Hot and Humid July!!

This month so far has been hot and humid!! This is NOT normal for sw North Carolina but you take what you get I guess… though I have been waking early to enjoy the day before it gets too h & h! Lol

As I write this to you all this morning I am listening to Jim Brickman radio on Pandora with gentle raindrops in the background on the screened back porch… lovely!,

Still going to therapy for sciatic nerve pain but also have an upcoming pain consultation with a following appointment for a steroid shot in my back to relieve the nerve pain going into my right hip. Truth be told that is what has been waking me!

Did you check out my 56th birthday celebration with my Bestie and parents?? Check HERE for that blog post!

I have been a busy bee straightening my sewing room and making fresh messes… are you interested in joining a organize-along on YouTube instagram & Facebook ??? Check out this chick….

It started this past week with a theme of “ Getting untangled” and organizing all the threads and yarns only! Not insurmountable for sure! Take THIS LINK to her intro YouTube video to get started

Though I will maintain I won’t be Uber organized at the end of August I do hope to have a better handle on all my sewing stuff and where to find it in my sewing spaceS!!

As for hand quilting…. Linking to Kathy’s Quilt Crew this week >>> HERE!!!!! Go visit her and give her your 2 cents on her quandary this week.

I rolled the frame after finishing this….

And moved all my hand quilting stuff necessary to this larger rolling table too!

Today as I sit near my heating pad… I’ll be working on this area….

Here’s a great shot of my son and sweet dil who also just celebrated a birthday 🥳 recently on a cruise!!

I love this photo of them 🙂

I hope you each have a lovely Sunday and thanks for visiting, your comment below is appreciated and will be personally replied to privately via email

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Happy 4th of July a Day Later 🎆

We took an incognito trip to visit my parents about 3 1/2 hours away in Tennessee for my birthday! Grab a cuppa something yummy and enjoy this photo heavy post!

My parents and I hadn’t chatted much until recently and this visit was tenuous when planned but went stellar when all was said and done!

Here I am with them… my honey took this shot!

And here’s one of me, Rick and Molly taken by my dad…

Soon my bestie made an appearance and it was birthday party time for both of us at my parent’s home!!!

The table is set and lasagna… salad… and rolls were the main event!

With homemade coconut cake for dessert!

Me, Rick and Connie!

Me and my bestie showing off our patriotic manicures!

The festive centerpiece of fresh carnations in a unique vintage bud vase…

My mom adopted the hospital quilt I had made… it adorns the bench in the dining room when not in use.

The Baseball Quilt made several appearances during our stay! I’m glad dad enjoys snuggling under the quilt I made him 🙂

Mom gifted me a “daughter’s ring” replica of her diamond 50 year anniversary ring!

It found its forever home on my right ring finger after we got back home…

They also downsized this Big Boss to us and we had the juiciest leg quarters for dinner cooked in just 25 minutes!!!! 😋

Mom n Dad’s dog Jackson💕 I made him a coordinating neckerchief to Molly’s!

We played a card game called “ 5 crowns”. Lots of fun! Dad was the big winner of our many games!

Some of my birthday loot!

More birthday cards and new star shaped coasters for our growing houseplant collection!

A closer view of the plants…

They have lots and lots of birds but we really enjoyed this hummingbird feeder by the breakfast room!

My fave pic of the trip! My parents!!!

At an overlook that we stopped at on the way home!

Working on the end of this row on the Purple Heart Quilt

And that’s about it folks! Hope you enjoyed the pics and guided tour of highlights from my 56th birthday 🥳 thanks for visiting me! I should have some fun NEW stuff to share this coming week too so come on back on Sunday AM as usual July 10, 2022 for new things I am sharing 🙂

As June comes to a Close…

I will leave you with a few photos of what I have been up to and wish you all well!

Blooming hosta…

The blooms are different on these white edged leaf hostas!

Sunset over the cabin last night

Fresh blooms on the butterfly bush right of the front door!

Waiting for a chat with friends!

Progress on the Purple Heart Quilt… I rolled it and am halfway across this row 🎊

As I post this I have rolled the quilt on the frame. Linking all the hand quilting on this quilt to Kathy’s Slow Sunday stitchers. I also machine quilted the pillow cover fronts this week… I plan to work on both projects this coming week as well as enjoy a planned visit with my parents that is loooong overdue.

My parents 🥰

I pray you each have a wonderful week ahead and I do plan to be more chatty next Sunday with a special post for July and my birthday !

Happy Father’s Day Y’all!

I hope if this is your country’s time to celebrate Dad’s that you make time to do so.. and even if not… if yours is still around… give him a call or visit if he is near enough to you … as for me… I will be calling but a visit is in the works 😀

I have had a busy week this week making progress on the Purple Heart Quilt and making napkins for a neighbor who recently finished a big new house built in North GA about 20 minutes away!

She chose and bought the “Sunshine” Essex Linen/cotton blend for her napkin lot….

The napkins are mostly 14″ square… 12 of those!

And here are all 16 napkins ready to gift….

I made 12 of the 14″ square napkins and 4 – 10″ napkins… I rotary cut them to size then zigzag stitched on my vintage Singer 319 the narrow zig zag stitch you can see most clearly above in a slightly lighter color thread as a I had bright yellow thread and it worked perfectly I think. I am excited for them to make a trip here to visit and gift them with this finish.

I also sewed a couple new bandana’s for Molly… Here is one!

And here she is wearing it …. fits more like a scarf on her and I like that better plus she loves to smell the ground so it won’t touch the ground and get dirty easily now! YAY !!

She loves feeling pretty with her bandana on 😀

Most of my week outside ironing and sewing has been hand stitching, however. And THAT is what I am linking to Slow Sunday Stitchers HERE <<<<<

As you can see I was at the start of the red center last weekend…. now I am at the end of the red center…. LOTS OF STITCHING

Let’s look at some close ups of all I have accomplished this week!

And my focus for this Slow Sunday Stitching is the right side of the photo below ….

See that green thimble… it is my thumb thimble… it breaks down over time….

So I found a deal on Amazon in the USA for $17 US for 12 of them!!!! or $7 for 1… hmmm no brainer for me!

I love finding and sharing a hand quilting deal… this is a must have for me too!

Below is a photo of me sporting my great fitting thimbles Clover metal Medium is on my middle finger and my pointer finger is left uncovered to help pull the needle when a needle puller (hemostat) isn’t necessary which is most of the time on this quilt….

Notice I am wearing my Fit Bit still… I LOVE IT! Hard to see it at all in the daylight however so for christmas or next mother’s day I plan an upgrade of an iWatch to coordinate better with my iPhone and it has a clear screen and is easier to update and interact with for me… however this is the PERFECT intro model and came with a cloth band which I LOVE over the rubbery ones…. or metal ones. I am in no rush to update just enjoying the step counting and gps this one has to track my length of walking.

I am still going to rehab for my sciatic nerve pain and it doesn’t seem to be improving… going from sitting to standing is still a chore due to my low back. I am doing the stretches once a day and pondering getting a steroid injection if this doesn’t help.

I am doing full keto still and drinking 80 to 120 ounces of water daily… I am not losing any more weight besides the 10 pounds I took off that first week but feeling definitely more energized with intermittent fasting and a better protein and higher fat minimal sugar diet now that keto offers… we are keeping our carbs at under 20 daily and occasionally tricking our bodies by eating an egg for breakfast or something which helps 🙂 Last night I had a big salad for dinner… romaine, cottage cheese, a bit of ranch, cheese and cut up savory pork loin too. It was sooo yummy!

A few pics I took this week from our yard….

day lilies

verbena

Milkweed babies & my 2 resurrected Christmas cactuses BOTH have new growth!!!

And above is where I greet guests on my front porch… waxy red lilies are about at the end of their flowering life but the begonia is just coming out! The rocking chairs have cushions and are sooo cozy to enjoy visiting time with 🙂

Thanks for visiting… if ever in SW North Carolina send me an email and let’s get together here in the mountains! It is so peaceful and wonderful… for now I bid you adieu.

Bound… Laundered… Delivered!🎉

Last Sunday I spent the morning trimming and machine sewing the binding and label on “The Baseball Quilt” for my dad…

I just had about 30” of bias binding remaining too… I’m so happy!!!

The label was handwritten by me with a permanent fabric marker then heat set…

I then spend Sunday afternoon and all day Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday morning finishing hand stitching it down. It measured about 59” x 73”. Then I washed it on power wash to get it smelling fresh and snuggly after drying as well…. Took a couple photos … popped it in a bag & box … and sent it off with a cool card I got my mom as well 👌

They loved both gifts! The quilt was handmade with help from my best friend and the card I didn’t write it but gave it to my mom sealed with its envie in cellophane wrapping to keep it pristine as the artisan sent it to me ✌️

My mom and dad have loved monarch butterflies for many many years and grown and kept weeded the milkweed they use to reproduce each year… with their help we are growing milkweed from seeds now! I’m so excited to see if we can draw them here as we have a great butterfly bush too.

So now I am back to the Purple Heart Quilt that I am halfway on in total and now moving back forward…. Also catching up on family time and housekeeping too as well as doing rehab for an enflamed sciatic nerve!!

Now as my birthday approaches in just under a month…. I wanna share this meme in closing.

Also… keep my dad in your prayers as he has knee replacement surgery on Monday. June 13! He is 78 and suddenly that doesn’t seem so far away anymore!

Have a wonderful week and head over to Kathy’s Quilts linky party to see all the fun everyone is up to this week too!

Ready for binding!!

Can y’all believe it is June now???

Before I share my awesome hand quilting progress this week let me share our outdoors here in North Carolina!!!

This bush survived a year with no care so we thought to plant it in our yard and it is thriving!! So when our friend gifted up some unknown bulbs… we encircled the little bush with the bulbs and they are beautiful Cala lilies…

Look at this close up too…

Around our yard here are some pics I took this week… we replaced the center verbena with a begonia… it did so well last year … this year we couldn’t find the cream but we did find salmon colored ones!!! Nice set between the ferns…

Our cabin… long shot

Closer to our cabin…

One waxy lily…

The second waxy lily

These 2 waxy lilies were each one stalk last year!! They tripped under ground over winter and are really showing off with more blooms to come! We may be staking them soon to help hold them upright!!!

Orange lilies below a gift from my walking neighbor who has an awesome green thumb as does my honey!

And bushes and crepe myrtles on the right side of our driveway…

Last year none of the crepe myrtles bloomed but we have high hopes this summer for these trees that line our yard! All those planes underneath it are hostas!!!

Then look how good my hens and chicks are doing!!!

And the quickly growing milkweed… to feed monarchs and give them a place to lay eggs for future monarchs…

These seeds were a special gift from my mom who is a master gardener and prolific milkweed grower.. she sent them too me and they are taking off! We hope to attract some beautiful monarchs with these !!!

A close up view of the begonia for you!

Our Molly playing with our neighbors’ Copper!

Last weekend our neighbors and my walking buddy Theresa moved into their new house. Rick helped a lot with the 4 day escapade and I dog sat!

We went to visit their new home yesterday and we all had a grand time! Including our pups!

Recently my honey upgraded to a new iPad Pro we found on Mercari with a pencil and cover! I got his … has to be charged frequently iPad Pro 1st edition from him and found this new cover to protect it and enhance it on eBay… it came fast!

Finally… last night I took the final stitches in the hand quilting of my dad’s baseball quilt!!!

Here it is with freshly spritzed away quilting lines!

Here it is waiting for binding to be sewn on today then tacked down by hand!

And a close up!!!

Linking this happy feat of accomplishment to Kathy’s Slow Stitching Linky Crew!!

Once the binding is sewn down and label attached I will send it to my dad for Father’s Day!!! Yippee 🙌!!!

Thanks for stopping in… please take time to leave a comment:). I know this is late getting posted but I love hearing from each of you! And don’t forget the present is right here… soak it up cold or warm!!!

Blessed Memorial Weekend Y’all!

We are both pitching in this weekend to help out friends move from their little cabin to their dream home in North Georgia!

Meanwhile families are getting together to enjoy the 3 day weekend many have… please take a moment though in your weekend enjoyment to remember those who gave their lives in the military for your freedom to celebrate this weekend!

So while I dog sit this weekend I will be pondering my honey’s bother who lost his soul serving our country!

This is Copper… our neighbors’ poodle puppy!

I am avidly watching the front bathroom renovation happening… the new toilet is awesome! The flooring is sublime! Now for paint mirror and decor that suits this space.

Good news on the flooring we have plenty for our bathroom left over!!!

On the quilting front I have been steadily working away at my dads baseball quilt borders… I am halfway around almost!

A long shot above and the close up below… almost to the corner that signifies halfway!!!

I’m linking this post to Kathy’s Quilts linky party to show off this progress!

The binding awaits my finish on this! I hope to have this in my dads possession for Father’s Day or just afterward and before his knee replacement which could be soon🤩 and nor soon enough in his view! Lol

Have a wonderful week ahead … just remember there is a deeper meaning to this weekend!

Happy 11th Blog Anniversary to Me :)

11 years ago yesterday I plugged away at my first post on Blogger…

then 1 1/2 years ago I switched to WordPress so unfortunately we can’t enjoy that post in full… but it was all about the making of my first handquilted finishes in this photo….

First I made the center pillow hand quilted and sewed it with an envelope back THEN my quilting mentor taught me to piece a quilt top and layer them and hand quilt them all together then add the binding and stitch it down… the rest as they say is HISTORY!!!!

I am sew excited to be sharing this special day with each of you! Thanks for stopping in 🙂

I have been steadily working on my Dad’s quilt… and I am done with all the center stitching with only this much thread left of that navy blue I was using for the center motifs!!!!

Now I had to figure the border finishing out… I called on my bestie and quilting mentor Connie for this again 🙂

The idea was to keep on the baseball themed backing with the edging so the plan is to follow that pie shape all around leaving a scallop on outer border and adding a binding to the straight edge 🙂

I used a plate for the scallop and a piece of pretty cardstock from a note Connie had sent me in the past…. to fashion a 2 1/4″ square for the diamond I marked…

Here is a glimpse of that pattern and the threads that will go into this part of the quilting…. the binding is made up and has BOTH of these colors in it 🙂

I will also be basting the edges as I quilt around the quilt and all this starts TODAY!!!! 🙂 Linking this to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitchers HERE <<<<<

Bonnie Hunter recently shared this quote and I felt it was right on time for this quilt quilting !!!

In the meantime… my middle child Michael had to have an emergency appendectomy and they found the appendix was partially ruptured and gangrenous… he has had a tough time and remains in the nearby hospital to where he and his wife life today! Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers!

While we were waiting for word of his surgery coming out okay … I quilting and chatted on the phone keeping the family in the look from my sweet daughter in law … and his wife Kristen…. and my honey refashioned our front bathroom with new flooring and a new toilet!

The new flooring is thanks to a purchase of leftover flooring from my bestie Connie. The toilet was elongated instead of round and chair height instead of short as our older one was… we gave it to a needy family so it was a win/win we thought 😊

Now we have bought paint so next up is to paint the bathroom to match the house 🙂 busy busy!

I got this badge this week on my FitBit…

And did that 2 consecutive days after that walking around the house and with my favorite neighbor Theresa! I can really tell an improvement in my stamina too… unfortunately the heat got the best of me yesterday and Michael wasn’t doing well so we just visited Saturday on our front porch instead of walking and getting in some steps… that’s ok though 🙂 We will pick back up today!

I gave myself a fresh mani yesterday too… a mixed mani using pieces and parts from previous manicures….

Keep what is being left of Ukraine and their future in your thoughts… As well as Finland who has to find new power sources in your thoughts and prayers please….

Too much is going on in this world to list but keep in touch with news you trust and keep what makes sense in your thoughts… babies need formula too! This hits close to home for me too… we should have seen this coming I feel like!!!!

Thanks for visiting and have a blessed and wonderful week ahead!

Feeling Better and Playing Catch Up!

Last weekend I was quiet after my first shingles vaccine so I kindly left a short but happy message for each of you to enjoy… I was so happy to have so many kind comments too!

Hopefully I will be able to respond as I used to in the near future. Otherwise I will quit blogging and am pondering personal emails to all my faithful followers starting in December to give WordPress time to change the things back to how they were. AND that is when my subscription (yes I pay a bit to use this platform for blogging) runs out!

Please share feedback on your preference of hearing from me on a weekly or every other week interval if I were to do that using the blind cc on my email so no one can see others email addy’s .. just me and the recipient.

This week has been so busy since I got over that vaccination! I am so happy to feel better. My son sent me some cash unexpectedly for Mother’s day so to celebrate that extra windfall I bought a like new Fit Bit!!!

It is the Charge 4 version 🙂 I LOVE LOVE LOVE it for my walks and just to enhance my daily health benefits and track my moods and stress levels too as well as water intake 😀

I think out of 24 different options I have decided to see digital not analog time and steps taken for the day too…. it will encourage me to stay on track for sure!

I think I found out walking up and down the mountain our house is on is like walking up 4 flights of steps… if I do this twice it is close to a mile too! So my goal Sunday is to do this 🙂

When I am not stepping or figuring out this new toy… I am quilting my dad’s “Baseball Quilt”… I call it the Baseball Quilt because the back is baseball themed…

It is a sheet actually from Pottery Barn that my bestie helped me find 🙂

And here is the front progress….

So according to the photo above… I have 10 more motifs to hand quilt … big stitch style and I have this much of that navy 12 wt perle cotton to stitch them with….

Since that obviously won’t finish the 10 motifs AND the outer borders… what did I do??? I bought another blue since I had no idea what color I had bought previously. lol!

I have another picture that shows this new thread better….

And the spool on the left will make colorful motifs on the quilt I am planning for my mom! 🙂

Meanwhile… on the Purple Heart quilt… I am halfway in the picture below on the whole quilt now… no progress made this week as I am putting ALL my time into finishing this one for my daddy.

This week I am linking up all this hand quilting FUN to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitcher’s HERE<<<<< come on over and take a look at the fun stuff being linked up this week… it will open in a new tab too!

My hair is growing out like my honey wanted and we both love it!!

I also went and voted early in our Primary Election in North Carolina… my only options in this election were for the Senate and House in DC. So we shall see if my selections get to be voted on in the November election 🙂

When I went to vote my hair dresser was the voting assistant… it was fun seeing her and letting her know I would come in soon for a minor trim too!

Thanks for visiting… I wish you could smell this straight from my yard to you for you! It smells like honeysuckle on steroids or something! Just Lovely 🙂

May America be blessed during this time of turmoil all around and please think of all the devastation in Ukraine… all the innocent lives lost and upheaval happening over there!

Thanks for stopping in…. a comment would be appreciated… your feedback on border quilting for the Baseball quilt would be super! 🙂

Happy Mother’s Day!

Hope all the mom’s that visit here have a wonderful day!

I am plugging away at my dad’s quilt and made progress on the Purple Heart quilt too!

I am midway on both hand stitched projects!

I got my shingles vaccine this week and it left me a bit quiet and I have only a couple pics to share so I am not linking up to Kathy’s Slow stitching crew today.

Here is one of the photos I took just yesterday with a new manicure 💅 for the event today of celebrating motherhood!

All my kids are grown and gone but I’m sure throughout the day the rest will wander in wishing me well as I hope your kids all celebrate you!!!

I am not a huge Star Wars fan but I love sewing so… did you celebrate May 4th with some 1/4” sewing I wonder???

Did you celebrate May 4th this year??? Lol

Have a blessed day and pray for all those moms separated from husbands in Ukraine 🇺🇦! trying to be their all to their kids as they flee the devastation of their country 😟