Friday, May 15, 2009

A Little A.D.D?

First I didn’t think we would ever have warm weather.  Now I’m not sure it will ever stop raining.  My fear is that summer temps will take effect before we even get to experience spring.  Really though, I can’t complain, because there have been some really splendid days interspersed with the cold and wet.

But this weekend, rain or shine, I have got to get these babies in the ground.  Otherwise, the Plain and Fancy household will not be enjoying some fresh, home-grown tomatoes and bell peppers this summer.

102_2255

There is another tray of plants above this one and I have NO idea where I’m going to put them all!  Because we don’t have a large backyard (and the neighbors would not appreciate me creating a garden in any part of my street-facing front yard area), they will all have to get scrunched into the flower beds.  That should be an interesting sight!

But, oh my, am I ever looking forward to eating some “real” tomatoes!

In addition, I have to get my basil and parsley seeds in the ground – and pray this weekend’s rains don’t wash them away!

PLUS… I have started a new project (surprise!):  re-upholstering the dining room chairs.

102_2355

Not something I’ve ever done, so I need a little encouragement and support here!

Then there is the Orange Crush project to finish. 

102_1317 (Remember this from the OP challenge?  Still not done!)

And the “Danielle” quilt project…

102_1235 (She’s much further along than when this was posted.)

Not to mention completing the de-construction of Aunt Josie’s project.

102_2299(Exciting news – at least for me anyway!  I have come up with a new design for her quilt, which is partially sketched out.  Still working on ideas for the borders though.) 

Lastly is the sweater that I am knitting.  Which I won’t bother with a picture of that until I see how turns out.  Since it is my very first knitted sweater it could end up being a complete disaster!

So what do you think?  A little A.D.D.?

I’m thinkin’ ADDDDDDDDDDDDD!

Have a glorious weekend!

Iva

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Fun With the Family

102_2243

I adore my children and grandchildren!  Their wackiness makes them such a blast to be around.

This excursion was in celebration of DS#1’s birthday.  That’s him on the receiving end of the sword (his wife enjoying the giving end; DD fondling the samurai's leg; and AGD in one of her very brief stationary moments).

We missed those who were not able to join us.  They would most certainly have added to the zaniness.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Drum Roll Please

But before we get to the winners of my first-ever giveaway, let me share with you what I will be working on next.

Several years ago I was visiting with my favorite aunt, Josie (Josephine to others who also adored her).  Aunt Josie and I were talking about one thing after another and somehow we ended up discussing quiltmaking.  She had found in a magazine a very simple pattern for a quilt she wanted to make and was excited about getting started on it.

Aunt Josie’s quilt was going to be constructed of 4” squares of all the fabrics she had in her collection.  The fabrics were remnants of dresses and outfits she had made for herself and for her daughter when she was a child.  And somewhere in that quilt, Aunt Josie was going to incorporate alternating red and white squares. I don’t recall her ever showing me the magazine picture of that quilt, but my fuzzy memory tells me the red/white was to be an inner border.

Fast forward a few years during another visit, I had asked Aunt Josie about her quilt and told her that I had recently made a couple myself.  Her eyes lit up and she went into her room and came back with a small paper bag and a rolled up bundle. 

In that bag contained lots and lots of fabric squares; and the bundle consisted of many strips of 4” squares sewn together.

She handed it all to me, said that it was now mine and asked that I finish making her quilt.  I’m not sure if she just lost interest or if her health (which had for several years been in decline) prevented her from completing the project herself.

Well, I’m sad to say that years slipped by since that day and I still had not done anything with those squares and sewn strips.  Every so often an image of that bag would flash across my mind and I would feel a slight pang of guilt.  To top it off, we lost our dear Aunt Josie last year, which only compounded my guilt for not following through.

This week, however, during what has become a frequent occurrence of sleeplessness (thanks to hormones!), Aunt Josie has been flooding my thoughts.  So a couple of days ago I dragged out that bag and those sewn strips and took a good evaluation of what I had to work with.

102_2299

After careful examination, I determined that all those that are already stitched need to be taken apart.  The squares are not all uniform, the stitching varies from a scant 1/4” to almost 1/2”, and there are some stained/damaged pieces that need to be eliminated.

Again, I don’t recall her showing me a picture of the quilt in her magazine and all I have is my fuzzy memory and her hand drawn sketch of the layout (drawn on a piece cut from a paper bag).

102_2310 She placed marks here and there, and some sections appear darker (highlighted?), but I have no idea what her intentions were.  So I have decided that I will create my own design that will showcase some of the more interesting fabrics like this one of old movie scenes and actors:

102_2304And one that will pay tribute to a lady who was so well loved.

As you can see from Aunt Josie’s sketch, there are at least 418 squares!  Which is a good thing, because I am going to make two quilts: one for her daughter and one for her son.  Can you believe she cut each one of these using a paper template (assuming from that same paper bag)?  Wow!!!

102_2311

Wish me luck!

Now for the winners (who were selected by the Pawsitive Tails crew who licked, sniffed and tried to eat the paper strips with your names printed on them)…

Mary Engelbriet Fabrics:  Sara of NE Ohio

4-Square Blocks: Shelly of Tennessee

And because there were only three entries (bummer for me, but great for you ladies!!)…

a Sussie (little giftie) for Kay of Oklahoma

Ladies, if you will email me your address I will get your goodies on their way to you.  Congratulations and enjoy!

Oops!  You need an email address don’t you?  ivamcadams At sbcglobal DOT net.

Have a fabulous weekend…

 

Iva