The New Rage - Mug Rugs

Larger than a coaster, smaller than a hot pad or a place mat, making rug mugs has really gotten a lot of attention.  I found this pattern on Pinterest, and went to the blog to get directions.  Fun, but like all small quilts, the binding is a challenge.  Maybe I need an adaptation for future projects?  These are the ones that I've been making:

My New Sewing Machine Cabinet - Making Life Easier

Warning:  Dwight and Steve might not be interested in this....As I reach an older age (81+), I wonder how much longer I will enjoy making quilts and playing with fabric.  I made the decision last spring to purchase a new sewing machine - it's wonderful - snips the thread, gives me all kinds of options, semi-threads the needle (doesn't like the size 70 needle that I like to piece fabric with, but I can live with that.)  However, the new machine is much longer than my older machine, and so I was doing make-shift sewing, until I purchased this cabinet from my local Pfaff store - the cabinet is made in Provo, and the lowering and raising of the machine is done electrically!  Love it.  However, the purchase of something like this is like buying a set of large dominoes.  When daughter Julia and her husband Mike came to see us, Mike and I went shopping in Logan, and purchased my cabinet.  Julie and I hurriedly emptied the older cabinet, so that the new one could be installed while we still had company.  Now comes the domino part - Three new drawers to partition and sort and use.  And sort and sort and sort.  After sorting machine accessories, needles, etc., I started working on the tubs of fabric and fabric scraps that we had to move in order to install the new cabinet....What a project.  In my important papers, I found an article I had saved with a way of organizing those scraps  so that they would be more useable.  So, first I sorted according to color, style, etc., and then am dedicating about an hour a day to cutting into fat quarters, l0". 5", and 2-1/2" squares.....Hopefully, we won't have a houseful of company for a while, because the upstairs guest room bed is full of fabric.

 In progress - Organization does not happen overnight.

 This part folds up and is supported by legs that clip into the back.

 The drawers are wonderful - I used storage partitions purchased at the local variety store.

Almost finished!

Picture From the Past

This is a faded picture from a  long time ago.  My first-born son, Brig, with curly blonde hair, and a winning smile. My photo program doesn't offer enough help to make this picture more clear, but it still is a charming picture.

Autumn Flowers

 Note:  When you visit your grandma and grandpa, bring flowers.  It brightens their day tremendously.  Okay, it's not necessary if you live close by and see them often, but when you come from a far land, it's wonderful to see that you care.  These are the flowers that Seth and Wendy brought.  Somebody told them that we like flowers very much.

Special Weekend Visitors

Grandson Seth and his wife,Wendy, came to visit us this weekend.  What a delightful time we had.  It was a good time to forget ailments and just to relax and visit on a broad spectrum of subjects.  What a joyful couple this is, and we were so happy to have them here.  Seth brings serious thoughts, as well as a dry wit, and Wendy brings extra warmth and happiness.  The smiles tell it all.

Quilts to Show.

 Rainbows - Exactly how I feel about quilting - or expressing myself in any art venue.  So these are some of the best quilts from our local quilt show.  (Louise, these are for you.)

 This wonderful hand-appliqued and embroidered top was one of my favorites.  Unfortunately, the picture of the whole quilt didn't turn out, but these details give you an idea of the wonderful talent Leslie Bergesen has.

 Another detail of the quilt - animals and plants along with the houses.

 Houses and trees - dogs and cats.  See why I love this quilt.

 This quilt was in a place where I couldn't take a picture of the whole quilt.  The quilt was composed of individual small blocks, all hand appliquéd.  And the quilting was superb.

 The quilt below was made by my friend DeAnne from Franklin.  She and her sister each made this quilt.  They first made the medallion in the center, with the trapunto, appliqués and pieced triangles, and skewed squares.  Then they decided to put appliqués on the final border.  The result is a very beautiful quilt.

 Detail of the center.

Lilacs for May

In the long-ago past, when we lived in Penrose, there were some large, productive lilac bushes on our land,  where there had once been a home.  When the end of May came, there were wonderful sprays of lilacs to be cut, put in two-quart jars, and placed around the house.  How we loved the fragrance of those lilacs.  I was so pleased when some friends brought these lilacs early for my birthday - they bloomed early in Preston, so they were gone by actual birthday time, but we really enjoyed the wonderful, evocative fragrance for several days.

Birthday Flower Celebration

 Dorothy and Sara sent flowers for my 81st birthday.  Not only is the bouquet beautiful - it is very fragrant in a nice way.  We are really enjoying these beautiful posies.

 Close up of the stocks and other flowers - lilies yet to bloom.

One lilies is in full bloom.

The roses are beautiful!  Thank you dear daughters, for your thoughtful kindness.

Sunset Reflections to the East

In the 26 years we have lived in Preston, we can no longer see the sunsets like we used to - the trees in the yards around us have grown so much.  However, we often see the reflected Sunsets to the east, over the Bear River Range.  It was almost dark when I saw this color above the mountain range.  Sorry I missed the whole show.  It is sort of a let-down to have the whole sky be glorious, and then the upper clouds begin to turn gray with a little pink in them, and the biggest show is the reflection of the sunset in the west on the clouds atop the mountains.  Still beautiful - and everything is so green, with the rain that we've gotten (almost every day), and will still get this rainy Memorial Day weekend.

Family From the Past

I thought that I had posted this picture before, but I hadn't.  This mystery picture is in my file of unidentified ancestors.  For those who recognize period clothing, etc., there may be some clues.  Genealogy is a fascinating hobby (?occupation?), and there are plenty of mysteries in our past just waiting to be solved.  If you know who these people are, please comment.  Thanks.

Mother's Day Flowers

 This mum came from Brig and Linda - It is a mum, but looks like confetti.  Fun!  There were enough blossoms to make two big arrangements, and we've really enjoyed these.Enlarge these pictures so that you can see what the blossoms really look like.

 Ron bought the plant below for Mother's Day.   Please enlarge it and tell me what it is.  I'm wondering if I can plant it in a planter outside?????

When we were growing up on the farm, we never thought of Mother's Day and flowers. (My birthday at the end of May was another story - the lilacs were blooming by then, and we'd fill the house with bouquets in two-quart mason jars.)   However, the custom has become part of my life in these later years.  I never know what my Mother's Day flower will be, nor from which children or from my husband they will come, so it's always a surprise.  We are thankful for them,   because they brighten our days!  

Returning With New Blocks

I've been gone from this blog for a long time.  On December 22, my life got turned upside down, because a little tumor growing on my S-1 decided to interfere with the myelin sheath of the sciatic nerve.  Pain interfered with my life, and finally, on the 29th, I was sent to University of Utah Medical Center.  Fortunately, treatments (twice) on my sciatic nerves have finally resulted in being pain free.  My left foot and lower leg are without feeling, and I've learned to walk all over again.  When I leave the gorgeous pink roses cane behind, I waddle like a duck, but it's walking.  These four months have been interesting to say the least, but I'm improving and able to do more things than I could.  Climbing the stairs to go upstairs to go to bed was one of the greatest achievements.  Isn't life interesting?

In the meantime, I am enjoying doing some needlework, and finished the April block in the Piecemaker's calendar quilt.  The crazy quilt corners are just fun to do - all I have left to do is to embroider significant dates on this block.   Be sure to click on each of these pictures to enlarge them.

How embarrassing - I just looked back at November, and I did put this March block on the blog.  However, I didn't enlarge the corners, and they're worth looking at.  

Below are the four corners for this block.  I hope my sister, Ann, can see the lace and blue she gave to me to help make this quilt more full of family memories.

I've finished the April block - the cherry blossoms.  Now I get the fun of doing the corner crazy quilt "blocks" , and then add them on.  One thing about it, when you sit around a lot, you manage to get some hand sewing done.  It's easy to get carried away.