Southern Hospitality

We had a great time in Atlanta visiting with family and seeing the sites.  On Monday we decided to go into Atlanta and visit World of Coke, but before that I wanted to help my brother with a little project.  Recently he had a heart procedure and unlike me, he didn't inherit my Dad's green thumb.  So I wanted to help him 'refresh' a little area next to his drive way.  Here is a few before pics:

There was a lot of debris and fallen branches, so we first worked on clearing out the debris and weeds, raked up the old much and leaves.  After that I was going to plant a few hosta's and coleus, but we discovered there was just too many roots.  So we got one hosta planted in the ground and the other one went into a pot.  I planted the coleus in pots as well and we put them under and around the tree for color.
Here is a pic of the after before the new mulch was put down.

So much better.  I also recycled some clay pots for some red, white and blue (purple) flowers for the porch.  He needed some color up there.

Sorry for the bad pics, but I was covered with dirt and ready for a shower!  It did inspire my nieces, though.  They said they would help keep it up and even wanted to go plant more.  I told them I wanted pics!

As for the World of Coke, very interesting.  Really enjoyed the memorabilia and the tasting room.  What is up with Beverly from Italy.  Awful.

My niece loved her quilt!  Now off to finish the second one!

Have a great week.

Laura

Off to the other coast.

Well the time has come.  Time to pack up and leave for the left coast.  Heading out to Atlanta tomorrow with DD and Mom.  My niece is graduating High School, and we all decided to take all 3 generations back to see it!  Last time I was there was in 1985 when we changed planes on our way to Miami to catch a cruise.  So this trip is long over due.  We are heading to Suwanee!

 We will miss the Memorial Day celebrations which are going on as I write this, but I am sure we will have a great time visiting with family and friends and seeing the local sites. 

How does your garden grow?

Since DH has been working a lot of hours lately, I have been working in the garden, weeding, planting and redesigning.  I enjoy it, I know it is not for everyone, but I enjoy working in the dirt!  Here are a few pics from my garden I took yesterday.

This is a clematis grown on my front porch.  It has started climbing the fishing line I strung from the post to the wrought iron trellis.  Don't know the name bought it a Lowes from the 50% off rack a few years ago.  When it opens all the way it has frilly petals in the middle.

This crate I got at HD last month full of tall snapdragons.  When they petered out, I relined the box and filled with pinks and purples.  Love the picasso petunia in the from and the hummingbirds like the salvia in the middle!

Yesterday I went to Walmart and found some great plants for my urns, I wanted red, white and blue, for the upcoming holidays.  Love how they turned out.  The dephiniums are a perfect blue and this was has red petunias and an euphorium.  Here is pic of both the urns.

The one on the left has the delphinium, white lobelia and a red trailing plant, cant remember the name.  Now on to the back!

Here is the view from the gate looking towards the back.  My veggies are on the right, the tomatoes are going crazy as is the zucchini.  Can't wait for them to produce fruit.  I have little tomatoes and a few squash blossoms, so soon I hope!

Here is my donkey tail, or is it burro tail?  I planted this in the same pot as some gerber daisies and they both seem to do fine.  This area does need a little attention, the planter behind needs to be weeded and cleaned out, but waiting for another day!

Hope you had a great weekend.  Oh and just to show you, here is the rag quilt for niece #1 all done!

We are leaving on Saturday for Atlanta, her graduation is on the 29th.  Hope she likes it!
You can read about the process here and here.  Now on to the next one!  Her graduation is June 5th.

Have a great day!

Laura

One down.

Well I finished quilt number one, for Niece #1.  Now this isn't by preference, nieces, but by graduation date!  Here is a pic:

Here it is waiting for DD to snip.  She is my official snipper!  She does it faster and better than I.

Once you have finished sewing all the squares and rows together, you need to sew a 1" allowance around the perimeter.  I like to use a decorative stitch.

I can't get much fancier that that considering my machine is 41 years old!  Yes I have an old Bernina.  It was used when I got it for my High School graduation.  But it is a workhorse, sewn many a quilt, purse and even my wedding dress!
I also add a label, just in case they forget who made it.

For Niece #2 still need to find another fabric.  DD has finals this week, then she is home for the summer, so she can help with that.  She is trying to find a job, which is proving to be challenging, since it is her first one.  It is that vicious circle, they want experience, but you can't get experience with out first getting the job...

Have a great Monday!

Laura

A few doilies!

I did it!  I finished my doily runner. I talked about making it here.  It was a Pintrest thang, don't ya know.  Can't get enough of that!  It took a while for me to find the right layout and then tacking them together.  (I am really bad at tying knots!).  But it is done.

Here it is just laid out.

And here it is all done.  This is from the other side.  We don't have a very big table, so I didn't need that many.  Sorry for the bad pics, getting too much light, if that is possible, from outside.

 I added my candlesticks back, but may change those out for something more springy!

Decided to have Mother's Day here, so straightening up the house and working in the garden over the next few days.  Told the kids I didn't want anything, cause I already went to the nursery and bought a bunch of flowers!  ( I do that every year, so I get what I want, and they don't have to fret.  Although a card is nice) ")  Pics to come.

Have a great Mother's Day all!

Toodles,

Laura

 

A Quest!

Have you ever seen that show on DIY called 'I Want That'?  Well I found this idea on what else, Pinterest, and I Want That!  Here is a pic:

source:Under the Sycamore

 So I have been on a quest to find doilies!  I already have some that were my grandmother's as well as DH's grandmother's. But I needed more.  So off I went to the thrift shops.  Ouch!  I think sometimes they think because we are in 'the OC', they can charge ridiulous prices.  $5 for one doily?  So I went to the local Flea Market yesterday!  By the way if you are in South Orange County on the first Sunday of the month, check out the Antique Market at the Big Park in Irvine.  Lots of fun and there is a Farmer's Market as well!

Well I found a number of spaces with $1 bins with doilies!  I purchased 10 of them, so I need to dig around and find mine to get this done!  But...  Today I am weeding the back garden.  I started yesterday and told DH I would finish today and clean up.  Sun is finally out here, so will be nice to have the patio and garden done.

What do you have on your to-do list?

Have fun doing it!

Laura
 
PS:  Rachel over at Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle is featuring my chandy! Thanks Rachel!

A day off!

Tomorrow is going to be interesting.  We will have no power from 9-5.  I know that doesn't seem like a big deal, and it really isn't, but it has never happened here!  We got notice from the power company that they will be doing maintenance tomorrow, it may not be that long, but they want to cover their bases. The thing that is freaking DS out is no computer or TV!!!  What will he do?  Sort of makes me chuckle!

In light of that I began working on niece #1's graduation rag quilt.  She is graduating the end of the month and DD and DM and I will be flying back to ATL  for the ceremony.  I made rag quilts for all the nieces and nephews 9 Christmas's ago when I first started sewing them.  Where did the time fly?  She will be attending USC (University of South Carolina) in the fall on a dance scholarship.  Here is a pic of her quilt all layed out:  (I don't think she reads this, I hope!)

Can you tell her fav color is pink?  These are 10" squares and it is 6 rows by 7 rows.  I will take a 1 inch seam to be snipped.  Here it is after the rows have been sewn.

I try to find fabric that matches the person receiving the quilt.  Hence the square of ballerina's,and all the hearts!  This is my niece!  We only have a JoAnn's fabric here and I have learned when you see a fabric you like buy it, cause it may not be there next week!

So tomorrow no sewing, but I think I will hit up the thrift shops, haven't been there in a while.

Have a great Thursday!

Toodles,

Laura

Hope you are all having a great 1st day of May!  Thanks for all the kind comments on my new chandelier!  I love how it turned out and am glad you think the same! 

Do you have big plans this month?  Getting ready for Summer Vacation, ready for school to be out?
Well now that my kiddo's are in college, can I still call them kiddo's?, I am not so into school being out, although I know they are looking forward to it later this month.  DH has decided no summer vacation this year, we will just do a fall fishing trip like last year, maybe longer!

So DD and DM (dear Mom), and I are flying to Atlanta the end of May for my nieces graduation.  Sad to say my brother has lived there over 20 years and we have never been!  It is over Memorial Day weekend, so probably not a lot of spare time, with family gatherings and such, but I do look forward to having at least maybe one free afternoon.  Any ideas on what to do?  Suggestions recommended!

I also have another niece graduating the first part of June and a neighbor graduating the middle of June.  So I have 3 graduation rag quilts to get made!  I have all the flannel for the first one, but still looking for the right fabrics for the others.  Seems that when you are looking for something is when you can't find it!

Hope you all have a great day!  Here are a few shots from my garden, although not today, another dreary, misty California day?



Laura