Around the Block

This weeks trip around the block finds me taking pictures of wall art, or at least that's what I'm calling it. I don't mean flags, there are always lots of flags all across America.

Back in the mid-fifties when these houses were being built, these decorations were added to every house. I had a really nice one with a sailboat, but it has since been covered by the chimney of my fireplace. Yeah, it does get cold enough for a fire but we'll talk about that around December and no I'm not talking about these either.

I'm talking about those things you make or buy and stick on the wall on the outside of your house. I am really wondering if this is a Florida thing, or are people starting to do this all over the country.

The joke used to be that Floridians all had flamingos on their front lawns. But now we find lots of lizards and parrots...................

.................and of course, lots of sun gods.

This house is on a canal and has a large sailboat in the back. I wonder if this came off that boat.

I am not quite sure what this is, I think maybe a fish but it's hard to tell even close up.







I got it all covered. I've got one cheery lizard,

And one sun god with fish.

Double Irish Chain

My sewing room is a tiny 10x10 and I am forever losing stuff in there. While on a search for something I found this flimsy just begging to be quilted. I can't even remember when I made it or why. It took me a few weeks but the hand quilting is done. I used red quilting thread. You can't see it but the red is a plaid and has metallic threads going thru it.

Fabric Bowl

I am really excited about how this bowl turned out and I am usually my own worst critic. I need a little feedback, what do you think?

'nouf said

Around the Block

Most of the time I zip through my neighborhood. But for the last week I have taken notice of the good, bad and sometimes strange differences as I ride around on my bike. This time I focused on mailboxes, searching for something out of the ordinary.

There seems to be a lot of these by the curb type. I really don't understand why anyone would opt for this type as it is not required by the post office. You can't get your mail in the rain or while you're still in your jammies.

There are white ones.........................................

and black ones, though few are level, straight or plumb.

The more expensive houses have built in mailboxes.

There are some that look like little houses.

There are a handful of mailboxes with a little color and personality..........

...and a handful of houses with mail slots. Hmmmm, check out the color of the red door, I think I see a topic for next week.

But the most interesting was this patriotic manatee mounted on an anchor. Isn't he cute?

I love this stainless one.

Are you wondering about my mailbox? It is made of copper and I have been waiting over 5 years for it to turn green, I wonder how much longer I'm going to have to wait.

Last week I received my blocks from the Four Seasons Summer Block Swap.





I had planned to put these together with the 9 blocks I had received from the Rainbow Block Swap. I did not look at those blocks too closely when they arrived and I thought they looked pretty good then. Looking a little closed I discovered that 4 of the 9 blocks are 1/2 inch too small. I tried taking the simplest one apart thinking I could redo it but the pieces turned out to be cut oddly and made of polyester.

I was going to alternate the blocks, like this





but now I don't have enough blocks. Maybe I'll just make a row quilt. Oh, and one more thing, Margaret was super vigilant in making sure that all the summer swap blocks were the right size, and all 40 blocks were dead on 6 1/2", but there is always one..... you just have to wonder what this lady was thinking using blue thread on a light yellow block. And why in the world would you spend all that time pressing the seams open? I'm just saying.

Around the Block

I just realized that I made a pun. This post is not about quilt blocks, it's about my neighborhood. Just for the heck of it, I did another blog grader only to discover that my grade has become worse. I have been reading all sorts of articles on how to improve sales at etsy and many of them say I have to improve my blog. (Geez, I can't help it if I'm not good at composition). One suggestion was to move away from the usual topics and go in a different direction. So I took a bike ride this morning in search of some good photos (I'm not so good at that either). I took some photos of the fancy expensive houses on the river, pictures of the school, and what used to be a busy boatyard. But then I thought, it's the dead of summer, hot as heck around the country who wants to see pictures of Florida? I think I will save them for when it's the dead of winter and everyone else is under a blanket of snow.
There are no pink flamingos on anyone's lawn but I did find a variety of strange lawn decorations. I think it's kind of interesting.
This one is the best.

Those poodle herds can be dangerous.

Here's and idea. Get rid of the grass and replace it with gravel. Then you can paint your lawnmower the same color as the house. This cracks me up.

Same house.......

I don't get the relationship of swans and lion.

You just got to know these pots wouldn't last long. And for heavens sake, put the garbage can away already.

Is there a lot of busy traffic on their lawn?

No amount of bug spray will get rid of these ants.

I would have removed these ------- (fill in the blanks) years ago.

Christmas and Easter, just need a flag and we got the holidays covered.

More early Christmas decorating.

Why not take a bike ride or a walk (go on you know you need the exercise) around your block and share some of your neighbors lawn decorations with us. Leave a comment and a link to your photos.

w3nz6kc5mj

Preemie Quilts

I have been making string blocks, lots of string blocks but you all know what they look like. I have finished the last Friends for Christmas block, but it needs some finishing embroidery work, so I can't show it yet. I have started to make Autumn postcards for my etsy shop and also some Christmas ornaments. It's way too early to show those. So here are two preemie quilts that I have finished.

God Bless You

According to Wikipedia

One explanation holds that the custom originally began as an actual blessing. Gregory I became Pope in 590 as an outbreak of the bubonic plague was reaching Rome. In hopes of fighting off the disease, he ordered unending prayer and parades of chanters through the streets. At the time, sneezing was thought to be an early symptom of the plague. The blessing ("God bless you!") became a common effort to halt the disease.[3]
A variant of the Pope Gregory I story places it with Pope Gregory VII, then tells the common story of "Ring Around the Rosey" being connected to the same plague.[4]
Another version says that people used to believe that your soul can be thrown from your body when you sneeze,[1] that sneezing otherwise opened your body to invasion by the Devil[3] or evil spirits,[2] or that sneezing was your body's effort to force out an invading evil spirit.[1] Thus, "bless you" or "God bless you" is used as a sort of shield against evil.

So don't you think it's about time this practice is stopped. Yeah, yeah, I know it's a nice tradition but some people get down right nasty if you don't say it when someone sneezes. It's becoming downright irritating.

Some Feedback Please

I am experimenting with some new cards for the etsy shop. They will be made of the most common team colors. Doesn't matter if you're thinking college or high school. I have made three so far is some popular Florida colors. What other color combinations do I need to make? Do you even think this is a good idea?

Please leave some comments........................

A Good Mail Day

I love getting mail, I always have. It really doesn't matter what it is, a note, a postcard, something silly, as long as it's not a bill. It was a good day Wednesday when I not only got a book I had ordered on Friday arrived (Great service from Quilt in a Day) but also this surprise from Dotti. I'll bet she doesn't know it but my sister and I are big Maxine fans. The fat quarter is gorgeous with just a hint of gold metallic (another one of my favorites) and this fan-tabulous, fan-tastical pin that she made. I cannot believe how much work had to go into it sewing all those beads on. I am just thrilled to bits.

Fabric Postcards

A New Blog

My friend Dotti, of the Zizzy-Dot+1 fame, has taken the plunge and started a blog. Please go visit and offer her some encouragement.

She can be found here.

Zizzy-Dot +1+1 June Swap

+1 sent in May's block really late, but included June's block really early. Here's all our blocks.

Hell in a Hand Basket

I have been wanting to make little baskets for my shop. I have procrastinated because I am not all that good at designing. I had a bunch of ideas but could not quite get them into fabric.


I started this sweet little thing yesterday, early morning. Measure twice, cut once, then measure again and cut some more.....no that's not it, measure some more and cut a bit off here. I wanted the handles to be a bit longer so you could actually put your hand in them. The whole thing was together, just about done but the darn handles were so long and limp that the thing looked really stupid. So I had to take it all apart, remove the handles and come up with a better plan. If I had to put a price on it that reflects the hours of labor, this little basket would end up pricing itself right out of a market.


But it did turn out cute didn't it?