What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 Whether I like it or not, August is usually hot with very little rain  here in North Louisiana .  What started out as the norm, with a very wet mid-point, is ending in it's sunny glory....not entirely for the birds:  in my back garden and down the road a bit. 

 To my delight, this little bulb pushed up in my back garden yesterday: A pink Rain Lily aka Zephyranthes Minuta

and between its fragile beauty and a very desirable rain, out poured Haiku Poetry No. 13:

     "When will one ever be

          Summertime is hot and dry

      A flower so rare."  

                              Marty Mason

 Do you google words for a precise definition as I often do?  I was just piddlin' around this morning and wondered what exactly was I doing!  For curious minds, piddling is defined as "pathetically trivial" and piddling around:  "to waste time doing something that is not important or useful", oh, my and my stars! I have just wasted a precious amount of time on this piddlin' quilt ~

How this all started was I was curious and wanted to learn how to make flying geese in multiples.  Now that I know how, must make more...but that's for another time ...

 Truly, one must keep an open mind to contemplate putting fabrics together that have no obvious compliments one to another.   Thus, in this frame of open mind, I put together fabrics for free range quilt #2 - starting with those numbers:  a Tim Holtz design, then stopped at just the right finish for toddler or picnic table - 64" x 44".

The logic of it all.....the Tim Holtz numbers are hazy pink on almost charcoal gray, allowing the pink to be introduced, then the blue with pink flowers, then more shades of blue.  The yellow with gray designs (from Malka Dubrasky ...

Try, in my opinion, is an over-used word to hedge.  I hear folks saying, usually in pathetically whiney voice,  "Well, I tried!"  I want them to finish the sentence.   Tell me the outcome of that "trying" attempt....success, failure, or somewhere in between.  Just try getting out of a chair, then let me know what happened.

Something I tried awhile back and liked the outcome.....painting fabric.   It was a class at Houston Quilt Festival a few years ago, teacher's name has sadly slipped on out of memory, that was all about painting on fabric that piqued my interest ...

Up front warning here.  I had a few thoughts today when I was at and after mass.  If you are not Catholic you may not want to continue to read what I am going to write.  OK, you have been warned, LOL.We are heading into the season of Lent.  I couldn't help but think about the similarity of the suffering our Lord went through during this season.  I have struggled with suffering and why it happens

It's the end of another year, and once again it's time to join the Best of linky party that Cheryl Brickey at Meadow Mist Designs hosts every year. I admit that I look forward to writing this post every year!

Body, soul and heart

weave, entwine, interact, touch

the wind blowing grass. 

                         Marty Mason

 Yes, a story is always in the making and now it's time to share this one.  Those of you who follow my slow down-sizing path know that I've been doing this for more than a year.  THIS being selling books and patterns and quilts and quilt tops and more.  I've tried selling locally and on FB, Instagram, Etsy and Ebay  and with hard work and tenacity have had goodly success. There's still a lot to be done!  

Anyway, I'm making this story longer than it perhaps should be.  There's one book I've tried ...

''A tear was shed and

the river ran on and on

At Granny Matlock's on Little Buffalo River, Arkansas

the way mother did"

               Marty Mason 

May your day be filled.....with tears of joy. 

''A bird soaring high. 

Temporary,  a life is

light as a feather."  

                  Marty Mason

There's a feather at the end of my upward soaring arrow surrounded by stars

See Haiku Poetry 1-9 at Reflections Unfurling ~  

 When I'm sad, I quilt and when I'm happy, I quilt.  It's just how I flow.

A sad conversation with a friend about a friend left me listless last night so this morning I finished a little quilt top for a community service child in need.  My mind just can't wrap around someone giving up on living.  My hope is that this quilt will  put a smile on a child's face  and give them something to hold on to through a hard time.  I allow this thought to make me happy ...as does this quilt ...

 Wasn't QuiltCon Together a delightful event!  

Certainly was from my viewpoint. 

 What energy! 

And how easy and comfortable here at home to listen and watch lectures, participate in workshops and shop those marvelous vendors.  

Yes, I'm feeling energized and lovin' it.  

As many of you know who follow me and my activities, I've been downsizing in the hopes of becoming (tongue in cheek) a minimalist.  And try as I may, some items that I love but am finished with just aren't selling as I thought they would.  Case in point is this wonderful Bright Quilts from ...

 Time waits for no one, and certainly not me.   While I haven't been a very active blogger in the past several months, I have been an active quilt maker.  My goal for the newest year was to downsize my fabric scraps.  Goal almost accomplished with 10 or so quilt tops and backs made ready for quilting and then delivered to a community service project.  

Many pictures don't get taken when in the winter solstice rain and gloom so I'll leave you with one taken several years ago while on a visit to Kansas City.

No, I've ...

2020 ... what a year! I debated whether I should even do a year-end summary post, but looking back at my projects this year, I realized that I do want to write one. Regardless of what's happening in the outside world (and in my home world ... my oldest is still not allowed to go to school), the quilting room will always provide a refuge. Picking out my top 5 of the year helps remind me that 2020 isn't all bad.

I didn't trust myself, so I looked it up!  

 After receiving a text this morning that a quilting acquaintance's brother-in-law had passed away, my first thought was, ohmygosh, I didn't realize she had a sister!!!   In introspection, I think that the quilter's husband's brother-in-law was the one who passed away.   The quilter was not related to the deceased therefore cannot claim that kinship.   She would have a brother-in-law only if she had a married sister.   

The older I get, the more doubtful I become of what I know and what I think I know and ...

 Well, Hello There! September.....I'm looking forward to a bit of time with no drama....please.  While we are weathering the Covid Storm and the Political Storm,  Hurricane Storm Laura threw us a curve ball.   It's the first time in my memory that hurricane force winds nearly blew us away here in  North Louisiana.  She wasn't pretty.  What a mess we had to clean up inside and out.   After being without electricity for 32 hours, I won't be taking that luxury for granted any time soon.    When it was finally turned back on , we were jubilant ...