Categories
tranquility travel

A Trip with Several Ocean views

Last week we decided to take a short trip away. Now that we are home I can tell you all about it.

Our first stop was in Williamsburg, Virginia for a night. The flowers and trees were blooming in all there splendid glory.

Next we traveled to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. The weather was perfect.

We drove to Sunset Beach, North Carolina. It seems to be a nice little tourist town.

Our next stop was Ocean City, Maryland. We visited with my sister’s family for Easter…then we headed home to West Virginia. The sunset ended our last day of travel.

When we walked around our yard the next morning, we discovered that the bleeding heart plants were in full bloom.

Hope you have enjoyed my photos from our trip! Where are you planning on traveling to in the near future? I would love to hear from you!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
goals tranquility

📚Library Update

Our house is a modified A-frame. The loft above the living room is our “library “. Years ago, we built in bookcases on wheels (so there is storage behind the shelves, if needed). We added books…and then more books. Until it looked like this:

A miracle has happened!

Notice the shelves are hidden by bins, baskets and bags of books. Nothing was accessible. What a nightmare! It was no big deal…we were both so busy teaching that neither one of us had much time to read for pleasure. That all changed when we retired in June.

While we are awaiting the arrival of our first granddaughter, we are trying our best to stay busy. It took 3 days to transform this space. That kept us busy. Always be careful what you wish for!

First step, bring all of the stuff blocking the shelves downstairs to the living room…and sort, sort, sort.

Large bins are by author of multiple books. Small bins (not pictured) are sorted alphabetically by author.
Small bins are on the counter.
Look at the beautiful shelves!

To finish this project, we bought 3 mighty mover dollys (from Harbor Freight) for under the large, now sorted, bins. They can be easily moved from place to place to access any book in the room.

Example dolly…12” x 18”

What project have you been putting off? I am so glad this is finally completed! No more shame over this space ! 😁

Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Later,

Categories
quilting tranquility

Scraptastic Quilt

Recently I started watching Pat Sloan on her YouTube channel every morning. It is a nice relaxing way to start my day. I participated in the Snapdragon quilt along. Well, I made the blocks anyway. They are currently on my design wall.

Snapdragon quilt blocks

Finishing the top is a job for next week…or maybe a little later in the month.

What do you have on your design wall? What project are you working on next?

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
goals quilting tranquility

2023 Goals

Goal 1: Quilt top finishes

After my last post evaluating the goals from 2022, I have decided on the goals for this year.  I am continuing to use my little green book.  I am expanding my sewing days into a tiny calendar with specific tasks that are completed listed on the dates. That way I can feel like I am accomplishing more.  I am also using a 3 ring notebook to keep track of sew alongs, reorganizing challenges, etc.

Time to finish up some tops that I have made for people that I love. I printed off a “list” organizer for just this purpose…maybe that will help. This step always seems like work to me.

Goal: Turn a quilt top into a finished product every month…or at least 12 for the year.

On the machine…

Goal 2: Blog more

Last year I had a goal of 2 blogs a week. Sadly, I did not meet this goal. I would like to write more patterns. I think my blog will help me do just that. By setting this goal so low, I will feel that I have accomplished great things if I write more!

Goal: Publish 1 blog articles a week.

Goal 3: Sew for my own happiness

Last block from book

I am keeping the same goal. I did not meet the goal last year, but I was working from January until the end of May, plus cleaning my classroom out getting ready to retire. I think that I can easily meet this goal this year.

Here are my revised list of tasks that I count as sewing:

  • hand sewing (applique, binding, English paper-piecing)
  • machine sewing (quilting, piecing)
  • hand embroidery
  • machine embroidery
  • writing patterns
  • reading patterns and/or quilting related books
  • ironing/ pressing
  • cleaning/ organizing my sewing area/room
  • cutting fabric (Accuquilt or other)
  • sorting fabric (scraps or other)

Goal: Complete a sewing activity from the above list at least 80% of the days in the year…that is 292 days.

Goal 4: Read to self

I met this goal easily last year. I am not ready to increase it just yet, but I think I can meet it again!

Goal: Read at least one book a month…or 12 books in the year.

Goal 5: Read Aloud

I am keeping this goal. We are currently reading Love and War by John Jakes. This book should keep us busy for quite a while. This is the second book in the series. We usually only read a chapter or two during a read aloud session…15 to 30 minutes a day.

Goal: Read to each other at least 2 days a week.

Accountability

I am going to continue to use my little green book. It is numbered and set up. I also have a small calendar from the dollar tree and a notebook. Writing information down keeps me accountable.

So what do you want to accomplish this year? What habits help you maintain some calm in your life? I love to hear your thoughts!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
tranquility

Spring Things

Everything is blooming yellow here in West Virginia.

These are at peak this week.
In front of my house, along the road. These keep the dust down in summer.
driveway…behind the fence
Tiger lillies are emerging.

Well, not everything is yellow…

Our volunteer compost peach tree is blooming.
A close up of some peachy volunteers

What is blooming in your yard?

Later, Lorrie

Categories
tranquility weather

Spring has sprung

I have been waiting for the time change. More daylight during my waking hours!! Hallelujah! The birds are singing. The spring flowers are starting to pop.

Along the back garden path…

I know it is not officially spring yet…but it’s on the way.

What are you enjoying about pre-spring?

Later, Lorrie

Categories
quilting sewing tranquility

Too many room make-over shows!

In the early morning on weekends, when I cannot sleep in, I get up and turn on You Tube to watch quilting videos on the big tv in the living room. My husband bought it so he could watch sports on the big screen. Quilting shows look pretty good on the big screen, too.

Recently, You Tube has been suggesting studio tour and make over videos. Ugh! Sometimes life is like a train wreck and you can’t turn your eyes away!

Here are some examples:

Rea Bee

Power Tools with Thread

SewVeryEasy

Reispecies

Anita by Design

Some of these ladies are not quilters, but clothes makers. That is how I started sewing at the age of 6…making clothes for dolls and my Grandmother’s Dog. Some have many hobbies, like cross-stitch, embroidery, or using a cricut.

I did not make my first quilt until I was in my mid-twenties. My grandmother got me interested in quilting, but she was not really into quilting and piecing. All of her quilts were heavy, tied, practical creations.

My first sewing area was a sewing machine table in our laundry room. When we moved, I graduated to a desk with a hutch top in the corner of our bedroom. After my son moved out, I graduated to the entire room and we moved into his bedroom. I now have the largest room in the house as a sewing room. (My husband really likes to watch football in peace! And I am his queen!)

That leads me to my title for this post. Recently, the ceiling fan/light in my room died. I have lots of task lights around the room, because the ceiling fan light has never been spectacular. Now I have a new light fixture with one of those bladed shop lights in it. WOW! My room is now brighter than the sun…and I can clearly see all of the mess. Time to organize. Yuck!

Here are a few before pictures:

This is all scrap fabric. At one time the bin was all sorted…needs to be sorted again!
This counter area needs to be straightened and sorted. It will never be neat, but it could be better.
This is my ironing area. The pile of foundation papers needs to be moved permanently.
My long arm is a catch-all. This needs to be clear!

Here are some after pictures:

Fabric…labeled and sorted.
These are projects in cases…now labeled…and where I can see them.

I don’t hide things in cabinets, so my space will never be as cute and organized as some of the ones in the videos. I like to see my stuff…right out in the open!

I can only stand to work on this a little at a time, so as with everything in my life, it is a work in progress.

Have you fallen into the organize your life trap?

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Embroidery quilting sewing tranquility

Jumping on the Resolution Band Wagon

After thinking about my needs and/or wishes for the new year, I came up with 5 goals…and a plan to keep on track.

Goal 1: Quilt top finishes

My husband says that I am not a quilter. I am a topper. I have created many, many tops. A few years ago, I donated several tops that I decided were never going to be quilted by me to a friend to turn into charity quilts. She was happy to have them…I was glad to share, but I still have a good size pile of tops to finish. Some of them have a backing with them, some don’t. I think I easily have enough to keep busy If I quilt at least one project a month. I have a Gracie frame with a Juki machine on it. It does take up a sizeable amount of real estate in my sewing room. Time to put it to more use.

Goal: Turn a quilt top into a finished product every month.

Just 3 of the many…these were closest to the sewing machine.

Goal 2: Blog more

I have not been a very productive author during the pandemic. Last year I only wrote 5 blog articles. This year I am setting the bar a lot higher.

Goal: Publish 2 blog articles a week.

Goal 3: Sew more for my own sanity

I have been reading articles about reducing stress and increasing your self-care. One of the suggestions was increasing the time you spend on activities you enjoy. Sewing entails a long list of activities when you break it down. Here are my qualifiers:

  • hand sewing (applique, binding, English paper-piecing)
  • machine sewing (quilting, piecing)
  • hand embroidery
  • machine embroidery
  • writing patterns
  • ironing/ pressing
  • cleaning/ organizing my sewing area…okay…room (I am a spoiled princess…my husband likes to watch football in peace!)
  • cutting fabric (Accuquilt is a gift that keeps on giving…)
  • sorting fabric (I am a scrapaholic.)

Goal: Complete a sewing activity from the above list at least 80% of the days in the year…that is 292 days.

Today’s little stack of fun…cut with accuquilt crazy block die…finishes at 6 inches.

Goal 4: Read to self

My mother-in-law loves to read. When she finishes a book, she gives it to me. I have been stashing books in bins in our “library” loft for more than 5 years…getting ready for my own retirement. I love to read, but I sometimes have a problem putting down my tablet to read a book. I also have conditioned myself to fall asleep while reading…not good for reading an entire book in a timely manner.

Goal: Read at least one book a month.

Books, books, and more books…I need a librarian to organize this mess.

Goal 5: Read Aloud

I admit that I would never have read the Lord of the Rings trilogy on my own…or Winds of War…or War and Rememberance. My husband never would have read Gone with the Wind on his own. We started turning off the tv and reading together when our son was in high school. It drove our son crazy. Now he and his wife do this, too. Mwahahaha! Recently, we are drawn more to the enticing, mind numbing glow of the television after a long day of wearing masks. Time to get back to entertaining ourselves.

Goal: Read to each other at least 2 days a week.

Accountability

I found this great little blank book to keep me on track. I have set up a section for each goal to keep me going. All I have to do is add titles, dates, etc. Since I invested some time to get this little book set up, I think it will help me keep going.

My free blank book to keep my goals moving forward…

So what habits do you want to form? What soothes your soul when you are stressed? Share in the comments. I love to hear your thoughts!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
quilting sewing tranquility

Inspirations

Good morning or day…whatever the case may be. 2020 was a hell of a year. We are coming up on the year anniversary of all of the craziness that we have had to accept as the “new normal”. (I personally HATE that term, and refuse to accept anything! HA!)

Hopefully, we are starting to emerge from our confinements, quarantines, and isolations to a healthy world. There are many new quilters and sewists among us. (I am not using the term “sewer”. That is spelled just like the underground lines where poop goes…so…uh…NO!)

I have a Sunday morning ritual. I get up to have a cup of coffee and watch some quilty things on the big screen TV that my husband bought for himself…to watch sports, of course. I have a long standing argument with a family friend that quilting should be considered a sport, just like Nascar. I say, “You have to push a pedal to make it go.” He says that is not the same. He has obviously never been on a deadline to get a quilt finished for a graduation, wedding or baby arrival. He says, “No, it is hot in the cars.” Well, I don’t have air conditioning, so sometimes it is hot in the sewing room, too. Maybe I just need some sponsor stickers for on the sewing machine and a nifty sponsor outfit! So when I am watching quilty things on the tv, is that the same as watching sports?

Put that pedal down…and zoom, zoom, baby!
They look the same to me…fast…and pedal controlled!

Back to this morning’s discovery…I am a big YouTube fan. I am fairly certain that I could google anything and find a video to do it, fix it, etc. I recently did this at the parts store. The person working “wasn’t allowed” to help. I have a word for that…lazy. Thank goodness for free wifi to their parking lot. Fixed it myself! I digress…this morning’s discovery is all about quilty inspiration. It looked wonderful on the big screen, just like a sporting event, but better…because it was quilty and there was no fear of losing! Enjoy my find! Road to California quilt show 2020…filmed by Jolly Molly TV.

Remember…sometimes it is good to take a deep breathe and enjoy life as it comes to you. Have another cup of coffee!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
quilting tranquility

Searching for Spring

When I look outside my sewing room window, I am seeing way too much of this!

I am trying to focus my energy on happy, warm thoughts. This week I am working with the color yellow…the RSC color of the month.

I have also been working on other scrappy blocks.

and this will soon be another Dresden plate…

Here is one last cheery thought: a bouquet of “covid roses”…made with silk flowers, tissue paper, and a roll of toilet paper!

Hope this helps chase away a few mid-winter blahs!

Later,

Lorrie