I Went on a Journey...

and I didn't leave home.  Sounds crazy huh...let me start at the beginning...in one of the early months of 2013 I got a call from a friend, she was crying, to tell me that her dear, dear friend had died of a massive heart attack the night before.  I was stunned...she was so young...my friend and I talked for a while and then we hung up.  Now, I didn't know her friend but this hit me like I can't even begin to explain.  All kinds of things went through my head...she didn't get to say good-bye, were there things left unsaid, were there things she wanted to do, how was her husband managing after this shock, and on and on and on. 

Then I started thinking about my life...now don't get me wrong, I am crazy healthy, have no heart problems, virtually perfect blood pressure...but when something like this hits so close to home, it really made this girl stop and think...I thought about the 20 pounds I had put on since I closed the shop 6 1/2 years ago...when I closed the shop I was a lot thinner but I was in terrible shape.  I didn't exercise and my weight was down because I just didn't eat...so that wasn't at all healthy.  I didn't want to go back there, but I knew if I could drop a few pounds I would feel much better. 

For whatever reason it took me a while to get myself in gear...I was going to Pilates twice a week and loving that...I was getting stronger and a lot more balanced, which is a wonderful thing since as we get older the balance seems to go...the last thing I want is to fall and break something.  But I wasn't dropping any weight.  Andy was out of town the end of July and I decided this was it...I was here alone and didn't have any distractions and didn't need to fix any big meals...I thought I would try just modifying what I eat, limit the bread and white carbs and decrease my portions...no more sandwiches and Cheetos for lunch...I substituted a salad with lots of greens, cut up chicken a few dried cranberries and a low calorie, fat free dressing (thank you Judy Cash)...I have a regular breakfast and dinner, just less of it...a protein bar mid morning for a snack and a small handful of raw almonds for a snack in the afternoon.  That's it...simple, easy to live with and I'm never, ever hungry...oh wait I forgot my treat...every night at 8:00 I have 2 Oreo's...my Pilates instructor has tried to get me to move those to a different time of the day, but I've stood firm on this one...it's my treat, I look forward to it all day and I don't cheat during the day because I know it's coming at 8...oh the games we play...but it's worked...since the end of July I have lost 18 pounds and kept it off over the holidays.  I feel fantastic...I have more energy...I'm still doing Pilates but have bumped up the pace and the weight considerably since I feel so much better.  I never feel deprived...it's a whole life transformation...and it was easy!

So long story short, I had talked myself into the idea that since I was 60+ this was just the way it was going to be...the weight had settled in and it wasn't coming off...I couldn't have been more wrong...and I couldn't be happier!  I don't know if this will help me stay around here for 30 or so more years to see my grandkids have kids of their own and to finish the zillion projects I have lined up and to read all the books on my list...but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I feel a million times better.

If you've read to the end of this epistle thank you...sorry for no pictures...I'll do better next time!

Life is Better than EVER!!!

A Visitor

While I was cleaning in the kitchen this morning I kept hearing a cardinal chirping...I went to the window and this beautiful fella was just sitting on my bare crepe myrtle singing away...I ran and got the camera and fully expected he would be gone...he waited for me...

 He then flew to the crepe myrtle at the other side of the back deck...he kept sitting there singing, tipping his head and almost moving so I would keep taking his picture...I think he knew he was a star today!

 This beautiful guy sure made my day!  I could have watched him all morning...but then I heard another chirp and off he flew...someone was calling him.

I can't think of a better way to start this new year...enjoying such beauty.  Happy New Year!

Saying Good-bye to 2013...

and looking forward to the New Year, 2014 with a new ATTITUDE...

Each year I choose a word for the coming year...I've been mulling for a while now and my word came to me...ATTITUDE.  I realized that I need a new attitude...I need to listen to the advice that I give others...I need to truly enjoy the moment...not waste time thinking of ways it could be or how I might think I'd like things to be...my new ATTITUDE...enjoy the moment!

I know I've said this before but I really, really am going to work on it...NO expectations of people...take things the way they come, and not react because things didn't happen the way I would have done them or the way I would have wanted them to...I always, always say "Things work out the way they are supposed to"...I'm really going to start believing that...my new ATTITUDE!

I read a wonderful book, The Happiness Project, and probably the greatest line from the book for me was..."I've learned that I must act the way I want to feel"...light bulb moment for me...if I want to be happy I must choose to be happy and act that way...now don't get me wrong, I'm really a pretty happy person, probably 90% of the time, but I do allow myself to get caught in the web of negative, in the web of would of, could of, should of... I think the realization that I am getting my first Social Security check next month, life is way to short and the years are flying by way to fast to waste any time at all being negative or anything less than happy...my new ATTITUDE...choose happy!  Act the way I want to feel...HAPPY!

Enjoy what I'm doing! Not wasting time thinking what needs to be done next!  No more thinking that I should be doing something else!  Be in the moment!  No expectations!  Choose happy!

My new ATTITUDE!  I am looking forward to this New Year and all that it has in store...

HAPPY 2014!

Same Song, Different Verse...

This seems to be my theme this year...."where has the time gone"..."I'll be a better blogger"..."I'm not going to let so much time pass between posts"...and here I am again, almost a month has gone by.  So yes, it's the same old song and I'm on the 11th verse...since I last posted I think I've been cleaning like a wild woman...we had friends here last week and the kids are coming for Thanksgiving...so I've been doing that heavy duty cleaning...and I did some baking to prepare for our friends.  Thinking back to my word for this year...CELEBRATE!...I truly have celebrated this year...I've celebrated all the things I've done, including cleaning like a wild woman.  I used to get all worked up if I didn't get to sew every day (even for just a few minutes)...now don't get me wrong, there is nothing better to me than to spend time upstairs sewing up a storm...just my fabric, my machine and my thoughts...but I've found a way to do lots of other things in a day and to still CELEBRATE that day, even if it doesn't include sewing.  So while this post may have started out as "Poor me, no time to sew post" it has turned into a "I'm so glad I've had time to CELEBRATE, even the little things in life" post.  My mom always said "It's all about your attitude and how you look at things"...WOW! Was she ever right!

I did get some sewing done this weekend...the Fat Quarter Shop Mystery BOM block arrived and I always just love putting those together...here is this month's block

and it sure was fun to put together...and since I have the finishing kit I decided to put the first 2 rows together so when we get to block 12 my quilt will be just about finished...I LOVE these blocks and I know I am really going to LOVE this quilt!

So...no promises of when I'll be back...no excuses about where I've been...just know that I'll be CELEBRATING every day...no matter what I'm doing...Life is Sooooooo Good!

Let's Make a Dog Bed

A couple of weeks ago I posted a picture of the pile of dog beds that I put together and took to the shelter...

I got quite a few e-mails asking how I make them...I decided that would make a good post so here I am.  This is the greatest form of recycling...no scraps in the landfill...and shelter dogs get soft cushy beds to rest on...it's a Win, Win!  So here we go...it's just like making a simple pillowcase and closing up the top...easy peasy!

I cut a yard of fabric...

anything works...a friend gave me this piece of fabric...I've used flannel, corduroy, upholstery...whatever I get.  If you don't have a yard, use what you have...the yard makes a pretty big bed for the larger dogs.

With right sides together, fold so the selvedges are together...

sew bottom and selvedge side using at least a 1/2" seam.

Turn it right side out and fill it about 3/4 of the way...

I use scraps and trimmings off quilts that have machine quilted. 

And I'm always getting stuff from friends...it's always fun to see what they've been up to...LOL!

Fold over about an inch or so...

Fold over again, all the raw edges will be inside now.

Top stitch all the way around...

I just put pins to show you where to sew because mine wasn't full enough to close...but you get the idea.

Have fun...the dogs and cats at the shelter will be so happy!

From My Front Porch

...I get to enjoy this beautiful bougainvillaea...

I have seen a lot of these in my years, in Florida and in different parts of the country and I've never seen one as beautiful as this one is.

The flowers are huge hot pink with a touch of orange
...absolutely breathtaking.  I thanked my neighbors for planting this just for me...LOL!

I've had a crazy week...laptop went in for dejunking, it had slowed way down and they got it all cleaned up and it's running like a dream again...I sure did miss it...I love my IPad, but it sure is easier typing on my laptop...been doing some cleaning, the heavy stuff that I've ignored for way too long...we have some friends coming for a visit in November so I have to get this place in order...isn't that what we do...

But in the craziness I did get the binding on this fun little Boo Crew quilt for my kitchen table...
...and yes that's Mr. Brown Quilts basket of "after lunch treats"...The pattern is California Dreaming by Little Louise Designs...it's a great pattern, quick and easy, you can really see the fabrics

and she gives cutting directions from crib/throw to king...this one is the crib/throw and is 48" square...perfect for my kitchen table.

Off to finish something before this day disappears...Happy Sunday!

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please don't faint..no, your eyes are not deceiving you...yes indeed this is a post from your long lost blogland friend.  I have absolutely no good reason for being absent for what a friend of mine has deemed "forever"...I haven't been doing anything exciting, earth shattering or even terribly important.  I haven't found a cure for anything, or really even looked for one...I haven't called Washington and given them a solution for all the problems there...I really haven't even been cooking anything good for Mr. Brown Quilts.  I quite honestly haven't been doing anything that was even the least bit blog worthy.  I'm hoping to make some changes and get back in the swing again...but I'm not going to make any promises, I'm not going to commit to anything...I will, however, post when I have something to post about.  I've been pretty boring lately...nothing is wrong, I haven't been sick, everyone is great...I'm just BORING!

The past few days I have gotten back into the swing of things and it feels really good...I made the grandchildren Halloween/Fall pillowcases...

Andy went up there last weekend and took them with him...the kids love them...I need to make the big kids some new ones for Christmas and make Peyton his first one.  They really are so fun to make...

I have a product to share with you...it's an oldie...I remember my mom using this when I was a kid...STA-FLO liquid starch...

I've used every starch, sizing, Best Press on the market...but this is my new favorite.  It is crazy inexpensive and leaves you with an amazing press.  It's even helping with the fraying of the fabric...that's been driving me crazy.  That big bottle costs less than $3...I fill the smaller bottle

almost to the top and add just a smidge of water.  The directions say 1/2 and 1/2 or even 1/3 starch to 2/3 water...not me, I'm lots and lots of starch and just a smidge of water.  It is wonderful.  I was sewing this section of the Country Threads with all these triangles and all the bias edges...

I sprayed them and pressed them and they went together with not a speck of trouble. 

I know there is a concern about bugs and starch and this is a lot of starch, but I wash my quilts the moment the last stitch goes in the binding...by the time it's quilted, bound and washed I don't think there are any worries.  I LOVE it!

I've also spent some time making more dog beds...the shelter is offering people that will foster dogs bedding to take home with the dogs if they have them available.  I am fortunate that my friends save scraps and quilt trimmings for me...the result 9 large dog beds that will be delivered this week.

That's what I have for today...I'll try not to be gone "forever"...