sunday's stories

THIS WEEK'S WORDS come from sundayswhirligig:  
rat, message, shredded, shadows, waving, stick, text, bowl, candles, peaches, gone, slate


Andie glanced at the message left on the slate they used for communication these days. Their schedules were different, and they seldom got to see each other when their hair was combed.


It was early evening and she had just walked into the house from a long work day. It felt cold and empty, shadows forming from the low setting sun shining in the kitchen window. She reached into the fridge for the nearly empty bottle of wine, but the last glassful was gone, and the bottle was found in the recycling bin. Guess her husband finished it off when he came in.


She lit the peach scented candle in a bowl near the sink, pulled the cork from a new bottle of wine, took out the open bag of shredded cheddar cheese from the fridge. She looked at the loaf of bread and decided to just reach into the bag and grab a pinch of cheese by itself. Stick to your ribs food, junk food, fast and easy food. She thought about making dinner... another pinch of cheese, then she'd kick off shoes, take off her bra, wrap up in her ratty old sweatshirt and relax while her dinner warmed in the microwave.


The room took on darkness as if it pulled a woolen cloak over itself.  She thought of all the good things in her life, as she waved a hand over her too-hot food. She pulled out a kitchen chair with her foot, and sat down to eat. Looking at the paper  halfheartedly, she remembered the message on the slate board. It would say, "hi hon, hope you had a nice day, I'll see you soon, finished the wine " or something like that. Same thing every day, but it was still a sign of connection.


She finished her meal, stood up sniffing the peaches and cream scent of the candle, and moved over to the slate board to read, " Hi hon, wanted you to know how much I love you and miss seeing your pretty face. I'll leave work a little early so stay up for me!" She smiled as she moved to the bedroom for a quick nap, since it was going to be a long night.


We'll get through this she thought. We're still together.
linking to
http://sky watch Fridays

rubies!

Don't you love Rubies??! I do! What a nice gift they would make for Valentine's day!
Well, these are made from red scraps. Inspiration came from Jean Wells art quilt book, and the Rainbow Scrap challenge color of the month, red.

I'll just show some close ups so you can see the fabrics are different. I pulled thin strips out of the bin... and for some reason wanted to keep them kind of even. I did the log cabin setting courthouse stairs.

I started with any size rectangle... and tried to keep the darker shades to the shorter sides for continuity.

All the fabrics looked different before being sewn, then blended together after.

Then I got the idea to try log cabin blocks starting with a diamond, and a hexi instead of a rectangle.
"Brilliant cut" and "marquise cut" gemstones

I began to think about other colors and how the whole quilt might look together, so I played a bit with settings...

The blocks blend too much and side by side... how about black strips between?

not this regular, maybe if I set them like the first configuration with black... like gems laying on velvet in a jewelry story

Now that these are done, I'm working on my nature abstract of cattails in snow. I'll show that later... it's so much fun to design and sew.

linking to
myquiltinfatuation Thursdays
Let's be social Wednesdays 
Midweek makers wednesdays
pet parade 
ruby tuesdays
 Free motion by the River Tuesdays   
oh Scrap Sundays 
 scrap happy Saturdays
sewcanshe Saturdays
shabbyartboutique 
off the wall Fridays
can I get a whoop whoop Fridays 

I Like thursday #124

 Welcome to this week's list of likes. The 7" of snow last weekend was apparently perfect for snowmen building. They're all over the 'hood! And this one was spotted in our library...

made of plastic cups and wool stuffed in some of them! Clever!

not so clever...

I liked going to a drawing exhibit with my friend Rose, who is a graphic designer. She knows all about drawing techniques...

At the Parker Pace Arts Center

I liked this artist a lot, for whimsy and technique. I can sketch... like a 4 year old but this was simply amazing. Different styles, all good, all meaningful.

Artist: Adonna Khare price $1,500.00

Rose pointed out drawing is slow... deliberate. An artist that draws likely is imparting some symbolism or meaning, or at least trying to communicate with the viewer. We had a good time discussing the art, sharing history since we are new friends, finding common ground, and walking around the little downtown

Christmas is so yesterday... Valentines day is the new holiday y'all!
Speaking of red...

I like one of my  Red scrap projects as it builds.

Gemstones

Blending the lessons in Jean Wells' book (my art group is doing together) and the RSC project color is RED this month. I'll do a better post on these tomorrow! After  using those scraps, I also got the top closed on the scrap bin. (and removing the pink scraps that got mixed in)

I really liked checking out a lot of craft books from the library... I'll show you in a laterr post since there are some fun ones.

I like the book DH got me on special at Amazon... and want to make the quilts but they need the specialty ruler... so I found the next-to-last-one at a shop today! Look, even the ruler is smiling!  Gonna have me some fun with this!

I love that Project Runway All stars is on Lifetime channel again! I missed the first episode but love watching how they face a challenge with cloth!

I like this stone

purchased as a surprise gift for guitar playing husband

 I found in an artisan store in Parker, CO.. a river rock with a guitar cut through it.Or... a frame for my poodle-pup!

"Modern Silhouette of Poodle"

Milo's Moments

Barking out loud! Hi everyone, Milo here!
 I liked the snow, and all the smells in it!
Now, I have some questions for you...

Running Free in the tiny park!

when the mama yells "no Pull!!!" to me, seems like she is the one pulling on me! It makes no sense to me! I have to  check out a smell, and there she is pulling against my leash! Yeah, stop pulling... MAMA!

All you peeples out there, please explain to me why the Mama and Daddy get mad when I get stuff off the tall food stand (dining room table)? I'm an equal member of this family right? They eat off the tall food stand, why not a tall poodle?

While we're at it... why don't I get a plate of food at night in front of the talky-talk when they do. Their bowl smells a lot better than my bowl. I'll be only sniffing their bowl and they put up a fuss, "MILO! lay down!"  I don't expect them to go to any trouble for me, I don't want anything special,  I'll just have a bowl of what they're having.

Finally, why don't they put me up on the big bed when I want to go? They know I can't jump because of my unfortunate accident and surgery when I was 5 months old. I want my alligator chewie at 7 pm not 8 pm, and want to go to the big bed earlier than they do. All I'm asking is to get my jim-jams on sooner and into the big bed so I can rest my weary poodle head in comfort, but nooooooo, I have to wait til Daddy wants to go to bed to be lifted up.

While I'm at it, why do they take up so much room on the big bed? I like to snuggle as much as the next poodle, but they seem to feel entitled to take up most of the bed leaving me a small strip between them. I make the most of it though! I start out all balled up as if I take up almost no space. When they start snoring, I sneak up between them, and lay across the bed, kicking out my long legs, moving them to the edges.

What's the problem? They know it's time to get up when they are pushed out of the bed!

Please make Mama happy and visit her friends to read their likes for the week!
http://homesewnbyus
http://sonotorganized.com/   
 
  https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/
 maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
.http://littlepenguinquilts
 
craftscaviescontras
https://whataboutrheema.blogspot.com/
http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/  

http://sandysnowden.blogspot.com/
Minou's Minute
https://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/
http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/
 https://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/

Linking to these parties!

 Free motion by the River Tuesdays   
Our World Tuesday
sunday selfie day for pets                                  
https://magicalmysticalteacher.wordpress.com/
sundays in the city
http://sky watch Fridays
http://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/
myquiltinfatuation Thursdays
http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/ 

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

https://comedy-plus.wordless wednesday
pet parade 
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