Hi, remember me?

I have been absent for a while, as I'm sure you've noticed.  The explanation would sound more like excuses- I've been busy, and sick, and had sick kittens, and haven't been sewing very much, and I spent a few days outside trying to do a last bit of gardening before the snow comes to stay....  Stuff like that.

I still don't have much to write about, but want to try and get back into the habit of posting.  So here's a quickie.

Last September, Mary Lee and I went to the RAFA exhibit at a small gallery in Brockport.  In the corner of the gallery was a very cool plant, which I admired, and was given a cutting by the nice lady at the gallery.  I later learned the plant is called a "Walking Iris", and is grown in gardens in more temperate parts of the world.  But it does well as a houseplant as well.







So I brought my babies home and put them in water to grow roots.  Over the summer, they had a nice partly sunny spot on the screen porch.  Then a few weeks ago I noticed it had a blossom stalk coming up!

 It has been blossoming, one or two at a time, for a couple of weeks now. 

In the morning before it blossoms, the buds are like yellow Hershey kisses

And then- pop!- they open up

Isn't it lovely?

From what I've read, after the blossoms are all gone, it will grow small plantlets, like spider plant babies, on the blossoms stalk.  Soon I'll have babies to share too.

I read an interesting article a couple of weeks ago about "dying green."  I have always believed the body is an empty shell, and what becomes of it is not important.  So spending a lot of money and exposing people to toxic chemicals, wasting valuable land resources for burial... just doesn't make sense to me.  Everyone in my family has been cremated, so I accepted that as the way it's done.  However, I'm thinking I may opt for the greenest option.  I kind of like the thought that someday the chemical components of my body can nourish a tree somewhere, or maybe some exotic flowers.

I am grateful for:
Being able to sleep without coughing last night.
A nice meeting with the ArtCGirlz.
The ability to start again after a "fail"- if I am willing to try.
This adorable video of Jonathan in his jumper thing for the first time.
I finally figured out where all my data was going! ( I think)

 

Surprise- I did some sewing!

 So, I have started to call 2015, "The Year of Not Sewing", because I have so little to show for the year so far.  (You can't hang baby stuff like diapers in a quilt show, so they don't count.)

But I found a great pattern to use for my friend, Claudia's, birthday at Pieceful Designs.  Ever since Claudia's husband retired, they have spent a great deal of their time enjoying the Maryland coast in their Winnebago "Minnie". 
And I finished only 2 weeks after Claudia's birthday!  That's almost on time, right?



Here is a closer look so you might be able to see the quilting. 

 She collects seashells at the beach,so I did a search for seashell quilting and found this design.
(It's a pantograph from Ye Olde Forest Quilters)

Of course, I keep myself busy in other ways.  Just the other day I had the pleasure of spending the entire evening with these beauties. Jonathan is 4 months old now, which is hard to believe.

And there are still kittens in the nursery.  This guy is named Rainy.  He came from a stray mom- was born in a shed.  The people who found him started trying to socialize him before he came to the shelter.  I've been spending lots of time with him trying to teach him humans are good.  He is now available for adoption at the shelter. (they so rarely pose for me!)

When I took Rainy in, I came back with these two sweet babies.  They were found in a tire yard, so they have been named Cooper Tyre (the black and white male) and Micha Lynne (calico female). 

Isn't it terribly ironic that in South Carolina, where they have suffered "historic" flooding, they are having a shortage of drinking water.  I could probably find a hundred articles in no time about the importance of fresh clean water to our planet.  We all know this- or should!  But I don't think many people consider what would (will) happen if (when) water shortages become more sever due to climate change.  Living near the Great Lakes, we would probably be right in the middle of that.  I know I'm not prepared- what can I even DO to prepare?  Just one more thing the world needs to consider. sigh

I am grateful for:
Time with my grand babies
A BFF day
Lots of lucky kitties went home from the shelter last week.  (but there are always more if you're looking)
The times I can be calm and diplomatic- using my  best customer service skills.

Summer Quilt Shows

I have been trying to get a post done for each of the quilt shows I attended this year, and never succeeded.  So- as I have nothing much to show for the past few weeks- I am finally just going to share a few of my favorites from all of them.  The irony here is that I plan to attend the Tompkins County guild show this weekend, so will have more pictures to share soon!

June 5,  Genesee Valley Quilt Club show

Artist Alley3 by Jessie Drew-Cates

Redwoods, by Janet Root

 I loved this piece, because it really captures how very tall these trees are!

Mountains, by Randall Cook

Modern Meadow, by Susan Donovan

Nate's Epic Comic Quilt, by Nathan Werth

 I think this one was my favorite because it reminded me of the comics my own son used to draw! (I hope you can read the label above)




July 30- AQS Syracuse Show- which I hope is the first of many years of this caliber show being so close to home.  (Not to mention I hope the show grows a bit!)  I remembered to take pictures of the labels at this show!

Weighted in the Balance, by Marilyn Smith

Of course these colors would make this one of my favorites!

One Cake, Two Cake, Red Cake, Blue Cake, by Linda Neal and Jackie Brown

This quilt was hung very close to a piece called "On This Winter Day", by Nancy Price.   The many people who wanted to spend time looking at these magnificent quilts caused such a back up, there was a white glove lady posted there to direct traffic. 

Persian Panoply, by Jan Frazier

 Just look at the detail (below)!

Ojibwe Jingle, by T Carter

This allows you to see the extreme beading as well as the maker's information! 

Love Beareth All Things, by Cindy Garcia

This was my viewer's choice pick.  It is full of excellent workmanship, plus it just took my breath away- as do all the wonderful reunion videos they like to show on the news.














August 9 -  Caledonia Quilt Guild show.  It was a very nice show, with more quilts than the AQS show had.

It's a Snap, by Margy Hayes

 I've always wanted to do a blended nine patch quilt.  The colors on this one just made me say "ooh"

Nightmare at 2577 Aquares Street, Scrap Fabric, USA

I bet this lady took a scrap therapy class with me at some point.  I am in awe of her using so many of her tiniest pieces!

Joseph's Coat, by Joyce Blowers

I would do a jelly roll race if I had some fabric this fabulous to use!

"Mummy's Little Helper", by Arlauckus.  The mummy is only really visible on the back- and I don't think she mentioned it on her label.  Very Cool.

Bobbly Birds by Cathy Jo Rogers

My green thought is a rerun.  It is time for us all to have to deal with the leaves in our yards.  (Yes, even I have leaves to rake after 20 years of living in a former corn field!)  It is a waste to bag them up and send them to the landfill!  Chop them with the mower, use them to much your trees and shrubs, compost them, or just leave them!  (And don't get me started on leaf blowers!!!)
Here's some good advice for how to do all of it.

I am grateful for:
Cait helping with my shy kitten
Going to the zoo with Guy
October
I'm done making diapers finally
Wine O'Clock

Two at a Time Socks

A while back, a friend and I were discussing different methods for knitting socks.  I had been wanting to give the two at a time method a whirl, so took the plunge and bought a long sock needle.  This is known as the "Magic Loop" method.  I decided to start small and make a pair of socks for Jonathan. He never wore the tiny ones I made since I was thinking tiny baby and he was not. 

Let me tell you, casting on the first time was an adventure!  I got the tails of two balls of yarn tangled with the working yarn and laughed so hard I nearly needed oxygen!
I say the first time because I decided to add a few more stitches after measuring Jonathan's little legs- which are 7 inches around where I figured socks should end!!  I also used the estonian cast on the second time for more stretch. (Note my links are photo tutorials and not videos.  I can't learn from videos because I have to watch, pause, back it up watch again....  I can't do it and watch!  With photos, you stop at the photo you want look to see if you're doing it right- no fuss no muss)

So, being a seasoned veteran at socks, I didn't have a pattern, just got going, made the leg as long as I wanted and the went to turn my heels.  OOOPS- how do you do THAT two at a time????  Turns out, you don't.  You do one, then the other then go back to working around both socks.

 Here they are all finished!  I was using scrap yarn, so it was lucky I had the solid for the toes and heels or I don't think I'd have made it. 

And here is Jonathan modeling his brand new socks! 

He looks like he's trying to get down off the couch, right?  He pushes with his elbows to sit up, then tips over.  Right after I shot this, he face planted.  :-)

The United Nations is holding a "Sustainable Development Summit" this month.  At their website, you can vote for the issues that matter to you, find out more about the issues, choose your favorite goals and share them on social media.  Like this:

Mine is goal 12: Sustainable consumption and production.
I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed that "recovering usable resources from the waste stream" isn't on their list.  I think that HAS to be in our future. 

I am grateful for:
Lots of cuddle time with Jonathan- who seems to like "A Horse With no Name"!
An end to the intolerable heat and humidity we had for a couple of weeks.
I'm almost done sewing diapers at long last!
Guy will be home this weekend.
Being able to help.

A Nice Suprise in the Garden!

This patch of weeds- which I can only call a garden because I did originally plant flowers there- and try to tend it with some regularity- used to be known as the "space rock" garden.  Behind the assorted foliage is a rock full of craters and crannies, unearthed when we excavated to build the house.  It is at the end of the driveway near the mailbox- sadly, the first impression visitors might get of my gardens.




I have planted various flowers here over the years; some did very well, others didn't.  It currently contains assorted bulbs, wild tiger lilies dug from the side of the road, Liatris , rudbeckia, a couple of achillea plants which are losing their battle and some Ajuga, which has mostly migrated out into the grass. 


Every few years, I have dug it all up and replant due to the weeds that had taken over.  I don't know what changed after the last "reboot", but suddenly I started seeing horsetail .  There is really no easy way to eradicate it.  Even digging it all up won't do it,  unless you can spend all day every day cutting of the stems for a couple of years.  (Not making it up!)




So I have mostly abandoned this garden.  I go out with the grass clippers and "mow" it once in a while.  These pictures were taken a couple days after I sprayed vinegar so hubby could find where the edge was to mow. 




While I was getting the mail one day I decided to pull the dead lily stalks.  (you know- to make it look like someone actually tends this weed patch)
I got near the center and a spot of yellow caught my eye.  Do you see it in the center?






It's my favorite garden visitor- an argiope aurantia. (known as Princess Argiope in my house)  She had made such a great web, I left the stalks she was using.  It is easy to see why many people call these "zipper spiders" when you see this web.   I hope she is still out there, getting fat on grasshoppers, and maybe leaving an egg so I will have more next year! 

A bit closer to the house, the Ibiscus are finally blooming.  These pink ones are my favorite.
















I had to grab this picture- kind of looks like "Wall-e" doesn't it?










I read an interesting article at "Ecowatch" last week stating how important adding carbon to the soil is to improving the climate.  I had never read this kind of information before.  There is a farmer near me who no longer tills.  For home gardeners, I recently read about adding cover crops during the winter to prevent soil erosion and improve the topsoil.  This may not be news to some people, but it was to me- so I thought I'd share.

I am grateful for:
Spending time with friends- even when I didn't think I wanted to go anywhere.
A job where I can take time off without needing someone to cover for me.
Time with Kiara!
Learning to find the positive in many things where I used to only see negative.
my TENS unit

The Fish Project

I mentioned the fish project a few posts ago, by showing this picture.  This challenge was issued by an ArtCGirlz friend back in December or January?  Originally it had been due in August.  With baby stuff and summer coming, I had planned to get started right away!  The best laid plans....






As I mentioned, I had wanted to make this picture into a quilt at some point.  I had thought to try it Ann Brauer style.  But when the fish challenge came, I decided it would be an awesome background.  But I need a fish!  So I set about finding inspiration...



I had always loved the fanciful fish from Disney's "Fantasia"

And, of course, there are some spectacular real fish!

 And some truly odd ones!

This odd fish is called a "sarcastic fringehead"

And then when you google fantasy fish, you get things like these.

Sort of a zentangle fish.  I loved the shape of this one- and tried very hard to find another image showing the whole fish with no luck. 

Isn't this just lovely!

Naturally, someone doing steampunk made a very cool fish! 

So I got out my drawing pad and started playing.

Not sure why this is sideways- the original isn't.  Obviously, I was using the shape of the zentangle fish above.


















Playing with fins and textures.
This part was lots of fun.  But this was where I stalled, as it was time to make quilts for Jonathan!
(I did continue to collect fabrics for the project- and of course I have twice what I need! )








So, a month or so ago, I got started again- you know, because the deadline was only a couple of weeks away.  I decided not to do the tiny Ann Brauer strips, opting for a more organic look.  This gets challenging, as I create one row at a time, then have to make them fit the row(s) above.



The orange inserts are meant to look like the school of fish in the original picture, in case that isn't clear. (In which case this piece is very unsuccessful!)

We were all directed to add a bit of this silver lamé at around the midpoint of the piece,

 This was the most challenging part so far!

Sorry to disappoint, but this is as far as I've gotten.  Another row or two of background then I can start creating my fish.  Besides, I can't show it here before I present it at the group meeting.  Stay tuned.


Keeping to an ocean theme, this inspired and dedicated young man is trying to clean up all of the plastic floating around in the ocean.   It is already beginning to affect the food chain.  Remember to look for microbeads in personal care products- and DO NOT buy them!  The tiniest bits of plastic are the biggest threat.

I am grateful for:
Cooler nights- nature's air conditioning!
Cait sending me pictures of Jonathan regularly.
Having a "buffer" in the office.
A bit more sewing time lately.
Laughing over something very silly with my husband.