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Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Just a Bit Tanked!


I could have cropped this photo.

But I wanted you to see the entire perspective -

Does this remind you of the hot tub acrobatics from  year?? LOL!

It really wasn’t all that bad, but it was complicated a bit by a very squishy mountainside due to loads of recent rain, mist, drizzle, sleet and fog.

We are replacing the two small propane tanks (leased) with a new 500 gallon tank (owned!) which will pay for itself.  We are using the proceeds from the sale of the North Carolina cabin to fund this venture – and add a whole house (whole cabin!) generator for when power goes out, a gas hot water heater, and piping gas to the kitchen so I can replace the 20 year old electric coil burner stove with a new gas stove, microwave and dishwasher.  Counters and new sink to come at a later date.

I hate remodeling. I mean it.  I really hate it – the upheaval, the delays, the mess – but this is most needed.


Boys with toys!

The Hubster is at the far right of the photo, propane gas installation guys to the left.

They pulled the trencher up here with a big flat bed truck pulling a trailer, followed by another van that you can't see behind the excavator.

The guy gets out of the truck and says that if he knew what it was like up here he would not have driven all the way up. He's not sure now how he is going to get back down. #itsamanthing

Before you take any unknown roads willy-nilly, wouldn't it be a smart idea to send the van guy up first to check it out? #thisisappalachia

He could have left the truck and trailer down at the bottom of the mountain and just drove the excavator up by itself.

Oh, I told the guys that if they couldn't get out they are welcome to stay for dinner. I had just put a roast in the crock pot!


It all turned out rather well, though they did have to offload the excavator, move the trailer around manually – and I bet they won’t do that again!


Click to Play:




Coming up the back of the cabin to rest by the rhodie tree.


Welcome home 500 gallon tank.

You sure are WHITE!

Some folks bury their tanks, but it’s very rocky here on this mountainside – How do you think this would look with quilt blocks stenciled on it?  LOL!

More likely – how about we paint it the color of DIRT?


Yesterday’s drive home.

Under the Blue Ridge Parkway – and into the fog.


Unpacking my fabrics from Japan!

I had to FORCE myself to unwrap the 2 meter length pieces from their cellophane wrappers.  The Japanese package things up so prettily!

Everything is quilt fabric weight except for a couple of the neutral pieces at the bottom right – they are a bit heavier and I wanted them to back place mats or table runners.  Not sure which yet. The prints are so cute I couldn’t pass them up!

Some of these will be cut into pieces right away to incorporate into my current on-the-go project that is ready to hit the road with me to Texas next week.  Getting SO EXCITED!

Honestly, this is the most fabric I have purchased on any trip in a LONG LONG time.  I kind of showed ZERO restraint.  It’s easy that way – especially when you are in a different country and it feels like you are just playing with Play Money.


Rediscovering what was left before leaving -

I walked into the sewing area last night – and saw where I left off on these.  I’m getting close to having enough, but evidently the Quilting Fairies didn’t get the message and finish them up for me while I was gone.  

These will be Quilt-Cam project for tomorrow, Thurs Feb 14th (Yes, a Valentine’s Day Quilt-Cam!) at 8pm Eastern.  If you don’t have sweetheart night plans, come join me via Facebook Live and we’ll sit, stitch and chat for a while.  I look forward to catching up with you!

Those old blue prints are GOING DOWN!


Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Lemoyne Star quilt from the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln Nebraska.

Just sit here and think on this one for a while.

Have a lovely Wednesday, friends!



32 comments:

  1. By all means, paint quilt designs on the tank. Or, a woodsy scene, so it blends.

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  2. Looking forward to quilt cam and seeing more of those blue 16 patches!

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  3. Those Japanese prints are gorgeous, as are the blues under your Atlas! Looking forward to Quilt Cam.

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  4. Buy a yard of camo cloth and cut it in half. From both halves cut out all the dark brown and dark green patches.

    Using painter's tape, attach the patches onto the tank at random, and then using spray paint,spray the brown and green paint onto the holes in the cloth.

    Let the paint dry for the recommended time, then peal the cloth off the tank and keep moving the pieces down the side of the tank and on the top and back as well so that eventually the whole tank is painted.

    And yes, this can be done piecemeal whenever someone has some spare time. The beauty of using the camo cloth is that everyone can contribute, the sizes of the area sprayed are uniform, it doesn't take talent, the work doesn't take a lot of time, and the results will still be uniform.

    And you won't wind up with a white whale in your backyard!

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  5. Camouflage the tank then it blends in with the area. Have fun with your fabric. Looks like you have a nice variety of fabric.

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  6. i was going for the barn quilt idea on the propane tank, but the camo idea also has it's merits... so many wonderful choices. 2/12 blog did not arrive until today! 2/13, so i got double fun this morning... one of my tradesmen said he had to wait to finish a project until the temp rose to 68*, and right now it feels like "Springtime in Scotland!" perfect weather for quilting! Cats in Carlsbad CA -- today's 'thought for the day' is spot on for me... thanks for all you do

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  7. Or, as my sons did when they helped paint our barn. . . paint smiley faces all over the tank in barn red. Augh. Ours is rented. I only left to get lunch.

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  8. I first thought "Perfect" when I read your quilt blocks idea. Then when you mentioned "the color of dirt", I realized you didn't have to go to that trouble--the elements will do that for you. So: do you want to keep washing the tank to reveal whatever it is you decide to paint on it? If not, don't choose something you want people to see and enjoy!

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  9. Paint the LP tank? Maybe. But lots of people are having them wrapped... like a vehicle... but I have no idea what the cost would be. A quick search brings up a lot of humorous images. If I could talk my husband into getting one I'd want mine buried. I sure miss cooking on gas since we left the big city 'burbs for the adjacent sticks.

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  10. We just added a standby generator to our house and our moms. Hoping we will never have to use them!! I'm guessing you will use yours more then us. Happy remodeling!

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  11. Thank you, you made me slow down and read. First when I read about replacing the stove, I read it as "coal" burner then I spit coffee when you said "paint the propane tank dirt". We live in the city, but have a tank for our whole house generator. It has paid for itself many time over.

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  12. I love the fabrics you got from Japan! Looking forward to Quilt Cam! I think you should definitely put a quilt stencil on the propane tank!

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  13. How unique, a tank quilt instead of a barn quilt. Men just don't have common sense, I had work done in my home an the washer and dryer needed to be moved into the kitchen over night as only one person was going to be working on the job the next day. No problem except I needed to get to the sink and the appliances were blocking that half of the kitchen. They had no idea what to do until I suggested one of them stopped by in the morning on the way to the other job sight and help move said appliances. I got the why didn't I think of that look. Such a simple common sense idea.

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  14. looks great but wondering how the tank is gonna get filled...like how does the propane truck get up there? surely you figured that out already...

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  15. I knew that quilt looked familiar! I went to the cheddar festival too, and have pictures of all the quilts still on my phone. Yup. There it was, gorgeous!

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  16. My husband the former fireman says you definitely want it to stand out...if there is ever a fire you want the firemen to definitely know it’s there. So I go for quilt blocks!

    Jenny in Florida

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  17. In Indiana they paint tanks like ears of corn
    .
    But you need the scrapy good fortune blocks painted lol

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  18. My son and wife painted their tank like the "yellow submarine". So cute and neat.

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  19. I root for quilt blocks on the tank...you could do them in earth tones so they will blend in! Looking forward to quiltcam...usually gone on Thursday nights, but I’m home sick with the crud..so I’ll spend it with you. Still wishing I could join you for a class while you’re in Texas, but the stars just didn’t align. Maybe next time.

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  20. Yay!! Hubby is feeling guilty for going to a farm machinery show tomorrow. He thinks I will be missing him on valentines day but he doesn't know I would rather spend the evening with Bonnie!!!
    My alarm is set for QuiltCam. BTW, I think your propane tank would look great painted in a sampler quilt!

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  21. Love the idea of quilt blocks on the tank!

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  22. I think the tank would look great painted. What about a large quilt square like the barn blocks. Looking forward to Quilt Cam tomorrow night.

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  23. We lived at the top of a steep hill for thirty-eight years, and we always warned the delivery people about the driveway. Costco would only deliver our generator to our pickup at the bottom of the hill.
    The scenery at your cabin is beautiful, and so are those fabrics you picked up in Japan

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  24. Just think of it as necessary replacing or upgrading & how much you're going to enjoy the upcoming replacements and probably save energy, also!

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  25. I had to chuckle at the mention of painting your tank... We bought a property up in Tuscumbia, AL and the tank had been painted like a giant Texas watermelon (think striped)! We loved it and so did the new buyers. I think your idea of painting it in quilt blocks would be wonderful, but a lot of work. Your suggestion of dirt color has merit if your other activities preclude your time. You are one busy woman!!!

    Oh yes, and changing over from electric to gas is always an excellent choice! I love my new gas stove.

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  26. I vote for barn quilts on the tank randomly placed on all sides. With "I Love Quiltville.com right slap dab in the middle.

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  27. My vote is for the "leave it white for safety" After a while you won't see it, because it will become familiar. I haven't been to Hobby House to sew for two days.....I can only imagine how you are longing.......Have fun with your blues!

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  28. I love the fabric that you got while in Japan. Here's an idea for the gas tank. How about painting it as one of your quilt designs. I know you have many of them.

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  29. Happy Valentines Day Bonnie!!XOXOXO

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  30. We also live in a rural area with a propane tank. Unfortunately, ours is leased so we can't paint it, but several people who own their tanks paint black splotches on them to look like cows and attach "cows heads" cut out of plywood and painted. Look very cute.

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  31. So thought of a quilt painted on that tank too!! And maybe a bear and paw simulating that he is sleeping under it!! Love watching your transformation of your retreat!

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  32. Just one color. You really don't want to notice it. I'd do the color of dirt and let the natural beauty surrounding it be the masterpiece. I love all the projects you have going.

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