I'm showing off my lily because this is the first year in about 4 or more years that it has bloomed, and the secret is coffee grounds. This poor plant has been attacked by small red beetles every year, and nothing I did worked (I do not use poisons, just bee friendly, butterfly friendly and pet/people friendly things.) I always throw coffee grounds in the garden and this year I threw them directly on this plant, just by accident. I noticed after a few days that there were no beetles (after I picked off one.) So every day this lily was covered by coffee grounds and every day it grew. And it made me happy by blooming. Now I'm using coffee grounds directly on any plants that show bug damage. It's pretty darn good.
This month we sewed a small portion of the non-black kats bodies together. So I'm up to date on this project (PatchKats designed by Denise Russart.)
A week ago I completed the last little house in the A Cottage Year quilt, designed by Kathy Schmitz and shared with me by Lesley of The Cuddle Quilter. I devoted whole days to getting the embroidery done and felt great when I cut that last floss. But now I have to put them all together. Not sure what I'm going to do.
I like the way this looks, but have to get the right fabric mix for the log cabin strips that finish the block.
My apologies to Sharon of Vroomans Quilts for leaving out the quilt block charm from my "Let's Book It" prize. When I opened the package I was so happy with the sewing machine that I stopped looking for anything else. Isn't it neat?
I have a few more Lynette Jensen books that I'm drooling over, and I'm loving her quilt, "Twilight Village." It's in The Thimbleberries Book of Quilts published in 1998, and it fits right in with the current house block designs that are popular. I will probably work on it along with the Cottage Year quilt. That should keep me busy for awhile.
Hope you are enjoying your quilting time.
God Bless You.
Canterbury Bells
A clowder of kats.
Thank you for the coffee ground hint. My mom used to throw coffee grounds on her flower bed but I just thought she was composting. Your projects are coming along quite nicely. I hope it's not too hot for you. We're in a heat and humidity week and I'm not liking it at all.
ReplyDeleteThe coffee grounds hint is great, but do you think teabag remnants might work too, as we drink tea? I love the little cottage embroideries and can't wait to see the quilt completed. Take care.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing those cottages! Congrats on winning that adorable sewing machine and charm!
ReplyDeleteCoffee grounds are great for flowers and veggies - fertilizer and natural bug repellant. Cute little cottages and kats.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip on the coffee grounds! I knew they were good for the garden, but now I'm thinking I might toss them directly among my green bean plants! The cottages are darling, and those cats are just too cute!
ReplyDeleteMGM
Your lily is just beautiful and how interesting about the coffee grounds.
ReplyDeleteWeren't you clever discovering such a great treatment for the bugs on your plants . I don't like to use poisons either but since I don't drink coffee wonder if tea would work ? Your flowers are so pretty . Your little cottages are just darling as are the Kats , great work .
ReplyDelete