April - It Came and Went

 Still reading many books each month and this month besides taking care of some remaining items from Mom's life, many seasonal chores, the athletics for the grand children, and the WIPs I wanted to complete I was again really busy.  A quick recap follows.

Books read since I last shared:

Mom's stuff: though she gave away most all there are some sentimental items I received and another quilt (the Solids in Spiral) I brought to my Long arm quilter just last week.  Still need to attend to much of it as I am mourning and somewhat growing and getting away from my "life's feeling of overwhelm".  Thankfully, I keep telling myself    I don't procrastinate   , that alone is helping.  

Seasonal Items:  Besides the winter blow down, raking the yard and lawns, blowing the landscape around the home, cleaning out the gutters (PHEW! that alone took 2 days), deadheading and pruning shrubs and the flowers , fertilizing the fruit trees and evergreens I managed to get it all done.  Happy and glad I obtained nearly 141 miles walked as I went about it. Another WIN.

Disregard that wheel barrow full of fire logs back near the gate, while going for a hike at a favorite spot of mine, the Power Company had cut down sections of trees in their way, thus leaving a mess.  I helped them  out and brought home some useable awkward sections for my fire pit enjoyment.  lol  

The gutters needed replacing so while still on target I inquired with the Leaf Guard company.  Their quote made me stagger.  I kid you not, so I opted to go to the same company that installed the earlier out of date system 25 + years ago and was happy with both the result and price.  Two areas of concern were the black ice build up near my front and side door entrances.  It seemed to always drip from the seams or over flow them causing icicles and more drips.  Of course sure enough those areas would  freeze in those most critical areas.  I'm assured those days are done with.  

The other area are the 2 downspouts.  The one newly installed near the front door I want to landscape into its environment and this is how it currently looks in the above photo. 

Not Pretty.  ;-(  

Initially they laid that 4" PVC pipe just next to the paver bricks.  NOPE! What an EYESORE for the first impression of my home.  

So I asked them to angle it backwards into the rock area not the patio so it would not be able to pool there on the step area.

 The other downspout is my access point to the hose manifold area so I asked if they could use the 4" PVC pipe for sturdiness and I'd purchase landscape blocks to elevate a bricked patio step for use.  

They tried and here it is to the left.  

They used a cut piece of pine bough timber to support the patio bricks that had been thrown in there initially and temporarily.  They tried to make it nice while workable.  I see when taking the pic that the alignment and the pitch is off now, so more potential problems down the road....   A for effort anyways.  As they mentioned, they don't dig.  lol

So both of those tasks move onto my May chores.  

The two youngest Grands:  

The youngest grands are both enjoying their sports and doing well scholastically.

PGS#3 pictured on the left is an 8th grader, high honor roll student who also happens to be on the Varsity Hockey team.  A once in a lifetime chance occurred for him this Spring at the end of the Hockey season that I haven't yet shared.  His team made it to the NYS Final Four Competition.  Fanfare upon their departure to Buffalo, NY for the weekend to practice and then compete.   I'll do a separate post for that.  

He's close to 5'10" here and he's solid with a-lot of muscle.   Awhile ago as he was going through a rapid growth spirt (about an inch every 6 months), I asked him if he hurt.  He'd inquire...What?  I'd reply growing so quickly with one part not quite corresponding to the next part's growth?  "NO"  was his reply and I think he assumed I was cracked!  lol   Soon after I asked him what his goal was since I've always maintained that we manifest our destiny and futures dependent on our life choices, and then again he looked at me like, WHAT?  I clarified, "How tall are you going to be? What's your desire?"   Being a teen, he didn't care of course.   LOL  

This past week,  PGS#3 stole the winning run on an err when they tried to throw him out on 3rd.  Game Over.

🎤mic drop.

PGD#1 Was noted as "Player of the Game" with the win 2 weeks ago for her softball team.   All in all, great times to watch especially as she'll graduate in June and has committed to Oneonta for the fall- pursuing her dream in the Medical field.  I'll share one of her Senior Pictures below with some of her talents, not too shabby for an High Honor Roll Student!  Truly, during her photo shoot she had over 50 pictures taken and not 1 shot was off.  She is beautiful and very photogenic.

I'm proud of all my grandchildren and children too for that matter.  Good Peeps - all around.

WIPS:  Managed to get my Spool quilt center top assembled (believe that was done in March) but there she sits.  Am auditioning border treatments and made a couple of purchases to continue but my creativity breaks slam down hard and I know it just isn't quite right.  So I'm percolating that project.   

Did complete a Needlebook for one of my stitching bags.  Included a corded lobster claw loop to help stuff stay inside if needed and also placed a magnet under the applique on the batting page as a just in case and then don't you know I had a bugger of a time getting that snap adhered correctly.  Third time was the charm truly.  Sewed the binding by machine and then  hand stitched the interior side to close it.   

I cross stitched a piece from Melisa of Pinker n Punker Quilting that she gives out often and are so nice.  

I used her "HIVE in a Jar" but refrained from using the jar effect. I also created 2 smaller designs.   Another hive (due to an error in counting I went with it and made it up as I went designing my own nine patch crosses on it) and for the flower part I duplicated it close enough to Melisa's design on the larger piece, but added stitches and bees to fill it in more for the backside of the scissor fob.  Luckily, I've been able to slowly immerse myself from following the directions entirely and make these stitchings uniquely my own.

Am planning on making another needle book with that larger stitched piece and the 2 smaller parts a fob to complement them.  Then of course I plan on making another project bag with BEE stuff with the same fabrics.   lol   Wish me luck!

Sorry, so much for a quick recap. But that just seems to be the norm around here.  lol

TTFN

3 for 3 with January's 2019 OMG

Just finished the beaded edging on this scissor fob, another pledged OMG that can be checked off!
Not to brag but I'm on a roll with getting three for three done this month. 

I am happy.

Hanging off one of the handles in my working basket for now.  Will have to locate an appropriate pair of scissors for this Shepherd's Bush "Glad Tidings" scissor Fob.  Started this after Christmas and finished in the nick of time for OMG 1/2019.  Stitched with 1 over two with all the called for threads that were kitted.  No substitutions.

Will have to figure out which UFOs I want to process for February.

Tree Bird Blog Hop - MY DAY!

A bird house found at our Guild's Holiday auction in December that I couldn't resist.
Perfect segue! 

I was able to get several items made to share for this terrific Tree Bird Blog Hop.  Lana our cheerleader from It Seams to be Sew  is doing a stand up job keeping all of us bloggers on tract for this hop with Madamme Samm out of commission while she tends to some serious personal business.  My prayers and thoughts are with you and yours Samm.


First, everyone who knows me knows I collect scissors.
Check out this sweet scissor fob for my Owl scissors.

{Love}!

Went shopping this am with DH so I could make some more lanyards for beaded scissor fobs with some little bird beads I purchased on Saturday but am too late to pull that off with the grand children being here until 6 pm this evening.



Had wanted to get a couple more fobs made but I ran out of time.




Was able to sew this Chickadee apron which is made from a panel of A Colorful Season designed by Nancy Mink.  This will be perfect to wear in autumn and my dear DIL happily modeled it for me this afternoon but with the request of not showing her face.  Don't know why, she's quite beautiful and the Mother of two of my beautiful grandsons.    Just saying.
I lined the apron panel with a medium mottled green, the same tone as the printed rope.   Sewed around the perimeter, turned it inside out as in a pillowcase method, then top stitched around all the edges.  It happens to be my preferred method of constructing aprons and it will wash like a dream.  It came with two printed pocket segments but I choose to only sew one on.  The print matches perfectly with the apron base.

When I purchased this I also purchased some yardage of a matching border print of the same line 

to make a 60 degree table runner but again, I ran out of time. 

Harrumph!   

Seems to be the theme around here!

 Now for the piece de resistance,..........

a Charlie Harper stylized cardinal tea cozy.  

Too CUTE!
Love those angry beady eyes (no pun intended - NOT!) popping out of his head.  lol 

I am quite proud of my Cardinal Cozy.  All of this was made without a pattern. [Patting myself on the back for this one, with both it's concept and it's finish.]  Each morning now while I have my cuppa, I will smile and know anything is possible.


See the coaster on the left - themed with the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, only befitting since he's known for quoting:
"Oh Dear!  Oh Dear!  I shall be too late!"

Which sums up how my monkey mind works at times.   I seem to run around like that quite often, usually finishing things up just before the deadline. Friends say I do it to myself, and they are right.  But it's my way of life and how I get to do all I do and help out where I can and want to, while always pushing the envelope to get to more things that I want to do, see or be....  That's My Life.

Anyhow I digress, the coaster was the tool I used to make the cardinal.  After drafting it I realized it was way too big for my little tea pot so reduced it by 60% so it could fit proportionately.   (The next cozy I make I'll be adding to both the height and width since I have a few larger tea pots and these do help keep the tea a perfect temperature to finish the pot.)   I used the same pussy willow fabric for the exterior and the lining fabric, a polyester batting and a Teflon quilted and lined fabric so the finish is quite thick.  Will see how well it insulates my little pot this am!  ;-)

Last year I did purchase the themed fabric Beautiful Birds by Tracy Lizotte for Elizabeth's Studio but couldn't find it and didn't want to waste anymore time looking.  Also I wanted to get some of these other bird themed projects I found done and the ones I had remembered that I wanted to do too done as well.   We love and feed the birds here.  So some time in the near future, you will be seeing more bird projects done.   Like the bird house wall hanging shared in this post.   The quilt in this post because of a bird fabric, or this one started Little Miss Shabby,  a few birds or even more birds here on Counted cross stitch,  another quilt here, and the first quilt with chopped up birds called Autumn Song.    Yep, we love birds around here.  Who knows when I'll find that bird panel fabric or where I put it.  One good thing though, I did find the soft aqua and off white striped fabric I bought at the same time to go with it so hopefully it should surface soon and not a decade later before it surfaces.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my crafts and hopefully you can make some time to check out these other bloggers during this hop to see their creations.  Of course if you leave a comment, I'd appreciate it.  Enjoy your day.

Today's Schedule is:

Tomorrow's Treasures Today
Childlike Facination
Pig Tales and Quilts
Ella and Nesta's Little Room
Thimblemouse and Spouse
Gracie Oliver Arts

It's amazing how creative and different all the projects are.  Thanks Lana, it's been fun!

Happy Halloween!

It's the end of October so besides the trick-or-treaters coming around tonight, today we'll be enjoying the Grandparents' Day at school with the youngest grandchildren.  A costume parade, meeting the teachers as well as a nice turkey dinner we don't have to prepare with both PGD#1 and PGS#3 will be nice.  Yesterday was actually our eldest grandson's 21st Birthday too, or where does that time go?  He is doing well and is still attending his school in Ma. hopefully being able to graduate with life skills next year.




Seems like each month time continuously speeds up to higher warp levels lately and I am always feeling way too rushed.  Several friends have lost their mothers recently so my time has been well spent just being there and attending the end of life services that have been bittersweet.  




I am so grateful that I still have my Mom to enjoy.  She actually is heading back to Florida this am as she was able to come visit for the past 10 days.  Didn't get to see her that much, only several times as she enjoyed time with all of my  other siblings along the way, so that's okay, I can share nicely.  With my schedule and transporting the kids to their respective groups; speech, hockey, gymnastics and hip hop class not to mention all the other trips to town needed it's no wonder I went to bed at 7:45 last night!  Of course I won't mentioned the margaritas I shared with Mom for our last  meal.  I crashed when I got home.




The Scaredy Sheep Scissor Fob is completed and looks nice. CHECK! that one off my list.
Table Runner for that new to me sofa table was made when I got the Halloween decorations out, CHECK! that's off my list too.
The Boo! Table Mat hasn't been started yet, but I still have 20 more hours until October ends, LOL (aren't I ever the optimist or should I say fool).

The pics towards the top of this post shows additional projects I started and finished.  That carved pumpkin showing a witch stirring a cauldron over flames done on one of those perpetual pumpkins.  I started it then had DH complete it since I don't have the power with my arms to control the dremel tool.  It was too difficult to manage with my neck spine difficulties and he didn't mind.  Thanks Honey!.
Also with the help of the youngest two grandchildren we created a beautiful wreath for our front door.  It has black roses, many skeletons, and skulls along with a myriad of spiders and glittery bits of whimsical color spinning outwards.  Looks great if I say so myself and I am pleased.  As for sharing the photos, DH has been taking pictures off our older computer and added them to this one and now I can't get to any of my pictures in the normal pattern.  When trying to download the camera, RITZ pics comes up and downloads them there, not my usual autoplay download so I am totally lost!  It also seems to distort the photos where they are more grainy than ever.  How irritating!  It's been fixed!  Not sure how I can fix that.  I  just need a few more hours, days and perhaps even weeks to manage that.   Grrr........! 
Perhaps I best go back to bed now and catch a few more Zzzzzz's. 

If any body has a tip to get our auto feature fixed, I'd sure appreciate it.

Good Night,
Jane

PS:  Last month's book club selected Morning Glory by LaVerle Spencer my Librarian recommended and I truly enjoyed it.  Right now I'm reading November's selection of Still Alice by Lisa Genova and it's pulling me in. It's about a mid life college professor being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and talking about screening for the APP, PS1 and PS2 mutations. I think I'll be googling that to read more about it. Even though I'm retired, that lab technician nerdy side of me still wants more information. MUWAWhaha ha ha........

Brody PGS#3 with Addison, a friend he's had since daycare, preschool and now they're in Kindergarten together.  
(He's insisting on her not calling him "Brodybear" anymore, lol.)

Witchy McKenna, PGD#1 with a friend of hers she's had since they were infants, Lexus. 

Their Moms are great friends too.

 

October Goals

I figured to help push me to getting some quilty things progressed and even finished, I'd propose what I want to complete in October on this forum.  So I plan to finish:



1- Shepards' Bush counted cross stitch design Scissor fob, Scaredy sheep.



2-A fall runner for this oak sofa table I saw, then bought this table along the side of the road during one of my travels, what a deal!  Didn't fit where I first thought it could,  but then came up with an alternative that works just right.

3-Table Mat with the Boo!  A kit purchased a year or two ago through Connecting Threads.



There is a challenge up at Fiber of all Sorts. called ALYF (a Lovely Year of Finishes) so I'll attritube that Table Mat project for my October finish there.  Hopefully this will keep me on track and supply the mojo needed to succeed!






I did complete a few items throughout my summer and early fall, inserting a very happy grin here.

This pile of fabric was turned into this quilt top:

 

 

The panel was by Sarah Jane via Michael Miller called Wee wanders.  Fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.  So that makes another top I need to get quilted and bound. 
I was able to get a community project quilt for my local CVQG guild finished.  Got it layered, quilted and bound also but never grabbed a photo of it.
I still have another community quilt for my oother guild, WFQG.  It needs to get layered, quilted and bound;
THEN a quilt my grand daughter made for a young boy in Nicaragua I still need to layered, quilted and bound;
AND  then those 3 quilts I never finished quilting from last years quilt show need more quilting.  

Houston, I am seeing a pattern here.  

Next month perhaps I should make one of those my priority, now that's an idea, PROMISE!

A mola purse I purchased and started years ago while at a Quilt show in Pennsylavania I think.  I finished adding my>bling< to it while camping in Vermont.  Savorski crystals from Cheri's crystals in Texas were used.  While rummaging through this UFO project box, I thought another project I finished in September, a Jenny Beyer - quilters sidekick could use a little flash too.  In fact, I just ordered a few more packages since I didn't have any black, jet or hematite colored crystals.



Not  sure if I want to highlight that paisley design on the front, or  perhaps a large J or E for my name placed katty-wompus on the cover somewhere.
I just threw in a couple of bills and a colored pamphlet so you could see it in use.

This kit was a quick project to get done.  It will be nice way to carry around a sewing project is what I'm thinking. 


There are still other bits I was able to get done.  I will be back to share when I think of them and have more time to share.
The cupcake kids meet this afternoon and I've got to get going. 

Jane