New Market, MD

Nothing going on here noteworthy the past couple of days. It's been raining....but not too hard, and not too cold. I love hearing the rain through an open window. Mmmmm Bliss!

I'm still working my way through the photos of last week's trip to Maryland! New Market has a wonderful stretch of old buildings that are largely antique and tourist type shops now, perfect for browsing. The first little shop we hit was a little pottery shop. CUTE CUTE stuff in there! I love stuff with sayings, and of course anything quilting or sewing related has to come home with me...I loved this Stitch & Bitch club sign! *LOL* How true, there is NOTHING that a little needling won't fix!

My partner in crime, Kay, and I had a great time wandering through and seeing everything this little shop had to offer. I also bought a hand painted ceramic switch plate cover for the light switch in my studio down here. It's got a cat with moon and stars on it. Very folky, very fun! I look for things like this in lieu of bringing home MORE fabric, but even then, some fabric finds it's way coming home. One of the guilds was helping a gentleman who's wife has taken ill with Alzheimer's clear out her stash. They kitted up her fabrics and paired it with books and notions and it was going for about $1 a yard. Yep. Did some damage there.



Down the road from the pottery shop was an old drug store that had been converted into a candy shop/gift shop/deli! Remember all those old candies you loved as a kid but couldn't stomach them now if you tried? Wax lips? wax pop bottles? all that funny stuff? They had it ALL! It was fun to wander around and remember all the things we used to buy for a nickle. I bought some teaberry gum. Somehow it was not what I remembered either! But it was a fun trip through memory lane.

The sun even came out that day, but it was still not very warm. Sweater weather is fine by me, I'd rather have that than scorching hot any day. Up the road was a stained glass shop, and a little restaurant where we had a delicious lunch. It was a perfect wandering around day before I had to appear at another guild that evening, the calm before the storm!

The antique shops weren't open that day,but I'd love to go back again and check it out.

For those telling me to slow down and take time to catch up? I finally did today. Sunday afternoon naps are balm for the soul. Did you get yours?

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Taylor Noel is home!

My darling new niece is home from the hospital! My nephew Mikey wrote the cutest school essay about her arrival. Poor Mikey. He is the oldest child, the only boy of 4! I know he was hoping for a brother, but he seems to have gotten over the disappointment quickly, if there ever was any.

Can you see that quilt in the background? That was pre-long arm! I loved that quilt...I totally forgot about it. It is fun for me to see my quilts all over my sibling's houses. And yes yes...poor Taylor..she is still waiting for her baby quilt..hmmm...bad busy Auntie Bonnie!

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Friday AM...pre-gym update!

It's a gorgeous morning here in NC....

I remember a song from my childhood "In the leafy tree tops the birds sing good morning...." I have leafy tree tops!

Yesterday DH took the day off, stayed home to fix some things, and we grilled out. Instead of grumbling about carrying all the picnic stuff down to the grove by the creek where we put the picnic table, DS Jeff thought he was quite ingenious loading up the little trailer that pulls behind the riding lawn mower, and rode it down to the creek to deliver the picnic goods..*LOL* It was a lovely supper! We ate surrounded by dogwoods and the burble of the brook next to us.


Here's a couple pics from my MD trip last week! The pic of me in the house quilt was taken by quilting pirate at our Sunday workshop. FUN! Her house pics are in a previous post, and she was using wild Halloween prints. I thought of Tonya when she was making these, I know she would have loved these houses!

The bathroom pic?!?!? It's at a Taco Bell somewhere on the way between Richmond VA and MD! *LOL* Quilting ideas abound everywhere you look. The toilet of course, is optional :c) Wouldn't this be an amazing border for quilt?

I also heard from my editor that the book has an official title now! How exciting is that? The title is:

Scraps & Shirt Tails!
(reuse, repurpose, recycle..the art of quilting
green!)

I am just so tickled and how this is coming together. The recycle hints everyone sent will be put in little individual boxes on each page and spread throughout the book.

I've got the photography shoot under works....I was asked what kind of setting I wanted, and I said RUSTIC RUSTIC! Old barns, old fences, old furniture,and I'm not even opposed to an old outhouse! *LOL* I think it will fit the feel of the old plaids and recycled fabrics perfectly. I'm anxious to see what they come up with for the photos.

I've also got an illustrator who is going to do the drawings of all my steps. It won't be the same as having photos for each step as on the website...but hopefully he can draw examples FROM my photos because I am not a drawing artist. That's what got me to use the photos for steps in the first place....can't draw a stick person!

Today's special set-apart time? Taking the laptop down to the picnic table in the grove and writing some more book instructions while enjoying the out of doors. The world is my office....it doesn't get much better than this!

It's 9am...gym time. I hope everyone has a lovely day, and on into the weekend!

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Thursday Countdown.

I know I know..I usually post in the mornings, but I have had to put myself on a streamlined schedule here in Quiltville, NC. The first thing I did this morning was take time for ME!! I know I have to do this. I can't put going to the gym at the end of the day. It just doesn't work. Something will always take that spot and I won't go at all, something else ALWAYS makes it easy for me to NOT go.

So I went to the gym! It was a gorgeous walk, again, be gone for a week and really see how things have changed when you get back! Those beautiful bradford pears on my walk ARE all gone to leaf. Not a blossom in sight..but the dogwoods and the azaleas and the redbuds..wow. It was good for my SOUL to be out today. I walked to the lady's circuit gym, did my 30 minute work out,and walked back.

Being the ADHD type that I am I have to WRITE a schedule, and tackle things one thing at a time. Sometimes that is hard for me to do. I find myself spinning in circles (and yes, it's documented and diagnosed!) If you always wondered where my energy comes from, believe me, it has it's benefits. I think of it as an extra-ability, rather than a dis-ability. I just have to work to reign it in!

I have a list....but only put ONE thing on the list at a time! *LOL* When that one thing is crossed off, I can add another! I tell you, it's the only way I get anything done here, or I'm flighty flighty.

Today's job is quilting my "Swing Your Partner" for the book. In an earth conscious way, I'm trying this batting! It's a bamboo blend! Has anyone used it? I hope it works..cuz I love this quilt,and I don't want it to be...ehhh...you know? When I find something I like I have a hard time trying something new. In other words, if it ain't broken, don't fix it?? So. I'm quilting with bamboo today. I just unrolled it, and it feels a lot like warm and natural. It has that "scrim" to it....I wonder how it will wash up, or if it will be like quilting through cardboard, the way warm and natural is. Time will tell!


A couple weeks ago I finished my class sample for the next boxy stars workshop. I've got two of these coming up, and wanted to play with my pinks and browns...so here it is! Just needs borders, and that's on hold. It might go to the workshop as just a TOP because there are too many things on the quilting list.












I got the borders added to my "Hand-Me-Downs" Stars last night. Got the back pieced. This is the next one to be quilted.

One thing at a time....uhhuh...I can do it!

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