Freestyling "The Porch"

Hi! It's been a busy week! I decided that my blog friend here Kit has the right idea, she says she enjoys and savors every hot August day. Yes!

So I've been cooking and pickling in the evenings [more foodie stuff soon!] and just getting right on out to the beach every afternoon. Otherwise chores, errands and to-do lists will eat up the entire summer.
You ever feel that way?
 One great thing about the beach is that once you pack all your projects, and books, and cooler, hat, sunglasses, and beach chair..and trudge across the white Sahara of summer sand, you're away from it ALL. You can't jump up to turn on the oven, or put the clothes in the dryer, or take someone somewhere you don't really want to go.

I've really been having fun with The Porch quilt. Here it is all set up and ready to head to the beach.

All my threads picked out...

I've been working ahead on this panel. I knew I did not want the very large watering can that the original has.

I wanted to redesign this section now while I have it in my head.  And while I have the time to work on it. A tiny idea sketch...and photos for placement of more flowers....

I wanted Kitty in the hollyhocks.

And we must have a flag, all my large quilts have a flag!

We've had fun all summer watching a black feral kitty like this raise her four babies,. There's even a dad-cat! Known as Stripey. The babies are three black and one striped like daddy. So this will always remind me of this special summer, 2012.

The cats' nursery was in a fenced area where wild or ''volunteer'' hollyhocks grow.

My idea for the panel was to use the pattern flower shapes but add stems and grass. I was inspired by this small quilt I made many years ago.  We weren't as cognisant of crediting designers and I have no idea whose design it was. I added trapunto ladybugs, bumble bees and flower centers.

I loved it so much I then made a table runner, machine appliqued...You can see how I was moving away from my bright Fiesta colors, and bringing in blues and more subtle shades. I never used this runner, sadly, and had forgotten it til I hunted for the little holly hock quilt.

For awhile I made a number of small quilts, until some kind person pointed out how ''twee''and tacky and useless they were! Oh my. The person said I could have sewn and hand quilted an entire large quilt instead, why did I waste my time? I had no answer and actually quit quilting for awhile, only repairing and repurposing antique quilts for my online shops.

I credit Lori of Humble Quilts with renewing my love of minis and doll quilts, and now I enthusiastically await her annual quilt-along. Who knows, maybe years from now someone will actually like my tiny quilts...

But back to The Porch! Fun, fun! Prim applique is great. Relaxing, no perfection or symmetry required. Or even desired.

Here's the partially sewn panel....

I plan to only pin-baste the leaves for now. And I see I forgot the bird on the kitty's tail!

Something to sew tomorrow....

How about you guys? Do you let naysayers and critics ruin your pleasure in your crafts? I hope not! It's all about the process, the "doing" , I now believe....


original post and links here
Porch quilt designed by Lynda Hall www.primitivepiecesbylynda.com
quiltalong with Lori at HumbleQuilts  www.humblequilts.blogspot.com


love

     lizzy

gone to the beach....

photo art from One Kings Lane,
this pic only

August/ Autumn

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Hi! Did you notice? Solar autumn has arrived! [as has crafty autumn, just look at all the orange and brown and leafy  stuff on etsy...].

Of course it's not really autumn, but maybe you've noticed a change in the light? A bit more golden sun, longer rosier sunsets...

I thought it was my imagination, but no. I noticed this on  my tide chart page the other day:

''Solar summer is the three-month period with the most sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere. This period begins during the first week of June and ends the first week of August. In the weeks that follow, those living at mid or northern latitudes will notice a marked decrease in the daylight period and a gradual lowering of the sun in the sky." Old Farmers' Almanac

Okay, that makes some sense, kinda like high tide on Cape Cod Bay where, if you miscalculate you will arrive at the beach and find No Water At All. Horrors. I always wonder what the tourist folks make of that?  

                    

My mother planned beach trips rigorously to arrive at high tide so the kids wouldn't  be disappointed. (and/ or confused, since our beach always has water despte the tides.) I tried to tell her there as a ''window of opportunity'', a couple hours before and after high tide, where the water would be there, on its way in or on its way out, but there. [She ignored me,lol.] So anyway it does make sense that five or six weeks before and after the summer solstice---the longest day of the year---are the  days with the most sunlight.

And I suppose that is why, in ancient days, around June 21st was  "Midsummer", a la Shakespeare?

Despite the logic, this idea is a bit confusing, as astronomical summer begins at the solstice and the newest  designation---''weather or climatic summer'' begins here at the beach just before the Fourth of July and lasts at least through October, maybe to mid-November. Thanksgiving is usually the beginning of our autumn. And May and June are barely springtime, often chilly heading towards cold.

Boy, we can make ''summer'' last, like, forever! I love it.

Hope your summer, even if sooo hot....is going great! Are you yearning for Fall?

Fighting the urge to buy a pumpkin, clipping stuffing recipes from the food mags? Or just kicking back, and sipping one more margetita, babe. I know what I plan to do!

love

         lizzy

                 gone to the beach...

Thrift Shop Treasures

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Hi! Another weekend is here...the summer is flying by too fast.
I stopped by the thrift shop this afternoon. Great airconditioning, wow! We know how that charity spends its cash. But I am not gonna complain.
I've been flea marketing since I was a tiny girl. But thrift shops are new to me, since they are few and far between here. I am just getting the hang of it, haven't figured out discount days or best junk days...but the hunt is fun. [and cool.]

All the goodies shown here were found one day early last week:

A very large folky wire heart basket! Maybe a bushel? BIG!  Wow! I just love it. Looks so old and handmade though probably is not, most likely made in India or somewhere....

For now I plan to fill it with shells and driftwood, out on my deck. Or to display my collection of glass fishing floats. The basket is so big it kinda dwarfs my collection I think?
Look at the curly lacy edge and spiral feet.  Small wire hearts on handle bases...

Next winter I will fill it with Christmas pine and holly and greenery and set it by my front door.

This is a very large shirt or blouse, NY Laundry. It was in the men's section but I am unsure. It is a very soft washed slubby linen, with lovely blue roses. I just couldn't resist!

It can be hearts [maybe just the sleeves?] and/ or it looks great with these fabrics I just bought. They are to finish some blocks gifted to me by a dear friend. I want to use them in an unusual way...[more on this in a month or two!]

Then the first and only time I've ever found yarn at my shop. Wonderful wooden needles, never opened, never used. I rarely use large [13, 15!] needles so I was happy to find these, and the pretty neutral yarns too. 99 cents an item, 99 cents for all the knitting needles

The dark skein is deep blue and emerald-green metallic, iridescent somehow. But subtle. I couldn't resist adding a few rows of it to my current ''busy hands/ busywork'' scarf. (You know: mindless knitting that you do when you have  guests or meetings or a long car ride?)

You can  see the color better here:

And these, still with their Home Goods label, also never used. Mercury glass containers with vanilla candles. These are not votives, they're big, like an ice bucket size.

Dust off the candles a bit next Christmas and they'll be so beautiful, I think.

Today when I stopped in, there were a number of obvious ''pickers'', stocking up for their shops or booths. Now I know where the flea market folks get their junk. I made a huge mistake though...there were three! brilliant turquoise cotton rag rugs, 4' x 6'. I was too tired to stand in line to buy them, didn't want to shell out 14.99 each. Now I am looking at my rag rugs here in my bedroom/ office. Their turquoise is faded to palest blue. I'm such a dummy.....oh well...

That's it for now!

love

lizzy

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