Missing Our Trips Together

 I found this photo taken during our last trip out West in our Pleasureway Van in September 2013.

We spent several days at Yellowstone National Park.

We had no problem getting a campsite because of our small size.

Never thought my days of traveling with my sweetheart would be over.

Such fun times we had during our life together.  

My T-Shirt Quilt

A family member asked if I could make a T-Shirt quilt for her from her high school days to take with her to college last summer.

I had never made one and knew it could be tricky working with knits.

She brought over around 12 T-Shirts and I washed them and ironed them.

Next I googled how to videos and found an excellent one explaining in details all the steps.

I cut out the sections to use.  It generated a lot of scraps.

I had to order the interfacing needed to stabilize the knitted pieces.

That took FOREVER due to COVID.

And luckily my niece’s heat press helped to reduce the time needed to press the interfacing to the pieces.  Ironing it would have taken forever and would not have been done as completely.

I followed the instructions from the video to mark the center lines of the pieces.

I cut all of the blocks (except for four) 13 inches by 13 inches.

The other four had larger designs on them so they became 16 inches by 16 inches.

I played around with the placement and once that was decided I started sewing the blocks and then rows together.

I decided to make a border around all the blocks alternating the knit colors.

In the meantime I ordered a knit backing fabric after my cousin selected the ones she liked.

Then it was sandwiched with the top, padding and backing.

That took several smoothing out the wrinkles to get it ready to quilt.

I tried to do free motion quilting but the quilt was so heavy to move around and I was very disappointed with the results.  So I picked out all the stitching and put my walking foot on.  First I stitched 1/4 foot on each side of the stitch lines to stabilize it.  Then with the walking foot I marked quilt lines for each of the blocks.

I made a machine embroidered label for the back too!

My cousin loved it!

But I did say it’s my first T-Shirt quilt and my last one.

LOL!

Ribbet Photo Editing Tutorial

 Way back in 2012 I used Ribbet.com, a photo editing program, to design a new blog header.

Then the past several years I didn’t blog at all.

Now that I’m back to blogging I think I would like to update my header.

I found out that Ribbet has an app now.  

So I downloaded it and discovered it is different from what I remember.

Luckily Ribbet invited me to a webinar today to talk about their new browser version.

I think I will have to play with either the website version and/or the browser version to come up with a new header for my blog.

I’m still working on my office.  I wish I wasn’t so slow.

It’s an unbelievable 69 degrees out and windy today.

My gifted Christmas Poinsettia is finally looking a little under the weather.  

But I’m surprised how long it lasted.  

Have you ever had one of those days where you have so many things to work on and you don’t feel like doing any of them?

That’s me today.

I have six accounts to reconcile for the last month.

Bah...

Ain’t going to be done today.

I started a new Alan Hunter Gently book and it is calling me.

How is your day going?

Hope it is happy!

A Warm Day Here in Ohio

 Oh my gosh...it’s 61 degrees here today!

I sat out on my screened in porch in the sun feeling the fresh air and loving it.

First time this year!

I had three items on my agenda today and I completed all of them.

1.  Sign my income tax return and deliver it to my tax guy.  DONE!

2.  Try the new microfiber window cleaning cloths I ordered from Amazon.  DONE!

My Great Room and Kitchen windows have the screens out so I can see and take photos of the animals and birds without the screens ruining the shots.  The windows were pretty dirty because I didn’t have them cleaned last year so I first used a squeeze with a pail of hot water and Dawn soap on them.  Then I used the new microfiber cloths as instructed.  Wow!  No streaks at all!  I’m amazed at how well they worked.  I don’t plan to do the rest of the exterior windows because the screens need cleaning too so I’ll hire a professional.  Actually the whole house needs to be professionally power washed this year.  

3.  I had ordered a BISSELL portable carpet cleaner to use on my stairs but it was too much work for me at age 74 to do the scrubbing needed.  I was so pooped after doing the first part of the stairs I couldn’t finish the rest.  So I’ve decided to return it for a refund. DONE!

 If I was  younger I would probably keep it.  I liked how it cleaned up and it really did a wonderful job picking up the dog hair and dirt.  I haven’t decided what to replace it with...either a lightweight BISSELL carpet cleaner upright or another portable one that has a power brush.

  So glad this snow is gone!

  I was glad to get my car out for a drive today.  My hubby was the driver and I was the passenger.  I’ve never been crazy about driving unless it was a route I knew well.  Although I’m so much more comfortable driving with the back up camera and sensors.  When my hubby and I took off on our trips we both just relaxed and were so happy to be on the road.  I purchased my Subaru Outback 2016 in September 2015 and I only have 7,700 plus miles on it.  I’ve had to put three batteries in it.  If it sits the battery completely drains.  Finally this winter my brother in law attached a trickle charger to it and I haven’t had any problems so far.  I think something in the electronics drains the battery.  Other than that issue I haven’t had any other problems with the vehicle.  It’s the third Subaru we (I’ve own) have owned.  

Isn’t that the truth!

I’m enjoying another cup!

Thanks for visiting little old me!

March is here!

 

It’s been awhile since I posted.  I’ve been busy with projects around the house.  Another garage door sensor died on me.  So I had to order a new one.  And now the garage door keypad isn’t working either.  Then last week while cleaning out my refrigerator I noticed one of the lights is out and the other light panel is broken.  The ice crush feature has been out for a good year so I guess it is time to schedule the GE service.  

Meanwhile I’ve been going through boxes that we moved here six years ago.  My hubby shedded so much before our move.  But I’m trying to sort through stuff and decutter what I don’t need to keep.  Right now the focus is the office.  I’m getting there but it’s not done yet.  I jammed my shedder and managed to clear out the mess but it still didn’t work until I realized I had to put the bucket back in.  One job taken care of and then to fix my label maker.  I put a roll of labels in crooked and jammed it too.  I managed to clear the label out and it printed labels that were in the queue but when I tried to print new labels it wouldn’t print.  I may need to uninstalled the program and reinstall it.  Ugh!

We have had a week of colder weather but warmer temperatures are on the way.  I can’t wait for spring!  You probably have seen my photos of my screened in porch.  I love it.  But I’m finding it harder to clean it every season and break it down and set it up as I get older.  So, I’m exploring turning it into a 3 or 4 season room.  Put some heat out there and maybe air conditioning too but have windows I can open to get that screened in porch in the summer time that I love.  

I haven’t had time recently to sew, quilt  or crochet.  But I am reading every day.  I streamed a British series called “Inspector Gently” that I enjoyed so much I decided to read the books (author is Alan Hunter) it was based on.  There are 46 books in the series.  I’ve ordered about 15 of them and have read half so far.  

It was chilly out today but tomorrow is forecasted for a high of 57 degrees with the week in the 40s and 50s.  The birds will be chirping.  I’m ready for Spring!

I put away my Polish Pottery Christmas mugs today.  My cousin gifted me the cute shamrock Polish Pottery mug!  St. Patrick’s Day is a bittersweet one.  My Mom loved celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.  She passed away 30 years ago this coming St. Patrick’s Day.

My niece has lived with me the last three years.  And last December her sweetheart moved in too.  I lived alone for the first two years here after my hubby passed away except when my BIL and his wife stayed with me the first few months.  I had never lived alone in my life.  I lived at home until I went to college and had roommates there until I married.  This is such a different life now.  I miss being with my hubby and taking care of him.  It’s all the little things.  He never had a chance to see our dream home all settled with all the boxes unpacked and the landscaping completed.  I don’t understand why I’m here and he isn’t.  He was such a good, kind man.  It seems all evil ones live long.  

Sunday is ending.  The sun has set.  Another day tomorrow.