Foundation Paper Piecing Madness

 I've been quilting for over 25 yrs now but have not attempted to foundation paper piece until now. It has been on of those arts that has intimidated me and even given me a stomach ache thinking about trying this sewing project.

At the age that I am; 68 years old I now tell myself to try anything...it's ok to fail. 

I started out with a 2" x 2"  block and now have created 20 blocks. I "fussy" cut the middle piece and then attached the 9 single pieces of fabric to complete the block. I have a few ideas how to incorporate these small blocks into some sort of quilt, carry pouch. 

First time for me

Last week I learned how to foundation paper piecing 

Back side of the pattern

Three of my youngest granddaughter’s: Ella, Vera and Drew

Miniatures

I will be making more of these quilt patterns in the future.

 

New Posts for the year 2026

 Time and circumstances get in the way of posting on this blog but I want to start doing it again after 8 years. 

I have moved to Highland, Utah back in 2022.  The Swede and I bought a "Carriage Home "which means it's a stand along row house with a green built that is in the center of 12 homes. We watched it being built its  and were able to pick out fixtures, carpet and "extras", 2,700 sq feet three story home.

The image below is the first month of moving into the home. 

Here is an image of the house in the Springtime 2026.

Ribbons Galore

In abundance, in profusion, in 

great quantities, in large numbers, by the yard.

RIBBONS

About 1676, under the name of the Dutch loom or engine loom, it was

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brought to London then to America, where ribbon was purchased more then any other country.

The photo's below would best describe this 

undertaking I went through a month ago.

Do I organize in holiday?
Do I organize in color?

I have ONE drawer to put all of this in.....huumm!

More or less?? 

Sixty..LX..59+1..60!

I turned 60 this year..

I dreaded the thought and the reality for months before this birthday would happen.  I'm not really one to care about birthday celebrations but the aging process hasn't been on my top ten list EVER!

I know that this life is all about learning, experiencing, doing and receiving life's challenges, I know that you can't stop the process unless you have a big blip of death happen to you.  This event caused me to really reflect on my health and well being and the person that I AM NOW...the person that I WANT to become ten years from now... if I'm still here. 😉

This year so far, has allowed me to be:

• be creative in my sewing room (finishing up past projects)
• make recipes in the kitchen that I has always wanted to try
• blogging again
• de-cluttering my home (trying to get to the "minimalist" life)
• participating in areas of activism/civic action
• spending time with my grandchildren
• loving my daughters, son-in-laws more

I'm not there yet with getting older. The truth is that my consciousness is fixed on aging and I need to dismiss this nagging negative and just live it day to day. That is my birthday gift to myself.

I wanted to document this birthday so-sorry for all the photo's, it's just an indulgence all of us need in the aging process.

Cheers to 60!!

Me with the Swede..aka Joel
Our daughters and spouses took me out to dinner at HSL in Salt Lake City

I asked for "no gifts please" 

My doppelganger

The Hippie Version

I can spot a lefty

I Really Can! 

People that know me, are always rolling their eyes when I spot a lefty. I see them naturally because left handed people are special and there aren't many of us "out there" in this right handed world.

      I see them "out there" for example-

• As a sever at a restaurant
• In a movie as the main character or an "extra"
• Playing a sport of any kind
• On their cell phones(ear placement matters)
• Drinking from a coffee cup (most of the time the words or image on the cup are turned facing the drinker).
• Cutting with scissors-obvious
• How they part their hair (most wear their hair part on the right side) I had a right handed mom that taught me to part my hair on the left side
• Using their computer mouse (most left handers adapt to using their right made to move the mouse)

 I know this reads and sounds trivial but...for me, it helps me identify with my fellow community.

 Left handers seen to enjoy commiserating with each other on the quandary of living in a right handed world. When I pose the question of their left handiness, they are generally are interested in talking and engaging in conversation.  lefties make up about 10 % of the world population. Most females don't know that they are even more a minority then left handed males. with one study indicating that there are 11.6% left handedness and 8.6% females.

Enough said; if you want to learn more just Google search left handedness.

Know Thy Self

I don't know whoo created this illustration but
 it makes me think about the many things that I have not seen, experienced or
 noticed in my 59 years of life.
I have been conscious about my hair, make-up and other body images.  
Can I help it when I have been raised in a culture and society 
that wants women to be our best, look our best
 but does not expect us to act our best or know ourselves.. 
BEST.
I guess, I have reached maturity and I like myself as I am.

My Cat & Grandkids

When I saw this......


It was posted on this blog-http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2016/02/palm-springs-kitty-scratch-house-omg.html

I knew that I needed to help the swede build it for Brutus and my grandkids.  I can imagine what hours of fun they'll have playing with this house.




I'll have to start finding the retro furniture from the late 50's-early 60's.

Women’s Equality Day-2015

In honor of last week’s Women’s Equality Day (the 95th anniversary of women getting the right to vote), take a look at this vintage PSA where the notion of equal pay for equal work is explained by none other than Batgirl. 

“Same job, same employer means equal pay for men AND women,” Batgirl reminds Batman as the bomb ticks. “It’s no joke; it’s the federal equal pay law.” 

“Holy Act of Congress!” Robin exclaims. Too bad women are still getting paid less 42 years later. 

Just Flowers and Fashion

This Spring, I couldn't help but notice in the movies
and in fashion this flower print that crept into view, maybe
it's because I noticed it first on the new Cinderella movie.

The dress is worn by the young Ella.

If you'll notice in the first few seconds of the movie
when the young Ella is running in a field to her mother.
The dress that she is wearing started me thinking
about how I loved that flower print.

Then my mind said; "that is the same print as your china ware."  Yes, that's right,
 my china pattern that I bought in the 70's.

Mikasa Just Flowers Pattern-1975

I still have them stored in boxes.

Here is what I found on the fashion sites for Spring of 2015.

Goodbye Martha Part 2

Continuing and ending this post about saying goodbye to Martha,

I took all the pages that I clipped from her magazines and 

filed them in sheet protectors and organized 

them by either holiday or topic.

In this image, you can see the notebooks of ideas that
I have been collecting, saving through the years.
I still have to re-organize and name the binders.

All the binders you see in this image
are recycled, some retrieved from the trash.
These binders are a 3.5" x 11''

Image of raw filing system.
It might be months before I post images of the completed task.

Goodbye Martha-Part 1

Many may know that I have been a Martha Stewart follower

 (truly a follower)

I have admired her ability and talents(with her collaborators) to create

 and make entertaining and food beautiful and so much more.

Confession...

I have collected 

Martha's magazines 

for over 20 years.

Have you closed your mouth yet?

I think at my age or  my stage in life has given the the time 

to finally go through boxes and boxes and boxes...of magazines.

I have to say; that it was easier than I thought it would be to

purge this really interesting obsession.  Be what it may... it was interesting 

the process or the steps that I took to do this dump!

I wanted to get photo's so I could look back on this final history, share

 with others that you can do this too! I leave you with this 

documentation so that my children will know and see that I cared enough 

(at least with the magazine obsession to throw it 

out so they would have to deal with it!)

 Part 1

I unpacked boxes by date, scanned each magazine and tore out 

whatever I thought was still an interest to me, that meant, patterns, 

clip art, articles that I wanted to read but never had the time. 

(that was time consuming)

Downstairs in what I call the dungeon, table set up and ready to go.

Martha published several types of magazines
through the 20 + year span.
I never counted the total magazines I kept but I think
 it was around 300+

Photo of her "Living" Magazine

A "Food" magazine that lasted only a few years

Loved, Loved the "Kids" magazine. It was full of fun crafts and
adventures and stories, science projects.

The BABY issues were the shortest lived, how can you
compete with Parenting Magazine and blogs!

While I was doing my purge, the Swede was going through his Sh_ _ !
We both had our moments of laughter and micro-managing each others Cr_ _!

Stay tune for Part 2..
:-)

Thanksgiving 2014

Happy Thanksgiving Day 

2014

We hosted dinner at our home. 

The "swede" baked the turkey.

I used my cooper tea pots for the vase holder this year.
I made the brown tablecloth from a 3 3/4 yd remnant from
my mother-in-law Margie's fabric pile I inherited.

My new son-in-law Jason made these birch candle stick holders for their wedding reception.
I grabbed a few and voila..they landed on our table.

Here we are, a small group of friends and family.
The weather was beautiful, our stomachs were full. 

Just being "goofy"

Now.. on to Christmas!!

She did it!

I'm pleased and happy to announce

The marriage of:

Katlin to Jason

We couldn't be more pleased and excited to have 

Jason become a paert of our family!

Pre-wedding picture

First dance

Katlin's family, plus.. the new son-in-law!

It's been awhile..but don't...

...faint, I am writing a post that is very important..

My second daughter Katlin, is engaged and going to be married 

on November 1, 2014.

We had her bridal shower today and it was fabulous not to mention 

that Katlin was extraordinarily beautiful.

Here the group shot.

 Ariel and I making our happy faces!

 A KISS for Katlin

The future Katlin & Jason Neubert