Creating Chrismons and Other Summer Pursuits

This post might sound like that first day of school essay assignment: "How I Spent My Summer Vacation"! Thanks for indulging me. The last few months have been spent exploring a new (to me) creative endeavor. I've posted about this a few times already. Making Chrismons has been a way to stretch my thinking (reading the directions has revealed an entirely different language; which, to my amazement, I'm  beginning to understand!) and, at times, push my patience to the limits. Here's the collection so far. The latest attempt was the Resurrection Cross. Each one takes approximately 1- 3 hours, I've been setting aside afternoons here and there as time allows. 

As you can see, not all efforts are positive on the first try. That cross needed to be completely destroyed and redone. I was exasperated but dogged in my determination to get it right. 

I'm still not sure if this is to-the-letter-correct, but it suits me and I'm content with calling it done. 

It will look great on the tree at church. 

Since spare hours have been spent with wire and beads I've not had as much time to read as I would like. Mr. Goodneedle and I took a short road trip last week; I managed to get three quilts bound and this book read while we were gone. This novel was compelling but brutal in nature; discomforting in the same vein as The Nightingale. If  you're looking for a light and easy book with a happy ending this isn't it. I've got books piled up and hope to get back to that highly coveted D.E.A.R* time that I enjoy, we'll see what August brings. 

Our son and his family recently traveled to New England and spent time with my Mom and Dad. 💗

The older grandchildren in the Capital City recently concluded the long course State Championship swim meet with stellar performances in their respective age groups. Our oldest, Mason, just turned thirteen years old last week! This week they're glued to the TV and the Olympics, cheering on team USA!

While we were traveling I found this fabric at a quilt shop along the way. I fell in love with it. After we returned home I became obsessed with finding more. Every search came up empty. As so often happens, when one launches onto a mission, I couldn't stop; finally I was able to locate five yards and am having it shipped. Don't ask. 😉  

I know that this might not appear appetizing; but, let me assure you that this ham salad is all that and more. Actually, it has magical powers: it can transport you in time and place! My mother used to make this when I was a little girl, when it was too hot to cook. She had a hand-crank food grinder and would grind together equal parts cooked ham and Spam. She'd toss a green pepper into the grinder too and then mix enough mayonnaise into the bowl to hold the entire concoction together. We'd sit out on the screened in porch and eat this in sandwiches or on crackers for lunch. Last week I had it open-faced, on toast; I was that kid sitting out on the porch, all over again! 

How are YOU spending your summer vacation?

Life is Good!

* D.E.A.R. = Drop Everything And Read

Finishing Up...

I've been trying to wrap up some lingering projects-partially-done by getting them quilted, bound and ready for finishing. When I get on a roll it's really not that hard, I just need to keep focused and on track. 

This is "Fun~fetti" after trimming up. It's one from a couple of years ago where I tried my hand at the split-nine patch using low volume fabrics. I felt it was really much too blah, so set it with a colorful jelly roll that I had in the stash. The quilting design is "Plumage" by Jodi Beamish for Willow Leaf Studio, I quilted it using a darker tan thread that matched the backing fabric (same as the binding). I'm pleased with the results; it's a happy quilt. 

This scrappy hexie has been hanging around, half done, on the design wall for way too long! Last week I pulled the bin of already cut pieces and made quick work of adding the last six rows. I consulted with a few trusted quilter friends on whether or not to add a border and the consensus was "no", so, off the wall it came and in an hour is was loaded and ready for the Snowbird to give it some quilted texture. 

"Popcorn" is the chosen pantograph for this one (also Jodi Beamish for Willow Leaf): fun and lively. there are 280 4" hexagons from the scrap bin in this one.  I've decided to name it "Off the Wall", because it finally is. Hopefully it will be off the rails today too, and added to the stack for hand finishing.

After binding I hand baste the bindings down so that they're all ready when I am. 

The perennial garden just outside the door is putting on a colorful show right now. If the afternoons cool off just a bit I may carry that finishing handwork out to the side porch to fully enjoy this sight, not only do I delight in the blooms, but the birds and the butterflies too. How are you spending your summer days? It's such a good feeling to be finishing things. I'll dig around to see what else I can pull from the closet to put together, there are loads of nearly-completed things in there; and, luckily, I don't have to dig too deep!

 😉

Life is Good!

Renewed Hope!

After the heartbreak of last week's baby Bluebird loss, there is abundant hope that we have another family in the not too distant future. Mom and dad have been back checking out the nesting box! 

Speaking of nesting birds, at long last I have gotten this one quilted and the finishing binding on this four block folkart wallhanging; this is the result of a Sue Nickels workshop that I took years ago at MidAtlantic Quilt Festival up in Hampton, VA.  I was inspired to get it done after touring the Southern Quilts exhibit at the National Quilt Museum and being enamored with the historic applique quilts there earlier this year. 

Not only is it finished, but it's hanging, at long last, in our home; I always HOPED I'd see this day. Don't we all start every new project with high hopes and determination ~ only to lose steam? 

I need to teach myself the importance of being a little ol' ant and hanging on to those high hopes! 😊

We hosted our former neighbors for the weekend, we had a glorious time catching up (it's been years);  the late nights took their toll, I needed naps for two days in a row after their departure! Back in August of 1985 we bought a newly constructed home right next door to these fine folks. For ten years we lived side by side, we raised our children together and Janis and I walked together every single morning after we loaded the kiddos on the school bus; those were golden days. A good neighbor is a found treasure and we certainly were the beneficiaries of that, to the fullest. We moved away in 1995 and, after a few more years, retirement saw them selling their home and moving to Oklahoma. You may remember, in September of last year, I requested prayer for Janis in this blog post. Thanks be to God, she is now totally free and clear of cancer! Her healing is complete and she has been released from further treatment for her lymphoma. She never lost hope for one moment but, rather, as a role model of immense faith, persevered and triumphed over this dread disease; and she did it with a joyful heart! I have always marveled at her strong spirit and unshakeable faith, one that has been demonstrated as long as I have known her. She gives all the thanks and glory to God; and is grateful for your faithful prayers and for her doctors, nurses and drug therapies that all, ultimately, come from Him, creator of all things!

And so, we go on, with HOPE in our hearts for every. single. blessing; both great and small.

Life is Good!

The Heartbreak of an Empty Nest

As you know from an earlier post we had four precious baby Bluebirds in this house. On Monday, when I was out in the garden, they were happily chirping away, I made a mental note to check on their growth, realizing they would be fledging before too long. On Tuesday morning I stepped outside to let Hannes out before I ran some errands and noticed a small head poking out the entrance to the birdhouse. My first thought was: "it's too early for those babies to be up in the opening yet." As I got a closer look my heart broke wide open; it wasn't a bird at all but, rather, a black snake looking back at me! I was horrified!! I couldn't deal with the situation right then; it was too late to rescue the babies anyway. Mr. Goodneedle was also away from home that morning. I called him a few hours later and explained what I had discovered. By the time I got home he had cleaned out the house; all that remained when he went out there was an empty nest; the snake was gone. Yesterday the two of us researched all sorts of solutions to this problem. Mr. G. came up with, what we hope will be, an effective deterrent to this ever occurring again.

He made razor-sharp bands of pokey-outy metal barbs and has strategically positioned them, in three places, up the pole. We also replaced our stove-pipe type baffle with a conical one. We've got our fingers crossed that this will work. I continue to feel so bad every time I look outside at the barren house. I feel as though I let Mama and the babies down; we hope and pray that they'll try again and give our backyard another shot. 

Fingers crossed. 

Life is Good!

...but, oh, so hard somedays...

Tool Talk

What is the most indispensable tool in your sewing space? One item, that when you need it, can't be replaced by any other? How often do you open a drawer or a cabinet, without even thinking, to grab that one essential implement that always makes the task at hand go so much more smoothly? Goodness knows, as quilters we have, literally, no limit to the number and variety of the tools that we've amassed over the years; some large-ticket items as well as those we've shelled out smaller amounts for. If someone had asked me a couple of weeks ago what my favorite of all tools is I would have probably said my sewing machine or rotary cutter. But, the week before last, my dear daughter in law came in the sewing room to pick up Lynnleigh from Quilt Camp. She told me that she'd broken her seam ripper the day before. Without thinking, I reached in my tool drawer and handed her mine (I wasn't too concerned about being without, I have plenty more, or so I thought.)  After she left that day I started going through my accumulation of old seam rippers. Many of them were too dull to hang onto, they no longer deserved space in the drawer! Some of them were too large and some too small, these were the ones that I find uncomfortable in my hand. A few of mine were broken. Then and there they were all gathered up and went straight into the trash! This particular Clover seam ripper is my absolute favorite of all tools. I like the sturdy cover to protect the point when it's stored, the ergonomics are perfect and it stays sharp. By all means, though, don't hesitate to discard yours when it's dull; you can do more damage using a dull tool than a sharp one. Ask me how I know! So, I challenge you: what's at the top of your list when it comes to necessary, indispensable sewing tools; and why? 

Go!

We're all waiting...

Life is Good!

Fourth of July

My goal was to get these runners and table topper bound and on tables by the 4th. It's always a satisfying feeling when a goal is met, no matter how small!

Here's hoping that you and yours had a safe and happy Independence Day. We had a beautiful worship service in the morning and spent the evening with church friends enjoying delicious food, fellowship, fireworks and freedom! What a difference a year makes!!

Life is Good!

Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue!

Inspired by the runners and table toppers that I saw on Doodlebugs and Rosebuds blog a short while ago, I decided to try my hand at some of these. I found this great patriotic border print and grabbed my 60 degree ruler. In no time at all I had these two runners and a table topper pieced and ready to go. I loaded one piece of backing fabric, sandwiched in some left over batting scraps, and floated these runners on top for quilting; simple straight line ruler work. Fingers crossed, these should be table-ready by Sunday!

This 20" table topper is a bonus; it's stitched up from the triangles left from piecing the runners! I'll use that gingham in the photo above, cut on the bias, for binding all three. I'll definitely make some more of these but I believe that my next  attempts will be from strip-pieced "striped" fabric from the stash. 

Life is Good!