Conflict on the design wall and a thrift store find

The projects on my design wall are growing. They are jockeying for priority position. Floribunda started off as leader/ender to the Tree of Life quilt, but it keeps jumping in front. Now they have both grown to the point that they are threatening each other's space on the wall. I'm interested to see which one will be the winner. I feel like the whole thing is totally out of my hands. Also, I'm still trying to decide on a border to go between the tree of life and the Ocean Waves blocks.

Yes, those are more Floribunda blocks on design boards, leaning
against the wall, and waiting to be assembled. They are currently
in the "9-patch" stage, so they finish up pretty quickly.

Before I forget--looky here! This arrived in my mail Thursday from Julie at Me and My Stitches. I was so excited when I won her giveaway! Her stuff is amazing! It is as great as it looked on the website. She has posted new stuff on her blog--go check it out! Julie's stuff will not disappoint. I will wear this proudly!

This is about 7/8" by 1 1/2" in real life

I have been busy making soap and it was fun to see what the giveaway winners chose for the scents of their soaps--some choices are ones that have been my most popular over the years. Other choices are unique scents that I don't make very often. So far I have made the scents that involve cinnamon--cinnamon patchouli, orange cinnamon, and cedar cinnamon. I've also mixed up the grapefruit/lime--a very fresh blend. There are four more to make. There was very little overlap in their choices, but I don't mind. I love them all, and I love to make a variety whenever I get all of the equipment out and start into a marathon soap making session. I don't know if you click on the photo below if you will be able to read the words on the soap dish hanging over the sink. It was a gift 5 years ago from my dear friend who died a couple of months ago. She was a big fan of my soap.

My "soap kitchen." When we were finishing our home, DH graciously
agreed to building this wall into my craft area.

Special cabinet for curing soap. Slots in the
door allow for air circulation as soap cures.

I believe I have mentioned before that I love thrift store shopping. When I have a chance I like to drop in and browse the aisles. You find some wonderful treasures some days--other days you leave empty-handed. Well, on Tuesday I was lucky. For one thing, recently Kristie at Cowgirl Quilter (my giveaway winner!) showed the baskets she uses for her strips of fabric on a current project. I thought they looked great, but wasn't sure where to find them. Of course, at the thrift store! These three were waiting for me down the plasticware aisle. I'm already using them.

Then I succumbed to another plaid shirt for my shirt stash (thank you, Bonnie)--I won't take up space to show you, but it is a beautiful red plaid. And last of all, this came home with me.

 I have had a Viking for 33 years. About four years ago DH surprised me with a new Pfaff for Mother's Day, since my Viking was so old it couldn't be fitted with a walking foot (I know--technically Pfaffs have "even feed," not a walking foot), but there are some things I still do on the old Viking. This Viking isn't quite as old as my original, but almost. It runs fine and has a few stitches my other machines don't have--since I don't go for the "bells and whistles" models. I had thought about giving it to someone, but now I'm feeling selfish. We'll see. I also have my mother's 59 year-old Bernina--and it still works, too. If I set them all up in my new sewing room (my attempt to make lemonade out of the recently emptied nest) it would be pretty crowded.

I don't know how much sewing I will accomplish this weekend, with soap production taking priority right now. So the winner of the design wall war will not be decided yet. I will keep you posted.

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