I Like #22!

LeeAnna from "Not Afraid of Color" initiated this Thursday celebration!  Visit her blog to find more inspiration and cheery thoughts and check out the other participating bloggers.

Speaking of participating bloggers, I like that this weekly event allows me to meet other bloggers.  I am now getting to know Jocelyn over at "Canadian Needle Nana"!  Love the blog title as my original blog title was "Three poodles and a Nana".  I always learn from other bloggers and find it all motivating!

Speaking of Nana's...
I like keeping parts of my family members around me, even if they have passed on.  My brother is contractor and at one point, he replaced the windows at our Nana Betty's house.  He asked to put some of the old windows here until he could find the best salvage place.  In return, I got to keep two of them.  I think he thought I was nuts (my husband sure did).  Years after our Nana passed, I had my brother build me a weird little display window from one of the windows and I display it for every season.  The spring/Easter Nana Betty window is a little over the top but I like it:

I like crates for dogs.  I know some people think this is cruel but to be honest, my dogs have all loved their crates.  At one point we had three crates for three fairly large dogs--an astonishing thing for a cottage with only 1200 square feet.  Our dogs would sometimes just get tired of commotion of holidays and visits and retreat to their crates.  I recently found these photos and started laughing:

Greta (laying down) moved in with us for a few months while my mother was ill.  After a few weeks, Greta was miffed that the other three dogs had a crate and she didn't.  So she decided to move in and take over Teddy's.  As you can see from those eyes, he wasn't very happy about it and I did have to chase her out of there.  

It's spring, my allergies kicked in with a vengeance yesterday and it's time to do more yardwork (oh goodie, more pollen--yes, I do wear a mask).  I like a funny thing.  My city actually picks up yardwaste as part of their garbage run from spring to fall.  We are the only municipality around here that does this.  It sounds like a funny thing to like but look at it this way.  My property is primarily GARDEN.  Just from the clean up I've done in the front yard, I have three garbage cans and 5 large brown bags full of waste.

Now I have to tackle the back yard and there is more work (and waste) because a lot of branches fell during our storm.  Here is some of the winter carnage:

We may have high taxes but the one thing we do get out of living here (besides a great neighborhood) is this not-so-little convenience.

That's all I have for this week.  I'll see you next week and have a great day!

I Like #21!

It's a wonderful day when we send some positive energy out into the world! LeeAnna from Not Afraid of Color is our hostess with the most-ess.  Please check out LeeAnna's website (oh and today she has the lovliest post with lots of antique sewing things!!!).
I like family, especially the young generation in our family.  Last weekend we threw an impromptu engagement party for my niece and her fiancee.  They are just the sweetest couple!  Both are biologists and work for the USDA.

 Maggie and Cody have decided to elope instead of a big wedding.  This seems to be the trend in the young people in our family.  You might remember that my son and daughter-in-law were married in a surprise-casual-wedding.

I like making throw quilts for my family.  My goal is that I have given at least one quilt to everyone I love.  Here is the one I made for Jenny and was able to give her it at the engagement party.  The kids are hilarious together.  They end up crashing together at my Mom's house and play board games (and lots of yelling and teasing) through the wee hours.

I like our playing pups!  Opie is the beagle and Cashew is the smaller yellow dog.  They had a blast as well this past weekend playing with Greta.  Watching the pups play is as much as watching toddlers!

I like 20th century quilts and have a particular weakness for Mountain Mist quilt patterns.  In keeping with the first day of spring, I thought I would post a photo of this Mt. Mist tulip quilt:

In case you don't quilt, Mt. Mist is the oldest batting company in the U.S.  During the depression--and for many years afterwards, Mt. Mist offered quilt patterns on their packaging wrappers.

Have a wonderful day!!!

More Premie Quilts...

Premie Palooza continues in my sewing room.  I love making these quilts and always think about Jana May while I am doing them.  Jana is my son's best friend.  They have been friends since they were infants.  Jana was born when her mom was only 7 months pregnant.  She fit in the palm of her Dad's hand.  Even at age 6 months, I was afraid to hold her because she was still smaller than Peter was when he was born!
My guild donates these to our local hospital.  It's a great scrapbuster as well.  I always buy at least a half yard of extra fabric when I am working on a project---and then I am surprised when there is a half yard left.  These pieces make great premie quilts and I am enjoying this project.  All I had to buy was thread and flannel.  I'm at a total of 45 at this point.   Here is what I finished this week:

I hope your day is wonderful!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

I thought I would features some quilts from my collection that feature 

the wearing of the green!

Have a safe and blessed holiday!

I Like #20 Post!

Well thank goodness LeeAnna at "Not Afraid of Color" holds this day of positive energy.  I still am too busy to be on blogs a lot but on Thursdays, I make time.   Thanks LeeAnna!  There are plenty of other websites to follow as well and LeeAnna always posts them on Thursdays for your viewing pleasure!

I like keeping a sense of humor in challenging situations.  For example, what is that makes it snow while my husband is away?  Will he ever do the digging?  I like snow prep:  The first thing I always do is make sure I have enough of my magic drink brewed in case we lose power:

PS, I also like Ciaran Hinds (actor above).  I think I like him best in Persuasion and  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.

I like (okay love) spring and am so grateful that it begins on Monday.  I also like being defiant when facing adversity.  On Monday I realized the blizzard predictions were valid so.... I went out and picked what daffodils I could.  They comprise my "snow-schmo bouquets" that are scattered around our house:

I have long hair and it can be a challenge at times but this past week someone gave me a new kind of brush.  It is called the Wet Brush and it is MAGICAL! Gets all the tangles easily and right away.  I hear that salons love these brushes. 

If you have long hair, you've get to get this brush!  It's a life changer!!!

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I like talking to our LeeAnna and we have a lot of fun during our conversations. She also reminds me about puppy challenges and that keeps me on track.  I was wondering what to do about sewing rooms and dogs, especially mischievous ones.  I remembered we had a puppy playpen for Paddie and investigated the ones that are available.  It occurred to me that this would be REALLY useful when I am working in the garden as well (especially the front yard which is not fenced in).  I'm looking at Amazon reviews right now and will probably order one soon.

Has anyone used this kind of product?  The one we had we purchased 20 years ago (or more) and I can't remember much else about it.  I think we eventually gave it to a friend.

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I like the Stephen Colbert show and having "on demand".  I never watch the show at night (morning person, not night person).  I really just like his monologues and my neighbor comes over to watch it during early evening.  He makes us laugh, especially during these challenging times.

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I like having the kids home.  This weekend all the young 'uns are coming home for a visit.  We are celebrating my niece's engagement and it does my heart good to see the next generation getting along well.  They love playing board games and it is a lot of fun to hear them torture each other :)

I hope you have a wonderful week!  Have a great day!

"I Like" 19th Post!

Well it is the happy time of the week!  Sponsored by our hostess-with-the-mostess, LeeAnna from "Not Afraid of Color".  Please visit her blog and enjoy her posts and make your way to the other bloggers.  The movement seems to be growing and growing!

What do you find yourself enjoying this week?  What do you like?

I like estate sales.  I come from a long line of estate sale buyers :)  I only go to the ones in my neighborhood.  Last week I actually got new furniture for the large hallway outside my sewing room.  Except it's no longer a hallway--now it is an office because I got furniture at a nearby estate sale.

New kinds of estate sales are emerging in my region.  The company tells you what area the home is in and you bid online, picking up the pieces that you won on a specific date.  Last week I won two chest of drawers and a corner desk...um for $6 TOTAL.  It has been wonderful having a place to write that I don't have to move.  An added bonus was it was the kind of furniture my paternal grandmother had in her house so it has a warm happy feeling.  It's real wood, was very clean and it works in former "hallway".

 

I like sunbonnet quilt patterns.  In case you didn't know this, I collect antique quilts and I lecture at guilds, museums, historical societies and other groups on women and quilt history.  I love the sunbonnet pattern because the pattern has been much maligned the last few decades and yet, quilters refuse to give up the pattern.  The use of the pattern is even frequently used for social messages.  If you go here, you can see a whole new use for the sunbonnet pattern.  Whether you like it or not the pattern is here to stay.  

A friend just gave me an old quilt with this cute pattern on.  I haven't seen this one before with the kitten and string.  I am always seeing something new!

I like birds and am always birding as I walk through my neighborhood or park system.  I give names to some of the birds which my elderly neighbors enjoy. This is Swans Solo.  Swans has been living alone in our ponds for at least 5 years.  Something about Swans pierces my heart.  I wonder what happened to Swans mate.  Swans mate for life and can live 20-30 years.

Isn't Swans beautiful?

Have a wonderful day!

International Women's Day 2017

"There isn't anything you can't do..."

 is what my Dad repeated to me throughout my childhood.  I think that strong women start with girls who have parents (especially fathers) who nuture their confidence.  Have a father that believes in you and you can't perceive obstacles but simply see challenges.

As we become adults, we learn that our women friends are more than simply confidants, they are our family and truly understand us.
To all my dear friends, thank you for always being nearby when I needed you and I hope I helped you as well when you needed me.  And remember, Dad said there isn't anything you can't accomplish!   Hugs and hugs, Mickie

Two finishes

I finished two donation quilts recently.  Both use the same pattern and are going to be donated to some children in need:

An I-spy quilt.  Backing is solid white and shows off the green quilting of trucks and planes.

 Aquarium quilt

Back to work for me!  Have a great day!

I Like #18!

Well it's the happy day of the week! We join LeeAnna at "Not Afraid of Color" and send some positive energy out to the internet!  Be sure to check out the other sites that participate in our cheerful day!

I have been doing a lot of binding these past months (always a good thing to get projects finished) and have found a product I love:

I have never liked thimbles.  I have tried a wide variety and never found one that I felt was comfortable.  It's rather ironic because my son and daughter-in-law travel a lot and always bring me a thimble from wherever they've been:

Thimble Pads are different--I don't find them constraining and I can sew with the kind of freedom that I want.  Plus I get a few days out of one pad which is also economical.  

I like vintage sewing things and have a fairly extensive collection--which began when I was a little girl. My great-grandmother and grandmothers were thrilled that at least one of the kids loved to sew and began giving things to me, often with a story.  Of course, I've added things I liked along the way.  I'm not big on clutter so I house things in cabinets or shadow boxes:

My mother wanted me to collect dolls when I was a kid and I have some packed away.  I prefer bisque dolls and collected them the last few years.  

Aren't these sweet?

There are 17 days until the first day of spring and it has been an unusual February, full of warm days and early bloomers:

And tomorrow we are expecting some snow........

What kinds of things do you like to collect?  

How has the weather been in your region?

Have a wonderful day of liking!