Morning Glory Studio

Finished on Friday...

 

Today was our last Journal Club session for about a month...a new session will begin in May...we had a PJ party complete with our drink and a sweet of choice. Mine: a cuppa hot tea and a mini Mounds bar. About 15 minutes into the hour-long session - conducted online via Zoom - I knocked my mug of tea over, spilling all over my journal, desktop, keyboard and mouse. Fun ---not! Of course, I quickly wiped up the electronic stuff and then the journal pages and proceeded to catch up with the prompts, discussion (via chat), etc. Everything was working fine and the session and I proceeded.  All's well that ends well, or so I thought. 

After Journal Club ended, I went downstairs and finished hand stitching the last 5 inches or so of the binding on the Flower Garden quilt. And about 2:55 pm, I made my last stitch! Finished at last! Finished at last!

I returned to my computer and attempted to type using the keyboard - and got a bunch of gobbeldy-gook. Switching out batteries and really trying to dry out the Bluetooth connected keyboard has done no good nor a call to Apple Support...so, on Sunday, I'm taking the keyboard  to our DC store on Wisconsin Ave - where I've not ever been - nor have I been to Georgetown in quite a while, so there's the potential for another WanDer adventure?  To be seen...

Somewhere in this house I've conveniently hidden from myself a plug-in keyboard and of course, I can't find it! Monday, it will show up! I imagine there is a silver cloud in all this - we've for sure had lotsa clouds and rain here today! Tomorrow is April 1 and a new beginning. Bring it on April!

Moral to the story: don't knock your drinks over onto your keyboard. 

Cheers~

think write thursday | meandering, wandering and hello april...

 

This week’s Think Write Thursday is to write a post called, “Hello, April.”

About two years ago, my friend Margaret's one little  word was meander (MeanDear = MD). Her idea: to visit more of the historical areas in Maryland, which is ripe with colonial history. Meander conjures up a leisurely journey with a stop here or there, whatever catches one's fancy.

The next year, I decided I'd borrow the idea and chose the word wander (WanDer = WDC). My idea: make it a point to go downtown WDC at least once a month to the Smithsonian Mall - there are always so many great exhibits at the Smithsonian Museums and neighboring places of interest.

Today, as I mentioned yesterday, we wandered to the Hirshhorn Museum and meandered through the Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror display - a wonderful experience. 

Doing so brought my wander word back into my lexicon for April and my plan is to make at least one trip to the Mall every month...this of course gets tricky with summer tourists - once upon a time, from all over the world; these days, not so sure.

Saturday, April Fool's Day is also National Kite Flying Day on the Mall...one theme  is to make kites that exemplify "when they go low, we fly kites." I'm not sure I'll get down on the Mall Saturday but I'll be looking on Instagram.

My quilting group's biennial quilt show is the last  week of the month so a lot of my time will be spent that week helping with the hanging of the quilts.

Several friends have birthdays so I must make a note to buy and mail cards. Our list of things to do around the exterior of the house and the yard is growing by leaps and bounds, ranging from installing new exterior fencing, cleaning out the garage, painting the trim, repainting the deck to deciding on plants for  the "garden." And of course April is tax month; yep, those have to be paid! Most of these projects will be started in April and finished by June...I trust. 

Finally, #the100dayproject begins 4 April and my project plans are beginning to gel - more about them on 4 April.  AND baseball season officially opens April 3 for the Washington Nationals - we're ready to play ball! 

Beside "showers," what does April have in store for you? And do drop over to Carole's blog for more Hello April posts!

Cheers~

In addition to Kusama's exhibit, the Hirshhorn also has a stunning exhibit of orchids...

watercolor wednesday | splotches of color ...

This is my niece Chris at the Hirshhorn Museum's Yayoi Kusama: Infinity of Mirrors exhibit*. The splotches of color are decals visitors are given and have been plopped on the organ. 

Tomorrow, my friend Margaret and I are going to the exhibit. We are so excited because, as with the Museum of African American History and Culture, tickets are at a premium. So, stay tuned...more to come.

Cheers~

PS. Thanks to everyone who helped me remember to pay property taxes. Never fun but done! 

*For some reason, the link to the exhibit pops up as not able to connect...hold tight, in secs, it does.

tuesday free write ...

 

            Today was the last make-up Journal Club session...for thirty minutes, we did a "free write, " just whatever came to mind and helped us keep the pen moving across the page. My day has been long, starting out with 9 AM and 10:40 AM doctor's appointments punctuated by a trip to the credit union and a few stops at Starbuck's in between appointments and on my way home ... What follows are my random thoughts from the session, shared in a tad-more organized fashion, I trust. 

1. It's been a long day and I've no idea of what to eat for dinner...salad and tuna? Doesn't quite excite me...
2. Gathered costume jewelry for MT's garden club's flea market...and a few gems among them brought back memories - good for my 100 Days Project...
3. Trying to think of a handle for today's post...perhaps a simple 10 on Tues list...oooh! this tea is h-o-t! and I need a manicure. Not at all happy with the last couple I've had!...
4. Maybe a hot shower and early to bed are on tonight's agenda...geez, it's only Tuesday. Wonder if I'll get my second wind soon...
5. Gotta think through the procedure for the Q4$ (quilts for sale) for the show; at least make some notes and confer with Barb and Pat...
6. Hearing Gloria Lynne again...interrupted by a marketing call! Sound of clock ticking...so many random thoughts...
7. NTS: PAY PROPERTY TAXES TOMORROW!!! Wrote -in red- and posted a big reminder!...
8. Norman just announced:  a big box arrived...and no, the postman did not ring at all, let alone twice! And somehow another picket on the gate got pulled off - grrr! We think it's kids coming home from school. Why? 'Cause they can - the pickets were just glued on and over the past 14 years, the glue is drying out...guess we'll go fence-hunting soon...

        9. Requested this book from the library; saw a woman reading it when I was in Starbucks this morning in between my two             doctor's appointments; she said it's quite interesting and I really am intrigued with the title; should have it in a couple              days...

          10.  Yep, for sure I'm going to call it an early night; the later it becomes this Tuesday, the more certain I am!

Cheers~

 

Memos, mail, me | misty Monday potpourri...

 

Just a few moments before sunrise today, the sky brightened enough for me to see that we had a bit of foggy mist hovering around...a foggy day in ... driving to my weekly quilting association meeting was a little slower than usual along Interstate 95 as everyone, including moi, was paying strict attention  to the flow, brake lights, etc. I-95 goes to New York City and beyond and all sorts of vehicles travel it...

About the time I arrived at my destination, there was a glimmer of sunshine. Our quilting membership group is having its biennial quilt show April 27-29 and today was the first "all hands on deck" meeting of  committee chairs. After we adjourned we joined the rest of the group for the informal meeting update and show and tell. On display was this absolutely fun quilt, made by a master quilter who has decided that she was going to tackle her UFOs - this one is one of 58 waiting in the wings...apparently she stopped making big quilts several years ago and has spent most of her time making quilted gift items to sell at craft fairs. 58! Imagine! And I'm sure she will complete all.

After the meeting adjourned, I went for lunch at my favorite restaurant - Nordstrom - and had my usual shrimp arugula salad only today with a yummy split pea soup. By the time lunch was over, the sun really was out in full force, the sky a bright blue and the temp: well into the low 70s...turning out to be a grand day after all. For some reason, I am sleepy this afternoon so I may take a quick nap... but first, onto the mail:

Last week's mail was light and not really all that exciting. I did receive this fun A5 dotted Scribbles journal that I ordered from Amazon. Designed in the UK, it comes in a variety of colors, has an attached pen loop, two ribbon book markers, 192 numbered pages, a leather cover,  a back pocket and two pen-test pages plus three-pages printed for an index and a couple pages for bullet journal symbol codes. 

How am I going to use it? I plan to participate in the #100Day Project that starts April 4...more on and what and how  I will, next time.

Oh, today's mail was just delivered; wonder what came?

I am again joining Sian of From High in the Sky for today's meme; do pop over and see what other goodies were received. Anything exciting or different arrive in your mailbox this past week?

Cheers~

friendstitchin' Sunday...

 

Our monthly gathering comes around so fast tho' some months it seems that the time in between is long...quite long. 

Today's menu was simple and tasty : cold cuts, salads, and delicious mini desserts: creme broule´, chocolate pudding and lemon tart  pastry- I had the lemon tart.

Friend Pat made us: Margaret (daughter); Theresa (daughter-in-law); and me these delightful crocheted neck scarves ---in our fave.colors.  A surprise, for sure. Thanks Pat! Even with yesterday's near record highs of 75+ degrees, today's it's been rather chilly...I wore mine home and I was quite warm and toasty. 

The dogs, as  always, were delighted to see us and of course were tuckered out after such a hard day greeting us and eating a snack or two or three...

And thus: another delightful Sunday gathering and stitching with great friends. T'il next month,

Cheers~

6 minute diary | sat 25 march 2017

 

 

 

Did:

1.  three loads of laundry; 2. attended our 3rd Women's March Huddle meeting; 3. read The Night Garden - a delightful children's picture book - thanks Kat for the lead;  4. ate lunch/early supper at Panera Bread: tomato soup and napa almond chicken salad - yum;  5. went to the hairdresser...

Saw:

1. 3 helicopters flying in formation over I-95; unusual; 2. at Panera, several girls' soccer teams; 3. a really big dog that looked almost like a bear...4. this morning's sunrise - brief as it was; 5. can't think of a fifth one... 

Heard:

        Lots of old classic vocals from years gone by -  One of my favorite singers: Gloria Lynne; take a listen...

Draw:

        I didn't draw anything but I thought a) this waterlogue of the bear, er uh dog might do and b) this link, shared by Austin Kleon in his weekly newsletter this week, make for a nice substitute.

What would you include in your diary...any category?

Cheers~

 

finished object friday...hip hip hooray!

 

On Monday I picked up my Flower Garden quilt from the longarm quilter .. it is beau -ti-ful! 

• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray!

Today, I finished machine stitching the binding on my  quilt!

• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray!

Sunday is  our monthly Friendstitching gathering... my friend Pat and I will do the hand stitching of the binding - that's the last thing to be done.

• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray!

I am sooo excited and delighted at how the quilt has turned out...and ecstatic that I am. finished. At last!

• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray!

(detail of the long arm stitching)

Believe it -or not: I started the first two of 24 blocks on March 24, 2013!  Four! Four! Four years ago to this day!

   (second block started 4 years ago )

Now it's time for a glass of wine to celebrate!

• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray! 
• Hip Hip Hooray!

 

Cheers~

think write thursday | windows ...

 

(the rosy glow of sunrise on "this Tree" at 7:24 am on the first day of spring 2017)

This week's Think Write Thursday topic is to look out a window you don’t normally look out of and tell us what you see. I am taking a bit of a different approach

There are  33 windows in my 77+ years' old house...most I look out of everyday. Most windows have shades that roll up or down. In the living room and upstairs master bedroom, shades on those windows which face the front, southern exposure  are rolled down in the winter and up in the summer. Shades on the side of the house are seldom, if ever, rolled up - primarily because we would only see the neighbors' brick side of house. The great thing about these window treatments is they are inconsequential in the overall scheme of décor.

Twelve years ago, we added to the rear of the house,  an addition that I dubbed the Great Room and Kitchen. I love curtain-less windows;  none of this room's windows have curtains tho' the deck doors have blinds built in between the double panes of glass; the blinds can be open/shut or raised/lowered. 

I always start the day in the Great Room and it is from here that I get a read on the day's  to-be weather, the seasons, the pace of soon-to-be daily life, depending on the time of year, if it's a weekend or holiday, hot or cold, dry or wet. From my vantage point I see the sunrise and when I step out on the deck at the end of day, a sunset - which I can also see from the windows on the west side - tho' I seldom open them for I find it easier to step outside.

Last year we had bushes that had grown into trees cut down and removed...and the entire area is now ripe for a major overhaul: grass replaced tho' I'd like to turn most of the area into an English country style garden with a potpourri of flowers growing hither, thither and yon. I would also like a bird-feeder or two but I'm afraid the occasional feral cat would create a little havoc...We also will be replacing the fence and repainting the deck. Whatever we do, it's time to get started...

Do visit Carole's blog to see what others have shared. 

 Cheers~

 

success ...

 

... comes to those who persevere!

After a couple more unsuccessful attempts to make continuous bias binding, I finally got it right...and I know what I wasn't doing right - I didn't offset the rows enough...so, the next time, I'll know what to do.

And now I have inches and inches and inches of fabric ready to be made into the binding for the Flower Garden quilt! 

Too bad we're out of wine...a toast to my success is certainly in order...Tomorrow!

What success/es did you have today or recently?

Cheers~