This, That & The Other -

I don't know about your camera roll, but mine is full of things I took photos of with the intention to share what I've found, but somehow in the vast array of photos from quilters and projects on retreat they just fell back into never never land.

When I went to see the neuromuscular guy on Friday, I had just enough time to wander an antique mall I hadn't been in for months and months and months -

I found a COUPLE of things. I noticed this quilt right away...

Is the piecing any good? Not really.

Is the quilting any better? Ummmm.

Did she do the best she could with what she had at hand?  YES!

I wasn't able to get the whole quilt out and spread it out on the floor, but I could tell that she had used what is likely a wool blanket for batting.  It has since been washed in HOT at sometime and the blanket has shrunk.

But I have to give her kudos for trying such tiny complicated piecing.

I might find it easy if I were to use paper piecing.  My points would be perfect then. But had I to use templates, a pencil, cutting fabric with scissors and then hand piecing.  Would my blocks have turned out any better?

Not likely!  Still, it was nice to give a nod to another quilter from days gone by and appreciate just what she had done with her tiny little blocks and a simple scrap bag of fabric pieces.

This cute toy machine caught my eye -

But it is missing a hand crank.

I don't know about you, but I keep having these conversations running through my head with myself.

"If  you bought it - where would you put it?"

"On the shelf at the retreat with the others."

"Does one more machine make that area any better?"

"No, just more crowded."

"Do you really need this just to have it?"

"No."

"Good girl."

I really am at a time of my life where I am really only purchasing needful things in the form of consumables - meaning, I use them until they are gone, and once gone I can buy more.

While in Romania we visited a shopping mall that had a grocery store inside.  My favorite souvenirs from trips?  Various kinds of teas in boxes with foreign languages on them.  They make great gifts, they weigh nothing and I can use them until they are gone. So can the person I give it to.

I brought home 3 different boxes of tea varieties and I am enjoying them in the evenings.

I also brought home some hand cream in little tubes with Romanian labels.  I keep one by my handwork table where I stitch at night.  I keep one in my purse because my hands are always too dry after handwashing when out and about.

I like things I can use up until they are gone.

Speaking of lotion - (This is totally off topic, but only sort of because I lotion my hands in between stitching)

I was following a thread where someone was complaining about the amount of lotion still left in her bottle after the pump wouldn't pump anymore.

Don't waste money on this!!

Another lady spent  FIFTEEN DOLLARS on this set of caps to get the lotion out of her pump bottle after the pump couldn't pump anymore.

Take a look at my bottle above.  That's a cap from a dish detergent bottle. It fits the lotion bottle. It was free after I had used up the dish soap -

Not all cap sizes are the same, but I have a few I've saved from other bottles in a variety of sizes and I can usually find one to fit the pump bottle that isn't pumping.

Does my soap cap have feet? No, but I just prop it upside down against the wall by my bathroom sink.

I told you this was kind of a weird random posting day!

This was my day.

The Pieceful Hearts gals were on the road by the time I pulled up to the retreat yesterday and the cycle of laundry began.

In between flipping loads I was at my desk putting finishing touches on Hello, Gretchen - releasing tomorrow!

Photography also happened!

I'm really pleased with how this one turned out -

The Gift-Away starts tomorrow, so be watching for it.  Yes, We will have neutral rolls up for grabs by Cotton To Quilts. I love their neutral rolls!

Are you ready to dig into your scrap stash with this one? It's a great one for using all of those cut-off corners you've saved from doing stitch and flip snowballs, etc.

And yes, there will be introductory pricing. Tomorrow!

Those asking about Flash - yes, he is still around.  The Pieceful Hearts gals really spoiled him with bits of ham, chicken, bacon, cheese...

He even jumped up on Patty's lap at one point.  I was shocked when she told me because he doesn't like to be touched - AT ALL.

It was like the dog who caught the car and didn't know what to do with it.

He was down.  In a FLASH.  But maybe by this time next year he will have made even more of an improvement.

And this was my night last night.  

LOLA!

This is where we are -

The pieces for the last motif are in that baggie in the empty space. Somehow I ended up with an extra side fill in neutral part? How did that happen?

I've started in on that last motif and when it is done I can assemble this corner and complete the mothership! HOORAY!

What do you mean I have to move off of here?

And then...I'll be digging in to kitting up whatever is going to travel to India with me in about 7 weeks time.

It's getting real, guys!

Today: Beds to be made. Towel baskets to be made. Back porch tables to be shined. Folks arriving at 4pm.

Pattern to finalize and Quiltville Store to update.

Gift-Away block post to be written.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

It's going to be a great day!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone -