Project Spectrum...July

Project Spectrum...July
Originally uploaded by NHSara.

My favorite color...has always been PURPLE...maybe it's cause it is so beautiful...and rich looking...and makes you feel great!

Sunday Sock...

I actually posted my Sunday Sock...you can check it out here... Have a fun week-end!!!!

Saturday Sky...July 29, 2006

Kind of a dreary sort of day - some gray skies, then some sun, then more gray skies...it just can't decide what it wants to do...they are calling for rain...this view is of one of the large maple trees in our backyard. Hope your sky is great!

My friend, Pat...

Wanted to let you know that my friend, Pat is a $100,000 Quilting Challenge contest finalist! You can read all the wonderful details on her blog.

Pat is a wonderfully talented quilter and fiber artist. She does things with crazy quilting that will amaze you. Her stitches and designs on fabric are outstanding. Not only is she talented, she is generous with her time and talent in helping others learn. She has offered tutorials on her blog and helped a lot of others learn the fine art of embellishing. Do drop by and congratulate her and let her know I sent you.

You can also learn more about how to vote and the winning quilts at the Quilting Challenge website.

Maine...

Oh, what a beautiful state (and we saw most of the coast line from Freeport to Portsmouth, NH!)

From signs showing shipwrecks along the craggy coast;

To the waves splashing on the rocky coast;

To beautiful waves racing to the shore;

And, a beach with quite a few people for a Monday; and Scarlett and I enjoying the waves as they splashed our feet.

Random Thoughts...

One) Why does it seem that when you finish with one room in the house - another one just "screams" for attention. Such was the case on Saturday...we decided to rearrange the room I call the library. This little rearranging consisted of moving my sewing area, the computer area, six bookcases (totally loaded with books), a cabinet and a futon. Actually, the only thing that stayed in it's original place from the day we moved in was the huge wooden bookcase that would take a crane to move! It is still in chaos...but, hopefully, we will work on it this week-end.

Two) Sunday and Monday were spent in Maine! (More on that with photos later!) We went shopping for work clothes for Scarlett. Once a year her favorite store has a huge sale (40% off everything in store - and then other items up to 80% 0ff)...and one of the closest stores is in Maine - Portland to be exact. So we left Sunday and arrived as the store opened. Two hours later we were ready to check out...and she did well! She got some very nice clothes for less than 1/2 of the original cost.

Three) I am behind again...on Project Spectrum. But, hopefully before the end of the month I will have my "purple" pictures up. (And, Lolly will let me play next time she does this!) It is one of my favorite colors! Have been working on some post cards for a postcard exchange...they involve beading...lots of beads to be exact! Since I am using purple fabric - I am making one for my PS post card pal...They will be going out Monday.

Four) The concept for my Bitchin Mittens has finally come together - at least in my head! So, I am going to begin working on those on Monday...after I mail the post cards...

Five) And, to make matters worse - my Isis Dreamweaver was sick last night - and I was up a few times cleaning up after her. She looks a little dragged out today...but so far seems to be better.

Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire...

Dear Favorite Color Swap Pal,

I hope the following will tell you a bit about me...and will help you find just the right thing...but, the most important part of this is that you have fun with it...and thanks in advance!!!


Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire

1. What are your top three favorite colors? Turquoise, Red, Purple

2. What crafts do you really enjoy? Knitting and Quilting

3. What products do you really covet? A book of different knitting stitches

4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things? Reading

5. Is there anything you collect? Regional Cookbooks from where I travel or from where friends live.

6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol? Aquarius

7.What are your favorite…

…scents/smells? Lavender, lemon, clean smells (don’t like musks)

…types of music and/or bands? All kinds – don’t like rap or hip hop and if you'd like to make me a cd of some of your favorites I think that would be so fun.

…authors? Current fiction, biographies (I have a few favorite authors – but tend to buy the stuff they publish the minute it comes out.)

…animals? Cats and dogs

…places to shop? Knitting, quilting, and book

…season? Spring

…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies? No particular favorites – I like all. I am building my knitting needle collection. Like INOX Circulars and have sizes 0, 2, 3, 4, and 5

…candies or goodies? Chocolates, mints, salty snacks (pretzels, nuts, etc)

8. Do you have any wish lists? Yes - Amazon

9. Are you allergic to anything? no

10. Do you have any pets? What are they? Yes; 4 dogs and 4 cats

11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy. I love knitting socks and am learing how - but they are very basic. I enjoy handcrafted items that someone else makes...other than that I can’t think of anything else…just have fun.

House Tour...Kitchen/Dining Room...

This is the area we just had painted. You will have to imagine that all around the cabinets was black and the rest of the color on the cabinets was a dingy white...the walls on the other hand were an extremely light lavender. We made some changes...the colors - an off white on the walls and a basil green for trim. We also changed the hardware on the cabinets and drawers...wanted something to match the matte silver switch plates we put in when we first moved.

Our kitchen / dining room is a room that is 16 feet x 23 feet...and we have a lot of stuff...The brown cabinet is my pantry...while the open shelved thing has all of our appliances with small gadgets collected by the Queen of Gadgets (Scarlett) are in the roll around next to that. The island was an addition that we bought in Tennessee before we even bought this house and the granite top matches the granite on our cabinets almost perfectly.

Looking toward the front of the room to the dining area. The freeze sits in our dining area as there were no plugs other than that one on that wall...Our good china is stored in the bookcase looking thing that sits next to the freezer. We only use it for Thanksgiving, Christmas and if we have a lot of company. We are lucky to have four windows in the dining area.

There is a built in cabinet under the stairs that we use as our everyday china cabinet. The white cabinet holds Scarlett's herbs - mostly medicinal as she is also an herbologist.

I really enjoy the window over the sink as I can watch my babies out in the back yard. And, am truly loving the way the new colors on the cabinets brighten up the room.

Another view of the dining area...

And, another...

There it is our kitchen / dining room all set up the way we want it and ready for company!

House Tour...Downstairs Bath...

Since we are finally getting our house together...I thought I would give you a tour. We will start with the Downstairs bathroom. I love this bathroom - two walls are wood while the other two are really neat wall paper. The tub is a Jacuzzi tub which can make for really relaxing times. The floors are wood and original to the house (1941-42). We are thinking of having them redone...sanded and polyed so that they remain beautiful. The folks before us did a bit of damage to them...so, we would like to fix them.

Book 4 - Summer Reading...

Title: Dad by Choice
Author: Marie Ferrarella
Number of Pages: 245
Category: Silhouette Romance

This book is part of the Maitland Maternity Series...actually, it was the first...and featured Dr. Abby Maitland, an OB doctor. The story centers around Abby and Kyle McDermott, the brother of her patient, Marcie. Marcie is 18, single, and pregnant and Kyle's main objective is to get Abby to side with him in wanting Marcie to marry the father of the baby.

A secondary story is begun in this book with a baby being dropped off at Maitland Maternity with a note stating that he his an "heir" to the Maitland line. Very little time is given to this secondary story and I was very disappointed that it was never flushed out and an outcome reached. It means that now I must go looking for the rest of the stories to see what happens to this baby and who he belongs to.

The story line between Abby and Kyle was good...and it was a sensual read...and had a happy ever after ending...so, it was a fun summer read.

Saturday Sky...July 15, 2006

A little late with my Saturday Sky - I just thought it might clear up - but, it has been gray all day and finally I took the photo just as it started to rain. This is the view in between my garage and house.

So, how was your sky?

Challenge Quilt...

One of the quilt guilds I belong to - Cornish Quilters - issued a challenge this year. The theme was "Summer Garden" and it is our interpretation of a summer garden. Size of the quilt was to be 12" to 24" and could be square or rectangular. Other rules were: Must be three layers, quilted or tied, have binding, ready to hang, and could use any fabric.

This is my entry and it is due on July 24th. I machine pieced the block, hand quilted around each iris, and 1/4 inch from each seam. The quilts will be displayed in the Town Office Lobby from August 22 to September 29...and the winner of the viewer's Choice will win $50.00. Each participant gets a fat quarter.


When I lived in Tennessee - my quilt guild there would make small wall hangings featuring different items relating to our area and state. Each member would get a kit containing the fabric and pattern and make at least one wall hanging that would be sold in our local quilt store. The quilt store furnished the pattern, fabric, and batting to create the blocks and would deduct those costs as the blocks were sold with the remainder going to the guild treasury. Members could buy a kit for themselves at a nominal cost.

This was the block that was used in 2004. I never got around to making my kit up as we were in the process of moving. I have all the kits (never made) from 2000 - 2004 and patterns for 1998 and 1999.

My goal is to complete a small quilt each month for the next year. Some of these small quilts will be the blocks that my Tennessee guild made. Others will be UFOs.

Everything old is new again...

Yesterday, I learned that Syd Barrett one of the founding members of Pink Floyd passed away. That was sad...it's hard to accept that the rockers we grew up with are "old" - just like us...

But, then I was reminded of when my daughter rushed in the door after being at the mall with some of her friends...and announced that she just bought the "best new CD" - and promptly closed her bedroom door to listen to it. Suddenly the strains of some very familiar music reached my ears ... and I quietly went to the bookcase and pulled out my LP (you do remember those - don't you?) and knocked on her door while holding up Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. Yep, her "best new CD" had been around quite a while...having been released in 1973 - three years before she was born and quite a few years after Barrett was no longer with the band.

And, on our recent trip to Boston, some child (maybe 13) walked past us in the hotel wearing a Pink Floyd tee-shirt...and I thought - "do you really know who that is!"

It is interesting to note that my favorite groups Pink Floyd, The Doors, The Doobie Brothers, and The Eagles are not even around anymore...but they live on in my mind and on my stereo.

Block of the Month...June

My local quilt shop started a new Block of the Month class in June. The class is based on the book Stars by Magic by Nancy Johnson-Srebro. Blocks are being made in either tradional fabrics or batiks...At the first class we paid a nominal fee for the pattern and fabric. Each month thereafter if we bring the completed block back to class we do not have to pay an additional fee. Each class member also bought the book.

I have chosen to work with batiks.

I think this class will be a real challenge for me...mainly because I have never done an entire quilt in batiks...and the other reason is that the blocks will be of varying sizes - 8", 10" and 12". So that will prove to be interesting when the time comes to turn blocks into a quilt top. But, for now I am enjoying working on my blocks. The block above is the June block...and I almost forgot my class was coming up and rushed to finish the block at the last minute. I won't be doing that again...

Saturday Sky...July 8, 2006

My sky in Claremont, New Hampshire...kind of blah today...how is yours looking???

Lucky me...

Wow! I got lucky this week. (okay, get your mind outta the gutter!) I have been participating in the Quiltindex Mall Crawl during the month of June...and I won! A yard of free fabric from Patchwork Cabin Quilt Store...My choices were - 1/2 a yard of the following fabrics...

Jacobean Rhapsody in honor of Project Spectrum's Purple/Violet Month.

Moda's Sweet Potato Pie Print - Fabric 3.

I think they are both really cool looking fabrics!

Painting...

I know we weren't going to paint the kitchen or hallway yet...but, the woman across the street had a painter over there and we thought we would get an estimate. Well, the estimate was shall we say - much better than we expected...and we are having the ceiling in the living room, the dining room, kitchen, and hallway that goes up the stairs to the second floor painted for less than we paid to have the walls in the living room painted when we first moved here...

So, guess what started today...the ceilings in the kitchen, dining room, and living room are done. They are a really pretty shade of ivory. The walls in the dining room and kitchen will be the same ad well as the hallway. The trim on the cabinet doors in the kitchen and around the windows in both rooms will be a sage green. They think they will be finished with the entire project by Wednesday! YEA!

Saturday Sky...July 1, 2006

Here is my Saturday Sky! What does yours look like?