GO Navy!

 GO Navy!

Anchor's Aweigh!

As a young woman I served in the Navy ... fast forward a few years 😉 and I come across a quilt pattern called Anchor's Aweigh, by Tula Pink, which is FREE on her website. I knew that if I were ever going to make a quilt for myself it would be this one.

Well, this chilly, overcast, and rainy Memorial Day weekend seemed the perfect opportunity to begin this quilt project. I've made more than a few quilts over the years but I have never made a quilt that was specifically made for me.

I am using mostly fabrics from my stash but purchased the Freedom Edition fabric bundle by

Art Gallery Fabrics

I made this purchase via the Fat Quarter Shop which happens to be having a Memorial Day Sale if you are interested.

I liked the patriotic colorway but I also like the floral and geometric designs of this fabric bundle.

It took a bit of time to get the fabric requirements cut and sorted before I could begin this project but I was excited to get this quilt project started.

The piecing of these blocks is exactly like putting a puzzle together. 

This quilt project is going to be a fun one.

Work Space Upgrade - AFTER

 Work Space Upgrade

AFTER

Settling into my new work space and the new flow of the space has been a bit challenging but in the end ... change is good.

Or at the very least change can be good.

In my new space, my work flow is set up opposite of how it was set up in my previous cubicle. I am finding that the flow in which I process my work is a bit different. My phone and printer are on the left side of my desk as they were on the right side of my desk in my previous cubicle. That may not sound like a huge change in ones work space flow but for me it has been an adjustment. 

I feel like I am always looking around for where I have placed things, such as my stapler, date stamps, tape, and so on. That being said, I am finding a new rhythm. 

One of the things that I am really enjoying about my new work space is the amount of work surface space. I have plenty of room to spread out when I need to.

The quilt decor and the "blue chair" also came with me in the work space move.

Work Space Upgrade - BEFORE

 Work Space Upgrade

BEFORE

On Friday of last week I moved to a larger cubicle in my department to make room for more staffing ... easy peasy right?

Nope, not as easy as it looks, fortunately the gentleman in our IT Dept. moved all of the important things ... computer, printer, phone ... quickly, and he made it all look effortless. Which I'm sure it wasn't.

Now, it is up to me to move all of the stuff that make up my work life space.

The stuff that makes one's work space enjoyable and pleasing to the eye.

Comfortable if you will ...

Okay ... I'll be honest ... I didn't realize how much stuff I had in my cubicle until I started moving the stuff.

The new cubicle offers more space for getting the job done.

More space to utilize ...

And, of course, a quilt to brighten things up.

Stay tuned for the AFTER the move post.

Time Travel

 Time Travel

As we all know, time flies by ... one day you are 20 and the next you are 60! For the most part it is just the nature of things and I don't dwell on it too much. But occasionally, I see a friend I haven't seen in years or a picture that will smack me with the reality of just how quickly time goes by.

Case in point ... one photo ...

28 YEARS

Middle school, high school, college, military service, careers, marriages, and it has all happened so quickly.

Still Obsessed

 Still Obsessed

I do believe that red/white quilts will forevermore be my obsession.

This week, two of my finished red/white quilt projects were masterfully machine quilted by my master machine quilter and friend Jo.

This quilt pattern is called Bear Paw

A vintage quilt pattern that I had wanted to make for several years.

These blocks were made from red/white scrap fabrics from my red/white orphan block box.

Machine quilted with soft white thread in a continuous cat motif.

The quilting is so stinking cute!

I love it!

This red/white quilt is comprised of string pieced blocks.

The red fabrics are all scraps from previous red/white quilt projects and the white fabrics are all various shades of white to off white to tone on tone white fabrics from my stash. The machine quilting continues the diamond shape theme and it is STUNNING! I had originally planned to hand quilt this quilt but I'm so very happy I decided to have this quilt machine quilted.

I am so happy with both of these quilts.

Now to get them trimmed and bound.

For the last few years I have been making an intentional effort to use fabrics from my fabric stash before buying more fabric. I won't lie I have fallen of the "no buy fabric" wagon a few times but seeing these two quilt projects make me feel good about working through my fabric stash. 

Food For The Soul and Body

 Food for the Soul and Body

I'm not a very good cook. I know how to cook "home cooking", food for supper. I'm not creative or imaginative in the kitchen. I cook the things that for me are tried and true. Spaghetti, a roast and potatoes, meatloaf ... you get the picture.

This year I have challenged myself to make new dishes and to be more adventurous in my cooking and baking.

I just made the Viral Asian Carrot Salad and I am addicted! 

This salad is fresh, delicious and gets better and better as it marinates.

As this salad recipe is presently "viral" on social media there are a lot of recipes. I chose the simplest recipe with the least amount of ingredients. 

• 
  ▢4 large carrots
• ▢1 shallot, finely diced
• ▢1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• ▢2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢1 small lemon, zest and juice of
• ▢1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• ▢2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  

Speaking of home cooking ... my youngest asked me how to make fried potatoes. So, believe it or I made a video tutorial for him and text messaged it to him.

hahahaha!!

Just call me Julia ... 

Mother's Day Weekend 2025

 Mother's Day Weekend 2025

My kids always show me their love in millions of ways daily, not just on Mother's Day. That said, this Mother's Day has left me feeling so special and so loved.

I woke up to this beautiful card and gorgeous orchid.

My girl took me to a local tearoom for high tea.

The Kraken Cup Tearoom

For over 2 hours we nibbled treats, sipped tea, chatted, and laughed.

My girl crocheted the beautiful Kindle cover (upper right corner of this photo) and spoiled me rotten with wonderful and thoughtful gifts.

Our tea began with these amazing warm bread pudding bites.

DELICIOUS!!!

We were seated at a comfy cozy table with a great view.

We got to see all of the families and friends bringing their Moms in for tea and treats.

Black teas with savory and sweet treats.

We finished with Creme'& Fruit.

An absolutely wonderful Mother's Day and Mother's Day weekend.

Yard Man Extraordinaire

 Yard Man Extraordinaire

Yesterday was a wonderful day for a great many reasons but one of those reasons was all of the extraordinary work my youngest son did for me in my yard.

Not only has it been wonderful being with and getting to spend time with my son who drove in from afar to be with me for Mother's Day, he brought his nifty tool bag and know how with him. He worked so hard yesterday and knocked out so many of the yard projects on my ever growing list of yard projects.

I have been trying to get my front flower bed planted for over three years. This flower bed is hard as concrete clay soil. Impossible to dig through with a shovel.

A rented garden tiller from Home Depot proved extremely helpful in preparing the soil for planting.

Endless Summer Hydrangeas

From the beginning I wanted to plant hydrangeas but then thought I should plant mountain laurel or azaleas on the advise of others.

At the end of the day, I'm thrilled that I got the hydrangeas that I really really really wanted.  

The hostia plants from my aunt's yard in Ohio were replanted for better spacing.

My son's nifty bag of tools

I didn't get a before picture ... but you couldn't see my shed for the over growth of saplings and underbrush.

A dead tree from my neighbor's yard fell into my yard months ago. Thinking ... incorrectly ... that my neighbor would take care of the issue, the dead tree laid in my yard for months. My son was able to get the tree cut up and moved to the curb to be picked up by the city.

My son planted the hydrangeas, hung the hose minder, detangled and connected the hose. I am amazed with all of the work he was able to complete in one day.

I'm so blessed and happy with all of his hard work.

What a gift.

Being Kind

 Being Kind

Being kind to others is easy but being kind to myself is a struggle. I really have to work at and be intentional about being kind to myself.

The other day I came across this list on social media. A schedule of activities to prompt kindness and self-care ...

I love a list! And what is kinder than making a list of ways to be kind to yourself and those around you.

12. One day devoted to your hobby/hobbies

13. One day focused on cleaning/decluttering an area in your home, car, yard ...

14. 

What would you add to your "self kindness" list?

Work Space Decor

 Work Space Decor

My work space is a cubicle, a well used cubicle that is a beige color. So I enjoy decorating my cubicle to reflect my personality and the seasons.

On Monday of this week I changed the decor to a more spring like look.

The scrappy patchwork quilt draped over the back of the "blue chair" in this picture was the quilt that was hanging in my cubicle until I changed it up.

Being the quilt I chose for my wintery cozy cubicle decor.

The scrappy patchwork quilt is from a pattern by,

https://sewhungryhippie.com/

I chose the Denim and Lace quilt that I finished last year for my spring time cubicle decor.

This quilt was a quilt kit from Westwood Acres Fabric

https://www.westwoodacresfabric.com/

Work space cubicles do not have to be drab and colorless, especially if you are a quilter in real life ...

😉

April Showers Bring May Flowers

 April Showers Bring May Flowers

Here in East Tennessee, April was a bit dry and windy ... and May, thus far, has seen nothing but rain showers.

Here we are on the 8th of May ... time truly does get away from me. But, that just means that I am living my best life enjoying the people I love and the things I love to do.

We are experiencing a very normal East Tennessee spring this year. Windy storms, chilly morning temperatures and mildly warm days. 

And very East Tennessee like ... thunderstorms, high winds, and severe weather conditions.

May has definitely come in like a lion!