My great bargain!

Raise your hand if you like estate/garage sales? Fun fun fun! I love going to them. You never know what you will find. It's the thrill of the hunt! I went to an estate sale over the weekend. Found this china cabinet. Didn't want to pay the price they were asking and had no way to get it home anyway. The seller told me I could have it for $45. I still had no way to get it home. He said for $50 total they would deliver it. I bought it!

It's mine! All mine! And only $50! It's in my house. I did not want it for china. Nope. I wanted it for my fabric! I want to be able to see my fabrics!

There it is! My fabrics are in there. On display. It was fun to sort through them and put them in there. It was like rediscovering old friends. Some fabs I had forgotten about. So good to see them again. It did not take long to fill this cabinet up.

But there's still room for more! Must go shopping . . .

I pinned together my Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along Quilt. I just need to tie it. I'm not going to quilt this one. It will get tied. I think I'll start working on the tying tonight while watching TV. It's so hot outside, miserably hot, so I will stay in and play with my quilt.

Once I get it all tied then all that's left is the binding. And it will be DONE!

I did make another totebag. I'm a bag ho. I love bags. Bags are my thing. Can't have enough bags.

I just love this one. I think I like each one better than the one before and then I buy more fabric and it just goes on and on and on . . .

Stressed

Sewing. Sewing a lot lately. Stressed. When I'm stressed it helps me to sew. Just a few more weeks and I won't have a job. No job, no health insurance. No health insurance, no heart medicine. Do you see where I'm going with this? Stressed. Stress is not good on a heart patient. So I sew. It's an endless cycle. As long as I have fabric I can sew. I made my daughter and I some pillowcases. I used Soft & Comfy from Joann's for the ends. It's their version of Minkee. Very very very soft and cuddly.

I had a little bit left so I made my Aunt a little pouch. She takes the same heart meds as me. Us heart girls have to stick together.

I'm also finishing up a quilt and I have another one to cut out. Plus I made another totebag and a yo-yo tree. Pics to come soon.

I bought some cute little goodies on my little vacation. I just fell in love with this little clock! And it ticks!

It ticks quietly. A very comforting sound. I got the little runner that's under the clock at the same store. A vintage/antique/gift store. Very nice stuff. Reasonably priced. Lots of fun to look around! I also got this table runner there.

It looks cute on my table. I always wonder about the person who stitched these things when I come across them. Fun finds. They will live on in my house now.

I need to go sew some more. Still stresed. My daughter sent me the funniest card to cheer me up. It worked!

I think I'd like some morphine about now ;)

I'm craving chocolate

What I wouldn't do for a big fat donut right now. Or a huge piece of chocolate. Or a handful of cookies. Sigh. I miss junk food. Lots. But I'm adapting. I should not complain. The stent is working, and I'm losing weight. And I'm still here!

I finished the shawl I was making with Farmhouse yarns. It's so soft!

It's still very hot out so I haven't been able to use it yet.

It will come in handy once the cold weather sets in.

I also finished the quilt top for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along. It has a brown border, hard to see it as I took the picture on the grass.

Today I'm going to go buy the backing, binding and batting. The 3 B's! It's going to be twin size. I'll be glad when this one is done. I also have the making for a Christmas quilt that I can't wait to get started on. I just don't have a lot of ambition when it's hot and muggy, even with the AC turned on.

We hit a couple of antique shops on vacation last weekend. Bought the cutest jar of buttons! Also hit a quilt shop . . . of course! And got some fats.

I also bought a couple more things from the antique/gift shop. Still need to take pics and get them on here. Wish I was still there. Vacations and long weekends always go so fast.

Vacation

Why do vacations fly by so fast? I went away with my daughter for a long weekend. It was awesome! We had a lot of fun. Tried new things. Went one from extreme to another in the temperature department, from almost 90 degrees to the lower 50s.

We attended a tastefest of food from local restaurants at the locale we went to. OMG such good food and wine and desserts! And so fun! There were also animal rescue units in attendance, getting the word out that they need donations, etc. One place rescued wild birds. We got to see some owls up close and personal! What gorgeous anmimals!

That little beauty was the barred owl. Such sweet cute eyes!

I can't remember what kind the second owl was. But she was scared and just stayed in the cage opening and closing her mouth and flicking that tongue in an out. Fascinating creatures!

There were ducks at the beach. My daughter wanted to stick her feet in the water and attracted ducks.

They were probably hoping she had a piece of bread for them.

Love the sound of waves washing onto the shore.

And at the end of the day . . . a beautiful sunset.

A wonderful time was had. Good mother-daughter bonding. Can't wait to go back!

Keeping cool

A couple of cool nights and low humidity days and I'm hooked. But it won't last. The hot humid stuff is coming back. I did manage to get a shawl done made with wool yarn in the cooler weather. It's blocking.

Do you like my blocking mat? A kid's toy from Walmart, lol! I need to get some more so my blocking space is bigger next time.

I finished the last block of the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along. Of course I screwed it up. Terrible instructions on some of these blocks. Maybe I shouldn't complain as the pattern was free, but the designer knew they were writing free patterns so maybe their heart wasn't in it and they didn't care. Anyway, it's done. I'll probably never do another "along" again, sometimes they just aren't fun.

Next up is getting the sashing done, then the border. Then the quilt top will be done! I'm just going to tie this one. Nothing fancy. I still need to get the backing, binding and batting for it.

And on a totally different note. Went shopping with my cousin and aunt and sister last weekend. These cranes hang out in my cousin's front yard. What a view!

Imagine looking out your window and seeing that!

Lots of knitting, but nothing finished

Been knitting and knitting and knitting. And getting nowhere fast. I have three shawls on the needles. One is almost done. Until then, all I have is this quilt block to show. It's for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along. It's the second to last block! I can't believe it's almost done.

After the next block the instructions come out on how to finish it then after that I'll have a finished quilt top. Must buy batting. And backing.