Busy Day...

Boy, the day has just flown by.  I was busy with homework this morning, then after lunch I did a little more organizing in my sewing room.

I took things that were on my cutting table and made a place for them up on the wall for storage when not in use.

I organized my fabric cabinet, mostly the bottom section next to the batting.

Then I worked on my crochet/yarn area.  I was able to organize the top of this yard dresser by moving items to the window sill.

Then I took a break and did my Bible study.   I finished Romans and am now studying Acts.  I got to tell you, the Apostle Peter sure could preach, not backing down from those who opposed what he was teaching.

from http://newlife.id.au/bible-study-notes/the-apostle-peter/

Okay, then I sat at my sewing machine.  I finished the last "Gift Box" I needed for the quilt guild.  Then I started chain piecing some charm squares I found in my organizing endeavor earlier.

I also have new garden blooms to show.  If you'd like to see them, please go to my WordPress blog.  Here's a link to it.  https://sonia67bones.wordpress.com/

Hugs,
Sonia

Blooms and a flour sack

I've seen all types of reminders that today is earth day, everything from Snoopy reminding us, promotions to care for land surrounding us and even new blooms in my garden.

There's even a scripture that points to caring for the earth.

Genesis 2:15 ~  And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

My dwarf blue spruce is showing new growth and more of my irises bloomed today.  I even zoomed in on our first rose buds, on one of the climbing rose bushes.

There was also a reminder to re-purpose an existing item.  

I needed a cushion for a chair in my sewing room and yesterday I found a flour sack. So I took a foam piece, about 18" square, and cut it down for the seat and the back piece. Then with the feed sack, wrong side showing, I marked where to sew to tuck the seat cushion in, and stitched it in from the sides, enough to cinch in but allow the seat cushion to be put in or out. Then turned it right side out and stuffed the foam pieces to form the cushion.

I want to be able to wash it when needed, so I just used two large safety pins on the back to snug it up around the back piece and close it up at the top. That way I can take the foam pieces out when it needs cleaning.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to get some quilt blocks done.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Hugs,

Sonia

Monday...

Hi, hope your day went well.

I started my day with planting another ivy that was rooted over the winter.  I found the pink square pot at Savers in Fort Smith and thought it would do well in this wooden basket.

This is how the side of my sewing machine looked earlier today.

I found this planter when I found the pink and decided to use to put all of the above items in one place.

I try to stay organized most of the time but I think I must be a clutter bug at heart.  My desk in my sewing room has been like this for a week or so and I've been doing my bible study at my sewing table.

So today, I decided I better clean it up, so that I can sit at the desk to study my bible, to water color, scrapbook, beading, etc.

At last room to use... now I need to stay on top of it instead of letting it get back in the state it was.

Have a great day!

Sonia

A nice way to start the day

This morning I looked out my sewing room window and saw my first iris bloom of the year.  I went outside and took a picture of it and two other bloomers.

First Iris bloom this year

White Iris up close

Deutzia 'Charonnay Pearls' in bloom

Petunias in bloom

It was over clouded this morning with a cool breeze and the bloomer flowers brightened it up.   

A nice way to start the day.

~Sonia

Decked out

As the wind moves in,  I write hoping I get this done before the storms hit.

This morning was beautiful.  It was partly cloudy and I couldn't resist taking pictures of the blooms near my home.

I zoomed in on this white tree across a field.  I noticed it through my front window. When the sun would break through the clouds the tree looked like it was shining.

While outside taking that picture, I noticed the jonquils blooming in my front flower bed.

I even took a picture of a wildflower or weed, whatever you want to call it.  It too, looked pretty in the light this morning.

I finally took my valentine decorations down and am now decked out for spring.  Here's some of what I did.

In the dining area, I used some of my vintage pieces, like old mason jars and my Fire King pieces, and made floral arrangements.

In the living room, the piano, my side table and a wall hanging.

Are you decked out for Spring or Easter?

Hugs,
Sonia

Overcoming a glitch...

The first signs of our veggie garden are beginning to show.  My husband started seeds for the garden and today we noticed they are up and have vented the top of the seed starter tray.

We have cabbage and iceberg lettuce.

The beets and basil have started too.

I think they will do well.

I was needing a single vase a week or two ago and didn't have one.  I was at a flea market last week and found this pretty vintage milk glass bud vase.  It is diamond cut in the pineapple pattern.  

I finally finished one of the small quilts I've been working on.  It didn't happen without a glitch though.  Here's the quilt finished.

.

Here's the glitch.  I had to stop and have some repair done on my machine.  I was sewing along and then the casing that holds the needle just dropped out of the machine.  

Thankfully my needle was not broke or bent, amazingly.

So that's Monday for me.  It started good, had a glitch, then ended good.  

Isn't that how life goes?

Everything is going along good, then a glitch happens.  How you overcome that glitch depends on how you face it.  In the case of my sewing machine, I turned to my husband.  I have never had my machine do anything like it.  He repaired it, and showed me what I need to do if it ever happens again.  I am now prepared  with the knowledge and the tool to take care of it next time.   

But what about bigger things in life?  How do you overcome glitches then?  I personally rely on my relationship with God.  I search my heart and pray asking God to reveal what I should do, and at some point, either through discernment or Scripture, I know what needs to be done or what to expect next.  These verses sum it up nicely.

Psalm 16:8-11 (NIV) 

I keep my eyes always on the LORD.  With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will You let Your faithful one see decay.  You make known to me the path of life, You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Hugs, 

Sonia

Rainbow colors and Spider lilies

Yesterday my dad wrote his name for the first time since he was infected with guillain-barre syndrome on June 4, 2015.  He was able to stand very briefly on his own too.  These two small things are big accomplishments for him.  Every small improvement is a step closer to his recovery.

I've started sorting out my scrap fabrics for Audre's scrappy rainbow quilt.  I will collect them as I go and hopefully I will have enough to start on her quilt in the next few month's.  I'm thinking it will be after Christmas before I can get started it though, as this time of year always gets very busy for me.

I know fall is near when I see the Lycoris radiata plants blooming.  Otherwise known as the spider lily.  I have called them naked ladies in the past but have recently learned this type is the spider lily.

As the spider lilies bloom and the weather gets cooler, my project list grows. It has grown with quilting projects, fleece blankets, bookmarks, painted figurines, etc.

Also with the cooler morning temps my head has started feeling stuffy, like it's going to explode if I don't do something soon.  This afternoon, my left ear started hurting so when I got home I took some olive leaf extract and drank hot tea. That seemed to help. I will continue the olive leaf  until this is kicked out and it usually is within a few days if I catch it soon enough.


...  I started writing this blog about 2 hours ago, then got side tracked.  Guess that means I need to sign off.  :)

Until next time,
Sonia

Been Awhile...

Hi, it's been awhile since I last wrote.   It's been awhile since I was in my sewing room too.  Earlier in the week, I made a commitment to myself to get back in my creative space and dedicate at least an hour of my time each day.

So I bought a tool to help me stay on track.  I set it for an hour and when the alarm goes off, if I decide to continue that's fine, if I'm ready to stop that's fine too but at least I get an hour of creative time.

Today, I made long sleeves to wear when I crochet for long periods of time.  I made them out of an old t-shirt I no longer wear.  The reason I did this is because a rash develops on top of my arms when I crochet for longer periods of time.  Its not on my hands or forearms.  So I was thinking maybe it is from lint or fuss that might come from the yarn.  So I'm going to try this and see if it helps.  If it doesn't then I will try switching to a crochet needle made of a different material than the ones I use now.

I've entered a Fat Quarter Swap! 

 Interested?  

Check it out by clicking the link below.

http://koolbeenz-blog.blogspot.com/2015/07/82-days-left-to-sign-up-for-august-fat.html

So what else have I been up to?  I found this cute little guy and cross stitched (or made an attempt at it) the bib he is wearing.  This was part of a baby gift.

You know I like to go to flea markets and such and last weekend I found this little treasure.  It's an instruction book from 1941.

Yesterday I cut some roses from my ground cover rose and took cuttings from one of my philodendron plants and made a small arrangement.

I think the major change from bringing them in from outside was to hard on the roses though because they were very wilted this morning.  So I took the roses out but left the philodendron cuttings as they will root.

 It's been very hot and humid here in Arkansas.  When I went outside somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. it was 95°F, this after it had started cooling down.

Yesterday was the first day, my dad sounded like himself in some time.  He has been in the hospital since June 4th, trying to recover from Guillian-Barre Syndrome.  He has been moved around so much, from facility to facility, that it has affect his dementia. He's tired of being in the hospital; he's tired of the time it is taking for him to recover and regain strength and mobility, but he is determined.

Okay... well I guess that catches me up with you all.   I hope all is going well for you and yours.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Sonia

Tar trails and dandelions

I woke up hungry.  So after my morning time in the Bible, I decided to make pancakes. I had bananas, raisins, and pecans... so I came up with a recipe for banana pancakes.

These are hearty pancakes and I made them big, using 1/2 cup of batter for each pancake.  Two pancakes will fill you up.

Hearty Banana Pancakes
by Sonia Parham

• 3 bananas mashed, they should be ripe but not over ripe
  
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose white flour
• 2 heaping teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk, or the amount needed for the batter consistency you like.

In a bowl combine mashed bananas, egg and brown sugar.  In another bowl combine flours, baking powder and salt.  Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture, add the milk and blend well. Stir in the pecans and the raisins.  Cook the pancakes on medium heat until done.

Try out different toppings to use.  My daughter ate hers with nothing on them, my husband tried a little strawberry jam on the bottom pancake and a little syrup on the top one.  I ate my pancakes with a little peanut butter and strawberry jam.  They are yummy.  :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got a few pics this week that I thought were good.  You never know what I might take a picture of,  new blooms, what most people call weeds, tar trails in the road...

First Iris bloom

dandelions

tar trails

Went to a flea market today and had a good find.  A pattern book for quilting with the folded star, for $0.50 and a book on gifts from a jar.  It is like new, with the raffia, fabric and all the printed recipe cards. I got it for $3.50.

Hugs,

Sonia

PS, I updated the Quilts tab.  

Just in time...

The other day I saw dandelions and thought "so the war begins, between weeds and man."  But that thought was quickly overtaken by the other signs of Spring.

Like this cute little squirrel scampering about.






Then these little beauties bloomed just in time for Easter.                                  






New blooms, new life.

Like when you believe in Jesus Christ.  Your life is renewed, you are made new in Christ.

Take time to remember the reason we celebrate Easter.  It's not about the bunny, the colored eggs, or those cute little peeps.

It's about the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  Who loves us so much He sacrificed His life on a rugged crossed. Who died for our sins.  Who laid in a tomb for three days, then conquered death, rising again completely justified.

It's all about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the great thing is, He's coming again.   Are you ready?

Hugs,
Sonia