Quilting Frenzy

Ok before I get into the  quilting frenzy that was August I want to state that my new compression socks lied!! I bought those ones that they claim are super easy to put on. No more struggles to get your socks on!! Lies, Lies, all lies. As a dear friend pointed out to me, if they were easy to get on they would  not do their job. I had high hopes because oh my goodness I hate that fight with a total passion.  I now have new socks (which I did really need) and its back to the fight.  I am not happy.

Enough about that, on to the fun stuff. August was the month that I went into a complete quilting frenzy. I have started on the donation quilts,

this one is a queen sized 

and a crib quilt

This runner will be in the raffle basket for the yearly Safe and Warm Raffle

This one will be for me, I have to add boarders and buy some backing for it, then I can quilt it.  I bought a layer cake awhile ago and found this pattern that used every ounce of the fabric.

I liked the buffalo check runner so much I am currently making one for myself. I think it is super cute. My piecing is not perfect but that is ok. If you don;t look to hard it looks fine.

Its going to be narrower and longer and I am toying with the idea of binding the edges with red. I think that will look sharp.

This is last weeks Christmas quilt block. I am really having fun doing this quilt along, (I may have mentioned that before but it still stands.)

Today we next the next pattern for the week. I will be sewing that up as soon as I get finished with the blog. Its a fun way to get to use my stash of Christmas themed fabric.

The last year I worked I had a hard time to man handle file folders and my cane and all the other things I needed to transport around the office. I had a brain wave and bought myself one of those three tier rolling carts that they sell in craft stores ( and almost everywhere now)  it worked a treat. I tied a rope on it and dragged it all over full of files. It made my life easier. 

Then I retired and it came home with me. One more thing to find a place for. I was not sure that I even needed it now I was home but I like it. I did not want to get rid of it. For a year and a half  (or more) it has been in the dining room. Yesterday I decided to either find a proper home for it or it had to go. I don't think I need to tell you I found a home for it. Its in the craft room holding some scrapbooking and other supplies. 

I have things to put on that bottom tray, I just have not gotten them out yet. The other plus side of this new arrangement is I have an empty tote box, I have made some room in a cupboard for scrapbooks. Its really win win all around. Its such a handy little cart, it moves so easily I am glad that I could keep it.

This little rearrangement of the cart has inspired me to get going on working at putting things away. I have a horrible bad habit of just putting things down and not actually putting them away. I have been working on it but its something that I really need to improve. So now I am going to work on finding homes for things and actually getting stuff to the spot it should be. Not one the floor, not on a table, not behind my chair in the living room. I also need to get rid of  whatever it is, if there is no room for it. Its a big project and may take years but I am working on it.

The donation boxes went at last, they are gone from the dining room floor. Birthday Twin's quilt has been mailed and she should have it soon. The donation quilts will go in the near future. Its all good and its all progress. I figure when I give up working on all this I will really have a problem. As long as I keep chipping away at it I stand a chance. Lets be realistic, I will always have clutter and things. Its how I roll. A minimalist I will never be!! It needs to be managed and not let to slide over into hoarder territory. 

Toodles

Linda

Who Flipped The Fall Switch

 You can feel it, Fall is on its way. Its like we don't get the gentle season changes anymore. Nowadays its like there is a switch, someone hits it and bang the season has changed. I am not complaining, I love fall. Its my favourite season. I love the change in the light, the cool in the air, the colours and the list goes on and on. Pumpkin Spice, just pumpkins in general, I love it all. My plan is that at some point in the next week I am going to get my fall decor out and pumpkin up this place.

See these two jars. They have the gems in them that I was so desperate for when I was doing my mosaic stars. I knew I had some but could not find them,, or at least I thought I had some. I caved in and bought  some more because I really wanted to add them to the stars. WELL as it goes in this house, I bought some more, finished the stars and then found the original jar of gems. Now I have double the amount. Sigh. I work on getting organized and it seems to be that I will be working on that particular skill for a long time to come. Yeesh

Birthday Twin's quilt is all done, washed and today is getting packaged up to go in the mail tomorrow. I am pleased with the result and so is she. I sent her a picture because she could not wait to see it. The shirts blend well together and make a dark moody quilt.

I made a couple of other things for her from the shirts but I cannot show them just yet. She does not know about one of them and I want it to stay that way for the moment.

Today is the day we get the next block for the Christmas Quilt. Last weeks was candles and I managed to get them done right away. This week's is already waiting in my mail box. I can't wait.

One of my plans for today is to get today's blocks made. All the blocks so far have been cute and these next ones are living up to expectations.

Speaking of quilts, I have started on a crib quilt. It will most likely be a donation quilt. I did it in a pattern I have wanted to try for ages.

Its called tumbling blocks and thanks to the Missouri Star quilt templates and tutorials I found an easy method of making it. No Y seams. 

It just needs the binding and its done. A crib quilt does not take a long time to make. I am tickled with it and will for sure do another one at some point. 

I am so happy I had this idea to donate quilts. Its a great chance for me to try out patterns I have always wanted to do, use up my stash and give myself something to do. I need to get some more batting soon but that is about all. Thanks to generous friends I have lots of backing material. I have Ladybugs quilt squares to make and a couple of runners to do for fundraising baskets then I can get on with another donation quilt. I shall be stalking Pinterest looking for the next pattern to try out.

Well I should get myself off the computer and get at the chore list for today. Such fun!!

Toodles

Linda

Hello Monday!

 Right now I am in the craft room finding things to do so I can avoid my messy kitchen. It will get cleaned up today but right now I am procrastinating. We are back into the horrible heat and I am feeling sticky, icky and cranky, How fun is that? I do have say that I am in a much better frame of mind than last week and this heat is suppose to be gone soon. I can hang in until then,  I have chronic pain, that is a fact of life. I live with it and deal with it, every day of my life. Sometimes it gets to me and I start to feel sorry for myself and I need to vent. So far I can yank myself up by the bra straps and get on with it. So bra straps yanked and I am back on track for the moment. Just have to wait out this latest heat wave. 

Are these not the cutest little things?

These are the next set of blocks for the Christmas Quilt. I just love these little candy cuties. We get a new block via email every Tuesday so I'm looking foreward to tomorrow to see what is next. I imagine I will keep this quilt for me because I really need another quilt. (I nearly got that typed out before I started to giggle).

On the weekend I got ambitious and mixed up the grout for my mosaic stars. It is such a messy job, or at least it is for me. I need to do it outside from now on. The black stuff seems to get everywhere and my fingernails look like I have been gardening for days. Yes I usually wear gloves to do this but I could not find any on the weekend and used a bread bag to smooch out the grout. It was ok but not the best.  I do like the look of them now they are grouted, they turned out just as I wanted them to

The pictures are a little dark but its my talent for picture taking, (We have spoken of it before). Now I just need to paint the edges, add the hangers and they are good to go. My next mosaic project to to fix the sad little table I have outside the back door. That's a tale for another day.

More sad news for our family this last week, My oldest cousin passed away. Such a sweet, quiet, gentle being. He never said much but he did have a great sense of humor. He had a terrific record collection that you could listen to while your mom and aunt gossiped in the kitchen. I like Neil Sedaka because of him.  I still have the stuffed Santa Claus he won curling and gave to me so many years ago I do not remember not having this jolly old elf,

That's him, sitting on his chair in the entry. He has had a full body refresh because the original material rotted and I could not stand to throw him out. My cousin was truly a nice man and he will be missed but his pain and his battle have ended. Rest in Peace.

I am oh so close to having the donation quilt finished. KitKat was at a yard sale on the weekend and snagged me three sheets to use as backing on future quilts. I was thrilled. I can just feel my fingers itching to get stitching. 

Not a great big to do list today. Clean the kitchen, quilt and bag up the textile recycling and the garbage. needs to be taken out. Not a lot but enough that it has me hiding in the craft room and blogging instead of cleaning. I really am my own roadblock.

Toodles

Linda

Complaints and other stuff

 Yes I am going to complain. I'm feeling decidedly sorry for myself lately and I just need to vent for a moment then I will get on with other things. The last bout of heat and humidity did a number on me. I have never handled the heat well, throw in humidity and I am a total mess at the best of times. Add the new fun of  arthritis in my arms, shoulders and hands and some days just getting dressed is not worth the fight. It took me 25 minutes to get my compression socks on the other day, Much sweating, tugging, swearing and two broken fingernails later, they were on. Add in these new pains and stiffness in my arms and one wonders if its worth it. I have ordered some new sock which are, in theory, easier to get on, time will tell but I have to try.  Stretch pants that stick to your skin and it just feels like everything is a fight.

One of the most frustrating things is that when I am sitting I am fine. No pain in my legs, nothing, I feel completely normal and in my head I think I can do things like I used to . Those silly thoughts last until I stand up and that illusion goes crashing to the ground as I struggle to move. I am fighting against this but like most things it goes wrong much faster that it goes right. One step forward and five back is how it feels. It frustrates me to no end and sometimes I just need to ramble on and on about it. I'm done now until the next time. Thanks for listening,

Time to move on, even I get fed up with my "woe is me" speeches. Lets change the subject. I have decided to do another Quilt-a-long on Facebook. Its a Christmas quilt this time and I have the first two wreath blocks completed.

I have a sizable stash of Christmas material so I am going to try and do the quilt without buying any material. The next blocks are peppermint candies and I am going to take a stab at making them once I am done this post. I have totally enjoyed the last two quilt-a-longs that I did and I think this one will be fun. I'm not sure what I will do with the finished quilt but I will deal with that when the time comes. For right now I will just be happy to have the making of it.

I started a new scrap quilt. This one is going to be donation quilt I think. I have so much material and I love to make quilts so this is one way to keep making and have them be useful.

I nearly have it quilted and then just need to get it bound. I am planning up a crib quilt for the next project. Quilting is the thing that I love to do most of all.

Teddy Bear and I went out for lunch last week. We went in the SAME CAR!! We went to an actual RESTAURANT!! It felt so naughty but oh my goodness it was fun. Covid rules are starting to loosen and we can do some of the things we have not done for more than a year.

This coming Friday, the No Cooks are actually going to meet at a restaurant. We have not done that since Covid reared its ugly head. We are all double vaxxed and ready to roll.

Sad news in our family this month. My last Aunt passed away at the age of 91. She is at peace now and no longer in pain. Its strange to think that I no longer have any Grandparents, aunts or uncles. Her passing has bumped my generation of cousins up to being the elder statesmen of the family and I'm not sure I am ready for that. I have said before, my age never used to bother me until I hit my 60's. Those numbers stick in my craw, I don't feel that age (at least when I am seated) and while I am happier to have birthdays than not, I am not all that thrilled with being one of the OLD ones. Yeesh.

It is what it is and I just need to make peace with it, all of it. The pain, the limitations, the age, the random farts, the list goes on. Right now I am going to pull out my Christmas material and loose myself in making quilt blocks for awhile.

Toodles

Linda

Monday Musings

 My goodness, August already, when are the days going? We are still trapped in the heat and the dry. Little to no rain has been had or forecasted, Its been a hard year. Its been a hard almost two years. Covid and the weather are putting us to the test. 

I had a lovely week last week, Mama Bug stopped in and we had supper together. I always love to see her and catch up on her news. I had friends stopping by for coffee and visits, The Banker is back in the province and we had a good catch up. We are back to gathering for our No Cook nights and one can almost pretend that life is semi normal. Almost

I made a big long  "to do" list last night, I am always full of good intentions the night before. What actually happens the next day is a crap shoot. So far today I managed to do three things on the list and then I went rogue. I made some mosaic stars. Channeling my inner Princess Diva,

They need to dry overnight then they are ready to have some grout added. Once that is dry, the two big ones will go on the shed and the little one will be added to the veranda Canada day decor. I am rather pleased with the results and am very glad to have them under process, at long last.

I am now toying with the idea of doing some scrapbooking. I have a couple of albums that need to be finished. Speaking of scrapbooking we have booked our room for our scrapbooking event in the fall. We are sticking with a small group due to covid still being a potential problem. I am just so excited about being able to at least entertain the idea that we can have our get together. That  weekend is one of the ones I look forward to every year.

This photo shows a domino effect. I wanted to do the stars and I swore I had gem stones I could use. I wanted to add them. Could not find said gem stones. Gave it some serious thought and decided I would not be happy without them. I placed a Michael's order. Long story short, I got the gem stones I wanted, one more container of gem stones and two packs of card stock. Did I mention I has sworn I was not going to buy paper for scrapbooking this year. If a certain paper punch had been in stock I would have got that as well.  I have plenty of paper and punches but apparently I have little to no will power. Not too mention,  there was a sale.  Yeesh.

I wish the weather would break and we would get some rain. This heat and humidity does me no favours. I understand its doing worse things to other people but I, for one, am wanting it over. I am so stiff and sore these days its not even funny.

I have the first donation quilt top finished and ready to sandwich. Birthday Twin's quilt has been washed and hanging to dry. The cushion tops are under construction, Things are bopping along. Seeing Mama Bug reminded me I am very behind on the quilt squares for Lady Bug,. Must get those done as well. I know what I am making I just need to make them. 

Toodles

Linda