Hand stitching project 10-12-19

Yesterday I went to a meeting of my small art quilt group, there are only four of us and we enjoy each other's company.  Yesterday we met in a member's home with our hand stitching projects and had our bag lunches on her tranquil patio.  Lovely.  Sometimes we go on short excursions to galleries, museums, shops, whatever. 

My project is repairing the little sewing "roll" I made from a Sharon Craig pattern oh-so-many-years-ago.  I have used it all this time to carry my yoyo projects.  Mostly the little 1/2" red ones that make up into cranberry garlands for a Christmas tree.  It is just the right size to hold the cut circles, a spool of red thread, needles, thimble, tiny scissors, and the finished yoyos strung on a thread to keep them "corralled" lest they fly out whenever I open the roll.  

The large yoyos that make up the ends of the roll have a plastic stiffener inside and after all the years of wear the plastic finally came through.  

I cut two new 5-1/4" circles in similar fabric, cut new plastic stiffeners.  Ripped out the old and washed the rest of the roll, except for the little pin cushion.  

I reused the little pocket for the thimble sewn to the back of one of the end yoyos.  

Glad I had pastel fabric that would coordinate with the older fabrics.  

When all the contents are inside I just pull the ribbons around and tie them. 

And it looks like this.  A very handy little pouch. 

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Friday Food 10-11-19

Last week I had lunch with friends at Solare at Liberty Station in San Diego.  It is in the same block as Visions Art Museum, but at the other corner.  I took the advice of my friend and ordered the Portofino, which is seared yellowfin tuna, lettuce heart, green beans, caper berries, free range organic boiled egg, and purple potatoes cooked under sea salt.  It was excellent.  I especially enjoyed the sour whole caper berries which I have only been served a couple of times in the past.  

The other lady in the group had the Caesar salad with chicken and the dressing on the side.  

I have always enjoyed the food at Solare, but it is pricey.  We also ate on the patio since it was such a lovely day.  However, the planes taking off from SDiego airport are deafening, I won't do that again! 

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The "plague" continues 10-10-19

After my terrible Monday I hoped I'd done with bad luck.  Wrong!  I had an appointment with the hygienist yesterday morning, but got caught in terrible traffic and was going to be late so I called to tell them and the snippy lady said they would have to reschedule me.  She gave me an appointment at 2:30pm (at least it was the same day) and I went about my day.  When I got in the car to leave, my battery was dead.  I called the office and they were at lunch, so I just told them why I wouldn't be there and I would reschedule at some later day.  I have been going to this office for over twenty years and have never missed an appointment and only been a few minutes late a couple times.  

On a good note my battery had a 41 month warranty and it was dead at 40 months.  So, there was a tiny credit.  

What does one do when the quality of the pictures transferred to a blog is poor.  The color yesterday was so washed out and I messed around trying to improve it, to no avail.  The fabrics that look orange are mostly red and there are not really many lights in the stack.  Oh, how I miss Picasa.  I may have to break down and go to Photo Shop.  

Wind is howling here, but we still have power.  I don't live in a high fire prone area, but there are such areas within a few miles.  Hope nobody throws out a cigarette butt anywhere. 

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Wordless Wednesday 10-09-19

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KoKo waits 10-08-19

I think that the high point of KoKo' day is when the Mail Lady comes.  Since it can be anytime between about 2:30pm and 5:30pm he sometimes has a long wait.  But during that time you can pretty much see him at the front window and when she walks up onto the porch he has a fit.  Running around in circles, barking, sniffing at the door, jumping up against the windows - an absolute fit.  I have tried holding him and opening the door when she is there, but he just wants to get at her.  I understand this is a protection thing, but it does get annoying at times.  

One would think he is a vicious dog!  But today I took him in his stroller to the quilt guild meeting.  He was the model of a loving, happy dog with licks for anyone who was willing and happy with strokes and pats and ear rubs.  

What a guy!

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Did you ever have one of THOSE DAYS?

When so many things go wrong you think maybe you should just go back to bed?  Today was that way for me. 

I took KoKo for his walk early so I could take the two neighbor boys to school at 7:20am.  But I didn't dress to go out for the day until we finished our walk. So, I wasn't wearing the new earrings I bought in Carlsbad on Thursday until I got in the car.  Later I discovered I was missing one - OH NO!   It had to be in the car or in the house because I hadn't been anywhere else.  During the day I looked both places and looked again and again.  FINALLY I found it using a flashlight, it was on the floor in the family room.  Good thing KoKo didn't find it first.  

Then I went to CVS to pick up prescriptions and a few other things.  They no longer make the multi vitamin I have taken for several years, so I spent a lot of time comparing the ingredients and looking at the size of the HUGE tablets.  Finally decided.  Then when I got home I discovered I still have another bottle of the old ones. The new ones will probably expire before I need them.  GROAN.

In addition the freezer cases at CVS were a no-op, so I couldn't use the Ben & Jerry's coupon.  Later in the day I went to the local ice cream parlor and ate a hot fudge sundae with walnuts.  Instead of dinner! 

At CVS I put my purchases in the car, stuck the key in the ignition and the metal part separated from the plastic part.  Couldn't make the little bit of metal sticking out turn on the car, but I did get it out of the keyhole.  Had to call a friend to pick me up, take me home to pick up the spare key and drive me back to CVS.  Who regularly carries two sets of keys?  I do when I travel, but not at home.  At least I remembered where to find it!  

I was afraid to sew or cut lest I damage myself, so I sat down with KoKo and read my current book.  "The Crow Trap" by Ann Cleeve.  It is the first book in the Vera series and I have already read the rest of them.  

Tomorrow is the Surfside Quilters Guild meeting in San Clemente.  I sure hope it is a better day.  

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The snowman quilt is finished 10-06-19

You would think I was creating a giant complicated quilt, wouldn't you?  After working on it and talking about it for weeks it is finally finished and it is only about 15" square! 

My friend Toni is no longer able to sew and this was in her UFOs.  She did the piecing, machine appliqued the snowman, sewed on the border, and started quilting the background log cabin block.  I took it from there, finished the machine quilting, added beads and buttons, binding, and sleeve.  I imagine it isn't what either of us would have made on our own!  

It will go to Surfside Quilters Guild for the big fundraiser "November Fest", along with the coasters I quilted, and eleven feet of yoyo cranberry garland for a Christmas tree. I did not do a raffle basket of thread this year, maybe next. 

I am taking pictures with my cell phone, but can't get the color right.  It is much brighter than this.  Sorry.  

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