It's Going To Be A Long Day

I don't need to tell the people on the East Coast that today is supposed to be a most miserable day, weather wise. Last night the fan to our AC died so we are without our air! Lovely! I am planning on staying in the basement all day cutting out some more of these for my HST quilt. Hopefully the repair man can get here today (yeah right!).

My garden is loving this weather.

I love this combination.

I really like this salvia (Black and Blue) with the yellow Black Eyed Susans.

This is in my pot on the front porch. The purple oxalis will be coming back next year, I love it with that lime green of the huchera.

These are waist high!

I have started adding red to my garden.

The deer like them too. I forgot to use my Liquid Fence after the last rain.....

The yellow center just makes me so happy. My joy was short lived. I opened the paper this morning and was struck by this head line......

Say it ain't so!

Kelly

Good Bye Uncle Bill

My husband's uncle passed away last week.  I honor him today. Bill was born (June 10, 1927) and raised in Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts. Encouraged by his parents, William Henry Meanix and Genevieve Augusta (Burns) Meanix, he became an accomplished scholar-athlete, graduating with distinction from Roxbury Latin ‘44, US Naval Academy ’49 and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Public Administration ’61.  A lifelong learner, Bill studied various subjects on his own such as math and physics but had a particular interest in foreign languages.  Bill loved jazz and classical music and was known for being quite a dancer and the life of the party.  He also greatly enjoyed following politics, the one subject that could elicit great passion in a conversation. He married Leona (June) Higgins on his birthday in 1959 in California.  Bill thrived in the Navy and commanded any room he entered with his full head of Irish white hair, easy smile and a thundering authoritative voice which masked in contrast, a very gentle and compassionate soul.  He had a fabulous sense of humor and particularly enjoyed the good pun.  After a distinguished thirty year career in the US Navy, Bill went back to school and earned his Juris Doctor in Law from the University of Maine ‘79.  In his law career, he found private practice most satisfying.  Perhaps the only accomplishment he sought which eluded him was mastery of the game of golf.  Bill enjoyed helping and rooting for the underdog, which is probably why he was a lifelong and avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and Washington Redskins.  After semi-retiring from Law and moving to NC, he supported many social causes but gave the majority of his time to the Pacolet Area Conservatory addressing environmental and land use issues.  When he wasn't training for track Master's competitions himself, Bill also lent his significant experience and expertise by working countless hours with middle and high school hurdlers in Polk County, whom he spoke of fondly and with great pride.  From his daughter Kim: "My father graduated from High School about the time WWII was ending, his service coincided with the Korean Conflict and Vietnam wars. Here's some of his bio...EXECUTIVE OFFICER WILLIAM H. MEANIX, JR. COMMANDER, U.S. NAVY \ Nf " tiW-li II C23 \ia V After graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1945, he reported on board U S S. CAPELLOTTI ^APD-136). Successive communications operations duty aboard U.S.S. BOYD {DD-544) ond U.S.S KIDD (DD-661), where he had two de- ployments to WESTPAC during the Korean conflict, lead to command, as a Lieutenant, of PCER-856, now the U.S.S. WHITEHALL. In September 1954, he became Officer in Charge of the U.S.S. SEQUOIA, the Secretary of the Navy ' s yacht based in Washington, D.C.. After a tour as the first gunnery officer of the U.S.S JONAS INGRAM fDD-938), he assumed command of the U.S.S. DYNAMIC (MSO-432), 1958-1960. His first shore duty was at Harvard University ' s Graduate School of Public Administration. In September 1961, he was ordered to duty with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Assistant Head of the Arms Control and the United Nations Branch of the Politico-Military Policy Division. On 21 July 1963, he reported on board CAPRICORNUS as Executive Officer, where he was promoted to Commander in February 1964. 65 Destroyer Lloyd Thomas, 73 USS JUNEAU" Good Bye Uncle Bill, you lived a full and amazing life, you will be missed. They certainly don't make them like you any more. Kelly

A Few Of My Favorite Things

I was sewing a bit this morning and was trying to think of something to post. As I looked around I decided not only does my sewing room need a good cleaning but I have some cool tools too.
I bought this sewing machine for $25 and it is turquoise which is icing on the cake for me. It never fails every time my machine is in to get serviced I want to sew in the worst way. I may use this for workshops and retreats.

I have been squaring up my HST. You know those little bitty pieces that are hard to brush off the mat?

Yes, there is a tool for that! I bought this at a quilt show for $1. Best dollar I ever spent. I know you can use a piece of batting but this is always handy and works very well.

This is a new purchase. It is a larger size version of the Clover clips that are red. LOVE them but they are expensive.

I always have problems piecing, I am not very accurate. Pinning makes me even more so. I read in a book by Gwen Marston that she only uses silk pins because they are so thin. So I got some and they are a dream to work with. I am in the process of using up all those flower head pins that are like using a knitting needle. Even the thin ones are not as nice as the silk.

I have had this for years and use it all the time.

One of the things in the back is a Ruby Beholder. This is an invaluable tool, especially for people like me who have a tendency to use values that are too similar.

It really does take the guess work out of finding out if there is enough contrast.

I was in an online Low Volume swap this past spring and am using these in my current HST project. It is a great way to get a variety of fabrics.
What are some of your favorite tools?

Kelly

Everything Old Is New Again

As I was digging through some feed sacks I have been hoarding, I came across this one. It looked so familiar!

That's because it matched this new fabric that I had pulled out for my current project. It is a Moda from the line Happy-Go-Lucky.

These are 2 more feed sacks that will also be finding there way into the next quilt. Don't they look very modern? Even the colors are right. I must keep my eye out for some more.

These are 2 blocks of the next one I am working on. I am going to control the palette a bit. I usually like to throw everything in there.

I think I am going to edit out the yellow.

Just to round out our color tour today, these are absolutely beautiful this year. Last year they were pink and this year they are a gorgeous purple. I am not a huge fan of purple but I love it in nature. The picture does not do it justice.

Kelly

Half Square Triangles

I love the "pin"fabric

To me there is something so inspiring about Half Square Triangles. The possibilities are endless and fun. I make mine a little bit bigger than the size I need and square them up because I am not an accurate piecer.
Now I have misplaced my small ruler to square them up. How does one lose a ruler? I have torn my sewing room apart and it is not there. That's what happens when all you do is make potholders, important things get lost. You know that if I go out and buy one it will show up. UGH!

Kelly

Just To Make You Laugh

The Quiltinis were laughing their heads off watching this, you will too. I think the joke is on us though. If you look closely this woman looks to be in her 60's+ darn she looks pretty good. It must work!
I just don't think I could do this out in public!
Terry says all that jewelry would aggravate her plantar fasciatus! (I am pretty sure I spelled that wrong).
PS This is now 3 posts this week! Maybe I am on a roll?

Kelly

Wow 2 Blog Posts in 1 Week!

Yesterday I watched my granddaughter Maddy. We wanted to go swimming but the weather looked a little iffy so we decided to stay home and work on our craft project. This has been all over Pinterest. All you do is take some Sharpie Markers, doodle all over a 100% cotton Tshirt (no synthetics) and then dribble some rubbing alcohol over the marker.

The original instructions have you slip a cup under the shirt and attach it with a rubber band, color within the circle and add the rubbing alcohol. It is kind of limiting because you have to deal with the cups all over the shirt. Still it looks pretty cool.

You can see how it spread with just a few dots used in this design.

I like this method better (no cups), it lent itself to more creativity. Also the color bled onto the back which was an added bonus.
Any kid that can handle a marker can do this, older kids could do the rubbing alcohol using an eye dropper.
The instructions said to use only Sharpie as others did not yield good results. I am going to heat set this with my iron. I can also see some quilting possibilities......

Kelly

Good Monday Morning

Sage, Jasmine and Ellen

Yesterday I attended the last bridal shower of the summer. My niece, Jasmine is getting married in September. Above is a picture of her with her sister and mother.

This was one of my gifts. My daughter's maid of honor, Amanda has a little side business and makes these super cute gifts. I took a close up but in reality it is about 8x10. Jasmine loved it (I knew she would). She frames them in a nice simple black frame, wraps them up with a bow and the recipients name on the box!

These are a few more examples of her work. I just think they make such a unique gift.

At least 4 people at the shower wanted her information. You can also see some more examples of her work here https://www.facebook.com/LaShoesie
I love to support independent artists so I am sharing this with you too!

She sent me this cute little book mark.

If you look closely there is a lot of information about me in this!
So if you are looking for a cool gift contact Amanda!

I also gave the bride to be some pot holders but I am not going to show you yet again another set of pot holders........

Kelly

Mistakes

If you applique you will appreciate this.....after spending many hours getting this far, I cut off too much fabric and ruined the piece. If you look at the bottom, that is how the top should look too. My marks were rubbing off and I was not paying attention.

I couldn't bring myself to redo it right now so I started on another one. I may save that block for last, maybe even try to fix it.
I also made 2 more potholders that I am not even going to show. Yes they are for another bridal shower this weekend. My next project? Pocket squares, the fun never ends......

Kelly