Well, that was quick...

I just picked up my July BOM yesterday afternoon and am happy to report it's already finished! I worked on the layout (scanning fabrics and putting the block together in Photoshop) yesterday (Wednesday) and started cutting a few of the pieces later that night. I worked on it off and on today (Thursday) and got it finished an hour or so ago (very early Friday).

This block boldly marks the transition from light color batiks to dark ones. These turquoise and pinkish beige diagonally placed blocks marks the boundary. I liked arranging the five turquoise swatches into a prescribed pattern that's my own little (not all that interesting) secret. This block also incorporated larger triangles and squares than 'usual,' so that's been a little extra fun, too. As with the June block (also 22" x 22"), this looks a little wavy because it's pinned to the row above. I will join these two block with August after it's done and be about 2/3 done! I'm really loving this 'completion' phase of my creative life! Thanks again, Gwen!

This is a 10-month program so I've made it through half-way. I believe the tenth month is simply fabric for six-inch-wide strips for an all-around border. That means only four more areas of pieced pattern blocks!

I hate even thinking about all the heat we've had lately—something like 18 days this spring/summer with temps over 100 degrees. I think the record is 50 and Mike Morgan on KFOR seems to think we'll bust that record this summer. Bummer!


Had a delightful time yesterday catching up with the ever lovely Naomi. It was fun talking about her vacation; a small project that's taken over her life; our book club book; Gwen; inchies; family; Scrabble® tile fabric; etc. We've even scheduled a play date later in the month. When it rolls around again this fall, we're also hoping to take the fabric bowls class at Quiltworks.  Hope teacher won't have to separate us for being rowdy!

Okay, too late/early to still be up, so over and out! ZZZZZzzzzz!

Sewing of the green...

The Divas/Ladies community group from People's Church had its St. Patrick's celebration on Friday evening. All the foods were green: spinach dip, pistachio pudding, guacamole, pickles, kiwis, green salad with cucumbers, lime sherbet punch, and St. Patty's confetti cake! I had this nutty idea I'd make recycled shopping bags (environmentally green) for everyone. The germ of this idea took root a couple of years ago. I noticed the packaging of the dry cat food we buy changed. Many were made of DuraWeave®, a woven plastic/laminated fabric. I've saved a couple dozen of these bags and finally got around to cutting and sewing them into totes for books, groceries, projects, getting stuff out of your car, etc. I love the cat food bags' bright colors! I also made ones from dog food bag, and bird seed bags.

I premiered the bags at my book club meeting Thursday night. There were four other ladies present at the first club meeting I attended last month. I had to decide—do I take only four, and they'd just get what they got. Or do I take the baker's dozen of the ones I'd made so far and let them choose? Luckily I took all 13. Much to my surprise, there were five more ladies there this time! Oh, my stars and garters—I would have been so embarrassed if I didn't have enough for everyone. Whew—disaster averted! Everyone got to choose the bag they liked, except for Naomi. I made her take the bird seed one with all the birdie drawings. I wanted her to have it because I love the way SHE draws birds!

I came home after book club with my four remaining bags and cut/prepped another 10 bags to get sewn sometime Friday before Divas community group. I went into full assembly line mode and got them done with a whole hour to spare. Whew! I pestered Winnie (Divas hostess) a couple of times about a final head count. I wanted to have an extra one or two but wound up taking 14 bags and there were 14 ladies in attendance! Thank you, Jesus! Hope everyone finds a purpose for theirs. It was fun making them and even more fun sharing them with two groups of truly incredible women!

The summer I learned to read...

That phrase makes one think of a young child pointing to and trying to sound out each word in a beginning reader book like P.D. Eastman’s Go, Dog. Go! or Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham. Or maybe that same child’s first summer reading program where for every book read, she earned another crescent-shaped sticker to add to the book worm’s body tracking the summer’s accomplishments. Yes, both of these scenarios mark my reading history.

I’ve never been a big reader. I managed to drag my limited attention span through whatever I was forced to read in school. Since then, I’ve probably read no more than a dozen fiction books since college. I’ve always admired people who read but just never got there myself. Oh, sure, I’ve pushed myself to read a few titles I promised others I’d read, but very seldom have I seen a novel I just HAD to read. Given my extensive collection of books, it’s easy to see I really enjoy non-fiction reading. Show me how to do something; tell me your life story; or give me reference material—that I love!

I am thinking more about writing these days. Something I discovered a dozen years ago is that I can write a very detailed description of something/someone, but have great difficulty getting that person or thing to advance down a story line. Hence, the reason for needing to read and see how other writers transform and transport their characters through time and space.

Last year, a dear friend gave me a paperback he’d wanted me to read for quite some time. Accepting the fact I didn’t enjoy reading (which I am sure was appalling to him), he thought I might enjoy the simple stories by Alexander McCall Smith beginning with The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. A year, and his passing, later, I finally sat down with the intention to read and finish his gift. Tah dah! Done! I can do this!

Which title next? My friend, Naomi, a voracious reader, who has read the entire series, tells me this first book was her least favorite. Hmm. Well, that’s interesting. It only gets better from here? Intriguing. I perused the titles of the following volumes and needed to decide whether to read by preference in title interest or the order in which they were written. My logical left brain won out and we’re doing it chronologically.

My husband, Tom, used to have great difficulty remembering the names of people he met. I told him if he keeps telling himself he’s bad at remembering names, he’s self-fulfilling the prophecy and will never change. He’s reminded me of this as it applies to my reading.

“I am not a reader” is no longer my personal statement because THIS is the summer I learned to read.