Soul Searching

In my attempt to finish some long ago started projects around here, I am happy to say that one is checked off of the list.  I believe that the blocks were completed several years ago for one of the RSC projects.  Then they sat there.  After seeing Teresa finish hers lately, I dug the blocks out, stitched them together, quilted and stitched the binding down yesterday.  I am so pleased with it.  The finished size is 76x84" so it is a good bed size.  The pattern is called Soul Searching.

 It was such fun getting reacquainted with some of the great fabrics.  The low volumes included bats, ants, shoes, chickens, bikes, cats and just about everything else one can imagine. 

Many of the colored fabrics included scraps from the children's clothing that I have made in the past so there were a lot of good memories as I stitched this one up.

The days of late have been so rainy and dark.  Today the sun has finally decided to make an appearance,  Just seeing it again boosts my spirits.  The persistent rains that we have been having are so beneficial for our years long drought.  The hills and fields surrounding us are so green and beautiful.  It is quite spectacular with the sun shining and blue skies.

The farmers are having a lot of problems with their flooded fields, but I am certain they must also be appreciative of the moisture from the skies rather than the irrigation.

This, however, was what the view outside my sewing room has been on too many days.

I was ready to grab a raft and float around a bit.  There was just too much water for the drains to handle.

We are dry for a couple of days with more rain coming in this weekend.  I will enjoy the drying out - even though it is only for a few days. 

Still Here

Yep, I am still around despite the fact that my good intentions to be a better blogger seemed to have flown away as quickly as February.   

The weather has been so nice and that tends to take me outside more than staying inside and stitching.  It has been the calm before the storm as I hear we are in for another big series of storms starting tomorrow.  What is it that they say, "Make hay while the sun shines"???

I managed to finally get my Allietare quilt finished.  I put the binding on and them remembered that it was suppose to have a scalloped edge.  Dang!  I may eventually take the binding off and redo it with the scallops as I love the look of scallops on quilt edgings.  Of course, that means that I will need to redo the binding with a biased binding too. 

Before I do that I need to get Scrap Dance Waltz and En Provence quilted.

As those of you who have followed my blog for awhile, it is the time of the year for the grandchildren's school auction.  That means it is time to get my 18" doll uniform made.  Have I ever told you how much I love sewing doll clothing????  ;-)

See those perfectly matched plaids?  TOTAL accident, but don't you love it when that happens?

As I mentioned, we've had some really nice temperatures lately and my Temperature Quilt is "heating up" nicely. 

I'm part of a couple of bees/swaps this year.  The first is our Gridster Bee.  The block this month was a pineapple block for Sherri.  I really enjoyed this block and can see a pineapple quilt at some point in my future. 

Using the same design I made a little garden flag for Jeanna. 

The second bit of fun was a mug rug swap with a group of gals who have sewn together for several years.  This is the block that I made for my partner's request for a Halloween mug rug. 

Ida made me this darling Valentine's mug rug.  I really like the scrappiness of it.  I love swapping out my mug rugs throughout the year and keep a little quilted box of them on my table.

We went to our eldest son's for their Super Bowl party.  What a game!  Taco Man came again this year.  I am fascinated by how this is done.  It is thinly slicked meat skewered with pineapple.  It is then cooked from the back while rotating.  As it cooks, they continually slice off the cooked part into nice little shreds for the tacos.  Can I tell you that it is delicious?

Several of my orchids have started blooming with lots more to follow.  They must know spring is quickly approaching.

As well, the Christmas cactus is finishing up with its blooming.  They stay outside all year so their bloom depends on the weather each year.  This is a special plant as it is an offspring of one that belonged to my grandmother.  I have started so many new ones from the initial piece she gave me. 

I'll see if I can do a better job of blogging.  No promises!

Good Bye, January

Holy cow....how can January be gone already?  They say time flies when you are having fun so I guess I must be having a LOT of fun.  My month has zipped past at a crazy speed.

Other than a lot of mending, my sewing has been relegated to finishing up some of the projects that I have in the works.  I have managed to complete all of the blocks for the Scrap Dance Waltz.  I have concentrated on doing it in two colors - blue and light gray - but of course my blues are all scrappy.  I just couldn't make a two color quilt with just two fabrics.  Now I need to consider what I will do for  borders on it.

We've had some summerlike weather this week.  I love the heat so it makes me really happy, but I am most excited about the high temps because that means I get to dip into some of my oranges in my Temperature Quilt (link on sidebar). 

The temps ranged from 32 - 86 degrees this month.  See that nice bright orange that go added? 

My sister who lives in Alaska is doing the Temperature Quilt as well.  It will be fun to compare them at the end of the year.  She, very cleverly, is including upside down geese on the days when the temperatures are below freezing.  She had ONE right side up goose for the month of January!!!  Although she has no blog, she can be found on IG under alaskanquilter. 

The temperatures have really confused my iris this year.  It is unusual that we should get blooms at this time of the year, but hey have been blooming since late October.  Guess they are just a bit mixed up. 

Time marches on.....enjoy the short month of February.

Linking up this week with Midweek Makers and Tuesday Linky Party at Freemotion by the River.