Thursday, March 28, 2019

I Like Thursday #134

Welcome to this week's list of likes! I like the colorful boxes I've gathered over the years, for my studio storage. Things like zippers, bag handles, trims.

I liked going to the small Denver sewing expo last weekend... some pictures...
Look at the antique sewing machine cabinet drawers turned into display boxes.
This may be too many buttons, what do you think?
I laughed seeing this pattern for a dog/cat bed... Milo would take one look and tear it shred to shred. After all that work, so I won't be making that.
I liked chatting with this designer at the show...
find her at www.Beatriceforms.com or beatriceforms on IG
You can order her dress forms through Colorado fabrics. She takes three d pics of you and makes the form to look just like you.
OH NO! said I... that's all I need to commit hari kari.! But I'd love one if I was thinner, and making clothing.
this booth had lots of vintage embroidery... I LOVE vintage embroidery!

I got a surprise gift from Shannon (I'm working on a project) this week. A beautiful book of the SAQA art quilt exhibit she is a part of. and a wonderful card.

My friend Sonja in HI sent me another box of fun... a book by Anne Lamott, a beautiful handmade bookmark and lovely hand painted scraps
I started playing around with the scraps and decided to make a mountain view and do lots of hand embroidered grass and flowers on it! Yea! Thank you Sonja for inspiration and collaboration.
I have more fabric than some stores but am having the hardest time choosing a background for my painted birds. In the Monday post I described spritzing paint on them to soften the white backgrounds...
but now I can't quite settle on a background. I do like this one with dragonflies and it blends with my handpainted flowers on the bottom... but this dark one is good too, only this is all I have,not really enough
I got out pencils and markers and colored in one of the stamped images done earlier in the year...
and like her but she's very pensive, no? Pretty in person, and more saturated in color.
Can she sneak into the banner?

I love the soft photo of my kalanchoe plant who is re-blooming at the moment
I like the banana split pudding recipe I concocted last week, recipe (HERE)

On a walk this week, I prayed that I could find wisdom and answers to a longing for meaning in my life.I know it's supposed to be light-hearted here on Thursdays, but I am giving you a peek into my real heart here.

This talk changed my whole outlook on things...
want to be happy?


And after I listened to this talk by Richard Warren, the author of the purpose-driven life 
https://www.ted.com/talks/rick_warren_on_a_life_of_purpose#t-1245098
I had to find his book at the library to read.
One of the many fine things he said, was that a couple may not plan to give birth to a child, but God does, we are all important and we all matter. There is a reason we are here.

Milo's Moments
Hi Y'all! It got warmer here this week, oh don't get excited... on a walk I heard Mr. David say we'll get snow into June, but this week it was warm enough for Mama to open the slider to the screen so I could enjoy keeping an eye on things, while knowing where she was.
That concrete step is mighty comfy with a lot of poodle hair to rest upon. I have a big job in the family. I am the one to keep everyone out of the yard. I do this by BARKING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS any time I see a neighbor come outside their house. The latest intruders are cars driving by the fence. I chase them off right fast, you can count on me! Barking the whole time.
Mama and Daddy do not appreciate me either. They bark at me, can you believe it? Milo shut up! That's enough! As if I am not the director of Household security! I get no respect!

But I like my job! And good thing too... not one of those cars has driven into the back yard yet.

Please visit these peeps to see their list of likes this week. And if you do a likes post, let Mama know!
  https://scrapatches.blogspot.com/
http://daybyday12101.blogspot.com/



.http://littlepenguinquilts


https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
  http://sandysnowden.blogspot.com/
http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/ 

musings of a menopausal melon  
 
https://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/
http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/ 
https://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/

  https://whataboutrheema.blogspot.com/ 
http://sonotorganized.com/   

Linking to these parties!
https://chedcurtain.blogspot.com/
http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/
off the wall Fridays
http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/ 
can I get a whoop whoop Fridays 
https://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/
 http://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/
Thankful Thursdays pet parade

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

Monday, March 25, 2019

the week ahead... now that it's spring...


Welcome to this week's Happy Homemaker post. It's looking like Spring around here, the Kalanchoe plant I got last year at IKEA is blooming again. Oh not all over but enough to look alive!
I'll take it! And put it in a bunny pail because I like cute.

First thing in the morning
I woke at 7, note to self, go to bed earlier. I am not sleeping well, but can't sleep after the sun intrudes into the bedroom so I need to just adjust my night owl tendencies.
 Milo slept in with me this morning, having had a harrowing experience yesterday with the bathtub and the shaver. DH got up earlier and had coffee made for me, and I needed it looking out into more gray skies and visually solid fog.

The weather in Aurora CO this morning
Here in the dry climate it's 98% humidity til the fog burns off. The temps are more Spring like this week, 50's and 60's during the day, (feels like 120 in the sun) and 30's at night. I hear birds. What a welcomed sign! No flowers pushing through the still standing piles of snow, but the aspens are forming buds.
To Do
Laundry, always laundry, but I don't mind laundry. Having a machine on the second floor is a real bonus in this house, and you put dirty clothes in, and (supposedly) get clean clothes out to sort and fold and put away (thank you Marie Kondo!)
We put out the porch furniture yesterday, vacuumed and mopped the wood floors, so it's the usual daily stuff to do.

I need to throw out the dead flowers... Only one of my Iris bloomed in the vase, the rest died all still buttoned up on the stem, never really living. What a life lesson!!!
 The studio organization continues this week, and it's satisfying to sort the tangle of supplies into new locations, but nerve wracking too as I might not remember where I put things. I'm getting into labeling the new bins. You can't make stuff if you can't find stuff.
everyone needs a Guard Flamingo
I must finish grooming Milo's "naturally curly hair" as it got cold and dark while we were shaving his feet face and er, privates yesterday. Today the brushing and "Edward Scissor Hands" work is to be done, to make him into the fashion icon he usually is.
It takes work to look pretty. Since I've all but given up on myself, I pour this effort into Milo.

Making
I'm ready to make a spring banner with last year's painted birds. They were painted onto scraps of white and looked so stark to piece into a larger quilt, so I got out the paint my friend gave me...
Covered the birds with a piece of freezer paper ironed over them and tried something new. The paint didn't come out in a mist, but with globs at first, then eventually a find mist (which I no doubt breathed in) I like the white around the birds in interesting shapes, and can now trim them to fit into the new banner. After they cure for three days (!) according to instructions. I might just iron them and be done.
The design wall looks pretty with the pastel hand painted silks, the new hand dye at the bottom, and my painted bits from experiments. I painted these birds originally to practice colors for last year's Spring piece, on which I painted birds directly onto the quilt top. Can't throw anything away!

Watching
I have been watching TED talks again, (online)  and this one on how we make decisions was fascinating from start to finish... can't embed it here, but this is the link...
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness#t-1991611
The speaker wrote a book called Stumbling on Happiness as well

I am enjoying project Runway, Master chef Junior, American Idol, Time Team, and sadly just finished the latest season of Delicious. Survivor is really good this year with twists and turns.

Writing
I wrote a Sunday Story yesterday. I liked the imagery that poured out of my quickly typing fingers, please read if you have a moment https://lapaylor.blogspot.com/2019/03/sunday-stories.html

Reading
finishing up my latest nighttime mystery Murder by the books. Looking through my beading books for inspiration as I am ready to sort my beads and start something shiny and sparkly.
Ordered some new magazines through an offer DH gets. I get a year's subscription for $4!

Lessons learned
I think the Iris taught me to bloom. My bloom might not be the biggest, or brightest bloom in the field but staying safely inside the bud is no answer to that. Risk blooming, and showing who you are. There will be people who get it, who appreciate you for your particular qualities and enjoy sitting next to you at the table. There will be people who don't get you, who might refuse to see your light... sad for all. (My family) But still... bloom. Risk. Be yourself, let your flag fly! Show your colors!

cooking

I wanted banana pudding this week,, but not the work of it so I developed this recipe I call Banana sundae pudding
gather
gather these things,
My bowl makes enough for us to have dessert for two nights, plus the poodle portion
layer cookies, slice bananas over them, spoon pudding over that and smooth out.
Put on some plain frozen cherries and sprinkle coconut over. Cover and let sit for a day or overnight.
Not like the cooked, and then baked banana pudding of my youth, but this takes a minute to make!


I hope to do lots of things this week, that bring joy. My coffee group didn't start last week as promised, a sign on the door said it's been postponed for two weeks, but those of us who went met in the parking lot and had a laugh together.
When I found out it was cancelled I said, "what! I rushed down here!"
A woman responded, "I know! I put on regular clothes for this!"
I said, "I even put on make up!"
We all related to that, and I have high hopes to make some neighborhood friends soon.
Have a fine week y'all.
Linking to
https://familycorner.blogspot.com/
https://comedy-plus.com/ Awe Mondays
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
lovelaughquilt.mondays

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Sunday Stories


This week's writing prompt comes from The Sunday Whirl  


I don't often use their prompt because it comes up on Sunday, and I want to present my stories on  Sunday mornings, however the words lead me to add a bit to my novel. I write from imagination, but this is a feeling I know well... enjoy




Audie looked out the kitchen window while washing up the prep bowls from the casserole she put in the oven.   It had an hour, so she had an hour.

Funny thing about time... we all have 24 hours in a day, some of them are free and some of them are spoken for, and sometimes we feel we've been given an extra one to play with.


The sky was turning that late afternoon kind of golden color.
There was an alchemy, a seemingly magical process of transformation, about it.
It looks different from all the other times of day, and somehow feels quieter, and slower than all the others. The birds knew it would be dark soon, and they were quieter too, but still chatted to each other from tree to tree. Their bird whispers were kind of soothing like the background music she played while painting.

She knew the sky would start a color show in a few minutes, so she fixed herself a glass of iced tea and threw in a sprig of mint, and decided this free hour was hers. She would not waste it inside, or miss the cloud show. She felt the pull of emotion more at this time of day, not that she understood it totally.  Her heart seemed to swell with feelings of meaning and some undefinable need that she didn't feel during the day. There was a sort of longing, and meaning just beyond her grasp, that she knew was important to feel even if she didn't understand it.


This time of day, she often felt like singing the old song, "down in the valley" (listen) to herself, as she sat on the back stoop. The sky began to pink-up... pink and lavender peppered the blueness, blending, swirling in a dance to entice the moon out. "Come, dance with us... ", they seemed to say. Colors mixed, as she turned off thoughts of the day, with their mixed demands to take action or wait. A person didn't always know whether to make plans or live life in the now.

Now. This is too important a moment to waste, her spirit begged. Chill out, in the growing chill of the air. Feel the air, smell the jasmine on the vine, listen to the quiet and hear it, look at the mix of colors as they change against the backdrop of the sky. Let your heart rejoice. This moment and it's feeling will pass in another moment... and you must not miss it.


She noticed the moon now, glowing white through the cloudy sky colors. Not the super moon, no, now it was a quiet moon but it was there. It shone and glowed whether humans looked up or not. It did it's thing, always changing to our eyes, yet steadfastly always there the same. It did not depend on petty human actions to continue on it's path. It didn't care about our disagreements or stress or the sting of tears at some slight we felt.

It shone on all creatures here, the same warm caring glow on deer as they quietly fed, on children catching fireflies in the evening, on babies and oldsters, on bugs and on trees.


The darkness surprised her with a tap on her shoulder. It had sneaked up on her from in front. It was slow and quiet, the night, almost unnoticeable in it's stealth. Her tea was gone but she didn't really remember drinking it. A breeze tickled the baby hair around her ear. An owl hooted from the distance.


Oh no, she thought, the moment is almost over... her favorite time of day.


Time, like the moon, always there, always there. But like the moon, it  changed in it's own way, and how we perceived it. Now it was pulling her thoughts... she didn't want to hear the timer's shrill noise in this quiet, so she must rise to turn it off in a minute.

 Just one more minute.






Thursday, March 21, 2019

I Like Thursday #133

Welcome to this week's list of likes!
I like cows. Yes, cows. For years now. These are two out of three special pottery cows I own, one got broken in the move and I need to repair her.

I like the sprays of spring colors I got at Michaels, and put them on my china cabinet
I refinished this cabinet, from my granny's house, and it's very special to me. The movers broke it too.
Forgot to include a picture of the lamp I got at IKEA last weekend. LOVE the bright yellow color, and that the neck bends to exactly the right place to illuminate my screen, and the sewing area!
And forgot to show the cutest little pink glass to go with our bigger pink glasses also from IKEA
It holds a cup of liquid, and fits just in my palm and I love a small glass!
And we just may have to go back and get this table... so pretty
We went to Hallmark this weekend, and Milo enjoyed shopping with us... the owner enjoyed him and told us about her grand dog puppy living with her...
We checked out the really cute bowls there on the table... look what's inside!
Gather your wits!

I had to stop and laugh out loud on a walk through the snow this weekend... look who jumped up on it
I kind of wanted to knock on the door and say thank you. They rolled a ball of snow and put him on it!
On the calendar, it is Spring. So this is what Spring looks like here!
I'm ready to make something with my painted birds and flowers...
I enjoyed a free show on the Quilt Show (online) this weekend with Kathy Doughty, of Material Obsession. I learned so much!! Nice of Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson to give us some shows!
I'm also really jazzed that Project Runway returned to Bravo, and that Master Chef Junior is back on... love those talented folks.
So happy my fabric stash got sorted finally and I can find things easier!

I love TED talks... a living magazine article that expands my knowledge and awareness.
This one is interesting for creative people, in my opinion, because this scientist describes the process of learning through play... through creative thought and letting yourself look at problems a new way....

To me, it's all the same, fixing a creative problem. The substance is different, but not the process...
Hope you enjoy the talk about how our moon was created
https://www.d.com/talks/sarah_t_stewart_where_did_the_moon_come_from_a_new_theory

I met with my art group this week, and one of the members did a lot of hand work on a tree trunk component. I can't show the front but loved the handwork from the back,
and the meeting was at Holly's Quilt Cabin, who had this for sale
so I invested in a few more quarter yards of the gold and silver shot fabric... heh heh

Milo's Moment

Hi y'all! Wanna play?
I am not a linguist but I am trying like crazy to learn some human. I don't know a lot, and refuse to learn what "stay" means, (sounds like no fun) but I am always trying to learn what Mama is saying.
I tilt my head so the words get in better, and to tell Mama I wanna learn.
I know just about everything that starts with "Milo do you wanna..."? is good. Wanna treat? Wanna play with Gracie (yes please), wanna go for a rideinnacar? Love that.
This weekend I went with the pawrents for a ride innacar to a book store and I was an angel.
Yep, pure angel! And everyone had to pet me which I really like, especially little humans who coo so cute! One girl said, "I wish my dog was a poodle"
But
Sometimes "wanna...?" back fires on you like when a wanna go for a rideinnacar ends up at the vets... but you buys your ticket and takes your chances.

Now sit! Stay! and please go visit these people to read their likes!
  https://scrapatches.blogspot.com/

https://www.su-sieeemac.com/2019/03/life-is-good.html



https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
  http://sandysnowden.blogspot.com/
Letting go the bay leaf

 http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/  
  https://whataboutrheema.blogspot.com/
https://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/
http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/ 
https://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/


Linking to these parties!
Thankful Thursdays pet parade

 http://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/
rosie and the boys nature pics 
Thursday Thirteen
 http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/

Monday, March 18, 2019

the week ahead

thank goodness for houseplants
Welcome to this week's Happy Homemaker day! Well it's Monday... and last week was the longest month of my life.We survived the blizzard of '19. It was very scary and left lots of snow and more ice.

no it's not melted, it won't melt. My husband laughed yesterday saying he's going to write a book titled:, "The snow melts in a day, and other lies told about Colorado"
 snow on the "covered porch" came to about 7" Milo is on the pre cleared path outside the porch
The Weather in Aurora CO
I felt like, I had broken up with snow but it's been stalking me. When I asked  neighbors might this be the last snow of this year and might we see Spring, they all laughed. (that's not a good sign) and said, well it could snow through Mother's day.
oh.
Ick
And it's not the snow so much as it's the ice. We've missed so many events because I couldn't get down the front stairs for ice. The snow around here is "drunk uncle" careening around crazily and then causing a mess wherever it's been.
Today, sun and no new snow, so that's a relief. I heard a bird too! Yea!

This morning
I woke with a start! from a nightmare. A daymare actually at 7 AM. Isn't it interesting how a nightmare can follow you after you wake? I feel frightened still, after half a cup of coffee, and typing this. Another cold day, I'm wearing fleece leggings, cuddle duds turtle neck undershirt with sweater.

People Chow
For once I wanted to share something edible. I do not want to spend lots of time cooking these days and have a lot to sew and read, so I discovered this easy way to prepare a quesadilla.
whole wheat flour tortillas on a parchment for oven, shake on a mix of grated cheese, some diced fresh tomatoes, some delish salsa (my new fave is Hatch Valley 505 Sweet N Spicy) which is flavorful not harsh.
under a broiler... people don't use the broiler as much as when I was growing up
til the tortilla cups up and the cheese melts. About 3 min
can you smell it from there? The shell is so crispy not hard, be careful folding or like us rolling it up
DH had this for breakfast after fighting the headwind to walk the dog, who works by the post office motto "neither snow, nor rain, nor dread of night will keep me from my walks"

To Do
So happy I got all my fabric sorted into orderly bins.

Next to do is to sort the purchases I've made and squirreled away the past year of upheaval, then sort the kits into one box, the WIPS (works in progress) or PIGS (projects in grocery sacks), then the finished quilts and I'm back in business. It became a business as I used to do lectures and run workshops on my techniques, was quite busy actually back East. I haven't wanted to put myself out there here, as I still feel unsure of roads and the weather flat out sucks to me this year. Maybe when the tide turns I'll be able to schedule something and know I can leave the house safely.
I actually did a number of things when trapped inside last week. I still need to do laundry and all the regular stuff everyone has to do.

studio's one and two
I am really happy with how Studio 2 is working, it's a payoff for the heavy lifting of supplies, and all the decisions about where to put things. The two studios together don't add up to the space I had in MD, but I'm finding the spaces to work for me!
 I can now go to a bin, knowing that's where the reds are for instance.
And use them.

I need to find a shelf with hooks to put in studio 1, as I opened a box with special ornaments for the studio and have no place to hang them in this house. With little room for furniture, I'm going up the wall, except the shelves I've seen with hooks are too long for the space. My neighbor does woodwork, so I asked if we could hire him to design one for me. Being also from MD, he said it's too cold to work til the snows stop but then he'll help.

Aren't a quilter? Then try to relate it to finally conquering a messy office into order, or a closet that is overstuffed with clothing. It's where I work, where I create, and it gives me joy, thank you Marie Kondo.

Reading
books, not kindles. I find I do not like using the ipad or kindle to read. I like books, and have a lot to read, but not a lot of focus. I also love magazines, so I read them which takes little focus. I do want to start the creativity book soon, as I have an art quilt group meeting this week.

Special outings this week
I have my once a month meeting with the art quilters this week. I look forward to seeing this group of 10 people, my only real group here so far. It provides a set of friends I need, and a place where everyone understands the need to create.
There is a new coffee meeting starting in our 'hood too... we live on a golf course, and there is a restaurant here, very conveniently in walking distance. They are hosting a meet and greet. When do you think it is?
Yep
On the same morning as my once a month meeting. I'm going to do both, as I really need to meet some people here.

Watching
Now remember, this is MY list.
 I know I'm not the norm in this group, but this is what -I"M- watching and there is no shame in watching pop TV in the evenings. Some people said they don't watch reality tv. I bet they watch PBS, or the news, or talk shows, or America's got talent.
I happen to enjoy other shows, and we call them game shows, like Survivor, American Idol, Project Runway, Master Chef Junior.
I already know from comments, you don't watch that kind of show, but I do and enjoy them. If you can't relate, then it's okay to blow past this part! There are lots of us who do watch, and we can chat about the shows happily! Let me know if you DO watch these.

American Idol is going to be so good this year, I'd already buy cd's from some of these special singers. Master Chef Junior is ALWAYS fun. The contestants are little kids, amazingly talented little chefs. I LOVE the way Gordon Ramsey treats them with respect and kindness, always encouraging without being patronizing. He is gentle but honest and they know they are being treated like adults and thrive in this.
Project Runway returned to BRAVO with a fresh look and judges. It's going to be fun to watch the challenges done by talented designers of clothing. I already enjoyed the first episode, but didn't agree with the judges at all.Let the games begin. I often disagree with quilt show judges too.

We are also watching together, Time Team a BBC show about archeology in Britain. So good but they only spend 3 days in an area, and I'd rather they do a more in depth dig.

The Quilt Show online also gave three days of free shows (choose from 10) and I'm trying to see a couple of those before they go away. It's so good but I found when I purchased a subscription I never watched enough to make up for the money, so  now get the limited free offerings.

tips
It's just so messy outside, and poodles bring in lots of snow and ice, so we set up a drying station by the front door, moved the rack there to hold four wet poodle boots and his coat, and our wet clothing too

Creating
I finished a tiny snow scene this week, and my ongoing blocks for a challenge. I am excited to sew in my new space. I wake up and can't wait to get to work again. That's a good feeling.

linking to
off the wall Fridays
Esther's blog Wednesdays 
Midweek makers wednesdays
https://stitchallthethings.com/ to do Tuesday 
happy-homemaker-monday-