Today I noticed...There is a big difference in these two things.

There is a big difference in having nowhere to go...

...and not having to go somewhere.

I love retired life!

Just 3 Things | #51

I didn't really have the intention of making Just 3 Things a series when I started back in September of 2025. However, it really seems to work as a good way of wrapping up a week and combining different things I'm thinking about. At any rate, here we are with volume or episode number fifty one. That is sort of a good feeling for me - the fact that I have stuck to this concept and that I have had three things to write about for fifty one weeks. 

- What I've Been Reading -

On one of the Kindle Daily Deals or some such special recently was a book by one of my favorite authors of late. I began reading The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews this week. It has been a very good read. 

A young lobbyist is left in a bind when the firm she works for is caught in a political scandal. She reluctantly accepts her father's offer to help refurbish an old family property that he just inherited. She soon learns that the property is in sad disrepair and rolls up her sleeves to try to salvage it. She also learns that living in a small town finds everybody sort of knowing all about her and everything that is going on in her life - even the run-ins with the FBI, who are investigating the political scandal of her former boss. 

I'm enjoying this one just as I have others by this author. 

- What I've Been Working On -

After creating a Mistake Bag and an oversized Boxy Bag last week, I've closely followed the same tutorial to create another bag this week. Well, I did modify it a wee bit by stitching a thinner fabric at the zipper and attaching that to upcycled denim. I just think stitching the zipper to the denim would make that sort of bag have a lot of bulk there at the zipper and would not work out well. This one measures 10 x 5 x 6" and the one last week measured 10 x 9 x 6" and is more of a square than rectangular like this one. 

I used a piece of denim that has a seam because I had seen that done in some other bags that folks had made. I centered the stacked monogram for the grandson between the seam and the end of the bag. I used a bandana as the contrast fabric and for the lining. The width of the bag is much narrower than the first denim boxy bag I made for another grandson and this one holds its shape much better. I used a bandana with an Aztec design because I had used a fabric with a tiny windowpane check as the contrast for the pencil pouch for this grandson. I think they coordinate together quite well.

Again, I used the same font and thread color for the monograms to tie them together as well. I plan to stitch up some sort of coin or lip balm pouch for the two guys. I don't know what other type zip pouch a young adolescent might need. Oh, I know that we all have treasures and supplies that could be corralled in a zipper pouch but I do want this to be something that will be useful with an intended purpose and not just a collector of stuff. If you have a suggestion for my guys, please pass it along. 

- What I've Been Watching -

We tend to watch a lot of shoot-em-up programs on the television. You know, police shows like Chicago PD or Boston Blue or Sheriff Country or even good old Adam 12. I think the reason we like those programs is because most of the time the good guy wins. I always tend to wonder how many of the episodes is based on an actual event. Sometimes I marvel at the creativity and sometimes I wonder if there really is such anger and violence out there. I guess yesterday I learned that folks really are full of anger and tend to want to take that out on whoever they can.

The Mister serves as the manager of the local community cemetery. He sells burial lots to folks who need to bury a loved one, meets with the grave digger or funeral home folks to schedule burials, meets with the monument companies to show them where to place a headstone, and other public relations type tasks such as those. Yesterday, he left home to meet someone about their cemetery lots. While he was out there he picked up some trash, flowers that had blown off a lot, and just generally check on how things were looking. While he was there, he noticed a hand full of cars were parked in the cemetery but there was nobody in sight who might have been visiting a grave.

The Mister parked under a shade tree and was reviewing his burial records and a guy pulled in behind him and began gesturing and yelling. So, the Mister rolled his window down and asked the fellow what was going on only to be met with anger and vulgarity. He told the fellow that the cemetery is not a parking lot and was informed that the housing development next door had sent information that paving was scheduled for the next few days in the neighborhood and overflow parking should be in the cemetery. The Mister kindly explained that public parking in the cemetery was for folks visiting a grave site, funerals, or folks doing work there. To which the fellow grew even more agitated and threatening and called the Mister a backwoods, redneck... and threw in several choice other descriptors. Someone nearby overheard and called local law enforcement. A county deputy and a local town police officer soon arrived on the scene. 

The officers listened to both parties - the Mister and the agitated fellow. The Mister said that he was so upset that he could feel his whole body shaking. Of course, the officer told him to take a breath and calm down. Then, one of the officers suggested that the Mister should call the Home Owners' Association for the neighboring housing development and let them know that the cemetery is not where their residents should park. That suggestion was not well received and the Mister let the officers know that it is not his duty to inform them not to use property that does not belong to them. The officers agreed to contact the Home Owners and straighten things out and escorted the agitated fellow out of the cemetery. When he got home, the Mister was still kind of upset about the whole affair.

Who would have ever thought that serving in the capacity of cemetery manager - a role that is one of service, empathy, and good will - might become one where there could be danger of any kind? I'm sure the agitated fellow was frustrated with the paving situation and could have been having a bad day. He probably was just taking his unhappiness with all of that out on the Mister. I know that we all have bad moments but the whole incident helped me to realize that some of those television programs probably are based upon real life incidents. I would far rather watch something like that on television than think of my husband involved in such a situation, though!

This has been a much more laid back week for us and I like those kind. For the most part the days have been ordinary with just a few ups and downs thrown in for good measure. I really do like ordinary days and a calm, smooth week. I hope we can rock along with ordinary days and very little ups and downs - just roll along at a leisurely pace for a while!

VFL Baby Gift

A former coworker is preparing to give birth to her second son. The eldest is nine years old so she is basically having to start from scratch again - unlike when I had my two, who were less than two years apart. Whew! I don't know which age span would be better but I do know that a new baby can be a LOT!

My friend, like me, is an alumnus of The University of Tennessee. She is one of those folks who is also truly a Vol For Life. With the first baby, I asked my daughter to do some embroidery and applique work and I stitched the different pieces together. This time I am doing it all on my own. Yay, me!

Again, I went with a fan favorite and every piece is a nod to our alma mater. One of my favorite things to give as a gift for a new baby is a personalized swaddling blanket. For this gift, I used orange checked fabric and grey flannel. One side will feel soft and warm and the other side will feel cooler, yet, cozy. I wanted to tie the power T from the other pieces in with a sweet little hound dog applique that we had used on the older brother's gift several years ago. So, I first appliqued a power T to the corner of the checked fabric. Then, layered the dog's face on top as if he was resting his chin on the top of the T. Finally, I stitched the new baby's name below to personalize it just for him. 

Now, the new baby will have his own university collection that is similar but still personal like big brother's. I love it when I can create something special and one of a kind to give as a gift!

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

 

Ride on, girl!

Happy Birthday, Cassie!

 

Hope your last year of being a teenager is full of wonderfulness!

Just 3 Things | #50

I've had a busy week. I feel like it was a week with a lot of accomplishments. So, that is always a good thing. I've done quite a bit of sewing. The Mister and I got flu vaccinations. We attended a couple of meetings related to our volunteer work. We've cooked some tasty meals and completed some home maintenance chores. 

- What I've Been Working On -

After a mistake bag was created earlier in the week, I was not going to give up on the idea that was in my head. I pulled out my upcycle jeans again and cut the pieces for a new bag. This time, I decided to run a quilting stitch across the denim to give it a little different look but still follow the same concept. This time I watched the tutorial and paused for stitching. Then, watched a bit more and paused for stitching, and so on. This time, I didn't have the same sort of mistake. This time I made the bag that was in my head.

This time I had a different mistake, however. I set up the monogram using the same font as before but this time I set it up in a more traditional way. I placed the quilted fabric on my magnetic hoop just like I did for the previous one. However, this time, the movement of the hoop brought the presser foot much closer to the magnets holding the fabric. That caused the fabric to move because the magnetic force pulled the magnet toward the presser foot. I had left the machine to make a quick trip to the bathroom and when I returned, I had a mess. I stopped the machine, took the fabric out of the hoop and picked out the mess. Then, realigned it and picked up where it had left off. The the first letter - the H - looked alright and the 'fix' wasn't even noticeable. Then, I started the machine to work on the second letter. Again, the magnet interfered and caused a mess before I could stop it. This time, I couldn't get the fabric rehooped precisely and was not satisfied with the result I was going toward. So, I stopped the stitching and went back to the drawing board with another piece of the denim. That meant I had to repeat the quilting process on a new piece of fabric. It was a small price to pay to satisfy my own standards. Thank goodness I hadn't already attached the zipper. That made it far easier to choose starting all over again with that side. This time I used a different hoop with no magnets and just spent more time pressing out the creases from the hoop when it finished embroidering. I added loops at the end of the zipper like the Boxy Bag Tutorial suggested. I also added a strap for a handle using a contrasting denim from a different pair of jeans.

Boxy Bag for Harris

I really like working with the denim. I'm wondering if I should have used foam to give the bag a little bit more structure. The batting gives it a nice heft but the weight of the denim just doesn't hold the shape like I thought it would. It is soft and will hold a lot of toiletries or whatever needs a teen boy might have for traveling, a sleepover, or storage. I showed both bags I had created to another grandson and he suggested using the taller tote for toiletries and that a pair of shoes might fit in the boxy bag. I don't think Harris's shoes would fit, though - he's got a pretty big foundation! 

I believe the boxy bag would be a good size toiletry bag even if I cut it down a couple of inches like I mentioned I could have salvaged the mistake bag. That would have just made it about 3-4 inches more narrow. I guess I have some tweaks to make before stitching up my next one.

Denim Bag Set

I like the idea that I've created something by upcycling old jeans. Most of the garment was in good shape with just a rip or small thread-bare spot. The jeans had been washed enough times that the fabric is soft but not worn out. I've been reading about how much of our clothing goes to the landfill and I'm glad I didn't add to this problem. 

This makes sort of a set for a guy. Everything is not created using the exact same contrasting and lining fabric but the denim and font choice is a consistent thread that ties it all together. I've stitched up a pencil pouch, a boxy bag, and the zipped tote. If I have time, I may make some sort of coin pouch for lip balm or coins or a pouch for some sort of small treasure. Even with the different shades of denim, the bags all look good together and are all functional without being feminine. That is the goal I was shooting for.

- What I'm Loving -

I've continued down the baby gift path this week. This is a gift for another former co-worker. She is a fellow alumni of The University of Tennessee and her blood runs orange. Almost ten years ago she gave birth to a son and my daughter and I constructed a UT themed gift for the little fellow. When my friend, Jessica, announced to me that she was expecting a baby later this year, she mentioned that she loved the UT gift I had given her for her eldest. So, that made it easy for me to know just what to stitch up. 

Power T Appliqued on a Onsie

I tried my hand at stitching on a ready-made garment. Boy! Wrangling that tiny little onsie into a hoop and getting it stitched was a lesson in dexterity. It is so cute, though. The miniature nature of it just makes me smile. 

I also stitched up some personalized burp cloths. One side of each features Tennessee fan favorites. 

Two Burp Cloths for a Tennessee Fan

The other side covers up the back side stitching and makes it softer for baby. I added the new little fellow's initials to personalize and make them unique.

Personalized back side of Burp Cloths

I picked up some light grey flannel and orange gingham to make a swaddling blanket as well. That will be today's project, I guess.

    

I created a Christmas ornament for big brother. He is a baseball player and I asked mom what his number and team colors were this past season. So, he is getting a personalized ornament in team colors of two-toned blue.

I love having the opportunity to give personalized gifts without a huge investment. I don't have to order and wonder how things will turn out and wait for a shipment. Plus, I can create them myself and that makes me even happier. 

- What I've Been Watching -

I haven't been watching much TV lately. I've spent more time watching tutorials, I guess! One thing that we have enjoyed watching is the Drummond Ranch videos on YouTube. Some are as short as seven minutes and others are a little over a half-hour in length. We tend to wait and watch several at a time so that we have an hour or so of TV time watching life on their ranch. We love watching them work their cattle and seeing the equipment and setup. For farmers, I guess that is speaking a language we know and helping us to envision how we would like to have our place set up. We can relate to the hurdles they have in a lot of ways - washout of cattle gaps and weather issues and fixing fences. If you love farming and ranching, we highly recommend it. If you just want to learn more about where and how beef gets to your table, it is pretty good to watch as well.

Fall is in the air and landing on the ground around here. The leaves are steadily drifting down all the time. The Mister blew the leaves off the porch one day and it was noticeably littered with more a day or so later when one of the granddaughters blew them off again. We are grateful for the shade and appreciate the beauty of all the trees in our yard but they do cause a bit more work in the fall. We are planning to attend a cattle grooming workshop this weekend and take along a couple of the grandsons. If we are going to continue to exhibit these Hereford cattle, we feel like we need to learn to fluff them up and make them show ready. Hope you have a fun weekend!

Mistake Bags

I stitched up a zipper pouch/bag yesterday that is a really nice one. However, it is a big old mistake!

I watched a really clear video tutorial for making a Boxy Bag. It looked like the perfect size for what I wanted and seemed pretty simple. Much like smaller pouches I had made for the granddaughters but a good size for guys to use for deodorant, shampoo, soap, etc. for traveling. So, after watching the tutorial no less than three times, I decided to give it a try.

I cued up the tutorial one more time and listened to what size the creator recommended for cutting the fabric and size for the zipper before pausing the video and cutting my pieces. I was even confident enough that the process would be fairly simple after watching the straightforward, wonderful video that I went ahead and cut the outside layer pieces to make three of the bags - one for each grandson. 

Then, I went back to the video and watched the next part. I decided that I wasn't going to use a heavy loft batting and would just use the same sort of batting I'd used for the girls' similar pouches. I did, however, adapt it a bit and added a strip of cotton quilting fabric for attaching the zipper to because I was using a heavier weight fabric for the bag. I thought that would reduce the bulk at the zipper and make it easier to zip. I reinforced the cotton with a piece of interfacing to give it a bit more structure but not be so thick for attaching the zipper. Construction was running along smoothly. I monogrammed one side of the outside of the bag and it turned out exactly as I had envisioned.

Then, I stitched up the bottom of the bag and lining like the tutorial showed, leaving an opening in the lining pieces for turning the bag. For some reason, I didn't go back to the tutorial after that. For some reason, I went into autopilot and proceeded like I've done numerous times. I took my nice, sharp shears and cut the squares out on the bottom edges to form the corners. Then, I realized my mistake. I could have salvaged it by cutting the bottom off but that would have made the bag four inches smaller. I didn't know if that would be large enough. So, I just proceeded and completed the boxed bottom pouch that I have stitched up several times. It is just in a much larger size.

The good news is that I have very little invested in the bag. Of course, I had purchased the batting, interfacing, and zipper, but the lining is a fabric that I bought before this grandson was even born. I saw it when I was purchasing fabrics for swaddling blankets for him and liked it. So, I got it and thought I would make him something with it later. Well, thirteen years later, here I am stitching something up with it! The outer fabric was an upcycle of some of the Mister's jeans. He had ripped a pocket or torn a hole in the knee or something and I was about to toss them before I had the brilliant idea to upcycle them somehow. So, free fabric!

The bag turned out pretty nice and will be useful, I'm sure. It just isn't the design that I first had in mind. In retrospect, since I added the strip of cotton at the top for attaching the zipper, I probably could have cut the bottom off the bag and rolled with it in the design I had first intended and it would have been approximately the same size. At any rate, I have a completed bag that will be useful for something with low investment cost, and it is personalized for the eldest grandson. I'm going to call that a win!

Stitching Gifts

I'm focused on stitching up gifts right now. I have so many things I want to try out and create. Having this sewing and embroidery machine has inspired me to be creative and each day I look forward to making something new. 

I was recently invited to a couple of baby showers for gals I used to work closely with before I retired. One of the new mothers is expecting her first child. She has wisely chosen some sweet items and registered locally to give friends an idea of what sort of things they would like to have for their new little one. When I chatted with her, she told me that they have not decided on a name as yet. So, adding a good old southern monogram is out of the question unless I simply stitch the last name initial. That is what I decided I would do.

Swaddle Blanket

I noticed that most of the sweet little items my friend had added to her gift registry were soft blue or sage green in color. So, I browsed online for a fabric that might work within that color palette. I stumbled across a sweet periwinkle blue Laura Ashley fabric that has a vine and alphabet print. What could be better for a teacher's child than the alphabet? I quickly ordered the fabric from an Etsy shop. Then, I looked for a companion fabric to use with it and landed on a periwinkle gingham. For the swaddle blanket, I used the same tutorial that I had used for my own grandchildren because it is a nice size and the grandchildren all enjoyed using the blanket even after they were beyond the swaddle stage. The tutorial can be found HERE. 

Burp Cloth #1

I decorated a couple of pre-folded cloth diapers for her to use as burp cloths. For one, I used the fabric print and appliqued the initial onto one side and stitched the entire last name below it using he same color thread. (I cropped out the last name to respect their privacy.) Then, stitched a rectangle of the fabric to the back to soften up the back side and cover up the back side of the stitching.

Burp Cloth #2

For the other burp cloth, I monogrammed a large initial and stitched the name below it as well as added a strip of the gingham to the back side. 

Monogrammed Zip Pouch

With some of the remaining fabric, I stitched up an 8" x 10" simple zip pouch. The print fabric shows on the outside with a lining of the gingham fabric. I appliqued a scalloped circle of the gingham fabric on one side and added a monogram to the center. Then, trimmed out the bag with a gingham zipper pull and loop for the D-ring and swivel hook. I made a wristlet that snaps onto the swivel hook and added my friend's last name to it. 

Pouch, Bag Tag, and Wristlet

I used the same applique shape and created my friend a bag tag by adding her initials. I thought she could use a little treat created just for her!

Christmas Ornament

The last addition to the gift is a Christmas Ornament. The back side of the ornament is pictured above. I monogrammed the last name initial onto the center of a piece of stiff felt and added the year right below. The front side features the print fabric with an overlayed applique of the gingham right through the center where the half-moon shapes are on the right and left of the ornament. I stitched the last name onto the gingham. 

All of the pieces really turned out to look sweet and beautiful. The companion fabrics and using just the simplest of appliques and fonts stitched with one color thread really brought the whole look together. I love the embroidery designs that come in several size options for one price. That makes it so easy to coordinate different pieces and uses for the design. I hope the new mom likes the gift as much as I enjoyed stitching it up!

Just 3 Things | #49

I'm looking forward to senior night at one of the granddaughter's school tonight. She will be honored as one of the senior band members. Tonight will be the first night of true fall football weather as we are expecting temperatures to dip into the forties overnight.

Lydia and her Sax

- What I've Been Working On -

I finished up another granddaughter set this week. She's also getting a Tote bag constructed from bandanas. These are certainly not the traditional bandanas I think of but I thought the print was cute. They were a bugger to work with, though. They are not American made nor were they 100% cotton. They were rather thin; so, I used iron on interfacing for each and every bandana to give it a bit of substance. 

Granddaughter's Bandana Bags

Once again, I did a little tweaking on the tote bag. I like the size - width - a bit better but I want to make it just a wee bit shorter. It will be good for toting a laptop around, though, when she is off to college next fall. 

The bandanas in this print came in a set of four different color ways. So, I used three of them for this set. The tote features the tan and brown print on the outside and is lined with the black and tan print on the inside. I used the other black and tan print to make a couple of medium bags. One is the boxy pouch shown above. 

The other medium-small sized one is called a Nami Knot design. It starts as a couple of squares and there are a couple of strips added to form the handles that are tied in a knot on top. I'm not sure it is really practical but it is cute and was relatively simple to construct. 

I made a little keychain card pouch and a wristlet key fob to go along with the other pouches. I chose the swirly, swoopy L because I wanted it to look a little bit like Laverne and Shirley. I'm not sure she will even know that reference but it makes me smile!

- What I've Been Watching -

I've been enjoying the new season of network television this week. Several years ago when the Mister was talking to a friend just before dinnertime, his friend said, "Well, I'd better get off of here and go make my nest in my recliner. Tonight I'm going to Chicago. I'll watch Chicago Med and Fire and Police and then shuffle off to bed." We chuckled about that but on Wednesdays for the past couple of weeks I've gone to Chicago for their new season showings. I kind of like how they reference and have guest cast members from one of those programs to the next. It sort of seems more like it really is a connected town.

- What I've Been Loving -

This week I've also been working on some birthday gifts. Part of the gift is personalized cup towels. I love personalizing them. It is such a quick and easy project! I bought a big chunk of dish towels. Then, I just pull one out and stitch something cute on it, press them, tie them up with a colorful piece of twine and it makes for a really cute gift!

Changing out the font for the name really changes up the look a bit and truly makes each one a unique and personalized gift. Plus, who doesn't use a good, absorbent cup towel in the kitchen? When it is decorated and cute, that seems to make the chores of cleaning up the kitchen a bit more pleasant.

I'm thinking that some sort of soup or stew might be on the menu this weekend since fall is truly here for us, what suggestions do you have for that sort of simmering pot?

Today I noticed...Some road trips can be dubbed chat trips.

Yesterday my favorite sister-in-law and I took a road trip to see a long-time friend that we had not visited in quite a while. We put together a meal, loaded the food and ourselves into her SUV, and trekked off three hours to our friend's house. 

Now, my sister-in-law and I had just visited and caught up about a month ago when our grands were exhibiting livestock at a local fair. Then, we've also chatted via phone a couple or three times since. Yet, I noticed that the moment we got face to face for loading the food, we began chatting. 

For the entire trip to and from our friend's house, we chatted - never a quiet moment. The entire time we were at our friend's house one of the three of us was yakking. We talked about children, grandchildren, parents, housekeeping, sewing, cooking, health and our current medications... you name it, we touched on it. 

While our bodies were probably a bit tired from sitting still on the drive to and fro, neither of us was too tired to chat. Even when we returned to the house, my sister-in-law came in and checked out my recent stitching projects and we kept on chatting till she climbed into her SUV and backed out of the driveway. 

Maybe, instead of Wednesday, yesterday should be referenced as Chat Day!

Happy Birthday, Laura!

 

Hope your day is fantastic!

Just 3 Things | #48

I've had a week that is pretty typical for me lately. I've had fun stitching and playing and learning using my sewing and embroidery machine.

- What I've Been Working On -

I worked on birthday gifts this week. We have a trio of family birthdays this month. So, I've stitched out a few things for gifts. 

I used some fabric left over from different projects to make a reversible table runner. One side has a pumpkin stitched on it and the other has a monogram. I thought that would make it nice for a fall Halloween or Thanksgiving table or could be used most any time of the year.

Reversible Table Runner

I also made a couple of potholders/hot pads from the same fabrics and added a monogram to them. 

Monogrammed Pot Holder

I decorated a couple of cup towels with the fabrics. I noticed that these particular fabrics are probably a bit heavy for decorating cup towels. I'm sure they will launder up alright but something like that would probably be better done with a light weight fabric stitched onto the towel. I love that kind of towel and I want to give a practical gift that will be used. I'll just have to remember next time to use a lighter weight fabric for decorating.

Decorated Cup Towels

The towel on the left with the points was a fun new learning experience for me. I cut squares and folded them into triangles. Then, stitched the raw edge between the decorative check fabric strip and the edge of the cup towel. The towel on the right was made sort of like a burrito pillowcase so that there are no stiff seams or raw edges.

I spent a bit of time learning to make a different kind of card and coin purse this week as well. It turned out alright but I've got some practicing to do before I decide that I am accomplished at creating something like that. I like that the snap is at the top to hold the card(s) in the center. The zipper is nice for keeping coins corralled and not losing out all over the place. I like that it has a loop with a swivel that can snap onto a lanyard, tote, or bag. It would also be handy on a wristlet/key fob, too. The other side has a monogram.

Monogrammed Wristlets/Key Fobs

I also made a try of making some wristlets/key fobs. I had gotten these cute little clamp thingies and wanted to give them a try. I like them and how they work. However, they are only an inch wide and I like the inch and a half width. So, I've got to figure out how to make that concept work. 

One Inch Wristlet

Bridgette has suffered with a kidney stone this week. I thought she needed a little treat. So, I stitched up a one-inch wide wristlet with her monogram on it in her school colors. 

One Inch Wristlet and Basketball Bag Tag

Luci was in a play at her school last weekend and I stitched up a wristlet and bag tag to take to her instead of taking flowers. She is into the color purple right now. So, I knew how t start on her gift. Her school colors are black, navy, and orange. So, I trimmed it out by stitching her name and lining it with school colors. Because she recently made the middle school basketball, I also stitched up a bag tag for her. On the opposite side of the bag tag I put a pretty loopy L. Every time I monogram something for one of the granddaughters whose name begins with L, I think of the swoopy L used in Laverne and Shirley for Laverne's sweaters. 

 

Swoopy, Laverne-type L!

- What I've Been Reading -

I haven't made a lot of time for reading this week. After finishing my last book, I decided that I would dig into something that is engaging but not provoking deep thought. Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez fits the bill. It was promoted as a beach read and, while I am not lolling on the beach, I do have that sort of frame of mind when I make the time to read lately. So, it is perfect for short jags of reading without immersing myself into a story. 

- What I've Been Loving -

Every fall for years and years I found myself at a big box store or an office supply store browsing through items and gathering needs for back to school. Since I retired a couple of years ago, I didn't have that ritual and, frankly, it has been pretty nice. This week, however, my volunteer work required that I get a copy of an eighteen by twenty-four inch map. I also needed an enlarged copy of an eleven by fourteen map. So, off to a local Staples store I trekked. I was under a bit of a time crunch. I had exactly ninety minutes and I knew that my travel time was going to be at least twenty minutes both ways. Thankfully, everything worked out beautifully and I made it back home for a virtual meeting with fifteen minutes to spare!

I walked in the door of the Staples store, asked the associate at the front of the store to point me in the right direction, and only had to walk about twenty-five feet to the next counter for service. The young woman took a look at my maps and made quick work of enlarging what I requested. The other map looked pretty delicate to her - translation - It was old and a wee bit fragile. So, she suggested that I download a scanning app to my phone and send her a digital photo for reproducing it. She talked me through each step with patience and pleasantry. Soon, I was walking out the door with clear, easy to read copies that I needed. I cannot say how much I appreciate a friendly, efficient, and helpful associate when I have business to conduct. 

At the end of every summer, the Mister is tired and frazzled from mowing so much grass, harvesting hay, and generally maintaining our farm. He always talks about wanting to move during that time of year. So, earlier this week I suggested that we go looking for some place that would be better than here. He mentioned such an interest to an acquaintance one day and had an offer to show off a place the next day. Yesterday, we enjoyed a nice drive through the country and a tour around a place that we truly enjoyed and might even consider as a new perch. We are in the thinking and wondering phases. All that to say, again, efficient and helpful responses really made a difference and encouraged us. 

I guess you could say that I'm really loving the fact that there still are folks out there who listen when you talk, who are truly wanting to be helpful, who are kind and encouraging. Sometimes I hold on to a negative attitude about things because I listen to a newscaster or read an informative piece , or encounter a person who is not the most pleasant. This week, it seems, that I came in contact with folks who are a breath of sunshine and I am loving that!

I hope your week had some breaths of sunshine to hold onto and that this weekend is one that helps to embrace fall and coziness. Lest I make the mistake of not mentioning the weather, we have had cooler temperatures this week and rain is predicted for our weekend and I am really looking forward to it!

Today I noticed...The flutter of falling leaves.

Off and on today I sat at my desk, which is right in front of a double window. I couldn't help but notice that each time I looked out there was a steady stream of leaves fluttering down and twirling along. 

I know that the dry weather has caused some of the leaves to dry up and fall already but it is also a sure sign that fall is in the air. 

Just 3 Things | #47

I learned today that in our area we have had thirty-five consecutive days without measurable rainfall. That is creeping up close to a record that was set in 1963. That is a long time record that we have a pretty good chance of breaking! We also had temperatures creep back up into the sweltering level. The local meteorologists say we are looking at some cooler days ahead and maybe even some rain for the weekend. I'm hoping we don't break the dry weather record. When did I get to be the old person who always talks about the weather?! 

This week I worked on some quick projects and stitched up a little something for myself. I ordered some fabric to make pillowcases for the grandsons. I'd been seeing lots of frilly and lacey and girly pillowcases and the idea hit me that one doesn't see much like that in the way of masculine-looking styles. Guys probably don't think about that sort of thing like women do but I think they probably appreciate them when it is tailored specifically for them. So, I took a little time and personalized and stitched up some pillowcases this week using this tutorial to remind me how to do it. For a couple of them I used the same fabric for the cuff as the main part of the pillowcase. I just inserted a small strip of contrast fabric to perk things up. For the other, I used three different fabrics - one for the cuff, one for the accent strip, and one for the main part of the pillowcase.

The fabrics are soft and cheerful and I think they turned out cute. For one of them, I noticed that the fabric was printed on it a bit crooked. So, to make my pillowcase fabric sit nicely when completed, I ripped the edge to straighten it. When I di that, I was left with only about six inches for the cuff and that is just way to small. So, I went digging into my fabric stash and found something that would coordinate. That means that the baseball print is not on the cuff of that pillowcase but I think it turned out wonderfully just the same. When I do a quick project like that, I really am tempted to order more fabrics and make the same for lots more folks! The pillowcases feature fabrics with prints that show each guy's interest. One is a baseball player and the other two are on bowling teams. I think these will put a smile on the guys' faces and they will see them as a fun way to brighten up their room. I believe that even stinky, middle school boys will like them! 

My first placemats

When I first got my new sewing machine, I embroidered and stitched out some placemats for the Mister and me. We have used them daily and enjoyed them. Some spills have left a few stains on them. So, I decided to make some fresh ones. I dug out the left over kitchen window treatment fabric that I had and found another fabric in my stash that would coordinate with them. Then, I went back into my pin board and found the tutorial I used for self-binding placemats. I used the same monogram font to embroider one side that I had used for the previous placemats. It is bold and stands out well on a busy print. This time I stitched it out in two shades of blue.

I made this set reversible and I used a lighter loft batting for the filler. So, I think I'm going to like that better. I ran rows of quilting stitches from top to bottom at about two inch intervals. Then, added the monogram. For the back side, I used a bit of fabric that I had left from some classroom curtains when I was teaching back in the day. So, let this be a reminder: when one buys good quality fabric, it really lasts! I embroidered a simple O and a bit of greenery in the center of that side of the placemats.

I had purchased a bundle of designs that have greenery and berries and some have bows that will frame something like a monogram letter or could stand alone as decor. These placemats are nothing fancy and were truly made using just scraps of fabric that I had in my stash. However, I created something new and useful and it will not only protect our table but brighten up our kitchen. I feel like I have a kitchen update or a treat. Who doesn't like a treat?

For this project there were lots of steps - cutting the fabric, quilting, embroidering, measuring and mapping out the self-binding part and the mitered corners, and construction stitching. Because I hadn't made the self-binding and mitered corners in quite some time, it took me a bit of reading and thinking and measuring and planning to map it all out. When I make something like that, I really appreciate the cost of custom linens a lot more. Since I took my time and read the tutorials and gave it some thought, I have little to no mistakes or frustration. That is always rewarding when creating.

- What I've Been Reading -

I read John Grebble is Gone by Peter James this week. It was a very short read but it surely promoted thought on my part. Here is the brief summary Amazon gives: John Grebble wakes up to discover he’s been declared dead. His bank account is frozen, his car repossessed, and his entire existence erased.

While reading, I just had to pause and think about what that might be like - to have one's identity not just stolen, but dispensed with, wiped out, declared over. I had some fraudulent charges on my credit card recently and it really was a headache. The card policy is great because they will alert me when there is something odd like this situation where the fraudster had tried to purchase something from a tropical juice bar and hotel rooms in New Jersey. When alerted, I let the company know that I was not in New Jersey and had no plans to be there in the near future, they began investigating and denied the charge at no cost to me. They cancelled that card and sent me another. Then, I had to update the things that I have set up to autopay from that card and places where it is my default card when I order something. That was a little bit of a headache. I could keep operating and using my check card, however, since it wasn't tied to that card. So, I cannot imagine what it would be like to have all accounts frozen and begin losing possessions because of a fraudster.

I also did a bit of thinking and investigating to find out what I need to do to make certain that the Mister or my children would have no problems sorting out my accounts when I actually do pass away. Taking care of some of that business is on my upcoming agenda. So, beyond just being an interesting read, the story also nudged me a bit. I think knowing that it is fiction made me enjoy the ending but it also made me think about how I might react as well.

-What I've Been Loving -

Lately the Mister and I have been into simple, old fashioned fare for dinner. Our breakfast and lunch habits have been about the same - sandwiches, salads, or left overs - but our attitude about dinner has changed a little bit. Last week I leaned on some simple casseroles from my younger days and they were delicious. So, this week I decided to just step into that a bit more. One night this week I made meatloaf. I had put a pot of pinto beans on to slow cook and added mashed potatoes and we had a simple country meal that the Mister talked about for a couple of days afterward. The great thing about having the meatloaf is that there was leftovers and I had a meatloaf sandwich and the Mister had it with some veggies on the side and we enjoyed it almost as much the second time around as when it was fresh out of the oven. 

I mixed up some good old fashioned pimento cheese and we ate it stuffed into a tomato and on a sandwich and with crackers for a day or two. Again, an old favorite that we just don't mix up all that often. 

We've had low calorie fare some nights as well - shrimp tacos, a salad topped with chicken, fresh stir-fried veggies and chicken. So, we haven't reverted to that old-time, high-fat, high-carb sort of diet that the old folks once lived on. It's funny how one night meatloaf and beans and taters seems just the thing and a salad seems better the following night to sort of balance things out.

I don't know if we had gotten into a rut and just were eating the same old, same old there for a while or if I had gotten lazy and didn't want to think about meal prep or what the deal was. Sometimes, shaking things up by going back to the old fashioned tastes from days gone by really makes a difference in my attitude in the kitchen. I know the Mister likes it when I lean into old-time, country farm fare and lately I've been loving it sometimes, too.

It has been a pretty quiet and ordinary week around here and those are really the best kind! I'm off to watch one of the granddaughters perform in a play this weekend. She is a member of the cast of The Addams Family. Da-Da-Da-Dup, snap, snap!