The Little Red Hen

Summer Doodles

I started following  Daisy Yellow a while back. I love the colorful photos Tammy puts on her blog. She mostly does Art Journaling, not something that I want to dive into but I love her experimental approach to it. She is not afraid to try new things. 

She has introduced a fun summer project, Index Card A Day, that I will give a try. The idea is to commit to some sort of creativity each day. I figure I can carry some cards and pens in my purse and doodle while I'm out and about. I know I have had some great quilt ideas get away from me because I didn't jot them down. So, some of my doodles may be quilt inspiration.  Even when things are really busy I should be able to doodle on an index card.

I started on June 1st and my first two cards are miniature versions of my favorite projects from Art Club. The index cards are not the greatest paper for watercolor but it was fun to do in small scale.

Go buy a pack of index cards and join the fun!

You can see more ICAD pictures here.

I'm off to bake some more cookies for the weekend's graduation festivities.

Think Spring

After a busy week of sewing I took some time yesterday to do some cleaning, and sorting, and putting things in order in my sewing room. I even found the top of my desk again!

One of the things I went through was a bag of thread that a friend recently gave me. Just look at all that pretty thread!

It sort of makes me want to drop everthing else and find a tiny crochet hook or tatting shuttle and make yards and yards of fine lace like this.

For now, the thread is piled high in a basket in the living room and called spring decorating.

That will keep it out of the sewing room for a little while longer.

Seriously.

I think I could happily work on projects the rest of my life with materials I already have in the house.

Hand Written

I've been working on my holiday cards. It would be pretty impressive if these were made with my photographs! Instead, I used pictures cut from an old Martha Stewart Living magazine. These were in a great little article on collecting vintage Christmas decorations.

I love getting actual paper mail in my mailbox. Personal handwritten notes are little treasures to me. I love looking through my stack of saved letters and finding the recognizable handwriting of loved ones no longer living.

I have realized that if anyone will be looking at a stack of letters and find my handwriting that I will have to write some letters!

I have never written a newsletter so getting all of my holiday cards in the mail takes time. I try to write personal notes in the ones to people I don't communicate much with throughout the year.

I am not good at New Year resolutions but writing notes to friends is something that I want to try to do more of in the future. I used to write lots of notes. When I was in college I knew what time the postman would bring the mail to the dorm each day and often waited in the mailroom with the other girls for the mail to arrive. It was such a thrill to get mail. I wrote to friends at different colleges and also to family, mostly my grandmothers. 

I think holiday card writing will be a good way to get back in the handwriting habit. My penmanship has gotten very sloppy and could use the practice. 

Thankful

I am thankful:

*  for my family and the time that we are together.  With D at U of M and M making his own college plans our family time seems much more precious. Any time we are all together is a time of thanks.

*  that so many people are willing to give of themselves to make our community a wonderful place to live with many great opportunities for our children.

*  that I have a home to keep out (most of) the wind and weather. Although our home is old, drafty and needs much work it is more than many people have.

*  that we have a pantry and cellar full of food to help get us through the winter months. However, I do wish those hens would start laying again.

*  for the friends and inspiration I have found in this online community.  This really is a special place. Thank you to all who leave a comment or send an email and let me know you are out there.  I enjoyed a recent email conversation with someone who moved to my hometown years after I left.

* for my health, eyesight, and ability to work with my hands.

* for the unending support of family and friends -especially my sisters who are always there for me no matter what, even when I am sure they would rather be doing something else.

Wherever you are, I hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends.

Under a Spell

It put me under a spell and made me bring it home.

Windy Wordless Wednesday

Attracting Fairies

This spring P and I started a flower garden over by her playhouse. She has been hoping that the fairies would like it well enough to move in. She has been working to attract them. She has put interesting rocks in the garden.

Most recently she added a shell.

The plants have started to fill in a little.

 

She is thrilled that some of the plants are getting more "fairyly".

 

Just look at these Jack-in-the-Pulpits. How could a fairy NOT like that?

And don't these hosta flowers look like little dancing fairy skirts?

The other day we found THREE mushrooms and the following flowers that we didn't even plant!

 

Johny Jump Ups must be very fairyly. Just the name sounds like it.

Little Miss Petunia is VERY encouraged.

I'll let you know if we have any fairy sightings.

Team 'Quilter Butts'

I joined the team!

When I saw Jacquie's post yesterday about her Improv(E) Your Butt Challenge to ward off the dreaded Quilter's Butt - I think you know what I'm talking about - I thought about my situation here and knew I was in danger.  I had to get moving and join.

I hopped on over to the government site, Tools to Keep You Active, signed up, and scooted out the door for a walk.

Although my walks here will look much the same every day, with the website I can track my progress on a trail across the U.S. that shows ground level views of where I am in my journey.

The fun part is that for each mile logged you reward yourself with a piece of fabric for an improvisational project or projects.

If nothing else I will feel a little less guilt tonight when I dig into the freshly cooked blackberry cobbler.

Butterfly Migration

Look! The butterfly quilts had a chance to meet!

JEK's quilt, on the left, was the inspiration for my butterfly quilt on the right. I knew I had to make it as soon as I saw a picture of her quilt.

 

Isn't that a clothesline of happiness?

I am glad JEK had it with her on her trip.

On Aging

Why do people fight the aging process when it can be very beautiful? We try to hide the effects of the passage of time with make up (first to look older and then later to look younger), dye their hair, and have cosmetic surgery. 

We try to hide wrinkles and keep everything looking the same.

Why don't we embrace the aging process? It is inevitable. I have noticed that things usually develop a beautiful patina when allowed to age naturally.

With aging, light is allowed to shine in and light up parts not exposed in youth.

Aging adds interest, depth, and character.

The bumps, bruises, and scars life left on my grandparents made them very interesting people. I hope I can age as gracefully and naturally as them.

On a related note, we recently watched the documentary. "Young @ Heart You're Never too Old to Rock". I highly recommend it.