May I Have More Minutes, Please?

April 27, 2016 by Candy Fullaway · Leave a Comment (Edit)

It is possible that I have more stuff on my list than can be accomplished before 2030.  I’m working to finish some UFOs, always a noble project.  Unrealistic, but noble.  I’ve finished three projects in the last couple of months and am sorry to report that it hasn’t made as big a dent in the UFO pile as I’d hoped. This is the latest to be finished.  It’s called Sea Goddesses.   This was Laurel Burch fabric from a few years back that I just had to have.

Also, I’m working on a Quilt of Valor.  I love red, white and blue quilts and I like this way of giving back.

In addition to the above, I’m taking an online class with Shelly Stokes called “Totally Textured.”  Shelly’s done some really fabulous quilts with Paintstiks and rubbing plates and I’m having fun learning a new technique.  Here’s an exercise from Lesson 2:

I have a new quilt in my head that I’m hoping is as easy and effective as I think it will be.  I have all the fabric I need for it, so I’ll jump into that soon.  Really.  I need to get it out of my head and onto the sewing machine.

Speaking of the sewing machine . . . Have you ever put in a new needle, tightened the set screw and had the needle fall out?  At first I thought I was doing something wrong.  But since I’ve been installing sewing machine needles for almost 50 years, I’m pretty sure I’ve got that part.  Turns out I wore out something and the machine is in the shop.  Luckily for me, Barbara has a machine just like it and it lives at my house.  With her permission, I moved it into my space and I continue to sew.

April is a really nutty weather month here.  It was well into the 80’s early last week.  Today it’s 58.  That’s actually not a bad temperature, but I’m planning to work in the yard in a couple of days when it warms up a bit.  I bought these babies today for a blank spot in the back yard, and yes, they were still in the trunk when I took this picture.

                                                                                                                Empty Spot

 

Hydrangeas

I’ll let them get used to being outside for a couple of days before I plant them.  I planted some other hydrangeas a couple of years ago that have thrived through some tough times, so  I have high hopes for these.

I can’t actually complain about the weather.  It’s a bit dreary but not severe.  Sending good thoughts to those enduring baseball sized hail and tornadoes.   Can’t even imagine!

Keep quilting.

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Finally Back

Finally Back

April 5, 2016 by Candy Fullaway · Leave a Comment (Edit)

I started this blog about three weeks ago, went to visit my mom before I finished it, and here we are.  So let’s just do both March and today.

March 16

It looks like it’s going to rain . . . again.  So far the whole month has been stormy, rainy, foggy and for a few brief moments, sunny.  I caught a couple of sunny minutes earlier this afternoon.  Thank heaven for pansies – they hang in as long as we don’t have lots of freezing weather and brighten even the grayest day.  And the tulips, which started coming up at the end of January are beginning to bloom.  The front lawn is beautifully green, though the back is ready to be declared a swamp.   I’m actually longing for a day dry enough to pull weeds.  This is high level cabin fever.

 

I’m at that point where I have a bunch of new ideas, but absolutely MUST finish a few things before I start anything new. One project will (I hope) get finished tonight.  Then I’ll finish one more thing before I start something new.  I’ll take the time to hang up spring quilts even if outside doesn’t look all that springy.

I always want to quilt tulips at this time of year.   We lived in Holland for a couple of years in the ’80’s.  This time of year the tulip fields are simply stunning.  After a long, cold winter, seeing all that fabulous color is just wonderful.  Now we get a taste of that in the Northern Willamette Valley where tulips are grown commercially and the fields of riotous color brighten up even the soggiest spring.  I probably have enough tulip quilts, but perhaps there’s room for one more.

There are patterns for both “Singing Tulips”, above, and “Tulip Fields,” below.  Just go to our shopping page.

April 15

And I’m back.  I should’ve just posted the short bit above at the time as things got busy and then it was April.  The March weather didn’t improve much until the very end and suddenly spring came, the grass grew and some weeds took hold.  I’m tired of my winter clothes and never want to see them again.  So, basically, it’s a normal early April.

It’s official – the UFO’s are out of hand.  I’m spending some time attacking the pile and deciding what to finish and what to set free.  So far, I’ve finished one UFO, quilted another and only have the binding to do and am quilting a third.  I also have an idea dancing around in my head that will make a good pattern and I’m excited to start it.

The other thing I’m starting is a six week online course with Shelly Stokes on using Paintstiks on fabric.  I’ve used them a couple of times over the years, but having them just hanging around while I’m not sure just what I want to do with them is silly.  So when I got the opportunity to learn from a pro, I decided to just jump in.  I’ll post pictures once I get going.

I love spring, but as you might have guessed, I’m not really into pastels.  Why I think spring things should be pastel, I’m not quite sure.  I look out the window at tulips and forsythia and daffodils and the colors are pretty bright.  Spring Sampler is about as pastel as I get and it’s not exactly a wallflower.

It will be on special on our shopping page until mid May.

We took a short road trip with Toby and Ella.  They’re actually pretty well behaved although Ella likes to take her half out of the middle of the back seat.  Also, she rarely sleeps during the car portion of the trip.  Apparently she doesn’t want to miss anything.

Toby, on the other hand, settles in for a nap as soon as we hit the freeway so he can be full of energy when we get to Nana’s.

Over the years, I’ve taken about a millions pictures of the dogs and once in a great while I get a good one.  This is my new favorite of Ella.

She can be kind of bossy, but is mostly a sweet girl.

Toby is harder to photograph.  Black dogs are a challenge.  He’s an 85 pound snuggler, which can be interesting.  He has the cutest sense of humor of any dog we’ve had.  Toby knows he’s hilarious and really enjoys it.

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Keep quilting,

Candy

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