New Year, New LR Furniture Arrangement

So yesterday I took down the Christmas decorations and rearranged the living room. I separated the bookcases from the TV stand, accidently demolishing the hutch in the process. But I think it looks better now. (Enlisted my SILs help in moving the TV as I would NOT be happy if it were to get demolished. And it's heavy.)
Still needs pictures on the walls and the kitchen is now a disaster zone. But only the kitchen. I feel pretty good about it.
I plan to re-do the monogrammed pillow that I received as a gift for my birthday last year. It's too large, so I'll alter it to be a smaller pillow, with a flange. I think its proportions will be better that way.
I've read some about Fung Shui (sp?) and have made my "future" corner more attractive. Here's hoping it works. Will read up some more on that. I see it as kind of a Vision Board, only more subtle.

White Elephant Gift

I went to my sister's for Christmas and was invited into the gift exchange (she had a few extra presents, just in case). I wound up with this delightful alligator TP holder. I've taken a poll on Facebook and most of my friends say Keep It!
I'm thinking I'll try it out. I can always box it up and bring it to the White Elephant exchange next year.
Especially if it frightens the grandchildren.

But I may have to add false eyelashes. What do you think?

Doodling with yarn

After receiving a leaf-shaped dishcloth knitted by a fellow retreater, I've been doodling with cotton yarn. This yellow one was finished yesterday.
It's knitted. I finished a crocheted red one for my daughter and a brown and white one for my granddaughter.
Sometimes it's nice to have a very small project available to do.

Christmas Eve - Broccoli, Rice and Cheese (Product)

Broccoli/rice/cheese casserole is being made. Easiest recipe ever.

Cook 1 cup of rice.
Shred 1 pound of Velveeta into it. (Or chop it up if you can't find the grater.)
Add two square packages of chopped broccoli that you've cooked per package directions.
Stir well.
Keep warm on hot plate.
Stand back.

Post Deleted

yada yada yada

Baking Day

The pumpkin pie looks good. The pumpkin cake looks even better. I've learned to use the oven thermometer, as the oven runs a good fifteen degrees cooler than it's set for.
Cranberry sauce is made. The list on the fridge reminds me of what to do tomorrow.
We'll have Christmas dinner tomorrow, me, my daughter and SIL, their four children and one DIL, plus my two ggks.
I think I'm glad it will be at DDs house, not mine.
Half the presents have been delivered; the rest are in a box in the car.

More decorations

I did up the light fixture in the "dining room". I like it. Makes me smile.
Put up the lights outside. Half of them went out. Made me frown.
Wrapped a present and put it under the tree. Smiles again.

Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead?

Christmas Decorations

I've put up my tree and installed Happy Santa on my bookshelf. He's a small plaster Santa with his arms flung wide. My ex MIL gave him to me, saying that he reminded her of me, since I was so outgoing and happy. Boy, that was years ago. Wish I still had that attitude. But he makes me smile, so he's staying.
I haven't found my nativity set yet. It's one of clay figures that I bought for pennies when I lived in Rota Spain in the late sixties. I'm hoping that it will turn up. My sister says that she remembers seeing it here at this new house.

The Twelve Days of Christmas quilt is up. I won it in a raffle at the Dripping Springs library many years ago. Linda Woodward hand appliqued and quilted it. The center is from a pattern and the border is her original design. The colors are muted, but it still looks great. Once it was slightly water damaged, but I've restored it pretty well. There are still a few minor smudges, but pretty much unnoticeable.


Today I did the Pflugerville Historic Home tour and got some more ideas. But the parade and my family called, so I didn't get to do much more. I did cover two throw pillows in the living room with quick Christmas fabric covers, though.

My quilt group had a party Thursday to see everyone's decorations and Christmas quilts, so all my Christmas pieces are out. It was a fun day. I dressed up and felt good.

Thanksgiving

So nice to have DD, SIL and DD's MIL over for Thanksgiving. The turkey was good, as were all the sides.


The next day, GD Kim and the GGKs came for a weeks stay until they could move into their new house. Sweet children, well behaved. They love playing with Pop.




One day, GGS and I went to the park while GD enrolled GGD in school. He ran everywhere and really wore himself out. Took a 2 1/2 hour nap, which allowed me to rest too. Such a sweet boy. Usually.

Sewing Machine Decal - seen at Festival

Saw this lovely machine at the Quilt Festival in Houston. I've been looking for a similar decal in the scrapbooking sections of local craft stores but haven't found one yet. I may have to resort to painting one myself.
I used to have a Dora the Explorer sticker on my machine, courtesy of my grandson Jack. One time when I took it in for servicing, it got cleaned and Dora disappeared.
Bummer.

The Art of Living Simply

Art is usually visual to me, but there is also life art. Art is living simply, gracefully, and mindfully. It's plugging in your cell phone every night. Hanging your car keys on the hook in the closet. Keeping your important cards in your wallet. And your lesser ones in a safe place at home. Recording all of the innumerable numbers somewhere where you can access them easily and calmly, but they are not exposed to the public eye. Art is keeping your friendships active and family ties firmly and lovingly tied. The artful life is calm and pure and sweet.

Gratitude

I am grateful for my daughter and her family. For my house and car. For my sewing room, with all its fabric and tools.
I am grateful for my many friends and my extended family.
I feel blessed to live in a safe, attractive neighborhood, close to my daughter's house, which, by the way, I am thankful for - it came very close to burning late this summer.
I am thankful that even though I have lost credit cards and other important documents, no one has found them and taken advantage of that fact.
I am grateful that I have been loved by two intelligent, kind men who never lied and/and or cheated on our vows, but were honest and kind when our relationship no longer worked for them.
I am grateful for a mind that still works most of the time, for a heart that works always, and a body that is holding up pretty well.
Thank you God for all these things.

What Happened to the Fall

Here it is November already. I've thought of several things to post, but haven't.

Greatgrandnephew number five

This is my sister's fifth great grandson. Very photogenic. Got to go visit sometime! But it's a loooonnnnggg drive.

Summer Doldrums

I've been technically challenged lately, so I haven't posted. This summer has been a hard one for the yard and I've been digging up dead shrubs and contemplating what to replace them with. It's still too hot to plant, anyway.
I love my granite backyard patio and may expand it, but I think the neighborhood HOA would have a conniption fit if I duplicated it in front. Have to deal with the slope up to the house, too.

I'm thinking Lantana and Esperanza. Prune the Ligustrum to about 2 feet tall. Keep watering the live oak and fruitless pears. Maybe replace the Bermuda grass in the "hell strip" with granite.
Put a limestone border around the bed by the house.

Phew, just thinking about it makes me tired.

My Friend Maxine

Thursday when my quilting friends came over, Maxine brought me a postcard she had come across in her house. It says "Louise" on the front, so she thought I would like it, as that was Mama's name. The postcard was mailed in 1906 by her Mother to her Aunt Louise, in Montana. Such a sweet gesture.

Today I went to her house in search of a crocheted yoke for the new dress I'm making and came home with a yoke and also a super dress with crinkled fabric and a crocheted yoke. Don't know what its intended use was, but I plan to wear it around the house. It's floaty and cool and seems beautiful to me.
I am blessed with so many good friends.

Party today

I'm having guests over today to celebrate a friend's second retirement. Will be interesting to see what her third career becomes. She's a beautiful and kind person. We met in the seventies when we worked together.
The other ladies are friends from work or work-networking, mostly. Haven't seen them in ages and want them to see my new cottage.
I cleaned it up some and bought flowers, but really didn't have to do too much. It's amazing how tidy a place can stay if you just pick up after yourself. And have only yourself to answer to.

This morning I made a third in my series for Alzheimers Art Quilt Initiative. July's was a star-fabric iris named "It's a Grand Old Flag,;August was a pseudo-replica flag entitled "A High Flying Flag". September's entry will be a peace sign of blueberries over red and white stripes named, of course "Forever in Peace Shall It Wave". Although I was tempted to name it "Red White and Blueberries". This will be about number 33 in my list of submissions to AAQI. Several are backlogged and I expect them to be taken to the Houston quilt show in November to be sold.

Another weekend at Emilie's Haus

Another relaxing retreat at Emilie's Quilt Haus in Stonewall. I got a good start on a Christmas quilt for Martha.

Jack's Quilts

Jack made two quilts for the Art for Alzheimer's Initiative. He did the design, the piecing, the cutting, the raw-edge appliques, and the quilting. (I did the binding.)
He and Granny really loved each other.

Bathroom mural

Not quite finished, but better than a blank wall.

A hint of sky and clouds, some green grass, and a few coral flowers of indeterminate species.

I like it.

Summertime

And the living is easy. Or boring. However you choose to look at it.
I haven't been up to much except for waiting for fall.

July the Fourth

This morning I went to the parade in Round Rock, mainly because my daughter and SIL were driving their mini in it.
I remembered my large umbella, my bottle of water, my folding chair, and my camera.
It was fun watching all of the children at the parade. Too much candy was thrown, I thought. Not enough music. Not even the high school band. I remember marching in summertime parades in San Antonio, wearing a wool uniform with long pants and a jacket. And a white dress shirt with tie. Whatever were we thinking?

There were monitors to keep people out of the street, wearing yellow t-shirts that read something like "see the need. meet the need. " I thought this was a beautiful thought and tried to do my part by sharing my bit of shade and holding the umbrella to shade a little boy who was hot and tired and should have been taken home.

Another Quilt of Valor

Jack helped. He made two blocks. I marked the seam allowance, as following the edge of the fabric is still a little challenging for him. Then we laid out the blocks. Seeing that there were about a dozen to go, he went into problem solving mode and said "Oma, if you sewed and I picked the fabrics, we could go faster." So that's what we did and knocked out the remaining blocks. He put the extension of the sewing table up so that he could do his share and see my work at the same time. Quite the efficiency expert! Working as a team was really fun. Somehow I need to get more of that into my life.

Another Quilt of Valor

Well really, just a top.

But it will be finished by a Long-armer and given to one of the soldiers at the military hospital in San Antonio.
I'm working on another by making string pieced blocks on a foundation. My grandson is making one of the blocks. He especially loves changing the thread and bobbin.

One block is a do-over as the original one bled in the wash and just didn't look good enough. This block was a pattern that I copied from my Women of the Bible pattern.

Fingernails!

To you, it may not seem like much. But I have always bitten my nails and my cuticles. For many years, I had acrylic nails so that my hands wouldn't look so bad. After retirement, I didn't bother anymore.
Somehow my nails have started growing and getting stronger. I don't know why. But I am very pleased about it.
Wow. Maybe I'll start losing weight without trying too.
You never know.

Too much pillowing?

I've been in the nesting mode and have made several pillows for my bed. I'm not a big fan of the kind of bed that you have to spend a lot of time remaking every morning. But I think this many is ok. What do you think?

My Beautiful Daughter

Her birthday is today. She is a beautiful woman, inside and out. Loving and kind. Thoughtful. Whatever have I done to deserve such a lovely daughter?

June AAQI submission - Poppies

So with the leftovers, I'm making this. (the pin is there to see the scale)

Thinking of how to quilt it.

Poppies framed and finished

The Poppies fabric collage is finished, framed, and hung.
I used a poster frame I already have and made sure that the fabrics were a compatible color. There's no backing or batting, just the background fabric with fused flowers. The pattern came from the Georgetown quilt store, but I spread the flowers out and added one.
It looks great in my living room.
The colors are very close to the Texas Hibiscus watercolor that's in the kitchen. That was just serendipitous.

Belle

This is Belle, who lives with my friend Maxine. She is such a sweet little thing. Kitties are so precious. (even if they do shed hair all over everything!)

Farmers' Market

I think of going to the farmers' market and buying vegetables, but I went yesterday and came home with a batch of little plums, just like the ones I picked as a kid, and a stack of peanut butter cookies.

Blue Bottles

I know my HOA "denied" my bottle tree. But I'll find a way.

Quilting Projects

I turned in little quilts to Art for Alzheimers in April and May.


Yesterday I started a pink Feathered Star in the guild's Gift of Quilting classes. No photo yet.

Alice is moving

Today I'm going over to Alice's house to help her pack. Just when she contracted to buy a new house, she fell and broke her right wrist and sprained the left one. Wish she lived closer, but I'll spend a few hours with her, packing. Then take her to the grocery store and maybe to take some tops to the quilters.
I'm storing her rulers here, as they are hard to pack and could warp. Nine of them, but thy tuck behind my shelf unit nicely.
She helped me several times when I moved out of the house on Lost Oasis. It's good to have friends.

Patio Area

I'm planning a patio between my house and garage.
So far, I have a patch of killed grass.


Update (May 15th):
The decomposed granite is in. I've rearranged the plants and seating area. Bought a fountain at an auction. Still to go - replant the ajuga and do something about the granite/grass intersection.

Poppies

Starting on my Poppies wall hanging. Good grief but there are a lot of pieces to be cut out of the fusible!

Painting Party

Last night I went to a painting party at Painting With a Twist. The main subject was a dog, but I did Beaujolais instead. I'm not happy entirely with the product, but I had a good time. I may attend their SOS session to do a little touch-up. I don't like how the background lines (almost) line up. She needs a little more body on the left. And the pink under her chin is too solid.
But I plan to do this again. It was fun.

Just One Star

Several ladies came over yesterday to make quilt blocks for the Quilts of Valor project. Today I'm mailing eight of them off. This is sponsored by Moda fabrics.

Tulip Purse

Made a tulip purse with some really pretty, subtle fabric I bought on the last Quilt Shop Hop. Definitely will make another.

Natalie's Jungle Quilt

I started a quilt in Susan's Lifetime Learning Class, using the book Nine Patch Pizzaz.
My intention was to do a wall hanging for Natalie, but she just redid her bedroom in black and white and pink and it would not go well.
So I'm redoing it as a lap quilt. Found great border and backing fabric during the Bluebonnet Shop Hop. Now I'm quilting it. Lots of rounded edges and leaves, using a yellow to orange veriegated thread.

Beaujolais

David found Beaujolais in the shrubbery of my home in June of 1992. He took her in, fed her with a bottle, taught her to use her litter box, loved her and endured her for over 18 years. She was recently diagnosed with cancer and will not be with us for very long.
She was a frustrating cat. Sometimes sweet, sometimes downright mean. But I loved her too. And will miss her.

Current Books

I've been reading the Covington series by Joan Medlicott. It's interesting to read some stories where the main characters are women in their sixties. Women who still have lives and interests and friends. It's about friendship and love and family. I've ordered three more from PaperBackSwap. It's a good program.


www.joanmedlicott.com/ladies.html

Wallhanging for Natalie

I'm taking a Lifetime Learning class in quilting. We're using the Nine Patch Pizzaz book. My first effort was a sweetsie one with bunnie rabbits. Number two has a jungle theme. I'm hoping to finish it and give it to Natalie for her birthday. She loves animals of every kind.

So far, I've made all the squares. After I show it to the class and listen to their suggestions for improvement, I'll sew it together and finish it.

Bandera

Vacationing with my grandson Jack. We did the trail rides and played ChickenFoot in the game room. I went on walks and looked at the peaceful creek while he played Wrangler, helping the girls saddle up on the mule (donkey?) in the petting zoo.