IT'S BEEN A WHILE....

Here's our old dirty carpet..we could no longer even clean it!!

And here is the old floor underneath it which was never even waxed, so the floor guys tell us..but then, you've heard all about them, right??? har har....

But..... here is the finished (almost--isn't there always something else??) product. they did do a wonderful job on re-finishing...

A lovely satin finish with our red oak really is shining through here.  We can now traverse it in stockinged feet.  yay!!

Here is where we have been eating our meals...

All the furniture is in the living room--just enough space to squeeze into the chairs...the buffet contents strewn onto the sofa...but, we can begin to see an end to it!! 
On the sewing front:

 here are the little 9-patches I have been working on.... for this...

when I saw "Fun With Barb"'s finished quilt --go and see her gorgeous quilt--I knew that I had to make this one.  Mine won't be as huge as hers, perhaps more of a lap quilt--remember, Julierose, you said no more B I G quilts!!

I have no idea how many 9-patches --unfinished 3.5" -- I will need.  I have 9 Georgie Porgie blocks cut out and some more 3.5" plain squares and some 9.5 patches too. Isn't it strange how something just "grabs" you and you know you HAVE to make it!!

in the meantime, in between times--my back went OUT after my 4th yoga class..ouchy...and my thumb from bearing my weight at yoga has begun to complain again too...so..this has been a ride I will not take again! So, I  guess that i will not be doing anymore yoga--my 71-yr old body has spoken!!

But--was able to drive and go to see Mom this morning..then took to my bed to rest the back!  Geeze--I sound 90!!
DH has a gig tonight and has taken on the load of just about everything while I am indisposed!  He is such a sweetheart!! ;--)))

Hugs to you all, Julierose, La Blageuse (hurteuse--)

MESS-OPOTAMIA!!!

We are in the midst of having our floor in our dining/fireplace room re-finished.  Ack!
What was supposed to be a 3-day job has been going on for over 1 1/2 wks now.

So far the excuses for lateness and "no-shows" have ranged from

1) engine on car seizing up;

2) transformer in front of floor guy's house blowing up and

MY FAVORITE OF ALL:  TA DAH!!

3) bipolar cousin freaking out.

Yep==Today I am awaiting the phone call to see just how CREATIVE they can
get with today's excuse..let's face it--what can be left??

In the meanwhile, I just snuck over to where I had forgotten my computer in the back room--we are not supposed to walk on the floor separating us from the back tv room which is still tacky--but at this point I am a bit frazzled and figured--SO WHAT??? I need my computer....and DH is a bit cross to say the least. ( I stayed out of the area when he called the contractor this morning. ) Supposedly the guys will be here in one hour---at this point, I am almost hoping for a call just to hear the latest excuse....;--000

All of our furniture is piled higgledy-piggledy in the living room which is virtually unusable and we are relagated pretty much to the bedroom and spareroom

I am trying to stay relaxed--so how's that working for ya?? :--(((

 I have made a couple 9-patches but discovered that when you are "upset" your 1/4" seams are even worse than usual...ya think???

Well, this too shall pass--eventually...
hugs to all  Julierose, La blageuse 

WHAT OLD AND....WHAT'S ' NEW : UPDATES

Old yucky carpeting in dining/fireplace room....but here's what is going to be new....

Yeah--rip it out and have original real hardwood floor refinished...

Today is our 49th Wedding Anniversary (yes [sigh] I know 9/11!!) and
my DH just started ripping up the carpeting--I said "What are you DOING?"
(Hear that tone of voice..heh heh I am sure you do...)

He says," It's gone, NOW! Happy Anniversary--we will have this floor re-done and get some nice area rugs for under dining table and in front of fireplace"..
(BIG HUGS  ... fade out....!!!)

What a guy!!  AND he's doing all the ripping, prying, removing of those dang staples...bit by bit we will move furniture and get it off there.  Room is 33' x 14' so no little job.  My SUPERHERO for sure...49 years --can you see why....

And in the fabric line--I know, no new fabric--BUT I could NOT resist 1/2 yd of  each of these two beauties to add to my batik stash....

Aren't they just delicious...I love the fact that they are understated--nothing jumping out at you--more tone-on-tone type.  I think they will make nice blenders.  
AND, tonight we are going out to dinner--so NO COOKING either!!  Be still my heart...

On my diet news front:  I have begun coming off Atkins strenuous plan and adding more foods--a few pounds have found their nasty way back, but I also enrolled in a Gentle Yoga (the gentle part is DEFINITELY in the eye of much younger ladies!) two times a week Tues and Fri.  I went this past Tuesday for the first time and worked very hard:   shaking muscles, falling over, sweating (oh, pardonnez -moi--glowing!!) --I kid you not!! I am hoping that this 75 minutes twice a week will offset that poundage and make me more flexible and strengthen my arms and shoulders.  
Also I have a Deep Relaxation class that is available to me on the day I visit Mom--perfect after tough visits...

This is the week of washing REDS (interesting--not many of these--one of the pluses of doing this is to see what you have and need); 

AND I tore off pieces of all my pre-washed orientals for my lozenges quilt.....I am wordy today...and busy...

Hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse 

SATURDAY AT THE BEACH

Here is my "Beach Houses Long Ago" finally put together, bound and labeled--[sorry for crooked pix--just too humid and hot to go outside--89 degrees and the dew point is 79!....phew!.....]

  Well this Winter when I am freezing and the snow is snowing and the wind is blowing I can look up at this one and remember these Summer days....

this one is reversible showing the last rays of the sun setting over the waters as the moon rises....I used my GO!Baby die cutter for the ocean blocks....loving that machine!!

And here is my little label...

DH wants to hang this one in our bedroom--I think he likes it.  He asked if this was a folk art one, too;
I didn't know what to say as all these little house are made, by the "seat of my pants" so to speak, no measuring and lotsa scraps --I guess it is artsy and folksy...

You can see all the summery scraps--some are from very long ago..

and  even a little Fourth of July flag waves on this one...I am happy with it.  AND HAPPY it's DONE!! LOL And very liberated.....

I hope you are staying cool on this super hot.humid day...hugs and thanks for following me through this month of finishes...I am done (except for one--I mean, you HAVE to have at least one in process
doncha think?? haha)
hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse

MARKING TIME

Well, sweet readers, since I cannot hand sew--I am marking all these 2" squares in preparation for making Bonnie Hunter's Leader-Ender Lozenges project.  I ordered the Accuquilt largest rectangle die for my GO!BABY as rotary cutting is difficult these days...and so, while I am "Marking Time"
I am marking all those little diagonal lines....

I had precut, with my 2" die these scraps into squares--and here I am actually going to use them!

So far, I have this stack done.; since each lozenge uses four--I have quite a few more to die cut and mark.  I haven't as yet decided if this will be totally scrappy rectangles or semi controlled eg: civil war fabrics, novelties, flowers...we'll see what strikes my fancy....

And that's where I am today:  after my haircut, errands and prepping for dinner I'll be marking, marking and ......marking more...Hugs, oh and my hand is feeling better; thank you for all your good wishes
Julierose, La Blageuse

LIBERATED WOMEN

"I am done and airing out on the line--it feels so good to stretch out in the
 breeze " (Quilt Quote ;--)))

this quilt was totally hand sewn except for the binding application--which I did on my Helga...I took an online class from Jude Hill at Spirit Cloth; all the fabrics are pre-washed and hand torn--not cut.  I stamped these little ladies--oh pardonnez-moi--women(LOL) and then appliqued their flower hats and leaves.

And you can see I hand tied this with bamboo/cotton crochet thread and left the ties long....

I like all my women, but this one is a favorite...peeking out....

Here is the back--more fabric I couldn't seem to cut into..

Even though it is called modern--I felt that it looked antique ...

The raw edge applique and strip sewing is done to make this look old and tattered
and I L O V E this look in a quilt. 
I have to tell you that this class of Jude's was fabulous--no deadlines, work at your own pace, lots of examples and videos and superb explanations...I would highly recommend her classes....thanks so much Jude ...

And so, with my little teapot label (oops, sorry, don't know how to rotate it)  I end my first adventure with a torn, strip, woven by hand quilt.  But it will not be my last.  It was fun and freeing...
Hugs, Julierose, La blageuse....another one D O N E --WHEE!!!

I'M SO EXCITED TO SHOW YOU....

My very first applique piece [warts and all]!  I am calling it "Home is Where the Heart Is".
this is from a Jan Patek kit; and I am in L O V E with her fabrics.  (I want them ALL!!)

 ;--ooo more $$$

I had to end up machine quilting (or attempting to..lol) as my hand is on hold for now...

The music stand is where my DH stands to practice-- underneath a picture (from a jigsaw, if you can blieve that!) that my Father made and glued and framed.  It stands just opposite my Baldwin grand so I can see it when I practice.  We have a VERY musical household and family...DH plays Alto and Tenor Sax, Clarinet and Flute..my son, Jeff, played Trombone in H.S and now plays Guitar --especially for his two girls Willa and Fiona; my daughter, Candice, played Flute in H.S. and now plays.....computer mostly (lol)--just kidding hon.

As you can see I completely machine sewed my binding on--this darn ol' arthritissey thumb joint !  But
but, but---I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I like this simple zig-zag on the borders...very simple and I feel it goes with that Folksey look...

This is my Labor Day presentation.  My thumb is better and I am wearing my brace (good girl, Julierose, sit, stay--do not pick up any handwork--grrrrrr!!).
I hope you have had a wonderful weekend and

HAPPY LABOR DAY TO MY BLOGGING FRIENDS IN AMERICA....

Hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse (Julierose is SOOOO proud!! ;--)))