On the line

One thing I love about the warmer weather is hanging wash on the line....and also, hanging projects for photographs.  The light is just wonderful here in the morning and early evening.  So what's on the line today?

Mug Rugs!

Another mug rug! 

Vintage baby quilt.  In bad shape but I still like it!  I'll rebind it sooner or later......

Vintage baby quilt

Matching sham

And now for something completely different.....Seamus is ball obsessed. He pushes the curtain aside and looks outside whinning in a most pitiful manner.  He will do anything to get outside and get my opposable thumbs out there to throw the ball.  Lately, I've had some doozie throws.  Things that happen only by mistake because I could never ever actually make things happen like this:

Like the ball that landed square in the birds nest in this tree.  Took a bit of ingenuity to get that one down.

And there was this beauty.  Seamus kept marching back and forth like something was wrong.  I was in the upper part of the garden and couldn't see what the problem was until I sauntered down to check out the situation.  Seamus is a good boy and won't go places he doesn't think he should even if it means his ball is just beyond his reach.  He makes me laugh these days......when he isn't driving me crazy to go out. :)

Have a great day!

A Full Measure

Last month I found this old piece of embroidery and was compelled to save it and use it.  The fabric was so fragile, that it is one of the few times I conciously did NOT quilt it very much as I was afraid it would tear more.  Still I love it.  It seems perfect as we go into spring and anticipate picking strawberries.  This year, my husband and I have decided to make strawberry ice cream for the family which should be fun. 


Life has been very busy lately and after Monday, I'll be taking a break and getting more done around the house. 


Yesterday morning, I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Kelly from Pinkadot Quilts at the Penn Oaks Guild Quilt Show.  Kelly is wonderful and the quilts were absolutely inspiring!  Unfortunately I've had a lot of senior moments lately and forgot my camera.  Kelly's quilts were wonderful and you can check out many of them on her blog!


In the afternoon, Helena Grace had a dance recital and then she came over here to play.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera for the recital as well.  Helena is becoming quite the dancer and she and Katie (next door) and Natalie were very busy in our backyard painting and doing treasure hunts together.  She was having so much fun, we had to pry her from the girls to get her home! 


Today I'm just under the weather and am staying close to home.  Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Christmas through the Year!!!

My contribution to Allie's "Christmas through the year" are mug rugs!  I'm using up orphan blocks and odds and ends to incorporate in the mug rugs! :)  It's late, 11 pm and I've had a very busy couple of days and even more coming up.  But I just had to post my pics!

Nighty Night!

two vintage blocks for embroidery:

I just received these and particularly like the girl with ice skates. I think if you click them you can print out a copy if you want to use either of them in your sewing.  Enjoy!

Happy Easter Dear Friends!

Getting things done

Mom has a break in tests and doctors appointments (until next week) and I am concentrating on getting tasks accomplished.  Like mailed 20 bunnies to Japan for Operation Bunnydrop:

One of the yuckiest jobs?  Cleaning out my bookshelves (sorry only got pic of the bottom half).  I've gotten rid of a lot of books and moved most of my quilt books to the sewing room.  My goal is to eventually not need the monstrosity in the living room.

One of the best jobs this week?  I made toffee bars--got the recipe from Kelly at Pinkadot quilts and made them for my brother who loves them (Thanks Kelly!).  Recipe is posted on her website if you are interested :)

Then there is guy who has to be in the pic.  More and more he reminds me of my darling Paddie.  Maybe I just miss her a lot.

Maybe I will even get a little sewing in!  Have a great evening! :)



Another Rainy Day in Paradise...

I've been a real slacker with the blog this year.  Mostly because I have so much going on and lately--while there is a lull in my mother's surgeries--because we are truly experiencing "April Showers"--and that means horrible photos because the light is bad.  Of course it could be worse.  Check out the weather Allie has been experiencing here.  Sorry Allie but you just made me grateful for the rain..EGADS!

Today I'm nursing a stiff back and guess what...it's going to rain again!  Yesterday I drove to the Poconos to do my Sunbonnet Program for a quilt guild.  Mapquest thought the drive would take one hour and twenty minutes but it took me 3 hours because something happened on Route 80 and the highway and local roads became a parking lot.  I did get a very scenic look at the area including a town calleded "Paradise."  Fortunately, I arrived at the guild in plenty of time because I left so early (just in case things like this happen) and had a great time there.  A lot of the members brought their own sunbonnets and it was awesome to see their support of the quilt pattern.

Now getting back to blog business.  In March, I posted that I was working on mug rugs, etc.   I'm really on this "use it or lose it" kick and particularly with my fabric.  Here's what I did with that old set of polyester stars I picked up.  My friend Linda loves Autumn colors and I did this with her in mind:

 Mug Rug

Table runner

More pics if we get more sunshine!  Hopefully soon!

Recent Redwork Acquisitions:

I stumbled into some nice (and affordable) redwork buys in the last few months.  They were all picked up locally and spoke to me.  The first two definately felt like 19th century pieces (splashers).

This one below feels more early 20th century to me.  I wondered if it was a nod to The WaterBabies by Charles Kingsley or even Peter Pan by James Barrie. The landscape and particularly the mushrooms have a more Arts and Crafts feel to them:

Peter Pan, original illustration by Arthur Rackham:

Water Baby Illustration by Jessie Wilcox Smith.

I'll never know for sure where the redwork picture came from, but it's fun to wonder!

Konnichiha

Quilt for Japan is packed up and ready to mail today.

Now I'm making bunnies to send to Japan.  Crafts with Purpose embarked, "Operation Bunny Drop," for the children of Japan.  You can read about it here if you want to participate.

Today is the first day we have had sunshine in a long time....sometimes these little things in life make us so grateful!!!