I did go out to fill the bird feeders though and finally figured out where the robin's nest is. The robin has been 'warning me' as I walk to the back yard but I didn't find the nest in the usual place, the crook of the downspout. If you look close you can see one adult and one baby with its mouth open. The sun was glaring on the screen of the camera so I wasn't even sure I got this shot until I put it in the computer.
Then I was reading blogs and saw what Vicki Welsh is making. I decided it was time to get out the fabric I have purchased from her over the last 2 years and USE IT! But first....... I had to clean off the tables.
One table had a stack of blue jean legs ready to cut up for quilts. I opened my 8.5" die and cut 46 squares. One table cleaned off.......
Another table had the pieces of batik that I had sewn together last Wednesday for a Jelly Roll Race quilt. I sewed the first 2 seams last night, the really long seams, so I have 3 seams left to sew this morning and then 2 tables are cleared off.
I put the new blocks up on the wall and rearranged the ones that were already there. The star corners are just placed there so I can see what it will look like; they aren't probably the colors that will be in the final quilt. Some star corners would end up at the edge and extend into the border. I'm trying to decide if I want to do that or just place plain corner blocks in those spots.
I know some of you think I am a good gardener, but the truth is I haven't spent quality time in the flower beds for the last 3 summers. If you look closely at this photo you will see weeds and maple trees, and maybe a redbud tree.
This is the front of the same flower bed with the butterfly weed right next to the sidewalk and the shorter plants behind it. Even the cracks in the sidewalk are overgrown. I think I might be at the point where I will have to ask for help to get this all under control. I can see 3 redbud trees in this photo. It has been above 90 for 2 days with 6 more days of it predicted. All I can say is I'm glad it isn't over 100 degrees like so much of the country is.
I made another batch of squares from pieces cut on my Studio die cutter. I was talking to a friend yesterday and she didn't know there was more than one die cutter. All she had ever heard about was the GO and she thought that was the name of the company. When she asked why I got the Studio model, I said I liked the dies available for it better than the dies available for the 2 portable die cutters, the GO and GO Baby. I know a lot of people like the portable feature but I didn't think I would have any reason to take mine anywhere.
I made three stars with variations in the center.
I have 7 more stars to make and then I'll be ready to move on to a new project. I will need to choose the fabrics for the last stars to balance out the colors. So far I was just cutting from scraps with no rhyme or reason for the colors.
I have 3 colors of Rose of Sharon in bloom.
I think I may have another shade of lavender in a different location.
Unfortunately the Rose of Sharon reseeds and I have way too much of it.
Let me explain for those who haven't seen one of these in person. Here is the die for the triangles used in my star blocks. You can see that it will cut 6 at once but the real kicker is that it cuts 10 layers, so that is 60 triangles in one trip through.
If you are concerned that it wastes a lot of fabric, the waste is 1/2". I just have to cut the fabrics a half inch wider than the cutting blades. You can see the waste in the background. I save all of that in a bag for a lady who stuffs pillows.
Now, on to the star blocks. The Bear Paw die was on sale and I could see it's potential with components that finish at 2" and 4". I wasn't sure at first what I would do with the long rectangle.
Then I came up with the idea for the sashing with a triangle square at one end of it to equal the 8" of the block size. I knew that would make a friendship star. Every other corner block has a star and the ones between just a square. I have purchased a few more dies (3 of them with my garage sale money) and always ones that are on sale. I'll be showing more in the future.
Some friends stopped to see me while they were in town and they mentioned my tiger lilies blooming. I was so surprised since I thought I would have to wait until next week for a bloom.
Up close and personal, in fact so close I had brown pollen all over my hand and arm! By the way my house isn't that tilted, it's the photographer who is a little off! 
A possible layout. No big decisions at this point, just playing with possibilities.
The tiger lilies are late this year. I hope I will have blooms next week. We need rain badly and we are going into a 6 day stretch of over 90 degree days starting Saturday. If the lilies only need heat I'll have flowers; if they need rain, maybe not.
I couldn't find one coneflower that didn't have holes in its petals. I have seen a few Japanese Beetles so I don't know if they are responsible.
This dark coleus is so pretty. The leaves look like suede. The cute little baby bunny that I have been showing ate 2 plants out of my lowest pot on the steps. I will have to replant because it looks pretty bare on one side.
