Down for the count

 Hello friends...... what a week it has been. A simple sore throat last Saturday and by Sunday morning , well let me say that coughing, runny/stuffed nose and headache. Staying inactive meaning remaining in bed was all I could do. Here it is a week later and I am once again functioning. Mind you, not at full mode but nonetheless I am out of bed. Of course while "resting" I watched some YouTube and now my mental file cabinet is wanting to make this and that and one thing led to another and I found a lost project.

Hawaiian Quilt square. Dianna the teacher and a best friend. Started November 2016

 

I really have a lot done so now the task is not so daunting. The name of the pattern is Anthurium. It symbolizes hospitality. Thought to bring luck and protection against evil. quite a few years ago. It was Dianna who chose the design for me and taught me. Well I am determined to finish it. I must before I start a Koren project...oh it never ends.

This Mother's Day I received a beautiful gift from the grand-kids,,, 

They painted this yarn bowl for me with all cacti around it and also sent a grating dish.....garlic will never touch it! I have wanted a yarn bowl but just never found one that I liked.

They all signed the bottom including my D-I-L Andrea,,,, Devin, Julian and Rosie. They even wrote on the inside....

Nana' Yarn! How lucky am I? Very. Andrea sent pictures of them painting it. 

Have you visited the other blog yet?  

My Nighttime Sky  soon to be updated with the rest of the Big Dipper pictures. Alan is getting ready to introduce us to the galaxies and they are fascinating. Be sure to follow and leave a comment.Thank you  for stopping by and thank you for your friendship.

Lost again!

Just where did this week go? Somehow I have breezed through and not sure what or where! I have accomplished a few things....

I have since stitched even more on my Hawaiian block....all the leaves are done and soon to start the flowers.
I am enjoying the hand stitching...love to hand stitch. I found 2 patterns: one for a February design (my birth month) and one for a December design (Mr H's month) and hope to work on them next.  I started the gold trim for the center of my Dresden wreath...and it looks just as I wanted. All in all, the quilting projects are moving along.  I finally finished the Angel...

Love the wild hair! I just decided this morning at 3 AM....did I mention that I have been up since 2 AM! to add a trim to the wings along the edge.  Twice I have taken out Alice...oh I must wait until I get a few things finished first!  My Christmas packages to be mailed are almost ready...They will go out early!!!
Two new additions to my house this week... first this pretty little bird..

I will love having him with my Christmas decorations. I miss having Cardinals around. Back in Rhode Island they visited our feeders all year. He is ceramic and the bit of glitter catches the light on his chest. Then I also just had to have ...

I saw the dragonfly and into my hands it flew. Tea seems to taste special in it. I love tea cups as you may know so this is another addition that I have been actually using.  Can you believe that this Thursday is Thanksgiving? With that in mind, it means that December is just around the corner.....this has been a fast year. I asked Mr H to cut me a piece of wood to cover and slightly enlarge a table for me to put out my Christmas village this year. This will be instead of using the mantle which I have other decorating plans for. So, I will be pulling down from the garage storage cupboards the house soon and it will begin to look festive around her. I think I will go and curl up on the daybed in the sewing/guest room....it is a bit after 4 AM ....I hope to take a little nap before starting the day. It has been nice having you visit with me. Thank you so much for your friendship and kind words...enjoy your day.

Needle in hand

What a lovely few days...the weather has been cooler. I managed to get everything ready for hand quilting

Now before I hear about the pinning....when I was taught many moons ago to quilt by my friend Beatrice, we always pinned after the applique which was basted was finished. I find this to be easy for me. That is why after all they sell these wonderful curved pins. Anyway, I am ready to start. I am not liking the pattern for the center quilt lines....so this presents a hold up. I would like to stay true to the design, but I just do not like the suggested lines. So, in the meantime....

I do have my Dresden wreath to work on. Blanket stitching the edges down. Then I will couch the gold trim around the center circle and add the batting and the backing. I would like it to be ready to hang for Christmastime.  I am still thinking about what embellishments to use and such.  I have yet to start the bead challenge piece! And Alice is definitely asking to be started.....just not enough time for all that my mind is talking about. What to do....what to do....
Errand today and one to the post office....then I can show you the project I was working on. Did I remember to tell you about my printer problems? Well, I love technology until it works against me. I am still in many ways challenged in this area. Last week the printer decided to choose when and what to print. The audacity of the machine! I was having none of that. I consulted the online manual for ways to convince it to work with me to no avail. A call to Best Buy Geeks and since it was still under warranty I should take it back. So off Mr H and I went. Of course the model is not being sold still so I got the next in line. I really liked the one I had for almost 2 years. I always, always buy the extended warranty on computer things....if something is going to go wrong it will be just after the product warranty is over. So now we are a team again me and the printer. So that about covers it.  It is nice to have you visit. Thank you for your friendship and kind words.....have a great day.

Friends playing together

Yesterday I spent time with Dianna Lynn, my friend who taught me and is still teaching me to Hawaiian quilt applique.

She is starting a new block and it is lovely. We traced the pattern then cut it from the applique print....well, Dianna cut the shape out....pretty tricky in spots....

This will be a 2 piece process with an inside piece and outside border. Folding and placing is so important! Cutting through almost 8 layers of fabric, in and around.....but Dianna is very good at this. I was only too happy to help so as to learn more.

Centering the inside piece was not too bad....

getting the outside piece perfectly place...took a bit of maneuvering. Next step will be to baste it all down. Dianna decided to remove the outside piece while she works on the inside motif...... good call. Also, she will be using a darker shade for the background. that was decided after I got home and got a message from her. All in all we had a nice morning.
Have any of you read about the Safety pin project?

 I am not looking for any political notations here....I like the idea of wearing a safety pin for the purpose of showing my solidarity for all...no matter who is in office anywhere in the world.

I will not stand by and witness hate and bullying; nor will I join in that behavior. My key words are: "so that without a word, people may see your safety pin and know that you're a friendly face, that they are "safe" with you.

 So today I will start wearing my safety pin and will wear/carry extras so that I may encourage others to stop the hate, bullying and prejudice behavior. As I grew up in the late 50's and through the 60's I knew some who were fearful and feeling helpless. I will not let that dictate who I am.

All I ask of all my friends near and far, is that we care for one another. Treat everyone kindly. Offer friendship not hate. I value your friendship and kind words each time your offer them to me. I wish you love and peace. Have a good day my friends.

Stitching away

Finally finished with the applique part of the Hawaiian block....

next step is to do the shadow quilting around the flowers. Excuse that it is not pressed but I just added the last of my stitches. I have decided that this will be a table topper. Well, to be honest, I think I have decided!And while this was being worked on

I have started the embroidery on the blades of the Dresden wreath. I know it can be difficult to see the stitches..... but I am doing the Chevron stitch and really like how it looks. Simple and not to distracting. The Sulky thread catches just enough light to be glitzy.  I am so enjoying sewing again. I felt I needed a break form cross stitch, not entirely, but just a change right now.  I have a few new fabrics to make a couple more of the Prairie Point ornaments too. Today after Mr H's doctor appointment we plan to drive over to Carefree to The Enchanted Pumpkin Garden. It was great last year and from the looks of the postings it will be great again. I will be sure to post pictures.  Amazing carving and displays. Can you believe it is almost Halloween? We do not get trick or treat kids here in our community. This is the first year Mr H did not put out a pumpkin patch out front. Right now I need a cup of coffee and scrambled eggs. Wish you could share them with me, but still happy you visited today. Thank you for your friendship and kind words. Have a great day.

Flowers of a sort

What a week it has been. I started a 2 new meds and hopefully I will not feel so tired and the coughing will lessen if not go away. The pharmacist also told me that I was taking one of my other pills at the wrong time of day. I have been lazy this week, but did manage to work on getting the last stitches in on my ornament and figured out how I want to finish it. The backing is cut and ready to go when I am, and I do hope that will be soon. Anyway, I started a Sunflower Dresden...

It is ready to be hand stitched down...that is why there are so many pins! I had watched an Eleanor Burs episode where she did  the Dresden plate in a quilt and also did it as a sunflower block...and I really had to do one. I did change the size of the center button from 5 1/2 inch size to a finished 4 inch. The smaller size lets more of the petal show. I love the colors I found for this.  The dark green back for me are the leaves.  This would make a great Christmas wreath block too.  I was able to stitch on my Hawaiian block although it really is not much to show right now. I find it hard to think that it is already mid-month! Are there any little ones in your life that believe in Santa?  I enjoy sending Reindeer food with a letter from Santa's elf . If so, send me their name, age and address, as I mail it to them. I leave you today with a lovely bouquet of flowers that I bought yesterday. I hope they add some sunshine to your day.

It was nice to have you visit today. Thank you for your friendship and kind words. Have a lovely day.

What day is it

"What day is it" asked Pooh

"It's today" said Piglet

                          "My favorite day" said Pooh. (A.A. Milne)

I like Wednesdays...not sure why, but I do. I always liked the middle of the week.
We are starting to have outside weather...you know, when the temps are favorable to enjoy sitting outside finally. Mr H and I did just that for the last 2 days...well, not all day but for an hour or 2 and that was pleasant. I took knitting out on Monday

what? oh you noticed the pattern is different... well it is. I was not happy with the way it was so out it unraveled and now I am doing the Broken Rib stitch.  I have it stretched a bit so you can see it and it will look good blocked. Once again, it is the same on both sides.  Yesterday we sat outside in the yard and I took my Hawaiian quilt block to work on

I now have one complete flower stitched. Well, I still have to stitch the small stamen in the center of each one. I did it on the previous bloom to the far right. My hand began to cramp so I took a break. I am still not 100% happy, but I can live with it. I must try to get a photo with the better color of the back round fabric. It is not showing the pale yellow as it really is. Today I plan to work on my ornament which is coming along. I must tell you, I follow the San Francisco School of Needlework & Design blog. My goal is to go and take a class there. Anyway, they posted about their Stitch at Home Challenge and it sounded so interesting. You had to send an email to be accepted. I sent it thinking I would not hear back. I was wrong! I received an email saying I could participate and a packet would arrive.

The challenge is that you must design a project and use every one of the Swarovski Crystals ( 19 of them) . You can use whatever other materials also. When complete you must fill out a form and either mail the project to them or a photo. The challenge is being called "Jewels of the Sea". I have an idea or two already. Super excited am I! Did you happen to notice the strange looking post yesterday...oh Blogger! So, I am off to brew another cup of coffee and grab my ornament and sit outside for awhile.  The temp is only 64! and will reach the mid/high 80's today. Love this weather.  Glad you came by today. Thank you for your friendship and kind words. Have a great day.

A new project

Oh I know what you ar3 thinking...?what? but I just have to. My friend Dianna Lynn goes to Hawaii every year and goes to a palace and takes a class in Hawaiian quilting and has made some lovely pieces.

Here she is in Hawaii with some feathered friends. Always smiling!
I asked if I could have a lesson with her and today we went to get the fabric.....I talked about pink on pink or lavender and purple or maybe something on white. So here is what I am working on.....

Pale yellow back round and a pretty shade of orange! The flower is an Anthodium. It is thought to bring luck and protect against evil. It is also associated with magical fairies. Okay, it is none of the mentioned colors but I really liked this together. It is all basted and ready for needle turning. Dianna is very good with the letting me do and learn although she did help with the basting. Quite a time back she helped me with a piece that she had begun but was not finishing but I put it away and believe it or not it is in the closet filed under ???? so I had to start another but this is good so I would learn form fabric folding to cutting to basting. So there you have it. Yes I am still doing the ornament and knitting the scarf. A late post by my standards...but it was a busy morning. Glad to have you here and thank you for your friendship and kind words. Hope the day is good for you.

Day off so I'll be stitching!

Yes, I have the day off. Since we had no plans because I was to be working, now I will relax and stitch today. Before I forget, I would like to say hello to the my new friends and followers...if you have a blog be sure to let me know so I can visit  and join you. I just downloaded the current GOS...I really enjoy this magazine. Good interview with Beth.

I tried...and I do mean tried to do some blind stitching on my Hawaiian quilting...

Ignore the wrinkles...and forgive the stitching. I am resigned that this is really my practice/learning piece. I will improve  and then I will make one that will be acceptable. I do love hand sewing so I am sure I will improve with this needle turning. I will bring it in to work next week and  have my coach Dianna Lynn take a look and see. I have started a small project ... just a peek...

I know, it does not look like anything .... but it will be...and maybe even completed this weekend. I think I will take a quick run to find some cigar boxes later. I know, I said I was going to stitch and I will......

Zoe seems to be driving Mr H crazy right now. Don't you wish these fur babies of ours could talk so we would not spend so much time trying to figure out what it is they want?  She has been out, she has a bowl of breakfast..... so what is with the barking. For years she rarely barked now in her old age she is very vocal. Well, I will try to rescue my guy. First I think I will make a cup of tea.......so glad you visited today. Have a wonderful weekend.....see you tomorrow.

Aloha

Aloha.....yes, I am learning Hawaiian Quilting. Dianna Lyn...my friend and co-worker loves everything Hawaiian and does quilting. She gave me a piece already cut and basted and showed me how to needle turn.

Now...don't look too close, because it is not perfect.... yet.

It will take some time to learn how to keep it all neat and not too tight. I love doing hand sewing so this is going to be fun. Dianna will also teach me the echo had quilting that will need to be done. I plan to tea dye it and then make a small table topper. Diana and hubby enjoy vacations in Hawaii and she takes lessons when she is there. On her bed is a glorious hand stitched quilt she purchased there.

It is a wonderful sunny day... well, it is everyday..... and I have the day off. I have emptied my craft closet out and will be going to Home Depot later to get a couple of shelving units and then put it all back together. Nothing fancy as they are in a closet already and the door is always closed. Function is what I am after.

thanks for visiting with me today. Have a wonderful weekend.....

NOTES...Give aways....Willow Tree Pond and Victorian Motto Sampler .... be sure to check them out.