Gone To The Beach

Friday, January 12, 2024

Perpetual Nature Journals

Hi! It's a grey day here now with more storms brewing~ As I write this week's blog post I'm burning my Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissant candle. It's delightful, the whole house smells like hot chocolate, so warm and cozy.

Today is journal catchup day--but maybe I'll throw in some quilty stuff at the end. I filled an entire year of the tiny perpetual nature journal---and started year two. I am quite proud of the effort accomplished, if not so thrilled with the results.

But first...I was looking for a knitting pattern yesterday and instead found a very old journal at the bottom of the Star Fish bin that holds my knitting supplies. It even has notes/ cards from my mom, sigh, including this cover piece. She had a big Nantucket basket filled with heart stones like the one in this drawing.

An unfinished sketc by me: Robbins Hill Beach, Cape Cod.

Quite fun to see, I thought.

Shells on the beach.

Pressed Seaweed, and a big ''eagle'' feather, not pictured.

24 years ago. Seems like yesterday, but then..another life, another world.

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Nature Journal, starting late November.

Starting Year 2!

working ahead a smidge:

The sky for grey squirrel nests. They have a family colony--do they hibernate up there, or?

Last of 2023 Scribble pages.

I am out of my grocery list pads, too bad.

[I totally imagined those red feathers were from Mr Cardinal, who still shyly appears now and then. But I'm pretty sure they're from someone's Halloween costume or even my neighbors' garish red feather Christmas wreath, though found early November???].

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Parsonsfield is coming along.

I was all set to cut the final borders last night, but decided to check Lori's version. And I am glad I did because the border she made is delightfully wonky and prim, I love it. That's for this weekend if the power stays on. Fingers crossed. Humble Quilts

Tomorrow I'm making Swedish meatballs and egg noodles, can be eaten cold if need be. {Meatballs w Mushroom Gravy...} Have a great week! Next week we'll start our indoor flower bulbs, so you have time to order prechilled bulbs from Amazon, and dig out your fave delft bowls or McCoy planters. [postponed bec I just was informed I will have no water here for three days, some sewer project!!! UGH. I can't plant bulbs w no water...]

See you soon!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

PS I adore sherpa fabric--even got sherpa sneakers [Allbirds] for winter Mo walks, great Christmas gift, along w wooly Bombas socks. Bombas give one pair of socks to homeless person for each pair of socks sold. I love that. Bombas socks [they aren't just wool, in case you can't wear wool].

Just for fun...2017 pics

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Quilts, dreams, Musings, Plans etc 2023-2024

First blog post of the year! Time flies by. "The days are so long, but the years---they go so fast." If only we could hold on to the ''little kid' years, the holiday excitement, the wonder the joy. Mo and I are feeling lonely today.

I didn't get this post written yesterday as planned. I spent the day putting in storm windows and extra insulation of bubble wrap, in case the storm brewing is high winds and snow.

2023 was not a very productive quilting year, no new large, a few small. This was mostly deliberate, as I had taken a step back with my quilting, asking why , for what---since they are Dumpster bound. Of course the joy is in the planning and making, the final product is less important. I know that but still...

Cartwheels.

Blocks bought on eBay during Covid, finally quilted [Quilters Imagination/ Lori C] and bound this spring.

Giraffe in Egypt, a carryover from Lori/ HQ's antique block challenge. Handquilted by me.

Ladybugs and Lemonade, a utility nap quilt for a child:

Temecula Quilt Company, super micromini phone rest quilt. A challenge in hand piecing, as I recall.

Welcome ~ The Hospitality Pineapple finished. [quilted by Lori C.]

Top completed. Liberty Pumpkin by Jan Patek. [a wink and a shrug for IG and elsewhere online ''influencers and sheepy-followers'' that start Fall decor day after Fourth of July.

Parsonsfield, Lori/ Humble Quilts Fall sewalong. A challenge in ''low volume". Partially done/ In work. I stopped bec of holiday prep.

Flamingo Strings Stocking, for a little artist friend:

String pieced Flamingos drinks/ phone mat for me, next summer. I may add binding. I am thinking of doing this idea in a large summer quilt, I really love the funny tropicals and flamingoes.

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Winter 2024 Projects Plans, hopes, dreams:

I really really want this finished asap! As soon as I recuperate from Monday's IV treatment I hope to spend January and February on this.

And another winter quilt. Silent Night.

This is the pattern pic, by Jan Patek.

I was working on this to be my after Christmas wintery quilt when my vision went bad in 2020-2022. I struggled so to do the appliqués, not realizing I was unable [suddenly] to see the pieces. Upset, I set it aside, but I do love the design and am now ready to try again. [do I leave all the awful sewing, a memory nod to my panic and struggles? Esp bad are the Stars and Moons' points on the Sky area, As I recall I need 18 more blue and white Stars , borders and some piecing. Doable if I focus once Marsh is done. The Stars are too-dark indigo blue, not black, btw. Not clanging them now.

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I also want to make a Christmas quilt. I have the TQC reds and greens for a Log Cabin. This is from a blog I follow, so sorry I am not remembering whose. Tell me if it's your.

But then I treated myself to these glorious holiday inspired fabrics from Two Thimbles. The shop is on IG and very seductive. @twothimbles

The bad news is I have NO idea why I chose these [other than I do love them], because what I want to make is the improv Little Trees, inspired by Barb Vedder's Little Trees. This is my 2021 Candy Cane Lane version. I kept it out now to keep my focus. I hope to make a quilt a child might love and rescue from the black trash bag of doom someday. Tutorial HERE

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One reason I quilted less is that I painted, sketched, and journaled much more. The final journal entry each year is all my bits and pieces saved from the gift wraps and other bits. I cut out the Trader Joe's bags' Gingerbread village, thinking to make a little accordion booklet for this year. But--messy, right?

Apropos of nothing, this charmer caught my eye. How I'd love to have the energy and focus to create this crazy Beauty. It is a pattern from Sentimental Stitches.