Feeding my addiction...

 I brought home a new (new to me) toy on Friday.  A Bernina embroidery machine.  I have been using a Janome 350e which has been a great little embroidery machine but I really wanted to be able to use larger patterns.  Then when I started finding out what this one could do, after seeing it at the local Bernina shop, I started coveting...  I thought about it for two weeks!  

So, today I spent all day getting to know the machine, writing down questions to ask when I go for my mastery lessons next month, and hunting for answers in the handbook.  I made a lovely embroidery of a beta fish that I will eventually make something out of, and these...

The first one is my nametag for when I go to the "Sew Club"- you get more discount if you wear a nametag you made.  The second one, and one more that has not been stitched yet, will be the tags for the carrying cases which should be arriving soon for carrying my machine and embroidery module to the 12 hours of classes that I will have next month to learn what this baby can really do.  I will be adding ribbons and key rings to make them attach to zippers and a nametag clip.  

Here are the backs.  The yellow one is the back as it turns out if you just follow the embroidery steps- I purchased this little tag from Applique Alley- online.  For the white one, I managed to stop the machine at the correct step and add a backing to hide the back of the stitchery and give a label with my phone number that will attach to the carrying cases.  

Seems like I should have more to show after working with the machine literally all day, but there was definitely a learning curve.  OK, there may have been a short afternoon nap in there too...

So excited!  But, I have also challenged myself to have a quilt finish this coming week and to get at least one quilted!  May have to have this machine and the long arm running at the same time!  

Where has summer gone?

 I saw this on a blog the other day (withstringsattached.blogspot.com)

 and asked if I could share.  

It was posted at the ALA conference.  Its a great quote!  I have moved away from my days as a librarian, for now, but libraries are still my most favorite places!

I feel like my summer is just getting started as most people are making plans to return to school, as early as one and a half weeks from now...

I feel very blessed to not be looking at returning this year.  

My family has all suffered through Covid, my poor daughter had it twice since March.  We are all pretty much healthy now with some lingering coughs that seem to, maybe, be dwindling... finally.  Prayers to any one who is experiencing it.  It was not fun and lasted much longer than the regular flu would, though that is pretty much how all of us felt, like a really bad flue with a great deal more tiredness.  

I have finally felt good enough to return to church and that includes providing the arranging of the altar flowers every week.  Such lovely, bright colors made me want to share...

These lovelies were at the zoo, this past weekend, where my husband and I spent our 27th anniversary.  It is one of our most favorite places and an incredible zoo for our small city.  

There is a new baby orangutan which if you look very closely at the next picture, you can glimpse, attached to mom's right side...

Our zoo is currently under a lot of construction.  Seems like it will be double the size when they are done and we already have an incredible zoo, so it is exciting!  

I have done some sewing.  My UFOs are about to take over the house.  Pulled this one out instead of organizing the sewing room a couple of days ago.  All cut and ready to go but I made no notes about what I meant to do with it so I made it up as I went along.  

It is now this...

and the back is done as well.  

So, as soon as I get some quilting time, it will battle with the others in line for some attention.  It will be a great little baby quilt when I get it done.  

Unfortunately, there was no noticeable dent made in the UFO mess.  

Today, I made a beach bag out of some outdoor fabric I have had for a few years and a pineapple embroidery design from Urban Threads.  Pictured here is the front side before I sewed it together.  I am happy with it but will be trying a different pattern for the flamingo fabric I have waiting.  

My husband and I will be going on a long, beach vacation in the near future- kinda like a 3rd honeymoon/looking for a retirement beach to dream of...So, we will need these big bags!

The first honeymoon was Disney World- 27 years ago.  Second was Hawaii- 14 years ago.  This year will be Florida again, hitting many beaches, Harry Potter World (yes, we will do 2 of the Universal Studios parks but HP is why we are going there at all), and the oldest city in the US!  

Now that the kids are back in the nest, we have built in house/pet sitters!  

I visited a friend a few days ago who pulled out her mom's old sewing machine.  She said it was from the 50's or 60's so when she revealed this 1910 patented machine, I just about fell out of my chair.  Once I gushed about it, she wouldn't let me bring it home with me.  Guess I should have played it cool...

The paint was almost immaculate and the cord was in pristine shape.  I hope I get to sew on it one day...She was gonna take it for service.  

I have been doing a lot of sewing but nothing much more to show yet.  I have also been trying to do some cleaning and organizing but not much progress made there either.  So, I will leave you with the picture of the happily married couple at the zoo- in front of the flamingos that did not photograph well.  We wore our 25th anniversary shirts.  Across our backs it says "together since 1995".  

I love this man more every day and realize I would never have made it through raising kids and putting up with work for all these years without him!  I hope you are all as blessed to have a best friend you can count on for any and everything!