Happy Easter!!!

Happy Trails!!!
 

Some crafty goodness!!!

 Only 2 finishes this week but lots of hand sewing that took lots of time but was very relaxing.  I craft on the weekends mostly especially if there is sewing.  I was going to make project bags but darn if I couldn't find my zippers!  I had to order more from Amazon.  This is what happens when I clean and organize....I can't find anything!

I did finish the heart applique which took most of the weekend and I did a terrible job.  I am not very good at hand sewing.  Plus, when I hemmed the backing fabric I forgot to change the thread and used white thread on a dark fabric!  Duh!  But it's done....not very well but it's a finish..........this was a pattern that came on a cd that I got with a Blackbird Design quilt kit.  I haven't made the quilt yet....

the 2nd finish is a small XS called Spring is Sprung by Asberry's Echoes Stitches on Etsy........I still need to coffee/tea stain and final finish into a pillow.........

Now, I've started on a Robin by the same designer.......this is my morning stitch....

I finally got my floss and started the Bonus block on my Anniversaries of the Heart by Blackbird Designs...........it's the block on the far right and you can tell I haven't gotten too far yet........

Here is a pattern for 2 Easter projects free on the Shabby Fabrics website and there is also a video you can watch.............Sew Tattered podcaster, made them and said they were fast and fun..........

So, I gathered up some materials for next weekend maybe...............greens and oranges...........

My puzzle is on the kitchen table so I work on it while waiting for water to boil or the oven to pre-heat etc.  I haven't even gotten the border done yet........

As for the past week of cleaning and clearing, it went really well.  I got 4 boxes of "stuff" into the back of the Tahoe and the far side of the living room is looking good!  I will be getting rid of some of this furniture when I am done with cleaning and clearing everything else...........like this stereo of my parents.....

This is my antique cupboard/bookcase....I'll be keeping it......... 

This is a black stenciled tea/bar cart underneath the tablecloth with wheels on one end....undecided about this one....again, it was my parents............

There is a wallpaper mural that goes around that corner of the room....they decorated in Italian Provincial.

So, it was a productive week and I am hoping the same for this week.  I need to get more mulch and stone and my lawn guy was here yesterday and mowed and he said to just call him and he would come and unload it for me.  He and his wife are the best!  I am so lucky to have found them.  It is supposed to rain all day today so I will bake some banana bread.  I love to bake on rainy days...so cozy.  I'll light some candles, do laundry, work more on the living room and start on my taxes. This coming week I also need to fill out my address book go through paperwork and organize and get rid of some greeting cards and stationary.  It's "looking good in the neighborhood"!

 Happy Trails!!!
 

Crazy Spring!!!

 We were in the 70's and then the bottom dropped out and we have been below freezing the last 2 nights! Tonight it's only going down to 44 and then we'll be back in the warm temps during the day.  Even today it will be in the high 60's which is perfect for working outside.

Last week I went to Tractor Supply and got 5 bags of mulch and 5 bags of rock.  I hadn't bought rock in years but needed to replenish my gravel sidewalk path so I got pea gravel.  Unfortunately, I am older and weaker now and couldn't lift the gravel bags.   I just said to the gal loading it into my SUV that I would have to call my lawn guy to come over and unload them for me.  She asked where I lived and I told her and she knew exactly where as her parents used to live around the corner from me.  She said she would come over and unload it for me.  I  told her  that wasn't necessary but she insisted and said she had to pick up her baby boy after work and it was right near my house.  She told me about 6:30 and sure enough she showed up and unloaded it all and right where I needed it so I would have to drag it anywhere.  Meanwhile I got to hold her 2 month old baby boy...what a treat!  I love babies! I gave her some money which she did not want but I insisted.   That was Friday, it rained on Saturday, and Sunday morning  there was a knock on my door and there she was with her 15  year old son.  She brought me bananas and muffins and said they would spread the gravel and mulch and just to tell them where.  She said she had 1 hour before she had to be to work.  They did it all!  I couldn't believe it!  I still need 5 more bags of each but I will have my yard guy do it.  This gal has 2 kids, and she and her husband work multiple jobs and are guardians to 4 other children they are in the process of adopting.  My word!  There are "angels among  us" just like the song says.    

Meanwhile, I've been busy cleaning and clearing still.  My cousin said it took her and her husband a year getting ready to downsize so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad.  It feels really good and I know when I'm done it will be easier to maintain without all that "junk'  of mine and my parents. 

Here's some crafting progress........this is a patchwork piece I made that will be the front of a project bag I have yet to make........ 

I finished the top of the heart applique and I did a terrible job!  I have to put on the backing and  the "tongues" still and hopefully that will make all my mistakes less noticeable........

I finished February Anniversaries of the heart and researched for all my relatives who had February birthdays but my Cousin Allen seemed to be the only one.  Some graves just have the year they were born and not a birthday especially the older graves.  What astonishes me is that some of my relatives that were around when I was a child were born in the 1800's.....I wish I would have realized it at the time and asked them more about their childhoods and growing up years.   

I was going to start AOTH #3 for March but when I checked the layout there is a bonus pattern that will go next to February and then after that I will stitch March.  Unfortunately, I had to order the floss for the bonus chart and so I am falling way behind!

So, while I wait for the floss to be delivered I started on some Springtime smalls..........

It will be nice to have a few finishes for Spring as AOTH patterns take awhile so these will be my morning stitches for now.

I also started Susan Branch's For the Love of Books 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle....this will be framed when done if I don't lose any pieces.  I just got all the pieces right side up and spread apart so now the fun begins!  I just pray that Miss Peeps steers clear of it!

The red buds are blooming although why they are called red buds I don't know as they are purple but maybe their buds are red?  My camera doesn't do them justice as they are a deep purple.

I have no idea what this tree is but it is red but not a red bud...........

This week there is yard work, I take my car in for its annual checkup.  There's more thrift store packing and loading into the car.  I've hung some pictures and I also just received some  plate hangers I ordered so I will be hanging those along with the plates.  I also organized my rolling cart with all my cross stitch tools and supplies.  I have a new plan for organizing my flosses which I will share next week.

That's all for now.  I hope you are having good weather wherever you are.

Happy Trails!!!

A quick post before the storm hits!

 I have been cleaning and going through everything except walls, ceilings, and carpeting.  I found my parents old 78 records of Broadway musicals, Boston Pops, Nat King Cole, and Perry Como...along with some classical music.  I hated to give them away but their stereo here doesn't work anymore.  So, I ordered one of those reproduction Victrola's except this one not only plays 78's and 45's and whatever else there is, it also has a tape player and a cd player and FM radio......the only problem is it only plays one record at a time and those 78's don't play for very long considering how big they are!  LOL!  But it's nice and I can't wait to dig out my old 45's!

Today was cleaning and polishing a bookcase, dusting and going through books, and giving my horse collection a bath.  I used to have lots more but I gave a lot of them away....the painted horses my daughter got me..........

It's time to get the weather radio out!  There's a tornado watch.....Springtime in the south!

Happy Trails!!!

Spring has Sprung!

 It has been beautiful here and everything is blooming and sprouting.  The queens of the neighborhood are  the Bradford Pear trees blooming..........here's mine.........

The outside chores and garage cleaning season is upon us!

Happy Trails!!!

Not very creative this week......

 I've been cleaning and clearing out but my cross stitch mojo has waned.  I want to sew project bags now so I ordered some supplies for that.  I did final finish the February Bitty Bowl pillow but haven't wanted to start March.............

Here's the entire thing put together except for the key charm which I still can't find..........

I did work on the applique heart and it is a disaster!  The wool is shredding apart and the blanket stitch looked terrible so I started using a whip stitch.  I'll finish it but it is a disappointing project.  I used to do blanket stitch all the time...evidently at my age you totally forget everything you ever learned!

I did work on Anniversaries of the Heart for February but I don't think I'm going to finish before the end of the month.........

Spring is here in the Ozarks for sure.....85  today but then a cool down with freezing tonight...but the flowers are blooming and the Bradford Pear is getting ready to burst forth....all the bushes I planted last Fall are all full of buds too.........

Happy Trails!!!
 
 
  

Crafting Happiness..........

 Last week I worked on cleaning the living room and will continue this week.  I loaded lots of boxes into the Tahoe for dropping at the thrift store later this week.

  I've been very troubled by what's going on in Gaza and I have spent  time writing "those in charge" although they justify their actions with the same old talking points that the major news stations make.  "Israel has a right to defend itself" which is true but genocide is a whole different matter.  I watch Democracy Now on You Tube which to me is one of the most accurate and fact filled news reports.  I also listen to BBC and Al Jazeera to get the perspective from people outside "our bubble" we call the United States.  Last night I listened to a cardiologist in Falls Church, Virginia who has lost over 100 relatives in Gaza....all civilians and I cried with him as he showed the photos of the children, the babies, the  mothers, the aunts and uncles etc. that have been killed just in his family alone.  Here he is, a cardiologist whose heart was breaking and he couldn't fix his own heart.  I am going to go get a sympathy card today and write to him.  It's the least I can do.  If I was younger I would be out protesting as I used to do back in the day.  I will donate to Doctors Without Borders and Direct Relief and a few others but of course Israel is not letting them in to Gaza.  We are on the wrong side of history on this one and someday the history books will talk about how the U.S. contributed to genocide of an entire civilian population.  I am talking about civilians, not Hamas.  Anyway,  I'll get off my soapbox for now.  

Here are the "creations" I made this past weekend.........I still have a little XS pillow that goes in here also but I am still working on that.....I cross stitched the bag and sewed it up, curled the book pages, and put it all in the little bowl they provided.  You fill the bottom of the bag with rice and then fiberfill and put in the artificial greenery they sent.  They also include a little vintage Valentine.  They sent the ribbon and a little key charm which I have misplaced.  Hopefully it will turn up.  I will show you again when the little pillow is done.

This is the little pillow so far..........
               

I finally finished my little acorn watercolor.  This is from a book I bought to teach me how and the pages are all watercolor paper and this was lesson #1........I was pretty pleased with it for my first time working with water colors.........this is the original..........

and this is mine............
 

I also did some sketching over the weekend and this was one......just colored with colored pencils.....

I had a sketch I did a while ago and decided to try and use water color pencils on it but unfortunately it was not watercolor paper and it got warped out of shape.  I may try and iron it and see if that helps at all.  I need to get some watercolor paper obviously.........I'm not very good but I try to do more primitive sketches not really going for reality per se. I would love to draw/paint like Mary Engelbreit and/or Susan Branch.  (BTW, do you know Susan Branch has a blog and an online shop and she has cross stitch kits!!!  of course, I had to order one.....you will see it next week.  WARNING......she is not cheap!)   I think I like the real watercolors as opposed to the pencils but I will try them again when I get the watercolor paper.......

Here is the other pillow I made last week........

 

I also have been wanting to make these wool paperclip bookmarks I've been seeing and I finally found some instructions on how to do them.......I tried...it's not the best but hopefully with practice I will get better.............I had a dickens of a time with the blanket stitch as the wool kept tearing....I may try the whip stitch on  these.  I used to be so good at the blanket stitch but evidently not any more and definitely not on small circles.....

This is my progress so far on February's Anniversaries of the Heart...........

The only stash or haul I got was this wool applique book which is beautiful....I want to make everything in it, of course!

That's all for this week...have a good one.

Happy Trails!!!