before and after

 

escapades with the command hangers have been mentioned previously....but after a challenging summer, the last time was really the last.  put the little gray cells to work to see how i could circumvent the pesky things....the above is the "before" picture...the shelving unit directly behind me when i sit at the machine....but this is the "after"....

the design wall is now up on a wall that is drywall, not concrete, as the walk-in closet behind was fashioned when the apartments were renovated.  the shelving unit now just a few steps to the left.  the management touts the closet as a big feature...but unfortunately it doesn't begin to offset the dope addicts and thieves who live here....it's really like a homeless shelter with more room.  the locked doors are meaningless...woke up again in the night with stench of pot, a headache, stuffed nose and chest pain.  pot is also legal in maine and my mother has the same difficulty....smoking rules go unenforced, management couldn't care less, the other tenants have to suffer....being half stoned all the time only contributes to depression, lack of energy and listlessness among those who need every bit of strength.  it just isn't right at all, but there is no one to fix the problem....

so long summer...

too many good-byes for my liking this month.....leaving the beach, now summer and my dear family members too...made this little door deco from one of the scraps....a freebie off the internet...now hangs on my mom's door....back to late summer and my somewhat regular routine....hoping re-bonding with my daughter and sewing machine will quell some of the sadness of leaving new england....

bye bye beach....

beautiful sunrise photo taken the other day....today cloudy and cool in the 60s but even so, never a bad day at the beach.  few more days then back to maryland.  aside from my daughter/son-in-law and my sewing machine, not a thing i miss there...continue to do some stitchery and applique but not quite the same. also good-bye to my immediate family and the comfort they provide.  it'll be back to PT for the remainder of my visits and ramp up my exercise to shed the cane...will still have lots of free time but alas, no sand or surf to enjoy.  anything more and i'd sink into melancholy.....

vacation update

 

my son-in-law took this beautiful sunrise photo the other day....a perfect example of our serene and pure enjoyment during our sojourn here at the coast.  very good weather--yes, few rainy bits--but not enough to spoil our beach time.  and what have i been doing besides lounging on the sand?  a few examples:

finished another crab for pin cushion to sell at guild's show next year...

another nativity block just about done....only head and tiny halo remain....

a thanksgiving cross-stitch piece to use up the last scrap of aida cloth i have....

started on the second angel for the nativity piece....

and lastly.....although i'll be returning to maryland next week....my soles (ouch, pun intended!) always at the beach!

quick housekeeping post

not much quilty going on due to vacay....but have to show my september OMG....i brought the folk art nativity blocks with me to see how far i could get...linking up with elm street quilts!

check back the end of the month to see my progress!

OMG and MM

it's that time...one monthly goal report...happy to say reached mine with this finish...linking up with elm street quilts to document my finish....

all done and delivered to daughter and SIL yesterday....they love it so i'm happy....when she was growing up, my working robbed her of much valuable nurturing, so anything i can do now before it's too late makes me happy.  and the monthly mini?

it's the christmas elves topper....glad to see those elves finally used and not stuck in the scrap basket...just so darn cute with a lot of fussy cutting and fudging required...

and this morning finished this....wonky and imperfect?  no way!! rustic and primitive i'd say...LOL...but definitely an autumn feel....

best of all, the beginning of the end for the plaid scraps in this particular drawer...and had just the right gold for the binding too...

to-do list is getting shorter with only a few things remaining before vacation...sounds improbable, but even without regular work, a break in the routine is sorely needed, especially with this pandemic hanging around, the surgery and so much disheartening news in the media.  for the first time in a very long time, experienced profound loneliness that not even sewing could remedy...short-lived but very real nonetheless...thankfully passed and looking forward to a life recharge!

getting serious about UFOs

like most quilters, i love starting new projects with new and/or pretty fabric or designs....leads to a cache of unfinished things.  this year have vowed not to start too many new things--only 3 thus far i think--and concentrate on the unfinished...here is one that has been quietly waiting for some action....

a drawer full of plaid scraps for a planned project, abandoned long ago due to far too many tiny pieces...but some blocks got done...what to do?

well only one completed block and a few others halfway....now to be a small table topper for fall...there are 4 more partial blocks that'll make 2 nice potholders...leaving me with those plaid strips...what to do?  thanks to bonnie hunter, the pied piper of scraps, decided on this...

this block will be about 8 inches finished and if i run out of navy (2 yards) will switch to another compatible solid...the idea is to empty the drawer.  about half my UFOs fit in the drawers, most of the others are flimsies waiting to be basted and/or quilted...so that is my quest.  there will no doubt be a few side small projects, but the main objective is to bust UFOs...and bonus effect is playing in my stash keeps the fabric buying siren at bay...LOL!

just for the record

 

so everyone who reads this will know....today is my birthday, one i would not have had without the expertise, knowledge, compassion and guidance from so many healthcare providers at Johns Hopkins and Frederick Health....life is indeed a precious thing...and most of all to the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, who bestowed those attributes on all those people...the day after my cardiac surgery, i promised the surgeon i would not squander the gift he gave, and a stellar report from cardioman yesterday confirmed that...i am blessed beyond measure.... thank you each and every one!

PS photo is of alma mater mascots, university of southern maine....go huskies!

monday report

the weekend started off with a zoom gathering of quilty blog pals....spent the time enjoying the techno-camaraderie working on this...

pattern came from an old magazine of christmas projects here....

i've made 2 of the santas and realized i didn't like the reindeer pictured because of the fabrics used, so with change-up, the reindeer is much cuter i think....no big rush on this but it'll get finished after vacation....

and remember this?

walked by it once too often so sunday pulled out all the scraps and folded them neatly, two separate piles of repros and everything else.  now when i want a repro, won't have to rummage thru the entire bag...
 

doesn't look like so much after all...they are smaller than FQs and just right for small projects and hope they will get used up quicker out in the open.

hot humid sticky icky weather back for the entire week.  got a list of to-dos before vacation, the first thing is staying cool of course!

just a reminder.....

 

Remember...Everyone....Deployed....with 2 nephews as brand new enlisted men, this takes on personal meaning....thank you Delaware sister daughters for posting this!

barb over at "fun with barb and mary" is sewing some pretty circle blocks with leftovers from friend wendy....  i too have a circles project in the beginning stages....

african wax resist prints to be appliqued on black and gray squares....couldn't decide on one or two prints so got a charm pack and using them all up for this project....