Fabric Day...

Today I went over my friend Maggie's house and dyed fabric. It has been years since I attempted this and I was more than a bit nervous but after a few minutes I just decided to go with the flow and have fun with it.In the end it felt somewhere between High School Chemistry and a cooking class. Lots of measuring, mixing, dirty pans, and surprise outcomes! Like why is it Mary who wore and apron didn't get any dye on her and my trousers look like a 5 year old went wild with some markers....
I think Tom the cat was unsure why we wanted to mess with his nice pile of white fat quarters....doesn't he look like an angel in there!
While Jazz, the Jack Russell, kept an eye on her treat barrel...

Around fabric....

Most quilting has been put aside this week as I clear out the bedroom so new wood flooring can be laid Monday. The physics just don't seem right...how can the contents of one room fill three other rooms? hummmmm....As I worked on it today I kept the TV on with an episode of "Messiest House." Now I am nowhere as bad (ok, maybe the sewing room....and maybe the garage....do you think they would come in and just do two rooms?) As I think about it I would be willing to part with/sell my entire Scottie dog memorabilia collection (not to include MacBeth the live Scottie dog) to have an organized sewing room - and that my friends is saying something!I did go over my friend Maggie's house this week to check out some hand-dyed fabrics she made last week. On Wednesday she is having a dying day at her house on the "rivah." Should be fun.This is here latest project...I think it is a Kim McLean (sorry if I misspelled that) pattern done in Kaffe/Westminster fabrics. It is gorgeous...as is her lab Bella who loves to pose but oh, so difficult to photograph!

Well, back to work. I have filled three bags with clothes for Goodwill. Now another run at the shoes...I am trying to use the "if I haven't worn them in a year" rule. Who really needs three pairs of red sandals and five pairs of black heels...and while I am questioning my footwear choices...what was I thinking when I bought those purple flats?

Lavendar post

Well between the heat and a nasty case of poison ivy on my hands (and arm, ears, scalp and maybe my nose...) I am working with beads instead of fabric for a few days. (hard to keep that anti-itch-pink stuff from getting all over everything and it is so much easier to just wipe it off a bead!)
My friend Paula and her daughter came over and made some bracelets and key-chains. I worked on a necklace that has been "ready" to string for about the past 3 (or maybe 5?) years! Nice to know my bead stash ages as well as my fabric one does!I also got a great surprise in the mailbox today! (Thank you Karol-Ann!) I knew something fun was there as I approached the end of the driveway and could smell...was, that lavender? The little scottie dog is stuffed with lavender and with 100 degree heat it must have scented the entire mail truck! It makes me think of the Cotswolds in England where the lavender bushes were huge!

I don't know yet what I will make with the South African fabrics...I'm thinking table runner so I can show them off in my dining room...I'll have to move fast so it will be done before the soccer is over though! Now I think I will go make myself a cuppa and a shortbread finger before my DH gets home and gets his hands on them!

Doggy care...

Sorry but between visitors and taking care of poor MacBeth I haven't been very good about posting lately.
One of my sisters came down from Boston for a meeting in Atlanta so took the opportunity to come by Augusta for a few days. While she was here we went to a great plant sale and cleaned the back deck...all in almost 100 degree heat! The backyard looks so much better but I am so dragging...so today is stay inside the nice cool house and recover day! Who knows I may even get a few stitches in...
On the doggy side MacBeth is still not feeling up to his old self. He has had a couple of good days and a couple of bad days. We go back to the vet tomorrow for more tests. Today I think he will enjoy just staying inside the cool, cool house too. Promise a more "quilt-y" post tomorrow....

Daylillies, quilts and the importance of breathing....

I've been MIA for a few days and I feel like I am way behind on so many things....
First I finally got to open a box from San over at Gypsy Quilter. I love the old catalogs and saw a couple of quilt designs that I've spotted at local antique shops. Thanks San!
We also had our evening and morning guild meetings this week. This is our youngest "member's" first quilt which she sold to her Mom! Below is a BOM from People Places and Quilts down in Summerville, SC.
Tonight we have lots of lightning bugs in our yard...really beautiful! Mother nature's mini-fireworks.... Unfortunately I can't spend much time out there. I've developed a sensitivity to the pesticide that so many of my neighbors are using in search of the perfect lawn that I can't even go out into my own yard! Well I can I just can't breath if I do and it is tough to work in the garden while holding my breath....
I did get out long enough to check on my vintage daylillies....I dont' get lots of flowers on this one but what I do get are stunners!

quilts and fabric - good way to celebrate...

It was very nice of the young clerk at the grocery store to say happy birthday and "you don't look that old at all! Wow, 50!" (For those of you outside of Georgia grocery stores card everyone no matter how old they look...) It was a great day though. My DH surprised me with a trip up to Charlotte last night. Then this morning I got to see the show at the North Carolina Quilt Symposium then trip down to Mary Jo's (with his credit card in my hand...oh, my.)

The quilts at the show were really interesting. I loved this wall hanging with the horses...
and this one with the william morris fabrics....
and this one that got an award for wearable...I got a lot of reproduction fat quarters at M.Jo's and some yardage for backings. Since I had already shopped at the show I didn't do near as much damage as I usually do. At the show I got some Japanese fatquarters, a few books, and this very fun bag....
Now off to water the garden...it was over 95 degrees today and even the daylillies look a bit parched....

Nearing a half-century....

Yikes...I can't believe it but this weekend I turn (gulp) 50. Where did it go? I remember turing 30 but 40? Blurrrr.
I went to lunch with my friend Paula and her two kids. She gave me this really fun pincushion (complete with vintage buttons that look like ladybugs) and some purple nailpolish...what every mid-century gal needs! I may just use it for my pedicure Saturday...
I have been playing with some 2 inch scraps...still in the autumn mood. Maybe I am trying to convince myself it really isn't going to be 95 degrees tomorrow. If that is the case I should pull out the Christmas fabrics....