A Gifted Quilt, My WIP, and Garden Views

Last week at quilt group Theresa shared her redwork quilt wall hanging. I told her it needed to be in my kitchen--and she gave it to me! We have a teapot and teacup theme in the kitchen. so it looks great.

I have been working on A Tisket, A Tasket from Anne Sutton. I have a few applique pieces to do, and then will be embroidering. Shabby Fabrics included the pattern in their latest catalog!

When I was putting the blocks together I pulled out all my polka dot fabrics!

 The embroidery will add loads of details.

 My poor birdie will get a beck soon when I start the embroidery!

The apple trees are loaded with fruit! And one has a Robin's nest in it. The male Robin is keeping the squirrels out of the tree, so perhaps fewer little apples will be stolen.

My husband's rose garden is blooming. 

He always wanted a rose garden like his mother had, and started one after we retired into our 'forever' home.

He has been moving the Stella d'Oro lilies from the front yard in preparation for the landscaping that will be done in a few weeks. We are getting a Crab Apple tree and hydrangeas and roses and other lovely plants! Below is the designer's plan!

Soon my hubby will be out of commission for many weeks. He is having knee replacement surgery! (Guess who gets to water that new garden...) His orientation with the physical and occupational therapists was at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. It was my first time there.

There is a lovely area with comfy chairs and tables. The photo below shows the living green wall of vegetation.

 I saw art in the hallways, including this painting of the Mackinaw Bridge.

 Strait Groovin' by Lind K Shinkle Rodney and Theodore M. Shinkle.

I was surprised to see this art with all kinds of dogs!

 It is a tribute to Josephine Ford.

 It was a hazy day but we had a nice view of Detroit.

Father's Day was also my 46th anniversary. Yikes! I am feeling old!

I will soon be sharing photos of my Bronte sisters quilt which I finally began working on a week or so ago!

A New Rose

 We fell in love with this rose and had to bring it home!

Vintage Rose for Mothers Day and a Memory Quilt for Mom

I am just finishing up a quilt I called Vintage Rose. It incorporates a vintage embroidered doily (which was a giveaway from my weekly quilters group; read about it here) appliquéd on a vintage linen napkin, vintage cutter quilt rose blocks bought on eBay, a vintage glove, and vintage tatting, buttons, and other linens.

 Worn rose-shaped buttons frame "Rose" in her heart-shaped doily.

The rose appliqués were in bad shape. I covered them with sheer tulle, machine sewed it along the appliqué, then trimmed it. The tatted roses are trimmed from doilies I bought a while back.

A few months ago when I bought out a dealers linen stash there were a dozen gloves included (read about it here). This one is satin with a pretty crystal button.

On my bed I put the second quilt I ever made, made in 1991. I used Mom's painting shirts, all red plaids. I found the block pattern in a magazine, just the block, no instructions. I pretty much made up my own instructions. I had no idea what I was doing at the time. In the middle of appliquéing the hearts I met Holly Perry who taught me the appliqué and quilt stitches. We joined the quilt group at the church, which is still going on 24 years later with many of the same ladies.

Mom was an oil painter. She took her first classes in adult education back when I was a tyke. Later in life she took private lessons.

One of Mom's paintings

Mom died of cancer in 1990. She was 57 years old.

Mom about 38 years old at the time of my graduation from high school

Mom in 'the project' in her Jitterbug Queen days

Read About Songs My Mother Sang Me found at
http://theliteratequilter.blogspot.com/2014/04/songs-my-mother-sang-me-1940s-novelty.html

Mom's Roses and Old Houses

Mom planted this rose long ago. Mom passed in 1990 and Dad took care of it. He would give the flowers to the waitress where he breakfasted. Dad passed six years ago. In all that time all I have been able to do it trim the canes in the fall and the extra little leaves in the spring. Now we live here full time I have to learn how to really care for roses.

But it blooms it's little heart out all summer long!

Today I met a new friend at a quilt shop. We shared quilt projects and had lunch together. We have been corresponding for some months but it was our first meeting. On the way home I drove by my girlhood home which  hardly looks different.

1966 with my brother and the neighborhood kids

2014 

It is the hottest day of summer so far, 90 degrees. Severe storms are coming. With flood warnings. After the front goes through we will have temps in the mid-seventies. It's been a cooler summer overall.

in the sahde