Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. Eleanor Roosevelt

Friday, June 29, 2012

Garden Post 2

After shoveling out about 200 gallons of beautiful black garden soil, I finally planted my few veggies.
Four tomatoes, three hot pepper plants and one cucumber.
I'm hope to get a few more plants but I may have to start them from seeds.

Either way, I'll be happy with what I get.

Over time I hope to build a cute structure around my garden to keep the wildlife out.
I have high hopes and big plans but I'm cheap so I'll be using reclaimed objects and pallets.

I'm actual enjoying all the dirt I've been playing in. Though I've learned I probably shouldn't wear flip-flops while shoveling black soil. I had the dirtiest feet! But all the dogs loved the way I smelled. So if that's a good sign, my late garden has hope.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Garden Post 1

 I have been getting my hands dirty.
First I got sticky with apricots and made gallons of jam. Which I'm eating now as a late breakfast-early lunch.
There is really better than warm homemade jam on a toasted bagel. Bliss!
I think I have enough to last a year, don't you?

Than I thought, why not try to grow my own apricot tree. So I looked it up on google (don't ya just love the internet) and found out how. Hopefully in three to five years, I'll have a couple of trees.
 After that, I went outside and finished up my raised bed. Yesterday I went to the local hardware store and bought some lumber. I have to say it wasn't like a Lowes or Home Depot. There were no prices listed, I had to ask. There were no signs beyond what size the wood was, I had to ask.
I'm not sure I'd go back. They made me feel like a silly woman who asks too many questions.
The sad thing is, our little-ish town wants us to shop in town instead of going else where, yet local shops keep odd hours, don't post prices, aren't always friendly, really the list goes on.
 Anyhow, I finished up my bed this morning. I had to want for the drills to charge.
Later, I'm going to go buy dirt. Sounds fun, right?
I'm hoping I'll have my plants in today and will have another garden update to show you tomorrow.
 In another part of my yard, I finally have blooms on this really old hydrangea. About five years ago I rescued it from weeds. As soon as I cleared a path around it, the deer came in and eat it.
This is the first year it has bloomed since all that. Now I would just like it to get a bit of color. It's a really faint blue, mostly white and green.
There is a small pink one next to it, it has all it's color. I bought this one around Mother's day this year.
It'll be interesting to see if this changes next year.

Well that's all for now, I've finished my bagel, now it's back to work.

Take care, Brandie






Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Treasure Hunting

My Hubby found me the cutest planter! He likes to shop. I do too, but I like stores where everything is arranged with like items and never changes.
He likes to explore and dig. One of his favorite stores is Ross.
Every time he goes in, he comes out with treasures. I just get bored and annoyed.
So most of the time I just drop him off there and he sends me pictures of wonderful treasures. I yay or nay it and then pick him up. Perfect shopping trip!

I'll probably plant it full of herbs.
Those are baby tomatoes hanging out in it now. Those will be finding a new home, very soon.

Every year we talk about starting a garden again and we never find the time or something.
This year I going to make it happen!
Those baby tomatoes need a home.

I'll keep you posted...

Take care, Brandie

Monday, June 25, 2012

Weekend Rambles

 I did a lot of nothing this weekend, at least quilt related.
Hubby and I did plant many pumpkin seedlings all over the yard. But that was about it.

Then I found this neat AP (colorsnap) from Sherwin-Williams and used a bunch of my pictures to make paint chips. It's really fun! I spent several hours repainting my house, in my mind. Of course I also added new furniture and bigger windows. It was exhausting!
 I did sew down just a few leaves to my B-side. Bet you didn't know I had a B-side, hahaha
Then I was really, really bad. I coveted a quilt. So much that I had to contact the maker and beg to be part of her quilt-along. I'll tell you more about this when I receive my patterns. Then we'll see how good you are at resisting this fantastic quilt. Really it is fantastic, I promise.

Then I was bad and cut out a new quilt. My excuse, I need it by Halloween. As much as I like Christmas, I love Halloween. So much that I need to have as many Halloween quilts as the average person has Christmas decorations.
But I'm making myself savour the time spent with this Halloween quilt and I will only work on it as a reward. At least that's my plan. But I've been known to talk myself out of being good.


Take care, Brandie



Thursday, June 21, 2012

What a Sham

Today I opened up my blue scrap box to make a couple pillow shams to go with my cousins quilt.

I think this will be a great bridal shower gift. A little preview before the wedding gift, the quilt.

I'm thinking I may quilt "HIS" and "HERS" on the shams. What do you think? To old fashioned?

Take care,
Brandie

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Preview

 Just a preview of what the "B" looks like on the quilt. It still needs may leaves and berries. In fact just looking at the top picture, I can see I need a few more berries in the top swag.
 Sorry for two pictures, but I couldn't get the entire quilt to fit.
I'm liking how this is turning out. Very Swedish, yes?
As you can see, I really deviated from Kim's pattern. Also I got really tired of all the appliqué I'd have to do on the next set of blocks. Hahaha, so I added 84 leaves and almost 40 berries, and still adding. I'm so silly!

Don't get me wrong, I love how this quilt is turning out! I'm thinking this should be my Jubilee quilt. Not because I'm turning 50, but because it may take me that long!


This what I see most of the day. The two sweeties across the room watching me. They curl up in "their" chair and watch me to see when I'll walk to the kitchen for a carrot snack.
Unfortunately they eat more carrots than I do.

Keep cool on the first day of summer.

Take care, Brandie

Monday, June 18, 2012

Too Hot

I think I'm ready to get back to my Kim McLean basket quilt. It has been pushed to the way side and neglected.

There was a time when I couldn't put it down, now I'm averaging about two leaves a month.

Then I thought I'd add my initials. That is what the "B" belong to.
Hubby thinks it looks folky but I think it harkens back to an old Swedish plate.

Either way, this is good news. I've rekindled a love for this quilt and am loving adding more than two leaves a month.

This weekend I sat in front of the TV and appliquéd. It was SO hot... you didn't want to move. We were sequestered in front of the cooler.

One of the few times I moved, I added the new color chip quilt to the others on the wall. Well technical, over my fabric shelves.

It doesn't look as good as Kathy's from inspired by antique quilts, but it is inspiring for me to gaze on them from across the room.

So there is my weekend report. Hope I didn't bore you too much.

Take care, Brandie

Friday, June 15, 2012

Play Date Projects

 Yesterday Gail worked on her color chip challenge. She had a blue and a light green which was really close to my green.
 I also worked on my color chip challenge, the second one. I figured it was time to quilt it up and get it finished.
 Now the background looks like a checker board!
And no quilt would be complete without feathers! Tiny feathers in my two inch border.
Today I'll finish the last side and add a binding.

Have a wonderful weekend and stay cool!
Brandie

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Play date

My friend Gail is coming over to play this morning! I'm sew excited!

I don't know what we'll get up to, but it'll be fun.

I could be making more pinwheels or I could be doing appliqué. But first I need to go whip up a few goodies in the kitchen.

I'll leave you with a few pics of what I've been up to.

Take care, Brandie

Arg, every time I load pictures from my phone it swaps them around.
So the first picture is a mid-after and then the before. Arggg!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Unseasonal

Another UFO finished! It took a little longer than I wanted, but it's a finish non the less.

This was a BOM from last year, a Christmas BOM.
I know my quilt doesn't look at all like a Christmas quilt, but I'm OK with that.

Besides the green and beige, these are not at all my colors. But I love the way it turned out. These may become my new favorite colors.

The last thing to finish before it's totally done, a label. I just don't know what to call it. Any suggestions?

Take care, Brandie

Monday, June 11, 2012

Garden Surprise

Yesterday I came across a good surprise.
A few sprouts of my favorite thing, PUMPKINS!

Last year I had put a couple of pumpkins in an old wheel barrel whose blooms had long since passed. So I covered the dirt with big orange globes and called it decorating.

Fast forward several months.

Those pumpkins sat there and rotted, which is a good thing.

BUT, I still didn't know if anything would happen. In years past I would throw all the pumpkins in the compost pill and nothing would happen.

Someone has since told me that the seeds inside a pumpkin aren't going to grow because they are sterile.

Guess they were wrong!

I'm a happy camper! Even Hubby is excited (he sees less money spent at Halloween).

Any how, I'm going to take those little sprouts and plant them all over my yard and cross my fingers that I get pumpkins this year!

Take care, Brandie

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Colorful Pinwheels

I've been working on bright pinwheels. Something for kids.
I hadn't realized how long it takes to make pinwheels!
I feel like I've been working on these for days, maybe I have.
If you only make 3 a day, it does take forever!


It seems that most of you agree I should be eating more chocolate, preferably, dark chocolate. Yummy
I like that advise! Definitely something I can do.
So where do I find the calorie free dark chocolate?

Take care, Brandie

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Up-Cycling

 I've been at it again. I took an old (ugly) purse and made it into a lovely (in my opinion) new purse.
The best thing going for the old bag was the great handles. Unfortunately, those handle broke 4 needles!

Besides this bag, not much else has been going on.

Soon I hope I feel up to snuff. Can anyone recommend a good vitamin? Maybe something with chocolate in it?

Take care, Brandie

Monday, June 4, 2012

Call me Georgia

 I haven't been sewing as you can see. I've been driving my sorrow away by doing yard work and house work. Anything to keep my mind off my Daughter"s empty room.

Not really fun pictures of those. But as I was weeding, I thought, how beautiful these leaves would look in a quilt.
 Maybe I'm just channeling Georgia again.
 Leaves are so interesting and they are never flat and dull. I could surround myself in green leaves and feel quite happy.
Today Paradise is having June showers. Not sure what that means, except I'll have to wash my car again!
At least I won't have to water today, one less thing on my list.

Maybe later I'll get to my machine and try to create sometime happy.

Take care, Brandie