This little Christmas tree will be staying up all year long.
I found the pattern by The Drawn Thread in a little stitchery shop while we were in Victoria Canada last year and just got around to making it.
There 23 very tiny little pearl buttons. All different.
I have a pearl button collection kept in a glass jar in my sewing room. They are pretty to me and I love looking at them and playing with them.
And now a few are sweet little ornaments on my tree.
My sewing room was once a bedroom. The minute the kids left home it became mine….my own wonderful space where I can create to my hearts content.
But I’ve been noticing it is harder and harder to see little stitches. And then there are colors…they are one thing during the day and change when working in the evenings with the light fixture on. I got my glasses adjusted….still frustrated. I moved in some lamps … still frustrated. Then it dawned on me…this is a work shop…not a bedroom. I still had the light fixture from when it was a bedroom. I immediately replaced it with a more functional…yet really pretty…light with higher wattage capabilities and more bulbs.
Now in the evenings when I flip the switch, it looks like the sun is shining all over my room.
I even got a better type of bulbs that don’t change the colors of things. They shine nice and bright and clean.
It’s a world of difference and I’m loving it!
You know I love yellow…
and I love hexie flowers…
I really like reproduction prints…but these are the real thing.
I love this quilt!
It’s all hand stitched and hand quilted.
My daughter and son-in-law were cleaning out stuff when they came across this old quilt that no one wanted. They gave it to me and I am thrilled! I’m hoping I can find out a little about it’s history. That would be fun but so far no one knows where it came from.
In the meantime, I’m still working on my own hexies. I have 22 flowers complete with more ready to go.
And they mean just a little bit more to me now. Perhaps, if I finish it, one day my quilt will be found, old and worn, and someone will appreciate all those tiny stitches and the love that went into it. That would make me happy.
I’ve been away for a few days having the best time ever.
First spending time together with my awesome family. We did some biking and sightseeing and other fun stuff…
…and then I got to spend a whole wonderful day shopping for fabric.
I see at least 6 great projects in this gorgeous pile. (Most to be done in time for Christmas…oops…there’s that “C” word already)
And much thanks to my photography assistants ☺ a 3 generation team.
This morning while searching through keepsake boxes, I found a good memory.
I was about seven years old and my sister, Tricia, five when I noticed an order form in a package of quilt batting for a booklet. For all of fifty cents – postage paid, it came close to our little budgets. My mom had been sick and in the hospital and I wanted to do something for her, so my sister and I decided to send away for the booklet. I know my dad helped to mail it for us and probably even paid for it.
I was so excited when it came and we gave it to her. I can still feel the awesome feelings I had. I also remember being fascinated with the book and looking through it.
Several years ago, (some 40 plus years later) my mom gave this back to me. She had kept it. Today, when I came across it among my other treasures, it was pleasant to just sit and remember for a bit.
Take a simple, inexpensive see-thru plastic wall file from Staples
Add a collection of quilting rulers
And get instant organization! Neat and tidy.
I’m surprised at how well they all fit and how easy it is to see and retrieve the rulers while I’m working. I love it!!
Oh, and do you like my new thread cabinet? It’s my very early birthday gift from Mr. Sunshine. I got this awesome idea from Elizabeth at Oh Franson. You know how sometimes things just jump out and click with you…this was one of those times. And another problem solved. Thanks Elizabeth.
I’ve had this ruler for years and years and still, when I glance at this, I have to smile.
Twenty-three blocks finished and twenty-nine left to do….or… three rows done and four left to go. Either way, I’m almost halfway done. I love scrap quilts and this one (The Road Less Traveled by Lori Smith) is VERY scrappy so I’m free to play around a lot on each block. A fun process.
Oh-oh!! July is almost over and just this morning I realized that although I’ve been busy sewing, I didn’t have a finish for the One Project A Month Challenge!
So I dug through my UFO stuff until I found this cute little fabric box (by Sue Daly) that I had started almost two years ago but never finished.
I went right to work and had it together in no time. So crazy to think I put it off this long since it was fun to make. And I love it how it turned out. So sweet!
Now I have another project crossed off my list and more room in my cupboard. Thanks Kris and Peg for keeping me motivated!
It’s been a great summer but the past couple of weeks have been on-the-run and sometimes crazy! As you can see by my design wall, though, I’ve been able to find a moment here and there to put together few quilt blocks. Those treasured little bits of time are sure good for the soul.
I didn’t have much opportunity at the sewing machine this past week but I did manage to squeeze in a little play time with these blocks. I’m using the same fabrics and same block pattern (by Lori Smith) but rearranging the colors so each block is original.
So far I like how it looks.
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