It's too hot...summertime in the south

My son, looking over the vista at a local state park

I loath this time of year in Arkansas. It is so hot and the humidity makes it so much worse. I can't wait till the weather starts to fluctuate again...hopefully by October. lol I used to just stay indoors and quilt a lot, as if it were the middle of winter, and I was snowed in. Not this year. I've been battling depression again and just have not felt like creating much.

Like so many bloggers, I don't like writing when I don't like what I want to write about. I have seen others doing the same. If, for example, you are doing a weight loss blog and you, yourself, are not losing weight, you might go quiet and not write. I want to keep things happy on my blog!

We hold ourselves up to such high standards. When we stop posting, is it because we are letting ourselves down or letting our readers down? Or both? Here I am, almost 63 years old. It feels both SO old and SO young, at the same time! I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life. I just need to find the book that has that chapter written down.

Our family has been trying to camp as often as we can. We found we quite enjoy, getting away from the heat and noise of our town. It is a bit too hot right now, but in a few weeks, we will start going a lot more again.

The Mister, tending the fire

Dexter goes camping with us. He is such a big help when I am taking a break and typing on the computer.

Between camping, some nice spring weather, and the wonders of medicine, I am slowly coming back out of my black hole. I even entered the studio again. I finished another owl block:

 Next up will be a purple owl! I am pulling fabrics for it now:

A sneak peek of the next owl pattern

Getting ready to make blocks for Quilts of Valor!

I found this blank journal at the thrift store a year or so ago. It was covered in real leaves. I sealed it with Modge Podge and then with an acrylic spray. Still not sure what I will do with it, but I am thinking I might make a 'wish journal' or something artsy fartsy. 

I am finally getting around to repairing the rest of my Featherweight table. This is the underside of the table. I used wood glue to glue some of the laminated areas that were separating. After this dries, I will fill the screw holds and put in the new brackets I bought.

I used extra large binder clips to squeeze the layers together. I used painter's tape and a tissue to protect the newly refinished top from damage. (btw, those same binder clips are what I use to stretch the fabric backings for pin basting!)

On the underside, I used a small piece of wood to help put enough pressure on the table to really get it to squeeze together. 

I used this syringe to get the wood glue, deep into the the areas needing to be glued. It came into my possession when my son had dental work done. He would have used it for rinsing. He was given two, so I got the unused one for my studio. I KNEW it would come in handy some day.

Someone asked about my yarn bowls the other day. I have two. One is an old goldfish bowl. I have thoughts to embellish the outside of this, but I am not sure yet. For now, it works fine as a yarn bowl!

 This is my wooden yarn bowl. I found it at the thrift shop. It is a perfect yarn bowl and travels well. I often take it camping with me. It keeps the yarn clean when I am sitting outside, crocheting.

I hope the recent activity in the studio means I am finally coming out of my funk. I've been on a new medicine (about the sixth one we've tried) for almost a month now. I am starting to feel like ... well, like I have feelings again!

Till next time, Dex and I LOVE our readers!

Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Happy Sewing Y'all!