Week At A Glance

I had all sorts of good intentions to keep up with this blog. Really. But, then, life has a way of interfering. It's okay, it's all good! And so, a random post detailing the week at a glance. Our two youngest grandchildren have returned from Florida, their precious little family is reunited once again. They're all staying here until their major home renovation becomes a habitable home once again. It won't be long now. This was the scene in their kitchen yesterday:


And, I hear that as of today they now have running water and functional bathrooms again -- progress all around! In the meantime, we're all adapting to extended-family living just fine. Lynnleigh loved her new sundress, as you can see in this photo, she and her doll are both enjoying them. She discovered her personalized stepping stone in the garden, I believe that she was thrilled!

The new perennial garden has begun to show more color as it becomes established. Lynnleigh is my constant companion out there this week, usually asking as soon as breakfast is over if we need to go outside and deadhead the flowers. She is an eager helper and learner; she knows the names of all the flowers and plants and keeps an eye on the bird feeders, too-- reminding me when they need refilling. 

Speaking of the garden: Lynnleigh placed the little copper "windmill" right beside this low birdbath yesterday, she thought that it would be perfect placement so that the birds could have a "bath and a blow dry!"😉

I've baked a few tomato pies this week; using up generous tomato donations from friends, which just so happen to make a delicious summertime lunch! The recipe follows here:

Cada's Commemorative Tomato Pie

1- 9" pie shell, unbaked

3-4 large tomatoes, sliced (I let mine sit on paper towels to "dry" for about 30 minutes)

salt and pepper to taste

sweet fresh basil

chives

2 or 3 green onions, chopped

1 C. mayonnaise

1 C. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Fill pie shell with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle w/salt and pepper, basil and chives and green onions. Mix mayonnaise and cheese, spread evenly over the tomatoes. Bake @ 350 for 35 mins. Serves: 6 

We had a few visitors from the Capital City who enjoyed some cousin time and discovered their own special garden stepping stones while they were here! 

I did manage to get this fella (Penguin Party by Elizabeth Hartman, pattern here) pieced this week. This will be a quilted pillow for our oldest grandson whose favorite animal is the penguin; Mason will turn ELEVEN in a little over a week-- how is that even possible? 

I had to run a few errands yesterday. This is a common sight in the back seat these days.  

And a finish-- albeit a small one, but sweet nonetheless; a porch quilt for the summer: from Kim Schaefer's "Calendar Quilts".

Thanks to all who entered the drawing for the "By Wisdom" patterns; 

there's still time if you would like to leave a comment, click here-- a winner will be chosen on Monday.

Life is Good! 

Just Add Insects

The newest porch quilt to be added to a growing collection; they're all from Kim Shaefer's Calendar Quilts and measure in at the same size; 20.5" X 28.5". This one just needs bugs. I messed up when copying the shapes onto the fusible web and forgot to reverse the images, my version is a variation on the pattern as published. Oh, well; it's an original.

I finish all the raw edges so that these quilts will stand up to the elements and won't curl or fray over time. 

A lady bug, butterfly and a bumblebee are pre-fused and added to the flowers and background. 

I need to get this quilted up now; as small as these quilts are, that takes no time at all, binding takes longer.  I love the touch of whimsy that these porch quilts add to our outdoor space. I hang them on our side porch just outside the door that leads out of the sewing room. Mr. Goodneedle and I usually sit out there every evening enjoying the birds and other visitors in and beyond the developing perennial garden space; things that fly, crawl, hop, run or slither on by, we see them all.

Speaking of garden "visitors". My shoes were so caked with mud the other day after working in the garden that I left them outside in the sun to dry. The next day I scraped the dried mud and dirt off the bottoms of my shoes and banged them, repeatedly and HARD, against the brick wall to knock off any remaining dirt. I picked them up to carry them inside and felt a slight vibration inside one shoe. I pulled back the tongue of one shoe and out hopped this little friend. I know he had to have quite a headache after all that!😲

Life is Good!

TGCDP*, Part 3

The open-closet Show and Tell continues! Today's stashed (buried?!) quilts were made from 1995-2000. Enjoy~

Birdhouse Row

18" X 39"

1995

Orchids in Orbit

made for annual Fabric Village challenge

22" X 22"

1995

Birthday Baskets

18" X 18"

1995

Easter Baskets

40" X 25.5"

1995

Bloom Where You're Planted

made for annual Fabric Village challenge

20" X 20"

1996

Milky Way

Class example, basted but not yet quilted.

40" X 40"

1996

Signature Quilt I

comprised of blocks contributed from students in Milky Way class (above)

15" X 15"

1996

Signature Quilt II

still needs binding (!), more student block donations

23" X 18"

1996

Fishy Friends

to be bound

7.5" X 8.5"

1996

Harvest Runner

16" X 47.5"

1997

Sunshiny Faces

40" X 40"

1997

Summer Picnic

what's a picnic without a friend?

45" X 34"

1997

Crazy Little Conversations In The Attic

58" X 38.5"

1998

Crazy Little Conversations In The Attic

(detail)

1998

Crazy Little Conversations In The Attic

(detail)

1998

Spot Of  Tea

26" X 18"

1998

Beacons

49.5" X 49.5"

1999

Happy Harvest

17.5" X 15.5"

1999

Apple Butter

35" X 35"

1999

Santa Claus

46" X 23"

1999

Millenium Album

(and friend)

66.5" X 53"

2000

Life is Good!

*The Great Closet Documentation Project

TGCDP*, Part 2

Out of the closet and into the light... *The Great Closet Documentation Project began today. Each quilt was removed, pressed, measured and photographed for the record. This post contains those quilts from 1985-1994 (as best I can tell and remember) some are labeled but most aren't. I urge you to label and document all of your work! Believe me, in twenty plus years you won't remember! The best labels contain your name, the quilt name, your home address, the date (at very least, the year). The first five quilts pictured are hand quilted; and after that, as noted.

Double Wedding Ring

27" X 27"

1985

Soccer Star

38" X 38"

1988

Afternoon in June

52" X 40"

1989

Sunshine and Shadow

52" X 40"

1989

Rocking Horses

52" X 40"

1990

A Trio of Feather Trees

1990, 1991, 1992

17" x 15", 18" x 16", 17" X 15"

Pictorial Applique Scene (hand applique, hand quilted)

29.5" X 38"  

1990

detail from above

(hand painted and embroidered accents)

Advent Trees Wallhanging (hand quilted)

41" X 41"

1990

Circular Patchwork Table Runner

60" X 17.5"

1990

Milky Way (hand quilted)

40" X 40"

1992

Tulip Time (hand quilted)

16" x 13"

1992

Scrappy Pinwheel Stars

26.5" X 21"

1992

Scrappy Stars

26.5" X 21"

1992

Documentary Baskets

31" X 25"

1992

Harvest Home

37" X 23"

1993

Double Crossed and Tied

60" X 49"

1994

Log Cabin Stars

42.5" X 35.5"

1994

Which Witch?

33" X 21.5"

1994

Mad About Plaid

24" X 19"

1994

Rainbow Stars

14" X 11"

1994

Thanks for joining me on this quilt journey through the decades, I will post more photos tomorrow and hope that you will continue along for the ride; there are a lot more quilts more to see... warts and all! 

Life is Good!