Graduation. Sunset. Procrastination

A few weeks ago my oldest graduated from high school. Family in town. Parties. Hiking. Rafting. Sunsets. And me procrastinating. Procrastinating about cleaning up after the guests left. About pulling the photos off my camera. About finding a place for the giant cut out photographs of her head that we waved around at the ceremony. About flipping the page on the calendar or booking a hotel for orientation.  That girl makes tears flood down my face with pride. I get so deep into my ugly cry that my heart is inside my throat making it very hard to breathe. And then I do that thing where I enlongate my face in order to make the tears go back into my eyes. You know that thing, right? It's followed by a deep sigh, a nervous giggle and the resolve to get stuff done.

Such good things. Really, really good things.

-dana

June Moda Skill Builder Blocks

June 1st means it's time to share my June Moda Skill Builder Blocks. This month was all about half square triangles. I mixed things up a bit by throwing in one off color in each of the two blocks for the month. Subtle but fun.

Here is how the quilt is shaping up so far. I love the color scheme that my oldest chose for this quilt and I promised last month that I would share the colors I'm using. The free pattern from Fat Quarter Shop uses a different color palette so I will indicate my colors in relation to theirs. All are Bella Solids from Moda Fabrics.

• (they used Caribbean) ----- I used Mustard 
• (they used Tea Rose) ---- I used Blush 
• (they used Weathered Teak) ---- I used Orchid
• (they used Raspberry) ---- I used Burgundy
• (they used Ruby Ice) ---- I used Longhorn
• (they used Zen Grey) ---- I used Cheddar
• (they used Off White) ---- I used Bunny Hill Blue
• (they used Lagoon) ---- I used Tomato Soup

The color names listed above are the official Bella Cotton Solid names from Moda. 

Also, I should mention that each month Fat Quarter Shop is releasing a video tutorial on how to make the blocks for the corresponding month. You can check their YouTube channel to find them.

I am enjoying seeing this quilt take shape and look forward to July's blocks!

-dana

Colorful days

I remember the days of hours stretched out ahead and activities for little hands to fill those hours. Like blowing bubbles on warm spring days. Or drawing with chalk on the sidewalk. Those days were yesterday and eons ago simultaneously. My girls are teenagers. Our days are very, very full. Snapping pictures of pretty snippets found in our busy days keeps me in the moment and not fretting about the next. Colorful. Full. Loud. Hectic.

Beautiful.

-dana

May Moda Skill Builder Blocks

May 1st means it's time to make to May Moda Skill Builder Blocks.  Twelve flying geese blocks made into three blocks. Done!

I'll revisit this project on June 1st. Maybe then I'll list all the Moda Bella fabric colors that I'm using in mine.

-dana

Competing for my attention

I wake up everyday with lists of things I want to do. I want to paint with watercolor. I want to fiddle in my greenhouse. I want to watch the birds and photograph them. I want to walk around my yard and see what is blooming (Posey Patrol! #poseypatrol) I want to sew. I want to watch my kids play soccer with the beautiful mountain back drop. I want to put my feet in a river while I look for rocks rounded with rushing water. I want to eat fried chicken on a quilt sprawled across the spongy forest floor. I want to watch the wind blow the Dogwood blooms across the grass. I want to gather lilac bouquets and put them in every room in the house. I want to watch the ants work at opening the peony buds. Get ice cream with the family. Hike to abandoned farmsteads with rock walls and forgotten orchards.

Goodness gracious. Spring is delightful.

I'm off to do more of the above. Hope you are too.

-dana

Rope ladder

Have you ever climbed a rope ladder? You get your foot onto the first rung and tighten your grip on the ropes. Are you supposed to pull with your arms or push with your legs? You climb a few rungs and then the whole contraptions starts to swing in the air. Unless it's up against a brick wall, in which case you just start banging the wall. You start to get the hang of it and find a rhythm for a rung or two. And then your muscles are burning with exhaustion because it's really, really hard. You can't concentrate on anything but the current task at hand. One arm up. One leg up. Repeat. And don't forget to breathe.

Prom 2017. Senior addition. With college decisions looming and high school graduation within sight.

I can see the end of the rope ladder. But I think I'll just hang right here. For as long as absolutely possible.

-dana

Hall bath renovation

Tile fitting of our house built in 1950. Searching for vintage plumbing parts to make a gorgeous sink from 1946 operational. Trim and paint. Currently at a stand still while Razor races, the oldest goes to prom, soccer and track season march onward, and I make super, scrappy pineapple quilt blocks like a crazy person.

It'll be so pretty. Eventually.

-dana