More Fun Mail

No question about it.  August 2013 has gotten off to a challenging start and the pace of my quilting and blogging, by necessity, has slowed.  Despite dealing with a number of urgent events, however, there have been some really bright spots.  Carol at Mamacjt  provided one of those.  She is an artist in several media including fiber and I have really enjoyed reading her posts ever since I stumbled across her blog.  I contacted her about a question about a week ago and we struck up an email correspondence.  

Her artwork frequently employs whimsy or, in some instances, laugh-out-loud humor.  Most recently she has been working on illustrated envelopes which travel through the postal system to brighten the day of their recipients.  Here is the one she sent me this week. 

Thank you so much, Carol, for making my day.  And, yes, I really am a fan.  If you visit Carol’s blog, you can see many examples of her work that will make you smile.  

Look What Came in the Mail!

It’s been an up and down week here and the return to normalcy I was looking forward to in my last post hasn't happened yet; but through the chaos there have been some bright spots and I even managed to do some quilting.

One of the brightest spots was the arrival of a squishy package from my September swap partner containing a gorgeous bag constructed in great fabrics for now through fall.  I've already got the bag loaded and ready to show off Tuesday when we gather to sew.  

The swap group decided to branch out from mug rugs and this is the first round doing something different.  My swap partner, Irene, is really on top of her game.  The mailing deadline is September 15, more than a month from now.  My bag for her is in process as I write this.

I completed this little practice piece I posted about some time ago and sent it on its way to Debbie at Stitchin Therapy.  It will be added to others she is collecting.  For three years these little quilts have been paired with doll beds or doll cribs and given to children with special needs at Christmas.  She calls it the Mrs. Claus project and there is an icon in my side bar linking to her site.

This is the weekend of the annual drag boat races here.  The event is good for the community and its businesses, but very noisy.  We are not on waterfront property, but when the really big boats power up, you can hear them all over town.  If you happen to be eating at one of the local restaurants on the lake shore, you will be offered free ear plugs.  The noise level combined with a predicted high of 101 makes this a very good day to stay home and sew!

Jane Stickle Block Progress

It has been a while since I blogged.  Life happens.  The sewing room was dismantled for a visit from one of our grandsons…a joyful life happening.  A crown broke, a less joyful event though not a painful one.  I had to scramble to find a dentist who could schedule me for major work on short notice and accept my insurance.  We finally drove 100 miles to the dentist our daughter works for.  

Today I will re-mantle my sewing room…is that the reverse of dismantling it?…and try to regain a sense of normalcy. 

Here are the Jane Stickle blocks I completed in July.  The empty spot is for a block I will have to re-do.  I accidentally trimmed it to size before adding the 
applique pieces.  I don’t want to do the handwork and then find after rinsing out the basting glue that it is not large enough.  I think I will use the discarded block as the basis for a small pincushion. 

I either have three of the remaining 169 center blocks to complete or four.  Based on last month’s count, I should have four.  Based on the Excel spreadsheet I use to keep track of my progress, I only have three.  I will check on this further this week or next.

Playing with Triangle Squares

When I've needed a mental break from Jane Stickle blocks, I've been playing with various layouts for triangle squares.  Here is a little piece I made using an online tutorial from The Root Connection.  It measures 12 ½ by 18 ½, and was a good change of pace. 

The rain is definitely gone now, but by the time it ended, our unofficial back yard gauge read 4.25 inches for the week.  The lawns have greened up and we’re not expected to hit triple digits again until next week.

More Anti-Ouch Pouches

Tuesday was Sit ‘N Sew Day with my quilting friends and I managed to finish 10 anti-ouch pouches for breast cancer patients.  I’ll turn these in at the Quilt Club meeting today and see if they have any more kits ready for distribution.

Our rainy Monday yielded 2 2/3 inches in our area.  It wasn't a drought breaker, but at least it gave us a few days’ respite from the drought and high temps.  

Mug Rug Swap

My swap partner, Mary, has received her mug rug, so I can post a picture.  We decided to leave each other as much latitude as we wanted in creating our rugs, so I chose colors that make me happy.  I really enjoyed sewing it.  The applique is turned edge and then machine stitched.

We are enjoying a rainy morning.  That’s very happy news for central Texas.

Squishy Packages

Being a lady of, well, a certain age, I can remember a Hawaiian entertainer named Don Ho, crooning a song that began: “Tiny bubbles in the wine.  Make me happy, make me feel fine.”  Those lyrics modified to “Squishy packages in the mail….” have been running through my head today.  Two squishy packages landed in my mail box this week to brighten these hot dreary days here in Texas. 

First to arrive was a giveaway from Debbie at Stitchin' Therapy.  She was clearing out her sewing room and offered up these two patterns, one for a bag, and the other for a needle case.  I have been looking for a needle case pattern to make for my own use as well as to give as gifts, so I was very happy to receive this.

Then this package from Mary, my mug rug swap partner, arrived yesterday.  Her watermelon mug rug and fat quarter are just too cute!  The mug rug I made for her is on its way.  When I know she has received it, I’ll post a picture of it.