Hydrangeas in Bloom ~ It's July

Hi, evryone!Nothing says "beach'' like blue hydrangeas in full fluffy flower!

This weekend we had our town fireworks despite so many virus cancellations. It was a drizzly cool night, still feeling "June-ish" of course. There was no big gathering on the beach as in good times, but Mo and enjoyed seeing the fireworks over the water as we took a bedtime walk.

Meanwhile, back home as July begins, the flowers and plantings are reaching their peak. Photos from morning walks, enjoy.

And back home on the deck.

Welcome July!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

photos from various friends as we emerge from isolation.... late June 2020

Stella is Stylish

Good morning, on a hot summer day at the beach!

Folks are enjoying the drier air today, I hope to walk down later.

Little things, mostly good things to report this week: I've been doing the tiny embroideries for the Tiny Baskets sewalong on FB. I 've never done backstitch before, so something new to learn.

 The motifs are minuscule. The blocks will finish 3".

The project is adorable, portable and fun. [designed by Julie Porter, free on our FB group].Below is, I think, Julie's sample.

With Julie's permission blog friend Penny is doing the Baskets too. Penny hs the best fabrics! And her Baskets are darling.

I finished Blue Basket, from French General, intending it to be a throw pillow, maybe for the pine bride's bench?  You may recall I was upset because the 40 dollar kit arrived wadded up in a ball and the seller was like, shrug---well now I find the backing fabric is much too small to use. It def states that is the backing! No response at all from FG this time. I was thinking of making their linen apron, or another textile collage...but maybe not?

On a different note of great customer service, I sent my beloved lavender micro serrated blade scissors back to KAI to be repaired.

Suddenly they didn't mesh or close, the blades hit instead. For $7.50 they said they'd sharpen and adjust my scissors, so I sent them off. About a week later the scissors returned. BUT they are new replacements. How nice is that. No cost to me, no explanations, just kind service. I will def be a returning customer when they have their next big sale.

And while many sources I use, like Amazon and Fat Quarter Shop, Fabric.com, have had two month waits for items one needs now [yes I understand but still], I have turned to etsy and [less but still good] eBay purchasing for really fast and personalized service. I treated myself to these wonderful wools for my big applique projects I have planned.

I had almost no wool left. Erin at Quilting Acres kindly helped me with everything I need including one of her very useful scrap palettes. I think we ''spoke'' on etsy on Thursday or Friday. My wools were here looking gorgeous Monday morning. Finally something to smile about! Quilting Acres

 I also received a pattern quickly from a personal website and good old Target has been a stalwart, bringing everything from outdoor seat cushions to Triscuits to ALL Free detergent, delivered fast and free to my doorstep. No marigold seeds, from etsy, though, I do admit.

Mo and I are headed out on the deck for some sewing soon. Finally we are finding some serenity in the hours we spend out there. The Basket embroideries each take about 3 hours for me to sew. Probably other quilters are much faster. Cuties, so worth the time.

It's not like I'm going anywhere....no curbside service here.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach..................

Oh I almost forgot!:

What's that weird title mean? Well, like many others have mentioned, I have been having weird vivid virus dreams. Recently one reoccurs each morning just before I wake up in a panic. I'm sitting at a wooden table, holding a package the size and shape of a loaf of focaccia bread. It's wrapped in newspaper and twine. I say, Oh it's so sad, this was not delivered---it was intended for Stella on Bonaire [the Caribbean island]. Somehow I know it holds fabric scraps for swap. Next to me is a man in a khaki sheriff's uniform. He says, Don't worry, Stella is stylish.
Then I wake up gasping.  The dream is very bright and colorful. I wonder what it means. Who is Stella, who is the sheriff? Why Bonaire?

A mystery in the time of the plague.

The Longest Day ~ First Day of Summer

Hello on this first day of summer, a summer like none we have ever had before. Yet--is there hope on the horizon? My area begins opening for Stage Three probably by Wednesday of the coming week. I am assured that if I wear a mask and ''sanitize'' I am safe to go out to the grocery store and possibly to visit my best friend L, if we sit in her lovely quiet garden.

I have become such a frightened miserable person during this time. I try so hard to keep a good face on things, but a sudden flare up of my pain issues has laid me low. I was so terrified at the doctor's office this week I was shaking, blood pressure soared. Of course he responded by Rxing massive amounts of pills, just one more upsetting hurdle to deal with. Surely one doesn't need two different blood pressure meds in large doses?

I don't have much to share: I'm having design problems with the two large scale applique projects that were options for this summer, and due to making masks, the commissioned baby quilt grown large, and thank you gifts,

Silent Night is not ready for its applique either. I did have the FG collage [ugh?]. Almost done with embellishing. It is tobe a throw pillow, but it really doesn't go, does it?

 and I'm working on my Tiny Baskets. I plan to at least attempt the darling tiny blessings embroideries this weekend.

I had to stop sewing on my friends' thank you gifts and Baby Pineapples, as machine sewing exacerbates the hip pain. My dog walker, reinstated now, with caution, has let me down repeatedly and other Mo helpers are getting testy--even annoyed. "You need to get a grip on the pain, you have to be strong,; be independent, go to the store too..." and so on. Mo deserves better.

So anyway instead I'll tell you about the most beautiful Midsummer celebration I witnessed many years ago.It took place on the beach, the open beach before the dunes were formed.

My friend and neighbor, a middle-aged woman, invited all her female New Age/ Wiccan friends to celebrate the festival of the Summer Solstice.

There was a big white tent, garlands of flowers, lovely foods and much wine served.  [I was invited to drop by, though not encouraged to stay.]

As the long evening approached some of the woman created a very large spiral walkway in the sand, perhaps, 50 feet in diameter--a path in, a path out. As sunset began falling finally the drumming began, so joyful, in an odd way. The women wore the flower garlands and chanting, singing slowly spiraled through the circle, in, out. Again, again. As night fell.

It was very beautiful.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......