YOP Week #6

 Not much progress this week as I've been gardening, grocery shopping and waiting for supplies to come in for projects.  I was able to get that skein of DMC floss in with my Walmart grocery order!  PTL!  So, now I can finish up the R.I.P. Halloween ornament.  Meanwhile, I pulled out a favorite that I have neglected...........I finished the 3rd star.......only 13 more to go!  It is a really fun project.

I did get my mini-quilt trimmed with my new Fiskars Rotary Cutter and it is so nice!  I never realized they could cut so nice!  My old one was not that good.  So glad I bought a new one and plenty of blades.

I also received my Celeste Creates QAL fabric in the mail.  I can't wait to start!  It's vintage Christmas fabric for my first Christmas quilt.

I bought Lori Holt's Farmgirl Vintage quilt book....the first one.....you can do so much with all these blocks.............I've got my eye on the pumpkin and the maple leaf and then there is a chick quilt that is so cute...

I did finalize my Christmas gift list and ordered some supplies for that which should arrive this coming week.  I finished the Giant Granny Square blanket and I have 1 round of 11 done on the border.  

Hopefully, this week I will be able to move ahead on some of these projects.  

I fixed a nice breakfast this  morning.....bacon and my sourdough pancakes.....yum!  I didn't even like pancakes that much until I made sourdough ones.  It takes pancakes to a whole new level!  I hope you  have a wonderful, creative week ahead!

Happy Trails!!!

Harvesting!!!

 Who knew I would have this much luck with my container gardening?  It's going really well!  I've gotten lots of tomatoes, 1 eggplant so far and lots of banana peppers. I'm watering every day as it is hot!  91 F right now.  I water in the morning when it is still 70's or 80's.  No humidity though.  Evidently the high temps burn it up! LOL!

I have more peppers in the frig.

I also vacuum sealed all the meat I bought the other day.  I split everything into 1 lb packages which is easier for recipes and for me..........I sealed up 3 lbs of chicken breast tenders, and 3 1/2 lbs of chicken thighs....yes, I  use this old scale of mine all the time............the vacuum sealer is one of the best investments I ever made!

I got this big box of Smartfood snack popcorn in the mail from my daughter!  There's 3 different kinds; Kettle Corn, Cheddar and regular.....perfect for a mid afternoon snack and low in calories too!

Since the dogs are gone, the squirrels are moving right in!  This little guy/gal was too cute....you could tell it was a young one as his tail was really scraggly.....not bushy yet. 

That's all for today.  I'm roasting some tomatoes with garlic and oil which I'll mix with some spaghetti and fresh basil for supper.

I hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Happy Trails!!!

Things are going pretty well...............

 On the 24th it was 2 years since my son passed away.  I had company that week so I didn't blog about it.  Sometimes it amazes me that I have come through it all but then there are days when I am right back there as if it just happened.  I  have realized that there are moments in life that you never get over.  You may seem like you're okay but all it takes is a memory or a reminder and your heart cracks open.  It never really heals over.  I have a picture I drew of my heart....trust me I'm no artist...but at my age my heart looked like swiss cheese! LOL!  I guess when we live to this age there are bound to be scars from life.

A few weeks ago, right before the anniversary of his death, I was going through some VCR tapes from our family Christmas's etc.  I pulled one out of the sleeve and 2 pictures of Jim fell out.  They were his id cards from Junior High...I think he was reminding me he is still around.............

He was such a cutie and he had such a great sense of humor...he could make me and Amy laugh and when the 3 of us were together it was just a constant laugh session.  I miss him but God has given me strength and grace and I know I could have never gotten through it without him/her.  

I have been getting things done around here though....busy hands are happy hands!   I called the city and they picked up all the brush from all the trimming this past month.  I've got my grocery order in for tomorrow pickup and I made my menu for the next 2 weeks to a month.  I've been cleaning my bedroom and polishing the woodwork.  My quilting supplies come tomorrow and I have finalized my Christmas Gift list and ordered most of the supplies/gifts etc.  

There's been some great t.v. series (Netflix) that have come back since COVID stopped them last year.  One of my favorites is Virgin River which I started over again just to remind myself.....it's so good!  I also watch Heartland which has ended after 215 episodes.  It seems I've been watching it for years......and I have! 

I got my Celeste Creates quilt along material in..............

 

I think I am going to order the gold fabric for the backing.  I can't wait to get started.

Oh, I've been stitching on the Halloween ornaments and I ran out of a particular floss so for the heck of it I tried ordering it on my Walmart order and I'll be dipped!  I was able to order it and I'll pick it up tomorrow with my groceries!  That was awesome!  Otherwise I'd have to order from 123 Stitch and it wouldn't pay to order just one floss so I would have to make it worth my while and order more.....not that it would be a bad thing....lol!  I'll see if it shows up in my grocery order.  

I need to go out to the highway and get gas in the SUV now.  It's cooled off into the lower 80's.....nice!

I hope you are having good weather and enjoying yourself this summer!

Happy Trails!!! 
 
   

YOP Week #5

 I missed 2 weeks while I had company...so sorry but there was no time for much except cooking and washing dishes just to keep up with those boys! LOL!  I certainly had a great visit with them and my daughter.   Lots of laughter for sure!  But now I'm welcoming some creating time.

I did work on my giant granny square but you've see it enough.  Let me just say I am nearing the end as I am measuring against the last one I made.  I did finish the one washcloth but forgot to take a picture.  I also forgot to photograph the last Halloween ornament I finished.  I did get my doll and beading needles in the mail.  Unfortunately, the beading needles are just pieces of wire....not sure why they call them needles.  Here is the ornament I am working on now..........

I thought I would have a finish for you today as I was planning on finishing up my mini-quilt but I couldn't find my rotary cutter.  I ended up ordering a new one with extra blades and I ordered some plastic baskets to start sorting my fabric scraps like Lori Holt does.  She has a You Tube video where she shows you.  She is very  organized and that is what I am trying to be.  I also ordered her Farm Girl Vintage quilt book.     

Here is my little quilt that did not get finished....yet.       

This was my first time quilting using my sewing machine and I didn't even use a walking foot!  I was pretty pleased although I maybe should have used a thread color that would have blended more?
 

I found some green gingham fabric in my stash that I will use to make bathroom curtains.  It doesn't match the shower curtain but I think it will be okay....it's green gingham at least.and I have it in house without having to buy anything.

I made a "scrappy" binding for my mini quilt.  I've never done that before but they didn't send me enough material in the kit so I got creative.........I like it and it is already to go when I get my new rotary cutter in the mail!
 

I've been reading Lori Holt's blog archives and buying a few things to add to my quilt knowledge and my stash............this is a Moda All-Stars book by multiple designers and all the projects use 1, 2, or 3 Charm packs.  I have lots of Charm Packs so this will be wonderful!

I also bought some more charm packs....red must be the color for me this month............

Oh, I almost forgot to show you the Fox Scarf that I finished and that my daughter loved!  There's a tab under the fox's nose that allows you to slip the tail in so it stays around your neck.

I watch Celeste Creates podcast and she is having a QAL (quilt along) which I have joined and you can too!  It's for beginners and she just gave out the material list.  I ordered material but not for the backing yet.  I'm excited and definitely have the quilting bug!  I can't do any one thing for very long as Arthur(itis) gets irritated so it's good that I have a variety of projects.

Today, I am finalizing the Christmas Project/Gift List and ordering materials for them.....at least some  of the materials.  I'll keep you informed along with my YOP project goals.

I missed you all and hope to catch up and see what you all have been making and creating!

Happy Trails!!!

It's amazing what a little spray paint can do!

 I finished painting the table and it turned out just like I imagined it would.  That doesn't always happen with my "big ideas"! LOL!  It was just a  wood table I've had for years and of course bought at a sale somewhere.  It goes perfectly in my bathroom with the new shower curtain.  Like I said...I need to find more green gingham to make curtains.

This afternoon I did some mending and sewed some binding together for my little mini-quilt.

 

That's all for today folks!  I hope you are having a nice Friday....it's still my favorite day of the week!  All those years I worked......Fridays always felt good!  Not that I didn't work plenty of weekends too and was on call 24/7 but now I'm free as a bird!  It's 97 here and the heat index is like 110 -115!  I went out this morning and watered and once again to get the mail.  The heat has burned up all the humidity that we usually have! LOL!  Bless the person who invented AC!

Happy Trails!!!

Some decorating accessories!

 I have 2 showers in this house but since I am a bath person I have never put up a shower curtain.  I decided it would be nice for those people who would rather shower and maybe for me if the day comes when I cannot traverse the tub.  So, I bought one...........just what I wanted....green gingham!  I love it!  Now I need to make curtains to match.

I also spray painted a little table for my bathroom but it needs another coat so I'll show you tomorrow.

This little cupboard....so cute, is from my grandson Grayson but one of the drawers fell out so he will be sending it to me.  He's always giving people things...mostly his own things!  He gets his generosity from his Mom.

The tomatoes are coming in but the weirdest thing is they are bright red but hard.  They look like they are ripe but they're not.  I did take few over to my neighbor but the rest will have to ripen more.  I've already cooked one batch of banana peppers.  I split them down the middle, take the seeds out and cook them in garlic and olive oil.  I make a sandwich of them  on my rustic bread........yum!  The grands loved them too.  They are big vegetable and fruit eaters.

Celeste Creates (a podcast I watch) is having a quilting series/tutorial so I thought I would join her.  It will be 6 sessions and the intro was today with the material list.  So, of course I had to go find the 8 fat quarters required so I could join in!  Here's the fabric I ordered......Christmas in July!  It's vintage....just like me!

I hope you are all well and having a great summer!

Happy Trails!!!

I'm back!

 My company was here for 2 weeks and they left yesterday.  The house is awfully quiet.  We had a great time together.  Here is a picture of my daughter, Sam who is taller than his mother and just turned 14 and Grayson who just turned 10.  Amy had a birthday too so we celebrated all of them.

I made each of them their favorite meal and dessert for their birthdays along with some presents. 

They were so helpful why they were here too!  Amy cut down all the weed trees, Sam cleaned my garage and Grayson was my kitchen helper.  They also replaced light bulbs for me and installed the solar path lights that they had given me for Mother's Day.  

I must admit....I cooked more than I have all year! LOL!  Those kids eat 3 squares a day and then some! LOL!  Now the house is quiet and yesterday I did laundry, changed sheets and ironed.  It's hot here.....it's what I call my winter....I stay inside.  But they all went to the lake every day in the afternoon and swam.  I stayed home and cooked! LOL! I go out early and water.  I've been getting tomatoes and banana peppers and there is eggplant coming.  I didn't do much handwork while they were here but there's plenty of time for that now.  I miss them already!

I hope you have all been fine and enjoying your summer.  I'll try and catch up with you all this week!

Happy Trails!!!