Welcome to the final day of the Sew It - Show It Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop, hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt!  There have been some really fun and pretty projects made for this hop - check out these blogs for even more creations that are rose colored or with glasses, or both!

MAY 18

MooseStashQuilting

Just Because Quilts

Quilted Delights

Vroomans Quilts

Karen's Korner

Ms P Designs USA

Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop - Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of the Sew It - Show It Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop, hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt!  Check out these blogs for for creations that are rose colored or with glasses, or both!

MAY 17

Inflorescence

Scrapdash

Karrin’s Crazy World

Beaquilter

Crazy'boutquilts

The Crafty Grammie

 

MAY 18

MooseStashQuilting

Just Because Quilts

Quilted Delights

Vroomans Quilts

Karen's Korner

Ms P Designs USA

Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop - My Day

Welcome to day 2 of Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop, hosted by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt! Be sure to check out the other blogs listed at the end of this post - you will find some lovely eye candy and rose-spiration!

Inspiration photo

Carol's challenge for Rose Colored Glasses was to incorporate one or more of the following: rose/pink fabric, eyeglasses, roses, or positive words. I chose to feature my favorite rose, the Peace rose, one of the world's most popular roses introduced to commemorate the end of World War II.

The pattern, Coral Coreopsis by James and Gracie, was a perfect opportunity for me to play with colors in my interpretation of a Peace rose. My choice of pattern was inspired by Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts and Emily at The Darling Dogwood. See Wendy's beautiful finish right here and Emily's lovely version here.

I added a bit of light green as well as a favorite floral print, and while the result might not be the standard Peace rose colors, I love it all the same. I quilted with Urban Elementz "Flower Child" pantograph and used variegated Superior Threads King Tut #901 "Nefertiti" and Kimono Silk "Godzilla Green" for the binding. This piece finished at 34-1/2 inches square.

Peach and yellow backing

Flower Power Panto

Variegated thread

Toby has already claimed it

I have to credit my quilt model Hubby who always says "don't show my legs!"

Thank you so much Carol, for hosting this fun project. Now I have a pretty wall hanging for our guest bedroom!

Be sure to check out the other posts for the day.

I have included the links for each day in case you missed one!

MAY 15

Just Let Me Quilt

Selina Quilts

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

That Fabric Feeling

Days Filled With Joy

Words & Stitches

 

MAY 16

Sew Many Yarns

Quilt Schmilt

Podunk Pretties

Quilted Snail

Quilting Gail

Texas Quilt Gal

 

MAY 17

Inflorescence

Scrapdash

Karrin’s Crazy World

Beaquilter

Crazy'boutquilts

The Crafty Grammie

 

MAY 18

MooseStashQuilting

Just Because Quilts

Quilted Delights

Vroomans Quilts

Karen's Korner

Ms P Designs USA

Monday Morning Mood - Happy!

Everett was hiding and did not join us for the family photo! 

How was your weekend? Mine was a very happy surprise. Early Saturday afternoon my husband asked me to stop what I was doing in the kitchen and go into the garage. As I walked out I heard "Happy Mother's Day", and there was our son Jeff who had driven up from south Texas! I couldn't even talk - I did the ugly cry - lol! He came by himself to spend the night, then our daughter and son-in-law and The Littles came a couple hours later (after a soccer game and a birthday party!) Jeff made burgers on the Blackstone, and we stuffed ourselves and laughed and talked for hours. He left yesterday around noon after his Dad and I took him for a drive through the hills north of us. It was a wonderful weekend!

The Littles demanded that we do another quilt while they were here - lol! I told them no quilt this time, but they could go pick out some fabric they liked, so the sewing room was in chaos after they left. I will do some scrap and stash reorganizing this week.

Here is my list that got away from me last week:

✅1. Doctors appointments - cardiologist for Hubby and surgeon for me - Done - good report for Hubby and great report for me.

❌2. Finish Rose Colored Glasses project. It starts next Monday and my day is Tuesday May 16 - I had planned to do this on Saturday afternoon, and that plan got scrapped - lol!

❌3. APQ Scrappy Celebration - finish B blocks - No progress.

❌4. RBD blocks - No progress

❌5. Winging It blocks - No progress

Winging It ready to go!

After my post for Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop tomorrow, I want to do some stash straightening and catch up on my projects without distractions, so I will take a little vacay from blog posting and reading. I may drop a quick post about a Fat Quarter bundle I won from Island Batik - yay!

I hope all of you have a wonderful week! I am linking with these awesome blogs:

Melva at Sew and Tell

Brenda at Monday Musings

Carol at To Do Tuesday

Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop Day 1

Welcome to Day 1 of the Sew It - Show It Rose Colored Glasses Blog Hop, hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt!  Check out these blogs for each day for creations that are rose colored or with glasses, or both!

TODAY - MAY 15

Just Let Me Quilt

Selina Quilts

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

That Fabric Feeling

Days Filled With Joy

Words & Stitches

 

MAY 16

Sew Many Yarns

Quilt Schmilt

Podunk Pretties

Quilted Snail

Quilting Gail

Texas Quilt Gal - that's me!

 

MAY 17

Inflorescence

Scrapdash

Karrin’s Crazy World

Beaquilter

Crazy'boutquilts

The Crafty Grammie

 

MAY 18

MooseStashQuilting

Just Because Quilts

Quilted Delights

Vroomans Quilts

Karen's Korner

Ms P Designs USA

I Like Thursdays 5-11-23

Welcome to I Like Thursdays, hosted by the fabulous LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color. This week I liked the roses that bloom only once a year outside our bedroom closet window. I love these pretty pink small blooms. This bush was here when we moved in, and we would not have planted it right next to this huge crape myrtle. We decided not to move it, because the tree and rose roots are likely entangled.

We liked this cake a little bit too much. I was craving cake and frosting, so I used a spice cake mix and made my own frosting. The cake mix was pretty strong with spices, but by day 2 the spices had mellowed. Still, I will make my own spice cake from scratch next time. The frosting was delicious - salted butter, cream cheese, my own caramel sauce, a little milk, a pinch of salt, caramel extract, and powdered sugar.

My favorite like this week was the Coronation of King Charles III. I am a helpless anglophile and love all the pageantry, pomp, tradition, history, and color associated with British royalty. I loved the clothes and the detail and the meaning behind each element - from jewelry to the exquisite embroidery designs. I loved the horses and the royal military uniforms and the carriages. The history behind the Coronation Chair just blew my mind. I felt very grateful to be able to witness this extraordinary day of history.

LeeAnn's suggested prompt for the week:

Do you have a favorite musical style?  For fun:  what kind of music calms you, makes you want to dance, or stimulates you creatively?

I like many kinds of music, from worship, classical, country, pop, and  oldies to soul, and even some of the tamer "rap" songs make me tap my foot. My Dad played a great variety of music at home and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue was (and is) a favorite. We attended concerts by The Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra - a great experience for a teen. Oldies from the 1960s and the pop and soul music of the 1970s and 80s - that's my jam! Certain songs give me feelings I associate with times in the past and instantly connects me to memories of being in high school or college, and certain times of our married life.

I tend toward music with minor chords ending with a major chord - I found out this is called a Picardy Third, and it is beautifully illustrated at the end of The Beatles "And I Love Her". You can hear more about that here. I am also very fond of songs that have a triumphant end, such as a The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus - I get goose bumps just thinking about it.

I don't play music when I sew, because it distracts me by making me want to dance - lol! Songs like  "Happy" by Pharrell Williams and Blame It On The Boogie by the Jackson Five make me bob my head and move around in the sewing chair too much to get any sewing done.

Say Something music video with Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton

Two of my favorite music videos are Thriller by Michael Jackson (I love the dancing as well as the music) and a video done by Justin Timberlake collaborating with Chris Stapleton called Say Something. This video was shot in one take in the Bradbury building in LA, and the timing is incredible. It involves acoustic guitars, a 54-voice choir, and although the words are repetitive, the music has that minor quality I love. Timberlake and Stapleton singing and playing guitars walking through the building, joined finally by that choir, the harmony, that moody building with an atrium- I love all of it!

My husband and love country music and listen to Sirius "The Highway" on the road!

The Old Rugged Cross from the Cokesbury hymnal

Church hymns calm me - I could do a whole post about church hymns - a major part of my life!

How would you answer those questions? Be sure to check out LeeAnna's I Like Thursday post, where you will find a list of more happy and positive posts!

Lazy Week Vibes

Planted a few herb, green bean, and flower seeds in my tiny garden

as companions for the tomato and pepper plants

This past weekend was fairly lazy, but I did get a few things done. In the backyard veggie garden, I pulled up a million rogue morning glory seedlings (I let the vines stay up too long last summer and I guess they spread their seeds), spread some Osmocote under the peppers and tomatoes, and planted some seeds. I planted Painted Lady Runner Beans, dill, basil, milkweed, creeping thyme, bush green beans, and zinnias. Hopefully some of it will come up. I potted up some flower plants for the front flower bed and looked at the bags of mulch waiting to be spread. Hubby is waiting until I feel better. I actually feel fine but I tire easily, so I guess we will wait a few more days.

I got all the pieces cut for the butterflies for Winging It. I got a start on the three blocks I am behind on the RBD block challenge. And I looked at the B blocks for the APQ Scrappy Celebration - does that count? Here were my goals for last week:

❎1. Winging It first eight blocks - Done - finished the first 8 and have cut pieces for all others

❌2. APQ Scrappy Celebration Group B blocks - Did not do

✔3. RBD blocks catch up - Fabrics chosen

And for this week: 

1. Doctors appointments - cardiologist for Hubby and surgeon for me

2. Finish Rose Colored Glasses project. It starts next Monday and my day is Tuesday May 16

3. APQ Scrappy Celebration - finish B blocks

4. RBD blocks

5. Winging It blocks

My hubby had a heart attack in May 2012 and had an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) implanted. He has a very low "ejection fraction" and is in a treatment plan with a great group of doctors in Plano, about 60 miles south of us. We has an appointment today, so we get to visit the "good" grocery stores in the north Dallas area - looking forward to that!

I had a great follow-up appointment with my surgeon last Thursday. He said my skin graft is looking great (to me it looks awful). He said I should be able to treat the incision normally after my next appointment on Thursday.

We have a chance of thunderstorms all week, so you know I'm happy!

Enough about me! What is going on in your world this week? I am linking with these lovely hosts:

Monday Musings hosted by Brenda at Songbird Designs

Sew and Tell hosted by Melva at Melva Loves Scraps

To Do Tuesday hosted by Carol at Quilt Schmilt

I Like Thursdays 5-4-23

Last Thursday after surgery on my nose, nurse kitty Toby was on duty.

Not pictured - Jack the ginger kitty sniffed my nose then jumped down from the sofa

It is Thursday, and time to list our likes for the week. Be sure to check out other positive posts on the blog of our creative host, LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color!

Screen shot of radar image taken in May 2022. We are at the blue circle with the red dot.

I like May, because that usually signals the start of the active storm season here in far north Texas. Although we don't get many true storms in our particular location, I can see thunderheads and lightning and hear thunder, and that makes me happy! Many of our storms meander down from Oklahoma - seven miles to our north - such as the one in the above photo taken last May.

LeeAnna's suggested prompt for this week:

Do you like to sing for yourself, or others? Do people recognize your ability or has anyone said you're not a singer? Do you judge yourself or sing for yourself? Do you make up songs during the day, sing to babies?  Are you more comfortable singing high or low?

Let's put it this way: I can read music and carry a tune, but I do NOT sing for others - lol! When I was in fifth grade, I could hardly wait to try out for the "chorus" - elementary school choir. I could hear them singing from down the hall during class, and those songs stayed in my head all day. I went home and sang to my chickens and to the fruit trees in our orchard. I made up songs, just to sing and get practice for tryouts. When the time came, I confidently stood up and began singing "Sing, sing together, merrily merrily sing". And suddenly I got nervous and could barely get the breath out of my mouth, singing in a whisper. At the end of it, Mrs. Decker took a chance on me and generously allowed me to join. Although my soft voice did not make a difference in the sound of the choir, being in the choir certainly made a difference for me.

I am grateful for Mrs. Decker, who taught us how to sing, and to Mr. Earsom, our band leader. The two of them gave me a solid education in reading music. Although I was no longer a member of a school choir after elementary school, I was a member of the band from fifth grade through my senior year. I also sang in our church choir during high school as well as other church choirs as an adult. I am a solid alto who can barely reach "G", but I always enjoy singing with the sound of voices around me.

When my kids were young, I made up nonsensical songs for them and also for my kitties. I am pleased that they both did the same thing for their children and kitties!

How about you - are you an outright singer or a closet singer?

Winging It QAL Dithering

Original fabric pull

How often do you change fabric pulls? It seems to be a "thing" with me. I had a perfectly good fabric bundle and a light background picked out for this project with the intention of a quilt for ME! But right before I started cutting, I spotted some aqua fabric I had purchased to make a quilt for my husband's sister, and within minutes I had created a pull for a completely different look.

My SIL complained to me a couple years ago that I had made "everyone in our family" a quilt but not one for her. That is actually not accurate, but the aqua fabric with its dragonflies fits with the Winging It theme, and her favorite color of aqua will be the background.

First block for Winging It

This QAL started April 20 and is hosted by Wendy Sheppard of Ivory Spring. She terms the QAL "Low Demand" with four blocks a week for 8 weeks. The pattern makes a 69 x 79 inch quilt, and I like the options for prints or solids in varied colors for the butterflies. I would like to do one in various black prints for myself! If you want more information about the pattern and/or QAL, just click on the Winging It logo in my sidebar.

No makeup on this one, so you can see bruising from previous MOHS surgeries. 

I had successful surgery on Thursday with general anesthesia. The surgeon took skin from a spot right below my right earlobe (beneath the earring in this photo) to graft to the MOHS surgery area on the left side of my nose. I will see the surgeon on Thursday to see how the graft is healing. Most likely I will have a slight "dent" in my nose that will smooth a bit over time.

I have had only a few little aches and did not need the pain medication prescribed, but my energy level has been pretty low, so I am giving myself an extra week to complete my To Do Tuesday list! 

Goals for the coming week:

1. Winging It first eight blocks

2. APQ Scrappy Celebration Group B blocks

3. RBD blocks catch up

Linking this post to the following:

Monday Musings hosted by Brenda at Songbird Designs

Sew and Tell hosted by Melva at Melva Loves Scraps

To Do Tuesday hosted by Carol at Quilt Schmilt

I Like Thursdays 4-27-23

I like my kitties! Toby is the "bather" and sometimes the others like it (sometimes not so much!)

Today I am joining LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color to list my likes for the week! This morning is reconstructive surgery on my nose, and I like having having good dermatologists and surgeons nearby. We are only about 15 minutes away from the hospital, so we won't have the stress of traffic.

LeeAnna has such fun prompts for our posts. This one made me think:

Do you speak more than one language? What was is like to learn it? Is
there a language you'd like to learn, please tell us why. Are there words in other languages that sound fun to you, or even English words that you like and make you happy? 

I had two Spanish classes in high school, and that was it for languages. I enjoyed it because Spanish alphabet is more definitive than our English one, and words are pronounced one way instead of so many variations. There is a language I would like to learn, but it is actually English with a dialect called "Scots", and 1.5 million Scots claimed to speak it in 2011. My husband relies on me to interpret words spoken with British and Scottish accents on television - lol! I do have 25% Scottish DNA, so of course I want to sound like a native!

Let me know in the comments if you are knowledgeable or fluent in or want to learn a language, and be sure to check out other affirmative posts at LeeAnna;s blog.

APQ Reboot on To Do Tuesday 4-25-23

Orphan blocks!

In my last post I introduced my blocks for the American Patchwork and Quilting QAL and mentioned my uncertainty about my scrappy fabrics. After making eight very scrappy blocks, I decided that the scrappiness was a major distraction from the quilt design. So those blocks went to Linda's Home for Orphan Blocks for a future quilt, then I happily picked out some fabrics from stash. Cutting went much faster than picking out and trimming all those little scraps!

New pull for APQ

Since this quilt is for my daughter's new father-in-law, I chose dark reds, rich golds/browns, blues, and dark green. 

Group A blocks complete

Ready for Group B blocks

I finished the six group A blocks and am now working on six Group B blocks. Now that my "too many scraps" angst is gone, I can enjoy the process. 

My pull for the RBD Needle Point block, pattern by Janet Wecker Frisch

My To Do Tuesday goals last week:

✔1. RBD block for the week - Pieces cut but not sewn

✅2. APQ scrappy quilt blocks - Group A blocks done

❌3. Play with machine embroidery - Did not do

Winging It QAL fabric pull

✔4. Winging It QAL starts on April 20 - Fabric pull is ready

❌5. Start quilting Rose Colored Glasses project - Did not start

Today is my final MOHS surgery, this one toward the tip of my nose. The surgeon thinks it won't be as deep as originally thought, I hope he's right. There will be no stitches today, as I will have a consultation with the plastic surgeon this afternoon, and plastic surgery is scheduled for Thursday morning. With that in mind, I am keeping my list light for the week.

Goals for the coming week:

1. Winging It first four blocks

2. APQ Group B blocks

3. RBD block for last week (no block for the last Tuesday of the month)

I am joining Carol at Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday - check out all the posts right here - and Melva at Melva Loves Scraps for her Sew and Tell linky!