The week ahead

Welcome to this week's happy homemaker post! Doesn't the cloud above look like a little star???
Our clouds are really outstanding.

I know she threw a snowball...

The weather in Aurora
cold with 7" of white snow. Snow then meltwater in the sun. Then ice in the shade.
Oh and we can smell the far away stockyards from here, nearly every day. Peee-ewwww (don't be jealous lol! )

Right now
I'm writing this last night, lol, meaning Sunday night but it will drop in Monday morning
I am thinking, will I have to turn in my two overdue books, really? I'm not done...
Aside from dust, I like looking toward the family room from my typing perch. I like the older entertainment center we got at a yard sale, with the shelves and cds, tv, etc on it. I don't care if it's old fashioned. I never had room for one before and I don't like crooking my neck to look at a tv on the wall. I might be tiring of the Christmas tree... might... it's still January and it did snow and the icicles still are appropriate.

Eating
I'm sorry, I just don't mind eating the same foods each week. I'm too tired to plan like all of you do... and too much of a moody eater. In fact I'm not one for planning. I enjoy off the cuff.

To-Do
keep track of library books better
some laundry
the usual morning chores like empty the dishwasher and clean the coffee pot, walk the dog. Oh, speaking of the dog, er, poodle, I still need to grind his toenails since it was too cold to do it outside this weekend. They look like sloth nails
pet said poodle a lot more, he loves that and it's soothing to me too
Work in the studio on an abstract piece, from my picture of cattails in snow.
Finish reading those two overdue books
find out about changing the blog from http to the one with "s"... does it matter, do I have to?
Laugh more, drink more water, walk the dog

 Tips
I keep a weekly calendar, by my fave Mary Englebreit, by the computer, for daily  to do lists, to jot down phone numbers or suggested books, or passwords that changed, any little thing that needs to be remembered. It's all there, always by the computer, with a pen and my glasses. Kind of a little record of life. 
The week on one page, I tend to lose little lists, or forget when I called the vet, etc. Not now. 

There is a big calendar on the wall to glance at the month.

Mama, come sit with me... watch the tv!

Watching
Woohoo project runway all stars is back on A&E! I love seeing the challenges!
 Victoria on pbs is back! yea!
The bachelor is lame but back, and I'll watch, yes I will. Don't judge me.
I've been watching my dvr shows "so you think you can dance!" and they were the most talented bunch of young things! I love love love dance. I can't erase the shows, I might watch again!
 We watched another two episodes of the Moodys... it's a train wreck of a comedy but makes us guffaw out loud.
Watched Murdoch Mysteries current episode.
Waiting for Amazing Race to start... when is it ever coming back?? It's been too long

Reading
A quiet death by M. Talley is terrific! A friend suggested it, and it's set in Annapolis so she references all my old stomping grounds... lots of fun to read. It's well written and the plot is engaging so I can't give any away. She's written other books so I'll have to find them.

Also slogging through the art book for my group. They all love it, me not so much. I like them however so I'll keep at it.
DH got me a subscription to Country Home magazine, and the first issue came... I LOVE magazines


Making

I have an art quilt group meeting on Wednesday, and have something to show, yea! I combined my RSC color of the month (red) with the color study in our study book, to do Rubies!

Also Painted on fabric last week, and want to make those into something.

I am just now starting on my latest abstract nature piece...the beginning is so much fun. The start, when it's all new and shiny, the idea seems do-able, the fabrics are pretty. Before it moves into the middle phase, when I wonder where it's going, what to do next, why is it looking wonky, figure I've just wasted all that time and money on supplies, it looks awful or worse boring. The last phase is when it looks great again! I love it! This may be the best thing I've ever done!
did I say that out loud?
 

I want to quilt the little Valentine piece I painted last week, then put beads on the edge. How to quilt the face?? will I add a word to it? Maybe...

I made a new friend this week, also on QuiltArt online. We met because she answered one of my questions posed to the list, and I loved her answer. We emailed back and forth and she's a terrific person. I feel richer, less alone for having met her.... even online. 

Lessons learned
even when my body hurts, I still go for a walk... and am thankful I can.
Even if I hurt, I go to the studio to make something, and am thankful I can.
Even if I hurt, I chat with long distance friends and am thankful they care about me.
Even if I have much pain, my  husband loves me, and I'm ever thankful for him.

Inspirational quote, thanks to google...

sunday's stories waiting

At first the words from this week's prompt were a turn off. How was I going to use oily, and pious in a story anyone wanted to read? I read them to DH over the breakfast table, ready to dismiss this week's prompts. His response caused me to try again..."hmmm that's going to be a challenge"
Not one to turn from a challenge...I used all but survive and exit.
I didn't want to use them. I could have forced the issue but why?

THIS WEEK'S WORDS come from "Warm Days in January" by Donald Revell: easy, bus, deny, survive, pious, oily, exit, adores, shoebox, waving, complicated, hunger (at sundayswhirligig)

Waiting...
As she sat on the bench, her mind wandered.

She spent a lot of her days waiting.
Waiting for the bus, waiting to be called on, waiting to hear from her kids, waiting to eat.


It was hard to eat in a healthy way, and hunger drove you to desire. She was trying to lose weight, but it wasn't easy. Food tempted her from tv ads, billboards, her own fridge. Pizza called the loudest! Oily cheese dripping off the point... yum! She loved pizza. too much. It was so hard to eat one piece, to deny herself the comfort of satiation.

She shifted the shoebox in her lap as she sat and waited. Waited.
She was still waiting to hear from her sister. It should be easy to call her but it was complicated. Their last call had ended badly... that pious tone in her sister's voice pushed old buttons in her. She adored her sister, had done from childhood, but as adults something changed inside and keeping in touch was complicated. She had left a message earlier that week so now she waited.
Waited to hear back.


That bus was running late, she thought... I'm so tired of waiting and I'm getting hungry again.
I wonder what my daughter is doing now at school. I wonder what I'll do for dinner.

She had long days to fill now, and wondered if she should take a class herself. She felt lonely and without a purpose. Glancing up as someone brushed past her knees as she sat on the bench, she wondered if they ever struggled with weight issues, or family issues, or hungered for more meaning.

It started to rain. Oh great! Where's that dang bus? She saw it coming on the busy road, so she waved at the driver, just in case they weren't going to stop.

It always stopped here. Why was she waving? It always stopped, she always had trouble with the first step, the driver always said Hi and she always sat in the front row.


I wonder what's in the fridge for dinner she thought as the bus pulled away from the curb. Then she looked up at the ads inside the bus. Of course there was an ad for the local pizza joint! But next to it was an ad for the community college... it asked if she wanted more from life? Why not consider a class... hmmm... well it's one way to stop thinking about pizza!

Linking to

sundays in the city

I Like Thursday #123

Welcome to this week's list of likes... and it's short and sweet.
I like the sky pictures mother nature paints around here!

I liked finishing the bargello top, to be folded up and stored til next December because I want to.

After the border was pieced and done, I noticed the two pieces of yardage I thought was exactly the same, weren't. Same maker, same year, stored the same way, and the gold was much more splashy on the one little piece at the top left

Nope, not going to take it all out. It will be unique! Like me!
I enjoyed using my supplies this week, painting this pretty lady who is now bordered and ready to quilt...(post here)

and using my new stencil by Folk Art found at Michaels

I used SETA shimmer paint, a sea sponge, poured a bit of paint on the stencil and swiped it all over to make pretty white shimmering dandelions.










Didn't put a lot of thought into it, used a green scrap at least 20 years old, and will make it into something.
I just wanted to use paint, and if it was going to be perfect, I'd never have done it.

I like the way it looks cropped in the photo.
I liked the rusty metal goat sculpture in someone's yard... 

they had a bull, cow, the tin man and more

I don't know what the tin man did wrong to be hung like that

My friend Diane (yarngoddess) sent a video of a freshly hatched flamingo chick... so I looked for more videos after seeing it step on it's own foot and get stuck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiZUPDb0wgA

The one above shows the gently care given by flamingo mamas to the babies.
It made me smile and happy to know they are such good care givers

I'm liking this author's book... she's from Annapolis so the story's setting is very familiar... feels good.

It's a mystery  and intriguing

Milo's Moments 

on another scavenger hunt, I mean, walk

 Milo here! I can tell you what I didn't like this week... my feet shaved, and the trip to the vet,. Sheesh! It was just another ear infection, no need to take me for torture to be poked, and swabbed, and tested, and get medicine in my ear. 
I screamed bloody murder I'll tell you. No mistake. I did not like the meds and my pawrents sat right there and let that monster (vet) put it in my ear! I deserved two bones that night, and I told mama too! 
She gave me two, cause she knew she was guilty of not helping me fight off the vet. 


I love my new toy, watch me tease mama with it on this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTYlEYLm4GA&feature=youtu.be 


Now sit! Stay! visit mama's friends who made like posts too!

 https://www.su-sieeemac.com/2019/01/i-like-to-read.html

.http://homesewnbyus
http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/ 
http://sonotorganized.com/   
 
  https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
 maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
.http://littlepenguinquilts
 
https://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/
craftscaviescontras
https://whataboutrheema.blogspot.com/

http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/ 
http://sandysnowden.blogspot.com/
Minou's Minute
https://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/ 

Linking to these parties
cheesy Tuesdays! 
ruby tuesdays
 Free motion by the River Tuesdays    
https://stitchallthethings.com/ to do Tuesday  
https://comedy-plus.com/ Awe Mondays
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
sunday selfie day for pets                                
oh Scrap Sundays
sundays in the city
Pink Saturday!
 scrap happy Saturdays
sewcanshe Saturdays
viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/
http://sky watch Fridays
  http://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/
rosie and the boys nature pics   
Thankful Thursdays pet parade

Thursday Thirteen
http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/ 

fly away wordless Wednesday

geese over Aurora

Fly away!

Please enjoy this music!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl55KD1IAF4

living in Denver's flight path

word of the year Explore... stamping

She looks a bit like Sophia Loren, no?

My word of the year, Explore!, was the inspiration to pull out my new stamps by Jane Davenport

a cleared cutting table is the right way to start a project!

The stamps are made to cling to acrylic blocks but I can't find mine so I used a discarded tupperwear lid, put the cling on the outside, used my new ink from Barnes and Noble which says it's permanent on fabric, in green the color that was on sale.
and pressed it onto a little scrap of white fabric... three times so I could experiment.

I inked the stamp, then turned it over to press onto the fabric, firm pressure, hold a few seconds, lift

the starting point. Gather some pencils to try from Dick Blick, and my brush markers

and be ready to mess it up. Started with the spiral stamp, and stamped hair in green spirals, then overstamped with the tiny heart in different colors. Valentine's day is coming up.

darken some lines with brush marker, oops too much on the eyes, went back with white gel pen to cover the thick line. Used baby blue to shade the neck which you can't see well here but it's effective.
Brushed on more color on lips and cheek.

pulled out my red scraps to see what she could become
cut a heart out of one just to see

I originally thought to do a green woman coming out of a tree... but with V-day approaching...

don't forget to heat press with iron

and three already printed to play with, the sky's the limit!

Review...
Like the stamps a lot!
Like the ink a lot!

linking to
https://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/
http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/
myquiltinfatuation Thursdays
Esther's blog Wednesdays 
Let's be social Wednesdays 
Midweek makers wednesdays
 Free motion by the River Tuesdays   
https://stitchallthethings.com/ to do Tuesday

The week ahead

missing my home in Maryland

Looking out on the morning rays....

I love quiet mornings with Dad, quiet til I alert my peeps there are people on the sidewalk!

welcome to this week's Happy Homemaker post... let's get started on the week ahead shall we?

Looking around the house...
it seems dusty. We cleaned the floors yesterday but it's a bigger house than we had before. Table tops are full of books and magazines, bags of purchases from the weekend are in a chair reminding me to maintain order takes effort.

The weather in Aurora
The snow is still here from last week, but the temps have been much warmer. It's been nice to walk around without teeth chattering. The weather changes all day here, I'm not used to that. Wake to clear blue skies, then by 10 it's solid cloud cover, by 4 it could be up to 50.

Breakfast
Well! We went to Panera Bread for a late lunch of broccoli soup Sat. and got bagels, so bagels it is! Not the breakfast of champions but I'm allergic to lots of foods, and can eat these. We also love strong French coffee, now mixed half caf/half de-caf, with cream. I look forward to the first cup each day.

To do

Hahahaha, go ahead make your plans!

 And the list goes on... and the list is long...
Milo has another ear infection, and the vet already sent out a reminder he needs a booster so I guess I have to call them. We ALL hate going to the vet. We ALL feel pushed around by them. I miss my vet in MD.

This car is TOOOOO small!

 I want to spend lots of time in studio but have a scheduled PT appt which always causes me a lot of pain after. And instability of joints, so I must be really quiet for a few days.

 Anyway, I really need to focus on the Art Quilt group's book so I'll try to read it. You know how you want to read the selection and to fit in, but sometimes don't like it as well as the others do? That's how I feel about this book.

to do... go through my messy purse and clear it out!

to do, make stuff, see the craft category

To do... many many things need doing but might not get done because I am coping with a contrary body. So I'm frustrated.
I started putting away the Christmas things, but will keep out the new battery lights and garland on the mantle for now.

battery lights that come on automatically

The tree will stay up for now, because it brings me joy. Maybe I need something tall and green in that corner... a palm tree, or ficus, or maybe something fake so it doesn't dry out here.

I had a really long to do list yesterday because DH was home to help me lift things.

Reading
I'm reading a mystery by an Annapolis writer, and love the references to places I used to go. Marcia Talley, A quiet death.
DH got me two magazine subscriptions for Christmas, so I'd like to look at the current ones.

Watching
Exciting! I am enjoying, the new series with Marie Kondo on sorting and tidying ones possessions.
You know how possessions take control of you if you aren't strong? She is gentle, not about getting rid of things but about only keeping what makes you happy.
It made me write a post for later in the week. I learned so much by having to sort before moving...
Anyway, she's on Netflix and I love the families she works with, and the approach.
By the way I couldn't read her book... it made me cross, but on tv she is wonderful.

Sadly we finished up some of our fave series this week on ACORN. I went on a hunt for new series to watch so it will be okay.
We watched several episodes of the Australian series "the Moodys" which is hilarious! It is wild and funny about a wackadoodle family's Christmas each year. What a romp! I can't wait to see what outlandish things happen next.
I am also enjoying the shows, Time Team (digging around England) and Lords and Ladles (Irish chefs recreating manor house meals from 1800)

I cannot believe Hallmark is still showing Christmas movies... they need to call it Christmas year round! Enough!
I'm watching my purchased class online thru Craftsy just in case it goes away. Oh sure, the new owners, NBC (blueprint) SAY my purchase will be there as promised but greed takes over these days, and promises are thrown out, and businesses shrug their collective shoulders and say, "sorry not sorry"
My class is on painting on fabric. I'm a long time watercolor painter, but this technique uses medium instead of water so I want to try it. I bought the medium this weekend...

New stencil... blowing dandelions and thinking of wishes!

Making
I decided to pack away the Christmas bargello til next year. Kind of like starter bread, it will sit and wait for me to work on it next season. (Hallmark are you listening?) I am tired of it, and want it off the design wall so I can make the abstract snow/cattails piece in my mind.
I also want to use the stencil I just got at Michaels  to make a portable block keeper.

I want to do the rainbow scrap challenge again this year. A color is announced each month, and we make our own creations using those colored scraps. This month is red, so I began thinking of a design for this year's Valentine quilt. I make one each year since we've been married, 24 so far.

So exciting to have lots of projects to make!

Lessons
remember... injuries pile up. Bodies can heal but they always remember the injury. Most of us have something to cope with, that others can't see. Things that wear us down that are not apparent from the outside. We need to be understanding to people, as it's not obvious what they are dealing with.

We may be far away from friends, in fact most of my friends are in other states, but they are close in our hearts and a phone call away. Still there, still loving us, still our friends.
As it turned out, I got to talk to several of them last week, and it was pure joy.

I also mentioned wanting to chat to some of you I have only known through this medium... and one person contacted me and it was so much fun, meeting on phones and finding another person I really like! A friend! Like online dating! It is exciting to know I have a new friend out there, one who gets me without effort!

Inspiration this week

https://www.the-open-mind.com/

linking to
https://comedy-plus.wordless wednesday
https://comedy-plus.com/ Awe Mondays
happy homemaker monday

sunday stories

 sunday's stories continue.... the prompt is from Sunday's Whirligig again:

decorate, plain, ring, long, silence, glass, little, tea, house, chimes, heat, warm

Decorating a house

"Okay, I'm here finally. Had to put the roast in the oven for dinner!"
"Great Mama, let's get started!" said Meliss, " the house really is so plain! Don't you think we need to decorate it somehow? We don't have a lot of money but I'll have this house a long time and want it to look happy!"
"Of course darling girl!" said Mama, "let's start with the little hall here"
They looked around, and down at the floor, to the ceiling.
Silence.
"Or we could start with the bedroom! Lots of possibilities there!" said Meliss

After looking at the small bedroom, with it's plain white walls and brown rug, dirty glass in the small windows, they both fell silent again.
"maybe a soft blue for the walls?" asked Mama
"I guess... but I thought maybe pink?" said the daughter  "And the bathroom has some pink in it already, the tub and the sink"

Mama thought, she's always liked pink. Not mama's fave color. She took a sip of her tea while she waited to answer. Then she heard the little chimes on the antique clock. It was 4 already. The tea felt warm in the teacup, and she needed the heat as it was getting colder in the house as the sun went down.

"Mama? Are you paying attention?" Meliss asked. "I said, how about a little rug with pink flowers next to the bed, and some flowered curtains too?"
"that would be perfect!" Mama said.
Then she heard the timer ringing down in the kitchen.
"Honey I need to take out the roast, we've been playing for a long time!"as she stood and walked out of the room.

Meliss just looked at her little house, with all the rooms open on this side, waiting for her dolls to move in. She was so excited that she had a house of her own to decorate! Just like I'm the Mama she thought! She slowly stood up, and reached for her doll, smoothing out it's hair before trying to follow Mama. She loved the times she and Mama spent together, and loved the house Mama got her,  and hoped one day she'd have a big house of her own, and a  little girl too.