Sunrise

As much as I don't like being up before the sun I do enjoy a pretty sunrise.

This is taken out my back door. 

Husband noticed that some critter had been busy in our yard during then night.

This is behind the AC unit. It's pretty deep, at least as long as my arm. No! I did not put my hand in the hole to see how deep it is. I don't think it went anywhere other than down and over along the wall a little. Husband speculates it may have been a raccoon or dog digging for a gopher. He has filled it in now, but I hope no more critters decide to dig. 

Then I got busy working on this.

I sewed the center units together.

Then started working on the checkerboard units.

Isn't it pretty!

Paperwork

Bleh.

I hate dealing with paperwork. 

Of course, if I took care of it more often I wouldn't have so much to deal with.

The whole time am sorting and filing I am thinking just how long do I need to keep some of these documents? I found this article at The Spruce. I was surprised at how quickly they say some documents can be disposed of. Suze Orman has different guidelines. Husband thinks we need to keep most documents for at least 10 years. I just really hate dealing with it, storing it, and worrying about disposing of something too soon. I find it all a little frustrating, but I am not ready to go paperless. I like to be able to put my hands on something if I need it. 

So lets look at something more positive.

These geraniums are just so lovely.

 And the Umbrella plant is doing well. 

I have had problems with mealy bugs on the Umbrella plant. I noticed that I don't see them on the geraniums so I put some geranium leaves on the Umbrella plant. That's the brown leaf in the picture on the left. Seems to have helped. 

And, I have been sewing.

These are her blocks so far. 

Her color choices this time were much different than what she normally chooses.

My block is the one in the second row on the left. I am worried it is too light compared to the rest. I will offer to remake it if she thinks so too. 

I see the lighting is different in these photos so maybe it looks better than I think!

This is the very last time I will make that Arrow Crown block. I am so glad this exchange is coming to an end. I really did not enjoy making that block. I wasn't the only one to feel that way. Several of us were talking at the Exchange meeting and feel the pattern was not well written as a lot of us had trouble getting our blocks together. I have noticed when looking through the blocks in each bag that the blocks range in size, as much as 1/2 inch. Many seams don't match, points are cut off. We are all fairly experienced quilters and this is unusual. 

I was lucky enough to get my bag back. Someone worked ahead and two blocks got done in one month.

 Here are all the completed blocks with the medallion center.

 This is my Arrow Crown block.

This is the center medallion. I participated in a Round Robin years ago. I made the center Feathered Star. Four other people added the next rounds.

Now to get it put together. I haven't decided on a layout yet.

Tuesday Reorganizing

Reorganizing... seems I do that a lot. I don't know how much good it does me except that I do get rid of a few things every time I 'move my piles around'. 

That's what Husband calls my efforts to declutter/reorganize/clean - moving my piles around. He's not wrong. And, then I can't find things sometimes because I forgot where I moved them to. I do know that I am an 'out of sight, out of mind' kind of person. I need to be able to see my things or I forget about them altogether. I also know that I spend a fair amount of time on Pinterest and reading blogs looking at other people's craft/quilt/sewing rooms to see what works for them. Maybe I will find something that works better for me.

Yesterday I got these shelf dividers (Yay, Amazon) to put between my stacks of fabric on the shelf above my machine. 

I had to remove some of the fabric to place the dividers. I should have ordered more, but hopefully this will work better than no dividers.

The stacks were leaning, sometimes to the point of falling over. You can't see it, but there is a bed at the right of the shelf. I have concerns about the fabric toppling off the end of the shelf onto the bed. That is not a problem as long as no one is sleeping in the bed when the fabric topples. I know my stacks are too high, but I ran out of room! And, you can clearly see that I have more 'piles to move around'. It's a slow process for me. I have tried a few things that didn't work. So I try something else. Someday I will get it right. 

Monday Quilting

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I am working on a bed/table runner for my mom. Blooming Stars is the pattern. She has a long table so it will work for either one. And, I think she will use it on both.

She asked me to make this for her several years ago. She said she was in no hurry because she was working on decluttering/reorganizing her house. She is still working on that but wanted something to do this winter (after she retires!) so asked for it back. I told her it was pieced, but not quilted. She didn't want to do the quilting so I still have it. I had been trying to make a decision about how to quilt it but hadn't come up with anything I really liked. I wanted something simple that still gave a suggestion of flowers since the pattern description is "This beautiful runner twinkles with floral stars". I am thinking butterflies in the border. 

 This is what I have done so far, but I'm still indecisive. I am thinking of ditch stitching around the outside of each star. I don't know. Any suggestions?

I am tracing the design onto clear contact paper. A water bottle cap was just the right size for the center circle. I was hoping to be able to reuse the contact paper, but I think it is only going to be good for one use. That's ok though since there are only 5 stars/flowers.

Another project I will start on as soon as all the fabric arrives is a pillow and lap quilt for one of my husband's friends using this Indian Motorcycle fabric. 

He has a motorcycle just like the one on the panel. I also ordered (and received) a tire print fabric that will get used as a border with the panel and the pillow. Also an all-over print featuring different Indian motorcycles. I am waiting for the pillow panel and another print with all-over Indian logos.

The big news for today is...

... that's not fog...

... it's RAIN!

If you click the bottom picture to enlarge it you can see the rain!

It has rained off and on all morning and is predicted to do so all day. We need rain!

Drive South

[Chorus:]
Come on Baby drive south, with the one you love
Come on Baby drive south, with the one you love

I found the same lyrics by John Hiatt and Suzy Bogguss when I Googled the song title.

Anyway, I will be heading just a little south tomorrow to take some things to my son. 

I'm glad to have the big old deer head off that wall!

My parents had been planning to go see him so we decided to do it the same day. 

It will be good to seem them and Son. Sadly, GF has to work. I will miss seeing her.

Before I loaded the car I finished this block for the Exchange that is on Saturday.

This quilter used soft, feminine colors. I was worried there wouldn't be enough contrast, but I think my block turned out fine. It will fit in nicely with the rest of them.

I used to make my block for the Exchange as soon as I got home with the new bag. I have been waiting until almost the last minute with this Exchange. I couldn't figure out why since I am always excited to get a new bag of someone else's fabric to play with. Then I realized, I don't really like this block. I have trouble getting it together every single time. We have one more block to make then this Exchange will be over. We will decide on the theme for the next Exchange on Saturday. We will have a month or two off so everyone will have time to plan their quilt and get their fabrics together. We have been discussing a few different ideas. I am looking forward to something new.

Pinterest

Do you Pinterest?
I do. I find lots of wonderful ideas that I pin. I also spend lots of time on Pinterest.

I have 87 Boards, over 4,600 Pins and I just discovered you can make Sections withing each Board!
Oh, brother! Just what I need, another organizing project. But, I am also deleting Pins I know I am no longer interested in.

Good Morning, Sunshine!

This lovely is growing where I can see it out my kitchen window. 

 The picture isn't the greatest because I took it through the window (with screen). 

That yellow spot in the middle is butterfly enjoying the sunflower.

Some of the petunias are doing well. 

Half have not survived the heat and no rain. 

I'm bad about watering :(  

I enjoy the variation in coloring. 

The Hostas on the southwest side of the house are not faring well either. The dry weather has not been kind. 

We also removed a tree (that big bare spot) that shaded them. I think I will need to move the Hostas and replant that area with sun loving plants next year.

I will close with some pics of the storm clouds that went through here yesterday.

 We got less than an inch of rain, a little wind, no hail, no damage.

A Finish

Yesterday I did yard work and laundry and no sewing.

I finished this little guy over the weekend.

Hope to get some sewing in today.

Monday, Monday

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Yesterday I sewed. I am adding the small NYB units to the center star.

 And, because the colors just don't photograph correctly I tried a few different filters (my son showed me how!). But they still don't look right. The green in the above photo is the  closest to the actual color. The yellow is good, too. But, the other colors just aren't right. The purple shows too blue, and the blue isn't blue enough.

Today, I am working in my yard. Later I will be sewing. What I will NOT be doing is going to the Teacher Institute meeting and working on transportation for the students in the Kindergarten and Pre-K classes. Someone else will be doing that. 

Fall clean up has never happened at my house. Because school started before I ever got around to doing it and then the weekends were rainy or cold or both. But, today I am doing some cleanup in my yard. I know it isn't fall yet, but it was cool this morning so I thought I would get some work done. But, now it is hot and I am sweaty so I may be done for the day. And that is ok, because I can do more tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. If I feel like. And, if I don't it can wait.

Here is what I saw around my yard today.

I don't know what these little purple flowers are, but I think they are so cute. Same flower, color is off.

The Hibiscus is still blooming. I love this plant.

I almost pulled this milkweed plant, but then I saw that Monarch caterpillar. It is right up by the house so I hope it stays there and does its thing to become a butterfly. 

A couple of years ago we had three chrysalises on the fence right by this area. It was fun to watch them.

The roses did not get very big this year, but they are blooming well.

Spiderwebs all over the yard.

Sunflowers are finally blooming.

Hope you have a happy day!