It's the Little Things.............

Life can be full of heartache and tears, if you allow it. It can also be full to the brim of wonderful things if you look for them. To me I find pleasure in the little things. The big things take care of themselves. To a certain extent you can't do much about the big things, I give them to the Lord and move on. I give the problem my best shot and thats it.
I find joy and peace in walking on the beach, no matter the weather, hot or cold. I love to find the pretty stones and see the wild things along the way. The woods are always full of pretty things, surprising things and peace. Even with the noise from children running and playing it's peaceful. I found these pretty things on the beach on Sunday. I collect hearts so these were special.

The top heart is special, it is a purple Leland Blue stone, held up to the light its like glass.
WE did freeze our toes getting the blue stones

When I get time I will look into learning to make jewelry with some of the nicer ones. Meanwhile my friend Barb showed Edna and I some yarn. It's called
"Scrubby yarn" she made kitchen scrubby cloths. Both of us decided we wanted to do some, nice to stick in with Christmas gifts. Edna cranks things out so quickly she had already done 4 before I even got the yarn. I now have my yarn. First one half done.

I would like some myself and will try to get a few done when I am not doing other things. I still have to get outside and plant my ivy.It's supposed to be nice tomorrow but I want to sew. I was very lazy today.
I am going great guns on the quilting. I have two more almost completed and ready for Barb to pick up when she is in town. I ended up bringing most of my fabric down so I can match things up. I have two more ready to sew.These two almost done.


It sounds like I am busy but really I am not. Edna on the other hand gets much more done than I do. She also gets up at 4.30am. I get up at 6.30 but am a zombie for at least a couple of hours. Edna can have baked a dozen pies by then, she makes me tired. She came over on Tuesday to help me with my cutting out. I had found an add for a quilt shop in Suttons Bay I showed her the add and we decided to forego sewing and go look. Well, it was a lovely shop Cherry Country Quilters and I found fabric better than I had for Laura's quilt so got that. Then I found some for another I was putting together. It was worth the trip, we also stopped at Leelanau Cheese near Suttons Bay and got some really nice cheese. After that we stopped at Ben Franklins back in Traverse City so we could get the yarn, Edna had used hers all up already so wanted some more haha. Then we went to lunch at Rounds Restaraunt who serve breakfast all day. Had me some nice corned beef hash that was awesome. That was enough for one day.

Quilting........

I am pleased to say I am getting back to quilting. My friend Edna, the one I go on shop hops with. Well we do a lot of things together, like shopping and road trips to Amish stores and quilt shops. Anyway, I have been procrastinating on the sewing. Edna offered to come over (now Tristen is in school I have my machine out) and help me by cutting out some of my fabrics. I decided to do some lap quilts for Christmas gifts. I am doing simple quilts. Take a panel for example and just put on borders. Easy peasy. I also have some good patterns that do not require a lot of cutting. So here we go.
I have done 5 so far, tops and backs. I will take them to my friend Barb who has a long arn quilting business.

Not a lot to show at the moment. I have done 5 tops so far and Barb will do them for me before Christmas.
When we all lost our jobs at the bank we all went in different ways. I stayed in touch with most in my department for years and a few of us still see each other quite often. Nancy and Edna and Barb have been the ones I have had the most contact with. Meaning we hang out and do stuff together. Nancy moved away to downstate to be near her kids. Edna still lives here and was really missing her because they did a lot together. I couldn't because I had Tristen but........now he's in school all day I have more time. So Edna offered to come and help me with getting going again on my quilting. I have problems cutting out fabric due to my sight.
Barb started her own quilt business. She invested in a long arm quilt machine and taught herself how to do that. She practiced on our quilts. She was good right from the start but now she is great. Her business is BJ Quilting and she is on Facebook.
Well, here is a look at what I have done so far, you cant see what the quilts will be like when done but can see the fabrics at least.
this one will be for Cooper who is 2, it will have a pillow to go with it. A nap time quilt and pillow. If he is lucky I may get to his bed quilt soon.

This one will be for Reina. A quilt to sit and snuggle in with the fairies


The next two will be for Carrie my daughter in law.


Teal wants a larger size and likes cats so I chose this fabric for her.

....and if I have time I will do something with this as well, but I have to see what I have to go with it.

These all have funny cats on them but not sure what I have that will go with them so...........

So look at my messy dining room, its my work shop for now. Well its not often that its not covered in junk of one kind or other.




Some other fabric combinations I have are for later, this one for Cooper again.


and I loved this fabric that I want to make a purse or tote out of.

At least I have made a start and I am feeling ambitiouse. I have actually been enjoying myself. Its going to cost a fortune getting them quilted but as I have so much invested in fabric there is no turning back. It will be nice when the stash is down and I can get things as I need them. One at a time.

Another visit to the Thrift store...............

Saturday was our visit to the groomers for Bodi and Bijou. That is always my opportunity to visit my favourite Thrift store. Next week we have to take the other two poodles. We go to Brenda's Pet Parlour she is awesome and although I cant say the poodles love their visit, they dont complain haha. We will be back there again next week when we take the other two in for a spruce up.
Anyway suffice it to say I will be in the Thrift again next week. Meanwhile, I did find a few things.


The bowl shown above is Marqui by Waterford. Its a nice size bowl and I make good use of these at Christmas or parties to hold snacks or fruit or candy.
Its a lovely piece of crystal and heavy.
I also found these lovely candle sticks. I am not really a candle person, I would probably burn the house down by forgetting them. I do use candles sometimes in the winter though. Especially at Christmas time. I love the way the glass and crystal sparkles.


I think I have said it many times I just love glass and especially crystal, it glows.
I also picked up these two little bird votive candle holders. I am not sure what the purpose is of votives as they dont last long. I just could not resist these two though. The glaze and detail is really nice, no makers mark though.


I always look for glass, and I could not resist this wine bottle holder because it came with a Pier 1 blue bottle.

The there was this silly green bottle, well I could not leave that could I. Not at all sure what I will do with it but maybe it will be something I use for garden ornaments for next year. I know I can use it somehow.

Last of all this lamp, came with a candle. Again, no idea what to do with it but it would be handy if the lights go out haha. Or maybe with a bug deterent candle next summer?

Well, I left before I could do anymore damage. There was plenty left that I could have picked up but will wait until next week. I have to be discriminating. Look for things I can use. I do need some new crystal glasses. Hmmmmm.

Sketchbook updates..........................

These ones don't show so well as they are just pencil sketches so far. I was doing coloured pencil but I don't care for it that much. SO for now I will sketch and maybe colour later.

I have to say here that I am copying pictures off of Pinterest. Purely for practice. If I do work to frame or whatever then it has to be my own work and ideas. Here in my sketchbook for me anything goes.

I am trying to work on the human form, be it cartoon or realality its getting proportion. That's why I am using Pinterest, to find examples to try to emulate.






I have a very hard time with masculine figures and faces


Proportions are also a challenge

I enjoy doing faces



The beginnings of an elephant. They have a lot of wrimnkles, this will take awhile.

I did a lot more but this will do.

Sketchbook updates................

Some I have shown before maybe, but I finished them and am done with that book. I started another but its on drawing paper and so I am colouring with coloured pencils. Not liking it much.
Most of these are watercolour. Nothing spectacular but I will share anyway.



I borrowed the next one from someone, well the idea anyway. I was trying to get the shine on the shell and I do quite like it



Most of these do not photo well as all I do is a quick shot without setting them up properly


I am not doing anything in any sort of order, nothing is organized. I am just doing a rough draft of ideas. At some point I may go back and actually pick some of the ideas up and do proper pictures,





In most cases I am still not trying for realism here. I want to get the idea of more childlike pictures with the idea of maybe illustrating. To do that I must loosten up. Depending on what I decide to do in the end. Probably nothing but I am enjoying the process



I do enjoy doing simple faces







I know I am posting a lot this time and some is already familiar but rather than sort them I am just putting them out here.















A couple of Haiku thrown in



Thats it.........thank goodness. This Winter I am thinking of making some painted stones. I have loads of ideas but will it get done. Tristen is in school all day now, well I have to leave at 2.30 but thats still a bit of free time. Then again I also want to quilt and do other sewing projects so who knows how this Winter will go. Meanwhile I am still making the most of whats left of summer