Object Delight!

After
Before


Some folks take pictures of people....I'm obviously delighted with objects!

A new twist on an old barn

Unfinished Project

And I thought I was the only one with an unfinished project! I found this one in Quebec. Some of the fence posts are planted and the holes are drilled for the rope to run through. Except there aren't enough posts to guard this open field and there is no sign of a rope. I'm glad "they" decided not to complete this barricade of such a beautiful open view!




This would have been my narrow path if "they" had completed the fencing project....


Nice being home again. Nice to download all my new pictures taken in Quebec. Nice to play in photoshop. Unfinished....not a bad thing!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm??

Did I tell you I was going to Quebec City, Canada, for a week? Just got back today. Was a great trip....lots of pictures taken. But you know, it is so hard to even remember where some of them were taken....or even why some of them were taken!
At the time the subject matter seemed to be worth a picture, but when you look back at one and go hmmmmmm?????

For example - The town and countryside was filled with churches - really, really, beautiful churches. But inside one of them, I got a shot of a grate that hides a vent (no doubt).

Or choices of many beautiful flower gardens and parks and walkways and window baskets and flowering trees and shrubs...everything was in full bloom. And I got a pic of a cluster of dandelions....?

And the art galleries and boutiques and quaint restaurants and village after village with unique architecture and preserved cobblestone paths and streets - yet I was intrigued with this pear that still had the leaf on its stem that I found in one of my box lunches!



And the scenery is breathtaking. Rolling mountain ranges with wild flowers and wood ferns and maple trees. More beauty than the eye can digest, yet I found this wood pile!



I'll be more rested tomorrow and can perhaps digest the reasons why.....

Sitting on a Live Wire

I have been on edge ever since the attempted break-in last week; but today my home will not be fragile or broken again. I'm feeling more secure as each hole is being drilled in my ceilings and windows and doors. Wires are being strung from the attic down through each hole. I'm feeling warm and fuzzy and secure - wires are hanging everywhere! Feeling wired is a good thing 'cause when all those wires are connnected, we'll have a central station alarm to help protect us. I say "help" protect us. There's always the firearm method of protection. You betcha!

Yes, I'm blue

Yes, I'm blue about not taking the time to bring you up to date on my current projects. There have been several....Yes, this is a real butane tank....painted blue. I loved it and could not resist stopping for a photoshoot! It was on private property, but I asked permission first. The owners seemed impressed that I was impressed by their artmanship. (who has the missing link here?) Anyway, they've probably unhooked the line, put a hefty price tag on it and hauled it off to some flea market by now!! As I was saying, life is good...

Quilting Day

I quilted today.....can you tell? No, seriously, I quilted today. Tuesday Bees - we love our quilting bee name - 'cause we know what day to meet! We met today at Lil's. She had a yen for potato soup, so cooked up a big pot for us and some brought salads and some brought breads and some brought deserts. um yum

So after lunch I was walking off a cookie and discovered Lil's sewing machine on her patio! Great use of an old number! Earth is heaven.

Lil is a beauty and so is her garden. Fun day, Lil.....Thanks for sharing with us Bees.

I'm Not Blue

My newest little quilt - "I'm Not Blue" was so quick and easy. Eight (not blue) fat quarters were cut Saturday and sewn together yesterday afternoon. Now ready to go out to my favorite quilter.

Oh well....I have to 'fess up. See the green that looks a little different at the quilt bottom. I made a bit of a cutting mistake and had to add a little bit of fabric to the eight original fat quarters. To this I say, thank goodness for fabric stashes and scraps! Some little girl will never think "mistake" when she sees this little charmer.....life and children are good things!

Hope your day is good....I'm off for doctor visit. No, no problems, just the annual thing we all should do to assure that we stay fit!

To The Point.....

No intruders last night. After the screen was patched to ward off intruders (again), I put the final word of warning on. I'm sure this stopped them in their tracks!


They cut the screen, unlocked the door and got into our private space! But, in retrospect, we feel lucky. Our very close neighbor's home was invaded...yes, they actually got into their home through a kitchen window. Took their wallet and purse, car keys, left through the kitchen door, which they left open, of course, then left in their car! Yes, they were home...in bed...asleep...and knew none of this until the next morning. The car was found yesterday afternoon, so we are all hoping prints can be obtained and arrests made. Wouldn't that be a good thing!



Every now and then all the stars and moon and sun and windmill points align! This seldom happens, but I stitched these 2" square perfect beauties yesterday! Life is good.

Just a Hint.....

Thanks to DJ Pettitt over at Gentle Whispering Hues blogspot for these easy to follow instructions on photo altering. She altered her photo using Photoshop CS3 on a Mac....I used PSE 7 on Windows with the same results. I love this stuff.....

Happy Thoughts Are Flowing!

Gerry told me to just keep happy thoughts flowing....can't get much happier than these little works in progress -


Here are blocks 10 and 11 of TwiddleTails Pinwheel block-of-the-week. Only one more block to go, then we'll get finishing instructions. I challenged myself to keep pace so I wouldn't have to rush to the finish line...and yea for me, so far, so good!




My design wall is so full, I'm pinning layers upon layers!

Here are two more examples of happy thoughts in my life. Pink/fuchsia inner border and bright sashing has been added to all 12 of the little bird houses. Now to complete the entry holes. I only have six more tweeter entry holes to applique then I'll get to make more fabric decisions.



And here's a quilt happily waiting in line.



The pattern is on page 32 of Cozy Modern Quilts and the fabric will be blue and white. No, I'm not normally that conservative, but.....it's my quilt and I can add red doors if I want! This fabric was bundled at Gruber's Quilt Shop at the Paducah Quilt Show and I could not resist.




If money is the root of all evil, then I have none! Mine is rooted in Paducah!

Express Yourself!

Click on picture to get the full benefit of how best to express yourself. In case you wonder why the mood I'm in, glance at my previous blog of the day. I'll feel more like expressing myself in fabric by next post, I'm sure!

Breaking and Entering Not Allowed!

I'm an ultra right brained kinda person. I flit around quilting - every genre - love to knit purses and scarfs (limited abilities) - needlepoint - cross stitch. I love to paint - walls - note cards - fabric. I sew window curtains - shower curtains - duvet covers - table cloths - napkins - purses. I make journals - journal covers - my photography abilities are growing daily.

I'm also smart - really smart - so I allowed my left brain to take control this morning! Awoke at my usual early hour and fed inside cats then headed out to take care of the abandoned outside cats that have so generously adopted us. When suddenly - hold on here - the back screen door had a huge cut in it and the screen latch was unhooked! Okay - HuMan must have tripped on his way outside with the trash last night....but he forgot to mention it to me! I continued on my walk when I discovered the back gate was open. We keep it closed all the time with a great big mega lock on it!

Now my left brain really kicked in. I'm scared! So, I high tailed it back inside. Needless to say HuMan got roused out of bed early! He denied doing damage to the back door...even denied leaving the back gate open and unlocked. Yes, we found the lock had been cut. What has happened to my safe house???

Our entire back perimeter is enclosed by an 8' wooden fence and both sides have a 6' chain link surround that is covered in hedge as tall as the fence. We still cannot find how they entered the yard. We have lights in the two oak trees that light up the entire front of our house. There are four spot lights on fountains and trees in back, plus the storage building is lit. Who would be so daring as to enter such a well lit highly populated residential area? I'm glad the storage area was lit....it helped them rummage through to find the wire cutter to cut the lock to exit through the gate. They were also kind enough not to steal the cutters, they were laying on the concrete that houses the AC compressor! Now weren't they considerate!

I'll get my left brain settled down in a little while so I can post some of my right brain projects! I had a good night's rest....nothing disturbed either brain! Thank goodness.....

Marty

P.S. We have guns and know how to use them....if necessary! I'll probably go to the firing range today for a little refresher course and target practice!

Because I didn't write a poem!

I'm looking.......


Oh, over my shoulder....just give me a minute!


I don't see it! Is it a worm? A bug? Yarn? Give me a hint -
Does it move? Is is big? What color is it? Will somebody please help me!

Yesterday....so far away

Shots on the highways and byways..... We ran into a rainstorm and a most gorgeous layer of clouds....no photo manipulation here. This is the real thing!

Will you be my pretty?


We had a fun yesterday visiting my sister and her two daughters. I continue to be amazed that niece Shannon will not have her kitty spayed! But oh what little darlings kitty has and Shannon continues to find homes for them! Oh well! Who am I to reason why?

Happy Mother's Day

They told me to save this Christmas gift box. They had full intentions of regifting it to me on Mother's Day!



Oh, well....my fault I haven't a gift box to have fun with from the kitty kids, but it will still be a Happy Mother's day.....

Is my head on straight?

I don't know if my head is on straight or if I should head straight on! In any event, I simply must slow down. Tomorrow is mine....all mine. NOBODY can chew out even a little portion of my day! I hope.

Do you see that wonderful art quilt I photographed in Paducah? Not only an art quilt, but a photoshop layer. Who would have thought.....


Marty

Getting Inspired!

Life has been a bit crazy lately.

The stem of inspiration has been broken!


I must now pick myself up and get my head beyond the cloud of doubt. Just typing these thoughts are making me roar...."I am woman, hear me roar!"



Dust myself off:

(Picture unavailable)



Start all over again: The nest is now empty. I don't know what happened to the little eggs that were in the tree just outside my bathroom window. I watched her sit on her eggs each morning as I sat on my loo - and then one morning, she came no more to thrill me as she sat on her eggs as I sat on my loo. I doubt that she has given up! I'm thinking she has found a new place to start again!


Inspiration - found this art quilt hanging in a gallery in Paducah. The gallery owner graciously allowed pictures to be taken of her work. I've been looking at this picture for days now in the hope that I will get out of my stagnant state of mind and be inspired to make art quilts again.

All In a Day's Work!!

I don't like to have my picture taken! Never know what to do with feet or my hands. I'm not sure if my smile is real or phony or too limp or too toothy. Am I saying cheese at just the right moment? Are my shoulders back, chest out, stomach in???

Obviously, I was quite relaxed in yesterday's photo shoot. Here I am slaving over getting this bush pruned while HuMAN is having a grand ole time! But I have to admit these are some of the best pictures I've had made of me lately! And since I was oblivious to his antics, I sure didn't take time to pose. He's not the least bit interested in my hands or feet or shoulders or smile! Is he a lecher or what? That's okay.....he thinks it's a nice ass!

Turn The Page Part I

To see a few of my latest creations -

Heart Strings is an Anita Bradshaw original design.


And here is my original design! Dry Martini

And here is Mammy - a cross stitch I did several years ago. She's a beauty.



Trees on Lavender - fabric art cards


Straight out of the camera.....


"Turn the Page" posts may become a series....so until part II.....hugs!

Hugs and Handshakes and Hydrangeas

It's been a rainy Saturday morning so after exercise, I played. I thought this quilt layered with the hydrangea bud made a good combo! This little art quilt was in a gallery in downtown Padacuh. I truly must learn how to "rust" fabric. I'm sure it's easy...do you reckon rusty unused yard tools would work!

After the Bloom is Gone

Even after all the petals have fallen and the initial bloom is gone, the Clematis left over is beautiful. And so with life, a wispy hint of the past is worth viewing.