Sunday, September 27, 2009

Okay, I’ve returned to my sewing room….

and with the days getting shorter and fewer warm ones remaining, it wasn’t easy to give up my time on the golf course! 

But we can’t always play; sometimes there is work that needs to be done and we need to be responsible individuals. 

At least that’s what I’ve taught my children. 

But they don’t need to know that I don’t always practice what I preach, so let’s keep this to ourselves.  Okay? 

Anyway, here is what I’ve managed to accomplish so far:

One outfit for Adorable Granddaughter Alexis…

102_3396 Nothing like waiting until the last few weeks days of warm weather for an outfit like this, right?

A quilt block for the new virtual quilt group in which I’m participating.  

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This one is for Becky who is the first person we are all making quilt blocks for.  She chose the colors red and aqua for her month, which is October (and I want you all to notice and be impressed that this is still September and my block is complete and will be in the mail tomorrow…see I can accomplish some things before the last minute).

Next is a cute little bag for my secret partner in the Friendship Bag Swap sponsored by Quilting Gallery

I hope she likes it! (p.s. I don’t know why is says “view full album”; there is nothing else there!)

And I got really industrious and made a cute little “passport bag” (that’s what I’m calling it any way) for my sister for her to use on our trip to Italy later this week.  It’s a perfect size for carrying a passport, a small camera and a wallet, with a little bit of room to spare.  The bonus is it can be placed right in front of you, where it’s easy for you to access and prevent someone else’s stealthy hands out – very important when traveling abroad.

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And that’s it for now, folks.

Now I’m returning to my sewing room because I also want to attempt to make me a passport bag, and maybe even get my red/aqua blocks made and in the mail for Jane's Disappearing 9-Patch Swap, all by tomorrow night.

  (Those D9P blocks aren’t due until November 2; so if I do get this accomplished between now and tomorrow night, you can really be impressed then.)

Ciao!

Iva

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Quilty people are the greatest!

This has been a great week with packages arriving in the mail from a couple of quilty/crafty gals.  I LOVE receiving goodies like these in the mail, don’t you?

One came from Melissa as a thank you to all of us who are participating a virtual quilting group she is hosting.  This will be my first VQG experience and I’m very excited about it.  Thank you Melissa for this sweet gift. 

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That butterfly fabric was an exciting bonus since it will work perfectly in a swap project that I can now get to work on.  You saved me some time in my already busy schedule…thank you, thank you, thank you!

The second package came from one of my MIL’s neighbors.

A couple of months ago, this sweet lady came knocking on MIL’s door with a bed skirt in hand.  A customer of hers had contracted her to make the bed skirt.  But after the project was finished, the customer decided she didn’t want it after all (good thing she paid in advance). 

Not having a need for it and knowing what a philanthropist my MIL is, friendly neighbor gave the bed skirt to her to donate to someone in need.

Well, MIL was very excited indeed.  She had been keeping an eye out for a bed skirt (because yours truly had not yet gotten around to making her one) to match the quilt I had made for her a couple of Christmases ago.

After a (very) brief moment of feeling guilty about wanting to keep the bed skirt for herself, she told friendly neighbor that it would be a perfect match for the quilt on her bed and invited her in to see it.

Friendly neighbor fell in love with the quilt, and when she learned that the quilt pattern was called “Four Sisters” (from Eleanor Burns’ “Still Stripping…”) she too became very excited.  Like MIL, friendly neighbor is one of four sisters, and she declared that she just had to have the pattern to make a quilt for each of her sisters.

Knowing that friendly neighbor, being of a certain age, was probably on a fixed income, I decided to just send her my copy.

The grateful and happy friendly neighbor in turn sent a nice note and enclosed an adorable hot pad made from…

Mary Engelbriet’s Recipe for Friendship fabrics! 

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Truly, it was a sweet gesture and I am proud to be it’s recipient.  However, it is pretty ironic (recall a previous post on these fabrics?) :-D  So funny!

Life is just full of ironies, and sweet quilty friends. 

How fun!

Iva

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

What a storm we had during the night!

You know how sounds filter into your subconscious while you are sleeping and affect your dreams?  That’s how the middle-of-the-night storm started out.  Just enough sound to penetrate my REM sleep and help to create some bizarre dream… that I don’t recall any details of; just that it was bizarre.

Then there was a bright white flash of lighting, soon followed by a loud boom of thunder that sent Lucy and Buzz scurrying to get under the bed.  Then it sounded like the skies opened up and water just poured forth, with strong winds whipping the rain first one direction then another.

This went on for what seemed like several minutes, but was probably just a very few, as I lay there in bed listening for the sound of tornado sirens.  But alas, soon the noise subsided, all became calm again, and I was drifting off to dreamland again.

Then BOOOOMMM!  The house shook, the windows rattled and it started all over again with more lightning, thunder, wind and rain.  Maybe even some hail peppered into the mix from the sounds of it all.

This scenario occurred at least three more times when, in the midst of my last conscious awareness of the storms, my brain said “Enough!  Let’s get some sleep” and it shut down for the remainder of the night. 

Seriously. 

I grew up in tornado alley.  Have always loved listening to the rumble of a good storm.  And once I feel there is no threat of imminent danger, these sounds can lull me into a peaceful sleep.

But I also enjoy the glorious sights that a storm brings with it – coming and going.  The beautiful sunsets and rainbows, the trees in their various shades of green against the backdrop of a bruised-looking sky, the richer colors of grasses and flowers and shrubs after a good soaking rain.

However, this storm has been a bit more than soaking.  Since whatever time it began in the wee early morning hours, there has been very little let-up.  Here it is noon and, though there is currently no rain, the thunder and gray skies make us aware that it’s not over yet.

That’s okay.  We needed some rain, and the rumbling sound of the thunder, in my imagination, is like the voice of God speaking to me.

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So soothing.

Iva

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Helloooo....


It's been a while, hasn't it?


Honestly, I don't really have a lot to tell about at this moment. Just been thoroughly enjoying an absolutely splendid summer we have had here in Kansas, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
As a result, I now have a pretty darn good tan. Although it's a goofy golfer's tan... which isn't really conducive to wearing one's favorite heels. It kind of looks like I've have new feet attached. They are rather pale compared to my legs (at least to the point of about 3 inches above my knees). Oh well... a girl's gotta wear her heels!

(Just between us, I tried to use a darker shade of mineral powder foundation on the tops of my feet in an attempt to help them blend better with my legs. It didn't quite work. I think I needed to go one more shade darker **note to self** But this will be our secret. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was some time of fruitcake now would we?)

There were also more celebrations during my absence from the blogging world: grandson #1 turned 10 -- which is just so hard to believe. Won't be long, little man, before you're a big man!! WOW... that thought makes your Mimi feel really old, kiddo!! :D

And one of MFG's nieces was married (on MFG's birthday even). It was a lovely wedding held in a cute little church camp pavillion, with blue hydrandeas everywhere, including the beautiful bride's bouquet.

Then my Leetle Seester reached one of those really big milestone birthdays. So I had to go cheer her up with some goodies (wrinkle reducing and cellulite erasing creams, Metamucil... you know, that sort of stuff... isn't that what big sisters are for!?). Really, Sis, you look ten years younger than you are, so get over it.

Since I've been such a slacker this summer, I need to head downstairs now to my work room and get caught up on some projects. But before I do, you need to be aware of a great giveaway that is going on here: http://www.fatquartershop.com/Fig-Tree-Quilts-Fabric-Moda-Fabrics.asp. If you're a Fig Tree fan like I am, you will not want to miss this.