Morning Glory Studio

unraveled wednesday | 9.26.18 ...

 

Currently : 11:16 am

The dryer just signaled “all done!” which means I need to get up and check my fabric...and no, it’s not dry...I’m prepping for a quilt class tomorrow - another version of the convergence quilt. My first is finished...

The fence is being replaced! Finally! After months - well weeks of indecision, estimates, etc, we finally a) made a decision and b) contracted for the work and c) waited...eight weeks + days! I didn’t know fence replacement was such a popular business. And, all the rain we’ve had didn’t help, either! Tomorrow, it should all be a fait accompli...

We’ve not been to our favorite restaurant in nearly two years. Today, friends from Seattle are in town and we’re meeting them for lunch; a real treat!

Sunshine greets us today. The morning’s been so pleasant and I’ve sat and watched leaves being gently kissed by the breeze and also, gently fall from the trees. Everyday, the patches of blue or grey sky between the branches get bigger. Pretty soon, all the branches will be bare.

I looked for a book among my stash - found it! And a few others I’d forgotten I had or decided to reread...they are on journaling and writing...so they’ve become part of this week’s MSQT reading !

And there goes the dryer buzzer! This time, all done is for real!

Joining Kat and others for another Unraveled Wednesday! Is/Was yours?

Cheers~

 

Rainy Days and Mondays...

 

 

Another Monday driving in the rain... seems to be getting to be a habit...

On my way to my quilting group meeting this morning , I’d driven about 2 miles when I realized I’d left my wallet (aka money and driver’s license) home... I drove very cautiously home to retrieve said missing items...

At my quilting group meeting...today was the reveal of  a member challenge quilt...comes around once every two years. Theme this time was “memories;” several quilted  the 2017 eclipse This one received first place by membership’s vote. Because I was later arriving, I missed the voting...but it would’ve been my choice too!

Decided after the meeting to have a late lunch at Nordstrom...it’s been a good couple months since I was last there. Along with the above exquisite salad - full of seasonal berries, spiced candied almonds, goat cheese, dried strawberries and a vanilla bean vinaigrette,  I also enjoyed a very tasty cup of chicken noodle soup. Yum!

 Another Monday almost ended; can’t say the same for the rain. My Seattle friends are in town...hardly any rain there these days...Go figure!

Trusting your Monday has been dry, filled with lots of sunshine and a tasty salad.

Cheers~

TGIF ...

 

(one or the other or maybe neither will become the tree*) 

Thankful: It's been a quiet day. Not much like Friday, me thinks. The highlight of the day: Journal Club resumed. A time to reunite with old friends and ignite new friendships, too! Each session, Jamie chooses an animal tarot card that guides us through the season. The RAVEN is the pick this time around; at first, I wasn't too enamored and frankly, the practice is rather foreign to me. I read a bit about the Raven's guiding contributions and I'm  thinking this may be an interesting adventure... 

Grateful: Tho' cloudy, grey and a tad rainy, the day has also been peaceful and relaxing. A perfect way to end a week and begin the weekend. I feel rested. I am rested! And I'm looking forward to a weekend with more quiet, solitude, and rest ...

Inspired: I'm this close to finishing the *Shades of Trees ... all the rectangles have been adhered and I just need to find/decide on fabric for the tree ... 

Fun: My watch usually tells me when it's time to stand and walk/move  for a minute or two; seems to be unusually quiet so I guess I'll wind up the post and walk a bit before I settle in for the balance of the day.

Enjoy the weekend and Welcome Autumn!

Cheers~ 

3 on thurs | 9. 20.18 ...

 

It's Thursday!

 

Today, two of my stitchin' group and I got together, joined by a potential new gatherer...we of course had a delicious brunch: three very tasty salads and Trader Joe's Pub Cheese.  New to me and delish. Certainly doesn't begin to approach Carole's Friday Night Cheese Spreads but does earn high marks (Google it...lots of "chef" reviews) ...

 

Our hostess has a delightful antique school desk, complete with an inkwell and several vintage elementary school readers, appropriately perched  on top. T'was very fitting for our gathering, on the threshold of Autumn/Fall, stirring and bringing back many school days'  memories. We had fun sharing ...

On my way home, I stopped at Bed Bath & Beyond for a new dustpan with a long handle...bending over to hold the traditional short hand-held one is just. not.cutting it! On my way into the store were bins filled with these autumn leaf felt-like placemats (or wall decor?).  100% polyester. Washable. I only bought three but I think I'll buy a few more ...

Joining Carole and friends here... What three things got your attention this Thursday 20 September?

Cheers~

unraveled wednesday | 9.19.18 ...

I sit here, at the table, books and journals spread out before me; my iPad open and ready to pen today’s post. The sun shines, for a change. Temperature in the mid 70s, an invitation to turn off the A/C and open windows and the deck doors... In the background, a lawnmower and the chatter from cnbc: on stocks. 

Thinking: what I will write about for today’s post?

My eyes leave the screen,  look up, out the windows: Leaves gently drift to the ground, stirred by a breeze, evidenced by the “this tree’s” branches, swaying slowly. Soon, those branches will be bare.

Norman fixes his traditional but very healthy breakfast: apple + banana + chicken tenderloin, baked. We chat about whatever.  I’d toyed with the idea of going to IKEA for the Swedish American breakfast this morning but never “got my act together.”  Instead, it’s oatmeal and fruit for me.  

Moments of Seeing  finished thus morning; enjoyed tremendously and somewhat saddened to have it end...but not to despair for a) I can always return to reading it and b) I also have Gift of an Ordinary Day in the wings. 

In just three days, the Autumanl Equinox arrives, officially at 9:54 PM, along with the forecast of more rain and cooler, more seasonal temperatures. An invitation to return to the knitting needles and resume my 9Patch/Log Cabin quilt for mini mindful moments of downtime. Along with time spent in my sewing studio and my journals...

Breakfast is done. Time for me to wind down MSQT and get on with my day...  Joining Kat and friends for another Unraveled Wednesday. Me: Unraveled? Not at all!

Cheers~

 

R & R and rain ...

 

 6:10 pm 

 All day, we’ve had quick 5 min downpours and then sun; currently, the sun is shining...

I took a quick walk in between raindrops early this afternoon...and collected a an oak and a couple maple leaves. Do you remember collecting leaves when you were in elementary school? And then, rushing to the library to find a book to help you identify the leaves?

I spent the afternoon working on Shades of Trees: affixing rectangles (2.25 ” x .75”) to the background fabric; next up: stitching the little rectangles... Making this little quilted piece is very much like putting together a 1000+ pieces puzzle...and I’m not a puzzle person. I think the difference is I am creating the piece as I learn the technique/process and therefore, my attention is captive. Whatever, it’s fun...and relaxing. 

And now, that the day is  over, I’m going to kick off my shoes, read and relax! 

Cheers~

 

sometimes mondays | 9.17.2018 ...

... are slow and easy and rainy...the weather-folk predicted rain/thunderstorms to begin 9 am - only about 35 minutes off.

... I said to Norman this morning: “If I do nothing today, I’m going to put my license tag sticker on my car!” That was before the rain started. In DC, the current tag is affixed to the inside lower left of the front windshield. I have til the 25th so if it does rain all day, there’s still time.

... include the start/restart of two books on writing (reading about writing is one of my favorite pastimes ): The Memoir Project I’ve had a while and am “tasting again for the first time.” Still Writing I had years ago and gave to a friend; I saw it a few weeks ago at Barnes & Noble and decided to repurchase. I’m glad I did!

... and as I look at my notes, I realize that I misdated yesterday, Sunday the 16th (which was actually in week 37 - c’est la vie!).  Kayla and I had a a very pleasant and fun afternoon, starting her senior year scrapbook album...more on that in another post. 

My weekend was refreshing, relaxing, rejuvenating. I am so glad that I gave myself a time-out and am looking forward to continuing the pace. I trust your weekend also refreshed you!

Happy Monday! 

Cheers~

taking it slowly ...

 

 

(photo taken 9.13.18 @ 7:34 pm. clearly another candidate for a "shades of trees" quilt...someday)

 

Too often, I unknowingly, unwittingly, unintentionally, oversubscribe. Unlike the energizer bunny, my batteries have completely run down. I spent a lotta time this past week driving long distances, in rain! I'm tired and have no one but myself to hold responsible. I am so very much looking forward to a slower, more measured pace over, for and during these next 6 days. I have nowhere to go, no one to see, nothing I must do. I can pretty much be. T'is almost like a new lease on life...

Sometimes, one just has to step away from the hustle and bustle of life, whether it is every day or once in a while. Take and or make moments to:

• pause,
• say "Time Out,"
• refresh, relax, rejuvenate.

And that's just what I intend to do.  I am looking forward to a very relaxing week; it's already begun. I invite you to join me. Have a fantastic weekend!

Cheers~

3 on thursday | 9.13.18...

 Continuing the story from yesterday’s post:

    

 Joining Carole and others for 3 on Thursday here.

3:30 pm: Arrived home from my Thursday Stitching group’s gathering... we had a good time catching up and sharing : 3 of us attended the quilt workshop; one didn’t so we had a chance to share our projects and do a Plus/Delta* review of the workshop for our 4th. She was scheduled to attend but had to cancel. We three agreed the teacher was excellent and the pace just right. We also thought we picked up some new techniques; clearly our creative mojo got a nice rejuvenating kick. Our workshop leader is from Australia and t’was fun to listen to her talk. I imagine she enjoyed listening to us, too! 

4:35 pm: When I arrived home, Norman was surprised I was early, compared to previous Thursday gatherings. Mainly because I didn’t stop to run an errand or get a PSL...tho’ I entertained the idea. Truth be told, I am just plain tired of driving this week, especially during rush hours in the rain! My mug o’ tea filled the bill just fine. Home sweet home is the place to be!

4:50 pm: I had taken my fabric to continue work on on my piece; my goal was to have enough done to share in today’s post. What can go wrong, does: I discovered that the iron-on bonding I’d used had dried up... Betsy (our hostess) gave me a nice fresh piece so I think I’ll end this post and resume working on my piece.  The process for creating this quilt:  1) adhere a bonding fabric to the backs of a variety of fabrics; 2) cut the bonded fabrics into strips: 2.2.5 in by .75 inches; 3) adhere the strips onto the base fabric; and 4) overlay silhouettes of trees on top. All of this is of course, stitched.  Eventually, I'll get there! 

Visit The artist, Gloria Loughman for a gallery of her magnificent quilts! 

Cheers~

*Plus/Delta (from my training days) is a review of “what was great - the +++s of an event; Delta Δ, as in the Greek definition of change "what would you change?"

unraveled wednesday | 9.12.18 ...

• 

Currently: 1:51 pm: 

• Sitting at VA eye clinic, waiting for N’s 1:10 pm appt.
• Typepad was unraveled earlier this day: site was down; thankfully, it’s back up.
• My attention is on trees as a result of my quilting class I attended Sun/Mon of this week. I’m eager to get back to “making my piece” but I need to be home with an iron to do so.
• Unlike most quilt projects, the technique introduced uses an iron-on bonding medium (steam-a-seam) to create a background.
• Sitting before me is a mural that I.really.like...even more than the photo I initially started with. Since I’m not as far along with the work I did in class, I’m seriously thinking about switching ...I can do!
• I continue reading Katrina Kenison’s Moments of Seeing...the essays are so well written and mindful. Soothing to and for the soul.
• It appears that Hurricane Florence will not have much impact on our area ~ perhaps rain later this week. Time will tell.
• Joining Kat and others for today’s Unraveled Wednesday.

Anything  unraveled on your agenda?

Cheers~