Texas doesn't have the "fall" that a lot of the country has, but we do notice temperatures getting cooler, but still a good number of days when you still need an AC on.

Also this time of year is considered Hurricane season and the ever watchful eye for where those storms in the gulf are heading.  I'm inland enough that what we get, if one heads our way is wind and rain.  Right now a lot of this country could use a good soaking rain to replenish the water in a lot of streams and lakes.

I have decided to make a major change in my life.  2 years ago I bought a 1910 home on an acre of land, with the plans to revive it and make it beautiful again.  I had to come to the conclusion with my income and age, that this wasn't a manageable option for me.  One I couldn't do one thing till I did another, and when I forgot and left a faucet on all night and the water accumulated under the house causing that area to settle a little, and I called 2 plumbers to fix the drain pipe in the shower (1 said he was to busy and backloged and couldn't get to it - the other never bothered to return my call), an estimate from an electrician to run a 220 to hook up my dryer that ran over $600, I decided enough was enough.

I'm moving into an apartment where I don't have to worry about a yard, or repairs or ???.  If it breaks just pick up the phone and call the apartment office and let them fix it.

I will have a room dedicated mostly to sewing (but will also serve as extra sleeping space when needed).  So rather than worry about repairs and things I want to change and can't I will concentrate on all this fabric and quilt patterns I've collected for years and start turning out some finished quilts.

STAY tuned for photos as I progress in making quilts and other projects.  My first goal is to finish the 4 pieced quilts that I've been collecting fabric and patterns for my 4 children.  Then I will start on the 11 quilts for my grandchildren (all are applique - either needle turn or machine raw edge). 

I have recently acquired a lot of storage units (cabinets, dresser, chest, and other units for storing fabric and patterns).  And I had started organizing everything so "hopefully" I could find it better/easier.  Once moved and set up again, still have a few boxes to go through.

Interesting reading back on previous posts.  I now have all the fabric and patterns for my 4 children's quilts.  Youngest son has changed (can't change again I have fabric now) his color somewhat again.  He is now wanting a red/black quilt - just 2 colors.  So I searched as I didn't want just 2 fabrics of solid red and solid black and found a variety of red on black and black on red fabric (just 2 colors) to mix with the solids.  I'm combining two patterns Storm at Sea and Snails Trail.  I found a quilt done with a block for each of those patterns and really liked it.  Morning Star is for oldest 2 children and a paper pieced for youngest. 

Now to get back to work.

Hi, I'm still around.  I've been working on organizing a room for my sewing and slowly it is coming together.  Found the Habitat ReStore near me and have been able to get a lot of items for storage at extremely reasonable prices.  I have one 18' wall that is dedicated to storage, a combination of many different storage units all work together to house a lot.  I have a 6 drawer dresser, a man's chest (2 larger drawers, 5 small drawers and shelves behind a door), a book case, 5 cabinet boxes (2 with a shelf, 1 with 2 drawers and 2 just open box), and 5 roll arounds with 7 plastic bins in each about 2" deep.  Have a little storage on the opposite wall, and room for my sewing machine, serger, cutting table and a lateral filing cabinet for patterns, books and other paperwork.  Need to fit a cutting table in soon.

This week moving window AC units around in the house.  Bought one that covers more BTUs for the main house and will move a smaller one in the window of the sewing room, will make the space cooler for me to work in.

Found some beautiful fabric at the local Quilt store last Tuesday.  Texas Lone Star State themed and some beautiful Christmas fabrics, 2 pieces that are boots with Christmas designs.  Can't wait to get in there and get some started.  I have 4 squares that are maps of Texas with the counties, rivers and lakes etc printed on it, I'm planning a throw for each of my children for Christmas.  Thinking the Christmas Boot fabric would make interesting Christmas Stockings, table runner, place mats or Christmas tree skirt. 

Will also be working on finishing the 4 pieced quilts I have been gathering fabric and patterns for, for my 4 children before Christmas.  Once those are finished, I will start the 11 art/appliqued quilts I'm making for 11 grandchildren.  I've started some on a couple of the applique, and have been gathering patterns, fabric etc for these for several years.  I now (I think) have everything complete so that I can start working on them.  A project for 2014 to finish before Christmas.  I have some cut out, some that I've finished a few blocks on, but mostly just gathered all the supplies.  Have a lot of the applique patterns traced to freezer paper, so I'm making progress - just a long way to the finish line.

I have been absent from here for so long.

A lot has been going on in my life.  I bought an older house (to small for all my STUFF) almost 2 years ago.  I have arranged, rearranged and arranged again trying to get things where they were in a workable order of arrangement to be useful.  Bought a storage building and moved a lot of the unpacked, partially  unpacked and other amounts of STUFF into it, giving more room in the house to work at arranging.  NO it isn't done yet and probably won't be until I find a way to add some more rooms to the house.

But I have made progress in arranging a small room 10x18' into a sewing room.  One entire length of wall 18' long is almost now floor to ceiling storage.  Don't think it will house all the collection (as my friend's hubby calls what she has "her inventory" - he says it is beyond "stash") of my inventory, but hopefully I'll get projects together with all their parts and work my way through some finished projects that have laid unfinished way to long.

I'm in a new to me home, it is older excellent condition, some minor repair work needed, some restoration to return to original glamor, fresh layer of paint, redo some not so good upgrades and take back to original.  A project that I hope I can manage in my lifetime and see it finished as I'd like.

Needless to say there is still a lot of unpacked boxes, because when this house was built we didn't have a ton of clothes, 9 different skillets, etc etc.  They did with minimum the amount just necessary to do the task.  They were fabricholics that had to have every piece of fabric they fell in love with and could afford to have to use someday when the right pattern etc came along.  As a result there is minimum very minimum storage, so added closets to house things and not detract from the overall period of the house is in order.

Been busy

Lots going on and not as much stitching as I'd like. 

In process of packing buying new home and moving.  Hopefully when all is settled I can get back to the routine of posting more often.

Fall weather has arrived in South Texas

Temps are cooler but we don't have the fall color seen in our northern states.  But the drop in temps are very welcome.

I have my first totally finished quilt (almost).  It is quilted and I am in the process of putting on the binding.  Oct 24th is my Ex's 80th birthday and it will be his present.  We are having as many of our family here as we can and at last count looks like 25, 4 children, 6 of 11 grandchildren, and 5 of 7 greatgrandchildren.  Will be lots of fun, lots of good food, and lots and lots of photos.

I'm still trying to get all my things organized.  It is a slow process because this house doesn't have any storage area other than a basic closet in each bedroom.  There are lots of places where neat closets could have been added but weren't.  I have 2 (need another) wooden storage cubes with 15 compartments (designed for shoe storage) filled with fat quarters, by color.  Really makes selecting fabric for projects nice.  I will make a curtain to cover to keep the ends from being damaged by exposure to light.  Also, have a metal shelving unit to assemble and add for storage of other items (larger pieces of fabric, or some I have that aren't as big as a fat quarter), again adding a matching curtain.  Saw a program/pattern a long time ago where they attached one side of velcro to the shelving and the other to the curtain.  Makes removal easy to access the shelves, and then replace when finished.

Time Flys

Seems before I know it each day is gone, I stay busy, but sometimes when I look back on the day I wonder how it slipped by so fast.


I'm working on 3 lap quilts, a quilted sweatshirt (with an original design), and in the to be done area 26 quilts. I got the one I'd made for my EX a year or so ago, to the quilter this week. That quilt has a history. It is made of pillow squares and a larger square of photos of animals, birds and fish - very manly. While staying with my granddaughter in 2007 I pieced it, and gave him the top that year for Christmas. I then moved into an apartment 1st of Jan 2008, then it caught fire the 30th and I had to salvage things (really lost nothing of value), repack and put in storage. A small room at the back of the apartment suffered the majority of the damage, and his quilt was in that room still in the paper bag I had used for it. I found it under debris soaking wet but in tact. I took it washed and dryed it and the piano keys 4 sides for the outside borders. After moving where I am now in June 2009, they kept messing me around with the apartment giving me dates I could move back and then not meeting them after about the 4th or 5th I got disgusted and found another place. After a long extended unpacking here because everything (clothes, dishes, pots, and pans) had to be washed. Everything else had to be cleaned in a manner appropriate for the item as everything was covered with smoke residue. I found his quilt and the 4 parts of the border, but then when I went to put it together I could only find two (and I'd put them together). Then I found the 3rd. I'd put some things in a guest bedroom, to go through and unpack and then put away. After searching that room and thinking I'd moved every item and couldn't find the 4th I gave up. I was lucky in that I found enough of the same fabric and was able to make the 4th one and get the final border on the quilt. I should get it back from the quilter about Oct 1 and then can get the binding on in time to present to him on his 80th birthday the 24th. Hopefully the majority of our children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren will be able to come for dinner to help him celebrate. If we are all here it will be around 30. Nothing greater than having all your family together.


9/11 I was in school taking an advanced electronics course that supposedly included computer repair. I'd enrolled after my 65th birthday and was extremely disappointed because when I got to the computer portion is was only a few weeks and I new more about computers than the instructor. I finished got my diploma 3rd of the class only .05 of a point from top. I then searched out some schools in San Antonio, moved there for a year, they gave me credit for the electronics and I spent almost a year on computer repair, networking and web page designing. We did build a computer in class and I finally got the schooling I'd wanted for years. Other than a few times helping family and trading computer repair for other work, I haven't used it all that much. Due to to my age, I was never able to get hired - one look at the grey in my hair and I'm to old. OF course that was never the reason I was given, but when you go for an interview and everyone there is about the age of your grandchildren you know.


I adopted a companion that has been a joy. He is about a 3 year old Scottish Terrier mix and such a great dog. He came neutered, with a vet report of excellent health and with some obedience training. He has messed in the house a couple of times, the second I drug him by his collar to the mess, and pushed his nose near it, and scolded him - and guess he didn't want me to be that pissed at him again, and has always waited till he could go out. He will sit, stay and when I tell him to go get in HIS chair, he will go jump in my reclinder and lay down. I still have a little problem with him wanting to jump up on company. But after they have been here a little while he behaves himself. He isn't a barker but will bark when someone knocks at the door, for awhile he ignored if they ran the door bell, but lately he will also bark then. I couldn't believe that to adopt a dog that had been found as a stray could be so well trained. He is such a joy.

Don't you hate it when things go wrong

I cut over 100 1 7/8" white squares to attach to the corners of 3.5" x 9.5" sashing strips. And they are not the right size they are too small. Now I have to go back to the drawing board to figure what size square I need to make a half-square triangle on either corner that is the right size.

The quilt is called Morning Star and is really neat and should be easy to assemble once I determine the correct size for these squares. It consists of a 9.5" square, with 3.5x9.5" sashing strips 3.5" corner stone square. The addition of the small square (half square triangles) on either corner of the sashing gives the cornerstone block the look of an Ohio Star.

This is a lap quilt size but I have 2 other full bed quilts to make (queen and king), all with the same size pieces so really need to get the size of these squares figured out.

Haven't been doing as much sewing as I'd like. I have 2 blocks that I signed up in a round robin and these 2 I'm adding the last border and I have had a hard time getting something that will work with the orignal block and the 3 borders added before me. I've made a couple for each and they just do not look right to me and wasn't happy with them so back to the drawing board I go. I hope to get them finished this next week and in the mail. I have one of mine home, I did two but have no idea where the other one is, guess it will wander home when I least expect it. The one I did get back the lady that was supposed to add the last border just sent the block and fabric rather than adding her border.

Have a big family get together at my house this next Saturday. AND I am so looking forward to seeing my family, right now count is that about 21 will be here. If I have everyone the count would be 26. So having 21 is a good percentage. I'm doing most of the cooking which I enjoy.

Finished Quilt Top

Last week I finished a Disappearing 9-Patch quilt top. Myra a neighbor had pieced 9-patch and Dresden plate blocks for my friend Barbara. A little history. In May just before moving into this house, I met Barbara she was running a "thrift store" across the street from where I get my hair done. We exchanged phone numbers and during the hassle and total disorganization of the move, unpacking etc, I'd misplaced her number (and seems she had mine as well). After several months we made contact again and she stopped by for a visit. When she did she realized a lady that was making some blocks for a quilt for her was my neighbor. To shorten the story when Myra finished them she brought them over to me to give Barbara the next time I saw her.

The workmanship and stitching was beautiful. The "girl" does great work. He choice of fabrics and combination was outstanding. I laid the blocks on the large area on my living room floor alternating the 9-patch and Dresden plate blocks. They were beautiful, but personnally felt that the dresden plate blocks got lost in the busyness of the entire look. So when Barbara came by I suggested she divide and make two quilts. After rearranging the blocks showing one top with all the same block - she agreed. By then I'd seen some disappearing 9 patch quilt arrangements and convinced Barbara that would be a great way to use the 9-patches.

We got a little more coordinating material made a few more 9-patch blocks (same size) and then cut all in 1/4, and assembled into a disappearing 9-patch. Myra gave me the name of the collection by Moda she'd used fabric from and I was able to get a piece that matched some she'd used in the quilt and the one we thought best for the outer border. This collection had been discontinued so finding enough for the border was a fabulous find. AND I'm so glad I did because I think it is the perfect frame for the quilt.

Now the Dresden plate will be a more traditional assembly with sashing and borders. Still not decided if I'll add cornerstone squares but may.

I have 3 quilt tops to sash. A pinwheel with patriotic fabric, using red, white and blue sashing strips, a 9-patch. Each block is 9 squares of like color, and there are 6 colors (pink, red, purple, blue, green, yellow). Each horizontal row will have one block of each color with beginning block offset by one to create diagonal rows of each color. This quilt will be sashed in white no corner stones. The 3rd top is a very scrappy quilt top of a huge variety of 4" squares of every color and every fabric pattern I could find. It is a little over 1/2 done, now have enough 4" squares to finish it.

I then have a lap sized quilt top to finish, still have the small and 3.5" white squares to cut out then I can assemble and finish this one. Maybe if I get a strong spurt of energy I can get all finished by end of day tomorrow.

Mother's Day

Nothing is better for Mother's Day than to have conversation with your children, if you can't visit in person.

I live near my youngest daughter and went to her house for supper, but had phone calls from the other 3 during the day.

I have a dear friend in Illinois whose father is dying of cancer, if you read this please remember Pat and Sandy in your prayers.

Lots to do and WHERE do I start. I'd misplaced my favorite ruler that I use to rotary cut my pieces for my quilts. After 2 weeks of searching I gave up looking and decided I'd find it when I least expected to, OR I'd buy another when I got desperate. As luck would have it, this past week I was moving fabric I'd put in a drawer in a plastic 3-drawer container and there was my ruler standing on it's side at the front of the drawer. I'd looked there twice before, but didn't move anything.

So lesson learned when looking for something move things in the drawers. LOL

Have a little more "cleaning" to do this morning then I can spend the rest of the week sewing mostly. Tomorrow I have new living room furniture being delivered (sofa and love seat), then a trip to the grocery store on Thursday. But all in between I will be either cutting or sewing. I hope to finish the tops I have started to the point they are ready to sandwich and quilt or send to the quilter.

I've been surfing and found some really neat new quilt patterns and of course saved to my files for future reference. I'm thinking sooner rather than later I need to try a couple, as if I need more projects.

Gee I've been Absent from here

Didn't realize it had been that long since I posted to this site, need to try to come back more often. Seems I have my plate full and running over with projects, and life in general. Which is good it does keep me busy for very full days and most before I know it, it is past bedtime.

I have been working on organization, arrangement and then redoing trying to get a pleasing grouping of furniture and an organization of my craft/sewing items that is workable. In a house that is fantastic, except for it's lack of storage area the later hasn't been easy. I hope in the near future to add a room for sewing, move my washer/dryer and hot water heater into a large room that will also include a second bathroom/mud room and pantry. AND if funds will allow I'd like to push a wall over and enlarge the kitchen by about 4', add double ovens and change free standing stove to a cook top with more burners, and add a warming unit. But then dreams, dreams, dreams all are limited to $$$$$$ available.

So far in 2010 I've done a bit of sewing - not as much as I'd like but have accomplished a bit. I've been involved in a block RR where there were 3 groups of 5 ladies. Each made a block and sent to the lady just below herself in the group she was in. Then we each added a border and sent to the lady just below us. As the block continued when the 4th border was added the small quilt top comes home to the person making the beginning block. I'm participating in 2 of the groups and have made 2 blocks and sent on their way and added borders to 4, I have the last two here and need to finish those and get them mailed. I have one of my 2 home. I chose a theme as I have a small table in my living room to which I plan to add 4 chairs in the near future and will use it for additional seating when I have a large family group. It will also be used to work jigsaw puzzles or can be used to play games on, when grandchildren are here for a visit. I hope to make a number of small quilt table toppers to change by the seasons or holidays. For my blocks I chose the Valentine and 4th of July for themes. I have my Valentine one home and it is beautiful red and white. I started with a pieced background of two fabrics alternating red/white design and appliqued red and white hearts to that. I have borders added with red/white fabric, pieced border and one of red/white heart fabric. I need to sandwich and quilt so that it will be ready to use next Feb 14th - or probably the month of Feb. My 4th of July isn't home yet, but should be soon. It is done with a attic window pattern using red and blue window frame and a flag print fabric. I have a lot of ideas on file for other small quilt table toppers for this small table.

I've made (or I should say almost made) 3 quilt tops. I have one pin-wheel that has smaller blocks and larger blocks of the same fabrics. It is made of a white fabric and flag print. I've joined the larger into a block of 6 blocks and will set together using 3 strips of red/white stars, blue/white stars and white fabric, using the smaller pin-wheel block as a corner stone. I'm anxious to see this one together.

The second is a scrappy quilt made of a huge variety of 4" squares. I've joined in rows of 22 squares and need to add a few more rows and it will be finished. I ran out of squares and had to order a few more to finish it. So far it is really looking great.

The third is a 9 patch I choose all the 4" squares that were predominately yellow, purple, red, pink, blue, and green. I then set them together using light and darker values either 5 darker and 4 lighter or vice-versa. I will then set them together all the colors in the first row then offset the color by one in the next row so I have diagonal rows of each color.

I finished a small lap quilt and gave it to my friend for a donation to the school where her twin sons are seniors. The school has one major funding event each year. Each class gathers items or money for a larger item to donate, and they get other donations to auction from individuals and local businesses. The quilt was included in a very large, very nice basket of picnic and gourmet meal items and brought $800 at auction. My friend treated me to the bar-b-que dinner and auction. I was impressed that in this economy that all the items in both the live and silent auction went for more then their retail value.

On my agenda for this year is to finish at least 4 pieced quilts (1 each for my 4 children) I also have 4 art quilts to make for them. Since I don't have all the kits for the art quilts yet those will probably get finished next year. I have the older two children's pieced quilts cut out, just have to sew them. Have the material for my youngest son's but need to cut it out and then sew. The youngest daughter is waiting for her to tell me the colors she wants. The older two are done to go with the color's of thier bedrooms but the youngest daughter is planning to change her colors. So if she doesn't decide soon, I'll pick something in a color family I know she likes and get it done. I want to give them the quilts when all 4 are finished, to prevent any comments of favoritism. I could start with oldest and go down, but think it better to give all four at same time. Then I will work on the 11 for grandchildren (some of these I've already started and have a number of blocks made). Again I'm still gathering kits (block of the month) for one. These are mostly either art quilts or applique, all are more involved than a pieced quilt would be. Some of the applique are done by hand and others will be done on the machine. I hope to be able to concentrate on these 19 quilts more towards the end of this year and all of next year and to get them all finished. 4 at least by Christmas 2010 and hopefully the balance by Christmas 2011. Then I will begin the great grandchildren's quilts I've thought pieced because they are all still very young and haven't yet shown an interest that I can select a theme for. But by then some will be older and the number may no longer be 7 so the quilt I make for each may change.

Sewing Room

I've decided since I don't have bedroom furniture for my spare bedroom at the moment to make it my sewing room. I have a blow-up mattress (the double kind that is up off the floor like a reg bed) to put up when company needs to stay over night.


Where oh where did all this fabric come from??? Yeah, I bought it, but when you do a little here, a little there it doesn't seem like much, till you get it all together in one spot. So now comes the chore (a pleasant one) to seperate into sizes, (yardage, fat quarters, charms, jelly roll strips), then into seperate piles for colors. At the moment for lack of a better storage solution it will all go in large plastic containers - labeled. Later I will measure and mark yardage of the larger pieces - but that is project for a later day. Right now I need it somewhat organized and put away. Then there are the patterns, books, tools, and other things you collect along the way you just have to have. Oh yes, the large plastic container for crazy quilt fabrics and a smaller one for the trims, appliques, laces, ribbons etc.


I just found 6 or 7 more boxes that need to come out of the garage and find a home in the kitchen. It used to look good sized (not large) but an OK size, think it is shrinking as I put things away, I'm running out of room. LOL There is at least 3 or 4 more of clothes - but there is some major culling in line there. Of course everything in these need to be either run through the dishwasher or the washing machine.


I'm working on some stitching at night and pushing to get the other finished during the day light hours. Tomorrow again it is grass mowing day, huh!! seems I just did that, how times files. And with the great rains we have been having how the grass doth grow.


I have two round robin blocks I'm adding borders too, I have to sandwich a quilt top, batting and backing together and baste - then start quilting it, and have a 2 tablecloths to make (1 lg and 1 sm), and a Christmas table runner. Need to redo a drawing for an original Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery piece, and draw to fabric. Know there is bound to be more, must have left some out.


Any who, I stay busy and the only grass growing is not under my feet but in the yard.

This Year is Slipping by Fast

Here it is October and Fall, the temps are lower and we have had a lot of rain. Keeps me busy keeping the grass mowed.

With the gathering of family here for Thanksgiving this year, I'm trying to finish getting things unpacked, cleaned and put away. There is still much to do and the days are passing quickly. I remember as a child it took forever for Christmas to come or any other special day I looked forward to. Hmmm, is it that I'm busier now than then and I'm not just sitting waiting and wondering. Could be.

The rains were so nice and so badly needed by so many. But I read and see on TV of many that got to much rain and lost lives and homes due to the flooding. For this reason, when I look for a house to move to I always scope out the lay of the land and make sure I'm high enough to be away from any flooding.

Family My Number 1 Passion

Just got a couple of new photos of my first great grandson, it seems only yesterday he was a toddler and now he is in school and his sister. After some issues and him living with his father for a time, he is now permanently home with his mother and sister. And seems very happy to be there.

I haven't seem him in a long time and I'm looking forward to him being with us all this year at Thanksgiving. Hopefull if not all my family can be here, most can. It is aways such great fun when we can all be together.

I plan to do most of the cooking. All the favorites I've cooked for special days in the past. Fried Chicken, Turkey, Ham (with sliced pineapple and cherries atop and brown sugar glaze), cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, pink stuff (a jello pineapple coolwhip salad), and the green variety, candied yams, chunky mashed potatoes (not thoroughly mashed but leave some potatoes bite sized with lots of butter), broccoli rice casserole, green bean casserole, corn casserole and a couple more salads, rolls, biscuits, and tea. Dessert will be pumpkin, pecan, apple, and chocolate creme pies, and probably a fruit cake (my mom's recipe).

My oldest grandson loves fried chicken and biscuits made for him but plenty for everyone else.

Counting everyone that could come we should have about 22 here, so should be a house full.

Another passion of course in my needlework. I have a quilt top to finish for James for Christmas. Gave him the top last Christmas and hope to have it quilted by this one. Then I start the 4 pieced quilts for my children and work on their art quilts. Hoping to have them all together by mid year 2010, and quilted for giving at Christmas 2010. Then the next batch will take awhile. There are 11 to make and don't want to give any until all are finished. That may take me a couple of years since most are art quilts. I have some started so that helps. And of course lots of little project crop up in between. 365 days in a year if I can make a couple of blocks a day average I should make the deadlines with no problem.

Well glad I washed my plastic storage item as it is pouring rain outside there goes mowing the yard today again.

09-11-09

I was attending college to learn how to build and repair computers. The instructor came back in the room after a short break and told us that a airplane just hit the tower in NY. Class members were in awe and I dashed home to put on the TV. I was late getting back to class and was in shock for several days that something like that could happen.

I remember American Flags began to pop up everywhere, but over the past 8 years they for the most part have disappeared. Seems some of us forget or get complacent.

Another part of my Passion

Brother and Sister - Oldest daughter's grandchildren




Tristin Faith

Brothers and Sister, Youngest Daughter' Grandchildren

Her oldest daughter's children

Ty and Kyron with the birds at Sea World Sister Symphony stayed with NaNa's Friends

Her oldest Son's daughter

Lilly

Her youngest son's daughter.

Ava Harmony

When everything looks in order and then falls apart

Best laid plans seem to still go astray. I'd found the perfect living room suite I thought. First the Chaise was no longer available, ok then I could get a overstuffed chair and that would be OK. Well today it was delivered and sent back. It wasn't off white or white but a very dark beige or light brown and I don't do brown. Now grey it would have been OK. So now back to the drawing board and searching again. I'll look at it as a good thing and maybe I'll find something I like better, lets hope.


Did get a range delivered though, so now I don't have to use 2 microwaves, a George Foreman grill and a toaster oven and can cook a meal for company. Making progress one step at a time.


Checked the garage there are still 6 boxes marked Kitchen to be unpacked.

And the house looks more like HOME everyday.

KITCHEN:

I have ordered the last of the fabric for making curtains (balloon shades) for my kitchen windows. I have a yard of a beautiful fruit print fabric in vibrant colors of reds, purples, golds and greens. When Murielle and I put the Navy that was really blue with it, it did not pop, so we decided a purplish Navy would be better. I just found two fabrics that are purplish navy one darker than the other and ordered both. But when I put the three fabrics to gether it really looked good using either of the navy fabrics. So can't wait for it to arrive.

think first one will work better

This is the way the finished shade will look. Where the white is will be navy. I'd thought of putting some appliques in the panel but not sure. I kinda like it this way.

The curtains on all the other windows were bought ready made. Later I may change them out, but think I'll just make a shade to put beneath them to help cut out more sunlight and help the house stay cooler in summer.

Found my round rug for the kitchen have it in front of the refrigerator. Now need to buy one for the stove and sink. Those 2 were not retreaved from the kitchen. Think they might have been washed and been OK. Just didn't fool with them.

LIVING ROOM:

Living room furniture will be here on the first of Sep. Here is a photo, once I get them here will take one of them in my room. It shows a chaise and I'd hoped to get that too - but it had been discontinued. Will have to find one or an overstuffed chair to go in there.

I will keep my antique end tables and now on the look out for a coffee table. I have a new oil paint kit and found my brushes. Now to get a couple of canvases and paint some new paintings to
hang in there.

Have a couple of tall lamps but need to get new shades the ones that were on them got damaged with all the smoke and the last move.


The two chairs in this photo will be recovered with the fabric on the right. I have it and it looks so good in the room.

I'll also make a cornice to cover the windows of this same fabric. Now the question is do I make two cornices and cover both windows on each wall and make it look like one large window (I think this would probably be best due to the size of the room.) Are do I make 4 and put individual cornice on each window.

The room is coming together so nicely and isn't costing me an arm and a leg in the process.