Odd Pieces of Fabric

I am working on a quilt right now using different size blocks and am trying to get them all to 13 inches.  I am also trying to use fabric that I haven't used before.  I hate to admit it but the majority of my fabric has been forgotten.  So, while I am sorting through trying to find matches to my already made blocks I have come across some interestingly cut out fabric.

This looks like I was thinking of making an apron (possibly while drinking).  Note the pattern is upside down. I think I'll blame it on one of the kids.

Really don't know what I was thinking here.  The one looks like maybe I cut out leaves?  And the thing is: I can't even find a quilt with these fabrics in it let alone these shapes. 

I really need to use my stash up.

Some Old Blocks to Remember

I have pretty much finished up most of my quilt projects and decided to start a new one.  Years ago a group of us decided to make blocks, once a month, for each one.  There were seven or eight of us so you had to make that many each month.  As far as I know, nobody has done anything with these.

I decided I have to.  Enter the box:

Now my friend was impressed that I remembered where these blocks were but they're in a chocolate chip cookie box.  Couldn't forget that!  I was impressed that I found the book I had bought to go with it.  It was in an entirely different spot in my studio.

I felt I needed this book because of the fact that my squares range anywhere from 3 1/2 inches all the way to 15 inches.

And one that is rectangular:

Sometimes we were trying out something new to see if we liked the process:

I have 35 blocks or possibly 34.  For some reason I have two of the same.  Was there an extra one I was given for some reason? Or, what really bothers me, was it given to me to hand to someone else and I forgot?

Perhaps one of my quilt sisters could tell me if they are missing a block that looks like this.

Fortunately two people wrote their names (meaning just on two blocks) and one gave a date -- 1998.   For the most part I don't remember who did what block however there are those that I recognize immediately.  One loves batiks, one enjoys paper piecing.  If you ever decide to do this make it a rule that everyone has to put their name and date on their block.  And make sure it's in the design, not along the edge where it will be sewn under.

Looking back, I wish I had also made a block for myself.  I gave all of mine away and now have no remembrance of what I did.

Hand Quilted Top

Am putting the final touches in my writing room.  My bay window is finished off complete with cordless shades, and the walls have been painted.  Today I hung pictures.  Still need to finish the curtain for the closet and then I will be done!

My mother's aunt hand pieced this quilt top.  It even has some of her basting stitches still in it.  It is exquisitely done and my mother always wanted a way to show off both sides.  She thought putting it in between two pieces of glass would work and that's as far as she went with the idea.  I got it away from her one day and took it to a framer who did just that.  My brother and I paid for it and gave it to her as a birthday present.

It hung on her wall for years until it finally came to me.  Unfortunately, until now I had no place to properly hang it.

Today it is proudly back up on the wall where it should be. 

Survival of the Fittest will not be Me

I can still see my husband's face as he slapped down his book in his lap, looked at me and said, "Why do YOU want to go to Cabela's?" (sporting goods store)

"I'm working on my next book -- you know -- the feel good book for the end of the world?  I need to know how to make a fire from flint, or sticks and stones or whatever people use out in the woods."

Cabela's had a collection of fire making tools, in two places.  I asked several questions.  The teeny, tiny picture on the packaging left something to be desired.  "You just scrape some of this stuff off, strike this part really hard, you get a spark, you're good to go."  Okay, I can do that.

No.  I can't.  I scraped.  I got a spark.  Several sparks in fact.  Even some really big sparks.  No fire. "We're dead when we run out of matches," I said to my husband.

He comes over and strikes the stick several times.  He feels the paper I've got sitting there.  "What?" I asked.

"I wondered if it was wet."

"Right, because water would be an accelerant!"  I yelled.

"Try dried leaves," he offered walking away.

"Don't you know people in the military you could talk to?" my niece asked.

"Yes!  Your uncle, my husband the former Marine!"  We looked at each other, looked at him and then back at each other.

"That's not gonna work," she said.

"Yeah, I already found that out," I mumbled.

Yes, I know others in the military, boy scouts, eagle scouts, Scout Masters but I'm still going to be dead once the matches run out.

I'm hoping the chocolate holds out 'til then.

Missent Letter, story line prompt

Recently I received a letter in the mail with a purple stamp on it saying: Missent to Mauritius.  I have to admit, I had to look this up.  It's an island in the Indian Ocean.  The letter originated in Missouri and was being sent to Michigan, roughly 700 miles apart.  It took the scenic route, being sent across the ocean and Africa (a flight takes a day and 4 hours).

This happens so often the island  post office needs a stamp?

But it did get me to wondering: for people who are stuck in their writing and need a writing prompt I give you this: write a story from the letter's point of view.


A few examples of my own:  'I didn't like the devilish grin of the mail carrier as he looked at me and then stuffed me back in his bag instead of the mailbox.  What did he have in mind?'

'S.O.S.!  See Our Stamp!  Somebody, please!  I can't go overseas!  I'm scared of flying!'

'I landed on the island of my dreams and was sent right back!  I didn't even get opened.'

Have fun writing.

Forgotten Bookmarks

Here's a fun look at something we all do -- use anything but a real bookmark to hold our place in a book. A friend lent this book to me so I used a paid bill for my bookmark (seemed only proper not to use a real one).
When I go to return this I feel I should put a little something in there for my friend or for the next person to find. But what? A really outdated picture? My kids being goofy? A hand-written note that makes you wonder? Unsigned, of course. A hidden treasure map that I make up?
Ah, the possibilities are endless as to what you'll find between the pages of a book.

http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Bookmarks-Booksellers-Collection-Between/dp/0399537015/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436305892&sr=1-1&keywords=forgotten+bookmarks

Machine Embroidery - Animals

I have been playing with my embroidery machine and just picking random animals.  I had fun making up these six on the left but what to do with them?  I could make them into a baby quilt but there are no little ones on the horizon.  As I looked at each individual one I heard, "Well, there's Grampa, his picture on the mantel staring down at everyone." "There's Homer out fishing.  Hope he doesn't catch those three seahorses."  

 

 

 

 

Why don't I make this into a story?  I could write above each block, sew them together and then . . . what?  Save it for someone who will show up in the future?  Raffle it off?  Any suggestions?

 

Old Bible Handbook

Cleaning out my parents belongings I am finding things I have never seen in my life.  And some of it has been very interesting.

Take for instance this twenty-fourth edition, 1965, Halley's Bible Handbook complete with the Latest Archaeological Discoveries.  But the oddest note I found was this:

The Most Important Page in This Book is 814

And it's not the last page.  It is a suggestion as to what goes in a sermon or reading in the church. 

Pinnacle Achievement Award

      Congratulations to Beg(ga)(he)r on winning the Pinnacle Achievement Award for Fiction. 

Wrong Sentence

Don't you love when you read something and you do a double-take?  What did that say? 

Today in my writers group the sentence that we were supposed to write about said: You have been given the opportunity to atone for one sin. 

That is not what I read. 

Instead my brain picked up: You have been given the opportunity to be stoned for one sin. 

On reflection I guess that could be taken a couple of ways.

Book Review: The Inner Circle

Easter was not the time to try to find out what's going on in The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer and this was with a husband who does all the cooking!

I have never given any thought to the National Archives in D.C. but after reading this book I'd love to visit.

Beecher is a young archivist who stumbles upon something he shouldn't and what to do with that knowledge and item now?

He can't ignore it.  Not only was there evidence of what he and his friends did but someone is looking for what he took.

Who to trust?  Everyone has a good, sensible reason to trust them but obviously, you can't trust everyone.

Brad Meltzer once again delivers. 

Descriptionary Word Play

In the book Descriptionary by Marc McCutcheon (the book for when you know what it is, but not what its called) under Chairs and Sofas I found this description:

A wooden bench similar to the settee, but without upholstery.

Can also be used in the sentence: "I will not _____ for that."

Guesses? 

Reading Coaster

                                                      My new coasters have arrived !

Revelation

Saturday I did a book signing at an arts and crafts show.  The first four hours hardly anyone nodded to me let alone spoke to me.  By noon I decided to eat lunch.  No sooner did I have my mouth full of food when three people came up to talk to me. 

For the rest of the afternoon I had people stopping by and buying.  I ended up with great sales.  This has happened to me before where it's quiet all morning and it's the afternoon that's busy.

I have come to the conclusion: Readers come out in the afternoon because they've stayed up the previous night reading. 

New book signings

         Coming up this week I have two book signings.  The first is Thursday, March 19th, at the Webberville Library.  Time: 6:30 pm. 

                   The second one is on Saturday, the 21st, in Tecumseh.  AJ Smith Recreation              Center,  810 N. Evans St.  From 8:00 am until 3:00 pm. 

It's Read an E-Book Week!

It's that time of year again when thousands of books are discounted at www.smashwords.com.  I have my own marked 50% off this week.  You can now download Beg(ga)(he)r and Truly, Everything for only $2.00 and Owe It To The Wind for just .99 cents. 

My link is: https://smashwords.com/profile/view/jrarmstrongbooks.  Be sure to use the code RAE50 at checkout to get the discount.

Happy Reading!

Book Crossing

My favorite way to send books out into the world.  Go to the website above, get a unique number, put it on your book, make a 'journal' on the website and hopefully people who find the book will add to it.  I have sent books out all over the world.  Even had one go around Europe and come back to the USA. 

 

Chocolate & Reading

It's great when chocolate goes with a book