Thursday, February 15, 2018

I like #55

Welcome to another week of I likes!

1.  First up this week, I like having a fixed shelf on top of my cabinet.  I don't know why builders insist on leaving 12 or so inches of open, dust-collecting space on top of upper kitchen cabinets.  I feel like having the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling would at least give more enclosed storage.  Anyway, a bunch of my pottery serving pieces have always lived on top of my cabinets, but the stupid recessed space meant I couldn't always see them very well and they often tipped off crooked when I tried to set them back up because of the strange framing.  So this weekend I pulled everything down, ran it through the dishwasher to remove the gunk (some things twice!!), and then installed boards all the way across the top.  I didn't have matching stain, but the darker stain I had was better than plain white.  It makes me so happy to see my nice clean pottery up there, not half buried or falling over!!




2. I like this new book.  Marsha McDowell from Michigan State University has written this cool book called Quilts and Health.  The university bought one of my quilts a couple years back and I'm super excited they published it in the book.  It's a lovely hardback coffee table style book and filled with lots of writing and essays on the topic in addition to quilts.  I'm looking forward to reading it!



3.  I like hanging out with my friends, even virtual ones!  This week was a wealth of friendly support, complete with dinners out, an Arabian nights themed valentines day party (more on the costume for that in Tuesday's post), and a really wonderful, laughter-filled breakfast with my friend Linda yesterday morning.  

4.  I like doing small projects as a break from the big ones.  In the midst of more long-term things it's nice to make something you can finish in an afternoon!  Last weekend I made a new gumdrop footstool, and this weekend I stitched up a quick bag to hold my crochet on the go.  I wrote more about them on Tuesday if you want the details!


5.  I love my mom!  She makes my sister and I a valentine's themed quilt block every year, usually in some style she's been recently doing.  This year is a fun pieced New York Beauty block, in honor of her recently completed giant and beautiful New York Beauty quilt.  So fun!  Someday I'm going to start sewing the valentine's blocks together.  I love the variety in them, last year I did a retrospective, so you can see some of the others if you want.


6. I like being outside!  It's still very cold and dead here, but the birds don't mind, I have whole flocks of them that come to the feeder every day.  Unfortunately, the slightest movement on my part, for example to get the good camera, sends them scattering.  And the second picture was the sunrise on my morning walk this week!  The dogs drag me along, but when Bentley stops to poop I can take a quick picture!



I hope you are all having a great week!  Thanks to LeeAnna for keeping us positive!

12 comments:

  1. Mom's quilt...wow and your block is a beauty. Congrats on having a quilt included in that fabulous looking book...what a great cover.
    I like to arrange plates on display at the top of my kitchen cupboards. I love seeing them so I think it makes sense to have space there. But extra storage is always good too.

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  2. Hi Shannon,
    Your cabinets look GREAT!! No one would ever notice the different stain way up there, and your pottery looks so nice on display. I don't know why the builders don't finish that off anyway, but who needs them to do it. Cute little bag for crocheting on the go, and I enjoy watching the birds. They are telling us that spring will be here shortly. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  3. Brilliant idea about the boards on top of the cupboards. I should do that too. What a useless space otherwise!

    Your triangle quilt is amazing. Something just a bit different to stand out from the wall a bit. I have some 3D ideas, but need some bravery to start at least sampling the idea so I can then go bigger with it.

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  4. Congrats on being included in the book! That is wonderful! I think the dark stained shelf finishes the cabinets off nicely, like a dark binding on a quilt! Your projects are FAB FAB FAB! I love watching your work!

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  5. Great job on your new shelving-that's quite a collection in your kitchen! You have a cool mom. Your Arabian Knights costume is perfect. mary in Az

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  6. OMG that NYbeauty quilt is STUNNING! And I adore your block, I want all your mom's scraps from the outside piece!!! I do not understand the space between cabinet tops and ceiling. Go to the top! But I admire your abilities to construct. I'm going to follow all your links now... LeeAnna

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  7. forgot to say the last photo is so beautiful I can see it as a poster. There is something about the quality of light, the way two birds look the same direction. What phrase would be on the poster??

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  8. Oh, that cabinet modification is great! I also really like the NYB blocks. I like the fan fabric with that block - it just keeps the motif going. All good stuff. :-)

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  9. I agree I think cabinets should go all the way to the ceiling and top is always a pain. Like your solution. I have actually been considering making false fronts of plywood and I have some antique lead glass cabinet doors, using them as false fronts. Oh the NYB block and quilt is beyond yummy!

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  10. I love what you did with your cabinets - your dishes look great on display up there! We had the same thing, but remodeled the kitchen awhile back, and put in cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling. All kitchens should be that way!

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  11. Your valentine from Mom is stunning! Nice cabinets,too. Since we live in earthquake country, we couldn't put our pots up there. Too risky of getting konked on the head. Congrats on you quilt in that great looking book.

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  12. Your Mom's NY Beauty quilt is stunning. I have done a few of them and taught it at Park and Re several years ago. I also had a shelf put on top of the cabinets. I display my blue and white teapots up there and it's amazing how greasy they get. I run them thru the dishwasher periodically. Love your sunset picture!

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