Layin' Low...

...is what I've been doing here in So CA for the last two weeks. I leave to go back again in another two weeks, for the foliage that I am hoping will be spectacular...I had worries it would be there and gone before I got back to it because so many trees were already getting that golden glow before I left...every part on me that will cross is crossed! I'll see the color but will it last until DD gets there the first week of October...that is the question...

It has been so unbearably hot the last...well...since I got home, really. I am not a happy girl when it is this hot, no. So that is another thing I've been doing, trying to stay out of the unGodly heat...not so easy for a fresh air fiend who can't stand the windows closed. The AC has been going, though, I will admit...I succumbed to it...

We did go see Wicked last Friday night. It was SO good! I have not read the book so had no expectations of what was to come and I LOVED it. I highly recommend going to see it if you have the opportunity.

NY this summer was interesting. Not hardly hot at all...maybe 5 days total, where I thought, OMG this is hot...the rest of the time it rained...and rained...and hailed...and blustered...which kept most of us indoors and not socializing as much as usual. I tried tomatoes this year, as I had left luxuriant bushes here and yearned to continue the bounty there...no such luck, they hated the rain. There were some soft, mild days, too, and my flowers were lovely. I did get to see the very end of my peonies, and a couple of sprigs of lilac hung on until I got there. The irises were gone, but the lilies...my oh my...were they incredible!

Early on, in June, my "twin cousin" and I and a good friend went on a great garden tour in a town up the road. Such incredible gardens! One man made a rock garden that was like nothing we'd ever seen before. Such artistry! It was good to be inspired early in the summer to get into the garden and play.

Some of my flowers and a visitor... 4th of July was very quiet, as it often is, since we do the parade on Memorial Day. But, of course the meal...it's all about the meal...=-)

Quite a few little teeny strawberries on my bank this year...I had them a few times on my cereal...mmm =-) The deer were a lot of fun to watch this year. There is a family of 8 that were in my yard most days at one time or another. How I love the fawns, there were 3 of them this year. And one young man has some antlers he proudly wears this year. Their deer path is right along my hedgerow and they eat the berries (and everything else) that grow in the wild lot just on the other side. They cross the road at the top of my property to get into the woods. They are so smart and do the stop, look, and listen thing we teach our kids to do before crossing.

My NY bathroom re-do turned out so well!! I LOVE it! Thanks, cousin Phil! xoxoxo! It is so nice to have a sweet, clean, new bathroom. It changes my whole feeling about my little house. Now I feel I can even stand the kitchen for a couple more years while I save some $$ for it.

There has been absolutely no sewing going on here or in NY, except I hemmed a shower curtain for my "twin cousin" on my great vintage Singer 99K. That is it. I might have sewn on a button, also. I do not know where the mojo has gone but gone it is...The last quilt-related thing I've done was way back when I made the top and back for the "General" quilt for the QoV project...I have been knitting and crocheting a little, though. At the moment I have a darling little baby sweater on the needles, appropriate for a girl baby. No one in particular in mind for it, however. I did tell DD and DDIL that whoever has the first girl gets it...but I don't think that is going to speed them up any in that department...=-/

Well, another summer come and almost gone...however hot this weather is, there is a feel to the air that the seasons are shifting. I am looking forward to cooler weather and my month in NY. I hope you all have had a lovely summer and are safely out of the way of any of the weird weather happenings we have seen this season. Keep your fingers crossed that fire season is not as bad as it can be sometimes...and to those of you in the currently burning areas, I am sending prayers that you are all safe...it is truly the worst time of year here.

See you in October kiddos!

XOXO, D.

I'm leaving first thing in the morning...

...You'll know where to find me...=-)

Have a great summer everyone!

Airing of the Quilts

Today is Dorothy's 6th Annual Airing of the Quilts and I finally sent some photos this year. Usually I am in NY w/o my computer by this time so I am not ever able to participate...Today is a gorgeous, puffy cloud, breezy day here in SoCA, perfect for airing the quilts! I grabbed a few off the shelf in the hall closet and snapped away. These are all older quilts, made back when I was more productive...=-/ Man, I do like them... and I especially like seeing them there in the sunshiny day out in the yard =-)

So, come on, join me on my mini-tour:

This is a Tennessee Waltz made for DH back in the late 90s. I started it in one house and finished it in the "new" house after we moved. It was a bittersweet finish as we had lost our sweet big dog in the middle of the hand quilting. She used to sit at my feet as I quilted, leaned up against me with all her loving might(more often than not tangled in the quilt that was hanging down as I worked sitting in my chair each day.) It took me a long time to be able to sit under it and quilt again, but I eventually did. There is a tribute block with her name and silouette quilted into one of the open plain blocks...makes my throat catch to this day when I see it...

Next, is a Round Robin quilt, "Watching Birdies in my Summer Garden," made along with members of my quilt guild at the time...again, made in the 90s...I made the center portion out to and including the purple plaid. This was in my "Red Wagon" primitive-style phase... The center I designed using some elements from Red Wagon and some of my own, all in an arrangement design of my own. I was ecstatic when I got it back ; everyone did such amazing and appropriate-to-this-quilt borders...I was very lucky!

Here we have my log cabin, "Family & Friends," finished in 2002. The red center squares are all signed by family members and friends, people who have been in my life. This one is special, some of the signers now watch us from above. The quilting on this took FOREVER...since I only hand quilt, those lines that split every single one of those logs were never-ending...I mean it...

In 2002, my DD graduated from high school. The next quilt was her graduation quilt, "Island Girl." She had a love of palm trees, the beach, and all things tropical, so I got to make an island-theme quilt. It was made using the Square Dance method of piecing the background, in a gradated, sort of watercolor, blendy effect, to show the scene from under the water all the way to the sky. I then appliqued the huts (commercial pattern for those, as well as the tiny palm trees), the trees (large one framing the right side was my own design), the little batik squares that depict sea creatures, shells, the sun, moon, and stars (you aren't able to see the ones near the top here), a few broderie perse fish in the water and some shells on the sand, and in the center of the water a mermaid with blonde, flowing hair that looked very much like DD at the time. Everything was then hand quilted. This quilt was a LOT of fun! The back was also fun, containing many, many things that were meaningful to DD, some remnants of her childhood clothes, photo transfers of pictures of her first car (shiny, red '66 Mustang!), and various other things. I was sorry to see the process end...but, oh so glad to be done...if you know what I mean...

This next one made of a pink print and muslin is one of my favorites of all the quilts I've made. I wanted to make a quilt myself that looked and felt just as warm and cozy and soft as the antique quilts that I love so much. It was an extremely simple quilt to piece, and it afforded lots of hand quilting area. I did not wash the fabrics beforehand (I almost never do) and I used a cotton batt, all to insure that when I was finished quilting and finally did wash the quilt it would pucker up and be all those things that I wanted...and it did! I love this quilt, and I'm happy I got it out for this "Airing" cuz now I'm going to keep it out and cuddle up in it this evening =-)

The last quilt I wasn't even going to show, and did not send it to Dorothy even though I had it outside...but it makes me smile. It is actually the 2nd quilt I ever finished. It was for my darling baby girl (yes the same one). I was so proud of it =-) I made it with this new fangled idea that was going around, back in the late 70s or very early 80s, of not using templates but tearing strips (ohmygosh) and putting them on top of each other, sewing various lines, and then cutting them apart into triangles, etc., pressing open, and ending up with square units made up of two different colored triangles! Can you imagine?!? What a concept... Anyway, it sat around for a few years as a top and when I got preggers with her I decided it would make a great baby quilt so I sandwiched it and started quilting. She used it as a baby and then, when she was little, for her dolls, and I'm keeping it for any grandbabies that may eventually show up...it's in fine condition, and it has seen some history, and will be perfect for making grandbabies cozy...just like me...

Well, thanks for joining me on my little quilt tour. You got some oldies but some goodies this time. I'm sure, if you've been around the innernets for awhile, here and on the About.com site, you have probably seen a few of these before...but that's what was on the shelf when I reached in today...and they were actually finished quilts as opposed to tops...of which there is also an abundance... If you get a chance, go over to the About.com site and/or check out Dorothy's Webshots of this year's (not sure when they are going up) and previous years' Airings...it's great fun!

Have a good week, everyone!

PS: I'm so sorry I cannot get the photos to expand...I just canNOT...and I've tried...it would make everything so much easier to see...sigh...

I'm a little blue...

Today, Memorial Day, I am missing

I've already missed

and probably most of

By the time I get there in 3 weeks, maybe I'll see the very end of

Soon...I'll be there soon......it can't happen quickly enough... I *heart* NY!

Done done done done done!

At last! I just sewed up the last seam on the backing this morning. The binding, I did yesterday and wrapped on a recycled cereal box to keep it nice and pressed. Tuesday I will mail it all off to Deb G. for the quilting (because I forgot Monday is a holiday.) This project, though not difficult in the least, really taxed my patience. I find that I do not enjoy sitting in front of the sewing machine anymore. I would far rather sit and sew or do hand work in my chair in the living room or out on the patio or anywhere else but in front of the machine. Yes, it is gratifying to finish something; yes, I enjoy seeing the fruit of my creativity...but I do not enjoy the machine process any more...what is up with that...?

This is the backing up on the flannel with the quilt top underneath...just makin' sure I covered the top with the back with at least 4" to spare...=-)

Hmmm...

Sue Wells over on Swellknits has posted a great bit about "Knitter's Block." Substitute the terms "quilting" and "sewing" for "knitting" and "yarn" etc., etc., and it applies to me, and I suspect, many of you. Especially, the finishing the old projects before moving on to the new thing...I am so mean to myself...


I need to cut myself some slack...and really, who cares if it's yarn or fabric that lights my fire at the moment...at least there is one burning...right???

Very important food for thought...

Quilt Content! Quilt Content! Quilt Content!

I have finished piecing the quilt top I've been working on for the Quilt of Valor project. Here it is up on the flannel... This one is going to one of the generals Debra told us about. I am so happy to have it done! I really like it, I love it in fact. But it was a bit tedious...especially those 25 patch blocks. It was tricky getting the border squares to fit, what with sewing discrepencies within the quilt itself...but I think they worked out ok, no huge rippling of the outside edge =-)...Now that it is done I am glad I did it, that I used those blocks. I used only fabrics from my bins, and hope to only use fabrics from my bins for the backing and binding, too. It is scrappy, but controlled scrappy. I love this kind of quilt, I love the quirky surprises when studying the fabrics while cuddled under a quilt like this. I hope the general likes it, too =-)

I had a text message from DD today telling me she was on the Eiffel Tower...How cool is that???!!??

My Mother's Day card...

...from my sweet, goofy, "badass" son...still making me cards, just like when you were little...sorta... =-) I love you, too, kiddo!! =-)

Wow, I just followed the link to this You Tube video over at Laurie's Crazy Aunt Purl blog. What a hoot! It just made me smile so wide and I actually got a little teared up...People are so COOL! Great performance art to make your day and the world a little cheerier =-) Thanks, Laurie =-)

The blocks are done...

...FINALLY! Hot off the machine...=-) Now all I need to do is sew them all together (that'll go quickly) and add a border...a very simple border... I love this quilt...I love it...I told Debra it will be a real test of my altruism to actually give it away...but I can't think of a better place for it to go than to a soldier who has done so much...

Now, I'm headed to the kitchen to have some of that leftover strawberry shortcake from last night...I love leftovers almost as much as the real thing...=-)

Have a great Sunday!

Guess what's for dessert tonight??

...and maybe even supper...=-) Gosh, I love the Farmer's Market...

Sewing, sewing, sewing...

Will get to answering emails soon...

There is quilt making going on around here...Amazing, huh?!!! I'm making a Quilt of Valor for the project Debra told us about: 1200 quilts for returning soldiers made by May 31, 2009. I decided to make a design that I've been wanting to make for awhile, though it is not as quickly done as a simpler design. It can be construed as being patriotic, given my fabric choices and the 28 star blocks in it. So, no pictures at the moment but I'll get some up soon...after the thing starts to actually take shape. Stay tuned...

The weather here is lovely...again...No, I don't feel guilty...I am lucky to live where I do and this (late Winter through Spring) is the time of year I love the most here. The flowers are glorious at the moment and the air is soft. I had my gardener plant 10 nice Indian Hawthorn bushes outside the picture window along the wide bank today...they are lovely and covered with pink flowers. And the citrus blossoms from the trees in the orchard are filling the air around here with such a heady fragrance...I tell you, this is the life...

Quilt pictures coming, I promise...

A little taste of Spring...

Just a glimpse of things to come. Spring is starting here in SoCA, though there will be cooler days ahead they say. Things like to get started here about this time every year, though, and it is a real treat to have these balmy days in winter. I wanted to share , to let you know that it IS going to happen, wherever you live...Spring is coming...no matter what Punxsutawney Phil had to say the other day...In the meantime, enjoy these little snaps from my yard...

No water in the fountain at the moment...it needs something done to the motor.

My poor neglected and unfinished garden...I'm going to put in raised boxes and plant veggies and more flowers in there.
Pink India Hawthorn is starting to bloom right now...I love it.

My glorious nectarine tree is in bloom and leafing out already. This tree drags on the ground when the fruit is ready. Such delicious nectarines every year. It's always a good thing when I'm still in town to enjoy it. Some years it fruits later than others and I miss it when I have to leave for NY before the fruit is ripe. I noticed the crab apple tree is starting to flower, too. It will be lovely in a few days. I have picked the end of the tangelos, they were a bit sour this year. The grapefruit are mostly done. And the other citrus are beautifully budded. Let's hope for more lemons and limes this year!

Knitting, knitting, knitting...

Well, not a lot of sewing or quilting going on here but I have been knitting. We had a spell of cooler weather and even some rain last month, but it didn't last. What it did do while it was here was make me want to be cozy, so I started and completed 3 knitting projects in January. I only have photos of one of them, darn it...

This was inspired by a pattern in Joelle Hoverson's book, Last-Minute Knitted Gifts, which is a book I checked out of the library and ended up ordering for myself because I liked it so much. The hat is for my little 3 year old niece who just moved with her family to the frozen land of Colorado from sunshiny Southern California...I thought she needed to keep her head warm while remembering me =-) The design of the hat pattern in the book is so simple and allows for adding your own elements and embellishments very easily. I added the crocheted flower to help her know which side was the front. I also knit a darling pink and brown hat for her 5 mo. old baby sister out of the same book. The third thing I knit was a quick and easy scarf for myself out of brown mottled Homespun, super simple, plain old garter stitch on sz 19 needles. It was purely an impulse project that came home from JoAnn's with me last week and was so quick and easy-peasy, just what I needed to scratch an itch I must have had at the time =-) I am in the process of making another one to stash in my gift box for next Christmas. I already have it earmarked for a certain recipient, so I feel pretty proud of myself for being ahead of the game...at least by one gift =-)

They tell me today is Super Bowl Sundae...you mean we get to have a really big bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry? Huh? That's not how it's spelled or what it means? ...oh. Well, darn...=-/