Lazy Day Sunday

Craftsy July BOM - Dresden Plate is finished! I finished hand stitching the plate to the background while sitting out on my patio on this fair weather afternoon.

The weather has been so unusually pleasant, not too hot or humid with a nice breeze. The only down side is what is flying in the air that doesn't agree with me. Allergies means more naps and a need for more sleep! Two naps today, one in the morning and one before dinner.

Last evening I completed the Modern Dresden Plate, also a July Crafsty BOM. Pictures tell all! The snapshot shows fold lines and pulls - back to the ironing board. Which by the way have you tried the new spray starch by Niagara in a non-aerosol bottle? The Fresh Linen scent is very nice!

While running errands on Friday I stopped at my local quilt store, QBee Quilts, to see if they had the aqua fabric with the little darker aqua dots. I was holding my breath hoping it would still be on the shelf. Having shopped most of the store a feeling of defeat and disappointment was growing when all of sudden I spotted it! Sigh of relief! It just so happened to be a second run, something that rarely happens when not a regular stock type fabric.

Now to begin August's BOM. I'm not too far behind! Yikes a new month BOM will be available in only 5 more days.

I haven't been able to keep up with my challenges - Craftsy and Free Motion Quilting, having started an accounting business at home, now officially doing business as Joanne E. Page Accounting Services as of last week. Growth has occurred, all by word of mouth. It has kept me hopping during the last couple months leaving little time for sewing, quilting, gardening and blogging.

This evening I completed another red work Winter Twittering design while watching a couple episodes of Rizzoli and Isles. Eight are completed with only four more to go.

It has been a wonderful week, busy with work, family and friends. Tuesday my oldest son Ty was in town so he took me out for dinner for my birthday. It was so nice to spend an afternoon and evening with him. He came bearing a gift and cards, one from him and the other from my grandsons. The gift is the sweetest little carved angel with wings.


Saturday was FLAWS book club. We visited rather than discuss our book. We all took turns sharing what the latest was in our day to day and four hours later we were still in the parking lot saying our long good-byes. Many laughs and smiles, a fun day with the girls.We have organized and scheduled a full craft day complete with breakfast and lunch, each of us fixing something. The craft item will be these darling stacked fabric pumpkins for a table centerpiece.

After a busy and wild week come  this Sunday morning and even after a cuppa of coffee I only wanted to stay home and relax. Relaxing ended up making muffins and Chicken Cordon Bleu in the Crockpot. The muffins are Oatmeal Buttermilk with Berries. I doubled the recipe. What is it when the temperatures begin to cool the desire to bake and cook arises? Want the recipe? Go to ---> Cooks.com
I added berries to the recipe.


I found a recipe on Pinterest for Chicken Cordon Bleu. It was a winner. My hubby paid me many compliments. You can find the recipe if you visit my Pinterest Meats Board.











Thanks for stopping by. If you have a moment please say hello!

Flying Biscuit, FLAWs and Craftsy May BOM

FLAWs at Flying Biscuit Restaurant

Breakfast was divine not because of the food, though it was tasty and inviting, but it was due to sharing it with dear friends, and that is priceless. Hugs were offered before sitting down. How comfortable we have become with each other after working many years together in a ministry that supports women who face a crisis pregnancy or suffers from the after affects of having an abortion.

 The chattering began each bringing each other up to speed with the latest happenings in our lives. Karen had us in stitches telling about her day with her 90 year old mother-in-law riding a scooter as though she was on a race track through Target. Nanette with much pizzaz talked about her new job and the latest with her two sons. She is the encourager in our group. Teresa always so creative with scrap booking, photography, cooking, a fan of Pinterest and who loves RVing always has her techy toys. She is quite gifted. Louise who loves her family now volunteers at Samaritan's Purse and the Food Pantry. She has an awesome gift for hospitality who can talk to anyone. Not only can she talk to anyone she can do just about anything that she puts her mind to. We called her the "mom" at the Center. And then there is me bringing the latest going on in my family and business building. I love these ladies. There were two missing from the group today and we were sad that they couldn't be with us today. We missed you Bobbie and Leslie!

 Our waitress at Flying Biscuit had to come back to our table 3 times before we were settled enough to read the menu. What a great way to begin a weekend!

Craftsy May Block of the Month - Wonky 6-sided Log Cabin

Prior to meeting with the FLAWs (former ladies at work) I completed one of two of Craftsy's May block of the month. It is a Wonky 6-Sided Log Cabin Block, a great scrap buster beginning with a fussy cut butterfly as the center piece. I didn't watch the video so what was to be 5-sided wonky is now 6-sided wonky, but that is okay with me. It is an easy block where you sew fabric strips and trim on an angle to create a rounded wrap-a-round appearance. I chose to frame my wonky design rather than continuing sewing logs to each corner. Hopefully, before going to bed I will complete the second block which will also have a fussy cut block.

Works in Progress on the Design Board

 My design board is supporting 5 projects in the making. I have been working diligently during the past week to catch up with my challenges: Craftsy Block of the Month and Free Motion Quilting Challenge. Now that we have changed over to June I am now 3 months behind with FMQ and 1 month with Craftsy.

My day was completed by planting a Cleyera shrub and various plants: Caladium, Hosta, Coral Bells, the sweetest succulent plant, Ajuga and WireVine ground cover.  There was an area in my garden that needed some attention. Check out this website to see a great idea on how to use succulents  for wedding place cards.. I have recently grown a fondness for succulent plants. Mostly due to seeing some great ideas on Pinterest. Check out my Brilliant Garden Board on Pinterest.

Feel free to tell me about your latest quilting project, friend story or your day. I love hearing from each one that drops by. If you are not a blogger choose anonymous. Be sure to leave your name or screen name if you know that I will recognize it at the end of the message so I can respond.

Book Club with Friends

This morning I was able to take a break from work related things and join my friends for book club. Didn't Teresa, the scrap booking pro, do a wonderful job of enhancing the picture?  A nearby gentleman  kindly agreed to take several snapshots while we were meeting at Caribou Coffee.

We caught each other up with our personal affairs after a lengthy time of sharing and eventually moved on to discussing the story of Bathsheba and King David.

King David was a man whose heart was after God, but he did make several decisions that cost him significant consequences, ones that he had to endure the remainder of his life. Can you imagine the amount of pain and heartache David suffered after the death of 3 sons and a daughter that was raped by one of his sons? David and Bathsheba repented and God blessed them with a Godly son, King Solomon, who followed King David's kingship. Israel under Solomon's reign had many years of peace.

Bathsheba was not accepted among the people of Israel. She was always being referred to as the woman who had an adulterous affair with King David and as the wife of Uriah, even though Uriah had been purposely killed by a command David having him placed on the front lines in battle. She lived a lonely life for many many years. Yet she kept her strong faith in God regardless that no mercy or grace was ever shown to her by her own family, other people within the king's palace or with the Israelites. Can you imagine having that kind of strength?  But as often said when there is nothing else to hold unto around you the only thing left is God.

Both David and Bathsheba were forgiven and used by God to serve his purpose. When Solomon became king of Israel, finally Bathsheba was accepted by the people of Israel and was now called by her name. How painful it must have been for Bathsheba not to be called by her name but what relief to finally be acknowledged!  What a wonderful story of redemption. Christ was to follow in David's and Bathsheba's lineage.

On a another note. . .

I saw this wonderful new idea on how to use Jelly Rolls for making a great looking quilt.



Isn't that a fun quilt to make?

A Fulfilling Day!

I started my day at 5:00 a.m. in my sewing studio, sewing borders on a scrappy Irish Chain quilt that was pieced several years ago. Actually I sewed the first 3 sides of the inner border last evening and this morning the remaining side inner border. Then I ran downstairs to spend a few minutes with my hubby before he went off to work, put some chicken in the slow cooker with a can of mushroom soup, a cup of Chardonnay, 2 Tablespoons of butter and 1 1/2 Tablespoons of paprika which was wonderful! Quickly I ran upstairs to shower and get ready for book club with some friends. We have deemed the club F.L.A.W.s (former ladies at work.)

This evening I have been sewing the outside borders, 3 are done the 4th I will do tomorrow. By the time I add the remaining border the quilt will be 91" x 102." The sheer weight of the quilt top and the drag of it has worn me out!

I am really excited that I have finally bit the bullet to finish my Irish Chain. Bonnie Hunter, scrappy quilt queen, was the inspiration for my Irish Chain. I fell in love with the one she has pictured on her blog/website. I pieced the quilt top 3 or 4 years ago and since then deliberated for a couple of years about the border color. I actually purchased fabric for a blue border and scrapped that idea after awhile. Irish Chain lends itself to have a green border - right? Don't you think green when you think Ireland or Irish? I am loving the red and green borders.

So let me tell you about the book we are using for our book club. It is titled A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers.

  This is Amazon.com's description:
 "In this compilation of the five books in the best-selling Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers, we meet the five women whom God chose—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Each was faced with extraordinary—even scandalous—challenges. Each took great personal risk to fulfill her calling. Each was destined to play a key role in the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World."

This week we studied the life of Rahab, a harlot that lived in Jericho. Because Rahab hid 2 Israelite spies her and her family's lives were spared. Rahab had a love of God that had settled in her heart which is amazing since her family and the people of her tribe worshiped idols. She didn't know the laws of God thus didn't know that her lifestyle as a harlot was not honorable and acceptable in the eyes of Him, that is until one of the spies spoke the truth. Once she heard it her heart embraced it and turned away from practicing harlotry. The grace of God not only showed her compassion and forgiveness but after having married Salmon, one of the spies, their son Boaz was in Christ's lineage. This expresses the love of God who loves those who love him regardless of any wrong doings they have done. We have hope when we have hearts softened by God.

Rahab's story reminds me of a song that is sung by Gwen Smith -  Broken into Beautiful







I hope you enjoy the song. Well it is a few minutes before midnight and it is time I end my day and get some rest. I am quite grateful for this fulfilling day. It has been filled with the love of friends, family, good food, again hearing the hope we have, and finally sewing in my studio, the room my husband has dubbed as my Woman's cave.

Good night and sweet dreams or maybe it will be Good Morning and Rise and Shine for you,

Good Morning! Woohoo! My Irish Chain has all of its borders.