I am a retired 44-year veteran of the Real Estate Assessment field. As with real estate assessing and how it applies to real estate taxes, one can make many acquaintances, but not many real friends. It was a great career choice.
It has been nearly 10 years since I reclaimed my home and my real passions within my home. I enjoy it more each day and tip my hat to those who I left behind.
Each day I try to stretch myself with the use of my computer as it relates to this site and using it to print out labels for quilts for trying to incorporate photos into my sewing. Life is so full and I know that I have room for more.
Today may have been officially Father’s Day, here on Stauffer Avenue it was total contentment. A breeze with temps in the 60s, patio time and the best part, full tummies with our all time favorite summer cold salad. Spam was meant for mixing with ring macaroni, celery, onions, English peas and a bit of mayo . . . and a slice of butter bread.
After a humid start to the day, the afternoon was perfect to be outside. I did do a bit of weed-whipping in the far east portion of the acre and sure enough, the biting bugs let me know I was more than welcomed. It has been an easy season thus far keeping up with all the flowerbeds. I am a firm believer in using Preen on newly tilled dirt. The weeds that do need to be attended to are those that are snuggled right up next to the stems of the perennials.
I had the scare of Snuggles’ life today. The overhead garage door to the car needed to be put down before the heat of the afternoon sun crept into the garage. As the door was coming down I couldn’t figure out what was scrapping. It was Snuggles. He had gotten on the rafters via my car and then hopped over to lay on top of the garage door. He was scrambling to keep ahead of the door closing hoping to be able to jump back on the rafters. By the time I stopped the door at four foot from totally closing, Snuggles jumped out and down onto the driveway. The fur on his back definitely was ruffled from the narrow . . . literally narrow, escape. Dang kids.
The acre has been mowed, trimmed and manicured . . . a very self-satisfying feeling for Dennis and me. For Dennis, having a nice looking home, including the yards, it is the peace that passes all understanding. Looking out of the east house window and seeing Dennis sitting on the patio without a care in the world, priceless. It has been a blessing that biting bugs have eluded the patio . . . thus far. It’s time to give those creamed cucumbers a stir as soon they will be spooned over boiled potatoes.
I have not peeked at any thermometer but it does feel like a corker. Dennis and I had a road date to Mankato. Not many stops, just those to keep the pantry shelves stocked which now had a huge “Vacancy” sign in the doorway of the pantry. We had really done a great job of cleaning down to the bones of the freezer above the refrigerator as well. Dennis’ one request was a case of Liptons Citrus Green Tea. Cold, it quenches the thirst far better than a can of pop when we are in the depths of the yard work . . . which will be tomorrow.
It does look a little scrounging as we have not mowed for two weeks. Until the rain of earlier this week, the grass looked too stressed to mow. We dined at Culver’s after the errands were done and I think that will take us down to a snack before bedtime.
While I was doing my walk this morning, I was pondering on the process for finishing up a scrappy quilt. It was pieced and quilted and now what to do for the binding. I was pretty sure I had some blue in my stashes that would work if only I would have enough. Ideally the binding should be cut on the length of the fabric rather than the width. The length of the weaving is stronger and when hands are tugging a quilt up close to their chin the binding takes quite a bit of a beating during the life span of the quilt.
When I found my way to the sewing studio, the first thing I did was pick out some fabric from the blue stashes. I chose a deep blue that would finish off the last of the baby blue border. The 
second thing I did was turn to my laptop here in the studio and check out several YouTube videos on bindings and hemming. I wanted to get the best advice on this binding as possible because . . . Dad’s all time favorite saying to us kids was: “You don’t have time to do it right and ‘By De God’, I don’t have the time for you to do it over.” Perhaps in German the “De” was another word, but out of Dad’s mouth it was “De.”
Here we are just about supper time and the project has been finished and I like it. It is truly a scrappy blue quilt from my stashes with many different prints in various tones of blues, blue blacks to indigo blues with just a splash of baby blue to tie it all together. I can never go wrong if I work with what I have on hand, keep Dad’s advice always close by and I gotta say . . . “Love those YouTube videos.”
I am Stauffer Avenue’s Ninja Warrior.
Keeping like items grouped together makes for impromptu fun.
In visiting with someone that had happened to see one of my blog posts, they asked what the difference was in doing day-to-day sewing compared to what I refer to as my “sewing studio.” Hmm. Sewing carpet rags together for my Mom by the north window of my family’s kitchen may have meant that occasionally stray threads somehow got on the round oak kitchen table.
When we had our own farm home, the dining room table was a sweet spot to put my Sears Kenmore portable sewing machine. It was easy to keep an eye on Carrie and Kevin, and when I looked through the west windows I could take in their swing set as well as the sand box. The sewing project could stay on the dining room table as we ate in the kitchen. Company coming meant the sewing machine and the threads and fuzz needed to be tucked in the bedroom closet. In times to come, no matter where we called home, I always found a spot for that Sears Kenmore sewing machine within the home ready to be set up to mend or sew clothing.
Overhead lights and table lamps make for easy on the eyes.
Going back to the days of sewing for the whole family I never dreamed that one day I would be a retired government worker, still just as much in love with all things fabric and thread as I was then. What has happened is that there has become this collection of sewing items from friends, family and purchases. As long as I can keep it tidy and organized, I am all in. That is not to say that my interests are just with fabric. Any type of craft tweaks my interest, thus I do not turn down any donation of supplies. What had been a rather dark basement that was prone to being damp is now a bright, dry tricked out sewing studio. No matter if I sew non-stop for days on end or if I get caught up in gardening, my projects are always right where I left them. If I need a supply I know just which shelf or which drawer to open.
I know I have arrived in being a hands on crafty person when I can come up with new projects and not have to think of going to a store. Out comes the graph paper and pencil and a plan is in progress. The joy of my sewing studio is creating with what I have on hand. Making do is rewarding. There does come a request every now and then that needs special items. I still like to incorporate from my stashes. The largest quilt I have quilted with my Bernina sewing machine is 84″ x 84″. It does take a lot of maneuvering and a bit of sweet talk to my shoulders, arms and hands. With arthritis . . . if you don’t use it you loose it.
I realize that not everyone is a fan of all things home spun. That’s o.k. I do what I do because I enjoy it. It’s good for the brain to puzzle out patterns using math skills. I have way too much fun in my sewing studio. You cannot believe some of the requests that I have had. An example: “A shirt I ordered came with two left sleeves, can you fix it? The answer . . . “Hell yes!”
So as to not put Dennis in second place or to leave him abandoned for too long, my trusty old laptop is right here for him to play cribbage on and there might even be a few snacks about. No, I haven’t as yet gotten a secondary coffee maker. It doesn’t hurt for me to head upstairs now and then to see what is happening on the ground level.
So perhaps there is no difference in day-to-day sewing or having a sewing studio as long as it brings happiness, contentment and self satisfaction . . . just DO IT!
The threat of thunderstorms kept me in the sewing studio for the better part of the day. A little after four I put my walking shoes on and headed down the county road. It didn’t take me long to realize how heavy the outside air was hanging and it did look to the east as if it still had some rain in it. I cut down the walk a bit and came home via the back on Stauffer Avenue. It gave me a chance to check out our backyards. There are a lot of tree tips that have blown off the trees and one larger branch that took out the concrete bird bath. Compared to what we had taken in from the earlier news programs, we have been fortunate. We could have used a bit of rain as the grasses are showing the hot winds.
A very warm day. That dictated a short walk this morning. Even at 7:30 a.m it was more than I bargained for. Dennis took apart one of the small fans that I use in the sewing studio. It needed a bit of oil and cleaning and when plugged in . . . it took off just as if it were new. Scrounging around in the refrigerator and we came up with meals that needed no additional heat from the stove top or the oven. Tomorrow may prove to bring rain and even a threat of a thunderstorm. We are prepared for whatever happens.
Lights will soon be shut off here in the sewing studio for the day. With the help of Dennis the backing, batting and the top of this colorful quilt are basted, ready to be put under the needle for some quilting stitches. That next process I need to ponder. I could not believe how much vinyl is infused in little kid’s shirts for that purchase appeal. You can’t put an iron to it when piecing quilt blocks. You can’t be guaranteed that the sewing machine presser foot will glide over it. It does add a lot of weight when all is said and done.
First things first and that will be using the Swiffer on the floors to pick up all the wayward threads off of the concrete floor. Working with the batting on a flat surface is a pain in the drain. The old fashioned quilt frames cannot be beat. Each layer would be stretched taut with dozens of thumb tacks. Nice and tight made for a good finished product. Using our two church tables makes a bit more work, but still gives a good look to the quilt when all is said and done. All in all, I am a very content individual here on Stauffer Avenue, sharing all endeavors such as today with Dennis. It could be worse: sitting up at the bar doing pull-tabs or taking the shuttle to the casino. We are quite the pair of hermits.