Tea on Tuesday With Sandy!

Since my computer is sketchy at best right now - and the winds are blowing 

                                            harder and harder,

 with promises of gusts to 65 mph tomorrow and a winter storm warning 'til 2pm Tuesday- I am writing this post Monday night - brief and to the point!

Happy Tea Tuesday, stay dry, and curl up with a cuppa and a friend....................

Calm in the Eye of the Storm

Night, the beloved Night, when words fade and things come alive
 When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree.

                                                                    Antoine de Saint-Exupery 


Inspired by a poem shared by Robyn Gordon the other day, in her wonder-full blog, I started thinking about how we (I) can remain calm in this ever increasingly crazy world......


I am reminded of a tree.  Tall, steadfast, seemingly unflappable.......

Always loved trees as a child, still do.

I hugged them, climbed them, grew them, pruned them, walked through woods filled with them, preserved fallen leaves from them, and strove to learn the names of all of them.

In trying to remain stress free in a stress filled world, I think I should be more like a tree.

                                                                No stress.

Nothing to worry about, except when someone approaches you with chainsaw in hand, a heavy wind rips you from the ground, or a forest fire reduces you and your forest to cinder and ash.

                            But, do trees worry about that happening? I am sure not.........

Unless, of course, one is a tree in a Christmas tree lot, whether a full bodied spruce, or a tiny Charlie Brown twig- they might have an inkling of their specific purpose in life, and what is their fate..... but, still, they live each day as it comes, not looking back, not thinking ahead, living in the moment.

A tree has nothing to do but grow skyward. Nothing to think about but absorbing the sun, loving the rain,  and growing taller.

               


          The world continues flailing wildly around them, and trees just look up. 


Trees are blissfully unaware, just lifting their arms to the sun, drinking in the rain, firmly grasping their "feet" to their little spot of earth, and going thru' the inevitable motions of the seasons.

                                           With, apparently, 'nary a care, thought, or worry. 

                                                               Oh, to be a tree..............

Tea on Tuesday...and Every Day

Even tho I have been sporadic of late, in posting Tea on Tuesdays, I am here today.

I am very busy doing some catch up quilting - online swap quilted wool PC's that need completion, charity quilts that need to be worked on and mailed off for machine quilting.

All this work, in my newly set up studio (see my previous post) , being sustained and energized by endless cups of tea !!!!

I have a pantry full of tea- and am presently working thru' bags of teas from England, France and Italy, sent to me by a wonderful traveling friend !!!

I thought I would share today, some of the photos I discovered here and there online- peaceful images of tea and it perfect companion - books!!!!  And one really cool teacup CAKE!!!!

How cool is this altered book? Wish I could give credit to the artist....

 

Several of my orphan vintage teacups repurposed into bird feeders- available at Turner Ham/Fulks Run Grocery and thru' me directly.

Yes, I know - it's really hot chocolate - but this yummy cupcake could so easily be tea!!!!

Back to sewing - enjoy your tea today - and please drop by Patty  for more links to tea fanciers.!

 And,

 if you have a post about your tea today - please feel free to leave you link in the comments below!! 

We'd love to visit you today (and every day!!!)

Frustration Mounting!!!

HELP!!!!

I am trying to unfollow some blogs in my reading list!! I used to be able to do this easily- and now cannot figure it out at all!!!!!

Maybe there have been some changes in Blogger- maybe I am just losing my mind!!!

I can't add any new blogs to my reading list - until I get rid of some of the stagnant ones.

Any help would be appreciated!!!!

Quilting Mania

Ever since I organized and held the first Mountain Meadows Quilters Retreat here in August, I have quilting on the brain!!!

Am getting myself organized to where I can begin quilting again in earnest!

My daughter just moved  into her own apartment to be nearer to her job. Bittersweet, but definitely time for her to make the move - and, in an attempt to assuage my sorrow, redirect my mind, get rid of the clutter, and ward off the effects of empty nest syndrome, I took over her basement bedroom and bath to turn into my sewing studio.

Of course, the room will always be known as "Katie's room", just like a lovely almost vintage truck we bought from a friend is always referred to as "Bill's Truck" !! We should get a license plate for it, that says Bilstrk !!!

Anyway, the room transformation is almost complete. I would like D/H to put the flooring down that was never installed (D/D preferred painted cement floor!) and put the molding up around the window frame (another incomplete project of his!)

I won't show you a "BEFORE" of the room -D/D would never approve of that (!)- but here are several stages of the "AFTER"!

Entry way (with a cute flower basket wall hanging by Karen Bush)

My older model Pfaff, sitting on a vintage refurbished barn wood farm table

   Note the Pat Sloan baskets to the left of the table, quilt top done by Pat, finished and hand quilted by me, eons ago......

Then, I had to add a cute little vintage hutch scored at a local thrift store- great storage for quilts, fabric, and my ever growing pin cushion collection

Hanging on the wall, above one of my quilts, is a custom horseshoe I had created for Mountain Meadows Quilters, by local talented artist, Deborah Sherwood. I have many of her pieces- check  out her website - it's not just for horse lovers!!!

                                      If you are on FB, please check out Deborah's FB page - Rhythm-n-Beads
                                                        or her company website


A little Featherweight, purchased at a yard sale in Waterford, Va, about 15+ years ago, has FINALLY emerged from its case, to be put into use!! After seeing the several Featherweights at Pat's workshop, I was hooked!!! It seems to be working fine!! I am amazed! The sewing machine, in case, with all the accessories, attachments, table,  and original instruction booklet was purchased for $40 !!! Even back then, not knowing all I do now about Featherweights, I knew it was something I should NOT pass up!!!

Except for possibly needing some cleaning in the inner workings - it appears to sew smoothly. Got to read the instruction manual and get busy!!!

For those of you on Facebook, I would love for you to join and follow along with Mountain Meadows Quilters - I try to post interesting links and daily info, and welcome members to post pix of their quilts- a kind of cyber show and tell!!!

For those of you not on FB, I will try to post some of the info here in the blog, so, I hope you continue to follow and share my blog with quilt-y friends.

 Facebook has become a kind of blogging shorthand for me - I have been remiss about blogging regularly here  - but promise to do better!!!

Let me leave you with one of the many cool links I find and post on MMQ FB page- if you love origami, or have even just been intrigued by the process - here is a tutorial on making a 3D origami block - reminiscent of a napkin folding technique I once made! I may just have to make one of these origami quilt blocks now !!!!

Here is my post w/link below..........

I LOVE origami - how about this tutorial for an origami quilt block!!! Found this link on the Quilting and Sewing Enthusiasts FB wall. I think I have made something similar to this before - a table napkin from a booklet on napkin folding. This makes a VERY cute 3D quilt block!
http://mypatchwork.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/block-20-origami-flower-textured-quilt-sampler/

 

beautiful origami block created by Teresa Down Under- please visit her link above for instructions and more!!

 I will end here, with an FYI- Pat Sloan will be making a return appearance and teaching another of her wonder-full workshops on August 10, 2013 at Mountain Meadows, and we are in the process of setting up a workshop with another well known quilter in the spring. Saturday Sew Ins will be happening thru out 2013 also!! Think about coming!!! We'd love to have you!!!

The Valley Gals Are At It Again!!!

Once a month, several of us artsy gals taking turns meeting at each others' houses and do some creating!

The hostess picks the activity, whether it be an area of her own expertise, or a new talent we would like to add to our artsy resumes!!!

So far, we have tackled wool felting, card making, upcycled china pedestals, hypertufas, and crazy quilting.

Meeting at Bobbi's house today, we were creating autumn themed centerpieces.

It is fun to create, commiserate, share life stories, laugh, and just be together- with lunch afterwards, of course!!!! So much talent, creativity, wisdom, and life experience around a small table..........

From left-Vicki, Bobbi (hostess this month) and Julie

Bobbi, Julie, and Susan setting up

Judy, unpacking her supplies

Decisions, decisions, Susan- will this look good?

Hard at work

Judy's finished piece

Mine's done- for my daughter's new apartment

Vicki decided to add everyone's photo to her phone list, so our lovely faces will pop up when we call her- now, I just need her cell phone number!!!! Ooops!

Everyone's working hard - except for the photographer (me) and Vicki, trying to get Bobbi's photo just right for her cell phone!!!

Julie, mulling over her gorgeous creation in a vintage box

Back side of Julie's and no, she was NOT quite done!!!!

Susan's - the art of placing a ribbon takes careful thought

Judy's is done - TA-DA!!!!

Even the box of supplies looks festively autumnal just as it is!!

Vicki's unique piece of wood, unearthed  by her artistic cowboy son, and dug out of storage, just for the occasion, is gorgeous in person

Delicious eclairs and strawberries followed and equally yummy lunch.

Somehow, I managed to miss photographing Bobbi's masterpiece centerpiece- SORRY!!


                                                Another fun get together!!!

Next month, will be at my house, where I will teach the "fine art" of making chocolate, long stemmed roses!