A Moment of Silence

               

OFW

I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already.  Since Monday was a holiday, this week is going very fast.

I really do only have one flower this week, and it’s for my growing pile.  My partner for the Inchy Swap requested just stepping stones instead of flowers, and I sent them off today, but forgot to take pictures.  I also mailed off my Friendship tote to my partner in Sewing With Friends, forgetting to take a picture of it as well.  I was too rushed!  Four postcards went in the mail, too, but of course I can’t show you those, either!

I have now sworn off swaps for awhile.  I have enough fabric and patterns to keep me busy for the next ten years, and I might have ‘accidentally’ bought more fabric tonight at Quilt Club.  I even bought a kit to make a small Coneflower.  They have the pattern on backorder though, so I won’t get to it right away.

As you might have noticed, I like coneflowers!

My next project is to make a journal cover for my cruise to ALASKA!  I had a play date scheduled with a fellow blogger a couple of weeks ago, but something came up, and we haven’t been able to synchronize our schedules again.  I’ve never made a journal cover, but I had a brainstorm a couple of days ago, and hope to turn it into reality tomorrow night. 

As many pictures as I take on a two hour kayak trip, can you imagine what I’ll have after a weeklong cruise?  The thought boggles my mind!  heehee – you’ll be happy to know that we’ve ordered extra memory cards.

Let’s all do a Random Act of Kindness tomorrow..Sunny

OPAM and more

I’m running a little late, because I stitched well into the night last night, and was too tired to post.  So although I’m counting these items for OPAM, the official scorekeepers may disqualify me. 

In August, I finished a scarf for the Pink Scarf Project,

and several items that cannot be shown yet.  A mug rug, a tote,  and 2 wall hangings.  Earlier in the month, I made and sent 2 postcards, that have now reached their destinations.

I’m currently working on a few more postcards, and then I’m finished with swapping for awhile.  My To-Do list isn’t getting any shorter, so it’s time to get serious about getting some things finished. 

This has been a very productive weekend!  I got off work at noon on Friday, ran some errands, and then came home and put the binding on my second wall hanging while watching a marathon of Downton Abbey.  A friend loaned me Season 1 & 2 on DVD.  I think I’m hooked.  Now I have to get my hands on Season 3 before Season 4 begins later this month.  I sewed all day Saturday, finishing my little tote and my September Inchy Swap  hexies. 

Today was kayak day.  We spent some time on the water, and then took a short hike. 

 

 

 

 

And the best thing is, tomorrow is a holiday!  More sewing and relaxing for me.  Maybe I’ll work on something that I can actually show!

Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.

Henry James

How do you define F-R-I-E-N-D-S ?

For the past couple of years, I have watched from afar as Khris of Sew Prim Khris held her popular F-R-I-E-N-D-S swap.  But not this year – no Ma’am -  I joined right in.  One day last week, a lovely package arrived from my assigned partner, Linda of NC Fabric Junkie.  I didn’t open it right away because I came home from work sick the day it arrived.  I also hesitated to open it right away, because I hadn’t finished my items for Linda, and I didn’t want to be influenced by my gifts as I was making my final selections for her.  Just let me say that Linda was extremely generous, and if you’ve never had her for a swap partner, you’re missing out.  How does Linda define F-R-I-E-N-D-S ?

F = Fabric markers, Friendship cross stitch kit, Friend magnets, and fabric all boxed up in a nice File box

R = mug Rug

I = Inspiration (a cross stitch kit)

E = beautiful Embellished bag, embroidery floss, embellishments

N = needle case, notebook,

D = datebook, dishcloth

S = sweets!  and sleepy time (pretty pillowcase), sewing threads

I hope I haven’t left anything out.  There was just so much packed in that box.  Thank you Linda from the bottom of my heart.

If you’re wondering how I define F-R-I-E-N-D-S, here’s a hint.  It’s all packed up and going to the Post Office tomorrow or Tuesday.

I’m on a deadline to finish another swap item, and Fiona, my sewing machine is in one of her moods.  She just does not want to play nice and quilt for me.  I’ve tried to change the tension, changed thread, changed bobbin thread, changed needle, let her rest,  and rethreaded several times.  If you hear a really loud crash in a few minutes, it might be her sailing out the window!

Be kind to your sewing machine….Sunny

OFW and belated FNSI Results

I’ve been so busy working on swap items, that I haven’t had time to post.  I hadn’t done any swaps for awhile, and now I’m in three with nearly the same due dates.  Here’s a peak of one item:

I finished this during FNSI last week, and I also finished the pink scarf that’s under it. 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t think to take pictures outdoors over the weekend, and now it’s too dark to get anything decent.  When I showed the scarf last week, several people asked about the pattern.  If you missed the link, I found it here.  It’s very simple, and a great project for the car.

I tried something a little different for my hexie flower this week.  It’s still pink, but the petals aren’t all the same.

   

To see more pretty flowers, visit Karen for the weekly links.  Thanks Karen!

 

Must get back to stitching now!

Kindness matters…..Sunny

Sunrise? or Sunset?

 

 

 

 

 

I love sunrise at the shore.  The soft light, the peacefulness in the air, lone walkers and joggers, fishermen lined up in the surf.  It’s my favorite time of day, and I learned long ago that it’s best enjoyed solo.  DH is not an early riser, and that is okay, because he doesn’t appreciate the beach walk like I do, and I don’t ever want to hear “can we go back now?”

If it’s sheer beauty you’re looking for, sunsets will usually take the prize.  The light changes from yellow to pink to blue to purple.

In between sunrise and sunset are the birds, flowers, and lighthouses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visit to the Boardwalk.

Throw in some seafood and a slice of Smith Island cake, and that sums up my weekend.  What did you do?

Speaking of Pink–and OFW

It’s all about Pink today.  Several months ago I posted about the Pink Scarf Project.

I made a couple of scarves several months ago, and I’m working on another one now.  It’s not too late if you’d like to make one!

Naturally, my OFW hexie is pink as well.  Only one this week.

I’m not sure what happened to the layout on my last post.  I hope this one works better!

Kindness matters……..Sunny

Second Chances, FNWF results, and a Quilt Show

Last night I was sewing along with my friends, and although I was  very tired, I was determined to get some stitching done.  As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’m making two identical quilts, one for a swap and one for me.  Well, they will no longer be identical.  This pattern has given me several opportunities for ‘design challenges’.  It’s not difficult, mind you, My poor tired little brain just isn’t grasping some of the directions.  You know the saying ‘measure twice, cut once’?  Well sometimes you just have to step back and really think about what you’re doing before you do it.  The vision in my head was not what Eleanor Burns had in mind, and I didn’t want to go buy more fabric, so we’re improvising.  After moving past one hurdle, I had to do a little ripping and working past a second hurdle.  I think it should be very easy to finish now, but then I thought it would be easy from the start!  Or I wouldn’t have planned to make two. 
In addition to the two quilts, I finished two hexies for another swap.

Speaking of second chances, my postcard was finally received, so I can now show it.

Some how I missed the fact that we were supposed to have a Flower theme.  oops.  I made a couple more postcards last night, and used a flower theme to make up for this.  I’ll post  pictures of them once they’ve reached their destinations.  Hi Vickie and Chris!  No sneak peeks for you.  If anyone else wants to exchange postcards with me, let me know – they’re fun!!
After finishing two postcards, two hexies, and sewing and ripping on two quilts last night, I was too tired to post, but I was starting to compose this in my mind.  Then it occurred to me that I had watched a movie called Second Chances earlier in the evening.  For the second time.
The rain gods have been conspiring to keep us out of our kayaks the past few weekends.  We woke up to rain again this morning.  When DH asked what I wanted to do,   Ummmm….there’s a Quilt Show in the next town over!  Of course he wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but I bribed him with food and shopping, (he’s the shopper in the family, not me!), and off we went.

This is the real reason I wanted to go!  Have you ever met Cathi of Shakerwood Woolens?  You should.  She’s so sweet, and she has the most awesome booth, filled with all kinds of wooly goodness.  I met her last year at the Annapolis Quilt Show, where I bought a little wool and fell in love with it.  Not many stores around here sell wool, so I bought enough today for a couple of different projects.  Wool is so easy to work with, and the colors are scrumptious.
I’ll leave you today with a few quilt pictures from the show.  One of many verses on this quilt
I like this, but can’t imagine making that many snowballs.

Be kind to quilters….Sunny