Monday, March 10, 2014

Assorted-ness

As many of you know, we moved into our brand new house in June, 2012. The landscaping here, while attractive, was pretty dull, standard issue. Last August, we hired landscapers, who pulled out everything, and started over with new stuff - European fan palm; Bismarck palm; Hawaiian Ty; allamanda; Mexican petunia; hybiscus; holly trees; variegated ginger; and bottle brush. The bottle brush is predominantly across the back of the house, along the lanai, to eventually offer privacy. Well, imagine our surprise when neighbors behind us hired landscapers too, and went all out to make it attractive, not only for themselves, but us! 

See that twin palm?! It's two Sylvester palms. I'm pretty sure we have a much better view of these than even they do! 

This photo was taken through the lanai screen. There's landscaping along the ground too, and on opposite ends of the backyard, they planted two orange trees! While I would have liked a citrus tree too, we were warned away from planting them because they supposedly attract fruit rats. It will be interesting to see what develops. In any case, we approve of what they did and are thoroughly appreciating it!

We recently had Iowa visitors. Ann and Larry are friends from church, Lutheran Church of Hope. We were in Bible study together, and Ann and I sat next to each other in the alto section of Adoration Choir. It was great to see them again as we picked up just as though we'd seen each other a week ago, rather than the 19 months ago it really was!

They really enjoyed The Villages, and we're almost positive we'll be seeing them here again. Yay!
Along the doc at Lake Sumter Landing
Quilting friend Anne, in Colorado, is a talented designer whose SpringLeafStudios blog I follow. When I saw Anne's Kite Tails quilt that was in the January/February issue of Generation Q magazine, I needed the mag... and bought the March/April issue at the same time.

Sunday afternoon I sat down to browse through them. Imagine my surprise, when looking through the March/April issue, to find my own words in print! Apparently when I responded to the GenQ blog post about 2013 finished projects they chose to print what I said!

Here's the sewing happening in my sewing room. 

I'm cutting fabric and basting papers for the Geta Grama "Flower Ball" quilt. Check out the gorgeous domestic machine quilting Patricia, in the UK, is doing on her own nearly-finished Flower Ball quilt.

I started another quilt that is cut from 90 different rectangle-shaped prints, and strips of Kona Snow. Using the Quick Curve rulers to cut curves, I then did lots and lots of curved piecing.

Each rectangle in this tall stack now needs trimming.

I also started cutting fabrics to make a 54" X 60" quilt of my own design. It will be my teaching quilt for Beyond First Time Quiltmaking starting in June. Most of the quilt is diagonal piecing - Churn Dash block, Pinwheel block, Flying Geese, and half-square triangles.

On the finished end of things is this 12-1/2" Spider Web block, ready to mail to Cindy. She's our Mid Century Modern Bee queen for March and asked for a text-y center and solids. 

We're to send along a little label too. 

Last week, MQX (Machine Quilter's Expo) let me know that my quilt, Bloom, has been juried into the New Hampshire show, April 9-12. This is exciting news!

Heading now to get it shipped for arrival by the end of the week. Linda

14 comments:

  1. How kind of your neighbors to plant two flourishing palms! Your curved piecing looks really interesting. And I must get my MCM block done- it's not favourite at the moment!

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  2. How nice to get those lovely plants in your view.
    It also looks like you got a chance to use the QC ruler? How do you like it?
    The spiderweb block is so cool. I am anxious to see your original blocks!

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  3. Your curved piecing project looks interesting!
    And congrats on being accepted into the show. I'm sure your quilt will be a winner!

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  4. Busy lady!! But gal from the same mold as me! Have to keep busy don't we!! I love making hexie's!!! And any other type of hand work...so enjoy seeing your work!!
    And the view from your lanai is wonderful! What great neighbors!

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  5. Hey hey! Fun to get together with a quilty friend. Congrats on your news

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  6. Love the landscaping, must be nice to live in a climate where everything grows.
    So excited for you and your quilt acceptance.

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  7. :D What a gorgeous scene they put in for you! I need to remember to order a Quick Curve ruler - I have a commission quilt to do when my thesis draft is mostly settled that'll need it. Fun fabrics on your curved blocks!

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  8. I'm pleased that I got to see you and some of the work you posted in this entry last evening at CFMQ. Hard to believe that it's been a year since we met over our attraction to selvages. Happy day for me as I learned of CFMQ. This entry also has me thinking that perhaps I'll get to the New Hampshire show and see your quilt on display. I believe I'm about an 8 hour drive from the venue and a road trip around quilting is inviting. Stay well.
    Lynda D

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  9. Congratulations on getting another quilt of yours into a quilt show. That's fantastic. Also you've been very busy again with lots of new projects as well as ongoing ones. Glad to hear that you also took some time out to enjoy your friend's visit.

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  10. Busy, busy but I know you like it that way! I was just reading through my issue of that Gen Q magazine yesterday evening and when I saw "Linda H.", I decided it must be you!

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  11. Another well deserved acceptance for Bloom . . . congrats! Curious how you like the Quick Curve ruler? I like the designs you can make with it but usually don't buy much in the way of specialty rulers. Still haven't seen the new issue of GenQ to read your letter. Thanks for the plug too.

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  12. Linda, you now have really a great view out from our lanyard.

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  13. So many interesting things in this post! Congrats on Bloom--well deserved! I love my MCM block! And how fun to have visitors!

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  14. I see your bottle brush is in flower! Do you think you may have convinced your Iowa friends to move to Florida? It seems many from the cold states of the USA choose to retire down there. Does it feel unusual living so close to everyone else, without fences etc? I would find it quite restrictive, but I grew up on a farm and we have large house blocks in Australia, so I'm used to privacy and space.

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