A Happy Goodbye to August this Week!

It seems like every month we live through this Pandemic… I am happy to see a month enter and then happier to wish it goodbye… August is definitely not different…

So as you enjoy the last days of August and get ready to welcome in September, Labor Day and Autumn… what are you most looking forward to??  I hope you will leave your thoughts on this in a comment at the end of this post 👇

September will herald in the use of WordPress for future blogging… you can find me already starting to get my WordPress account set up at…

https://designoriginalsbykc.wordpress.com/blog

However I am NOT very tech savvy and it is taking a bit of time and thought as it can be way more custom that the blogger format is.

But the detriment of the Blogger system just is taking the fun out of blogging for me… and I wanna enjoy this thing I do each Sunday morning!  Just like this Bonnie-ism…

So today (Saturday) I am pre-writing my blog post to deal with posting in Blogger one last time for y’all and for me!

I have worked some Every Day on making myself happy quilting this wall hanging…

And I put on fresh Color Street nail strips yesterday too!

And I made the final frame move on the heart part of the wall hanging I have been steadily working on…

I have 7 triangles to finish quilting around on this heart.

Linking this progress to Kathy’s Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday group link up HERE <<< Go see what all the fun is about there… including hand stretching 😀

Now look at this cute quilt… have you seen this pattern in your travels???  I came across it in one of my quilty groups but haven’t found the pattern.  I thought in bolder colors my daughter and HER fiance might enjoy a wall hanging like this… when they find a home of their own 🙂

Then I saw these awesome curtains someone made… ooooh makes me want some quilted curtains now!!!  How about you??!!

And I have a great group of different colored plaids in all different sizes…

Would this group look better to you in this kind of queen sized quilt setting…

Or would you be more inclined to add solid centers and do something like this in a queen finish???

I am pondering the two with the plaids I was gifted by a dear friend of mine.. I wanna make it a quilt for our bed from these fabrics ..or do you know a pattern that would lend itself to this grouping of plaids???

Here are a couple funnies I saw this week that gave me a chuckle… First this one I can TOTALLY relate to…

And as a pediatric nurse … I can totally see a K or 1st grader coming out of school from a long day with a different mask than you sent them in with…

In November I am planning a Color Street Party on Facebook.  Here are the NEW additions for Autumn…

If we aren’t Facebook friends consider finding me HERE on Facebook and send me a friend request or simply a private message as I have a private page… to let me know you are interested in some fun colors on your nails too!  I would love for you to be able to meet my vivacious Color Street Stylist & join in the FUN! of a Virtual Party 💅and then when you are doing fun hand work you can enjoy pretty color bold or quiet color on your nails 💕

In closing… take time to think what an amazing chance YOU have every day to remake decisions you aren’t happy with…

This C. S. Lewis quote speaks volumes to me in the period of time we are in TODAY!  Can’t we change the ending we are currently in starting NOW??!!

Thanks for stopping in 🙂  I certainly appreciate you giving me a bit or your time… Happy Sunday!

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How about some FACE time during the continuing Pandemic!

Little Ellie’s sweet mama (my daughter in law ~ Heather) sent me photos this weekend y’all!  I am tickled pink!!!

 And Ellie appears to be too…

I had a good hair day this week and snapped a shot… now I am wondering if it isn’t the color of the shirt that pinked me up instead… maybe BOTH! lol
The new shirt will get a better reveal in a future episode when it will be apparent why I am not showing it yet… it is quilty!

My friend Jannessa had a new grandson named Greyson born not too long ago… he is a little football player already we think! lol

Even Molly got a photo taken after succumbing to a much needed bath and brush out this week!

This weekend we are also expecting our first visitors since the pandemic started…
 It is my daughter Brandi’s 22nd birthday today and she and I will be celebrating all day… this post is being written Saturday afternoon… too excited to nap so I am writing to you all 😀
Her boyfriend Timmy is bringing her and they will stay for a few days!!!

And they did arrive last night and we are gonna be fine ❤

I did sew 4 masks this week for a good friend who requested them….

 But mainly we have been cleaning house and mowing grass… all the chores are getting outta the way… I have been slow stitching some…

 Split stitch with 12 wt perle cotton in Marine.  I also got in the color for the year of the wedding…

 and my daughter found the back of my work to be neat and tidy so I thought I would share… I have some WOVEN fusible interfacing on the white fabric I pressed into place before stitching…

… the interfacing is white too…. the batting I purchased for this project is white and not cream as well!  It does matter on this kind of thing I think 🙂

and this is where I am at now…

Linking this progress this week at Kathy’s Slow Stitching Sunday linky HERE <<<  

I am sure no one there is stitching slower than me!  But let’s see what happens THIS WEEK!! lol

Also Kathy is asking for YOUR feedback on a couple vintage quilt tops this week… I don’t have any 2 cents to help with this but if this is your area… please go take a look at her post above at the link 😀

I am loving wearing Color Street nail polish strips… I have never enjoyed polishes but always felt pretty when I did do my nails… my nails are healthy, strong, and growing!!! Not chipping or flaking like usual… I will continue to share this journey…

Wish us well as we try socially distancing in our home during a family visit… please stay safe yourselves everyone…

From Muddling to Magnificent >> Hand Quilting Has Started Back Ya’ll!

Happy Sunday Y’all!  Magnificent is sew much nicer than muddling!!!

These birds are photos from facebook eastern North American bird types Jannessa sent me… we thought they would make a cute opener for my post today and cheer you each up!!!

I have spent the last month muddling through… sewing masks…

Til I am soooo tired of them… I think this is a breaking time for me as all my friends family and locals have a mask … I think! lol

This Corona virus – Covid19 is a wicked virus for sure!  But it is maddening … esp here in the US opening early or refusing to wear masks in public places and refusing to adhere to 6′ distance in shops… is sad really!!!!  There are some folks even rushing the state government buildings with no masks as a method of protest for the governors not opening their state quite yet… Just Sad!!!

After listening to a quilting related fiction book as an escape from all this.. I decided I wanted to see a Garden Maze setting ….

 Above is a setting like that… I bought a Marcus Brothers panel on eBay and it came in this week…

 I will be hand stitching in dark red all the 20 blocks… then using this pattern here to do the most traditional type of garden maze setting…

I have a photo of these blocks put together but it is VERY busy… so I will make mine look more like the first photo I showed you with this pattern for how to piece it most historically with the switchover squares in place.  I can be more precise with this NEXT Sunday once the fabric I ordered arrives.

Molly wanted to pose for a photo here… on a quilt she loves that I hand quilted …

 My honey and I celebrated 9 years together with filet minion, baked potato, and broccoli …..

It was completely yummy…. then the next day my honey talked to our neighbor who had mentioned selling a John Deere mower almost new… so he dove in and offered him a cash price he couldn’t refuse… we got stimulated this week as well so that is what our $$$$ went to 🙂  We are passing along the good deal by selling our older mower to a friends kids for less than it is worth 😀

What comes around goes around … the motto we live by… we got a deal so we are passing one on!

Do you have a motto you & yours live by?

Here is a great family idea… let each person in your family choose a different color paper and trace their hand… you might have to get a bit creative to have this outcome but isn’t this a great way to remember this “time together” as a family unit???!!

Here I am … multiple times in the month of April I sat in my chair and looked out the windows at the view and viewed my hand quilting progress but just didn’t have any desire to pick up my needle and thread and make stitches….
Well thanks to a challenge from a very nice friend I am hand quilting!!!

I had 3 different sewing sessions to hand quilt this area of the quilt I am on…. I also finished that right sashing but the light isn’t out to get a nice photo for you all…. more next week!!!!

Jannessa started on the Miss Jane’s Best miniature quilt pattern that is embroidery heavy this week …

She got these 3 blocks all done… she is going to trace some for me on this same thick doll making muslin when she has hers made (for me to use to stitch with)!!! 

It is a group project I guess… I let her use my pattern that had been a gift to me (I will make it when she is done),  Connie is sending her 30’s repro fabric from her stash, and Jannessa is using DMC floss from her stash and mine to do the embroidery…  How FUN for Pandemic Relief Efforts!!!!

Linking all this hand stitching and my renewed hand quilting to Kathy’s Quilts Linky HERE <<<  Come see all Kathy is up to and all the rest of the linkers too ❤

Even when I haven’t felt like it I have blogged every Sunday morning…. I appreciate your kindness for leaving a comment when you visit my blog too 🙂

So continue being Kind and Wearing Masks when in public places please!

Quarantine Continues Here ~ Come make time for a pit stop and a smile!

Check out this cool mural made my an artist in the USA!!!

Can you find this mural in THIS video??? It will open another page to play in 🙂
   >>>This has been a favorite listen by Alicia Keys this week in my house<<<

Feel free to share a fave song YOU HAVE in the comment section below!

This week I worked on LOTS of crocheting… and removing and replacing stitches… here is the one I was working on last week…

 And then one I just finished last night for this weeks work….

 Isn’t that second one nicer?  I am making progress!  All of these will go in the quilt… some will be better than others as this is my learning crochet project….  I am struggling with maintaining consistent tension on the thread coming in and learning how to fudge when stitch counts are off… etc.

Here is my black I will be crocheting today….

I want to link this hand moving and brain working activity to my friends at HQAL…

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan,  Nanette,  Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi,  Bella, Daisy, Connie and Monica

And I want to link to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching which is my favorite Sunday blog stop and a time I catch up with all my stitching friends >>>> RIGHT HERE gets you there !!!!

I mailed off a bunch of masks to my previous boss this week and gave another bunch to our local grocery store!  I have handed them out for free to all those we come in contact with regularly for private or professional use to protect themselves too…

 Finally yesterday afternoon I pulled out some flying geese on a new project I had cut several weeks back and pieced mindlessly as I enjoyed that Alicia Keys song again! lol  Did you listen to it yet and take in the thanks to all those on the front lines… ALL those???!!!

We have really been enjoying watching a robin family that has occupied our train engine birdhouse my honey built last year… and this hummingbird feeds a family  somewhere in the front yard… 

 We make our own hummingbird food from sugar boiled in water … you can find out on the internet  but DO NOT use the red colored food… that red coloring makes it hard for them to reproduce successfully.

ALERT!!!!   We want an outside camera with great picture taking ability we can watch on our pad or phones in real time or record to take still shots from… anyone have ideas on this kind of camera and where to look for something like that… I looked at Go Pro’s .. but those are too over the top I think and a trail cam is too low end… I can’t find something that is good right in the middle of those.

We got in some LED lights we ordered for the lights shining down from our microwave onto the stove top…

 and it was like saying… “Let there be Light!”  We got the cool white color and it is nice and bright!

I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies my honey and I devoured ….

 Fell in love with this idea I saw on facebook…

 Wished I could visit my hairdresser… we are closed at least until May 8 here in North Carolina though… how about wherever you live???

 I have this pattern in my “to be started soon” pile…

 And seeing this one made me wish I could work on it… didn’t this maker do a great job… this is 14 x 17 1/2″ about!

This yesterday when perusing Facebook I saw this gem… enlarge the photo if you like but the quilting is spectacular and those stars are string pieced Bonnie Hunter style….

 THIS though was the laugh of the week… would you do this to your special someone????

Thanks for visiting with me here virtually … where we are all Covid 19 free in this arena…. Take care all my virtual friends ❤  I hope this post has brought you a smile along the way!

Making it through the Pandemic of 2020 with Crochet!

Happy Sunday Y’all!

I found this cool saying for us to think of as we are trudging though this Pandemic 🙂

What story are you living … can you find joy there somehow some way???

I know sooo many had plans for this spring… vacation. weddings.. etc and now it seems we are stuck in this long lasting Pandemic across the world.

I have been crocheting on my crochet quilt this week…

 I did finish up all the machine quilting in the center of each of the 39 squares… I now have 4 crocheted around and am working on number 5!

 1st round….

 Second Round…

This is the point I stopped at last evening… I will be linking this very slow stitching progress to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching Linky Post HERE <<<  Come see what other amazing slow stitching others are sharing too 🙂

I have also been making more masks this week… with some spilling into the coming week that I just didn’t get finished yet….

I did trim my hair this week.. it was so long on top… so I just did the front… I cut my honey’s hair (I always have cut his hair so this wasn’t as crazy as me trimming off my own! lol

While sewing masks I won 2 different colors of thread on bobbin chicken when changing bobbin colors…

 Last week I shared the binding I was working on for Jannessa… it got done last Sunday and is ready to deliver back to her for her wash and gift her daughter when the time is near for the baby to come.

 Sweet Elliana enjoyed Easter festivities at her home… her mom sent me these photos…

So as we continue to trudge though this pandemic called Covid-19 the Corona virus… Stay safe… Stay Home… and follow this Prescription I found online also …

Have a blessed week and thanks for visiting!

Lots of Handee Work but NO Quilting Here

Welcome Y’all! 

As we isolate in our home place Daisy Meadows this week… I welcome you from North Carolina USA 🙂  I hope my blog post will bring you diversion to what is happening in our world as we learn to live apart.  We are over our sinus infections I am happy to report and we have had a busy week!
I made masks for me and my honey and Jannessa and her hubby.  My bestie Connie kicked off the fun by making 24 for her and her coworkers to use over their masks at work to prolong their life.
Did you know I was a RN in a previous life?  I worked with critically ill kids mainly … cardiac was my joy and teaching was fun too ❤  Now I am a stitcher…

but Hand Quilting is not setting well with me this week so I did other HANDee projects…. and I have found a bit of whimsical fun finishing on the internet too… Facebook specifically 😀

To the left is a sweet lady that finished quilts for twins due in April!  Aren’t they cute!!!!

And check out this border quilting Y’all!!!!  >>>> INSPIRING for sure!!!!

So I decided it was time to cut into the layer cakes and start making some flying geese bodies for the Shelbyville ~ Lancaster Quilt …

There is a LOT of cutting in making over 288 flying geese bodies y’all!!!!

So here is the corner of my sewing room I am hanging out in…

 I have the window open to hear the river running down the side of our yard… and to hear mother nature in the form of birds and squirrels and such… I have music playing on my little Bose speaker from my cell phone app for Pandora… and I am waiting for a friend to go live on facebook so I can have some conversation virtually… have you tried this yet???

Here is a look at my flying geese bodies and pairs and pairs of wings too… waiting to be stitched all together…

 Above you will also see the masks I made for Jannessa and her husband!  Whenever I can get these to her 🙂

Below I am marking lines on the back of squares for snowball blocks for this same quilt… oh my!  Sew much cutting is happening here!!!

 I made a bag for the washer and dryer for our cpap straps.  Both my honey and I use CPAP machines when we sleep for apnea… those straps need a good wash every so often so I made a mesh bag thanks to a stash of mesh from my friend Jannessa 😀

 I am on the last block that I have prepped on the button hole stitching… this is another HANDY project…

Linking all this Hand-ee-ness to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching HERE…. no fast sewing happening here!  Comfort is her word of the day!!!

And I kept up with my bullet journal this week!  YAY 🙂

 Now to draw out this weeks grid!!! lol

Look at this 1870 Grant Brothers Sewing Machine we sold this week!  I will miss it …

 Here is a sweet pic of my dd… darling daughter… she sent me… I miss her!  She has her life in Kentucky these days though!

A life without a work day is hard to become used to… you must create routines for yourself and hold yourself accountable.  Bullet journaling helps me focus my creative time but you can use it for anything!!! 

I hope to finish all the cutting for the Shelbyville-Lancaster Quilt top… Jannessa and I are to chat about when we will start our briefcase building this week so I will know better then as we are doing it virtually on FaceTime I think!  I want to quilt and prep for crochet all 40 fusion quilt blocks and spend time with my honey and our pooch enjoying life… 

What are your goals for this upcoming week?  Please share! Did you know Bluprint is running a free 2 week trial until April 9??  Go to Bluprint dot com and check out the free classes and see if it is your cup of tea this week 😀

Have a blessed week and thanks for visiting with me 🙂  I pray you feel uplifted from your visit!