Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Turn the Page

Time to flip the calendar again.  Can you believe it?  Even though I don't have to do back-to-school shopping anymore, I still get that familiar twinge come August—a mixture of excited anticipation and that time-is-running-out-on-summer feeling.

August seems to have its own distinctive hue.  Sounds change: fewer songbirds and more crows, cicadas by day and crickets by night, and soon the prep school will start football drills in the field across the way.  Even smells become more pungent and earthy, and the evening light more golden.

I'm not sure, but it may be what inspired me to add the corner block to this little mini.  I was thinking it needed a little something, and the notion of a page turning crossed my mind.  Since it was an afterthought, I fused the square down, but because I had pressed the seam to the turquoise side, the fuse didn't take the same way along the doubled up seam allowance.  Maybe it'll quilt out, maybe not.  Live and learn.

The black and white pieces are bits I cut off the corner blocks of the string ring quilt.  They'll finish at 1-1/4 inches, and the whole mini will be about 10-1/2 inches when all is said and done.

So I am sewing a little again.  Yesterday I hemmed curtains (necessary but not exactly blog worthy) and today I worked on this little mini, which came about just messing around with leftovers as I sat at the sewing table for the first time in weeks.  Tomorrow I aim to finish the string ring top, the impetus being that I have to get it off the living room "design floor" so I can clean house.  Company's coming on Sunday.  I've also got a couple pairs of capri pants to hem before the weekend.

Hot as it's been, it felt like a good time to try some succulents in the kitchen window.  Wally World had an interesting variety.  I tucked them into a couple of vintage pots that seem complementary.

I am listening to a fascinating audiobook at the moment.  It's called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. While I in no way consider myself shy, I know that I am most definitely an introvert.  I am finding myself nodding and smiling again and again in agreement as I hear so many things that ring true.  Good book.

5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Love that mini! That Heath crosshatch is amazing stuff.

I am, at this very moment, totally feeling the "there's not enough time left to summer" lurch in my stomach. I register LadyBug for 5th grade tomorrow. YIKES! And if I don't get Grasshopper his DPT booster, they're not going to let him into 7th grade. It's not like they started sending notes home in April, and I thought "I have plenty of time" or anything. Also gotta get LadyBug new glasses this week while frames are on sale and balance a HUGE load at work. Oh, and if there's time, quilt. Gah!

Loved your first and second paragraphs. Very beautifully written. One of these days, I'd like to know what the heck a cicada is, though. I'm sure I can Google it, if I get curious enough.

xo -E

Sara said...

My Ayden starts Pre-K 2 days a week so soon now at the end of this month....BUT this is also the month daddy/hubby comes home!!!! Great month,new beginnings:):)

I really am enjoying looking at that mini you pieced together. Heath is such a harmonious print.

Keep enjoying your listening book!

Cherie said...

The holidays are the worst! There are a lot of children living in our area and they make a whole leap of noise!

Loving the mini the idea is very inspiring =D

Vicki @ DottyJane said...

Nice twist in the corner of your mini:)

I still get that August twinge, too. It was always an exciting time... at least for a few days:)

Introvert here, too. I'll have to look for that title. Thanks for the tip!

greelyrita said...

My daughter was reading this book last time she came to visit. I wanted to ask if she felt she was an introvert, or who did she feel was in our family. She wouldn't have liked me asking, so I didn't. Interesting book though. I do wonder about "cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts" (from the description at the link).

One of your commenters doesn't like the sounds of children?? I love those sounds, miss those sounds since the children on our street have grown and left.