https://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2026/07/marching-stars-and-finished-or-not.html?m=1

This week life has been busy but in a good way ,a lived life is a good life , tiring at times but good 😄 so why does the smallest finishes seem to take the longest🤣 one sleeve to go! just one! ,so why am I not in the sewing room🤷 fixing to head out to run something to my niece 

Another quick job I cant sem to sit still for 😄 sewing the backs to the pillow covers 

2 rows to go sewing down the binding, the weekend is full with family on the 4th, church & lunch with family & getting Sadie 🐕home Sunday so we'll see how today treats me 😄

Fireworks

Fireworks kicks off Family Summer nights  , hamburgers,hotdogs & desserts galore,the main church parking lot is blocked off for the safety of the little ones to ride their bikes, fireworks at sundown

You know you're getting old when your niece becomes a grandmother (Gigi )& references shift from niece  to great grand niece & nephew 🤣

The Butterfly's Are Back

 There's probably been others that I've missed but the little yellow sulphur butterfly was the first one of the season to come through the back yard

Later I let Grace out & had to grab the phone to catch this Hackberry Emperor butterfly,he left quicker than he came😀but I'm sure he will be back

Grace has spotted a butterfly in the Crepe Myrtle,I luv that I get to enjoy the beauty of this tree cascading over the fence from my neighbors yard, I've always told them it's their tree & they can do what they want but it doesn't bother me at all ,it will eventually cascade over the swing

Have you noticed the moon the last few nights? Its been huge! Today will be spent in the sewing room,later a family night at church with a cookout & fireworks,fixing another cup of coffee & heading to the sewing room!

Finishing Up & Prepping

 The last apron for part of my Summer Decor  for the kitchen is finished

The pillow covers were a little too snug so I had to make a 2" strip for the bottoms 

My little treasure from a  neighbors yard sale,it is perfect beside the sewing machine

Coffee staining a few more flags to add to an arrangement on the coffee table

The rest of the day I will finish up  my Summer decor & finish the binding on the 16 patch quilt,meanwhile the cutting table is prepped for a block party for one tomorrow 🤣 catching up on  2025 rainbow scrap challenge ,tiny 9 patches,mason jars,extending the reds & white top, scrappy blocks

Enlarging & Revamping The Reds & Whites

 Getting back to the red & white star quilt top,there's so many names for this quilt & it's been so long ago that I just call it my red & white star quilt 

I originally decided with a lap size with borders but decided to bump it up to a full size so off to the fabric shop to find something that would blend

Now the 9 patch, remember the cheap fabric & the tormorals 🙆 I tossed it all & bought this red & white & started over with a 5" 9 patch

The more blocks I made the more the white screamed at me,so off to the fabric shop I went again 😄 I found this beauty at Hobby Lobby ,so for this top I'm  taking apart what's been done & downsizing the squares & blending in this glorious rose print which will tone down that bright white

Sunday Inspiration

 

Today's Happenings

I luv  herbal teas as much as my coffee ,todays tea break is lavender & chamomile with a lavender infused honey  spoon stirer,if you leave them in your cup they will slowly dissolve 😀I like to stir them around & suck on like a sucker 😄

 I don't think my dirt likes cucumbers or vice versa 😄 this is the 2nd year I've tried growing cucumbers & they grow out round like golf balls 😄

 the tomatoes have finally bloomed,the squash are covered in blooms but no squash yet,the brussel stalks have little brussels,I tried the lemon basil dressing that I made yesterday on my salad & it was actually good

I'd say i would make it again but it was experimental  from the Basil vingeret recipe lol the vingeret calls for honey where as the lemon basil dressing callas for dejon, paremson & lemon, I had also read one that added mayo ,so the vinaigrette made more than it said so I started off with a little mayo then added lemon zest ,juice & the other ingredients till it tasted good to my liking , guess I should write down my chemistry experiments🤣 here's a refresher if you missed it yesterday 

As far as sewing projects go,I've just been doing piddly things, prep work on remaining pages of the slow stitch journal,final projects for the kitchen

Here are the links I used for the vinaigrette dressings

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/87544/basil-vinaigrette-dressing/

https://www.theharvestkitchen.com/lemon-basil-vinaigrette/#mv-creation-140-jtr

https://www.wholesomeyum.com/ribeye-steak/

The steak was cooked stove top on med heat,the recipe for the butter calls to roll it in a log & chill but Im never that patient 😄soften butter,dill & parsley , remove steak when done & cover the steak with the butter mixture & cover with foil ,I let it sit while making a salad & getting other things on  my plate ,it amazingly taste like it came off a grill, maybe the magic's in the foil🤷 but this is my favorite go to for cooking a steak