How time flies....

 Hello friends.....I am still here. Time flies in a whirl. Life does have a way of getting in the way. Everyday I keep busy with this and that.

On February 3rd I celebrated my 78the birthday. This box arrived n the post from my sis Lyn. When I lifted the lid it played Happy Birthday and it was filled with a few bags of different popcorn and sour gummies and a sample of cookies. Fun in a box! Alan and Lisa bought me flowers and my request for Alan to cook for my dinner was Shrimp and Lobster Mozambique.  We had an ice cream cake...very nice.The Grand-kids sent me a video birthday wish. Thank you to  those who sent birthday wishes on Facebook and email. It was a nice day.

I made this Valentine Crow (designer, Alaina Carris, Avery Hill Designs) the fabric for the backing and border was originally white back round so I tea dyed it and it was perfect.

i just ordered this kit for making Yorkshire Buttons, from Gina B Silkworks. I can not wait to make some. Today my eyes are blurry so it may have to wait.

 

This little spool doll is waiting for hair and clothes. I remember these from long ago and decided to make one.Clothes will be a dress that is a tube dress.....simple.

Sorry for the absence....I hope to return soon.  Glad that you visited today. Thank you for kind words and thank you for your friendship.

 

Another month ...

 It seems that time is getting misplaced around here. My intentions to do this and that get lost. Since our last visit, I have been having physical therapy for my right knee. I had a fall and landed right smack dab on the knee. I am almost finished with PT and it has helped, but, with the arthritis it is not going to get much better. The goal for 2025 is not falls. This last one was because I tripped over the vacuum cord. My carelessness. anyway, if you really know me, I keep busy. One of my favorite designers is Ann Wood. I buy her patterns and enjoy the free ones. Recently she began a "circus" set and now finally for sale. You know I had to make the elephant...

Love, love it. She will release the others; a monkey a lion and a cat periodically. Oh sign me up! I added a pipe cleaner to the trunk so I could bend it up. Maybe another Elephant will appear.

My felt Christmas tree is "redecorated" for the holiday. It is a tree that is always in my room and holds many handmade items.  I made the tree some years ago from a pattern by Donna Bayless. Another wonderful designer.

This year, I added decorations on top of my curio. I will add pictures of our tree and mantel and kitchen tree soon.   Our shopping is really complete and I have just 3 packages to mail this week.

I know you are all busy with holiday preparations, but remember to take moments for yourself. So glad you stopped by today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Keeping busy but not out of trouble!

 The one thing that is a daily must for me is being at my sewing/craft table. I am very fortunate that I can. Time is mine for the doing.So, let me start with pictures and brief note....

Felt Tea pot with Teddy bear and Mouse

Sam and Sue Frog with their friend dressed in pink

Learning Sashiko stitching

Clamshell applique... no idea what it will be when finished!

Origami Triangle Box

So, that is some of what I am doing....learning.....trying. Dear friend Debbie (in Canada) do not let distance (1315.5 miles) interfere with our needles. We constantly share what we find and want to make. We usually make them at the same time...great moral support. What ? Guess I should explain.

                                                 

I was chopping aunt Aunt Cassy's Date Balls.....YUM... anyway, instead of using the knife that I always use, I decided to use the vegetable cleaver. Did I mention that it is very very sharp? Well all of a sudden there was blood bubbling out of my finger. Rushed to the bathroom to clean and wrap it. Back to the kitchen only to find more blood on my hand. Inspection showed the other cut finger.  Back to the bathroom!Actually I sliced off a piece of skin from each cut. Of course, I had to clean the cutting board and toss out the dates on it.I was prepared for Alan when he arrived home to lecture me. He just informed me that I should not be using that knife. I am almost healed. That is what has been happening here. Happy to visit with you as always. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Flowers and tea pots

 I know.! another post so soon. Well I just must show off one of the rose bushes in the Rose Garden

One bush... Fragrant Cloud is what the tag names it. We pick almost daily and the fragrance is unbelievable. There are so many buds waiting to catch some sun.

I keep at least 2 or 3 blooms in my bedroom. Today one from that bush and the pink from Chicago Peace

Tomorrow a yellow might be ready. Love having fresh flowers in the home. Sometimes though fabric ones appear

This is Hydrangeas from Fabled Flowers by Kumiko Sudo. I love Japanese origami flower folding and I have this book as well as her book Omiyage. I just made 2 dolls from that book and forgot to take pictures before giving them away.  I plan to make another and will be sure to take a photo.  Still trying to decide on the next fabric origami to do. 

For years my needles was busy with counted cross stitch. Now my interests have taken a turn to hand sewing as I did when I was a child. It is good to have more than one interest. I also finished

the Tea Pot table topper, except for the edging. The pattern called for bias binding edge. Finding the best color seems to be difficult. I may just do a hand stitched edge. For now it sits on the dining table. 

The Las Vegas adventure produced many pictures. So, I will add one when I post.

The three amigos wandering the streets of Vegas...l-r....me, Dianna and Marissa

Always nice to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and thank you for your friendship.

Tea, anyone?

 A beautiful day today...sun is shining and Mocking bird and House Wrens are singing, water fountain is a lovely sound too. Slider open so Murphy is in and out yelling at anything. Flowers are blooming here and there

Salvia for the hummingbirds

Lavender smells wonderful 

Yellow rose, one of 3 that are blooming. It is time to get a tomato plant and replace the Basil and see what else we would like to add to the garden.

I am enjoying my Tea Pot table topper project. Of course my mind is already thinking of what project next! I have few in mind.....Dianna started a Sun Bonnet Sue project and it is coming along. Will get permission to show you. We enjoy working on same type if not the same applique project. together. I wanted to make a runner for the top of my sewing table....but....it it always busy with a project! Glad to chat with you today. I think I will take my project out to the lanai to stitch a while. I have a tray that holds all necessities and a quick pick up and off I go. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Shabby Rose Quilt

 Hello friends. The sewing table has been busy. The quilt is finished..

I am so very pleased with the outcome. It measures about 60 inches square. Of course once one project is completed it is time for next on the list!

Just a sneak peek at the table topper. Still finalizing the placement before ironing it in place. Another hand stitched project. Today Dianna took me to FedEx Office to enlarge the pattern for the topper. It needed to be 200% and try as I may, using my home copier (which has that setting) I was not able to get it right. I also ordered 8oz packet of Emery sand to make a small pincushion. 

It measures 2x3 inches and I used about 4.5oz to fill. Just big enough to keep at the sewing table to keep needles sharp...and pins too. I had this 5 inch square and after fussy cutting had a bumble bee and cone flower to be the cover bag. The Emery is in a stitched close muslin bag. It is what it is.... could be worse. I will deal with it day by day like so many others. So nice to chat with you today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Go fly a kite!

 March has arrived....cloudy with rain storm expected and no wind...yet. When I was a little girl, my sescond grade teacher ( a sister of Mercy at St. Mary's) taught ways to remember various things. Like the months have a subject. January snow, February hearts, March winds, etc. Here is my March banner for my bedroom door. Another hand stitched project. My plan is to make a Sun Bonnet Sue for each month.

She has shamrocks growing at her feet...also for March, St. Patrick's Day. Did you know that he really was not a saint and that his name was not Patrick? I watched the Curious Traveler and she was talking about it on the trip to Ireland.

 I realized that I had not posted my February Sue. She was part of a blog hop that I joined and it would have possibly tipped off the recipient who made it.

 I enjoy applique projects.  Next is to finish my Shabby Rose quilt with a flange binding. Fabric is sitting in the basket waiting to be cut into strips. then on with the washing and drying to help the fraying.

Lisa and I went to our quilt shop and the mustard print is for the quilt the other for upcoming banners.

Here is another upcoming project, an applique table mat. Tea Pots.... The pictures were taken from my phone....so excuse the quality in the transport to the computer. Better pictures once I start the projects. Seems they do not copy well. Of course it very well could be my tech expertise! I must get back to more frequent blog posting. Glad you still visit with me...thank you for that. Thank you for your kind words and friendship.

Advent Calendar Blog Hop

 It is that time of December for my post to the annual blog hop hosted by Jo. 

 Each blog hop ( Jo hosts several a year) we are given a topic to talk about. This year it is"afters"..... what is eaten after the Christmas meal. We also post a picture of something for Christmas or the season that we created

When I saw this pattern I knew I had to make it. "The Tree Farmers, block #2 of Woolie Christmas Gnomes"; from Red Button Quilt Co. 

First of  the gnomes are cute but more than that they are in a truck. When I met my hubby Dennis in 1970 he was driving...when it ran...an old pick-up truck. He found a few toy trucks around when we went  out and about.antique shopping. Here they are.

 Back to the gnomes..... it is all hand stitched applique with a few minor changes that more expressed me. The backing/border fabric I had already had and thought it would be perfect. Well,

look at the name of the fabric! Now you know it was meant to be. 

Now back to our topic...."afters". When I was a child Christmas was at Grandma and Papa Piccirilli's house...all of dad's family . Once dinner was finished there were trays of Italian cookies and an antipasti tray and always fresh roasted chestnuts for nibbling and fresh fruit bowl. As time went on and families grew Christmas was celebrated at each home with their growing families. I always had the same at my house many years later when Christmas Eve was held at our house with Sister Lyn and The Brother Alan and their families. Now, new traditions are forming with Alan and wife Lisa living here.  Of course Murphy is part of the fun. Here in Arizona, through the 17 years living here, chestnuts are not always available. It is something that I really miss. 

Special thank you to Jo for remembering that this date is special to me.

Happy Heavenly Birthday Dennis......

December 16, 1945- June 21, 2017

Love gadgets

 I know...I have been MIA (missing in action) again. I am still dealing with medical issues that weigh on my mind. Tests...doctor appointments...procedures....just has been getting to me mentally. Anyhoo....I said I love gadgets. Whether cooking or baking and especially when crafting, I can not resist a tool that will make a task easier and more enjoyable.

Have you heard of or seen Applipops? It makes perfect circles for applique. I bought the set and they came in this ice cloth pouch for storing. You can see the 3 sizes that I made...there is a smaller one but too fiddly for me to try right now. Fun! One of these days I will need to make these....practice makes perfect.

I can not resist adorable scissors...most any scissor

Just look at these cuties. I also have tweezers by the same company. Let me just say, they are very...very sharp. Can not help but smile when I look at them. Had to order on line (Annie's catalog) as the quilt shop did not have them. I am excited...waiting for my next tool to arrive for my next project. Stay tuned.

For a short time, Murphy and I will be confined to my room...the HOA painters are here. They finished the front now they will be in our patio to paint. Havoc for Murphy. They are painting across from us in the front. Once they start the back Murphy will be allowed out of the room. Happy that they will be finished today.

Nice to chat with you...thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

For the birds

 Hope everyone is into the swing of the new year... me? still working on it. The winter weather is lovely here. Murphy has enjoyed having the slider open for a time...good to get fresh air in.

Yesterday We Tres Amigos went to Barnes and Noble and I bought Primitive Quilts and projects magazine. The felt applique bird  on the cover caught my eye. Also to make it home with me is a book, Day by Day written by Sister Stan ( I have not heard of her). It is a "treasury of meditation on mindfulness to comfort and inspire". We all need that about now. We then went to Alan and Lisa's favorite "hang out" place. We enjoyed a few appetizers and a drink sitting out on their patio. Then it was home and I enjoyed a dish of ice cream!

Look who is hanging on my ornament tree....Mr Blue Jay. I am really happy how it turned out. Alan commented that he really like the shade of blue.

Also flying in is a robin.

Often in the past back in Rhode Island we hand raised robins. A great feeling to save them and set them free. Not sure what will fly in next but it feels good to be able to create again. I love handwork. Needle and thread in hand.... 

Today I received a hand written thank you note! I know, so old school and I loved it. Thank you cousin Norman. Reviving and maintaining connections is so important. Keeping new connections is right there too.  I still enjoy hand written notes/letters. If you have been a follower for a time you might remember the year of card exchange..was fun and was so nice to receive mail that was personal.

I am feeling a bit off today with a cough and I am trying to catch my nose but it runs fast! Definitely going to be a slow and relaxing day. Happy to chat with you today.Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Pumpkins and an angel

 We are having having a cool down. Can not believe the temp today (Thursday) is under 110! Murphy and I actually got to take a short walk today.  At the moment he is napping on the sofa. Yesterday I made wine biscuits...they are sooooo good.  Tonight I will be making chicken pot pies.... yum.

Just made this towel to display with my mixer. It is from a design by Jacquelynne Steves. The original is to embroider which I may still do another. This just called to me as an applique. I also signed up...including Lisa to the next sew along. Pictures as we go. 

This is the other angel that I made.  I like it so there will be a few more made. Did you think when I typed angel that it was Murphy????

Well he is an angel. We are lucky to have him in our home. Today he took to growling (all of a sudden) at the curio. I recently, days ago, changed out the Southwest items and now it is Autumn. So, it is not like he has not seen it before.

Finally after letting him put his head inside on both sides and all the sniffing, he stopped. A real character. If you click on the picture you can enlarge it....the gold colored plate on the top shelf  is from Italy and belonged to my maternal grandma for whom I am named. One of my treasures.

Did I mention that Lisa and I will be going to the quilt shop to get the fabrics for the project next week? I am very much enjoying sewing with Lisa.  She is off tomorrow...what will we do? Wait until you see what The Brother Alan is going to make for me.....

So nice to chat with you. Time for me to watch Women's tennis. Glad you stopped by. Thank you for your kind words and thank you for your friendship.