Quotes or Words of Favor ...

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice...Cherokee proverb

Successful people live well, laugh often, and love much. They’ve filled a niche and accomplished tasks so as to leave the world better than they found it, while looking for the best in others, and giving the best they have. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

"It is better to believe than to disbelieve; in so doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility."-Albert Einstein.

"You've got to sing like you don't need the money, Love like you'll never get hurt. You've got to dance like no one is watching, It's gotta come from the heart, if you want it to work." -- Susannah Clark

Learn as you would live forever - Live as you would die tomorrow

Live simply that others may simply live. --St. Elizabeth Seton

The quieter you become, the more you can hear. --Ram Dass

Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.--Aldous Huxley

"To ensure that the self doesn't shrink, to see that it holds on to its volume, memories have to be watered like potted flowers, and the watering calls for regular contact with the witnesses of the past, that is to say, with friends." --Milan Kundera

Create a better reality for yourself:
Care deeply. Live simply. Love generously. Speak kindly.

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: "Wow....what a ride!!

Every person has a gift for you if you are willing to accept it.

"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread. --Mother Teresa

We can do no great things; only small things with great love.

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate. --Albert Schweitzer

When I am dead and in my grave
and all my bones are rotten,
When this you see remember me
Lest I shall be forgotten

Saturday

I thought today would be a little cooler since it was only supposed to be about 85 or so, but with the humidity being 85 too, it felt like 100 to me. So, again, no yard work. It looked like it had rained a little when we went out this morning, but an hour or so ago a storm came by, and it rained like crazy for a good while. YES!! Now it says 70 degrees and 95% humidity.

I really didn't mind too much. I made my two half-and-half blocks for the CQ Newbies Swap. There are so many swaps and things going on there, but I'm trying to refrain from joining too many. Sounds like some may be getting over extended, and that takes the fun out of it for me. Anyway, one is green and yellow, and the other is black and white. Rebecca recommended that we do different colors - don't know what the next step will be after they're mailed to her. She did say she will try to mail our originals back to the owners. I'm thinking about making another black and white one for myself. It's sort of hard to see the contrast in either of the dark colors, and to even tell the one with yellow is green.

Not Sleepy Anymore

I got so sleepy watching TV a while ago, went to bed - then wide awake. So here we are. On one of the CQ lists there had been lots of talk about listening to books on tape while stitching. Got me to thinking since I like to do both very much, I should try it, so I am. It does take some adjustment - paying attention - multi tasking. I get pretty focused, but figure if I can 'watch' TV and stitch I should be able to listen and stitch; right?

I did Days 20 and 21 of the 100 Seams today. Day 20 is a silk ribbon embroidery motif. I'm not the best, but think it looks better than some I've done.



Day 21 is a seam treatment I did with silk buttonhole. The opposite side of the seam used star sequins with a glass bead to hold it.





I've also been working on the 2nd July stitch, Chevron.



I've been enjoying my button collection lately, too. I really don't know too much about them, but that's ok. As long as I like them... The thing is, as a 'collector' I want to keep them instead of using them.

Vintage Era

I bought this dress to cut for crazy quilt material, but thought it would be interesting to find out from what era it is. The dress is shirt waist style with elastic, double breasted, cowl type collar, and very full skirt. It has tiny belt loops, but the belt is missing. The material is a little stiff and shiny. It is lined with a thicker cotton-like red polka dot. It has 3/4 sleeves with a cuff.



I'm thinking 40's or 50's, but can't find any like it. I'm interested to hear what you think if you have seen any dresses like this.

Seam Treatments

I've been on a bit of a stitching sabbatical, but am getting back on track. I've worked on the Hand-Embroidery chevron stitch of the month and a section of tatting for a birthday baggie in the CQ for Newbies birthday swap.

I also did two of the 100 Seam Treatments. Now I'm wishing I were at home to go forth in stitches.
I went through my 'block drawer' and found a practice block that I did way back when, so it NEEDS some help - great for the 100 Seam Treatments! I do seem to have a problem adding to existing seam work, so if anyone has thoughts on how to overcome that, please comment!



Day 18



Day 19 was hard to photo with that shimmery fabric. The fiber piece used to weave through was also hard to work with, so it is more threaded than woven through the cretan stitches.

Grandmother's Quilts

There was a discussion of polyester quilts on the CQforNewbies list, and I got to thinking... Why don't you put a few pics of Grandmother's quilts on the blog. This quilt was hand pieced and quilted by my Grandmother Brooks (1902-1993) when she was probably in her 70's - 80's of clothing scraps from the 1970's. That was a colorful era, wasn't it? The 'right' side is made of less than 2 inch blocks , and the reverse is in strips of various sizes. It appears to have been sewn with cotton (?) thread, and some seams are already coming apart. She pieced the tops of many, and one of my aunts finished quilting some so that the great-grands could have one, too. I think Aunt Willie cut some of them down to more of a throw size, and I believe this is one of those because it's my son's (though still at my house). Mine is very similar, but I'll get it out and photo it, too. I never used them on the bed often because they slip and slide like satin sheets :-).






And then the discussion continued about not appreciating them in the past, and how many memories they now hold... She also made a cotton one for me - red, white, and blue - for my hope chest. It went through a lot of hard times - the beach, floor, picnics, a pup gnawing/nursing on it. I did stitch that corner up, but right now don't even know how that looks... I need to get it out and post photos of it as well.

Templates and such

I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday for somthing else, but on their clearance wall they had different sorts of templates on sale. I think the most any of the ones I got was about 1.50. There were scrapbooking ones, geometric ones, even stenciling ones, but they all had some sort of shape or guide I thought would be useful. We'll see if I use them...




There are a couple of ones I had already, and a motif from one of them.

A few more days, and a couple of strangers

This is day 17 of the 100 Seams Challenge

day 16

and day 15









These fellows were waiting this morning when Pixie and I went out. The one on the screen looks like a relative of a praying mantis. The one on the mat looks like an over grown pea pod. If you recognize either of them, let me know their names, please.

Gypsy Purse

Finished my Gypsy Purse this evening. It is the first ever for me, and a challenge for the HandEmbroidery group. It just so happened that one of the recycled dresses had a jacket, and it was piped in gold. I used that for the handles, and it turned out pretty good.




Speaking of firsts, the Needle Case swap we did on the CQforNewbies swap was the first and second ones of those I'd made. The first three pics are one case, the following two are the second.

Stitching, stitching!

I'm loving all this stitching.

This is my feather stitches sample for the Hand-Embroidery group stitch along.

This is day 14 of the 100 Seams 100 Days


This is Day 13


These are extra seams on my Gypsy blocks

Celebrating Independence

This morning I've picked up a bit and swept around. Did a good cleaning of the kitchen and dining room yesterday, so I would once again allow someone to come in - not for the white glove all over, but the LR and kitchen are tolerable. Once again I tell myself, "it will not get this messy again," and I've taken all my crafting items back to their room, and cleared a basket to gather what's needed for a seam or two at once. Anyway, back to the fun stuff. Now I've been stitching - true independence!!

Day 10 reminds me of wagon wheels, although they're called buttonhole wheels...



I modified Day 11 a bit - my seam was quite short, and two herringbone lines would have overtaken the space before adding the beads.




Jonathan should be on his way soon. We're going to Nan and Pop's to cook out. We're having a Pot - crab legs, shrimp, corn, potatoes. Sound so good - I'm hungry!!

The food was delicious and the family was in good humor - a good time of fun.

Finished Day 12 - these are some of my favorites!! I don't know how we could thank Sharon B enough for all this great inspiration!

Bullions and Beads

Day 9 is an exercise in bullions... Mine are far from perfect, but ok, I think.

Buttons and lace

Today I've worked on Day 8 of Sharon B's 100 Seams for 100 Days. The choosing of the lace, beads, and buttons was the hardest part.

I've been thinking about what to do when these two blocks for the Gypsy Bag are completed. There are several blocks that have been in the drawer for ages. Some of them look 'unfinished,' so they will be perfect to work these beautiful treatments on.

On to the next day ...

This evening I've worked on Day 7 of the Seam Treatments. Just so happens, the feather stitch is the one we've been working on for the Hand Embroidery group, too. I made the block for the back of my gypsy bag for extra seams to work on.