Yep, this is rusty fabric! I rust dyed some pieces of white fabric on a large grate that at one point must have  covered a very large something or other. Now it it is serving a greater purpose! I just love it. I have quite a few pieces of rusty bits now. What a great little quilt I can make someday. Just look at the super close up of the rust. Gorgeousness! I highly recommend grabbing a little vinegar & water (1:2 ish)fabric, spray it, lay it on or place the rusty bits on it, cover it with plastic bag (keep wet if possible) and a few hours later reveal the wonderment!

Sunday, after a busy Saturday, Karyssa and Michael here all weekend....I picked up Jody's coffee CQ block, a small slew of threads and lace I knew would look great & sat on my little deck blissfully stitching for hours on it! I needed that. I really love hand work. It is my comfort zone. It is looking good Jody!!

Of course I should have been working on the unfinished pieces for the show at GoArt! I have til the 30th to finish but have to let the woman know by the 25th for the program. I have one piece in particular that is confounding me. Oh what to do next? I am not "seeing" it. If I don't get it done....maybe it can be displayed as a work in progress.

Melissa & I are going to Virginia this weekend to see her best friend Michelle who is expecting baby boy Evan/Ethan. I look forward to spending time with Genevieve, her first born, and Ella the adorable tiny chichi dog.

My FFT #10 (fabulous first timer) in the CQI yahoo group finally came back late last week. Alice, Colleen, Kerry & Jody all added spectacular stitching to my hand painted (DynaFlow fabric paints) recycled linen base block. Thank you all so much. Here are some close ups.

I do love a crazy quilt block that is just full of stuff. Encrusted is the CQ term.
I do believe my friend Melanie is going to be an addict soon! Right Mel?

It is dang hot right now...9:21 PM. I am sweating just sitting here. It has turned into a 3-shower day.

More and more I find myself happily ensconced in the silence of my house. Melissa has moved out, Michael is doing man work all week out of town and I am the lone soul, a constant inhabitant of these old walls. I like it. It is reward for all the busy years. A tribute to my 49 years to be able to enjoy where I am now in life. I am never lonely. I have never had issues with being alone. With that being said, I am not a loner either. I just like myself enough to not mind being with me so much! I here the birds singing in all the trees that surround me...I am listening, right now, to a frog that must be looking for love across the street...of course the traffic is a given since I live on Rt. 33. I have my 3 loyal cats and 1 Dean dog. ( I used to be able to say docile dog, but since the rabbit rampage I feel this is untrue). Life is good.

I have learned:

1. NYS. Cigarette tax. Native Americans. Oh my. My favorite part was where they outline how the billions in increased revenue will go towards health care. What?
2. DEC limits transportation of wood. I didn't know that. Seem valid.
3. Karyssa makes the best ever homemade (including crust!) apple pie. It is prize winningly delicious. 
4. I ordered one of these....Singer ER10 embellishing machine.