Breakfast Dates and Quilt Fabric

Sorry to be late posting this morning, but I had an impromptu date with my sweet husband at our favorite breakfast place. Bacon and cheese omelet, fluffy biscuits with hot sausage gravy, crispy home fries and steaming coffee. If you have a chance, try breakfast at the Highway 109 Restaurant in Portland, Tennessee.

Last week I pieced this quilt, a new design called One Direction. The fall colors coordinate with the dining room valances I made a few months ago. It may be a table topper, a wall hanging, to snuggle under, or all the above.  I will quilt it tomorrow so it will be ready for use on Thanksgiving Day.

I have several designs in mind for these lovely new fabrics that I got last week. It's funny, sometimes I immediately know what a fabric will be used for. Other times I buy fabric because I love it but don't have a clue what will be done with it. I salvage old clothing for scraps as well. I guess that's why I have hundreds of yards of material stored in my sewing room. I will use it eventually, even the smaller pieces. The dark brown print in the above quilt was the last bit left over from a blouse I made in the late 70's.

Hopefully when I'm a hundred years old, I will look back at my quilts and remember the fabric's origin: clothing it came from, where I bought the yardage, or that I went to breakfast with my husband wearing that shirt in 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Embracing Normal

nor·mal

adjective \ˈnȯr-məl\
: usual or ordinary : not strange
: mentally and physically healthy

Dare I say it? I believe my life is returning to normal. Last Friday we moved my mama back to her house. While it's not a perfect situation, we have made it safe for her and it is where she wants to be.

Two weeks ago I listed eleven things that I would like to do in November. I'm happy to report that I'm well on my way to accomplish them. 

I spent all day yesterday in my sewing room! I finished a baby quilt for my friend Lori, caught up on a few other projects, sorted the box of fabric that I bought last week, and started a new lap quilt in shades of brown, ecru, and green.

My stress level dropped significantly after a day spent sewing. The weekend was ordinary, nothing strange or unusual happened. That's a good start on the road to normal.

“Now and then everyone needs a good dose of normal.” – Anonymous

Thanks To Our Veterans

"This nation will remain the land of the free 

only so long as it is the home of the brave." 

-Elmer Davis

Eleven Notes For November

Good grief, it's already November! My year has been wild and definitely out of the ordinary. I'm aiming for this month to be a little more normal, so here's my list of eleven things to help make that happen.

Buy a sassy pair of boots

Stitch up a few holiday gifts

Pull out winter clothing

Savor a caramel apple smoothie

Curl up somewhere and read a novel

Browse online for bargains and for splurges

Bake mini pecan pies in cupcake pans

Take a walk in the crisp fall air

Spend a day (or a couple of hours) alone

Capture fall leaves and scenes with a camera

Schedule time with family and friends

Slow down and enjoy life.  It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.  Eddie Cantor