Houseplant Appreciation Day – The Quilt Ladies

I have a friend who says, I live in a fantasy world of quilts, art and plants.  Today is Houseplant Appreciation Day. This is my little corner of the world. Plants play a huge part of it.

Decorating a Condo Lanai in Florida

How to Survive Retirement
The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU

Everything is blooming right now in Florida. 

Flowers in my World, A Quilt Ladies World

This is the three time the violets have bloomed this year. I’ve learned to just water and leave them alone !

Violets in my World A Quilt Ladies World

Start of my Gerber Daisies, I purchased them last year and they are re-flowering, this is just two days open. 

Gerber Daisy just blooming

Beth

How to Survive Retirement my new book

on Kindle and NOW in Print

The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU

 

Looking back in 2018 Myself-Care

Last week I started my annual writing out of my goals for the new year.  I took a bit of time doing them and even looking back into 2018. What a year it was for me, 2018. I had never really done anything that was closely related to self-care. 

Self-care can also be known as, “I’m putting myself first.”

Those around you, don’t really get it and will act and balk a bit, but that’s alright. I surprised myself a lot and walked away, turned quite or just said, “I can’t do this with you anymore.” I have heard from only one, “You don’t care,” I do, but it’s about me first now. I cannot be everything is everyone anymore. I have to come first. Funny what you learn at 60…..

I love the process of writing out goals, my ideas, sketches for quilt patterns and art projects. Loving a good list and marking off what I have finished from it makes me happy!

A huge goal checked off my list, my New book and it’s here for you!   It’s priced for all, with many ideas to make YOUR next 20-30 years of retirement great on a daily and emotional level.
So here I go into 2019, goals, ideas and a huge plan for travel, quilts, drawing, and photography. Plus a few more home decorating projects. 

How to Survive Retirement by Beth Ann Strub

How to Survive Retirement my new book on KINDLE

 The writing of goals makes them real, “A goal not written is just a dream.”

Quilt Pattern Block of the Week – My State of IOWA

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to share my home State of Iowa.  I was born, raised, went to school, married and had our babies here. I love it…in the summer. The state gave me a lot, from a wonderful childhood to schools, to an understanding of family and time. But, home in Florida now.

The finished quilt block is fourteen inches by fourteen inches and
NOW here for YOU 
Iowa state quilt block

Iowa State Quilt Block Pattern from The Quilt Ladies

Second 10 State Quilt Block Patterns

Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland

 

How to Survive Retirement my new book

The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU

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National Bird Day TODAY ! !

It’s National Bird Day today and I have to share some 0f my Pictures !   I shoot birds as they are and try very hard not to photoshop them. Like us, they are what they are, perfect. I just sit on the beach and wait, they always seem to arrive !

Balance is Everything photo by Beth Ann Strub
Balance is Everything Beth Ann Strub
Playing with Lunch photo by Beth Ann Strub
Playing with Lunch by Beth Ann Strub
How you doing...LUNCH. photo by Beth Ann Strub
How you doing…LUNCH photo by Beth Ann Strub

Beth

How to Survive Retirement my new book

The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU 

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a few cents if you click to their site and purchase

Arkansas State Quilt Block Pattern

The State of Arkansas is this week’s quilt pattern. I used just two colors in the quilt block, but play around with color and see what you can come up with. The finished quilt block measures fourteen inches by fourteen inches.

Arkansas quilt block pattern

Arkansas State Quilt Block Pattern

First 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia
Second 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland
Third 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi,
Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Hampshire, New Jersey
Fourth 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina
Fifth 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Arkansas State Quilt Pattern Block

Beth Ann

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

Read about All of Beth Ann’s Books

How to Survive Retirement Book

 

2019 Here We Go !

It’s that time of the YEAR,  time to set up your goals for 2019 !  I love doing this and TRY every year to do better than the last year on achieving my goals. 

I have made the big jump this year to the journal kind of book. I’ve seen what everyone is doing with their journal, (my Pinterest) but I’m starting slow and steady, I chose a simple one, purchased stickers, and colored ink pens and going to go slow. I usually use a plain old notebook, mixing it up this year. It’s PINK too !

This is YEARS into writing my goals, the first year I used my daily calendar and filled in the blocks. I’ve used plain lined paper, notecards and this past year a binder. Don’t over think what you write it, just write !   I try to write my goals out FAST, quick don’t think about what you are writing, just write them. I will probably NEVER get to sing on a stage again, but I seem to write that one every year.

Remember too, goals and dreams are the same to me. Dream HUGE, Dream HAPPY, Dream FAITH !  After I have them all written down, which takes me a few days. I kind of outline them into time frames and calendar times to each month, or days.  No rules to goals, not right or wrong way.

This past year has been my year of taking care of myself. I don’t think I’ve ever really, taken care of me before. And I will continue to do it, it’s pretty much changed me, changed my outlook and how I put my feeling first. 
Clever Fox journal 2019
I chose a Clever Fox Planner from Amazon, it’s non-dated, has weekly and monthly calendars for productivity, passion, motivation, happiness and focus. IF I can do it pretty I will share, if not that’s OK, I have to have one place for all my ideas and stuff. I really want the daily calendar to record happy of each day.
My goals this year have a lot to do with time management. I seem to lose myself in others and I’m going to TRY and get a plan together.   These past few months I have learned and used a lot of self-care. I’m 60 years for just a few more weeks it’s time to do for myself a bit.  I am no longer the fixer. I am the walk away one.  Here are just a FEW of my goals.
  1. Care for and about myself first
  2. Daily walk
  3. Eat right
  4. Read one chapter daily
  5. Write daily
  6. Journal daily
  7. Take photo’s once a week – go someplace too!
  8. Lose myself in all my projects
  9. Sleep 7-8 hours
  10. Etc.
  11. Etc.
  12. I have 32 goals ? ! ?   Always More is better !

So, get yourself a cup of coffee and start having some fun setting up YOUR 2019 Goals.  IN 12 SHORT MONTHS IT’S 2020

IF you missed any of my Cheyenne Breeze quilt pattern from over the holiday. You can find it HERE

Beth

How to Survive Retirement my new book

The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU

Beth Ann Doing Watercolors

View Beth Ann Strub Art Collection Galleries

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a few cents if you click to their site and purchase

 

The Quilt Ladies Book of Stories and Quilt Patterns
The Quilt Ladies on Kindle
How to Survive Retirement Book

 

Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial

Self Binding means: Bring the quilt backing to the front and using it as your binding.

I bring this over from The Quilt Ladies, this post is used and asked for all the time, Thank you for that. Check out my Etsy Shop of all MyQuilt Patterns

Just a few days ago I received this comment on my original post:   from Helen:

After reading the tutorial 3 times I committed to try the technique.

It worked perfectly. I just followed the instructions and it worked

on a table runner. This method stops so much waste of material.

Step by Step How to do Self Binding on a Quilt

 Make your quilt block, add batting heat resistant, and quilt. Trim the batting even with your quilt top

How to do Self Binding on a Quilt

Cut one backing 1″ from the quilt edge

How to do Self Binding on a Quilt

Fold the backing to the edge of the quilt, 1/2″, I like to press it down

How to do Self Binding on a Quilt

Again, fold the backing over onto the quilt top, make sure you are on the quilt top with the edge, this is your sewing edge, pin it down

How to do Self Binding on a Quilt

Fold the corner over as shown

And then do the steps as before, fold over half way and then fold over half way again. Pin well.

Sometimes at the corner, you will have to move it around a bit to make the corner perfect, go slow and pin well. 

When I get it like, I like,  pin and I press a bit, between pins and at the corner it holds it just a bit better. Remember, pressing is up and down with an iron. Doing it up and down your fabric will not stretch or move.

With your machine sew along the backing edge, do a few back stitches to hold ends

I like doing 2 rows of stitching, just my personal like.

Beth Ann doing Logo

How to Survive Retirement my new book

The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU

Beth Ann Doing Watercolors

View Beth Ann Strub Art Collection Galleries

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a few cents if you click to their site and purchase

My Quilt Pattern Block for North Dakota

I have only been through North Dakota on our way to a fishing week. I remember the fields and fields of Sunflowers, they were over the top perfect. And, the purple fields of Flax, which we had to stop and ask what it was?  Here for you their site.

This is my North Dakota State Quilt Pattern Block, it’s a simple and fun quilt pattern to make and with the center strips, it will go together as a full quilt wonderfully!  Finished quilt block is fourteen inches by fourteen inches

See this Quilt Block Pattern HERE

North Dakota State Quilt Block Pattern from The Quilt Ladies

 

Fourth Book of US States from The Quilt Ladies
Fourth Book of US States from The Quilt Ladies
First 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia
Second 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland
Third 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi,
Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Hampshire, New Jersey
Fourth 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina
Fifth 10 State Quilt Block Patterns
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

 

Thank you for supporting my Etsy shop and my Quilt Ladies Book

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

Read about All of Beth Ann’s Books

How to Survive Retirement, My New eBook

MY NEW BOOK ! 

How to Survive Retirement a book

I have seen it now for five years. Everyone thinks you magically know how to retire. YOU DON’T in my book I help you think through what you need and what you want for YOUR life. No money talk, this is all ideas to make your 20-30 years of retirement what you want and need it to be for years of joy.

I can’t tell you the joy of my FIRST Review

START NOW, PLAN NOW  ONLY 2.99 on KINDLE

How to Survive Retirement Book
Front Cover How to Survive Retirement
How to Survive Retirement Book
Back Cover How to Survive Retirement

Beth

How to Survive Retirement my new book

The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Etsy Shop HERE for YOU

Beth Ann Doing Watercolors

View Beth Ann Strub Art Collection Galleries

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a few cents if you click to their site and purchase