This and That Thursday

There's been but a lot going on lately; but it's not a whole lot of any one thing.  I've been chipping away at the Head For The Border piece, working on machine appliqué of the top and bottom borders. We will have the final reveal/reunion of our group at the end of August and if all goes according to plan I hope to have mine done and quilted by then. We all know what happens to even the best laid plans though. Wish me luck; we'll see, I'm hoping for the best.

There's been steady progress on the quilting of "Got Cookies?"; I'm actually out to the borders now and ready to turn it. 
I hope to have the binding in place next week and be ready for handwork.

I fulfilled a burp cloth request recently; something I still love
 to do, but the orders are infrequent and sporadic.

A certain grandson is soon to have his 6th birthday and he has requested
a Corn Hole game. Nana was able to do her part... PawPaw is still working on
painting the boards in the workshop. Shhhhh... it's a secret!

We ate at Applebee's last night and found tablets for ordering installed at every table now.
I think it's ridiciulous; more technology replacing jobs, plus the added distraction of games
available for play too... nothing like adding to the demise of a family dinner together where
 conversation and eye-to-eye contact used to be the highlight of eating out together. 
This was my rant on the subject, my husband tried to explain things to me from a business standpoint...
not that he was in favor of the tablets necessarily, but simply to give me another perspective. 
Personally, I find the tablets sad for all the reasons stated above... 
what do you think, is this progress for the better?

Speaking of family... there's a great family drama series,
Heartland, available for viewing through Netflix all the way 
back to the premier episode from 2007. Filmed in the majestic Canandian 
Rockies the series centers around a horse ranch run by two sisters 
and their grandfather; it's a joy to watch and I am hooked!
I don't know how I ever missed this from the beginning, but have been
catching up on all the episodes this summer; I'm so happy to have found it.
Netflix is really the best way to watch a series like this: no commercials!

Life is Good!

Flitting

Like this butterfly I've been flitting lately. From here to there, from thing to thing. It's all good. I've wedged in plenty of quilting time on Sundance today, you'll have to stay tuned for the reveal on that one, it's a surprise quilt and it's turning out nicely.

Another BOM has begun at my LQS and for some reason I told Quiltkeemosabe that I'd do BOTH colorways this time.. of course, why not, I don't have last year's done yet!

Little Miss Lucy Ann is getting a second pillowcase, as you can see; but, this isn't exactly the pillowcase I had planned. I had chosen a precious striped fabric to coordinate beautifully with Tinkerbell for the cuff. I embroidered her monogram in fuschia (to match the background of the main fabric) and attached it, carefully inserting the white piping accent at the same time, it looked great. I folded the unit lengthwise, right sides together, to stitch the side seam and I suddenly realized that the monogram was in the side FOLD! When I centered the cuff strip for embroidery placement I should have centered the midpoint of the front half, not the midpoint of the entire strip. Groan. The precious striped fabric was removed and replaced with the fabric shown above, from my stash. I think she'll like it anyway. I should be teaching graduate level courses in "Live and Learn", I'm certainly well qualified.

I stitched up a few burp cloth orders this week,
thankfully those went off without a hitch!

The kitchen is taking on a decidedly richer look with the new stone backsplash going up.  After we placed our order we were notified that the accent strip we had originally chosen was unavailable. Back we went, to the tile store, and after much deliberation, and many samples, we chose this random slate strip border. I love it combined with the bricks. Once this is "enhanced" (sealed) the colors will be richer and bring out the tones from the granite on the countertops and the cabinetry. Mr. Goodneedle makes an excellent tiler, I can't wait to see how it looks once it's sealed and grouted! Yes, many different things are competing for my attention these days; I'm still piecing away on my row-a-week "Light of Day" quilt and basically living in the studio. So, when you don't hear from me for a day or two (or three) just remember the butterfly and know that I'm here, staying busy. Summer will be over before we know it and my schedule will become much more regimented again; so, I'm flitting while I can, and enjoying every minute!

Life is Good!

 

A Flurry Of Activity

It's been a flurry of activity around here since Lucy Ann's debut; most of it centered around catching up on projects for her that weren't in line with her early arrival (my timeline and hers weren't synched!). I stitched up some personalized burp cloths, and a few for soon-to-be-born G baby too! I backed a small flannel blankie with soft pink Flurr and tied that with narrow satin ribbons, stitched in place to hold it together. I didn't take a picture of that before I shipped it off but hopefully I can talk my daughter into a shot of it, with the baby, after she receives it. I am at the stage of hand finishing the binding on the ABC quilt for my granddaughter (left) and have G's blue version loaded on Sundance today. Oh yeah, lest we forget that it is October, a black cat wearing a broad grin has managed to creep on little feet into the studio too; it's a good thing he doesn't mind the frantic pace!

Life is Good!

Oh, Baby!

There's lots of stitching to do, seems like there's a baby boom goin' on right now, and as long as it continues there are burp cloths for me to stitch. I have tried a few new techniques, changed the style of cloth diapers from what I had been using to a heavier, sturdier one, and even added an applique sample to the line up. I stitched this one (right) especially for my grandson and sent it home with my daughter on Easter for "'field testing." Even though everything has been pre-washed I asked her if she would mind putting it to a rugged laundry test for me, she was more than happy to comply! In the meantime, Sundance is getting lonely. I plan to give her a stiff workout today after Quiltteacher and I finish up our super-secret sewing project! Hannes is happy, Mom's been at home a LOT lately. Lots of behind-the-ear scratches and naps underneath the cutting table makes for one happy pup.

Life is Good!

Smile!

I've been busy stitching a few burp cloths for babies of friends and soon-to-be born babies of friends of friends. There's a ripple effect, and such a happy one. Once I get geared up to stitch it's easier to do a whole batch at once! These just make me smile. The edges are bound and the fronts are trimmed with ribbon, everything is pre-washed before I begin. I know, for a fact, that these wash up and dry beautifully. My own grandson has put his own batch to the ultimate laundering test.

All in their places, with sun-shiney faces!
...smile, it's a "group" shot!...

Life is Good!

Burping With Style

As long as there are babies being born, and Moms who who want to burp them with style, it looks like I could stay busy. Not that I was about to run out of projects, have no fear of that, but stitching up a few of these pretty little designs on cloth diapers is a sweet diversion. They go fast, I do love making them, knowing they'll be well used!

Life is Good!

Couldn't Help Myself!

So, I told my daughter-in-law that I'd be happy to embroider a couple of burp cloths for her friend's baby girl. Where'd that extra one come from, the one on the left? Oops, I couldn't help myself! (There are a few things a new Mommy can never have enough of....)

Life is Good!

We're Off...

... tomorrow to the Capital City for the day. Our daughter needs some help with a few things before the baby comes. I have an ever-growing pile o' stuff to take to her, too! I spent yesterday stitching more burp cloths for the little one, these on cloth diapers. They stitch up very nicely, they are thick and the stitches nestle down in beautifully. I pre-washed them, that left lots of raggedy strings on the serged ends, I then bound them with a cute little polka-dot binding. My husband isn't fond of dots, I also had polka-dot ribbon for the edge trimming, he vetoed that... so, it was the plain blue grosgrain that you see pictured here, on all four. The baby's name is on the two cloths hiding in the back, the ones with the dinosaur and the happy helicopter. I'm not sure my daughter wants his name revealed yet; (or at all on my blog) so we'll be content, for now, to have those two sets of eyes peeking out from behind!

Life is Good!