Good Morning From Arizona!

It`s not summer till next week. Yeah right! Phoenix will be 120 this weekend.  In this part of Northwestern Arizona it should be somewhere around 110.  I`m watering trees and plants more often this past month. What hasn`t turned brown the rabbits have eaten. The baby quail have arrived. They look like peanuts now.  No pictures because I don`t want to frighten them. I killed my first rattlesnake this season two months ago.  There are lots of snakes this year..  

The picture above is beautiful Indian Paintbrush.

My eye surgeries are complete.  Long distance vision is great. I need glasses for close up work, but that may change in the next month.  It`s nice to blog again, drive and sew.

The picture below is my friend from Iowa setting up his trommel so he can run the dirt he brought home from the  desert. The gold and small gravels drop thru the mesh into the sluice underneath. The  water running through the sluice washes the lighter gravels into a tub you can`t see and the gold being heavier than the dirt stays in the sluice box. This is a simplistic explanation.

My husband and I recirculated water in our clean up systems.  If there`s clay in the soil your water gets slick and slimy real fast and the clay dries your hands. After your clean-up (the equipment), you need a really good hand moisturizer so your fingers don`t crack.  Corn Huskers Lotion works  real well.  Make sure your hands are free of potions and lotions before you pan or whatever method you chose to use to clean up. Oils, as on greasy hands will float the gold out of your pan. We  dredged in Colorado, metal detected in Utah and here in Arizona. No matter how you find your gold it is hard work. I loved it!  I got used to scorpions dropping into my lap while sitting in holes. Sitting was more comfortable than standing. I was never stung. 

This wide bush is Mormon Tea or Ephedra. The small bush to the left is Sticky Buckwheat .

Last but not least. I `ve had 20 star blocks sitting in my room for two years. My favorite is the butterfly block below. All the blocks are sewn with different scrap fabrics.  Hopefully this is a quilt I will finish this summer!

 A few more blocks.

Thank you for visiting!  Sam the dog, Mr Cat (the cat of course) and I are happy. I wake up everyday to fresh air,  a sleepy cat on my pillow, beautiful views and the sounds of cactus wrens and quail.  

Cathy

Hot,Hot,Hot!

I`m happy to be posting again! Thank you for visiting. Looks like we`ll be 103-104 all week, give or take a few degrees. This is unusual. Last summer was about ten degrees cooler.  Every morning about 5:30 or 6:00 A:M I doing yard work. This week I started to dismantle this travel trailer.

Somebody pulled the  roof staples on the edges for me. I still need to get on a ladder to free the center part of the roof. That`s going to be the hardest part. I peeled  metal and insulation from the front and one side yesterday. I hope to finish pulling off the rest of the metal on that side tomorrow and then attack the front again. The windows are out, the appliance hook-ups, gas line. bathroom and flooring need to come out. I plan to save the frame , putting a 500 gallon water hauling tank on it so I can haul my water again. I`m paying for delivery now and it gets expensive even though I`m thrifty with my water.

I am feeling the effects of the drought now. I hear the acquifers are dropping. This is the first year I`ve had to water my desert vegetation and desert willows. The Joshua trees might have a few years le

left.

 Pictures

This is a Beaver Tail my husband brought home . Somebody was metal detecting for nuggets, pulled out the cactus and left it. The pink flowers are just emerging and should be in full bloom before the end of the week.

This is a Barrel Cactus. Also dug up and tossed. BLM and Park Service frown on that. There are two buds in the center ready to open.  When we were prospecting we never disturbed the plants. We worked around them

Indulge me. Sam was watching me take pictures. He`s my cutie Lab/Dane.

Clouds forming behind the Grand Wash Cliffs. My backyard.

I made an ironing pad last week. My ironing board kept crashing at my feet. Not helpful! I cut binding to match the back side of the pad. The size of the pad is 23" x 23" . A nice size for me. I lined it with  Insulbright and Warm and Natural Cotton batting 

That`s about it.  I`m into 18 months of widowhood now (is there such a word)?  The second year is still hard, but for me somewhat better than the year before. The time goes so fast. Yes it hurts, yes I miss him. We have to go on. God is giving me these days for a purpose and I don`t want to waste the time he has given me. Any talents I have are a blessing from him. However most days I need a good shove from up above.

Thank you for visiting me. I appreciate it.

Cathy

Have A Latte Blog Hop The Complete List

This is Day Two! This is the complete list of Hop Participants. Enjoy! The projects I`ve seen so far are fabulous. Thanks and please visit these talented women.

April 13

Seams to be Sew

I Peace 2-Mary

Janes Quilting

Moose Stash Quilting

        April 14

How Art You?

Stitchin By the Lake

Selina Quilts

Beads and Birds

          April 15

Just Let Me Quilt

Life in the Scrapatch

Grandmamas Stories

Wow I Like That

        

  April 16

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Mountain Stitches

Whims and Fancies

Living my Dream

  17

Creatin' in the Sticks

Lakeshore Stitches

From This to That

A Stitch in time

  April 20

Quiltings by Kathy

Why Know Kwilt

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

  April 21

Sunshine Reflections

Words & Stitches

It Seams to be Sew

  April 22

Chitter Chatter Designs

Sew Peace to Peace

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Rainbows Bunnies Cupcakes

  April 23

Cates Linens

Needled Mom

SewWeStitc

Have a Latte Blog Hop Starts Today!

Today`s  and the following three days participants are listed below. This Hop is a coffee lover oriented Blog Hop, lots of nice fabric, talent and I`ll bet gorgeous projects as well. It continues till April 23 which is my day. Mdm. Samm of  Sew We Stitch is the creator of this Hop and Joan of Moose Stash Quilting has kept things in order. Thank you Joan and Madam Samm for your hard work. I will list the rest of the participants on Tuesday. Long Story! Thank you.

               April 13

Seams to be Sew

I Peace 2-Mary

Janes Quilting

Garden Path Quilts

April 14

How Art You?

Stitchin By the Lake

Selina Quilts

Beads and Birds

          April 15

Just Let Me Quilt

Life in the Scrapatch

Grandmamas Stories

Wow I Like That

        

  April 16

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Mountain Stitches

Whims and Fancies
Living my Dream

Vintage Hexagon Crib Quilt

This is the best day I`ve had in the three weeks since learning I have asthma. I don`t like staying indoors but my allergies are intense. Lots of pollen and dust. While avoiding the dreaded pollen I`ve been  making another tote bag for my DIL. Hand quilting the sides today. Should be done by Saturday. 

I`m doing a short re-post today about a very old hand quilted Hexagon Crib Quilt. I love this little blanket purchased at a yard sale. It is made from scraps.   We were friends of the family. The gentleman selling this precious quilt had been recently widowed. I think he charged me $3.00. I offered more but he wouldn`t take it.

Isn`t it splendid! I`m pulling lots of UFO embroidery projects out of drawers. Embroidery is so restful. I``ve had so much fun these last couple of days quietly hand stitching. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate it.

Cathy

Stitch Me Up Blog Hop! My Day!

Welcome to this marvelous Hop. Thank you  to Debbie at Busy As Can Be and Cyndi at Stitch Stitch Stitch and Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt for designing our patterns. A huge thanks to our fearless cheerleader Jane at Jane`s Fabrics and Quilts.

 I decided to stitch Madame Samm`s "Wee Tot".  This little cutie was "put through the mill"  , so to speak. I have a twin and this is very much how we looked at the toddler stage. Blonde curls and chubby legs. I am going to reverse the pattern and stitch it for my sister so we each have one.

I used DMC floss from my stash and embroidered on cotton. Next time I will use linen. The first time I stitched this sweetie I lined her eyes with pale pink. Looked like she had  pink eye, so I unstitched the pink. Then I added a little pink stitching to her left cheek. My husband said it looked like a pirate scar (well!!!), so I removed that. Her mouth had a sad pout, so that had to go and I changed her eye shape a little. She looked she was ready to burst into tears. More unstitching and I went back to Mdm. Samm`s original design. Teal and red are my favorite vintage colors so I had to put them in the dress. The picture was taken outside behind the clothesline, a little bright. I waited till the last minute. The best natural light was gone. Then a bird pooped on my head and that was it for me! I`m going to add Miss Tot to a pillow cover and then embroider Little Boy Tot. 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and taking a look at my project. I enjoy the Hops a lot. It is so much fun to share with others. Please visit the links below. I promise you will see splendid sewing.

Jane's Fabric and Quilts

Dexterdays The WorldThrough Our Window

Sew Nicely 

thistle creek cottage

My Art, My So Called Life

Just Sew Sue

Co mne bavi...

life, quilts and a cat too

TeaTimeCreations

Read, quit, cook, pray

Cate's Linens

Shade Tree Quilting

Ladybug Dream

Nancy Drew Blog Hop. My Day!

Welcome to my blog! It`s my day to share my project featuring Nancy Drew. Most of us of a certain age have read the Nancy Drew Mysteries or watched the movies. I want to thank Madam Samm , the phenom with the great Blog Hop imagination and Carol from Just Let Me Quilt, our fabulous coordinator.

The Nancy Drew fabrics are Moda. I used  charm pack squares for the front and back of my bag. The bag bottom is made with yardage from my stash. It has that "dark and stormy night look" and I thought it fit in with the theme. The straps and interior are made with Nancy Drew red yardage . The bag measures 12" x 12" and the straps are 22 inches.

I encourage you to visit the bloggers listed below. They also have great projects to share and some are having Giveaways.

Thank you!
 

Dancing thru-threads

Traveling Quilter

Jane’s Quilting

More Stars in Comanche

Moose Stash Quilting

Quilt Doodle Designs

Cate’s Linens

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Grandmama’s Stories

Judy At That Other Blog

In Your Words Blog Hop Day One

Today is my day to participate in the In Your Words Blog Hop. The idea is to incorporate words in our work. Many words or a single word that tells something about each person.

My contribution is this sweet embroidered table runner.  I embroidered the word  HOPE. For me, the butterfly and  flowers indicate a fresh pallet. New life. I revel in their beauty. They fill me with joy, peace and of course Hope.

Please visit the links below to see the rest of today`s participants. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Some of these bloggers are having a Giveaway.


Stitch, Stitch, Stitch, Stitch  (Cyndi H.)

Kwilty Pleasures  (Kathy G.)

Debby Kratovil Quilts (Debby K.))

Sew Darn Quilt  (Carolyn R.)

Mary On Lake Pulaski  (Mary K.)

Traveling Quilter  (Debbie A.)

Just Let Me Quilt (Carol S.)

Vroomans Quilts (Sharon V.)

Cate's Linens (Catherine R.)

Nini and the Sea  (Denise)

                                                             Sew Much 2 Luv (Karen)

Thank you for visiting,

Cathy

Quilting Secrets Blog Hop Coming Soon!

A reminder that the Quilting Secrets Blog Hop starts Monday, January 31st. A seven day hop where seven experienced quilting bloggers will let us in on their quilting secrets. I`ll be there! Come join us. Thank you Mrs Pickles for your great idea!

Our Christmas was very nice. My son and daughter in law sent us the greatest box of homemade cookies. We like gifts from the heart. Thank you Chris and Catie! No pictures, cookies eaten.

Very cold  at night. In the low 20`s. Jack put a light next to the water pump in the water shed to keep things from freezing. We haul our water. There`s a 2,000 gallon tank in the shed. The tank doesn`t freeze but sometimes the pump will. I still keep water set aside for the way below zero nights to flush toilets and I set pans on the stove for cooking. We did get to -11 some years ago. We were living in our tent camper at the time and had no clue how cold it really was. A  few days later when it warmed up frozen pipes in the homes down the road broke and the streets were covered in water. Most of the houses were owned by snowbirds and they didn`t know till spring what happened unless there was a friend watching the house. It was a mess.

Hope I see you at the Hop. Happy new Year!

Cathy

Winter Stories and a Blog Hop

Hayley at Mrs Pickle`s Garden is  hosting The Quilting Secrets Blog Hop December 31st through January 6. This is a great idea!

Six quilters will share secrets that make their quilting experience easier and more fun. I could use a few time saving secrets and tips.
More Hops are on my sidebar. Participating in Hops more than advances my skills. The fellowship and sharing among other quilters is amazing. It`s nice to stretch yourself once in a while!
Cold here now. Temperatures are in the 20`s at night, two nights there was no heat. We`re all set up now.  When we first moved here we lived in our tent camper. It was a big Coleman, shower and everyting but no  heater. It was an option we did not choose, bad move. We moved from `Vegas to the high desert not realizing how cold the winter nights are. We had plenty of blankets, 3 cats and a big Samoyed.  The cats slept in our beds and everybody benefited. When my son was cold the Samoyed was like a huge furry blanket. We would tell him to put on the dog and he did, literally! A win, win. Cooking warmed the tent in the morning. I baked bread and cookies in one of those Coleman ovens you use on top of the stove burner. It worked great. 
 The desert cold is nothing like we experienced  in Colorado. We were camped on the Uncompaghre Plateau, on the western slope. 13 below zero the first night.  We slept in a double sleeping bag with our clothes folded in the bottom of the bag. Jack (hubby) cooked breakfast outside and the eggs froze before he could get them past the tent door. haha! Sometime I will tell you about our experience with ball lightening at  11,000 feet. Now THAT`s a story!   Have a great day my friends! Cathy

Dots On Dots Blog Hop - My Turn!

It`s the last day for the Dots on Dots Blog Hop! Today it is my turn to show my blocks in this wonderfully creative blog hop! Thank you to our hard working hostess Corrie at Quilt Taffy  and to Madam Samm at Sew We Quilt, the inspiration behind this  and many blog hops to come. This has been a great experience. We share, learn and grow and we meet quilters from around the world!

My blocks are unfinished, 11 inches square, made with scraps. I`m crazy for stars and that`s the theme I went with. Yes, I know my last blog hop was starry too.

The star in block one is made from a vintage 1930`s apron. Red and teal are some of my favorite colors. The fabric is linen with sweet red dots.  Isn`t that a sweet flower? The pictures are a little off center because I was standing on a chair on my porch to try and get the good natural light.

Block two. I thought the black dots would look nice against the blue print because there`s a teeny bit of black in there. I`m still not sure about that pink gingham in the center of the star.  Both blocks will be in a star quilt I`m making for my daughter in law. She is worth every stitch. Works full time, is taking double college courses and takes care of my son who has a broken back. 

Please visit the links below to view more great blocks from fabulous quilters. You won`t be disappointed!

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb 

Cate's Linens

From This to That

suemacseeds

Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting

Ellie Quilter 
 Rosemary B- that other blog

Bquiltin Studio

Nati's little things 
Madame Samm

Thank you for stopping by! I appreciate it!  I have tried to straighten out my font but it is not cooperating. Sorry about the tiny print.

Cathy