Thankful!

 Good Morning!!  Happy Wednesday to you!  Do you remember the block of the week for Summer 2010?  From Primitive Gatherings?  Well, I participated in that, and made the quilt that was offered.  The blocks were three inch finished applique flowers, alternating with nine patches.  I loved it!!  So...I am doing it again....in a bigger size!  I enlarged the patterns to 6 inch squares, and am appliqueing the blocks as I go.  I have these nine patch blocks from the Celebration nine patch block swap, and I am using them for the alternate blocks.  I have enjoyed blanket stitching these blocks more than anything in a long, long time!  I think you can still get the pattern from Primitive Gatherings, at least it was there last time I looked.  I have lots of blocks to go still, and lots of work left on the ones I have prepped.

This is part of the Temecula Countdown to Christmas quilt.  Please click on the link to make your own version of their gorgeous quilt!!  I started out making these little stars, and somehow, I just could not do them very well.  I think maybe my seam allowance is off just a little bit, because they are far from perfect, LOL!  Anyway, I decided to make this little quilt instead.  You really cannot see it, but I hand quilted in the plain squares, and sewed buttons from reclaimed shirts in the two inch stars.  The binding is the most fun part, for me...it has a built in little flange that is part of the binding.  This was on Pinterest, and you can see the technique HERE.  I really ended up liking this little quilt a lot...much more than when I initially saw my wonky little stars, LOL!!  I think that it is fun to make patterns your own...go your own way...do your own thing!!  I encourage everyone to just let loose and create whatever you want to...it is great fun!!  I want to thank Temecula quilt company for providing such fun little patterns through their blog for no charge, just out of the goodness of their hearts...these little quilts are wonderful and great fun to make!!

*************************Nurse's Notes***********************

I had the most wonderful patients these past few days!!  Just telling you about personalities, not the private medical stuff.  For me to remember later...don't want to forget these dear patients!!  One patient was an older fellow, and he was called "Cowboy"  He said that his daddy called him that from the time he was born, and that he never knew his real name until he went to school.  What a dear, dear man...his wife died after a long wonderful marriage, and he reconnected much later with his junior high sweetheart, and they are just so sweet together!!  Loved taking care of this couple...

Another patient was a Cajun from New Orleans.  What a dear, sweet man he was too!!  He told me tales of cooking, and celebrations, and Mardi Gras.  He said I just have to go, just once!!  I wondered why his wife did not come to see him, but at the end of his hospitalization, she came up...with their son who is 50 years old with cerebral palsy, with profound deficits.  His wife had been home taking care of their son, an infant really, at 50 years old.  The sweetest people you ever want to meet.  I think that adversity can break a person and make them bitter...or it can make them strong and sweet and better!!  Obviously this was the case here.  Anyway, both patients blessed me every time I stepped into the room!!

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I am so thankful for my life, and for our dear creator, and for his many blessings every day that I am showered with.  I sincerely wish you a most wonderful Thanksgiving this year and each day of the year!  As for me?  I will be working at the hospital, in charge on my floor this holiday.  So I am cooking today and we will enjoy the wonderful food for many days!!!

Julie  

Finished with strings for a while? Ha!!

 Happy Monday!!  I just can't leave those strings alone!  I was just going to make a few string blocks, strictly  for fun, with no plan in mind...but then the basket idea sprang into my brain, and then...I was off to the races!  So here it is:  Fiesta Baskets!

 Close up of the border...which by the way was great fun to make!  All out of the 2.5 inch string/square drawer.  Thanks Bonnie Hunter for the scrap savers system; the system works tremendously well for me!  The baskets are 8 inch finished.

And a favorite block!  This quilt top is made entirely of gifted and saved strings.  Wide strings and narrow ones too....just a whole bunch of scrappy fun!!  Now...maybe I will do something else, other than a string quilt!  (but don't count on it...)







Have a great day, everyone!!!

Julie

Angels among us!

 The angel idea is taking shape for me.  I put tiny churn dash blocks around her.  She is a January Angel!!  Blanket stitching last night during TV time was fun, as blanket stitching is the method of my applique.  Not sure about her expression yet, still considering!

 A few years ago, Lisa Bongean of Primitive gatherings did a block of the week in summer, and I participated and finished the project.  I love those patterns!  I have been eager to do some applique, so I am going to make the blocks bigger, increasing the size from 3 inches to six inches.  Here is my first block.

 And here is my second block!  These will alternate with nine patches, all made and just waiting to be put in a quilt!

And Leanne!!  What a great idea you had, to make a purse out of the little top from last post...that is just what I did!  It is really more a tote bag size, and I love it!  Thank you for the great idea!!



***************************Health notes********************************

I think as Americans, we are mostly addicted to sugar.  I know I love it, LOL!  With high fructose corn syrup used in so many products we buy at the grocery store, we all got hooked on it as kids, I think...but to me?  It is like a poison!  I feel so tired and bad after consuming sugar...just yucky.  The damage to the pancreas and to the internal linings of arteries is evident, as well as many other body parts and pieces!  So....here I go again...off the sugar!!  I feel so very much better without it.

I have been walking/running in preparation for a half marathon.  Since my back surgery, the doctor said, "NO MORE RUNNING!", so I have been taking it very easy, but there is something so fun about getting out in the fresh, crisp air and putting some miles on my shoes!  That makes me feel great!  so the healthy answer for me is less carbs/sugars and more exercise!!...........and more quilting!!!


Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Thank you!!

 Happy Weekend!!  I at last got my latest string top together.  Goose on a string...what do you think?  Good name or not?  The day is fair, a light breeze, just very nice in the low 70's.  So I spread the quilt top out on the lawn.  As far as my future plans go, I just never tire of strings, but will try to concentrate on something else for a while.  MAYBE, LOL!!

 Here is an idea for using some 1/2 square triangles, if you have little baggies of them like I do.  Needs a good pressing!!

Another string top picture...and some little critter is digging little holes in the grass back there!  Maybe someone is SQUIRRELING away nuts for the winter??


*******************Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I so appreciate everyone sharing their concept of what an angel is.  I loved hearing your thoughts so much!!  I had always heard that when people passed away, they became angels.  I don't know if this is true or not, and that is why I was asking...so thank you so much for your input, dear friends!!!


Have a great day, all!!!


Julie K

Called off work again, so I am sewing!

 Maybe the angel block needs some borders?  Just experimenting here.  I am thinking I could make one for each month.  Hmmmm...just thinking!!

 I am in the process of making a few mug rugs, using up strings and little leftovers bits and pieces of blocks.  These will be fun to hand quilt on road trips!

And Temecula stars!!  These are fun!  Mine are not perfect, but I will get better as I practice...or not...either way I love them!!  two inches finished...they are itty bitty!!



I would love for you to share with me your concept of what an angel is.  Some people responded last post, and I thank you so much for that.  I have a specific reason for wanting to know...thank you for sharing your thoughts with me!!



Julie

I got to go to Houston!!

 HI Everyone!!  Hope this post finds all you well and having a great and productive day!!  Above is a Moth in the Window block.  At least that is what I am calling it...do you know another name?  I love my plaids, as you know, so I cut out a whole bunch of these blocks.  Only got one made though!!

 I got to go to the Houston quilt show!!  Amy Simms and her group were selling little quilts for Alzheimer's, as they have done the last several years.  The above little one just spoke to me!!  It was made by a quilter in Hawaii, and I love it!!  The day we were there, shortly after we bought our little quilts, the total added up to one MILLION DOLLARS that this fine group has collected for research for this terrible disease.  So that made me very happy that I helped, LOL!!

 But the biggest thing!!!  See this heart above?  And I love hearts, by the way...(I need to do a post on all my heart quilts that I have made!)  Anyway, this heart is very, very special.  It is made all of buttons, and came all the way from Australia, beautiful wrapped with an angel pin among the ribbons.  It was hand carried to me by my friend Lyn!!  Lyn and I have been corresponding for six years, and I at last got to meet her in person!!  She and her husband had the opportunity to take a trip to the USA, and came to Houston, to the quilt show as one of their stops.  We got to meet her and saw the show together, and had just a wonderful time!!  Thank you, Lyn...we had such a fun time with you both!!  Lyn bought the cutest ladybug quilt for Alzheimer's too.

Angels....I have just been hankering to make an angel quilt!!  So I am experimenting.  Above is a rough draft version.

May I ask you a question?  What is an angel to you?  Would you please tell me your understanding of what an angel is??  I have heard many different things, and I feel like I need to sort it out in my mind...please share!!




********************Nurse's Notes*************************


We had the most delightful lady in our hospital...she was 92 years young, and she had a twin that came to see her!!  I just loved them both...full of vinegar, they were just so young and trotted around the hospital floor like people 50 years younger...both of them looked like they had just come from the beauty shop, gorgeous white hair waving!!!  I sure hope I can be so happy and cheerful and energetic at age 92!!



A funny sight...I drove up to the hospital on Monday, and there was a nurse pushing a gurney full of clocks!!!  He drove it out on the lawn and left it there?  I was dumbfounded...then he explained that the clocks all had to be reset due to Daylight savings time changes, and that the clocks were atomic clocks, and would not reset in the basement where he worked!  OOOOooooooohhhhhh...now I get it!!

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Have a great day, all!!!

Julie