Thursday, June 23, 2011

Just Sayin...




Hi: Been busy. At the start of the week, I had only one engagement. Then my week got very busy. That's the way it always happens.

     Life seems to speed on. Where do the days go?

              When I was a little girl, the days seemed to drag on forever. I think it was because I never thought about what was next. I totally lived in the present.

   We are almost at the end of June. Wasn't it just yesterday (Just a sec, I have to turn off  these two chatty cathy's on sportsline) that we were waiting for the snow to melt? Where does the time go?

I'm convinced that the older I get, the quicker time actually goes. It's not an illusion. I am convinced.

        Tomorrow I'm sewing with the girls. And it will be Friday already! I'm starting a Christmas quilt. I'm 
quite excited about this one. I've done the pattern before and it comes together quickly. Time marches on towards Christmas...a little too quickly now for my liking. But what can you do?

Speaking of time, some day we will be living outside of time. Interesting thought. I guess there are no clocks in heaven. What will life be like...without time. Or with all the time in the universe? Will that saying even be relevant in heaven? I'm not quilt ready (which is a word that deals with "time") to be there yet...but sometimes I let my mind wander...


     Just sayin...



    







                                 

Monday, June 20, 2011

Time to Sew

After a very busy weekend, and with a full day of no appointments (yay!) I'm going down to spend the entire day in the quilt studio.

And the fun thing is...I'm going to actually quilt a quilt. I have to diminish my pile of quilt tops before I can start a new project. Helps me reduce the stress of UFO's.

And seeing as today is another beautiful day with NO humidity (hate humidity!) I will grab my camera and go down to the water later on this afternoon when the light is perfect, and do some shooting. Maybe some people watching on the boardwalk. Might even take Maggie. She loves the boardwalk.

The sermon yesterday challenged us to practice self awareness. I'm overdue for an inventory and some serious analysis. So, along with my camera, my dog, and my latte, I will take my Bible and journal. Sounds like a plan.


Stash Manicure made the cut! 55 Best Quilting Blogs!



Congratulations Stash Manicure on being selected as one of the 55 best quilting blogs featured in Quilter's Home magazine. Check out the article.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The hills are alive...

Well, in this case, the city is alive...with the sound of music....

This weekend our city celebrates with all kinds of music on the lakeside park. Bands in the band shell, a large parade with marching bands, rock concerts, jazz, all kinds of music. Many residents attend, many can hear the music if they live close to the downtown area, and many take off for the weekend because the downtown core becomes quite congested.

We enjoy the music from afar as we can hear it in our yard...and sometimes it is very pleasant. However sometimes we wonder at what some people call music.

I'm a music snob.  I thoroughly enjoyed the popular music of the 60's and 70's while growing up but as a grownup I much prefer classical and sacred music.

That's not to say that when I hear some 60's and 70's music, I don't enjoy that too. I do! Especially a good Beetles tune, or something from the Tapestry album, or even Simon and Garfunkel. I'm dating myself, I know.

Well, this morning DH and I have enjoyed coffee on the deck before the sun hits it, filled the bird feeders, watered the gardens and baskets and now as I blog, he is sorting through his trunk where he stores his clubs, shoes, golf balls, etc. Which puts me in mind to go out and get him some kind of trunk organizer for Father's Day. He's been the best Father...and husband. I am very thankful.

During the heat of the day I will enjoy my quilt studio and decide on a project to complete. I have told myself I must complete one quilt top (the quilting of it, I mean) before I begin another project. We'll see how that goes.  That Grace that I bought last week is calling my name. Going to make it up into the Lucky Stars pattern for a traditional Christmas Quilt.

Well, my friend, have an enjoyable weekend. Rest, refresh yourself, and look around your world to see what you can give thanks for. It is good for the soul.



Thursday, June 16, 2011

Brilliant Idea!




My first quilting teacher posted something on her blog that I never knew about. Check it out! I'm going to try this for sure...

Why didn't I know about this before?



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Why quilting improves your health in ways even exercise can't manage!


A Glasgow University study found quilting improved well-being in ways physical and outdoor activities could not, offering a creativity that had been 'stifled' in the modern world.As devotees of a quiet and contemplative pastime, they would be the last to make a fuss about it.


But quilters, it seems, have every right to celebrate their craft after researchers found that it is ‘uniquely’ good for you.

The University of Glasgow team concluded that all hobbies – ‘from reading to train spotting’ – should be looked at for their mental and physical benefits.


They interviewed quilters and found the activity helped their cognitive, creative and emotional well-being, particularly among older people.

The use of bright colours was ‘uplifting’, the activity distracted from the stress of work, and quilting offered challenges such as maths and geometry. It also increased confidence and had an important social side.

Professor Jacqueline Atkinson, co-author of the study and a quilter herself for five decades, said: ‘Doing something that engages you and that you enjoy is key. As adults, we don’t often do enough that includes fun and play.

‘We put a lot into studying the use of green spaces and that’s useful to individuals and communities.

'But maybe we need to say there are other things too.’

Graduate student Emily Burt interviewed 29 members of the group and the transcripts were analysed for the study, published in the Journal of Public Health last week.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002862/Why-quilting-uniquely-good-us.html#ixzz1PI6keWlq


Sew, there ya go. Nuff said!










 








 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Feels Like Being at a Cottage

The weather, that is. Today is cloudy, a bit cooler than it has been. I think it is going to be a siesta afternoon here. If the siesta doesn't happen (cause sometimes I just don't fall asleep) then it's a cup of tea and down to the quilt studio. Maybe there are some good movies on this afternoon while I quilt...

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Baby, It's Hot Outside

And I'm a hot mess. I am not a fan of hot, muggy weather...especially in June. July...ok. But this is too soon. Down side is, I'm not going to be outside much until this heat breaks. Upside is, I'm spending it in the basement where it's cool. Doing some cool quilting.

This is what I'm working on. It is a free BOM from Bunny Hill Designs and you can find it here. I'm thinking it will be a cute quilt for the fall and since we are overrun with squirrels in our neighbourhood due to the dozens of black walnut and butternut trees...what can I say? My friends think I'm nuts. No pun intended.

I am also working on getting my mind set to actually do some machine quilting and make a dent in the many quilt tops that are crying out to me. Sandwiching the quilt is not my favorite thing. So much bending and kneeling while I get everything ready to spray baste. It's not as bad as pinning though. Gave that up a long time ago :-0

Stay cool!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Shop Hopping

Yesterday we shop hopped
...and bought more fabric...like we needed more!

Three shops on the beautiful peninsula, all stocked with lovely things for quilters. The second shop was displaying samples from my favorite designer. I've only seen her quilts in her booth at the quilt show in Lancaster, PA so to see them in my neck of the woods...well! What can I say?!  Delightful!!!

And this store had some of her batiks. Sew of course I had to make a purchase! This beauty on the cover is in my future, of course! A great way to bust my stash of beautiful batiks!

And we continue to work on Home Tweet Home. Very intestive quilt...not sure I'll ever make one of these again. The beautiful designs my McKenna Ryan draw me in...but to actually do the work to put the blocks together...well...I'll just stop here and say no more if you know what I mean!

Well, it was my first "official" shop hop and it was fun! I'll do it again, no doubt!

Today is a beautiful day near the lake! I'm going for a walk. What will you do?







Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Pathways in Life

  I went for a walk yesterday morning before the heat of the day set in.
I came upon this pathway and found myself thinking about the different pathways life takes us on.

Right now, I'm on a sort of quiet, reflective path. I suppose some might say a stalled path, but I don't think so.

Waiting is never wasted.
Waiting doesn't mean standing still.
Waiting is hard work.

This photo of this path reminds me there are places to rest along the way. And we are allowed to rest.

This pathway has beauty along the way. I can't see too far ahead to know where it leads exactly, but I can see my present surroundings and live in the moment.

Pathways lead somewhere. They get us from point A to B. And if that's all we are interested in, we miss a whole lot along the way.

When I walked this path yesterday morning, I heard bird song that was new to me. I saw a family of ducks resting by the side of the creek. I saw evidence of an old stone wall that once divided lawn from wood. I wondered how many little children had once played along that wall...

I enjoyed the journey. And when I came to the end of the path, I had been refreshed in spirit. So while the path led somewhere, it also had something to give me along the way.

Life's pathways, no matter how pleasant or difficult, have lessons for us. Being attentive to those lessons helps us along on the journey.