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I chose the Hazel Collection for
my personal eye color compact



Lazy Summer....

"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."

-- Sam Keen

 

I thought I should feel guilty for feeling lazy this summer as I marvel over the wonderful life that dwells in my back yard. Not so according to Mr. Keen. Now with his permission I will embrace my comfy chaise lounge while keeping an eye on the bird bath or the hummingbirds who seem to love the nectar from our hanging baskets. Next are the squirrels who seem to believe they own the abundant crop of English Walnuts ripening on our tree.  The bird houses are full of new families and it won't be long until the chirping babies venture out on their own. Ah...summer will be over soon enough and this year I am trying to make the most of our short time together.

Placement Challenge and the Friday Night Sew In

Ginger Joe loves projects!
And...whether I am sewing or typing
he wants to be right in the middle!

I belong to the Spokane Modern Quilt Guild. We were given 6 fat eighths from the Jay McCarroll Habitat with the challenge to make a placemat using all 6 prints.  The only other fabrics we could use were solids.  I started to make squares but when I laid this all out on the table, I liked the diagonal aspect with this eclectic group of prints.  As I looked at other member's finished products I realized that my abilities for machine quilting just are not there yet.  However, I enjoyed the project and the process. As you can see, our kitten Ginger Joe liked it too.

Finished project...I should have shown a closeup of the quilting here. It does give it more pizazz.  I am still working on my machine tension while trying to be creative. If I get a bee in my bonnet and use some of my other fabrics to make another one I may just do some applique on top of the diagonals.  All in all, I learned a lot in this challenge.  Now give me a dress or a home decorating project and I have more confidence and surges of creativity.  Why?  That is the question! 

I decided to take the opportunity to finish my project last night, sipping my favorite wine and joining others for the Friday Night Sew In over at Handmade By Heidi's blog where the projects are creative and inspiring.  Heidi and her cousin Bobbi over at Crafty Vegas Mom take turns hosting this monthly event where UFO's are completed and new surges of creativity spread across blogland.  It was fun to participate!

Friday Night Sew In!

Tonight I have been sewing along with the Friday Night Sew In bunch....and I nearly forgot to sign up!  I will post a picture of my project tomorrow when I am finished.

Thoughts for a Tuesday....

“Think highly of yourself because the world takes you at your own estimate.” - Unknown

Ode to the Cottonwood Tree....or snow in July!

Cottonwood oh Cottonwood...lend me your ear...
Please go from here...
 And take your white fluffs with you...
My grass is covered...again today!
You have over stayed your welcome...
Two weeks I say...
It is time for you to go!

Everything is covered...all my soil...

All my plants....

Look at this grass...green just this morning....now white as snow!

 

We splurged on a lush hanging basket that is
...Now a mere scraggly mess!
Oh how I wish I owned thee
 So I can get to the heart of the matter
 And cut you back to your roots and...
 Send your seedlings back to the river banks....
 So you can fill the banks with shade for others
.... Who can appreciate your majestic command ...
Over the soil that truly needs you!



An Independent Celebration!

 We spent a wonderful Fourth of July with our daughter and her family. She treated us all to a splendid fare of ribs, chicken and hot dogs. We were joined by my son-in-law's parents, now family who share most holidays with us. We were a merry party around the table through the simple act of enjoying ourselves. It doesn't get much better than that.

 

We were treated to a welcoming table filled with
All American apple pie and lemonade
and a good old fashioned pineapple upside down cake!

 

Look at the flowers she made from colorful patriotic papers.
We felt like celebrating right away.

Another great idea! Americana bandannas for napkins holding

 our cutlery within or Mason jar "glass"

We had such a good time and felt so special because of all the special care our daughter put into planning and decorating for this special day.  What is better than spending time with family sharing good food, good stories and laughter.





I'm proud to be an American!

I love being an American. I was born here, raise here and like many of our founding fathers I have conservative values. I cannot thank them enough that they worked so long and hard to work together with all of their cumulative strengths to form our great country. They shared ideas, fought for their own beliefs and yet, they listened to each other, something we can learn from, to forge our great country. Right or wrong, agree or disagree, we are Americans. 

                               God Bless America! 

Mammograms Save Lives - and not just in October!

I am sharing this link to an article about a Swedish study on mammograms. It is good news for anyone sitting on the fence of doubt about whether to have that mammogram or not to have it. The benefit of having more than one screening mammogram saved my life. I cannot tell you how happy I am today that I took the time to have that annual test. I don't mind them, especially now seven and one half hears after being diagnosed.

Page 2: 30-Year Trial Confirms Mammograms Save Lives - ABC News

Slacker!

I have been a slacker. I have wandered around blogs and websites for projects while I have many to complete here at home. I have so many ideas of things I want to make that it is silly that I just haven't been motivated.

 I am blessed to have a dedicated sewing room. The room is such a mess that sometimes I putz around in there thinking of how to better organize it all and then I am stuck and wander out with little to show for my time. I think I haven't taken ownership of this room yet. Another perspective I have had is that I am trying to ask too much of this room. I have my scrapbook items crowding out some of this space and I pile office type things of my own in there.



 I am a piler, no doubt about it. I need to just take charge of this situation and tell myself that it is my personal space and I can do what I want with it. So to spur me on I am going to show and tell of my progress. This is a room that I close the door quickly to and don't offer visitors a glimpse of...so to do so is my way of sharing this project of becoming the proud owner of my own special spot where I will relax and create.





Everything has its own space....sorta!



My husband took the rods out of the closet and I promised it would be so neat and organized. The totes look great and while I am getting there I still have some organizing to do.  Now I have to find a place to put all the extra tote bags and things that are hanging on the doors and laying in front of the closet.

It has such a long way to go yet and I hope that by sharing my clutter with you it will spur me on to getting serious about making this room beckon me inside for bouts of inspiration and curiosity!

Flag Day!

I love my country, plain and simple. When my heart cries out how times are tough or the deeds of others leave me doubting faith in our fellow man, I am reminded of how our country started. It began with the faith that America would one day be a strong and proud nation. When I look at our flag I am reminded of the brave men who founded this country and the brave who fought to keep us free.

A few years ago I visited Philadelphia, stopping by the Betsy Ross home and taking the opportunity to viewing our Liberty Bell. What a thrill that was for me. Then a few short years later I visited Washington D.C. and fell in love with all the heritage of our country I found there.  The last time I visited was in April 2011 and the thrill was still there as the lump in my throat from pride filled my heart once again. This trip I got to see the Star Spangled Banner flag displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Oh My Gosh was all I could say....

"One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One Nation, evermore!"                                                                 - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.