Zoom Zoom

I am pleased to announce that I'm working again - only a few days a week, but test driving again which I love.  You may not see me as much...the lovely thing is, I can stay home and sew as much as I want, but when I get antsy and need a road trip, I get one.  Color me Happy.

I've started the quilting on my Garden of Contentment quilt.  I know, about time, right?

Just simple wavy lines over every seam.  It's bigger than I remembered - lol.  Makes me wonder how I ever did a queen size!

My shift starts at 5am, which is surprisingly hard.  My body has always been wired for the night shift - but I really don't want to drive in the dark for my full shift, which I would in winter, so I chose the a.m. shift.  I get up around 2am, as I need like a lot of time to wake up.  Fortunately, the shop is only 6 minutes from my house!

I've drawn up a couple of new designs, one for a wall or baby quilt, can't wait to start it - just have to wait for the funds to get the fabric I need.  The other, I'll need more fusible interfacing.  Gosh my supplies are low!  Meanwhile, I'll concentrate on my Garden, and git 'er done.

I'll see you soon - if I can resolve my router problems!  I'm not able to stay connected to wifi for more than a few minutes right now!

Love,
Allie

Good Morning Sunshine!

For many years now (we've both lost track), my best friend will call me day or night and greet me with "good morning, sunshine!"  I can hear the smile in her voice as she says it, and she always makes my day.  I simply had to turn it into a little quilt!  What a treasure she is.

Simple fusible applique, easy embroidery stitches, because that's what I love.  I outlined everything in black to make it pop, especially since I used a vintage sheet for the background.  I love using vintage sheets, but they're not easy to stitch through!

Oh no - looks like I got a little dust on my quilt!!!

You can make your own sunshine by popping over to my shop for instant download - 

Allie-oops Designs

I mostly spent the weekend stitching.  Normally, I like to clean up after every project, because in the frenzy of creating I make a mess.  But this time I went right from one project to another.  Guess what I'll be doing today???

What you can't tell from this picture is that nothing is where it should be, and I have to move things to put my coffee cup down.  Plus the cobwebs and dust!!!!  I need a good tidy and deep clean!

I did finish block 3 from my birds quilt.

Not real happy with his eye - might have to change that.  I started this at my son's house, I should be finishing block 4 but golly, sometimes ideas demand completion!

Today is a lovely cool day, I'm actually wearing a hoodie to start.  Better get cleaning before it warms up.....

See you soon!

Love,

Allie

New Free Design

Just a quick post before my eye appointment - yesterday, I finished up a quick little free design for you.

Happy Day is available in my shop for free here:

Allie-oops Designs

Obviously, I can't get enough birds lately, lol.  This one didn't make the cut on the latest design I'm working on.  I used fusible applique, and straight line stitching with my walking foot by machine.  Which is now my favorite way to make something that won't get washed a lot!  I'm no good at free-motion stitching, but the walking foot works GREAT.  This could also be made by hand, with blanket stitch and hand embroidery, or completely with embroidery!

Our friendly coyote is terrorizing the deer population, yesterday he was hunting 6 bucks!  In the afternoon, no less!

It's a regular Wild Kingdom out there!  (Anybody remember that show?  Or am I dating myself!)

Ok, off to get new glasses so I don't have to zoom with my camera to see what's out there....

See ya soon!!

Love,

Allie

Home

Isn't "home" one of the sweetest words?  I'm back from my son's, been home all week, but too busy to blog.  Too busy even to stitch much!!

This is only block 3.  I got no stitching done at my son's house, just couldn't get comfortable and it was killing my neck.  So I read lots of books as it was so stinkin' hot - we stayed close to home!  We did go to the church where my mom and dad were married, back in 1963 when I was 4.

I was two when my birth father died, and 17 when my adopted dad died.  Mum is one of the strongest women I know.

We also spent a lot of time eating ice cream - I had it for dinner twice.  One day we went to what was touted as the best ice cream place in the city, and it was good, they had an old telephone booth outside with Superman in it.  You can't see the suit hanging behind him...

Mom had some too, a big waffle cone filled with Moose Tracks, then later that night I had some ice cream at the house.  I told her she couldn't have any more as she IS diabetic - when I went to bed, I was almost asleep when I heard the tink tink of a spoon hitting a bowl.  You know that sound when you're scraping up the last of the runny stuff?  Yep.  She was very naughty, waiting til I went to bed!!!

We did go there to spend time with John's kitty, Sophie - 

She spent most of her time either on top of my mom or me, and also in my sewing bag!

That bag had my pillow in it that I use for hand stitching.  No wonder I got nothing done.

I took a pic of a tile in John's shower, I could see a quilt pattern here....

Love it.

I was a little bit upset with myself after eating all that ice cream last week.  I'd gone a couple of weeks ago to get new glasses, and since my vision fluctuates during the day the doctor wanted me to get tested for diabetes.  I had my physical this past Tuesday.  No diabetes, all blood work is great, and I'm healthy.

  HOWEVER.  I got the shock of my life - I've always been 5'8, ever since I was 18.  Tall and slender, wasn't able to get over 110lbs until I hit menopause.  

Well.  They measured me at 5'5.  Somehow I lost three inches just walking in the door!!!!!  I did measure myself at home, and they're right!  How does someone lose three inches??  I've called my old doctor, who is requesting my records, to make sure I'm not nuts.  The new doctor didn't seem to believe that I really was 5'8...it's on my driver's license, which doesn't prove anything, but we'll see what my old records say!

But that wasn't all.  I now weigh 170lbs.  I didn't weigh that much when I was 9 months pregnant with my boys.  The diet started yesterday, a whole new way of eating, and the exercise started the day before!  Wow am I sore today.  We'll see how I do, I'm determined to never have to have another diabetes scare!

Last bit of news, two days in a row I've seen a huge coyote in my back yard.  I've spread the word around the neighbors, to watch their children and pets.  I'm not sad about it, the deer are taking over, as are the bunnies and squirrels.  We'd like to have a garden someday!  Just have to be careful.

That's about it, I have a busy weekend coming up, I hope you all have a great weekend and find some time to enjoy doing the things you love!!!!!

See you soon!
Love,
Allie