A Perfect Day!

After that arctic chill of the Polar Vortex, Friday seemed so mild in temperatures. It was sunny and in the forties in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. I was so happy to pop in briefly to the Alton Community Center and share some quilty tales and chocolate with The Sunshine Club!

Pauline and Sue were having a great time in the conference room of the Alton Community Church (which had been the Congregational Meeting House) where we are temporarily housed during renovations on the Community Center's building. It sure was good to see them after all the bad weather had kept us apart!
But I was on a mission to find the new location of the Footprints Quilt Shoppe which is now in East Rochester, New Hampshire, very close to the Maine border.

After a couple of false leads, I found it in the Shoreyville Plaza, a pleasant little strip mall right on Route 202. Not long after I had arrived, my dear friend, Grace, from way over in South Portland, Maine, showed up to meet me, right on time!

The new shoppe has a large classroom downstairs and an upstairs lavatory. We enjoyed seeing all the displays and made-up samples, too.

Grace and I both needed our drool bibs for all the great fabrics, LOL!

The shoppe owner, Kelly Jerome, was so hospitable and friendly as she cut our selections for us.

We noted that Kelly makes a once a week sojourn just next door to the Lucky Find Antiques emporium and has some sweet primitive display pieces to show for it.

So nothing would do but to browse over there too.

No other pictures but we truly enjoyed our lunch at the $6.50 buffet at the Main Moon Chinese Restaurant on 12 Union Street in downtown Rochester, New Hampshire. I feasted on General Tso's Chicken, garlic sauteed green beans, chicken and broccoli, Teriaki chicken skewers, Crab Rangoon, and pork lo mein. Yummmo!! I even brought home two big quart containers of their wonton soup, my favorite. They put 8 or 9 big wontons into each container and they make the soup with zero vegetables in it, just the way I prefer it, LOL!

It was the perfect day! I hope you had some fun, too!

Happy sewing!

Another Pilgrim's Progress

There is a new tradition that is popular among bloggers to select a single word to become one's focal point throughout the new year. Last year my word was "focus." It helped me to work on ongoing issues that I have with cleaning/hoarding as well as quilting.

Tanner is mid-yawn; Tyler is mid-snack.

Remembering one single word is do-able; hanging on to a whole list of resolutions for the entire year is unmanageable.
So after much thought, I have decided to select the word, "Progress." I like the fact that this word can be used both as a noun and a verb depending upon its pronunciation and usage. I hope to make good progress on my goals and to progress those goals.

My life goals themselves are ever changing week to week as many tasks are seasonal. To keep myself grounded, I like to work with my "Fab Four" list for quilty progress and review those four goals each Friday. The trick, of course, is to jot them down on paper and keep the list visible, LOL!

Miss Raven ambles over to see what is so interesting to Miss Emma-Lynn and Mr. Tipper, the cat.

When I see/hear what others make as their choices, I often want to scream at them, "Hey, don't be so hard on yourself!" Take it easy. Everything will be okay!
Sometimes it is hard to still the voice of the inner critic. We are kinder to others than to ourselves.

Try to be more like a dog or a cat; centered in the present and non-judgmental.

As they say in India, "Do the needful." And have some fun, too.

Most of all, be willing to laugh at your own mistakes. This next one wasn't mine, but ain't it a doozy?

This was taken on January 13th and not on April 1st!

One of the finest positive affirmations that I've ever encountered is:

"I am enough."

Let it sink in and provoke your thoughts about that.

Enjoy the process as you progress!

Christmas Gifts

I am totally remiss in the lateness of this post and I apologize publicly to my very dear friend, Debra, in Western Massachusetts. Please forgive me!
Debra sent me a box of splendid goodies for Christmas and I thought that I had photographed these lovely gifts and posted here about how much I love them all. Egads, I did not! But wait until you see the gifts!

There are two sewn bookmarks, both embellished with vintage buttons, and checkbook cover that has been sewn with an extra pocket to hold your deposit slips, and two wooden signs proclaiming my philosophy!
There were also some nice 5" charms in the box which now I cannot photograph because I've put them in a safe place, LOL!
This would've been more than enough to please me, but wait! Look what she made for me!!!

A beautifully stitched and quilted tote bag made of Moda's Field Notes charms! I just love it! It is so perfect that I'm almost afraid to use it for fear that I might put a mark upon it. And just look at the inside, too.

Two big roomy side pockets and a fully enclosed stiffener in the bottom. I also love that fabric that she used for the interior and the handles. Debra, THANK YOU!!!! Once again, I am blessed with treasured friends. Yes, I like the stuff, but your friendship is the best gift of all!

Happy sewing!

Civil War Sampler

Earlier this week, my very dear husband, Felix, re-injured his old ankle sprain. It left him only able to hobble short distances like to the bathroom but only with a cane. I've been his URN, un-registered nurse this week and not doing very much sewing.

I did, however, get back into Clue 1 of the Celtic Solstice to work on finishing up some of those tri-recs units.

I got as far as 96 of these neutrals which is just what I need! Next I'll work on more of the orange ones.

My big joy for this week was when the postman brought me this belated Christmas present from my dear friend Grace over in Maine. Wheeeeee!

It is Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler book of 50 quilt blocks! I love this and I did not have it!

Each page is a spread of instructions with a diagram for cutting and sewing one particular quilt block, with lots of historical notes and stories about it. Then there are two full color photographs of that block as it has been made up using reproduction Civil War fabrics. It really lets you see what your block might look like.

Thank you so very much, Grace, I love this book!
They say that a good friend is a gift that you give to yourself. I say that a good friend is a true blessing.

Happy sewing!

Rained Out

I haven't yet put any blocks together for Celtic Solstice by Bonnie Hunter, but yesterday I worked very hard to complete the last of the shaded triangle units, so now I have 100!

My batch of freshly baked cookies for the ill-fated cookie swap in Milton were made in vain! Now cancelled for the freezing rain, it is the 3rd week that we've tried to have it. Each time it was postponed due to bad weather. Sigh. Well, that's New England!

Raven and Emma Lynn know how to stay out of the rain, LOL!

When in doubt, eat cookies!

Squeaky Snow

When the temperature drops down low as it has been lately, the snow squeaks when you walk on it.

The last nor'easter left us with a fresh 8.5 inches to plow, shovel, and sweep off of cars.

The air is so very clean and crisp, it reminds me of why I truly love winter weather!

Early sunrise from my front door.

No weeds, no bugs, no mud, and best of all, no stinking hot and humid days!!!!

My Farmer's Wife quilting group meets at the end of the month usually, but has a cookie swap planned for Monday, weather permitting, of course.

Laurie Aaron Hird wrote the book.

We have all taken the vow to assemble this sampler quilt completely with hand sewing and scissor cutting using templates.

It certainly is a change of pace from zooming through mystery clues on my old trusty circa 1949 White Sewing Machine, LOL!

My southern-facing living room windows give me a lovely light for stitching these on sunny days.

The blocks will finish at 6 inches in the quilt.

There are 111 blocks for the queen size and I'm the newest in the group and the slowest to have blocks done. I plan it to be a three to five year project.

The kittens have been surviving the bitter temperatures of -12 degrees (Farenheight below zero). I was so relieved this morning when I checked on them to see that they were all okay and had no frostbite on their ears.

The cardboard box that they all cuddle together in has four layers of wool army blankets draped over the top side.

But as soon as the sun comes out, they are all gathered in the sunshine soaking up rays as you see above.

The dogs love a good rowdy romp in the snow!

And they are happy to come in and chew a good tennis ball to death on the futon, too!

Stay calm and quilt on!

Winter Fun!

After some false starts due to snow storms, Felix and Matthew and I did get over to my sister Suzanne's house two towns over in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, on New Year's Eve day.

We traded some presents and shared some tea and goodies.

I was very pleased that Suzanne showed me that she is using and loving her pair of Sister's Choice quilts. In the picture above, one of the quilts is hung on the wall behind my head. Here is the other one on her bed.

It is so gratifying to see them being used and treasured!

Back at my house, I have been trying out Felix's gift to me, the Verilux, "Happy Light" on the shelf over my computer.

 This is a full spectrum light that is helping me out with the dreary days of winter darkness. I'm loving how much better I feel after using it for a few days!

If you also suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, pick up one of these lamps at Joann's for yourself for around $40.

I've been thrilled to see Bonnie K. Hunter's big reveal on the finish of Celtic Solstice on her blog . It is such a bright and sunny quilt and I think that the blue/orange pieced borders really pop!

Now I'm motivated to go back into the clues of Celtic Solstice and finish each one. Today I was able to get all 25 pinwheels done.

I also needed 30 more of the orange/yellow HST's to put into the Clue 5 "Split Triangle Units."

I worked hard on those split triangles today and got my total up to 70 of the 100 that I need for the smaller version. Lots more to do and I'm having great fun with it!

Happy sewing!

Some Pretties

Yesterday was a quick trip to The Mothership, a.k.a. Keepsake Quilting's retail shop in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. I had been looking forward to their year end one day sale of 20% off almost everything in the store.

Having made some internet arrangements to meet Jane from downstate at the store, I was glad to arrive within ten minutes of our agreed time.

There was already a six-person deep line at the registers and the store was crowded with happy quilters. No sign of Jane, but I had fun shopping, too.

After an hour, I took my loot and went on to Dunkin Donuts for a decaf Toasted Almond coffee and a French cruller. Yummy!

Later I learned that Jane got off to a late start and she was very apologetic about missing me. No problem! I figure that there might be a Fat Quarter Sale this year in either March or April where we can try again to connect.
Here are my pretties.

A bit of cheddar from Renee Nanneman of Andover, a Judy Rothermel madder red, and four lovely Civil War shirtings in half yard pieces were my scores. The total was under $44, so I was pleased.

Kittens are all well and like to snuggle up all together when it gets really cold.

Happy sewing!