

The hummingbird wall hanging is finished, and for the past week a MI friend and I have been working on small bags utilizing lace zippers that are sewn on the outside. We have a list of recipients because some people go out of their way to share their personal skills with others and need to be thanked, and others just need a bag from friends because life is challenging right now.


One day, three of us sewed together. MI, who is by far the superior quilter, was in charge of cutting material, ME who has a good eye for fashion was tasked with coordinating two fabric colors from our combined stash with the lace zippers we had available, while I was at the sewing machine. We got a fair amount done, but mostly we just had a great time laughing and enjoying each other’s company. If we were all able to have a regular ‘dose’ of that, we’d be much healthier.
I brought two plants with me from home – Walking Iris and Passion Flower. The Walking Iris produced its twelfth blossom today, and the Passion Flower I had to divide into three plants. I’m probably the only snowbird with a bag of potting soil under the bed.
I always check the Walmart garden section down here because they sell different plants than at home. I found three Viburnums for $6.97 each and couldn’t pass that up. Viburnums are a nice shrub with beautiful white blossoms. This week I need to find three pots and get them in some soil, although I must say keeping their packing materials moist seems to be working okay because all three are developing leaves.
I went to Brookgreen last week with one destination in mind – their vegetable garden. They have an excellent display garden including handsome wooden fence, functional but decorative gates, and obelisks. Display gardens are wonderful because they give you ideas that can be adapted on a smaller scale.




I also took advantage of a gardening webinar for ‘maturing gardeners’ who want ‘workhorse plants’ with less maintenance. I think that had something to do with the purchase of the three Viburnum shrubs.
This week, I have a couple more bags, I’m finishing two computer projects for MGs, but mostly I’ll be enjoying the outdoors because it is going to be unseasonably warm in the 70-80’s. That needs to be savored.
Happy Monday and have a great week. Hope you are up to something fun. 😎
Thank you for a wonderful moment this late winter morning! As always, I am in disbelief about your quilting/sewing skills, but in an inspired way. I can’t do what you can, but I can be inspired by it. Those vegetable gardens are also inspiring. I think I am feeling gardener’s itch, and I’m sure that perfect little tendril and happy daffodil started it. Yes, savor the warmth!
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I hope it’s not ‘too’ cold where you are. That plant and tendril is sitting on the floor right next to me. It just seems like one of Mother Nature’s art pieces, and I had to share. Those bags are fun especially when they are gifted to friends. Friends are a treasure, and that definitely includes blogging friends like you. 🙂
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Thanks, Judy, and back atcha! Over the weekend we went from arctic to spring so it’s spring today but by the end of the week we’ll be back in arctic. Winter never lets go without a fight.
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I have spring fever so bad! Can’t wait for the green. Thanks for the sneak preview!
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Experiencing spring twice is always a bonus for a snowbird. 🙂
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Particularly liked the tendril. Kudos. 🙂
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Thank you. I was hoping someone would like that shot. Simple but beautiful example of Mother Nature’s pure beauty. 🙂
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Indeed, my Dear Judy! 🙂
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LOVE the hummingbird wall hanging. Just gorgeous. The bags are fantastic. I have never seen lace zippers. What a neat idea and perfect for these bags. Glad you Three Musketeers had such a good time together while creating such beautiful gifts to thank some folks and in other cases to perk someone up. All too often people don’t get thanked for something nice they’ve done. It’s nice to see appreciation and consideration is alive and well in your little group. It’s called KINDNESS.
That tendril is so delicate looking and the daffodils just scream spring! The display gardens are great. Neat idea l
Go savor the warmth coming your way. Reading this post almost made me forget it’s 20*F here!
Ginger
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I’m happy with the hummingbird so glad you liked it too. I’d never seen lace zippers either so it’s been a new experience sewing a zipper on the outside and not the inside. 🙂 Kindness goes a long way doesn’t it, and it’s free. Hope all is well in your part of the country, and I wish I could send you a nice warm breeze. 🙂
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Savor the temp for me too! I haven’t met a viburnum I didn’t love so good luck with that too.
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A friend came by today and said ‘what have you got growing over there’? I laughed and said three viburnum. She thought I was kidding. 🙂
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Beautiful projects, and I hope someone gives you and your friends the equivalent of lovely zippered bags!
I was about to look into “workhouse plants” for husband, but I’m only fooling myself. He is anti-woodchuck-addicted to container gardening mostly on the deck and in one fenced in raised bed.
As always with your posts from the Carolinas, I always end up hoping you’re also relaxing for SOME of that time!! 🙂 Enjoy!
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If you ever want that list of plants, just let me know. 🙂 I have experience with woodchucks, and that’s not fun. Container gardening has come a long way from the old days. I sit and read a fair amount while checking for dolphins. I’m typing right now while I glance out the window to make sure I’m not missing anything on the beach or in the water. 🙂
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OmiGOSH, how wonderful! (And thank you.)
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Judy, the thought of potting soil under your bed made me laugh. I love how you manage to incorporate all the things that bring you joy into your snowbird lifestyle. Those bags will make perfect gifts for a few lucky friends and the wall hanging is just stunning.
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The potting soil makes me laugh too. 🙂 I gave one bag away today, and it made us both smile. Glad you like the hummingbird. I try so hard each year to attract them outdoors with little success that this way I’ll at least have one to look at indoors. 🙂
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Like you we are so happy to see the warm weather arrive – compared to New England of course it’s very warm here but this year was much colder than our norm so the warmth is especially welcome. Loved your tendril and the bags are just beautiful. Enjoy the early spring !
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I try not to ever complain about the weather here – report, but not complain because there is no snow to shovel or ice to scrape. 🙂 I really do enjoy your spring before I get back to mine. 🙂
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70-80’s!! I woke up to fresh snow!
The curly vine is lovely. I used love my hikes in the Spring when I would see wild cucumber tendrils curling around the grasses. I don’t see those here.
Your hummingbird wall hanging is GORGEOUS!! The bags look wonderful and very useful! There’s going to be some very lucky recipients!
I liked those wood trellis’ in the garden. Those look great without plants! 😀
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Well, fresh snow is good for winter photos. 🙂 The tendrils remind me of ferns unfurling in the spring – green and beautiful. Glad you like the hummingbird and bags. Oh, I really like the wood trellis too. They’re definitely garden art. 🙂
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That little tendril is oh so sweet. It made me smile to visualize you and your friends laughing and sewing. A finest kind of pleasure! Enjoy your warm weather.
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Isn’t that tendril cute? I’m sitting here looking at it right now. 🙂 Yes, laughter really is the best medicine, and we will enjoy this beautiful week of weather. Hope all is well in ME.
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Freezing rain coming today. But it’s not supposed to last too long.
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I love that hummingbird wall hanging!
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Thank you! Sadly, some years that may be the most frequent hummingbird I get to see.
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We have a lot of hummingbirds here.
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I try every year to attract them and usually see a couple a few times during the season. I would love to see them every day.
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Your workmanship is flawless! I love the vibrancy of the wall quilt and the uniqueness of the bags. If you were in need of a money making venture, these would sell like crazy on Etsy! But it’s more fun to just turn them out with friends for fun like you do!
I envy your warm weather ahead! Tell your Michigan friend that it’s still frigid cold here…no let up for weeks with ice and high winds mixed in for added fun! And here in GR we get the milder of it all!
Art education classes taught me that there are no perfect geometrics in nature, but that lovely tendril comes pretty close! Such simple beauty to be found by people who open their eyes to look for it!
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Thank you. You are definitely having a ‘winter.’ You and my Michigan friend would have a lot to talk about because she does some beautiful handwork like you do. She is working on a quilt right now, has all the panels done, and is doing two panels of hand embroidery with vines and cherries. Gorgeous. Yes, I glanced down at that plant, saw that tendril, and thought how beautiful that simple little curl is. Glad you enjoyed seeing it.
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The hummingbird wall hanging is amazing. The detail, the colors! I have my fingers crossed that we have an early spring here. It could happen. I’m more than over this winter weather. I want to see some daffodils doing their thing around here.
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Thank you. I planted a lot of daffodils at home and have three pots of tulips stored in my shed ready to pull out when I get back. I can’t plant tulips in the ground because the squirrels eat them. 🙂 Hope you see your daffodils SOON.
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I just loved stopping by today! The little tendril from the Passion Flower is too cute. But your sewing skills have me in awe! That Hummingbird is fabulous! And those Bags are adorable! I never knew of last zippers. People are going to love getting those bags and how nice of you to give them as a thank you!
I have been inspired to get my sewing machine out again because of you. I have sewn a few easy things. And I am going to work on a bigger project next week. Stay tuned girlfriend!
Enjoy the outdoors this week!! Have fun!
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We bought out all the lace zippers one quilt store here had so my MI friend has company coming tomorrow and she’s bringing more zippers. 🙂 She has them stacked up and ready to gift. 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you make.
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Gorgeous wall hanging, Judy! You could earn a tidy sum for your garden projects through your talents for sewing. If gardeners have ‘green’ thumbs, what do those who sew have? 🙂
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Eliza – Sewers have holey thumbs, if m experience is anything to go by. I stab myself with needles far too often!
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Ha, thanks, Su!
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Good question, and I guess Su has as good an answer as any. 🙂 I don’t do a lot of hand sewing, but I’ve certainly stuck myself with enough pins that I use to hold layers together. 🙂
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Judy – your bags are so cheerful! Enjoy the warmth. We’re expecting 3″-8″ of snow in the next couple of days. I’ve been admiring your header photo for a while now, and thinking it could be inspiration for a quilt. Love the way the shades of cool blue/grey switch to soft, warm tones.
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Hope your snow comes in on the low end of that scale unless you are a winter sports enthusiast then I’ll hope for the upper end. 🙂 I have a good friend who absolutely loves winter and she cannot get enough snow, but she likes snowshoeing and cross country skiing. That header photo could make a quilt or fabric art wall hanging. There are a couple of excellent quilt shops down here and I always buy extra fabric to take home because we do not have a quilt store anywhere near.
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Your hummingbird wall hanging is beautiful! Will you keep it of gift it? And your bags are really cute. Enjoy this beautiful warm weather!
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I’m going to hang it in my sewing area. I sure can’t attract them outside like you do, so this will be my Plan B. 🙂
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Enjoy those balmy temps, Judy. It looks like you’ve been busy. That wall hanging is remarkable. I really like the wooden cages in the garden. We are going to have a couple warm days, and then it looks like winter returns for the weekend.
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Those wooden supports are handsome and sturdy. I don’t know if they were made on site or if they purchased them. It’s going to hit mid 80’s two days this week. I hope your winter return is light on the snow and ice.
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You are always busy doing some kind of project. I enjoy reading about what you are up to during you time in SC. The hummingbird hanging is beautiful. I’m jealous reading your walking iris has had twelve flowers. I’ve had one with two others trying to flower. I don’t see any other buds. Maybe I’ll be surprised someday and find more trying to make an appearance.
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We had another two blooms yesterday. I truly think it loves the hot sun shining in those patio door windows. Fingers crossed you get some more flowers. It’s going to hit 84 this week. I wish I could send you some warm breezes. You are missed, my friend.
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Love the tendril and those bags are amazing. Of course I love the hummingbird. 🙂 Sounds like you’re having fun besides better weather than you’d have at home. I’m glad.
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The hummingbird came out pretty well, and I always enjoy the challenge of quilting a panel. It is kind of like coloring in the lines but with a sewing machine. 🙂 I’ve am forever grateful for the local library that offers temporary cards to visitors because I’ve read numerous books since we got here.
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That’s a wonderful feature. It reminds me of the time we were in another city buying groceries. The sales were only available with the store’s card which of course I didn’t have. They offered to give me a card but I wouldn’t ever be there again, so why would I do that? The customer behind me was kind enough to let me use his card, but what a crock! There should be a guest card or no card.
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The wall hanging Hummingbird is absolutely gorgeous July….. oh to be skilled at needlework! Lovely to do the project with two others, I think there is nothing better than a project with friends.
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Thank you, I’m happy with how it turned out. We really did have a lot of fun laughing at ourselves as we made a couple of mistakes but were able to work around them and keep going. We now have a stack of bags to share.
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Judy, your hummingbird is simply stunning. And how lovely to have a group of friends to sew with. I belong to a sewing friendship group. We work together every Tuesday on whatever project we have at the moment, and we often do day trips together. Even better, we are having a five day retreat at a beautiful national park about 90 minutes away in a few weeks. We rent a gorgeous house, we all bring our own food and other necessities and then we sit together or we go for walks or we just do whatever we want. It’s wonderful. Happy week to you!
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Your sewing friendship group sounds wonderful! I don’t have this opportunity at home so I really enjoy sharing and sewing here. Your upcoming retreat sounds like a wonderful adventure. I hope you have a terrific time. Applause to you ladies for setting that up because friendship is something to truly appreciate.
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We do enjoy each other’s company but we also give each other space too. We laugh a lot and eat delicious food, including chocolate. 😋
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I was reading too quickly, and at first thought you said you’d found Vibranium in a local store. That would be a find!
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That would have been a find. 🙂
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It’s truly wonderful, Judy, that you can enjoy potting and planting flowers and shrubs where you are. It’s an early start to planting weather you will not have in New England for a month or two or three. Thanks for sharing – it’s that time of year, up here in the north, when any piece of warm weather (a photograph or otherwise) is truly welcome. Have a beautiful week!
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Glad to help. I walked the Garden today in a short-sleeve shirt, and it seemed pretty darn strange, but it was great. 😎
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Your needlework is amazing, Judy. Love the Hummingbird and the bags. It sounds as though you and your friends have so much fun creating together. Love the perfect tendril and of course the beautiful Daffodil.
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Glad you liked my sewing projects. The daffodils are really blooming down here right now, and they sure do make me smile.
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“Ally Bean sent me.” as per her latest post. We just picked up a few herbs and snaps for our front porch – am on the lookout for a few hanging ferns! Enjoy your week!
peace Laura Bruno Lilly
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Thanks for stopping by. It sounds like you are well on your way into gardening 2022!
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The hummingbird hanging is so beautiful! I chuckled at your soil under the bed.
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I laugh at it myself. 🙂
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I love it when spring is knocking and I can think about plants. Last night it was 18 degrees so not there yet. I have several friends who do a lot of crafting and quilting. I wish I had those gifts!
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Thinking about plants is a wonderful way to spend time. You are right, 18 degrees will require a little more patience. Crafting and quilting keep me going when I can’t garden. 🙂
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I agree, the hummingbird handiwork is lovely, Judy. Also I like your tendril & daffodil images side-by-side.
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Thank you. I saw a good sized plot of hellebores this morning at Brookgreen Gardens. They were beautiful.
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I so love your images Of the daffodils, they are my fave. Keep up the good work.
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Thanks. Hope you’re gearing up to enjoy spring.
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