Heat Wave..............

Hate to bring it up again, but it is still really hot here.  There has been some flash flooding around, but we have missed it all.  Don't want flooding, but surely would enjoy a nice steady shower associated with some cooling.  Doesn't hurt to ask..............

In the meantime, we are chilling out as much as possible.  Rascal likes to chill out on his mom's leg; he is pretty possessive, but is so sweet about it I can't resist.

My daughter, Christi, and I had a little discussion about living more intentionally the other day.  She has recently made some career changes and wants to live more in tune with how God would chose for us to live.  It started me thinking in allot of directions.............utilization of time, resources, etc.  One of the things that has really been calling to me is caring for the environment in a more responsible manner.  When we moved to the country almost three years ago, I quit recycling.  It just wasn't convenient.........the trash pick up service in the county doesn't pick up recyclables.  That means you have to collect it and carry it to a county distribution site, which is inconvenient when you work outside the home.  Poor excuse, right?  So, I am slowly getting back into recycle mode.  A couple of things that I had been doing all along are recycling my cans (they go to a friend whose elderly parents recycle them for cash) and pop top lids (which go to the local pediatrician's office and ultimately benefit Ronald McDonald House).

This week I started back collecting all of the other things that I should be recycling and will take time on Mondays to stop by the Recycle Collection Site.

Another thing that I am inspired to do is to start using products that are more environmentally friendly.  I will gradually try to replace the things that I can as I use them up with versions that are better for the Earth ......and American made when possible;  not always an easy task, and definitely requires some research.  Also, some things are just not readily available in small town GA.  I started last week with some "Wicked Fresh" Mouthwash from Tom's of Maine.........pretty good stuff and a great American company.  I also made some household cleanser with vinegar, water and essential lavender oil.  Sandy posted instructions for making laundry detergent and spray starch on her blog recently, and when my home is back in order I plan to give that a whirl.  My magazines all get recycled to my two daughters and other friends.  I am doing allot of Internet research and all suggestions are gladly considered.

Tonight Christi and I go to our first training session for October's Atlanta South Women's Walk to Emmaus.  We were both pilgrims last year and found it to be awesome and transforming.  By being servants this time, we hope to be a part of impacting someone elses' lives.  I am excited and a little nervous.  We will serve in the kitchen, which is entry level for servants.  We would appreciate your prayers as we embark on this journey, as well as prayers for the whole Emmaus community.

Didn't get any stitching done over the w/e.  Just couldn't get motivated.  This Saturday I have a Rug Hook-In sponsored by my wonderful teacher in Athens, Eric Sandberg, so I have to get organized for that.

In addition, we will be moving out of our home from Wednesday thru Friday (doggies go to camp at the Kennel.......not their favorite thing to do) so that the floors on our main level can get the final finish done.  Have to wait on the basement due to the septic tank fiasco last week........the floors are still drying out down there.  It seems that all of this will never end.

Enough of my ramblings for today,
Jennie

Saturday stuff.....................

It is really hot here in Georgia.  Several sections of our county have had considerable rain over the past month.........but not us.  We have only had about an inch or so of rain since May.  Our flowerbeds are parched and we are watering our tiny garden occassionally.  This morning we decided to get out and do a little yardwork before it got too hot.  Well, it was already too hot, but we did get a few things done.

Watermelon and Cantelope

I have been working on the hexies some at night.  They have grown to thirteen now, with several more prepped and waiting.  It is one of those lovely, mindless things to do.  Exactly what I need right now.

Nothing special planned for the weekend.  Errands, church, the usual.  It is too hot to think of doing much.

Work on the house continues and it is beginning to hint of home once again.  The septic tank required our attention this week (it is always something unexpected and unwanted, isn't it) and that slowed us down a bit.  The contractor is here working today, though, and that makes me feel better.  I am so ready to be "normal" again.................I know, what exactly is "normal"??

Have a good weekend!

Back to the real world

It has been a great weekend, but tomorrow is back to the real world..........and it is going to be a busy week.

Got started on hexies this w/e.  Saw so many cute ones on the blogs, that I just couldn't resist.  Went by the LQS and picked up a few fat quarters, then I remembered that packed away in one of our upstairs closets just might be some more 30's prints.  Sure enough, they were there, so I have plenty to work on and even an idea as to how I will use them.  Fun!  Not a great photo, but you get the idea.

This is a rug that I just finished binding a few weeks ago.  It was started in a class with Cynthia Norwood and I finished it up this year, binding it just in time for the rug show at Caraway.  I used all textures and wide cuts in it.  The pattern is Mighty Oak by Sally Kallin.  I think it will look great on my table this Fall.  The small photo is the whole runner, the large is a closeup of one corner.


Next is our kitchen...........as it was

what we are using now

and finally where we are going with the new one.  Hopefully it will be finished SOON!!!

That is about it for tonight. 

Take care,

Jennie

Godspeed, dear friend

This afternoon my dear friend and fellow rug hooker, Nancy Thompson, of Athens, GA, went to heaven after a several month battle with cancer.  Nancy, the daughter of late, great GA football coach Wally Butts, was the epitome of a Southern lady.  She was gracious, charming, beautiful, funny, sharing, talented and a woman of God.  She was one of the greatest rug hookers ever, and would give you the shirt off of her back, or the wool out of her basket. And what a hostess she was!! She adored her family and friends...........and never met a stranger.  She will be missed by so many people.  I am so blessed to have been able to call her my friend.  Godspeed, Nancy, I love you.
Jennie

Lots of water over the dam..............

Well, maybe not over the dam, but lots of water.  On January 9th we had a pipe to burst on our second story and of course we were not at home at the time.  We came home to water gushing out of the ceiling, light fixtures and door facings on our main level and a basement (oh so recently completed and being thoroughly enjoyed by us) standing in 4" of water..........ceilings gone, sewing machines, computer, printer and lots of other stuff..........gone.  Since then we have been living in two bedrooms upstairs.......DH, three dogs and me.......no kitchen, a tiny 13" TV and most of our personal belongings packed away somewhere in a warehouse.  It is now July and we are hoping and praying that the reconstruction of our house will be completed by the end of the month.  Dealing with insurance and mortgage companies has been a nightmare.  You don't even want to know.  At any rate, I just haven't had the heart to blog........and, I can't find the cord to download photos from my camera.  At the warehouse, no doubt, along with our furniture and 600 boxes of stuff (what can all of that be?????)

Life goes on :-)

Yesterday a bunch of the old (literally...in age and the fact that it has been a long time since we worked together)friends got together for Mexican at lunchtime.  Thanks, Geneva, for coordinating this for us.  We got a photo, but not until a couple of the gals had to go back to work.  Not a great photo as it came off my cell phone, but you get the idea.

I am really itching to be stitching.  I have a brand new sewing machine waiting on me, but no place to set up and work........and all of my sewing supplies are packed away at the storage facility.   GRRRRRRRR.  I have been doing a bit of rug hooking and will try to upload a few photos of that later.  Basically, I have been too distracted to do much.

I have spent an inordinate amount of time browsing blogs, making some new friends, admiring everyone else's work and ordering stuff that I have no place to put.  What can I say?  It is an addiction.

Back to work now,
Jennie

Happy New Year!!!!

Lots has happened here in Newnan since my last post.  I will give you a small recap to get the NY started.

Rob had a birthday:

We went to visit our friend, Ben, on beautiful barrier island, Cumberland Island, GA.

We visited Beth in Arkansas in November.  We were able to meet the Gardners, from Oklahoma when we were there.  They are the dear parents of my late chemobuddy, Gene.

.Jackson Kellum Horne was baptised at Newnan Presbyterian Church, wearing the heirloom christening dress that I made for his family .

And before we knew it, it was Christmas!

This is just a bit of my life since August.  Busy, but oh so full of goodness.  I am so thankful!!

Happy New Year to all of you!

Jennie

Progress Here......

For some reason, I have suddenly had a real kickstart on my projects this year, and particularly the last month or so. It goes without saying that my new workspace has contributed greatly to this success. But there also seems to be a new mindset. Not to say that I am not still overwhelmed when I open the doors to my closets and see all of those projects......more than I could ever complete in my lifetime. But I am working on them, and best of all, enjoying it. It is a hobby, a lovely pasttime...not a job (I have one of those, which keeps me from getting as much done but allows me to continue to have buying power....what a trade off!!). Maybe the recognition and acceptance of the pasttime vs. job thing has helped some.

At any rate, I am showing off now. The first is my cross stitch "Give Us This Day", design by La Di Da (I think), which is now back from the framers and hanging nicely in my dining room. The photo really doesn't do the color of the linen justice and the angle makes the frame look a little wonky. My photography skills are sorely lacking.



I have rejoined the Jo's Little Women Club at the LQS. Before the big move, I had enjoyed this club and was happy to be able to find time for it again. We are doing a quilt called Holiday Inn this time. It is a little larger than most of the club quilts and will be done over several sessions rather than one. This photo is the result of the first two sessions........plus, I added the plain border from session three to stabilize all of those little half-square triangles (okay, I really wanted to see how it would look). Instead of using cotton for the center applique, I chose to do wool applique, pulling from my hand dyed woolens and using Valdani variegated floss to hand buttonhole stitch it down. I am rather pleased with the results thus far.

I also had three quilt tops longarmed this month and they now wait patiently in this chair for trimming and binding. Then they can be counted as finishes and proudly shown. I dug into my stash for backings for two of them and utilized fabrics from the late 1970s or early 1980s (Yours Truly fabrics, back when 100% cotton was a rarity), so I feel pretty smug about that.

This is the rug that I worked on at rug camp with Jeanne Benjamin: It is called "Christmas in the Country" and is by New Earth Designs. I won't tell you how long ago I started it. I will say that my favorite part of it is the log cabin blocks around the border. Combines the best of both worlds, quilting and hooking. I am hungry for a hooking finish, and this will be it before too long.

On my way home from rug camp we stopped at a lovely antique mall in SC.....it is an annual tradition. Let me say that my Expedition was piled to the top with rugs and wool and frames and other rug camp necessities. It did not, however, stop me from purchasing this charming little primitive cabinet. How could I leave it behind, knowing it would fit perfectly in my sewing studio?

Finally, I allowed myself to start a new project and I will give you a little preview:. I can hear you thinking.......twenty five dull, dark Ohio Stars.........what in the world is she thinking. Well, just stay tuned.

Finally, I couldn't resist a sweet puppy picture. Miss Roxie, in her mom's chair:

Take Care,
Jennie

I'm Back!!!

If anyone reads my blog, you must feel as if I have fallen off the face of the earth!!!! As you all know, there are just times when life gets in the way, and this has been one of them.

First of all, I am posting a new photo of our sweet little Jackson, who is now ten weeks old and quite the handsome young man. I just can't resist that sweet twinkle in his eye.


It has been a busy summer.........work, birthdays, ballgames, family get togethers, rug camp, working in the yard..........and I have even made some progress on some projects.




Paige's Posies, a lovely little pattern by my friend Kathie Meyers, is hooked, framed and hung on my powder room wall. This is the first hooking I have had framed and I must say that I am quite pleased with the professional job by Travis at Around the Corner Framing. I love the antique feel of the frame!!!



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I am also up to date on the Bunnyhill BOMs, finally. I still have to add a few trims and buttons, but the stitching is done. These have been so much fun and Anne was so sweet to share them with us.


Lisa's Geometric, a primitive rug hooking pattern, finally got bound and put on the floor. Seems as if I put it off forever. Don't know why, as I really like it. And the best part is that it was all done from my worm bag (meaning leftover strips of wool from previous projects to those of you who are nonhookers).

The last thing for tonight is my favorite..........Buttons and Birds pillow. It is wool applique on Prairie Cloth and it was such fun to do. It is from Blackbird Designs Book, When the Cold Wind Blows. Barb and Alma have a lovely blog now..........you must go visit!!!

Have my rughooking class in Athens tomorrow with the wonderful Eric Sandberg. I am so lucky. Anyway, I'd better hit the hay for now!

Christopher's haircut

Christopher was one in April, and he just got his first haircut. He is looking every inch the little man...... He went to a special shop for kids......the clippers don't make noise and each station has a DVD to watch among other things. He has also been swimming and riding the lawn tractor with Dad and big brother Dillon.
Macy has been to "Bug Camp", Robert and Sara Ashley to nature camp. Life is busy for the kids and their parents!! Next week Dillon and Robert are off to UGA for football camp......they will be roommates.
No stitching going on here. Just spending time helping the Hornes adjust to life with new baby, and today, back to work after a week off...............
Later!