Foundation piecing or paper piecing is one of my favorite methods for making quilt tops. Why do I like it? Foundation piecing has two advantages over traditional piecing: Makes sharp points! Can be used to make unusual shapes. Examples of the sharp points are stars, compasses and other similar patterns. Some of my favorites are […]
In each of my garden’s, I have planted irises. The tall, slender spikes of their foliage add a nice contrast to the rest of the leaves in the garden. Their graceful blooms of purple, blue, white, and yellow open to attract butterflies. The fuzzy tongues in their centers standout out as yet a third texture […]
Smoothies have been all the rage as people are trying to eat and snack healthier. I can’t say my blender gets that much of a workout, but I do like a smoothie on occasion, especially if someone else is preparing them! I have a wonderful recipe book for them. Speaking of sweet treats, Strawberry Kiwi […]
As many of my readers know, I love to hike. The exercise energizes my body while the scenery invigorates my senses. I am never alone on the trail. Sometimes, I am accompanied by with my faithful Newf Fergus, my loving husband, one of my boys, or a good friend. Regardless of who is with me, […]
Bespoke is word not many people are familiar with in our day and age, although quilters can apply it to almost all of their creations. What does it mean? According to Merriam-Webster, bespoke means custom-made or dealing in or producing custom-made articles. All hand-made quilts are bespoke. They have our own customizations, even if they […]
I love it when people share pictures of the sunrise. The palette of the sky is often the indicator for the day ahead. It is wonderful to see the vivid colors fading to pastels as the sun rises further in the sky, reminding of the beauty and promise waiting for us each day. A perfect […]
Dream catchers and saguaro cactus are associated with both the American Southwest and desert doves. What are desert doves and how are they related to dream catchers and cacti? Four species of doves inhabit the Sonoran Desert: White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, and Inca Dove. Their existence in the desert is essential for the […]
I am an East Coast/Midwest girl. I have never lived west of the Mississippi but have traveled there often. On a few of those trips, I was able to glance the rare desert blooms that most of us only see in photos or in cactus gardens grown indoors. The profusion of colors popping from these […]
A positive attitude is a choice. Everyone, in the frame of their own lives, experiences challenges, disappointments, and rewards. It is your perspective and what you do with those life lessons that really matters. We are each shaped by those events. But more importantly, we shape how we perceive those moments in our lives. Let’s […]
Did you know that April 16, 2022 is the 50th anniversary of giant pandas at the Washington Smithsonian Zoo? If you haven’t visited the zoo to see the pandas, it is a must see on your next trip to Washington, D.C. We are fortunate to live so close to the zoo. We can pop in […]