Hemming Curtains

 

Finally this morning, probably six months after I hemmed the other three pairs, I hemmed the last of the bedroom curtains, for the guest bedroom.

Since I rarely have guests anyway (and have an Aero Bed if I do) I swapped out the full size mattress for a twin xl, gaining enough space for a sewing machine for hot summer afternoons.  And a cozy space for winter afternoons.

During summer afternoons, my upstairs sewing room just gets way too hot.

The next step is to empty out the old-fashioned and bulky secretary, which you can't see here.  Why I've kept it all this time I have no idea. 

Bedroom Chair

 

For about a year, I've been looking for a bedroom chair.  A place to sit and read during the cold weather months in my warm bedroom.  It needed to be nice, but it needed to be inexpensive.

A couple of weeks ago, all the stars lined up.  I found this chair at an estate sale, and it looked never used.  Sarah was visiting and could help me load it up.  It is the right color.  It is sturdy.  It's pretty.  And it was $30.

It just so happened that it was the same weekend that Sarah brought my living room chair and ottoman from North Carolina - more on that another day.  

New Car

 

I have a new car, and for all that I considered, and considered, and  considered, I'm so glad to have it.  

It's another Subaru Forester, with pretty much the same trim level as I had before.  And because of that, I thought it would be pretty much the same . . and it isn't.  Things have changed in the past twelve years.  Including many more functions, and a bigger screen, and a few more inches.

My favorite thing:  the headlights.  The headlight covers on my old car were ready to be replaced, they were getting discolored.  Now I can see clearly again.  The headlights rotate when I turn, giving me a wider angle of light.   And they turn on automatically at dusk.  Start out on high beams but dim when a car approaches, go back to high beams afterwards.

Now I have an appreciation of why chip shortages are such a big deal.

My old Forester is now at my daughter's house, being fixed up to be ready for my grandson's approaching sixteenth birthday.  He is a little dismayed at the lack of pick-up but his mom is telling him that this is a good thing.  He does appreciate the hatch with the liner for sport and music equipment.  And he was very relieved that there is an aux connection for his phone's music.

Christmas Table Topper

 

Another retreat project - nothing special, just mini charm blocks pieced together.  Mini charms are 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".

What I like:  the fabric is a Christmas collection but it doesn't scream Christmas.  With the snowballs and pine trees and tiny glimpses of Christmas flowers and all thoe blues, it can continue on into January before the Valentine decorations come out.

We're in for 90-degree temperatures for the next five days.   Yesterday afternoon there was a surprise thunderstorm that went on and on.  Lots of rain.

Today is college orientation for my granddaughter.  She will be a University of Cincinnati Bearcat.

Baby Girl Quilt

 

At our most recent retreat, I made this baby girl quilt.  I found out after the fact that the mom-to-be wants flowers, not animals, for her little girl, so I was lucky there.

I've been trying to increase my water consumption and have found the perfect, for me, water bottle.  I can load it up with ice and water in the morning and it still has ice in the evening.  And for once, the ice in my ice cube trays is always fresh.

Strange thing - after drinking more water, my beloved Diet Coke just doesn't taste quite as good.

I dreamed of having a new and up-to-date refrigerator when I moved here sixteen years ago.  I quickly learned that the refrigerator of my dreams wouldn't fit in the space.  In the end, I was happy to find a refrigerator with glass, not wire, shelves.  And no ice maker.

Coneflowers

 

I love conflowers, and so do the bees.  

Here we are the end of the first week in July, and I haven't been shopping yet for annuals and sale perennials.  I think it might be time.  It either was too hot or there was an air quality alert or I was too tired or I just was lazy.

So, I've been relying on already-planted perennials from other years, and they have been putting on a good show, phasing in and out.

A few days ago I wasn't paying enough attention and caught my finger and fingernail in the sewing machine needle when it was in thread-cutting mode.  It had been a long time since that happened, if ever.  I'm not even going to blame this one on being old, just on concentrating on sewing too quickly.  My reaction time in getting my finger out of there was pretty impressive.

Design Wall

 

On my design wall these days.  Corey Yoder's Joy Filled pattern.  I'm not crazy about the colors, especially that dark gray, but maybe when it goes together I'll be happier.

And probably it doesn't matter too much.  What I wanted was an exercise in following a pattern and this was a good one to try.