Finally Finished

Shakespeare is finally finished and at the LAer for quilting. Much to my disappointment she's booked up and won't be able to have it finished until the end of June, 2 weeks after the wedding. I'll print a picture to include in their wedding card along with a small gift from their registry. They won't mind as Redding, CA in the summer is too hot for a quilt on the bed anyway. The picture isn't very good as my holders were both barely 5 ft tall and standing up on the picnic table didn't help at all. I'm pleased with how it turned out with all the blues and greens. The backing I chose is a light turquoise with white and will be quilted with a light variegated blue.


I've ordered Judy Mathieson's newest Mariner's Compass book for my Granddaughters wedding quilt due in October. I had planned on doing another Shakespeare for her and asked her if she wanted the same pattern or something different. She said "something different and please pick it out". Both of them like the water and her fiancee' has a sailboat so I think a Mariner's Compass will be appropriate for them. Another challege as I've never attempted a Mariner's Compass and want to design something special for them.

I've been busy this past couple weeks between rain showers re-doing my deck and patio furniture. Have sanded and stained the picnic table/benches and am working on sanding down the deck for staining and am getting ready to dig up the back lawn to replace with patio stones as I'm so tired of mowing the grass full of moss. It's going to be a busy spring and summer of yard work as I've let it go to many years in a row.

My sister came out and helped me paint our den a week ago. What a difference it has made to the room, so clean and fresh looking with all the clutter off the walls and out of there. Even DH was pleased with the results. I've kept one of my Mom's paintings and the rest will go to my kids and gkids as they have all asked her for one. The antique china doll I found at my MIL's I gifted to my GF's mom who collects them. DH wasn't interested in keeping it and I saw no reason to pass it on to my children. She was pleased as punch with it as it had all it's original clothing intact. Sometimes it just feels good to give pleasure to someone you care about.

Good news for Lady, my kitty. Friday she goes in for a blood test to see what her sugar has been doing. I recently purchased a monitor so I could keep up with her BS's. With the Vet's help I have been decreasing her insulin and her diabetes seems to be in remission as her tests remain the same while I've been decreasing the amount of insulin I give her. My good friend has been coming over in the morning to do her shot so I will be able to go out of town and not have to board her at the Vet's. A very special friend indeed.

Happy Mother's Day

59 Stars "N" Trails

and growing. I've been working in my yard and the lot so haven't been stitching the past couple weeks. Was good to get back to the machine and finish 15 of the remaining 17 blocks today. The temporary wall got to small to hang all these blocks and my living room floor space can't quite hold them either. I've not set it in stone as each time I lay it out I tweek it a bit more. I'm finally seeing some light at the end of this long tunnel. Tomorrow I can finish the last two big blocks, lay them out for the last time and stitch rows together. I'm thankful my Grandson lives in CA where it is HOT during the summer as it's going to take some time to hand quilt this monster. Thank you everyone for all the lovely comments.



I no sooner picked up all the blocks, went for a cold drink when "Lady" claimed them for herself and settled in for a snooze. LOL


I learned a valuable lesson this past week. If you don't know what you are doing, don't do it. Last summer I decided the tension on my machine needed a good cleaning. Armed with directions I disasembled it down to nuts and bolts. Getting it back together wasn't easy and I could never get it adjusted properly so fought with it being either too loose or two tight....puckers in everything I stitched. Nothing I tried worked and finally last week called my OSMG to rescue me and the SM. After an hour of working, he packed it up and off he went. Three days later, he returned, machine under his arm all repaired, serviced and shining, installed it back in it's cabinet, sat me down and what a difference. Stitching is again pleasureable. My SM is a seniour citizen, a Chevy to the Cadillac's of today, a trusy old workhorse that will last a lifetime if taken care of properly. Don, my OSMG is a delight, he's 80 if he's a day, was a pilot during WWII. Retired after owning a Singer shop for 50 years and built a 800 sq ft shop to house the remenants of his business as well as 50+ antique SM's. He does house calls and if he can repair your machine without taking it back to the shop he does. His fee's are reasonable, lives down the street from me, does pick up and delivery for free. I hope he never retires.