Catching up on Tuesday

Didn't get to write last night. Spent part of the evening in a bathroom with my radio, computer, and a flashlight, waiting out the tornado sirens. Often tornados cross Alabama this time of the year, but most go north of us or south. Last night, this one was a little too close for comfort. I don't believe there was ever one actually sighted - just noted on radar. But several large trees were blown down in the suburbs north of us. Just high straight-line winds. It all sure interrupted Dancing with the Stars! Our meterologist, James Spann goes "wall-to-wall" covereage when theis happens. So DWTS was seen in a box on the screen along with James, but DWTS could not be heard. Well, thankfully, it all didn't last long, and we were in the all-clear.

Today I made it official - I signed my retirement papers!! I had to drive to the north side of town to meet with the HR person on that campus because they don't have an office on our south campus. He will send the paper on to the state, they will send me the next set of papers where I choose my option for being paid, and I'll be well on my way! 23 days and counting....

While on that side of town, I stopped by my favorite quilt shop. It had been so long since I've been there. I used to go quite often when I taught on that side of town. Guess it is a good thing I'm on the south end now. Anyway, I picked up some fat quarters to make a couple more bag shells for Jeannine. Below are the combinations. Hope to get those done along with the others sometime this week or next.

I got a call today that my taxes are nearly ready. The suspense is killing. I want to know, but I don't. I'm sure it will not be good news. Oh, well, what's a person to do... It's just like the price of gas - you gotta pay...and pay....and pay....

My Little Trip Out Today

Friday night I had gone to the grocery store to get all my groceries with the thought that I was not going to leave the house all weekend except to go to church on Sunday. I was not going to breathe that pollen that the pollen report said would be 11.3. Now that is high!! Most years it will never get over 10, but this year has seen many days over 11. Makes my eyes water just to think about it. But then I got invited to a pizza lunch my sister, Colleen, planned with Mom in the lobby of Mom’s skilled care facility. Colleen’s birthday was this last week, and she had not really had time to celebrate it. So how could I pass that up?! We all had a great time. Mom enjoyed it so much. Colleen took Mom outside so she could smell the roses growing. She always loved all kinds of flowers. I passed up that little session, and headed to the car with a tissue over my nose. I know I look stupid walking around outside that way, but I don’t really care!

Anyway, I found several pieces of fabric. Uhhh….several is not exactly the number, but won’t say exactly how many that was. They were all 30% off, and one piece was 50% off. I really pitied the poor people behind me in this loooong line at the cutting table. I could almost hear the groans as I pulled out yet another bolt from my over-flowing cart. Most of the time they only had one person cutting. What’s up with that??? Maybe I need to apply for a part time job when I retire. Hmmmm….well not right away. This quilt I want to make just had so many different pieces of fabric, so I couldn’t help it. I only needed a half-yard of all but 3, and it was a yard of those 3. Actually, what I really needed was mostly a bunch of fat quarters, but they didn’t have those, so I had to buy a half yard in order to get the size of the piece the pattern called for. So I actually had to buy twice as much as I really needed. Ahhh…. but can you ever really have too much fabric???? Well, don’t answer that!! :) I’ll just add a bit to my stash.

Well, anyway, my fabric is all washed, dried, ironed, and neatly folded.Here are all the fabrics for the quilt/wallhanging called Fanciful Flowers. It is in the April issue of "Quilter's World" seen below.

These are enough fabrics to make Jeannine 4 bag shells and straps. I'll post those when I get them together. And then I'll post pictures of the bags she she adds her applique and embellishments.

It's a Beautiful Spring in Alabama

The sun was shining so beautifully this morning, and the warmth was calling me outside - for a few minutes at least - more on that in a minute. In the corner of our backyard is this gorgeous Japanese maple tree - one of a collection that my husband has nurtured over the years. I don't know the technical names of all the varieties he has.

Here is a smaller one with darker leaves, but just a beautiful. It really does have a beautiful shape, but the wind was blowing a bit making it look like the top is out of the left side, but it's really not.

This rose bush is loaded with pale pink roses, and it wants to take over our back fence, at least the south half of it. The stalk of this bush at the base looks more like a tree!

Here are the first two blooms on my red rose bush. This bush was planted at the same time as the pink one above, but it never has reached anywhere near the size of the pink one. Probably just a different variety.

Here are out little clematis purple beauties, and they are just blooming their little hearts out.

Here are some little potted babies that Guy is hoping I can keep alive while he is working away from home right now. I hope I can, too! I just love the lacey leaves of the biggest one.

Now, if I could spend some time out there in this nearly perfect temperature we are having, but alas, my allergies are keeping me a prisoner in my house. I'll probably pay for being out those few minutes snapping the pictures. I don't understand how all that beauty can make someone so miserable. ARGH! The South is gorgeous in the spring (and fall, too), but all this pollen sure makes a body (and soul) miserable!

I've battle a sore throat for a week now, so this afternoon I gave up and made my annual trek to the doc-in-the-box. Got a Z-pac, nasal spray (different from what I had been using), and a cortisone shot. I surely do hope that shot gets me over the hump with my eyes. I would be SO SO thankful if I could escape the occular rosacea this year!!!! He told me to use Claritin instead of Allegra since it was quite a drying.

Oh, my dryer has stopped so now I need to go iron several pieces of fabric. I'll have pictures of all that in the next post.

Some of my latest creations

Here are some the more recent things I've been working on. I saw this on the front of a magazine and knew I just had to make it. I'm usually a little more on the conservative order in my quilts, but just loved the brilliance of this one. It's the first time I've used rick-rack in a quilt. And I seldom use black and white fabrics.

I've eyed this little ditty for some time and finally dug into my stash for the colors. Still working in the zig-zag around the applique, and then after quilting, it will adorn my fireplace.

My daughter, Jeannine, has found her niche in the craft/sewing world making children's bags. She made some for each of her girls, and when her friends saw them, they all wanted one. She has an etsy site (http://www.etsy.com/shop/cnjsonnier), but can't get caught up, much less get ahead to list them there. They are all her original design, and each one is unique and designed for the person in mind. I love the creativity she has when it comes to adding the appique embellishments. Here are a few examples of her bags.

This little bag has a quilt block on the front that is left over from a fairy quilt Jeannine made Sofia.