Turkey Tracks: January 13, 2015
On Saturday I went to two different quilt shops looking for a contemporary fabric for Bonnie Hunter’s 2014 mystery quilt, “Grand Illusion.”
I used Bonnie’s colors–and here, again, is her version of this quilt–which is based on the colors Bonnie found at the famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI:
Here’s the backing I got:
Light, contemporary, has the right colors…
And…FUN!
Turkey Tracks: January 12, 2015
My downstairs tv sitting room is a favorite place for the dogs.
And, for me.
An outside door sits at this room’s entryway, so the dogs tend to track in outside debris. (People in Maine don’t wear their outside shoes inside. Shoes are removed at the door.)
I have a doggie blanket on the couch–which just got recovered not too, too long ago. But though the blanket does the protection job, it looks so shabby–as you can see below.
So, I decided to use scrappy quilts all over this room instead. Not always spread out, but folded in key places.
Quilts that could be used, washed, and loved, loved to death.
Here’s the first one–made from my box of 2 1/2 inch strips: “Piecing Heaven”–because I had so much fun making it.
Here it is on the back of the couch. Reynolds Georgia hangs out here a lot. See how ratty the dog blanket looks?
Here it is from the back:
Grandson Kelly picked out the backing fabric last summer, and I can’t wait for him to see it in this quilt. Likely, if it holds up, this quilt will go to him at some point.
I used a Bishop’s Fan groovy board and an old gold colored thread–which works fine in the quilt. Love the Bishop’s Fan pattern.
The center:
A random piece…
Here’s Gail Nicholson’s quilt on the orange chair–another favorite spot of Reynold’s.
And, here’s the third quilt in this project–almost ready to come off the design wall. I love how this quilt is coming out. This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern, and the border idea is also on her blog: “Scrappy Trip Around the World.” Again, I’m using the 2 1/2=inch scrap strips to build this quilt.
I got this backing fabric–on the long arm–at the Alewives (quilt shop) sale last weekend–40% off. It will work fine, and the colors work in the big room. With all the seams on the front, I wanted a solid backing.
Interesting Information: January 12, 2015
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my cell phone.
I love my cell phone in technicolor!
I have a new IPhone 6, and it’s linked/synched to my MAC and my ipad. For the most part, whatever appears on one, appears on the others–with the exception of my Iphoto gallery, which does not seem to be also on my phone. Probably because it would take up too much space. But I can take a picture with my phone, and it appears on my MAC and ipad. I can also see phone messages while upstairs (the phone stays downstairs for the most part) on the ipad, AND I CAN ANSWER that message on the ipad!
I’m even considering dropping my land line…which seems increasingly a duplication that isn’t so neat.
Except that I do talk to my sister and other family members for long calls. A lot.
But, but, as is becoming increasingly clear (and as I’ve said before on this blog), cell phones are not safe. Particularly for children.
The science is there. But this cell phone thing is like cigarettes back in the day. The science is being demonized and hidden and manipulated. Because we all love our cell phones and because they are so, so profitable.
Mercola’s post the other day covers this topic with some sources for you to check out.
Heavy Cell Phone Use Can Quadruple Your Risk of Brain Cancer.
Do read it because there is a list of what you can do to help mitigate cell phone dangers.
And for heavens sake!!!!: DON’T GIVE ONE TO A CHILD. I don’t care how neat they are. Here’s a quote from Mercola’s post:
As mentioned in the featured video, previous research has shown that those who begin using cell phones heavily before age 20 have four to five times more brain cancer by their late 20s, compared to those whose exposure is minimal.
Electromagnetic fields can and do make us sick. I’m probably old enough to take the risk with brain cancer (70 this year). But many of you are not.
Interesting Information: January 6, 2015
I love salt.
Good salt.
Good salt is sea salt that has been air dried and that is, even, a moist grey in nature–like Brittany, France, salt, aka Celtic salt.
Up here in Maine, we can get really good locally dried salt. Some of it is the moist grey variety. Some is much whiter and dry.
Food Renegade recently did this blog entry on her recommendations for a good salt.
The one she likes is also one I buy when I can’t get our local salt.
Take a look?
Table Salt vs. Sea Salt | Food Renegade.
Also, I addressed our need for salt in one of the Mainely Tipping Points essays–No. 38. There are other blog entries on salt myths. If you are interested, use the search button and the word “salt.”
Also, also, you need to think about getting enough iodine if you are just using sea salt. I supplement and eat a lot of seaweed products.
Interesting Information: January 6, 2015
I hope that my blog readers are recognizing that our government’s dietary recommendations have been and continue to be seriously flawed. These recommendations are not made using the wealth of good science pointing to what we should be eating for human health. These recommendations are being made for political and market (the good of industries) reasons. The history of these guidelines and its outcome (rampant bad health and obesity) is both fascinating and sad.
Healthy Nation Coalition has sent a letter to government officials asking that these flawed guidelines, which are about to go even further in this wrong direction, be revamped.
Actually, nutritional advice needs to be taken out of the USDA and moved to an objective organization that has ONLY human health as its concern.
In any case, I hope that you are aware of this huge problem and that you will take a moment and read this letter as it’s instructive.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 36,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 13 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Turkey Tracks: January 2, 2014
Well, I have my answer.
This
is going to turn into a version of THIS:
That’s Bonnie with her Dad at Thanksgiving.
And, here’s the computer version Bonnie Hunter posted:
Bonnie Hunter is ONE TALENTED WOMAN!!!
I can’t wait to sew my blocks together.
But I have to get THIS off the design wall first:
(Sorry, blurry photo, but you get the idea. This is a version of Bonnie Hunter’s Scrappy Trips…which is on her website.)
And THIS off the long arm so I can push it back against the wall:
Here’s a close-up:
Grandson Kelly fell in love with this backing fabric when we went to a sale at Alewives Quilt Shop in Nobleboro, Maine, last summer. Here’s a shot of it from the rear of the longarm:
I’m using the Bishop’s Fan Groovy Boards and an old gold colored thread that is puuuurfect.
Both of these quilts are being made from my 2 1/2-inch strips, a stash method taught by Bonnie Hunter. The bin is about halfway down now…Yeah!
I’m going to use them in my downstairs room rather than the blankets and dog-covers I have now. They’ll be loved and washed.
Interesting Information: December 28, 2014
I spent some time today balancing my check book, paying bills, and making year-end donations.
I cannot recommend The Weston A. Price Foundation highly enough.
They have “no dog in the hunt” to sell to you.
They work to educate, educate, educate. And their science is the work of biochemists and others with appropriate credentials and research backgrounds. These scientists specialize in the chemistry of the human body with an emphasis on what we eat every day. How can any “healer” heal without taking into consideration what people are eating? Those are chemical reactions.
They have a legal defense fund which comes to the aid of farmers who are being attacked inappropriately by misguided government officials working from either unscientific belief systems or…from outright corruption at the behest of industry.
The WAPF has a terrific quarterly journal–I often try to guide you to articles from that journal.And, so, today I put some of my money where my mouth is…
My theory is that we have to support small farms and real, clean food.
The current membership drive information, itself, has some nice links.
Take a look?
Turkey Tracks: December 28, 2014
I’m up to date with the “clues” for Bonnie Hunter’s 2014 Mystery Quilt, Grand Illusion.
But, will there be another clue, or are we done?
There were 4 units that might well be the cornerstones this week…
Here’s what I have right now…including the little “extra” units of small 1/2-square triangles…
We will all get the “reveal” or a new clue next Friday…
Turkey Tracks: December 28, 2014
I hope your Christmas holiday was as nice as mine!
Friend Gina Caceci came on Monday the 22nd, and I picked her up in Portland at noon.
We played and walked and talked for five days.
We gave each other experiences, not things, which was lovely.
I miss her already!
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