Five Things to Be Happy About #2

Here we are in the second half of 2016 already! Where has the time gone? If one more person tells me that the summer is more than half over, I will scream!

I love summer and all that goes with it, including the items listed below.

1. Slow, hand stitching. It doesn't always make me happy, but when it goes so smoothly and looks pretty good when it's done, it sure makes me happy! This will be the object of my next post.

It turned out pretty cool. I think so anyway.

If I don't get back here within a week to post, somebody get on my case.

2. Reading a good book. I've always loved to read, but summer reading is the best...sitting on the porch; laying in the hammock; staying up late in bed; in the passenger seat on a road trip...it's all good! I finally got my hands on this book at the local library. Good read!

 

3. Long walks. Summer in Iowa doesn't always supply the best walking weather. Can we say humidity so thick it can be chewed? This is the trail we often walk and it's so pretty in every season.

4. Summer birthdays. Mine was just last week and it was a beautiful day to celebrate. The photo above was a friend's brother who turned 60 about the same time. We have a tradition here to hang underwear in the yard of those who celebrate a decade birthday. Always fun, always a bit embarrassing for the birthday gal/guy, but always memorable!

5. Hugs! Friends, family members, neighbors, pets, anyone you like enough to hug...go do it!

I especially need to thank my friends who posted on my Firecracker Table Runner and talked me into loving it instead of focusing on the mistakes.

Blogging friends are wonderful and I'd hug each one of you if I could!

(I'd also hang underwear in your yard on your decade-birthday if I could! Ha!)

I am linking up with Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. Five Things Friday

Firecracker Table Runner

I know you all have been sitting on the edge of your sewing chair waiting to see the final product of my 4th of July table runner, right?

It's only been 3 weeks since I first posted about it.

OK, refresher here. I had in mind to make a patriotic piece with fabrics I had on hand and had always wanted to try the Disappearing Nine Patch block. I played with various layouts, chose one, didn't like it, then tore it apart and started cutting the blocks in half. Sewn together, I ended up with 4 blocks similar to this below.

I was liking that little pinwheel in the center!

 

I also teased you about some new-fangled (to me) way of making a traditional block.

 

 

This is a shortcut to making Flying Geese! You can find the youtube tutorial here:

No-Waste Flying Geese

 

OK, on with the show now that your memory is coming back!
I'm not particularly happy with the outcome of this project, but it was fun and I learned a few things along the way. I thought about not even showing the whole thing.

I bruise easily.

 

I love the striped binding, but it is a bit too wide.

 The corners turned out perfectly, tho!

 

 

The Flying Geese blocks made a great border,

but the points got covered with the binding. Ugh.

 

One of the blocks I had to cut down to make it fit with the Flying Geese...

bad math on my part. Another ugh.

 

 

 

 

 

So, there you have it.

My Firecracker Table Runner.

My MIL would be proud.

Or would she?

Probably not.

 

Happy 4th of July, my friends!

Let's go eat ice cream!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five Things to Be Happy About

With so much negativity in the world and so much sad news and tragedies surrounding us, I am joining in a link up with Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. to dwell on some happy sightings in my life this past week! We all need a little more happy.

In no particular order, here are my top 5:

 

1. Southern Style Loaded Potato Skins
Doesn't the name of these just make your mouth water? Look at that picture! Michele at The Scrap Shop Blog posted this recipe on Monday and I served them that evening. All I needed to buy was the potatoes. I put the pork in the crock pot with some BBQ rub and slow cooked them for a few hours. I had enough to warm-up for dinner on Tuesday too! Good thing my sweetie doesn't mind left-overs. If he did, he'd be real skinny. And he's not. :)

 

2. My husband took Monday off work and we decided to trim several trees in our woodsy backyard. I bought him a chipper for Christmas, so we were finally able to use it. It was hot, sweaty work, but I got free mulch for my garden and the yard looks much better! Definite smiles with a beer in hand that evening. (click on the arrow to watch short video of this limb-eating monster)

 

 

 

3. Surprise mail! On Wednesday, our mail lady brought me a lovely gift! I have no idea how I won this or who to thank, but I'll surely enjoy it. It is a $100 gift card from Walmart and has some connection with Better Homes and Garden. I've done every Google search I can think of to find a source for this, but have come up empty-handed. Take it and run, they say!

 

 

 

 

4. Moss Rose or Rose Moss? These little pretties re-seed themselves every year in my front garden... to the point that I have to pluck some out so I have room for other annuals. They are so bright and cheery and THICK. Each blossom lasts just a day and new ones are always ready to take their place.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Yesterday, I was shopping and had one of my impromptu, never-appreciated, clothes-drenching, deodorant-testing hot flashes. How many years must we have these dreaded things anyway? I felt a slight breeze of air coming from the shoe department and like a bee to honey, I followed it. There I stood soaking up every moving molecule of air...with a smile on my red, dripping face. I was so thankful for this fan and its huge propeller-sized blades that I had to take a few photos. It's ginormous!

 

Last, but never least, my dear little Sophie always provides reasons to be happy.

She's just a kid in a dogsuit and always ready for loving.

 

 

   

 

Thank you to Tami from Sew Much For Free Time for encouraging me to link up!

What made you happy this week?