Visiting the UK - London Arrival

After an uneventful flight we arrived in London and found our way 

on the subway to our hotel at Trafalgar Square.

We deposited our bags at the Thistle Hotel and caught a hop-on/hop-off bus tour.

The two day pass was included with our Tenon Tour.

We rode the whole Red Tour just to get reacquainted with the city.

I have to admit some of the time I dozed off since I hadn't slept on the flight.

One place we had not visited in previous trips was Covent Gardens.

The Transportation Museum was nearby.

We found some great gifts in their gift shop.

I sat on the plaza while Martin searched for the restaurant for our late lunch.

This building was on the way to Covent Gardens.

I thought it was very distinctive.

We gobbled up lunch but remembered to snap a picture of dessert.

I ordered gingerbread with custard.

Martin had the sticky toffee pudding.

He said mine was tastier.

This is the restaurant.

We really liked the selections and enjoyed eating outside.

To order lunch diners choose a protein, type of mashed potato, and type of gravy.

Ginger beer - really ginger ale to us Americans.

The other must see for me was the Twinings Tea Shop.

In business at the same address since 1706.

It is tea-lovers heaven.

I found three tea blends to take home, a mug made in England, a 'tea' spoon, and a spoon rest.

Our bus pass included a trip on the Thames from Big Ben to the Tower of London.

The skyline has really changed since our last visit.

All the glass buildings are new.

We landed at the Tower.

We started across from the London Eye.

Lots of walking the first two days.

Next post I will share days 3 & 4.

 

Yesterday's finish - Posted on the wrong blog -again

Yesterday I finished this lap quilt.

Bonnie Hunter offered the free leader/ender pattern in the summer of 2023.

I dug into my scrap stash especially leftover binding bits.

These blocks were the bigger size offered in the pattern. 

The middle section contains the first blocks I made.

I put the blocks aside to work on other projects.

After a while I started sewing the blocks again and did not re-read the instructions.

The top and bottom sections are the newer blocks.

When I started sewing the blocks together I realized the newer blocks twirled in the opposite direction.

So I named this quilt Oopsie Daisy Whoops.

Some of my favorite fabric bits are in this quilt.

Everything came from my stash including the frankenbatting.

It will be donated to a quilt guild charity.

My paper pieced version of Gotham Quilts' Indiglow pattern is now a top.

The plan is to add some rows to the top and bottom to make it a rectangle.

Then I want to hand quilt it, kind of like sashiko stitching.

I used indigo fabrics I have collected 

plus two fat quarters with traditional Japanese children at play. 

I'm thinking of calling it Playing in Shades of Indigo and Gold.

 

Sewing memories

Tuesday evening at Uncommon Threads Quilt Guild 

we were asked to share our first quilt and a recent quilt.

I had to look through my stack of quilts in the closet and then a stack on the twin bed.

Finally I found the lap quilt below.

Martin helped me remember when I bought the pattern and fabric.

The summer of 2003 we visited San Diego and nearby towns when Martin went 

to a print run for the MWF&P's annual digest.

I like to visit fabric shops as we travel and I found a cute place in Carlsbad.

The pattern I chose had an ocean theme but the original fabric was not available.

I chose Peter Rabbit fabric and picked out plaids, 

flowers, and prints that I thought would make a pretty quilt.

A little background - I started sewing at my mother's feet as she sewed for our family.

I made doll dresses out of scraps and made a shirt for myself when I was ten.

I continued to make garments including a shirt for Martin but had never made a quilt.

My mom was a prize winning seamstress and quilter. 

I could have asked her for help with my first quilt.

But I didn't. 

My attitude has always been, I can do it myself.

So I went to a newly opened local quilt shop to get some supplies and a few pointers.

When the quilters in the shop looked at my pattern and fabrics, 

they assessed my choices and let me know that some changes needed to be made.

All of my plaids and prints were replaced with solids.

I think only two of my choices remained.

I finished the lap quilt complete with a flange as an inner border and machine quilted it.

I hand stitched the binding on.

My first quilt was finished around 2004.

I did not label or document my first quilt.

My recent quilt is quite different from the first one.

This one has blocks that were paper pieced.

(Mom had suggested that I paper piece my blocks to improve accuracy. "No thanks", I said.)

Since I moved to Tennessee I have learned to paper piece 

and enjoy making complicated paper pieced blocks.

I used a variety of scrap fabrics and patterns from several sources for the quilt below.

The layout is my own design.

I hand quilted this quilt.

The binding was machine sewn.

The crocheted doilies are from my mom's collection.

There is a label on the back that documents who made it, when, and why.

Still learning to quilt.

Still like to do it my way.

Thanks to my mom for teaching me to sew and being an example of a great fiber artist.

 

Summer Fun

In June we went to VBS at Germantown UMC. 

Kenton rotated through my station every day.

Ava had to leave early to get to her afternoon activity.

We had fun.

Below are some of the books Ava read from the Collierville library.

She is a non-stop reader.

Right now she loves Nancy Drew mysteries - the original series that I read in elementary school.

We rode the train one morning on our trip to Colorado.

Martin took the photo.

Joey (542) rode in the 4th of July bike race in Breckenridge.

Mountains and sky.

I love the scenery but the altitude was too high for me.

So thankful for time with family.

 

Spring Break Visitors

NYC has Spring Break later than we do.

Emily, Liam, and David flew down to Memphis to spend part of their break with us.

Liam ran into a friend at LaGuardia as they were leaving.

David had fun dressing up in the costumes.

Watching the new Wonka movie was another activity that first day in Tennessee.

Which led to relaxing while consuming triple stuff Oreos.

Thanks, Grumps.

We tested out the Game Quilt one evening.

There was pool time with Ava and Kenton at Uncle Joey and Aunt Jessie's house.

These two found time for art.

We enjoyed some Mexican food at a new restaurant.

Too soon it was time to fly home.

Love these guys.

Liam is now taller than Gran.

Back home, David, with help from mom, found the perfect clothes for a Wonka costume.

The hat has been ordered.

Fun time with family.

 

Reading update

It has been some months since I updated my reading list.

I have started keeping a list in a notebook because I realized 

I was not keeping an accurate record with photos. 

My most recent selections are below.

The two paperbacks are new YA titles.

I'm reading them before giving them to Liam & David.

Last Saturday Mr. M and I went to the Dixon Gardens & Gallery.

The tulips were in full bloom and it was a great day for wandering around the gardens.

The jonquils were fading but other flowers were putting on their best show.

In the gallery we saw a new exhibit by two artists.

I liked the realistic paintings more than the abstract ones.

It was interesting to read how the artist painted his still life pieces.

One of my favorite spring flowers.

I had to include this photo of David. 

He is waiting to begin playing with a mass of student violinists.

Gran brag alert- David was chosen to take a special violin class with three other students.

He is a very musical kid and I am proud of him.

Liam's piano skills are advancing.

Sticking with practice as a student gets into middle school is challenging.

So many activities compete for attention. 

Brag time over.

What are you reading?

 

Look aback on 2023

These are some of the books I read in December.

I first read Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider YA books with my students.

I read all of his books that the public library had on their shelves.

I try to take a photo of each book that I read.

Sometimes I remember to add titles to my Goodreads lists.

This year when I checked the number of books I read for 2023 I realized that

I was not keeping up listing the books.

Looking back at my photos of books I found that I read 37 books in 2023.

This year I'm going to keep a written list in my journal.

I have finished 2 books as of January 14, 2024.

Read any good books this year?