Small Finishes, Big Happy!

Hello Monday!

It's the LAST Monday we will see in January, and that makes me one happy girl - As much as I am happy to see a new year begin, I am happy to see January go bringing us that much closer to spring.

My weekend was full of short spurts of little things - no real "big chunk of time to really dig in." but I am happy with the things that did get done that clear the path for the things I wish to do this week.

This little ditty measures 26'' x 37''. 

Right now it's resting on the back of my desk chair - but I'm looking forward to Memorial Day and finally being able to enjoy eating on our porch at the cabin - that Blackstone grill cooking up all the yummies. This is a great topper for that porch table.

Red, white and blue is something that stays out for me all the way until Labor Day, 

I know this quilt is just a small 6 blocks - but wouldn't it be great in bed size too?  Just more blocks, more sashings.

A close up shot of the fun sweet treats fabric on the back.

I love an "unexpected" fun back on a quilt. This backing makes me think of picnics and parades, of family gatherings and loads of summer fun.  It's not too early to start dreaming about that, is it?

Will we be able to gather this summer?  One can only dream.  If not this summer - the next?

(This is where I let out a huge sigh and remind myself to keep on keeping on, one day at a time.)

This was my "Phone time with dad" project.

Managing the strip stash is always a constant.  It's like dealing with laundry or making beds, or any of those other things that never stay done.

The blue basket sits on top of a 3 drawer chest next to the cutting table.  And as I find myself in the cutting down process of fat quarters or scraps, strips of various Scrap User's System widths go into this basket until the basket is full.

And then I spend a long phone conversation sorting out the strips by strip width and get them ready to feed back into the Scrap User's System.

There are times a quilt is made out of "scrappy everything" and my drawers here are a rainbow mix, sorted by size only, not color.

At the QPO I'm a bit more organized - because there are quilts where you want to pull color families and size - and digging through rainbow everything is a pain in the neck.  But likewise - un bagging color families to get a good rainbow mix for an "everything goes in" type of quilt is also a pain.

So things at the cabin are "by size only" and my storage drawers at the Quiltville Post office (QPO) are more tidy by color family AND size.

I'm sure I've confused those new folks with this explanation - but this is just what works for me.

the one constant between the two places?  Neutrals are always kept separate.  And I have a good selection of new ones here that I have cut to width from partial fat quarters after cutting out block parts for a current weekend project.

Having new neutrals to sew into projects ALWAYS makes me happy!

Today's rain - melting the remainder of the snow.

I awoke to the sound of rain overhead, pinging on the metal roof of the cabin in the wee small hours.  Boy, does that make for good sleep!

I'm glad I grabbed this shot because as I type this post, my view has completely fogged over.  Warmer temps moving in (hopefully!) have brought the fog to obscure my view.  I always did think that a day cloaked in fog was mysterious and magical.  Like Brigadoon.

Quiltville Inn storage room progress!

All of the mudding and sanding has been done - Most of the clean up has happened as far as all of the dry wall dust on the floor, etc.  

Luckily this room is contained and we were able to keep the sanding dust within the room.  It didn't go all throughout the house.

The trim and doors have been painted.

Next up -  Walls and ceiling!

Hopefully this coming weekend.

And then I'll be ready to move in the shelving units and put everything back in here that is going in here.

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Some Saturday Night Love (and bath time) happening here!

These two are so precious together, and I'm so grateful to have them both in my life.  

Today's plan?  It's a typical Monday around here and I'm grateful for a "job" to get out and get to.  For orders to fill, and deadlines to work on, and something to look forward to down the pipeline.

If you take a look at the tabs at the top of the blog - I've worked on those this weekend.

Due to Covid, All of my 2020 international tours were pushed forward into 2021.  Here we are at 2021 and things aren't much better (but getting there) and most of the 2020 and 2021 tours have now been pushed forward into 2022.  I feel safe thinking that we WILL be able to resume travel in 2022.

And if it takes longer than that, it takes what it takes.  I miss travel.  My feet have now been on the ground for a full year. I will not travel again until it is safe to do so.  And that day will come!

I look forward to traveling with you in 2022!

In the mean time - what's happening in your world this last January Monday?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Every day is an adventure if you look for little bits of wonder!

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Today I will find joy in the abundance of "ordinary" around me.

Care to join me?