October flew by with more happening in and around my home. My husband continues to do well health-wise and the monthly Boston trips are becoming even more routine. Typically I try to have a picnic or quick touristy stop nearby with the clinic visits, but didn't scope any out for October as we had so much already going on.
Our first focus for the month was repainting the outside panels of the above ground pool. CHECK!
Years ago we used "water-filled" gallon jugs to hang off the winter cover (that's what we were told to do to keep that winter cover on). It didn't work and those water filled jugs just rode up and down on the outside pool panel walls destroying the finish all winter long. At that time, we used a recommended Epoxy paint to resurface the exterior pool panels. Because we used a deeper grey tone then we noticed a 5 degree increase in water temperature. It made make sense when you think about it as darker colors attract and keep more heat than the lighter reflective colors. Fast forward 25 years later, that surface was getting sun fade and some smaller area blights. So with every thing else going on I thought it best to get it done this fall rather than trying to complete one more spring-time chore and who knows what we'll be dealing with health-wise at that time besides. My philosophy of taking care of it now rather than later. DH wasn't too keen on the idea but he slowly warmed up to it after I moved many stones to let the lower part be exposed. Walls were washed and primed, taped off then painted with an Oil based paint. The medium darker grey color wasn't available or offered so I thought, okay....we'll use the lighter grey and mix 2 parts of it with one part of black. It worked and it's a very dark grey -almost too dark but now it's DONE! Even the landscaping of returning the rocks back to the bottom edging. Looks good and feels great. We only have to trim paint the top rail after opening the pool next year. We also had to replace the pool liner this year as the other one which started leaking dh destroyed it by poking holes allover it so it could drain through the winter which shredded it to pieces..... long story, but thankfully it's over now.
On a personal focus I had planned to finish the Autumn Medley this past month, a needlepoint kit I started last year while Hurricane Irma was attacking my Mom's neighborhood in The Villages. And sweet success, I just finished the last stitches on it this past week.
Since attending my quilt guild in Glens Falls by myself, (I usually travel there with a friend or two) it was a great time for me to travel to KC Frames and Fabrics in Saratoga Springs to check out the framing that she could do on it even though it wasn't completely stitched at that time, I still had the two smallest leaf design elements to finish. They're both in the center areas of the top and bottom. KC's offered an idea of one mat/frame available that I don't mind but I'm not sure if I'm in love with it after all my work if you know what I mean.
With using a mat, I noticed that just at the edge you could see the mono canvas slightly behind the last row of stitching just beneath the mat edge. So I used a black magic marker to color three rows of the mono canvas borders not yet stitched and then decided to stitch one more row of stitches in the same border thread used (Bronze Rainbow gallery GD109C) around the perimeter to counterbalance any loss of design by the matting and framing.
We'll see and I need to stop by some more framing shops before I "pull the trigger" on what I select.
The last week end was an annual quilt retreat I love doing with my friend Trudy. It's become a pilgrimage and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it despite the weather happening along the St. Lawrence seaway. Thankfully was able to get to the many bits I brought along to get done. What's that you say..., well I was able to cut out the Prima Diva Clutch with all of it's parts of cloth, fusible batting and interfacings, also got part one all cut out for Temecula's Quilt Secret Santa Sewalong and all those nine patch blocks are sewn now ( the only change made was using a black Grunge for my center square instead of browns), Step two soon. Then was able to progress on preparing Homestead Hearth's BOM for my "go to bag". I only have 3 more blocks to prepare and the border pieces - boy I'm always amazed at how much time this takes!
I also took two different classes besides all the projects I brought for prep work. One of a folded star taught by Debbie Baldwin and the other a wool project with Phyllis Acres so I felt really accomplished in getting to all I did besides the talking and reconnecting with friends. The latter is now a current WIP now being focused on. lol
While I was doing that dh got to enjoy some quality time with the grands.
Signing off but not before I share a pic of the grand dog with his Halloween costume.
TTFN
Jane
Our first focus for the month was repainting the outside panels of the above ground pool. CHECK!
Years ago we used "water-filled" gallon jugs to hang off the winter cover (that's what we were told to do to keep that winter cover on). It didn't work and those water filled jugs just rode up and down on the outside pool panel walls destroying the finish all winter long. At that time, we used a recommended Epoxy paint to resurface the exterior pool panels. Because we used a deeper grey tone then we noticed a 5 degree increase in water temperature. It made make sense when you think about it as darker colors attract and keep more heat than the lighter reflective colors. Fast forward 25 years later, that surface was getting sun fade and some smaller area blights. So with every thing else going on I thought it best to get it done this fall rather than trying to complete one more spring-time chore and who knows what we'll be dealing with health-wise at that time besides. My philosophy of taking care of it now rather than later. DH wasn't too keen on the idea but he slowly warmed up to it after I moved many stones to let the lower part be exposed. Walls were washed and primed, taped off then painted with an Oil based paint. The medium darker grey color wasn't available or offered so I thought, okay....we'll use the lighter grey and mix 2 parts of it with one part of black. It worked and it's a very dark grey -almost too dark but now it's DONE! Even the landscaping of returning the rocks back to the bottom edging. Looks good and feels great. We only have to trim paint the top rail after opening the pool next year. We also had to replace the pool liner this year as the other one which started leaking dh destroyed it by poking holes allover it so it could drain through the winter which shredded it to pieces..... long story, but thankfully it's over now.
On a personal focus I had planned to finish the Autumn Medley this past month, a needlepoint kit I started last year while Hurricane Irma was attacking my Mom's neighborhood in The Villages. And sweet success, I just finished the last stitches on it this past week.
 |
| Autumn Medley designed by From Nancy's Needle on 18 Zeigart Sandstone Mono Canvas with the called for threads. Caron Collection Snow- 14 -Mango, Caron Collection Watercolours #137-Copper and #255 Cornflower blue, DMC#5 #435 Very Light Brown, 437 Light Tan, 935 Dark Avocado Green and 3371 Black Brown, Rainbow Gallery Gold Rush 18 GD109C Bronze and Rainbow Gallery Overture V122-Caravan |
With using a mat, I noticed that just at the edge you could see the mono canvas slightly behind the last row of stitching just beneath the mat edge. So I used a black magic marker to color three rows of the mono canvas borders not yet stitched and then decided to stitch one more row of stitches in the same border thread used (Bronze Rainbow gallery GD109C) around the perimeter to counterbalance any loss of design by the matting and framing.
We'll see and I need to stop by some more framing shops before I "pull the trigger" on what I select.
 |
| Step one of Secret Santa sew along |
I also took two different classes besides all the projects I brought for prep work. One of a folded star taught by Debbie Baldwin and the other a wool project with Phyllis Acres so I felt really accomplished in getting to all I did besides the talking and reconnecting with friends. The latter is now a current WIP now being focused on. lolWhile I was doing that dh got to enjoy some quality time with the grands.
Signing off but not before I share a pic of the grand dog with his Halloween costume.
TTFN
Jane
