KEEPING IT SIMPLE while THE WORLD IS ON FIRE

The kiddos were here on the weekend and I came up with an art project that, 1) they loved and 2) lasted most of the morning....BINGO that's a win! I had used up some fabric on a few bolts and hated to just toss the cardboard , so I decided to put them on the table with a bunch of art supplies and said 'go for it'. 'Go for it' they did, what started as making -'people board's' went to pure unrestricted artistic expression. I love that kind of kid art! Let them run with imagination.

We have a GIANT fire burning about 50 miles up the canyon from us and the smoke is awful! It has been blocking out the sun for days, some days worse than others. So besides for COVID reasons, we are locked inside our homes due to the thick smoke. Oy Vey, what else is 2020 going to throw at us?

A few projects that I have completed are:

--sweater for Gus

---rainbow socks that I am keeping for me

---the disaster quilt for Gus

I call it the disaster quilt because of all the mistakes in the quilt. One would think- this is the first quilt I have ever made and I have close to about 150 under my sewing belt. One thing that I finally cried "uncle" on -is my straight edge ruler. It must be 15-20 years old and has few markings  left on it that I can read and the edge is all gouged and nicked. I ordered a new one! If Disaster quilt was not going to little Gus I would of thrown it out. It almost landed in the trash several times but I thought, Gus is just going to drag it through the dirt, stomp on it and use in fort building....well now, it may just be perfect for him. Betty saw it and thought it was so "beautiful" and asked if it was for her?

Me: no Honey this is for Gus.

Betty: But Mimi, Gus does not SHARE! 

Betty:  I know, You can make me one too!

Me: Of course I will!

The quilt is made from scraps and I mean true scraps. I have buckets of small scrappy quilt fabrics. I can't bear to throw out fabric, it's expensive and I can always make something from the scraps. 

I'm anxiously awaiting a Di Ford -BOM quilt and book to arrive, it will be the first Di Ford quilt for me. Lots of piecing, (so glad I ordered that new ruler), and some appliquéing, best of both worlds. 

Also on the agenda is a Hexie Quilt that will be done by hand! Hope I live long enough to complete this beautiful quilt, another quilt inspired by Di Ford.

Presently, I am machine quilting the Brown and Pink Reproduction Quilt. 

Reading:

The Good Lord Bird by James Mc Bride

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton

Joining Kat - Unraveled Wednesday

ONCE A WEEK

SOAP

Smoked Ribs, Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob, Salad

Getting to 'trace' with soap

Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob

This new blogger, I am not having fun with! I can't move my pictures around and blogger won't load them in the order I try to put them, sooo, I get this mish mash sequence of pictures! Ugh....

A couple of weeks ago, Caitlin and I decided to 'make' one day a week. Our first week was...

Canning Pickles. We put together Refrigerated Pickles and Dill Pickles. We forgot to put horseradish in the Dills, ( just something to rachet up the flavor, oh well next time.)

The pickles came out amazingly! It's hard  to let the jars sit and the spices to do their magic, but patience is a virtue, so I am told.

The second week, we made SOAP. I love homemade soap, I love making it and the only thing I love more, is to make SOAP with Caitlin. Of course, while making two basic batches of soap, we are planning our next batch....Goat Milk, and what essential oils to use. It is endless our plans and Caitlin has already found a local source for that goat milk!

Two year olds can be sooo funny! Gus walked into the kitchen and told his Mom, "I going to the library to pick up books and I have my mask on!" Cuz, you know all the germs out there. 

Kids, they will never know how much sunshine they spread in this crazy world.

After replacing all our appliances , I have been cooking and Eric has been smoking. 

I will say this stay at home thing, it has allowed us to cook some yummy, comfort food. And right now, I need comfort food a couple times a week!  The other thing in the kitchen happening is making dishes from scratch that before would of  been bought ready made at the store, like potato salad and all salad dressings. The hits have been, potato salad, cole slaw, and several salad dressings. The one pictured about, not so much, its Creamy Cucumber, needs some work. 

Are you cooking? I would love to hear all about your kitchen experience. 

HOT HOT and HOTTER, QUILTING

It has been crazy hot here this past week! I mean hot where I am either heading up in altitude (mountains) where it's about 10 degrees cooler or hiding out in my sewing room in the basement! 

We found a great little park up the canyon that the littles can play, Eric can fish,and  I can read and knit, if littles nap! And nap they did, so I got about 90 minutes of knitting time listening to the river flow by. Bliss I tell you, pure bliss! 

Saturday and Sunday were spent in my sewing room finishing one quilt top and starting the next scrap quilt top. The quilt top that I finished is a 1" nine patch, yes 1" squares to make the nine patches. I was beginning to wonder if I would still be sewing on this top in my coffin, ( my feather weight machine would fit nicely)! So, so many little pieces, though so-so worth the effort. I have a passion for cutting up fabric, lots of different colors/patterns into small cuts and then 'running it through' my machine. If my back and neck would hold up I think I could do this for 16 hours a day, everyday! After completing the nine patch quilt top I started another scrap quilt. It's a summer sew along by Temecula Quilt Shop. A clue a month is given for a total of three clues. I will see if ; 1) I am patient to wait for all three clues, 2) like their finished quilt and 3) I just put together another scrap quilt as the mood strikes me;-} So many choices and ideas in my head.

May the heat subside and I stop melting.....

Looking forward to next week.

9 OCTOBER 2017

First snow of the season is happening here today! It is not the BIG storm that the weather people were predicting, but it is snow! Coloradans love snow! And I love it because of all the woolies I  get to wear and knit for all the people I care so much about in this world. Admittedly, most of my knits are for my little people here, an 18 mo. old and a baby boy due to arrive early December.

In preparation for the snow and freezing temps I cleaned out the garden of all edible goods, lots of lettuce and green tomatoes. Fried green tomatoes will be on the menu this week with veggie soup and salad to kick off the week.

I don't know about you, but I find myself reading a lot of articles, affirmations, prayers, and books to keep me calm with all the craziness going on in Washington, mainly by the White House. 

I feel so helpless with our elected officials and their inability to govern, that if I am not careful I could spin into a deep depression.

I must start with me! And do what little I can, first, to take care of my family and provide a safe welcoming home, relationships with them, then to write/call to Washington often! 

And keep calm.

23/365 YOGA

0415 Yoga::30 days of Yoga.

What better time to start…again….on a 30 day adventure.

AUTUMN THOUGHTS

Ah Friday how I welcome you each week, how I needed you this week.

It has been a week of little sleep since returning from Wisconsin, not sure of the why-too much on my mind, higher altitude or just me! But today, Friday, I thought I would sleep in till 6ish-this was not to be, at 0430 I am up starting laundry. So many things in my head to accomplish today knowing I may only get through a fourth of my list (if I’m lucky). Going into work this morning for a couple of hours to catch up puts a kink in the day too.

On the Friday list:

Laundry

3 hours work

Lunch with a friend

Repotting houseplants

Little housework

Sewing

The sewing is what I am most interested in! Finishing a dress for my daughter, only the sleeves are left, then…

Playing with some amazing fabric I picked up in Wisconsin! I have been dreaming of all my options using these fabrics, (perhaps this is the reason for my lack of sleep). 

Though the number one activity I want to spend time doing today is enjoying the amazing autumn we are experiencing here in Northern Colorado. Soon the blazing colors will be gone with the sounds and smells of fall, now is the time to be in the present moment of Falls Beauty. As I get older my wants are changing, no longer do I enjoy bringing things into my house but rather the enjoying what I have. The day-to-day gifts that are given to me-such as the fall colors!

THE WEST

the west...be still my heart!

i already miss the open high plains

the slow rolling rivers in yellowstone

small towns that are populated with 500 or less people

sand stone buildings

and old town saloons!

be still my heart!!!

4th of JULY

HAPPY 4TH
watching the Revolutionary War today in between laundry, gardening and sewing.
keeping the weekend slow and calm.
be safe and enjoy your holiday ;o)