Sew, what's new?

I have been trying to get an update ready for weeks, but I just haven't had much to say.  So I'm combining all the news from the last few weeks.  Hopefully my life will become less boring soon, and I'll have more to talk about.  :-)

As I mentioned I have been addicted to making the "Kanzashi" flowers.  There is still a production line in the living room where I do my hand work.  I have not yet become bored with this process, although I have let the flowers pile up a bit.  One solution was to make a bouquet!   There are 16 flowers in this one, including the teeny ones on the stem together.   I improvised the leaves, and added some dried greens to cover up the wire stems.

Meanwhile, my real flowers are doing much better now that we are getting rain on a regular basis again!  it is so nice not to have to spend an hour every day lugging water to keep them alive!  Here are a couple of my favorite spots.

The front walkway.  Aren't the Convolvulus  magnificent this year?!?

The walkway to the back door.

I had a birthday recently.  My hubby surprised me by going out and spending way too much money on the sewing machine I had been saving up for- the elna "Excellence". He had help from the very nice staff at Calico Gals in Syracuse, NY.  They all think he's the best hubby on the planet now.  (me, too!)
Not only does it have many buttons for fancy stitches and fun features, it has a nice wide throat for machine quilting!!!  (Now, of course, I need a better sewing table for it)

My best friend Mary came over with a surprise of her own.  She loves to dye her own fabrics- and she's pretty good at it!  After reading an article on ice dyeing in the current "Quilting Arts" magazine, she made these.  I had to choose which one I wanted as a birthday gift.  (she's so mean!)
I chose the big spiral one.  It's going to be a focal point in my new office once I figure out how to get the design I want to quilt on it marked. The hard part may be deciding which way is up!

That brings us almost up to date. 
Here is my August Calendar quilt.  In the book, August is a sailboat.  I love all the yellow sulfur butterflies around my house in August better. (no offense to Nancy Halvorsen.  I get sea sick.)









My "Green" tip this time is a reminder about those compact florescent bulbs.  I have had a few of them for long enough that one finally burned out.  You should NEVER throw them in your regular trash!  They contain mercury! (I personally don't think the mercury is a fair exchange for energy efficiency, but no one asked me)  Some retailers will accept them for safe disposal.  If you cannot find one, check with your municipal or county offices to see if they offer hazardous waste collection. Here are some other options.

I am grateful for:

A good relationship with my new boss.
Birds and butterflies around the gardens.
Frozen desserts of almost any kind on a hot day.
Summertime means low effort meals.
The love of people around me who have embraced my inner 6 year old.