Summer Blues

 

Good morning! I got so busy yesterday, bedazzling a child's camp shirts, shorts, hoodies---I forgot to write my Friday post. Eeek. I kind of lost count of the days with the contractor and crew here, so unexpected. They have finished. Wonderful repairs; a few jobs not done because they need more planning. But what was done is fantastic,

I did remember to light my Solstice candle and to welcome the full Strawberry moon.

Coincidentally yesterday's Modern Tarot draw:

Now I must get my thoughts back together for a productive happy summer. Mo insists that a freezer full of doggy ice cream and evening walkies is all. we. need.

The Favorite Things [my name] vintage blocks from Sarah Sporrer. Next is the Pineapple.

And I want to do the Giraffe pull toy.

The pattern for Noah's Ark came. 

I'm making it at 75%, in shades of blue. My working stacks, below, including wonderfully perfect choices sent from Penny in SA.

And my collection of modern-ish blues in the cupboard, yes, I know it all needs refolding but the workers were using my stepstool.

I'm going to try this new-to-me applique paper. It's like freezer paper to use, but the magic is one need not pull out the paper. It goes away [ mostly?] when washed. Before I start, I want to make a tryout swatch, just in case it's a gloppy mess of wet Kleenex in real life.

My quilter has had machine issues; I am still awaiting my quilts. I did tell her not to rush. I'd rather wait and be sure her equipment is working. But that means no lovely mindless hours of binding sewing just yet. So other projects resurfaced for consideration

I have this much loved worn out blue and white quilt to repair. 

This is rather embarrassing, I found almost the same pic ---from 2017!

...when looking for Mo baby pics. Problem is, I love the quilt, I want to fix it, but get discouraged. Closer I look, the more tattered it reveals itself. But I could at least make maybe three replacement patches to sew over the worst damaged areas? Get started?

I also have this quilt to take apart, a Mennonite top from Illinois.

It was my mom's; I lent the top to a friend who without asking me, had it ''finished''--as in tied or knotted, not quilted, using very puffy polyester batting.  It is very thick and hard to store. She used it for years in her sons' summer bedroom and one block is very frayed. Edit: Many blocks are very frayed. The original blocks were made with that early 20th century very frugal 1/16" seam allowance.

My plan was to undo the ties, fix the blocks. Maybe switch out the ghastly fuchsia for light cheddar. But just now, on close inspection, I decided it is hopeless, and have no idea what to do. [I should give it back to the friend!].   The cheddar in real life is not baby poop brown!

I did a little work on BB1, auditioning the KF Rainbows for a border. Was surprised it didn't work at all. 

Next week Ill sew the Beachballs on instead, then I can estimate how to take apart my nine-patch top from eBay If it all goes smoothly, that may be ready for the quilter by, August?

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On a positive note, some pics from a friend who def knows what she is doing. She designed and made this gorgeous HUGE 102" x 102" blue and white beauty for the bedroom in their new house. I love it so much.

Note how the slightly Art Deco feeling of her design melds so beautifully with their Art and Crafts antiques.

I think that's the first quilt she ever has had longarm finished; she does beautiful hand quilting. And then there's this wonderfully authentic Airplane quilt. Great colors and design. Her photos aren't compatible w my upload system, sorry for sideways.

Another  beautiful blue of summer: the hydrangeas just this week have burst into bloom.

We're back! Rushed in from dinner walk by a sudden rain squall. I don't mind getting a bit wet but there was lightning. Mo was baffled, had to be coaxed home with promises of "yum-yums', a word he knows well. Enjoy this lovely last few weeks of June!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

oh look, the Painted Coreopsis did reseed and regrow. Not as lush as last year, I must allow more seeds to form this year.

And my friend's red campion reappeared also.

Catching Up ~ Construction Chaos

Hi everyone. I am a bit mind-boggled after an unexpected week of home repair construction. I hesitate to say ''rehab'', as no redecorating,  just essentials. Last week when I was out thrifting [or not]w my friend, another friend texted that he had  a contractor available to do my long neglected home repairs. I never expected the work to start within a day or two, but it did. I am thrilled so far but so stressed, as is Mo.

 Tomorrow and for the next few days I'll lose some/ all access to my computer/ photos/ bathroom! So I'm just catching up today instead of writing about my summer quilt plans. 

Mo has found the project quite interesting. He esp loved the demo.

He snuggled with  electric drills.

The mess is very contained. But well, there.

If you look close, Mo is under the table. He is quite fond of this box of debris.

The construction team is, to me, quite impressive. Fast and very neat. They do ignore Mo, which makes Mo sad, but probably best they stick to their work lists.  The boss takes photos of everything before things are moved or covered. I was so touched last night to see that they had carefully replaced my cherished collection of lavender seaglass, onto the newly painted window bar. How sweet is that.

And they cleaned the screens!

When all is done I was thinking of replacing my pathetic wobbly dining table with this cute inexpensive table from, of all places, Walmart. It comes in white too. But my friend reminded me tables are very heavy and hard to get down the FEMA stairs and then to the landfill. And the WM table is super heavy, all real wood, 80 pounds!

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Last week was Mo's Ten Years adoption anniversary. Just him and me but I made it special. Trader Joe's chicken and a candle, a party hat. He is always fascinated by celebrations, he knows the funny hat means--treats. We're saving the ice cream for warmer quieter days.

Hard to imagine ten years, how fast they have gone by. Mo arrived on that foggy June night, a very big boy for only ten weeks---he weighed 7pounds, 9 oz on the air manifest, I recall. And those big ears.

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Small Bramble Berries update, last til finished I guess. This was odd, only time I have posted on Instagram and gotten NO likes or comments at all. Maybe everyone is very bored with my BB1.  Post was noting that I added the blue blue seashell borders and auditioning another round of Beachballs. I like to see ideas on a site like IG, large image, a step back from one's photo roll.

I was sad, IG is usually so responsive. Message received: yawn.

We just had the world's shortest rain squall. It got very dark, wind blew, three raindrops fell--that was it. Sunday I am invited to a Father's Day BBQ. I hope I can go, the construction crew works weekends, so it's iffy. 

Back soon, I hope, have a good weekend.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach..

this flamingo has been seen on Cape Cod and now on Long Island. I saw one years ago after maybe H Irene? But I would love to see him on my beach!