Debbie, of Stitchin' Therapy, had committed to make 50 doll/cradle quilts for Christmas gifts for kids in need. She was encouraged by Freda to ask for help and Freda's blog is where I read about it. I managed to pull together four quick little quilts yesterday before tackling my monthly budget.

I mostly worked with 4-patch blocks, but when it came to the purple
floral, I couldn't bear to cut it up. There was no way to fussy-cut the
flowers without cutting onto the ones next to them, so I left that
fabric piece intact and just put on a simple border. 

I wish I had time to do more--this was fun. I don't usually sew with bright colors, unless I'm quilting for my grandkids, so I don't have much fabric with which to work. But I am a scrap collector and I have a box into which I toss the "bright & bolds" that come my way. I sat down on the sofa to sort through this box and see what I could use. When the doorbell rang I stood up and put the box down where I had been sitting. Upon my return I looked at the sofa and thought it looked like there had been an explosion inside the box and the contents had just spewed out over the sofa.

The thing that keeps me from doing more is that it is time to lather up! Yup, it is soap making time. Since soap has to cure 3 or 4 weeks before use, if I want it ready for Christmas giving I need to get with it--it is time!! Time to break out the coconut oil, the olive oil, the essential oils, the bees wax, the Pyrex measuring cups, the instant read thermometers, the measuring spoons, the digital scale, the molds and--the lye, which, thanks to meth labs and homemade bomb-makers, is getting increasingly hard to buy.

 

Today my order of coconut oil and essential oils arrived by way of the friendly man in brown. Now I need to roll up my sleeves, put on my apron and goggles and go to work. When I am finished I will post the results. 

In the meantime I will leave you with this photo of the rising moon in the east as the sun was setting in the west last night. Most of the photos I share of the mountains are taken looking west, from the back of my home. This photo is taken looking east, from the front deck. 

Until next time, from the little mountain valley where the sagebrush grows,

Janet O.