All Manner of Little Things

Hi everyone! I have been taking pictures and thinking, "Oh this is something to blog about." But you know what happens? I get busy with other stuff and by the time I get on the computer, I'm just not into it. So the pictures get lost in the shuffle. And all the little things become distant memories. Not today! Instead here are some little things, little happenings, and little news bits.

Let's start with this stinker. Doesn't she look just so sad? I was sitting at the table doing paperwork and heard a whimper of a cry. Little Little, our Maltese puppy, had poked her nose through the gate and gave me these puppy dog eyes. What a trickster!

A postcard I made for my sister. She received it Tuesday, which was the day she was expecting news about how the chemo is working. It's good news for now! Next step, gain some strength for a bone marrow transplant later this year.

A tiny hummingbird feather I found on one of the feeders. So sweet!

Richard made this bookshelf for a friend who will have a booth at a local artist market / flea market. The pictures on the right are the original shelves. The ones on the left are of the same shelves painted. She and I are going to "share" the cabinet. Her things will be on the shelves, my things will hang on the back. She wanted an aged look that would work into her farmhouse eclectic vibe. I love the look of beaded board. We both got what we want. Ahh, the joys of a handy husband!

She has the booth with the three pieces in it. I'm on the side of her behind the book shelf. 

I recently got in a small order of titanium coated needles from Superior Threads. I've never used these super strong needles, but they are supposed to last much longer than regular ones. I just like the idea of putting a needle in and going to town for as long as possible. Maybe I should put a sticky note on the machine to remind myself to be extra careful. Generally, I break a needle, not wear it down. I'll try to remember to let you know how they work. I have only a few regular needles left, so these may go into the machine before the end of the year. I hope not, but you just never know, right?

I should have ordered thread at the same time. Now I'll have to pay shipping, again. Why do I make such silly, nonsensical decisions? It's a rhetorical question. I expect that no one can answer it.

And I think that wraps up all the little things. I have bigger news, but that is for another day. Have a great weekend!

Furniture and a finish

We finally purchased new furniture several weeks ago. I thought it would motivate me to "decorate" the living room. I can't seem to pull it together to accomplish that, but I did finish two pillows. And took pictures of them. In place. On the sofa. Amazing, right?

These are small Norman Rockwell panels that I bought ages ago. I always intended to make pillows but that just didn't happen. They sing on the new deep gray leather. Because the pictures are of boys doing boy things, I just couldn't resist. I also love Rockwell's work thanks to my mom who appreciated his work so much that she had a book of his prints. We would look at the pictures and talk about the joy and simplicity of American life during her youth.


This one of the boys fishing on the river is sweet. Boys are at their best when they are sleeping, after all.  I quilted around the bodies, on the planks of the raft, and around the umbrella. Then I ghost quilted in some clouds and rippling water. It was helpful that there are a few little lines indicating the water. I was on my own for the clouds though. 

The second one has four boys tumbling after a football. I had only three boys, but this scene could have been in my yard any day of the week from the time they were about nine until about age 30--when knees and ankles and backs and other body parts fight the unnecessary rough stuff. It was easy enough to quilt the boys' bodies but the ghost quilting stumped me for a minute. Finally I quilted in some weedy grass and sky. 

The fabric has the look of a fine burlap (oxymoron, if anything is) and I wanted the pillows to coordinate with the quilt that I made for Richard a while ago. It's a favorite because it's large enough to cover up with but not so big that it's too heavy for TV watching. To that end, I added this navy/beige plaid that matches fairly well. 

I like them, but just as importantly, Richard really likes them. I figure they won't last long with all the little ones around, but then the panels were only about 50 cents when I bought them on clearance. I'm guessing the entire cost was a couple of dollars and my time. Not a bad investment for something that brings back fond memories and nostalgia of our boys in their younger years, don't you think? What about you? Do you have quick projects languishing in your sewing room, waiting to get done?

Back to LINK UPS!

Alycia Quilts - Quiltygirl blog for Finished Or Not Fridays 

Welcome Spring!!!

Although I spent most of my afternoon, working at the gate for our high school softball game, I did manage to get home just shy of dark.  




Imagine my surprise when I let the puppies out just a few moments later and discovered this little darling glowing in blue.  It was a birthday gift from two sister friends, and I'd not seen it lit up until tonight.   
I have plans to put some sort of greenery in her bucket--maybe moss would work.  Definitely it needs to be something that the grandchildren can't harm.  While they are sweet little darlings, they can be a bit destructive in the yard.


She's very pretty on the right of my new settee.  She's also a helpful little gal--it's easier to find my way to the back porch in the dark.  Not that I'm very brave after dark, mind you, but it's nice to see her soft blue glow.

And while photographing the settee, I thought I'd snap a pic of the matching chairs and table.  We will enjoy these in the evenings, don't you think?  Maybe I'll take the plastic off the cushions then.  I've been worried that the "barn" cats will destroy them.  They are much more destructive than the grandkids!  Any suggestions for convincing the cats to stay at the barn or at least off the furniture?

Antique Rocker

Am I not one lucky girl?  My in-laws have been visiting us daily to check on Richard's progress from surgery. They generally stay for an hour or so, and we have a wonderful visit.  Naturally, with a week and a half behind us, we've had lots of time to catch up with the family and even time to chat about almost everything we can think of.  At some point we began talking about the many antique tools they have, and I told them about my hopes of finding an old sewing rocker, one without arms.

Low and behold, they had exactly such a rocker.  My mother-in-law picked it up at an estate sale about 20 years ago.  I had no idea that she had found such a beautiful rocker, although I was very aware of their love of wooden rockers.  They have a few, although it's not really a collection because rockers take up too much space.  Who would have guessed?

It turns out that neither of them knew this rocker is a sewing rocker.  She simply bought it because it was unusual and old.

Here's the best part: they delivered it to me the very next day.  They decided that since I really appreciate antiques and want such a rocker that I should get it.  Now isn't that sweet?  They have never used it....which is one reason that I had no knowledge of its existence.

It's in pretty good shape.  There is a split on the seat that someone tried to repair once.  But that split is right in a seam where two pieces of wood were glued at one time to make the seat wide enough.  My darling husband has promised to repair it correctly when he is well again.  In the meantime, it sits in my studio waiting for the repair and for new seat cushions.  I intend to use it while doing handwork and when people come into the studio for a visit.

I just wish my mom were still alive to tell her.  She would be so very happy for me.  She loved antique furniture, especially useful pieces of furniture.

I've thanked my in-laws several times for the rocker, but I really want to do something nice for them.  I'm thinking that they'd like a sofa quilt, so it will go on my to do list.  Maybe I can even have one made by Christmas.  Wouldn't that make a nice gift?