Stash Enhancement and A New Project

Now this is going to look like I've done a lot of shopping, but we have two quilt shops near here that are going out of business. One is Quiltmakers and the other is Zig-Zag Corner. Zig-Zag will have a web based business so they aren't completely going away. Quiltmakers will close at the end of October.



These Halloween fabrics are part of my stash enhancement experience, and I'm reallly tempted to start a new project with them. I just completed the stitchery. I answered a survey quite awhile ago over on Gayle's blog (Sentimental Stitches), and she sent me the cute pattern for the witch as a thank you.

This was one of those batik bundles that I couldn't pass up. And, these I got just because I liked them!!I think this will be a table cover.

I've been sorting and organizing fabric. I probably should finish a UFO or two before starting something with these new fabrics.....maybe. More later. Happy stitching!!!

Flowers and Baskets

There isn't a lot of sewing going on here this week. More on that later. For today here are some photos of the flowers on my deck and in the back yard.

Mandevilla
Balloon Flower

Rust Day Lily

Another Day Lily

Susan G. Komen Dahlia Our back yard early in the spring before weeding and flowers blooming.
These are the baskets that I worked on while recovering from knee replacement. They are done in one piece and portable. They are from the book When The Cold Wind Blows by Barb Adams and Alma Allen. A friend reduced the size of the basket so it would fit in a charm square. This is a great use for all of those charm packs that we've bought and can't remember why!!




Thanks for visiting.

A Fun Quilt Retreat

This past weekend I attended an annual quilt retreat with friends from the northern part of Indiana and friends that live here in Indianapolis. First we shopped at The Back Door and Avon Quiltery and then had lunch in Danville, IN, at The Mayberry Cafe. Then we travelled on to a wonderful home located on Heritage Lake. This screened porch was waiting for us. This is where we spent our time sewing, talking and eating. We also did some stitching outside on the deck while watching boats on the lake.Our hostess' husband took us for a nice boat ride around the lake on Friday afternoon. Our hostess had many beautiful quilts displayed through her home. I especially loved this flower garden quilt.This pinwheel decorated the top stair railing.This antique quilt hung at the bottom of the stairs.
This quilt was one that contains blocks from a 3 inch swap that our hostess participated in. Several retreaters brought show and tell. Here is a great nine patch setting. Another retreater brought this gorgeous quilt to show. Great use of color!

Another retreater does wonderful applique and brought these blocks to show.

We took one final look at the lake and parted for a time hoping to return again soon. A great time was had by all!!!!

In Loving Memory

Mr. Kitty

3/2004 - 7/2009

Mr. Kitty showed up on our deck in March 2004. Our daughter, Kim, was home from college on spring break. The weather was supposed to turn cold, and Kim put on her winter coat and turned on the back light and sat outside in the cold with Mr. Kitty until I agreed to let her bring him inside. I had no idea that he would become such a loving friend and my constant companion these past 5+ years. He touched my heart in a way that I didn't know possible, and I can't imagine life without him. Thanks, Kim, for bring Mr. Kitty into our lives.

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awake in the morning's hush

I am the sweet, uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

I am not there. I did not die.

Rest in peace my dear friend. I will miss you.......

Surgeries at our House

I came home from the hospital on Thursday after having a total knee replacement on Tuesday. I'm doing well, but I think the recovery time on this is going to be a lot longer than I want. When I woke up this morning I asked Bill if we were going to put the tree up today because it sure feels like it should be Christmas time soon. I still need to use the walker to get around until the knee gets stronger. I'm upstairs and Bill is being a wonderful caregiver bringing my meals and helping with exercises. Here is one of my lunches:

Then Mr. Kitty had surgery on Friday night/Saturday morning. He had been acting a bit lethargic before I had surgery and would yowl in pain once in awhile. My son and daughter-in-law took him to the vet on the day I had surgery and she said that he had a bee bee lodged against his spine. She didn't see a point of entry, and since we don't let him outside she felt the bullet had been in him since before he came to live with us (2004). Since he has lost so much weight because of the overactive thyroid, she thinks that the bullet just moved and lodged there. By Friday he was hiding in the closet and not eating or drinking so he had surgery. When Bill picked him up we found that they had removed a 22 caliber bullet from his spine. He's sleeping a lot but seems to be more like the old Mr. Kitty

I have a couple of appts this week with docs and surgeons so will go from there. The days are taken up with exercises, eating, napping, and taking a shower.

Knee Surgery Tomorrow

I haven't posted in quite awhile. I've been dealing with the fact that I need to have knee replacement surgery on my left knee and getting ready for it. I am ok if I just sit down, but when I walk even a short distance my knee and lower leg begin to hurt and then it spreads into the good side of my hip and back. I know I can't keep going on like this, so I am having surgery tomorrow morning at 11 am. For the first week after I am realeased (probably after 48 hours or so), I will have to stay in bed laying down with my leg in a Continuous Passive Motion machine, keep ice on my knee, and do some exercises. I am hoping to be able to post more while I'm laying there, but since these are uncharted waters I don't know what I will be able to do. Having said that I have prepared enough applique and knitting projects to last at least 6 months...probably more. That doesn't include books, quilting and knitting pattern books, and sudoku puzzles.

Yes, there wil be photos.....NO not of my knee. I've taken other happy photos to post like the one above. I will post more when I can.

Visiting Huntsville

We came to visit our daughter in Huntsville, AL, on Friday afternoon. It is a 7 1/2 hour drive (with several stops). Friday was Kim's birthday so we went to dinner at TGIFridays. Today we went shopping over at a new mall on the other side of Redstone Arsenal. Whenever we get on the interstate to go anywhere, we always pass the US Space and Rocket Center. You can see this huge rocket with the American flag flying beside it from the interstate.

I call this shopping in the mountains. Indiana is so flat that anything that even remotely sticks up in the air looks like a mountain to me.

Do the mountains look more impressive from a distance???????

Before we went to this mall, we stopped and did a little shopping at Yarn Expressions. Kim bought me this gorgeous Koigu yarn for Mother's Day. There is enough for two pair of socks.

Then I bought a few skeins for another project that I have been working on. More on that later. The skein on the right is Malibrigo sock yarn so that will be used for a pair of socks. Storms are rolling in over Lady Ann Lake here by the apartment.

We head home tomorrow around noon. Happy Mother's Day to everyone.