Morning Glory Studio

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~

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?"

three for thursday | 9.6.18 ...

 

 

un/1: I missed sharing a #tinytiny moment Tues, so here's a close-up of our Elias, now 9 months' old ~ he's mesmerized by the ceiling fan.( I'm not sure what that white stripe is across his forehead...something with his seat carrier?)

 

deux/2:  Sunday, I am attending a two -day quilting workshop (I shared a bit in this post), joined by three friends from my Thursday stitching group. (Our fifth, Hilary- she prepares such delicious vegetarian lunches, doesn't quilt  plus she's recuperating from knee-replacement surgery!) Yesterday, four of us ventured to a Delaware quilt shop - really quite nice!- for fabric and lunch. On the way home, we stopped at another shop in Annapolis and added more  goodies to our stash. Above is my haul; I think I'll be ready for the class!

 

trois/3:  Several weeks ago, I shared this  question: Is listening to an audio book the same as reading print? Today, I ran across this article : Are Audiobooks As Good For You As Reading? Here's What Experts Say.  More to ponder!

And that's the way it is on this, the sixth day of September! Only sixteen days til Autumn officially arrives! Joining Carole and friends.

Cheers~

3 on thursday | 8.23.2018...

 

 

 

I sit  here at my stand up/sit down computer desk/station, not quite sure what I want to write about for today's post. Three things...hmmm:

1. Spread before me are words on the desk top and the shelf that holds my Mac and phone - which needs a new battery or to be replaced.  A book that I read in 2004 and pulled from the shelf, thinking I'll add it to the q-ue-ue. 
2. To my right, the book of time - a clock - ticks, ticks, ticks. The sound is comforting, especially on this sunny, cool August morn. A hint of Fall in the air. Soon, we will leave for Norman's 1 PM medical appointment. Today, I am missing my Thursday gathering with friends. I just received a text from one, touching base because she knew I wouldn't be there.
3. On the desk top: a Rhodia dot grid reverse notebook. The book is called a reverse book because it can be used either in the portrait or landscape orientation. The 8.3 x 8.3 inch pages are perforated. I like Rhodia papers and notebooks: the paper's a great weight and there's very little shadowing or bleed. To my right, a scratch note pad for jotting down the inevitable notes, phone messages, ideas that generate throughout the course of the day. Sitting on the Rhodia notebook, a bookmark from a former staff member that surfaced the other day; I have it out to remind me to touch base with her so we can plan our second reunion in Oct/Nov. 

Fifteen minutes, no doubt more, have passed since I sat to pen (type)  this post. The sounds from inside and out are the usual: traffic; an ambulance siren. Oddly, no dog barking. Just the steady tick, tick, tick of the clock. It is cool enough - 72° F - to turn off the fans and open the windows, wide. I look out the window and see a father showing a toddler how to bounce a ball with his feet, as they do in soccer... the ball is almost as big as the toddler. Nevertheless, it's a fun moment to watch.

Hmm, for having nothing on my mind to write, my count shows 400 words. Another glance at the clock tells me it's time to wrap up this post, add the image and get ready to get ready to go. Happy Thursday! 

Cheers~

3 on thursday | 8.9.18

 

Today was my Thursday stitching group's gathering. We met at Hilary's and as we've come to love, the menu was beyond description:

1. Homemade split pea soup with or without sour cream...
2. Tossed salad greens, complete with walnuts, nasturtium blossoms and hard-boiled quail eggs ...is your mouth watering, yet ?... and for 
3. Dessert: a wide assortment of fresh fruit: peaches; grapes; watermelon; and tapioca with fresh peaches .

We keep telling Hilary she could open a restaurant - just for lunch; just for us!

Here's a recipe for the salad, in case you are interested. Enjoy!

Joining Carole and others this Thursday, here.

Cheers~

3 on Thurs | zibaldone ...

 

Zibaldone? What’s that mean? Why today?  And?

1 - I introduced the concept of zibaldone in  this  Sept 26, 2017 post. I like the word and its meaning, thinking of it often and associating it to my daily, groaning board, agenda/list of wanna & must  do, etc...

Why today? Well, to day is the 26th day of the month and Z is the last letter of our alphabet...I, in a not very-well organized way, often approach the day’s blog posts from the vantage point of “what letter of the alphabet corresponds to the day’s numeral equivalent?” My answer sometimes, tho’ not necessarily always, jumpstarts an idea/ memory, a story I want to include in my AMAZe (all about me A-Z) album...

2 - Today started out very pleasant...and it is now getting to be a bit humid. I’ve been perched at the table with the deck door wide open, ceiling fan whirling...we had two homestead maintenance service calls scheduled this morning : the first at 8:30: Prompt! The second, an hour later, usually prompt, hasn’t shown up yet at 12 noon and counting ...or called. I suspect our regular guy is on vaca and the replacement is following a different schedule. One wonders why there’s such a disconnect with our routine things these days? Or is it my imagination? Whatever, the now late service call has resulted in my missing my Thursday stitching group’s gathering. Not a complaint, just a fact!

Smoke (the cat)  has been languishing on the deck all morning...hungry no doubt and Norman’s out of food. He’s been waiting for the 2nd service call but I suspect he’ll leave soon to go shopping. Hang in there Smoke (cat).

3 - Since the morning’s over, I shall close up shop here and move upstairs to my craft and sewing studios - fancy terms for rooms. I’ve been making scrapbook layouts this week and found, among a few thousand ideas, a drawing I’d made of a family gathering that happened thirty years ago - when Dolly was just about two. We (my mom, sister, niece - Dolly’s mom -  and I) were playing Monopoly.  I thought: I’d like to play Monopoly again and bought the game Monday afternoon. My niece (Dolly’s mom & my namesake) called last night and I told her about my idea. "Funny," she said: "I’ve been thinking the same thing... great minds” and all that stuff. Anyway, we’re planning a family gathering next month or at the latest, Labor Day weekend. We’ll have to introduce Chris; Elias is too young, still...

And that’s that for now, at 12 Noon-ish. Any zibaldones make up your day?

Joining Carol and others for Three on Thursday here. 

Cheers~

3 on thurs + 1...

And here we are on Friday the 13th! Doesn't feel unlucky tho’ I’m not sure what could/would. I am late to 3 on Thurs  this week...so, thought I’d combine with today’s post...take care of several  ”birds with one...” So, moving on:

On my morning walks over the past couple days:

1. the top left photo is of a small Italian bakery/wine shop. I loved the doodles on the windows and regretted I was going by before the store opened.  Mental Note to Self: go back soon;
2. Cone flowers in all hues are plentiful and certainly brighten paths and walkways;
3. Thurs evening, about 8:45 pm, Norman announced the water pressure was low...come to find out, indeed that was the case. Pressure was restored about 12:30 am this morning (Fri 7/13). We were told to boil our drinking/cooking water if our homes fell into the area  represented by the blue map - picture # 3 - chances were that the water might be contaminated. Yep! That affects us! 
4. And... + 1:

 
 

Today - the 13th - has thus far, been quiet and filled with the  #blueskyblooms of the ever-blooming crepe myrtle . Lovely!

Joining Carole and others here and wishing you a great weekend. 

Cheers~

 

thursday 3: catching up...

 

Today, Norman had a doctor's appointment;  afterwards, we went to Whole Foods for a few items and then home...I'm not sure where the time went but here it is 6 PM and I'm just now getting around to today's blog post... Seems I  have taken a slight blogging vaca: missing a couple consecutive days over this month; can't say that will change anytime soon but in the scheme of things, I doubt it will matter much.

Tuesday, I had an appointment; afterwards, I went to Barnes & Noble and bought two new books and three magazines...I took one of the books with me today but never really read a word...pulled out my iPhone to look up something and found myself on Instagram (not sure why or how). In my feed was this ad for the new Next Big Idea Book Club.  I like the curators and there is a free two-week's subscription so I may try it out. 

This is the convergence quilt; I am auditioning fabrics for the outer borders. The inner border will be black and the outer, one of the three fabrics: purple, teal or the  silvery grey. I think I've decided but thought I'd invite your opinions...and 

Happy Summer! We've had cooler temps and semi-sunny skies, a bit o' rain here n there. Hopefully, that's a good sign that summer won't be too miserable; one can keep fingers crossed and hope. Speaking of hope, one needs to remember Jesse Jackson's  July 19, 1998 "keep hope alive!"  address these days.

Peace and Hope.

 

three on thurs | 6.7.18

 

 

 

(Congvergence quilt #1 - on my design wall; still under construction; the circles and the butterfly will be appliquéd on)

1. I am reading (listening to via Audible) Paul Auster's 4321  and enjoying every minute of this story. The writing is so detailed , the narration, excellent and the book a perfect companion to my first Convergence quilt (above) that I began last Thursday, in class. My plan is to make convergence quilts as I read (audible books) over these three summer months... Audible reading provides the perfect background as I learn/practice the technique for making a convergence quilt.  I'm stoked and have selected fabrics - tho' not necessarily companion books - for at least 6-8 more quilts. I should have plenty practice...

2. I took a walk to my favorite local coffee shop and ordered an iced caramel latté. The coffee shop now has 100% -earth friendly- paper straws... they feel strange on the lip...

3. We are not hockey fans in this house but we're rootin' for the Washington Capitals! They are one game away tonight to winning the Stanley Cup...for more years than I can remember, they've come sooo close. If they win, this city/area will go W*I*L*D!!! Send good vibes...Thanks!

Joining Carole and others for this week's edition of Three on Thursday.

Cheers~

 

 

3 on thursday | 5.3.2018

 

Celebrating 3 May:

 

sunrise @ 6:15 am

     We went from winter to summer overnight. I'm not complaining, just bemused, 'cause this is the way it is in these parts. Tomorrow is one more "hot" day and then, cooler, more spring-like temps...and a bit of rain, thrown in, Sat and Sun. T'will be good for the earth and cool us down, a tad... I was delighted to see the sunrise... 

 

songbird* @ 11:03 am

As I got out of my car this morning - today is my weekly Thursday stitching gathering group, I was greeted by the trill of a *songbird - if you look in the upper right corner of the photo, you can sort of see it on the twig . His song made us both happy ...

 

sunflowers @ 11:46 am

I always associate sunflowers with August's hot summer days - considering our temps, I shouldn't be surprised to see them; these are lovely on the vintage towel...

And so these are my 3 on this Thursday, 3 May 2018. Joining Carole and others here.

Cheers~