HEARTS

 HEARTS

I started this quilt on March 6, 2021 right before the world was shut down due to the Covid 19 Pandemic

Truly a labor of LOVE

Machine quilted and trimmed ...

It still needs binding ...

I love it! This quilt is a keeper!

Take Me Out To The Ballgame - The Smokies

The Smokies

Take me out to the ballgame ... take me out to the park ...

This is what my friend's work considers team building!

How awesome!

It was a rainy evening but we were able to eat, have a beer, watch a game (that we lost) before the sky opened up and dumped A LOT of rain.

 

Pantry Update

 Pantry Update

I mentioned my pandemic food hoarding pantry a few weeks ago, so this morning I decided to clean and organize my pantry. 

I threw away several opened (stale) items and a few items past their expiration dates.

I separated items ... all of the sugar (snack) items are on the very bottom shelf. Nuts, grains, and teas on the shelf above that. Vegetables and canned meats and pasta noodles up next, then the shelf above that is full of soups and sauces. The top shelf is for anything too tall for the other shelves ... oatmeal, bisquik, olive oil, cereal, cream of wheat, etc.

My goal is to remove sugar, as much sugar as possible from my diet going forward.

I made cupcakes last week because I had a serious sugar craving! After eating 4 of them, I took the rest of them to work the following morning.

Sugar is something that I will be working toward removing from my diet. I have become obnoxiously large! I have done nothing but gain weight since I turned 45. As I will be 60 at the end of this year, I'm going to begin working on reversing this trend and lose weight. I have a weight loss goal of 30 pounds. 

Knitting Gnomes

 Knitting

I am mostly a sock knitter but I recently started a new knitting project ...

These cute little Gnomes!

#sockknittergonewild

Sketching and Drawing

 Sketching and Drawing

A work friend was discussing beginning to draw and how much she was enjoying it. It made me realize how much I miss drawing, so I got my pencils and sketch books out this morning.

I can't wait to get started!

#sketchdaily

Quilts

 Quilts

This year has become the year of completing all of the quilt projects that I've had in various stages of completion ... probably for years now ...

My HEARTS scrap quilt is finally at the machine quilters for quilting.

I'm excited to get this one back.

This little jewel tones scrap quilt had graced my cubicle wall until a co-worker asked if she could buy it from me.  Yep, I sold it to her! Now it graces her cubicle wall.

After selling the quilt I had decorated my cubicle with ... I picked another quilt to put up in my cubicle. In honor of D-Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day I decided on this Stars & Stripes quilt I finished last year.

#honoringallofourservicemembers

DIY - Carpet Removal Continues

 DIY - Carpet Removal Continues ...

Now that the carpet has been removed I continue to work on the moisture and odor issues. Years of an elderly cat using the floor instead of the litter box.

UGH!

It is taking time and patients but progress is being made.

Once this phase is complete ... I will be sealing and priming the floors for painting. It is definitely a work in progress.

#floordrama

Saturday Sewing

 Saturday Sewing

My sister and I picked these cute mermaid panels about a year ago to whip up into lap size quilts. Last weekend I sat down and pieced the quilt tops and backings for all three quilts! I was on a roll ... 

Mermaid #1

In the purple colorway.

These cute little quilts measure 40 x 40 inches

I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the matching backings with the quilt tops with the same border and backing fabric. I may mix it up.

Mermaid #2

In the blue colorway.

Mermaid #3

In the pink colorway.

I can't remember now what our plan was for these quilts ... since it took me a year to get around to piecing them but I'm sure they will quilt up nicely. 

I'm thinking a wave quilting pattern. 

#littlemermaids

Games - Mahjongg

 Games

Mahjongg

I love games, I love to play games, and I believe my favorite game of all time is ... Mahjongg!

For awhile it was my mission to teach every single person I knew how to play this wonderful game. There was a time when there was a group of ladies that I played mahjongg with every Thursday evening. Those were some great times.

Things change, people change, priorities change ... and the Thursday Evening group dwindled down to just a few people who played every now and again.

I did teach my daughter and she would play with us occasionally.

I miss this game so much!

It's been sometime since I last played mahjongg ... it is my greatest hope that I will one day be able to play this game again regularly. 

I used to order the cards for the game yearly. It was something that I looked forward to doing and receiving in the mail. I enjoyed see what the new runs (hands) for the year looked like.

I have not ordered mahjongg cards this year ... sadly ...

#ilovegames

#mahjongg

Bee Happy

 Bee Happy

I haven't been feeling very well as of late, but this new cup made for me by a friend and co-worker makes me feel better.

I hope this makes you feel happy too!

#happyhappyjoyjoy

Violet

 Violet

I got this violet at the grocery store a couple of years ago and it continues to thrive!

I think is more about my magical kitchen window shelf garden than it is about my plant care abilities.

Natures beauty soothes my soul.

Blogging Breakfast

 Blogging Breakfast

I'm working on refining my morning routine. As with everything in life my morning routine ebbs and flows. There are times in my life where my mornings have been energetic and productive. Mornings where I accomplish a great many things ... unlike my present morning routine! ugh! 

That being said, it is time for me to take charge and get my morning routine back on track. One of my goals is blogging in the mornings when I have content to share.

#timestheyareachanging

Start Weight and Measurements

Weight: 156.4 lbs.

Upper Arm: 12 inches

Thighs: 23.5 inches

Hips: 42 inches

Waist: 40.5 inches

Bust: 41 inches

Walked: 1 mile

I'm Always Behind ...

 Behind ...

I always seem to be behind ... especially in posting on my blog ... YIKES!

Mother's Day

My daughter went above and beyond ... the day was packed with all of the things I love.

Breakfast at Waffle House with my daughter.

Champagne Cocktails on my patio with my daughter.

Phone calls and text messages from by boys.

A trip to the local home improvement store for seeds and dirt for my little backyard container garden with my daughter.

Planting the seeds with my daughter.

A beautiful charcuterie board made by my daughter ... which we devoured!

It was delicious! 

The gift I requested ... Walker's Butter Cookie's in Queen Elizabeth tins.

And, beautiful plant additions for my window flower garden.

I had the most wonderful day feeling very loved.

Preppy the Whale

 Preppy the Whale

Finally ... getting back into my sewing room. Over the Memorial Day weekend I spent a little time in my sewing room.

Preppy the Whale

This pattern is my Elizabeth Hartman, the link can be reached HERE

I love her patterns and have made a few of them. Pixel Heart, Cats (heads), Hazel the Hedgehog, Hedgehogs, and Fancy Fox. Next up ... Preppy the Whale.

#summerquiltprojects

Pantry of Plenty

 Pantry

Apparently, I have become a food hoarder ...

I'm truly blessed to have the ability and means to have a "stocked" pantry, freezer, and refrigerator. But some of what you see here is a product of the COVID pandemic mentality. I worried about food shortages and I suppose that is when I started stock piling food in my pantry. I have a lot of dried beans, rice, grits, oats, noodles, canned meats (tuna, chipped beef, chicken), and canned tomatoes. I do believe it is time to start planning meals around what I already have and using my Pantry of Plenty stock.