Happy Saturday everyone! Mo and I are staying in on this wintery afternoon, unheard of! Mo had a good walk [well, sort of] with his new alternate walker and with the winds now up in the almost 40 MPH range, I have to admit Old Man Winter has won this round and we are staying indoors.
I hate rain mommy!
Before grandiose internet weather reporting, this would be just a cold rainy/ sleety day...but No! We're having a bomb cyclone. You know how I feel about that designation, lots of ooooh, scary, not much meaning in real life. (Though now the snow has started, little mean ice pellets! Yep a day to stay in.)
The low pressure and and cold make my joints painful and create migraine headaches. I won't dwell but this has not been my most productive week, I admit. New glasses again, so many trips to the eye surgeon, blah blah blah. Will I ever see clearly again, I wonder late at night when I can't sleep.
I am calling this little quilt Lucky in Love, or LiL, but you won't see why anytime soon.
Some Instagram quilters present WIP blocks that are absolutely perfect and immaculate. I tried. It's good to take a photo and post it online though to evaluate one's progress, imperfections and all. And lookit my good matched points. But I do see that I need more browns, and reds, maybe cream, black?
Off topic---what is your opinion: When I am given precious prized, saved fabrics, shared by a friend, I love to use them in a quilt. But I wonder if that is right? Should I instead collect and cherish these fabrics, unused but much loved, in my little Fav Fabrics basket?
Last week I said I'd post a better pic of Candy Cane Lane, inspired by Barb Vedder's Tiny Trees, on her blog.
Here it is with the adorable matching tags I saved from a friend's Christmas gift to me. Stripes would be so cute.
Backing.
And below, new labels I am trying out. I like the idea and they are well made, but too dense to hand sew through. The idea may need some evaluating.
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Winter reading: I'm so enjoying this nature guide, written about England's shores and rivers, but apropos for my beach too. IG: @london-mudlark daily finds, great history included https://www.instagram.com/london.mudlark/
It's very well written. Most field guides, one leafs through for pertinent info, but this one is very readable, cover to cover. I read a few pages when I have my late morning tea, waiting for Mo to return from his exercise walks with the professional walkers, or later another few pages as again I have my tea after he and I have our afternoon ramble. Highly recommend to beach lovers, 5 stars.
*****
And here: seaglass bottles on a dolly dish, I've been adding twigs and other spring finds to them, just for fun.
The faux blue hyacinth is plastic and probably ghastly, but my favorite color, so it came home in my pocket the other day.
The square bottle is a hand blown into the mold ink bottle, I think dump dug by my dad, not a beach bottle. I found it again when spring cleaning the other day.
Speaking of cleaning, my $$$ professional cleaners have yet to return for part two : the bedrooms. I did like what they did so far, but oddly many things were out of place.
This wire chicken basket was given to me by an elderly lady whom I befriended and took shopping, to appointments years ago. She was also my beachcombing inspiration, her walls of books and paintings all interspersed with Mason jars of found coins and seashells. [not seaglass, though.]. Anyway the wire egg basket has lived with other folky animals on the heart plates rack for years, but the cleaners couldn't fit it back up there after cleaning. I see it is becoming a bit rusty. Any ideas how to oil it or preserve iit? Please let me know.
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This week the grocery store personal shopper texted me about which chew treats I wanted for Mo and informed me there is again a Charmin shortage, as well as jerky twist treats shortage. Huh. Anyway I texted back No to pig ears [!] and Cottonelle [yuck!] but asked her to add a spring bulb potted flower, 2.99 in their flyer but not available online.
This is what she sent me! I love it, such a pretty and dainty white hyacinth for my table this week.
And! I saved the best til last. Week eight of the indoor bulb project. The replanted paperwhite narcissus have grown and bloomed.
I am so proud of them and me both.
One of my mantras , all my life, is Never give up. I am so glad I redid the bulbs and gave them a chance.
Only one bulb is not growing yet. It looks pretty dead but I do see roots forming, so I will give it its turn, whispering kindly, "Strike three here, baby, last chance."
This is surely a long post for someone who had nothing to say. See you soon, who knows, by next week maybe the latest glasses will make me actually able to, well---see ya!
love
lizzy
gone to the beach...
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So many pretties in his post starting with the very first photo. Your hourglass blocks are a delight of color and pattern, the finished challenge project is going to be wonderful. As for fabrics, once given they are yours, if you love them use them in a project that you'll enjoy looking at. They're not doing anyone any good packed away in a box. Not sure about the rust on that great chicken basket, I think I'd try some wd40 and see if the rust will rub off, and a light coating of WD40 on the whole basket would probably keep additional rust from forming. I do hope your eyes settle down and you have clearer vision with the new glasses. All your spring flowers are a joy to see in the midst of our blowing snow storm today. Very anxious for some sunshine and spring weather.
ReplyDeleteOh, Lizzy, I love your hourglass blocks! The colors and fabrics are like eye candy. I think I'd like to make a quilt like yours for the antique block challenge. In fact, I think you sent me some of the fabrics you've used.
ReplyDeleteWhen friends send me fabrics, especially if they're old or reproductions, I tend to keep them. I get them out once in a while to look at and occasionally use a piece or two, but they are so beautiful. Most are only large enough for a small quilt. But if I were making a quilt like you're making, I would probably pull them out and use them.
I do so hope the glasses help your eyes. And soon!
Congratulations to you and your paperwhite bulbs. They're gorgeous!
You could probably use vinegar and a little steel wool to clean the chicken basket. CLR might work, too. And WD-40 makes a product specifically for preventing rust. I think it's called WD-40 Specialist Corrosion Inhibitor, though I've never used it. I think you could also wax the basket but all those intersections where the wires cross could be a challenge. I hope you'll let us know what you use and how it works.
I love seeing the little glimpses of your home in the photos--your corner cabinet with the pottery bowls; the ironstone; the bottles; and the beautiful wood and painted furniture. I think your home must be very inviting and comfortable.
Candy Cane Lane is a delight.
I hope you and Mo stay warm and have a good rest of the weekend.
Love your hourglass blocks. Perhaps a cream sashing would do the trick?
ReplyDeleteI have an egg basket just like your chicken, in use all the time.
Like you, I'd have been happy to stay indoors with weather like that, but I note that here in the UK the weathermen have rather "over-egged" recent storms and talked one of them up to the point that no trains ran in Wales, people didn't go to work or even go outside! (The Power of Covid Restrictions works elsewhere too, once you have people trained). Here we hardly noticed it but the next one was more noticable and brought a few trees down.
The book looks like a good read and what lovely little pieces you have decorating your house. Glad that the Paperwhites decided to flower in the end.
Those hourglass blocks make me think of the song "If I could save time in a bottle..."...I often am thankful when I awake each morning to find that I am once again looking down at the grass and not up at it:))) despite the vagaries that aging sends one....
ReplyDeleteThose hourglass colors are so rich and lovely...
Your sea glass bottles are really beautiful--there is something about objects worn by the sea over time...
I would definitely incorporate your "special gifted" fabrics in your works. It is such a joy to work with special pieces of cloth, I think...dotting them here and there, they bring many fond memories of generous friends...
I am looking forward to the predicted warmth this coming week...if only these winds would die down--
hugs to you and Mo Julierose
Gifted cloth is yours to do what you want. If you want to use it, do - especially if it's in something you'll use and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteSo many cool things in this post! Love the little blocks. I suck at choosing quilt colors but I love seeing what you make. And I love the candy cane trees!
Good luck with your glasses. I'm about ready to go somewhere else for an exam and see if they can do better because I still am not happy with the current lenses. I think the doc needs his equipment checked...
Love that the paperwhites finally bloomed! I'm still curious about what the holdup was, but I'm glad you didn't give up! And I love the hyacinths - real and fake. I think hyacinths smell good, at least the few I've had.
I watched some British videos on YouTube of people 'mudlarking' - hard to believe some of the things they find! The Lego bit made me laugh - did you hear about the time when a container full of rubber ducks got dumped off a ship in bad weather? Can you imagine finding your beach covered in bright yellow rubber duckies?? Craziness.
I probably missed something. I totally forgot the time changed today so I've been messed up all day! LOL, the perils of being a hermit...
Stay safe and warm inside! Give Mo a little cuddle for me. Take care and thanks for sharing!
I'm delighted your Paper Whites have done so well. What a delight. They're lovely with the white hyacinth.
ReplyDeleteI make a point of including precious fabrics from dear friends in quilts. They add a special dimension and association to the quilt. I'm tickled pink to see the Gap shirt apricot plus the black/brown sickle moon fabric in your little blocks. Great fun.
I hope there has been some improvement in your vision since new glasses?
ReplyDeleteCandy Cane lane is so very cute! And, your hourglass blocks look very good.
Yay! Very cool that your bulbs finally performed for you.
What a neat little bottle found by your Dad. A little treasure, for sure.
Take care.