based on what I had in the way of trims that matched fancy fabrics she liked.

After that, I had her bring out everything she thought was a possibility, and once the stuffed yo-yo and trims were glued to the base, we began auditioning things.  To her credit, Lauren realized quickly that some things did not look good and others would have to be saved for another project later. It did not all have to go onto this one.

One thing she really liked was the dangly things, so even I made concessions to let her design and put on as many as she liked; a key, jewels, a tiny locket, fancy pins, vintage jewelry, etc.  I had previously made the organdy rose, and she wanted to add the gold vintage leaf brooch to it.

Lauren also fell in love with rhinestones (that’s my girl!!) and so to satisfy her Deep Need for More Bling, we included a vintage rhinestone clip-on earring on the back side.   It turned out really cute and she wants to come back as soon as she can to make another one!!

Here is a picture of some of garden produce, taken about a month ago. Our corn is gone now, so we are picking it from the Community Garden we participate in (that is also where the peppers and onions come from).

Over the last couple weeks I have made a lot of strawberry-rhubarb compote, frozen green beans, peppers, and tomatoes. And then there is the jam: strawberry was early summer, but jumbleberry peach was this past weekend (peach, red and black raspberries and strawberries).   Later this week I will freeze more peaches and make some peach jam.   And the tomatoes, peppers and squash (zucchini and yellow crookneck) keep coming.  We are eating soooooo healthily!

Talk to you soon!

Quilty Finish

One down, four to go.  Christmas quilts for the grandkids.

This is Abbie’s quilt.  Abbie will be 3 in October and loves yellow.  This quilt was done primarily in Apple of my Eye and Chevron fabrics from Riley Blake.  Simple line quilted.  It finished out at 46” x 60”.  The pattern is called Hopscotch, which I bought from Etsy seller Olive Tree Patterns 

Our air conditioner went out last week, and we were without COOL for 3 days until the new unit was installed.  I will forever think of that when I see this quilt.  I finished hand sewing the binding to the back while they were installing the central air.  I had a fan blowing on me as I stitched; the house was 86 degrees.

Now off to finish my July CQ Journal project block.

Also, the latest issue of CQMagOnline is live.  Check it out here.

Hugs,

Quilting Time

I have started working on the 5 (maybe 6) quilts that will be Christmas presents for our grandkids.  The for-sure 5 are for the toddlers; the sixth one will be for Lauren if she wants one.  Lauren is 8 and is the DGD I made a play outfit for back in May.  

Needless to say, I have been on a fabric buying spree.  But I am only buying what I need to finish specific projects. So far.  And yes, I am still trying to destash, and to that end I use my cotton coordinates wherever I can in sewing, crazy quilting or in regular quilting. And my extra fancies (bins-ful) are selling madly in my Etsy shop.   I am almost sold out of my Boho purses, so will be making some more of those in August, thus further reducing some of my home dec fabrics.   But I digress.

Here is a finished quilt top for Abbie, who will be three in November.  She loves yellow and pink.

The fabrics are mostly from the Apple of My Eye collection (one of my current favorites) by Amanda Herring of The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake Fabrics.  I also added in some Riley Blake Chevrons and a few other pieces here and there from my stash.

This was from last Friday.  It is now 75% quilted with a cotton batting and a Minky backing in yellow. I will finish the quilting today and plan to bind and wash it tomorrow. Should have finished pictures in a couple days.

I am also done piecing a quilt for DGS Hunter in the “Peak Hour” fabric collection of trucks and cars. I need to square it up and will begin quilting it in the next couple days.

* * * * * * * * * * *
My July CQJP block is more than half done, and that is also on my list to finish and post by the weekend. As you know, I have a vintage needlepoint piece that I salvaged which will be the centerpiece for the 12 blocks I am stitching.

Black Floral CQ by Cathy Kizerian - in process (pinned only)

Susan Elliott over at Plays With Needles is not only a wonder with a needle, but also follows and reports on couture fashion every season.   It appears that needlework (needlepoint, embroidery and more) is playing prominently in many of the lines coming out of the best-known fashion houses this fall.   If you haven’t already, you must check out her post here.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Our vegetable garden is thriving this year. I swear we can almost sit on the patio and watch it grow.

This was last week; there is NO dirt to be seen now; just pumpkin plants!

Lots and lots of bees this year (see at right). We are thrilled!

The beans are twisting up the corn

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!

The grapes are prolific this year, too

In the front yard, the flowerpots are looking a bit weather-worn, although I water and snip them regularly.  Look at the lilies and alyssum!

The hanging pots have been real troopers, and seem to really appreciate a regular snipping of their trailing legs. I hate to cut off perfectly good blooms, but in the long run it creates more and extends the life of the arrangement.

There is so much deadheading and weeding to do in the garden, but the heat is on, and it is even too hot to work comfortably in the early mornings.  So, things will just have to mosey on for another month until the Dog Days of Summer are over.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Finally, my (grown, adult) kids told me that our old dog, Herschel, age 12 passed away. He was a Husky and German Shepherd mix, and went to live with Scott, my ex-husband when we divorced in 2002. We are all sad about Herschel, and it really gave me a wake-up call about Boomer, my dear sweet cat, who turned 17 last week.  He is in excellent health, and at his last vet visit (about 9 months  ago), the vet said if he hadn’t known Boomer was older, he would have guessed him to be only about 10.

As a side note, that vet, Dr. Dan Good, was a friend of ours and the most amazing animal lover I have ever known. Dogs who hated other vets LOVED Dr. Dan. He would get down on the floor and play with them and become their friend before trying to examine them. He donated his time to rescue shelters and performed complex surgeries to save animals, often at little or no charge.  He would work with psychologically damaged cats and dogs to place them in compatible homes, and was generally known and loved my thousands of people in the valley.  It was always a comfort to me that when Boomer’s time came, Dr. Dan would be there with us to guide us through.  But last month Dr. Dan left this world. There was a memorial service for him at Wheeler Farm, and I walked there to attend. Good thing; every available parking spot was taken, and people were parking on the grass and in the street.  Hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects.  And although I know he would wish us to all continue visiting his clinic (his sister is office manager), no one will ever take his place.  But I keep thinking that he must’ve had a Hero’s Welcome at the Rainbow Bridge.  And he is there for Herschel, and will be there for Boomer, too, someday.