Greetings from Hot Hot South Texas (at least at our house). The heat is on for the summer and just to prove it the Heat Index ranged from 108 on Wednesday and 106+ yesterday – lovely heat wave. OH now it is 93 and feels like 105 – guess it is still going on!
Today was the first day of fun I have had from downsizing, moving furniture for new carpet and 2 and 1/2 days cleaning my Studio rooms! Was that ever fun, but now I know I have had enough of cleaning out and reorganizing. I believe that a total of 20 days since the 2nd week of May was spent doing these things. In between all of that work I did get some hand work prepared, but for some REASON I was so tired by the end of the days I did not accomplish a lot of applique or embroidery during the evening hours.
Now for the surprise part of this Post! Years ago (and do not remember how many) I was given 3 Hummel’s by a co-worker who had gone to Germany on a TDY trip. I cherished those Hummels as I knew I would never make a trip overseas! During the last 23 years I had wondered where they were and for the life of me I could not remember when the last time I saw them! WELL, the lost was found when I had to empty the China Hutch. There stuck on the bottom top shelf in the back were my Hummels. I also have two statues from either Japan or Southeast Asia from a person who became an ex-owner of them by default to add to my collection about 35 years ago. Then there is a Horse from Japan that a co-worker brought me from Japan. Now the beautiful blue trimmed in gold pencil holder and ash tray are from a co-worker who had many TDY trips to Greece and gifted me these beautiful items. I decided that I would enjoy them so much more by having a single place for my memories of places I will never visit!
This morning during my early walk, I saw one of our deer and happened to stop and look what I found!!!!!
The fawn seem to freeze by the tree as I talked to her/him and was so surprised that the Mother did not turn and charge me. I was able to take the 2nd picture up close! This is the first baby that we have seen this season. I will now be on the look out for more in the next 2 weeks. Hopefully by July they will all be born before it gets any hotter than it is!
OK now on to some hand work that I have been working on (very slowly). It is looking like French General is beginning to become a finish!
As I cleaning up the fabric/computer room in the Studio, I went through some fabric on the very top of my shelves that I had covered them up. Now this had to be in 2009/2010 when we added my new room to the Studio. There was a large stash of Azalea Trail 2002 fabric line from Nancy Odom, ALONG with 8 blocks that I had made in 2003-2004 time frame. Why I stopped working on this quilt only God knows, because I knew that fabric was there, just never looked at it again! After finishing the last of the cleaning and throwing out copies of downloaded free quilt patterns that I will NEVER make, I set this fabric and the 9 blocks out on my cutting table to put together today! I started about 11:30 this morning and finished about 2:30! And here she is, Apricot Lily by Nancy Odom! I wish the camera would show the beautiful pink and moss green better.
I was so very very blessed that I had bought enough fabric to make the quilt with the same fabrics that Nancy did. I do remember that I met her at the 2004 Houston Quilt Show and bought a few more of her patterns. She was such a sweet lady and her quilts are so easy to make because she writes wonderful easy to read directions! This is the book that I have and probably out of print but found one on eBay in case anyone is interested. These are the two blocks that make up the quilt. I have to finish the button hole stitching on three of the blocks.
This is the “stash” that I have left over – think I liked this fabric line? I have a enough for many quilts or use a lot for backing. The fabric came in pink and green Azalea’s, black and red Azalea’s and red and green Azalea’s. It is such wonderful fabric to work with!
This is a picture of the book and all of the projects that are included.
Today has been a wonderful day and so enjoyable and fulfilling to have a quilt finished after all the hard work I had been doing. It has inspired me for a few other projects that are not as technical as I have been making in the last 6 months! And in case you are wondering, I am going to hire someone to start cleaning the house each month starting in July – I am what you call DONE WITH THAT! (Hoping that the house cleaning service will work out)
Have a wonderful summer week-end and enjoy stitching!
Nanette
Linking To: My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday; Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts; Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Stitching Sunday Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party
Chopin - A Passionate Quilter From Texas 
Hmmmmm…it is just possible that if I go rooting around in my sewing studio that I will eventually find an old UFO lone star project made up with that very same azalea fabric line. LOL!
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Oh my goodness! I think I put it away because years ago I did not know what to do with the busy flowers in the quilt! Who knows. A Lone Star huh? Hugs
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Your finished UFQ is lovely! The figurines are a wonderful surprise. Enjoy your clean and orderly home!
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Thank you Gretchen It was nice to have finished something even though I have to do button hole stitching on the flowers and stems. Fun doing something different. Hugs
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A job well done. I should be inspired–but another week. Nancy
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I do believe that I really had no choice but would like to think I did it and was rewarded with new carpeting! LOL
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I bet you so enjoyed sewing today! Nothing out of place to distract you, and a completed UFO to boot! Enjoy the fruits of your labor the past three weeks!
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Oh Kathy I did! It was a lot LOT of work, but it is done and now enjoyment time and no more “souvenirs”. I did not part with my coffee cup collection!!!
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You sound happy and relieved! It’s so nice that the process turned up those missing treasures os you can enjoy them now. And I LOVED seeing the fawn!
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I looked for the baby this morning, but they are hiding! I am happy and relieved! It was a lot of work! The carpet was worth all the work! Have a great day!
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These hidden treasures made a delightful post! Your red work is coming along beautifully. Hope the cleaning service goes well for you, my daughter gives me a hand at clean ,that is a blessing!
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Thank you Deb on the Red Work. I cancelled them for this last Thursday – I just did not want to see anyone or have them in my way! I rescheduled for the 2nd of July. It is difficult to find someone to clean when in the country and only a small town with 5 miles.,
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So fun to find and finish a project. Sometimes a nice easy finish is just the thing. So happy you are finding some treasures while cleaning out. Enjoy your day.
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It is nice – now to decide the next project! Hugs
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I hired a girl to come clean for me 6 months ago. it is win-win for both of us. She has been helping me declutter and pull weeds.
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I do hope this service (locally) will do a good job – I really need to quit all that bending and stooping that is involved in house cleaning!
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I have some of the azalea trail fabric as well. I fell in love with it many years ago. Isn’t finding little treasures fun and then displaying them not hiding them away for no one to see!
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It is a beautiful selection of fabrics – so soft – not like some of the Moda fabrics now. They ruined them with the grey’s they use – so heavily dyed like they had in early 2000. I love my little section of my memories from the past life! Hugs
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Wonderful treasures!
Thanks for linking up and I hope you enjoy your redwork stitching!
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Congrat’s to your 7 years of doing a Linky Party! I may think of one later on this year to do and see if I get any takers! Thx for commenting
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Lost then found treasures are the best and I am glad you put them out to enjoy. I have a Fawn too – a daughter named Fawn, lol, your precious little one is so sweet. The fabrics are gorgeous, I really like the reds ~ great pattern too
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Hi Sharon. Yup so happy with my little memory table! I am working now on a bag of the same fabric that I guess after cutting it out I did not like the combo of colors – now sewing up all the HSTs and see what I can come up with – did not want to gift or throw away. Pink is not really my color, but I really do like the little Lilly quilt! Have a great Sunday! Hugs
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How wonderful that you found items that were forgotten and missing. That quilt is so pretty and now it is finished!
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Thank you Cathie, I am ready now to move on to another project! Azalea’s fabrics are put away again for another day!
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What nice surprises there!
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Thank you!
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Congratulations on your lost and found treasures and for circling back to that lovely UFO from so long ago! I hope the cleaning service works out for you, too.
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Thank you Rebecca. We will find out – I am saving all the dust for them! I really do need someone to do the heavy cleaning with a stupid bad back! LOL
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I need to take a page out of your book and do some deep cleaning of my sewing area(s). There’s no telling what I’ll find. Did I already ask you where in S. Texas you are?
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Southeast of San Antonio Texas in the country! All the work that I did was so worth it (in the house and in the Studio). Have a great week!
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Well didn’t you have some lovely finds in cleaning out! Also awesome that you are inspired to finish up some of these older projects – congrats!
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Yes I did and it is nice to know that the house is in total order – now for a good cleaning lady!
I have a lot of hand work to complete and of course quilting on the long arm and hand quilting. I think I will start doing a ‘pick a number’ each day to make myself get going!!! LOL
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