Very First Time

The past couple of days have been so much fun.. and successful! I got my elephant quilt top finished, and I will have to take a picture and show you when I have a chance. But today I am going to mark my calendar, because it was the very first time I have ever tried machine quilting. And I am so excited about it.



Please realize.. these are my very first practice pieces. I had gotten my Singer 301 cleaned and oiled a few weeks back, and purchased a darning foot so I could try free motion quilting. My other older machine does not allow me to lower the feed dogs, but the old Singer does. I have not had a chance to even try it until today. I was so nervous. I watched several YouTube videos and read all the blog tutorials I could find before trying it. Then I found some nine-patch blocks that were left over from a quilt to practice on. The first one I was really disappointed with. Look at all the places where the thread skipped.. Frightening!

At first I just thought it was because I was moving the fabric too fast, but then when I looked closely I could definitely see that the needle had gone through, it just didn't seem to be picking up the bobbin thread.
Well it turned out that I was really skipping some very important steps. And all of you probably know the answer already.. I did not start out with a new sharp needle. Plus I was just using regular sewing thread. So while we were getting our oil changed at Walmart this afternoon, I picked up a new package of needles and a spool of cotton machine quilting thread. I also notice to my dismay some 25% off signs on the fabrics in Walmart. And just as I feared. The clerk confirmed that they were closing the sewing department. This is going to be devastating to a lot of folks out here in the country, because there really is no where else to pick up thread or a new rotary blade.

Anyway.. this is my second block. Of course you are not supposed to be looking at all the places I crossed over.. I will get better at this. But I was just so happy there were no more skips!

Planted the Lavender seeds from England the other day. I used some acid fertilizer in the soil, because I read that they like that. But I really have no idea if I can get them to grow. I'll keep you posted..

And we went to the greenhouse yesterday and bought our flats of geraniums, impatience and pansies to plant in the beds and pots. I am keeping them on the porch until I can be a little more sure we won't get frost.

And Oh! A couple weeks ago my daughter and I had coupons for GoodWill.. our favorite spot. And what luck! There was a basket simply full and overflowing with packages of vintage trims and ric-rac! The sign said thirty-nine cents each. Which would have really been wonderful right there. But with the 40% off coupon, it was even better. I did not look closely at them. I just told the lady behind the counter I wanted the whole basket. She dumped them into a bag. It came to twenty-two dollars and seventy cents.. and when I got home I counted 97 packages. So a few more little treasures to go in the Attic. To use one day.. and to share. ☺

What's Been Keeping You?

Spring Beauties..





Bleeding Heart..

Honey Locust and Gold Finch..

Viola..

Flowering Pear...

And this lovely surprise came in the mail too. From Terri at Purple&Paisley. I have the best friends in the whole world ☺

I owe so many emails and blog visits. And my sewing machine is gathering dust. Maybe if it rains...

Tulips & Lavender Seeds

I know I keep showing stuff that comes in the mail.. but it is all so neat! A couple of weeks ago Melanie said she was sending me some "cast-offs".. scraps from when she was making her daughter's lovely prom dress.. that maybe I could use in making doll clothes. Which is very exciting because I never turn down a scrap. But she went a few steps further and added more Southport goodness..

The cute little chicks she had knitted and sent to me last year, but I brought them out for Easter this year and had them sitting on some eggs.. so I thought I'd show them. There was some tea in the package, some vintage threads.. sweet treats.. and these glorious dresser scarves! Vintage appliqué in the most wonderful colors. I could hardly believe my eyes.

I know just where I am going to put them! thank you Melanie!

And now the scary part. Seeds. Lavender Seeds. Organic Lavender Seeds from England. She said they were coming too. And here they are..

Oh I hope I can grow them. I will have to make sure I have the perfect dirt.. the perfect pot.. the perfect light and climate. We'll see what happens. If anyone knows anything about growing these in Ohio.. I am totally open for tips or suggestions. Can it be done?

Now I know I can grow tulips. These are in my front yard right now. Just stick in the bulbs and they come up year after year.

This bunch finally decided to unwrap their arms from about themselves and reach out to the sunshine. These were the ones huddled up the other day..

They will last a couple of weeks. Then hopefully I will have lilacs next. Mmmmm. ☺

Hope you are all enjoying a nice Friday.. or weekend if you are there already.

More Yellow & Some Packaderms

Before Easter I had some very nice surprises in the mail. Here is something I was not expecting from my dear friend Ulla in Finland. Look at all the yellow lovliness! Inside those pretty yellow wrappings were some delightful handmade gifts. The most wonderful hexagon shaped coasters to set my coffee cup on, and a red dish towel. These really are my favorite colors I think.. red and yellow.
I told her she must have picked out his little chicken just for me, and she said yes, she did. I love it when gifts are tied with cloth ribbon that we can reuse! Thank you so much Ulla for the treats and for keeping it such a surprise! I love everything!

Some more yellow for the day..

These are mini daffodils.. about half the size of regular ones. I think they are so cute and perky.

And now some more about the elephants. I am making a baby quilt for a gift, and have been wanting to try this pattern by Miri. Here are all my blocks and the sashing. I have some cute fabric picked out for the border and backing too.. I'll show you that later.

Did you notice some of the trunks are curled up a little more than the others? Miri's pattern.. which you can go and get HERE for free.. has the straight trunk. But I wanted to do something a little different, so made a couple of the trunks so they could....

...hold a tail!

Then the two that are facing each other will get flowers in their trunks. These are the only ones I have done so far..

I am really having fun with these. The pattern for the block is very nice, Miri did a wonderful job of writing that. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!
Now the sun is shining. But I still need to do a lot of visiting today.. so I'll try to bring a little of it with me. ☺

I like Monday

A very pretty weekend. The Hyacinth are really beautiful right now...

Like my new yellow Crocs?! I was so excited to get them.

Just look at that majestic color!

Just look at that majestic color. Oh. I said that already.

There are lots and lots of tulips out there right now too.. but it is still kind of cold, so they are huddled shut. I felt the same way, you know.. how you keep your arms wrapped around yourself..



I love Mondays. It used to be the best day of the week, because Mr Attic would go to work and I would have the day to get things caught up around the house and get projects lined up to work on for the week.
But then the schedule changed, and now it is his day off. So I still love Mondays, only for a different reason. Nice to sleep in and spend the day in the yard or shopping. I have tomorrow to get caught up on housework. And here is one of the projects I plan on lining up...


Some of you guessed elephants.. and that is what the are. ☺ I am having SO much fun with these. I will share some more about the quilt and the pattern later on in the week. I also have lots of goodies to show.. some from the mailbox, and some from the Good Will. A few days back I got a surprise package from Anne Marie. What a nice little present!!
This beautiful fat quarter and a lovely thimble and postcard from Norway. Also some of the cutest little heart buttons. But I have to cut my vacuum cleaner bag open to find the other one. It must have fallen on the floor.. because I saw it going in the sweeper hose faster than I could reach down and snatch it to safety. But don't worry.. I'll retrieve it. Thank you so much Anne Marie for your sweet thoughtfulness.

I hope you are all having a creative or productive Monday. I won't be around to visit until tomorrow.. but I'll see you then!

Happy Easter

These are some lovely old postcards that were found behind the baseboards in my grandmother's house when she was growing up. The owners of the house were doing some remodeling and found them and tracked down my one cousin to return the cards. So she gave them to me. They were sent to my grandma by her older sister who had married and moved away. This would have been around 1910. I had to smile at what she wrote on the back of one.

And I want to thank everyone who joined in this week, and added their photos and memories to the Easter Parade. It was so much fun visiting all your blogs and seeing the wonderful pictures. I really don't know how to close Mr Linky, but that's ok.. we'll leave it open.. so anyone can still add their photos next week.

And just as a side note.. these were my actual paper dolls and their clothes used for the button. You might think they look similar to some of the dolls in the new moda fabric line "Snippets" by American Jane.. and that's because they are!. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to find the fabric too. ☺

Happy Easter! Because this is what life is all about. May you have a blessed celebration.

See you next week! ☺

Easter Dress

In your Easter bonnet,

With all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady

In the Easter parade.

-Irving Berlin 1933

I don't ever really remember wearing an Easter bonnet. A little wired lacy thing was as close as it got. This is me when I was two.
What I really fancied though was a little purse. It always held a handkerchief. I wish I could remember this scottie dog. Here is is in another picture..

Wonder what happened to that little purse? I have tried to find a replacement to no avail.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyways. This is Easter morning a couple years later. New pink dress with smocking, a little brother, new purse, but no bonnet whatsoever.

I definitely remember this purse. It was plastic with blue and peach colored foam strips woven through it, and foam flowers on the front. We called it a pocketbook. Below is a better picture. I carried it a lot.. and I know I was full of remorse when it was finally so bad my mother threw it out.
Uh-oh. Two years later. Same dress! And another little brother. I also have three older brothers. So no wonder my mother stretched as many years as she could out that pink smocked dress..
Do you remember wearing anything special on Easter? A bonnet? A new dress? Did you wear a coat because it was too chilly on those early spring mornings? Wouldn't it be fun to share them with us for a couple weeks? If you would like to join in with Nanette and me, dig out those photos and scan them and post them on your blog.. tell us all about them. Include your link here with Mr Linky at the bottom of this post, then everyone can come and see. And here is a button you can grab if you want to use it to link back here. There really are no rules and this is not a contest. We just thought it would be a fun Meme for this time of year!

☺

New Something.. & More Springtime

More signs of a lovely spring day.. a daffodil in bloom.

..and wild violets nestled in the grass.. enjoying the freedom before the lawnmower comes along. Then they will have to duck down and hide.

Starting a new fun project.. here is a sneak peek..

A baby perhaps? ☺

More about it as I go along.

I have a busy next couple of days.. our rummage sale at the church starts tomorrow, and I'll be baking and cooking for the lunch stand. Not my favorite job. But it keeps me balanced. Plus I always love a Treasure Hunt.

And here is an idea we'd like to throw out there. Nanette and I were thinking it might be fun to post pictures next week of ourselves when we were small dressed in spring outfits. Would anyone else like to join in? If there seems to be interest, I'll try and figure out Mr Linky, and we'll have some fun with it next week. Let me know what you think.

Ok.. I'm off to the kitchen.. hope you are all having a creative day.