Home and Doing Great!

Thank you, everyone, for your good thoughts and well wishes--I took them all to heart! Everything went very well, I came home Tuesday afternoon and feel considerably improved with each day!


Family and friends have spoiled me with flowers, cards, gifts and meals.


(I even got my own box of Skittles Crazy Cores, like the ones I sent to my mini quilt swap partner.) And how do you like this pretty bicycle horn?! The card reads "Beep for service"! Hehee!


I've had one moment of inspiration this week...while reading a new quilt magazine, I got an idea for Doll Quilt Swap 7. It's all sketched out and I've ordered the fabric from Hancock's. Can't wait to get started :)

Now.....this is where I must tell you about Rick suggesting that he take a picture of my stitches for the blog to show you my 'stitching' for the week:) LOL, what a goof! (Get your own blog, darlin'!)

Actually, the rest of my week was mostly spent with what I would usually call guilty pleasures--things that just fill up time, nothing more--crossword puzzles, magazines, movies, NAPS. I did manage a little crocheting and stitching, and snipping ephemera, and then more NAPS! But no guilt here, not this week:)

Speaking of ephemera...Lucky Me!!...last weekend, I heard from Mary that the random number generator picked me for her July Give Away! I'm very excited--Mary can come across some really incredible ephemera!!

One last thought...isn't it interesting how different one year can be from the previous year? A year ago Monday we left Kansas City headed for a week in Eagle Nest, NM. Rick and I have had the best time this week remembering that trip. The photo album has been out on the coffee table for us to refer to and things have come to mind that we hadn't thought about since returning home. It really can be a lot of fun!


For example, a year ago today we spent the day in Taos, NM...a perfectly gorgeous day! We ate the most delicious lunch and the sights, the sounds, the smells were the kind that fill my soul! And now, recalling it all, I'm filled again:)

Hope you're having a good weekend...

Marilyn

Roses, Beautiful Roses

"The roses had the look of flowers that are looked at."
~ [T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), American poet.] ~


I saw these roses late last week and just had to photograph them...aren't the colors beautiful!


And more roses from Karla (Karla's Cottage)...


Karla has a giveaway on her blog every month and drew my name from all of the comments made in April. She sent me a lovely charm with a handpainted rose (by Karla) on it. I've been wearing it on a chain and just love the dainty sweetness of it! Thank you, Karla!

Marilyn

Procrastination; Uncertainty...sometimes it works!

I've cut back the pampas grass in the front yard this spring but I've been slow at getting to it in the backyard.


Then just about the time I decided it was time to get at it, these flowers started blooming. I thought the pampas grass made a nice background and gave the flowers a different look this year, so I've left it alone for now.


Plus, the procrastination has given me more time in the craft room!


My last two trips to quilt shops, I've surprised myself by buying some novelty print fat quarters. I usually stay away from novelties because I don't really know what to do with them--and I didn't have plans for these, but I thought they were fun.


Then one night while I was browsing Flickr, I came across some great quilted placemats and I immediately thought of my recently purchased fat quarters! Of course...placemats!


(18½" x 12½")


(18½" x 12½")

OR, since they are basically a mini quilt, they could also be hung on a wall for a bit of whimsy:)

They were a lot of fun to sew and I think I'll probably be making more of them.

(I've listed both mini-quilts/placemats in my Etsy shop.)

Marilyn

Swap Til You Drop ~ April

I received the most beautiful mini quilt from Sandi in Wisconsin on Saturday! We were swap partners for April's Swap Til You Drop "Spring Flowers" mini's.

(10.5" x 15")
I LOVE it! Sandi did some incredible paper piecing for this one...even into the border, so cool!!!


The fabric she used on the back is really pretty. Rick likes it a lot too--I may have to look for some to do something with for church.


And look at all of the extra goodies she sent..three pieces of great fabric, a really fun keychain and one of my favorite candies, Neccos, which I've finished off already:)


This is what I sent to Sandi...I wish the photo was better but I took it at night and we all know how those usually turn out! Anyway, Sandi loves it and I'm very happy about that:)

(16" x 16")
When I finished Sandi's mini quilt, I had leftover pieces of fabric and some small half square triangles that I played around with and turned into this quilted notepad. I made the notepad part with graph paper thinking she could also use it to sketch quilt patterns, in addition to making other notes.


This was such a fun swap, so much fun that I'm already signed up for the May swap. The theme for that one is "Alphabet Mania" and my assigned letter is "S". I've got some ideas...let's see what happens!

Marilyn

May Day Smiles

At craft day last week, Shawn and Bethany worked on May Day Baskets for Bethany's teachers. This is where I wish I had taken some pictures--the baskets were adorable, all bright and cheery.


However, I can share with you this picture of some of the flowers. Bethany is quite the little crafter and is very generous with her creations on craft days and I was delighted to receive a bouquet of her sweet flowers! They're such a lovely addition to my craft room and they make me S*M*I*L*E!!!

Do you remember May Day baskets when you were growing up? What a fun tradition. My favorite memories of May Day baskets are from the days when my daughters were little and would hang a basket on our doorknob, ring the doorbell and then quickly hide so I wouldn't know it was from them! Aawwhhh, I'm *s*m*i*l*i*n*g* again :-)

Wishing you a Happy May Day!

Me & Insects...Loving the Blooms

I am so enjoying the spring flowers this year...and it looks like the bugs are too:)



Marilyn

Tablecloths and Tulips (surely there's a better title for this post!)

There are some things that just don't seem to translate well to blogging. This is one of those things, even though it's what I've been working on for the better part of the last 5 days. Tablecloths. An essential foundation to holiday table decor, but alone, just how much is there to say?


Well...

I can tell you that I made them for tables at church for Easter Sunday. The colorful ones on the left will be used on two hospitality tables and the lace one goes on the communion table.


And, I can tell you that sewing on this scale is much different than sewing mini quilts or doll quilts. The hospitality table cloths are rectangular, measuring 130 x 88 inches. This morning after I finished the sewing and was ironing them, Rick said it looked like I was trying to iron a parachute...and it kind of felt that way too:)

The communion table is round, 48" diameter with a 33" drop. I used six lace curtain panels, and a lot more physical activity than I planned, to make the tablecloth for it. It ended up being easier for me to spread everything out on the living room floor to put it together, but that also called for bending and kneeling and stretching that I'm not accustomed to when sewing.

Maybe I can look at it as warm up exercises for the bending and kneeling and stretching that comes with yard work.


Fortunately, all of that happened last fall when I planted these tulip bulbs and, now, I can just sit back and enjoy the blooms.


But wait, does it look like this flower bed could use some fresh mulch? Maybe...but I think I'll pass on that this weekend, thank you.

Marilyn

Snow...No Problem

My daffodils seem to be fine after the snow on Saturday. There are some tiny dark spots on the petals and I don't know if that's from the snow, but I'm not concerned--from the kitchen windows, all I see is cheerful yellow flowers:)

Midwest Spring

In the midwest it's not a common occurrence to see spring bulbs up and blooming bright one day then covered with snow the next, but it does happen occasionally. Like yesterday.

Fortunately, at least in my experience, the snow doesn't seem to damage the plants.


And it does offer some photo opportunities.


And conversation for future years..."remember the spring those tiny little daffodils were covered with snow?"


And give pause for things that seem just a little bit out of whack...like last night, the ground was covered with snow yet it was still light outside at almost 8pm...or this morning, the ground is covered with snow but the birdies are singing just like they would on any other spring day.

Mother Nature can be mighty entertaining!

Marilyn

Still Wishing It Was Spring!

It just keeps getting "better"...today, it's 25° and snowing!


This squirrel...well, maybe not this specific one--we have a lot of squirrels in our backyard and they all look the same to me...SOME squirrel has spent the past few weeks tucking away twigs and leaves under the top step of our deck.


Not every twig stays tucked away though...there are just as many on the ground. In fact, that's what first drew my attention to the nest(?) -- "what the heck is that stack of sticks out under the deck?"


But enough of the snow photos! We're wishing it was spring here!

*********************************************************

Thursday, Rick and I spent a couple of hours at Kansas City's botanical gardens, when the temperatures were in the mid to upper 60's. (It was 70 ° on Wednesday! Crazy midwest weather!))

There was a fragrance garden exhibit that we wanted to see. It was in the conservatory and it felt like we stepped through a door right into spring!




It was the first time I'd seen one of these--a Red Powder Puff Tree.


We also took a walk on the nature trail and it was really nice to be outdoors enjoying some fresh air.


On the way home, whenever we visit the gardens, we also like to make a stop at Cockrell Mercantile. It's a small vintage-y village with an old farm house, a couple barns and little cottages filled with beautiful housewares, mostly for the kitchen.

This is my favorite cottage!


It makes this collector's heart go PITT-TY-PAT!


Fiestaware dishes everywhere!


And I mean everywhere...inside...


and out!


It was such a lovely day and a fun daytrip, and I'm glad our timing was so great--it kind of balances out snowy days like today.

Marilyn

Thoughts of Winter and Spring on a Fall Day

This past weekend, the better part of my Saturday was spent in our yard getting ready for winter(!)--raking leaves, bundling up fallen or pruned tree branches and cutting back perennial plants.

BUT, there were plenty of thoughts towards Spring, too, because I planted fifty of these...

so I could have more of this:

Since this photo from Spring-2002, this bed of tulips had gradually thinned out to be a pretty pitiful sight by Spring-2008 (sorry, no photos of that in my files). So, Saturday, I set out to remedy that, with achy lower back and thighs as proof, and am looking forward to a pretty, tulip-blooming, Spring-2009.

Marilyn

Dia de Bloglandia

I have been fascinated by Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, since our first trip to New Mexico about 9 years ago. So when I read about Stephanie's and Susanna's Dia de Bloglandia, I knew I wanted to be a part of the celebration!


Dia de los Muertos...a day to pay tribute to our deceased relatives and ancestors by playing their favorite music...


and feasting on favorite foods and drink.


Sugar Skulls...


and altars surrounded by photographs, flowers, lighted candles, bread, bowls of water and other symbolic offerings dedicated to departed loved ones.
This altar is in honor and remembrance of my mom, Pat.





(The Sugar Skull pictured above is from the cover of Mexican Folk Art coloring book; and the two embroidered pieces in this post were stitched using patterns from Sublime Stitching.)


Thank you very much for coming by and celebrating Day of the Dead with me! To visit other Dia de Bloglandia posts, you can find them listed here.
I'm excited! I want to see all of them!

Marilyn