WEATHER AND WHETHER---??

 I  have to say--I really don't remember our weather being so humid and hot here, so early--I want to go outside and sit and breathe some nice fresh air--but--it is also good to breathe while doing that and it doesn't seem to be working that way???

I had a super busy week again--but -- I did manage to get some stitching done--my 'quitting' time is between  3:30-4:00 pm-- and then it's hand work time--

So this week I spent some time on the wool ornament blocks--

2 lamb blocks are nearly done--they need 2 buttons on each one for the wheels and some eyes-

Two candle sticks with candles--these still need some little red seed beads by the holly leaves--I thought those handles would be hard to stitch on--but they weren't!!!

And 2 snow ladies--they still need some little tiny beads around the vine over their heads--

I still have 2 gingerbreads to do and 2 with large holly leaves on to do--

And remember last week--I said I had a 'brain' storm one morning for my heart blocks--

and it was to add this 'dash' line around each one--what a difference it makes--still have more to do--I save these for when I am too tired to do anything else!!!

And of course I always knit before bed--am working on 2 different yarn baby sweaters--OH and I did work on some cross stitching in the mornings--but forgot again to do a photo???

The rest of the week was either grocery shopping or working on the continuing cleaning and sorting out--

Here is my fabric closet now--

All my fabric--except Christmas fabric is now sorted and in an envelope--( the Christmas fabric is sorted but left in  a nice plastic tote box ,and the bottom shelf is my books in these wonderful envelopes--

Here is what one looks like--they hold alot--are about 16" x 10" or so inches and are not vinyl--but made from a material like vinyl--but barely any smell to them--

And I got all my quilts bagged up--

These bags are really big and I could easily put more in each one--!!!  These came in a set of 6--I still have the 2 yellow ones I can use on other things or the larger quilts I have on the walls???

And these little neat tote bags--

 I am using to sort my patterns in --one already has my loose recipes in it--there is 2 zipper pockets on these and a nice handle--the patterns have to wait until the longer folding table is set up--so that I have room to sort them all out!! All came from Amazon--

and here is the 2 new boxes I got at JoAnn's a couple weeks ago--

I just love these with the birds on them!!!!

I did sell my heavy microwave cabinet and my big heavy desk though the desk is still here--she will come sometime this week to pick it up--

Lots of bags of fabric and 2 boxes of patterns where picked up by Karen a member of the  Quilt Guild--and they were really happy to get them and I was happy to share!!!

It is looking like I might be moving apartments within this building--probably in 4-6 weeks--the manager and asst manager came up and I showed them the ceiling and mold issue and they took photos and sent them to the main head office--so I have 2 opps--one I can stay here--move all my furniture to the other half of the room and go stay some where's for 4 days while their maintence men redo the ceiling and such (no professionals will do this, I guess  and believe me--I know what kind of mess these 2 men make!!)--I will have to wash everything when I come back in--including all the dishes in the kitchen--even if some things are covered in plastic--mess!!!  Or I can apply to move and move to a different apartment--so far the vote with family and friends is to do the move!!  I have till Wednesday to decide for sure--still need to talk to my Son!!

Not sure how much sewing I will get done this week--it looks busy all week --with appointments!!!

LETS TAKE A BREAK AND HAVE SOMETHING COLD TO EAT--LIKE ICE CREAM!!!!!

HUGS, DI

CRAZY SILLY WEEK--

 What can I say it was an adventurous  week--

and a busy one--so not alot of time or energy for stitching--

but I did get some projects worked on--

But first do you realize that July is nearly half over already???

+++++ and there has been another so called 'upgrade' as to how we upload our photos--so far though it does seem simpler--guess time will tell for sure????

I did get this months stitchery finished from Jenny's site

These are all so cute and so small--

And I did get some hearts cut out and started appliqueing them on to the background fabric-

Actually I got 5 done--and this morning when I was waking up--God gave me an idea for these--to showcase them better--I have also gotten some other work done on this blue heart quilt!!

And I did start a new counted stitch piece that will be a gift for my friend Anne, in NY, her birthday is end of August--hope I can get it done by then????

And another little baby sweater is finished and is the first one towards the next  box full to be sent to charity!!

Now for the week--

It sure had some 'funny' twist and turns!!

Monday--was the Van morning--and we went to Aldi's and JoAnn's--would you believe I went into Joann's and did not buy a single piece of cloth--instead I was after a couple new decorative storage boxes and did find a couple I like--the lids come off and there is open handles on the sides--got the large one and a smaller one--these are for the desk (which will be the larger folding table set up--when I sell the desk I have there in that space--hopefully today??)   Did just sell the microwave cabinet!!

They had a resident rummage sale on the calendar for 2pm in the afternoon--and I had been rounding up stuff for that--went down and set up and only one other resident set up and we only had about 8-10 customers--nobody knew about it--Social worker did not put up any signs--so I only made about $15--left a box full of small stuff on the table in her outer office for free give away--but did bring some things back to apartment.

I had been waiting for a JoAnns online order to come in--later in the day I get the notice in an email that the order has been delivered--I go downstairs to pick it up--only no order came--so came home and looked it up and would you believe that Joann's put the wrong address on the package???  My old address at Ascension Manor--not been there for 6 years!!!  Joann did refund me the money!! the thing is I was just at Joann's in the morning and could of bought the thread there if I had known--!!!!!

Tuesday--morning I went on the bus to the Library and Publix--on the way down the hall way--I seen the a/c guys in Allen's apartment--next door--( the a/c guys are taking the outside vent covers off and cleaning out all the rust ect and then in some apartments they are coming in and replacing the frame around the a/c unit--I thought I was next so stopped to ask the men if I was--but they said they are doing some water damage apts first and they let me see his wall--oh my goodness people--his whole wall over his window and all around his window got bad damage back in Oct from a big rain storm--and I could see that over the window is lot of mold--looked like black mold to me too--remember I am still standing out in the hallway looking all the way in to his living room wall--I can not believe that Poah the organization that runs this place let him live there this long with that much damage??????

+++by the way--the mold kit I ordered for my apartment is showing mold growth--but it has another day or so before I know how bad--

Thursday--was a funny--but I guess 'laughable' day!!  My friend Carolyn and I catch the 9:00am bus and go to the Mall--I needed to go to two banks in the parking area of the Mall--the first one we walked to is the one I have my account in now--I wanted to draw out some money from my savings account in cash so I could go next door to open an account there--I get in line and am the 4th one back and at the window being waited on is a gentleman--well--he had lots and lots of bank bags and business to do and the clerk was also a bit slow--finally the next lady after him started giving him grief and for the next several minutes they had a verbal fight--and we all had to listen to it--finally a 2nd bank clerk came to help--when it was my turn--I had to give her my debit card and my ID card(don't  have a driver's license)  pretty soon she comes back to tell me she can't help me--cause my ID card had expired in May--What????  So I was able to transfer the money I needed from the savings to checking on my cell phone and go outside to the ATM machine and get my money that way--makes no sense--but???  Then we walk next door to the other bank to set up my account--as I talking to that bank clerk--it 'hit's me that I can not open an account at that bank cause --you guessed it--no valid ID!!!!--we left went back to the bus stop and came home!!!

I was able to make an appointment for the 22nd to go to the motor vehicle office and get me a new ID card--it will cost me $55.00--for a simple ID card--but in FL you need one--have used mine several times!!!

So what have I been doing when not getting into trouble???

Sorting and Sorting-and getting rid of--things like yarn, patterns. some books and lots of fabric--

Remember I used to have all those little tote baskets holding my fabrics --well--now I have my fabric in these neat large envelope type --zipper--bags--as I use the fabrics in each one I plan to add a small strip of fabric on that little loop on the zipper so I can tell better what color fabrics are in each bag--I did run out of the bags so had to order more from Amazon--hopefully these will keep out the 'oders and the smell of mold"!!!   I have some bags, of fabric, to donate to my local quilt guild--!!!

Hey--I did find the Christmas project I want to work on for this month's Chooksheld challenge!!

And here is another sunset this past week!!!  Now that is red!!!!

DID YOU SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT WEEK???  HOW ARE THOSE GARDENS GROWING??

HUGS, DIANE

TRAPPED--BUT STILL---

We will talk about the title later--

First we have to talk all things 'stitchy'--

I got this months woven wreath embroidered--

I stitched me a bluebird--and then I realized that the next 5 blocks will be mostly golds, browns, and orange type colors--plus one with red and green and that I needed to order those colors in the line of thread I am using on these wreaths--that got done and they arrived yesterday--just in time for me use the red thread on this project--

it was the perfect red for the geraniums for this months heart block by Melisa--( I am not sure I like the color thread I used going around this one--Hummm??????)

Now we had a holiday here in the states on July 4th--Thursday--and this was my project for that day--

 It was time to sew buttons on to baby sweaters--

I had 13 in the regular heavy cotton yarn I get from Hobby Lobby and 13 in the lighter cotton yarn I get from Hobbii in Denmark--so a total of 26 sweaters and some infant socks are already boxed and just await'n on me to get them across the street to mail out to World Vision--

I also spent one afternoon filling this box with--

I got the box of wool out and ended up preparing about 10 blocks of the Christmas ornaments I am doing this year in the wools--so have some stitchin here all ready to go--!!

And I did get the newest little cross stitch finished this morning--

Now to decide how to finish these off--

And I have another complete finish to show you--

This is last year's SHRR--color of the month--I enjoyed making each block and adding the  words and lace to them--!!! 

Now I have 3 larger quilts to hand baste--sooo--

I have been cleaning out my microwave cabinet--I don't use or believe in microwaves--silly I know--I have a nice counter top oven I use instead--takes longer--but!!!  I got this cabinet for the oven then changed my mind and put the oven on the counter in the kitchen--and used this cabinet for storage--mostly kitchen items--but have decide to sell it and my big desk and then I will set up the longer wider folding table I have in this space and when not quilting--I will use it for a desk --so also been cleaning out the desk--it is a large one so stored alot in it!!!

Yesterday was a big laundry day--there is a washer and dryer in an area down by the elevators--and off this area is a storage room with 12 storage lockers--walls are wire with a wire door and you provide the lock--I had decided my locker needed some cleaning and straighten out--so while clothes were drying I went in to get some tote bags that held holiday stuff--(I am also getting things around for a resident rummage sale Monday afternoon) and I opened the door and oh my goodness--it really smelled bad in there--yet it wasn't a mold musty smell--got my tote bags and brought them back to the apartment and then I realized what the smell was--my neighbor next door has been going in there smoking his bong!!

Later when I went in to get some more bags out to do some organizing--I smell cig smoke--oh dear--do we have '2' residents being bad?????   I did get the totes sorted and pulled alot for the sale, what I am keeping went into sealed plastic bags and back into the totes--my totes are decorative grocery bags from Publix's--that way I know which holiday stuff is in what bag and they are light weight!!

Now why I am trapped--my neighbor is still doing his 'thing' all week end long--I used to be able to go outside a couple times a day for fresh air--but can't do that now--as the re-tarring of the parking lots still has the air full of that  tar smell--I would need to go a couple blocks away to really get some better air--plus our humidity here is really really high right now--so I am kinda trapped in my own apartment--but I have discovered that a low rimmed bowl filled with hazel nut coffee helps clean the air--even better than my 3 air machines--I was afraid I was going to dump the bowl over where I have it by my rocking chair so had emptied it--this morning has been really bad in here--then remembered the bowl of coffee and so replaced it--and it is helping--believe me--(I always dump a bit of coffee in my garbage can to help with those oders too--I get the coffee on bogo's--and no I don't drink coffee, but love, love the smell of coffee!!!)

****When I tell you of my 'challenges' of living here--I am not telling you to 'whine' or anything--I am just sharing with you--some events in my life--to tell you my life isn't all 100% quilting!!

And I thank you for listening and to those who care and comment--thank you!

SO IT IS CHRISTMAS IN JULY--ANY SPECIAL PROJECTS YOU ARE DOING FOR IT???

BLESSINGS AND A HUG FROM, DI

HOT OUTSIDE AND UNDER THE COLLAR--

 Oh my--lots going on here this past week--besides the hot sun and humidity outside!!!

Plus--today is the last day of June 2024--Ouch and oh my--is all I can say!!

First lets do our Quilting/ stitching stuff--

So first up is--

This months Chookshed challenge--

Remember mine was last years 52 heart bom week blocks--

And I used 25 of them in the first quilt top--

These were my favorite ones--and top is done--there is a 3" wide white border on this quilt-it is kinda hard to see the white border  in this photo--I also have the backing and batting cut for this one and I know what fabric I believe I will use for the binding--just need to get some more of it!!

this is the next one I would like to hand quilt--but I goofed and it too is too wide to tape to my small cutting table--My cutting table is only 39" long and the quilt is 44" long--

This makes at least 3 quilts that I need the bigger folding table for--so now to decide how to rearrange a couple things so I can put up the longer table--but once that is up--I will have to just baste and baste till all 3 or 4 are basted--but then I won't need to baste for awhile--will I ?????

I finished the little strawberry sampler that I was working on--

And now I have decided on doing one more Strawberry one--

And I decided to use the blue in other 2 --for the frame--

And here is some more appliqued heart blocks--

I am working on another part of this quilt --too--and I still need to do more hearts--but am waiting on a fabric order with more blue fabrics in it--

And for the Chookshed challenge for last month--May--

This one--it is all hand quilted--just need to make and sew the binding on--

Now I was going to do that yesterday--but I am keeping Saturdays as a 'clean out' day--and this Saturday it was my water tank closet--and yes some items when down on the free table--I had one big box on the top shelf that held keepsakes--like my first Bible that my parents gave me back in 1960--it was a small one white with a zipper and the zipper has a small cross on end of it--and there is signatures  on the last couple pages--some of friends and family and one page has signatures of fellow campers at a Bible camp I went to back then--have to keep that!!  And lots of photos--so I had a nice long walk down memory lane for the afternoon--and I did throw out alot--some are too old and faded to make out--some I wondered why we took them and some had  people in them I did not know!!!???

On Tuesday, a girl friend from here and I went to Publix for groceries and then to a Mexican Rest for lunch--and that night I went out to dinner at Olive Garden with my son and daughter in law--we did some catching up and I was able to ask them some questions about what is going on next door with my neighbor--they said that whatever he is smoking is worse for me than cigarette smoking--course--I have been sick enough to know that--but it was 'good' to hear someone else say it--

On Wednesday--an asphalt crew came to resurface our big parking lots and driveways here--So I had to do some prep for that--sealed up cracks in the window--and bought 12 charcoal bags, which I  mostly put around and under the air conditioner--and I am happy to say--that I did not get any 'tar' smell in my apartment-(plus the a/c at the end of hall way--just 2 doors down--stopped working so that did not bring any fumes into my hall way--yea!!!  But the rest of this building--everywhere smelled like tar!!!  I was a stay at home person for a couple days!! Still am, really, still a small smell outside--soo!!

********************

This is just for those who want to read about 'the neighbor' problem--

On Monday morning I demanded a meeting with the manager and the social worker--it was not easy--but they finally agreed to one at 3pm--and you know who won that meeting--it wasn't me!!!  They insist that they have talked to  Allen and he insists he is not 'smoking' anything in his apartment and because he is such a 'nice guy' they believe him --so therefore they will not interfere with him--he also has a medical card saying it's ok for him to do this--so case closed!!  What????

Remember I now have 2 air purifying machines running 24/7 in this little apartment--and today I just unpacked a third one for my desk area--Yes--he still is smoking it in his apartment--!!!

And the police can't do anything--they tell me it is up to the management of this building to take care of it!!

So my only hope is to move--I do have my name on a list for where I first lived when I moved down here the first time--but though normal channels that will be another year at least--I am 75 on that list!!

but have heard of a medical form that might help speed it up and put me higher on the list--(am working with the Doctors office on this) in the meantime here I am--I have times where I feel normal and can do what I planned to do--other times--I get --not sure of word--maybe unsettled and not sure what it is I need to do or should be doing!!!!

And are you ready for this--my son and daughter in law--have discovered that that leak I had back in Oct 2023 from a bad storm--that bubbled the pain along my window--(which is not fixed yet)also went across my ceiling all the way to the kitchen wall--under the popcorn stuff and they tell me there is mold up there--What???

I can't report that--at least not right now cause the 'good' maintenance man is off on medical leave--for another month--!!!

So these are some of challenges living here--but I keep telling myself--at least I have roof over my head and a bed to sleep in and hobbies to keep me busy!! THANKS FOR LISTENING

BE CAREFUL IF PARTY'N FOR THE FOURTH--ENJOY THE FIRE WORKS--

HUGS, DI

H & H = R

 Hot and Humid equals rain and storms!!!

I think that described alot of us --up and down the East coast of the USA!!

I did get this months Woven Wreath embroidered--

Be careful --there's s little bumble bee flying around on the Queens Ann lace flowers!!!

And I did the 'extra' heart block of the watering can embroidered from Melisa-

And here is a start on one of 'her' cross stitch designs--

it's to be a bowl of ice cream with strawberry on top!! Yummy!

And I got some blue hearts appliqued--

these will be part of anew quilt I am doing--

And here is where I am on #10 challenge this month--

I got 25 of the heart blocks on this one--and I know how I want to finish it--but????

and it should of easily gotten to a finished flimsy state this week--but???

Grrr--what happened to the 'symbol' for the app that I always used to crop my photos, ect--it must of ' died' the death of 'up grading' in the latest upgrade on the computer--???  I found it!!

IN THE MEAN TIME--LETS ENJOY THE DAY --AND YOU ALL HAVE SOME FUN--

HUGS, DI

                                   YET!!!!

IT WAS A HEART WEEK

 I believe it was good week to work on hearts--

Though it was a hot week and I waited all week, along with all the plants, trees and flowers --we waited all week for the promised the rain--that everyone around us got--we only got 2 small rain storms here--so we are still 5" short of where we should be on our water table!!!!  and the week was very humid--though again we are lucky right here in our spot to usually have a nice breeze--though we won't say some days how hot that breeze is!!!!

I spent a couple days sewing my pink heart quilt together--

And to add a 'bit' of 'fun' to it--I added 4 different prints here and there--

one block is sewing items with pink in it, one is pink flamingos (lower bottom left side) one is cute cat faces and one is pink bicycles--!!

The other heart project was this months 'bom' heart from Melisa--

I do have to say--that in wanting my bumble bees to filled in--I had a 'job' and some tearing out to do--and yes a bit of my hair too--but they finally behaved and I think they look a 'bit' like bee's now!!

And here is where these half triangle blocks went--

they are now--

I plan to put lattice around this and then a border--and it will probably be finished as a baby quilt donation--

And 2 more little sweaters are finished--

The top one is done in Hobby Lobby all cotton yarn and the bottom one is done in Hobbii yarn--I think once all the hobby lobby yarn is pretty much used up ( and  I am on the last skein of variegated yarn from them--though I do have some balls of solid colors ) I will stick with the Hobbii yarn this is a lighter all cotton yarn and is easier to  knit with--and right now I have a nice stash of it!!!

Been hand quilting on the large heart block quilt and am on the last block of it--so just need to finish it and do the outside border--so moving right along here--

***************

My neighbor problem is still going on--of course he says he is not doing anything in his apartment--lair--I have discovered on the week ends he does it around 7-9 am--1-2 pm and again 8-9 pm--I just get my eyes to quilt hurting and my stomach to calm down and he does it again--(this he does mostly week ends--when no staff is here to catch him--plus they have to have a reason to go into his apartment to catch him at it, and that not be the reason--this is a 'hard' type drug he is smoking--nothing I want or should be breathing----darn,stupid thoughtless people!!!

I did order and got a second air purifying machine for this little apartment--but I can still smell it and am still having side effects--

and so goes life--just rolling along---just keep stitching , di!!!

******************

AND NOW--

look at a photo I happened to catch out my window mid week--

the sunset is reflecting in the apartment windows--can you see the blue sky in some and the pink-orange clouds in some--just got 'lucky' and looked up from my stitching and seen it--so grabbed the camera-I have seen reflections before--but nothing in the 4 years since this building opened like this one!!!!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

do you know it is better to drink something 'hot' on a hot day than something cold--a hot drink will actually cool you down better, and faster---my parents met back in the 40's when they both worked in a factory that made milk bottles--and their manager told them to never drink a cold beverage when they got over heated while working --!!! Even when both my Mom and my Dad stopped working there they remained friends with Andy and his wife Cora--they were Uncle and Aunt to us kids as we came along!!!  Andy loved my Mom's home made biscuits!!!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL THE FATHERS--

KEEP COOL--IT'S GONNA BE A HOT ONE THE NEXT FEW DAYS ALL THE WAY FROM TEXAS UP AND ACROSS TO THE OCEAN ON THE EAST COAST--

HUGS, DIANE

Yep--it was fun to always check for a quarter--