Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tiny Tuesday.....

Well, the block is partially done. 132- Radiant Star can be found here in the Midget section on the sentimentalstitches.com website. I had prepped this one before vacation and started to hand piece the middle blue star during swim lessons this morning. I was able to add the outer parts while supervising a game of go fish (thanks Mom and Dad.... we've played this daily since we got home!). Emily is recognizing more of the cards but still needs help with 6,7,8 and 9's. I just need to add the little petals to the middle and then a circle on top. If I don't get it done tonight... there is always swim lessons tomorrow and Thursday.


I've also made some progress on the baby afghan using the slanted shell stitch. This is so easy to do and the yarn is so soft and fun to work with. Well...... the three hours of untangling the middle part on Saturday night and Sunday morning I could have done without. Oh well, I have one skein done and the next one is ready to be added on. I think I will probably need another one or two skeins of the off white and then maybe a pretty pastel color to go around the edge. We'll see.


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Finally a teal Saturday.

I found a little bit of teal in the bins and was able to make my two snails trail blocks and a 16 patch block for the month. I have to say, I'll be happy to have a new month and color for next week.

Head on over to SoScrappy and see what others have been up to on this last week of teal.

Friday, July 26, 2013

A new project - Nabby's Dowry

I blame it on Kathy over at Kathy's Quilts. She started two new sew-alongs this month and I've been itching to get home and start them. I started one today over at heartspunquilts called Nabby's Dowry. and I am all caught up! This will be a little wall hanging and I decided to use up a bunch of leftover hst's that have been sitting in a bag in the scrap bin. I made a lot of bonus triangles while I was making a Star Struck quilt
Star Struck - pattern from Quiltville.com
a couple of years ago and this is my pile of HST's.

They just need to be ironed and trimmed down to the 2 inch unfinished size. I was able to quickly press some and trim them up and soon had the first three blocks for this sew along.

I know you have a pile of HST's hanging around somewhere... why not join in?
Today I am hooking up with Angie over at Quilting on the Crescent. She is having a special link up to celebrate St. Ann - the patron saint of seamstresses and a bonus giveaway for her 200th post! Head on over and see what is happening around the world. My daughter's middle name is Ann - hopefully she'll grow up to love a sewing machine just like her Mom!


Friday catch up.

I finally got into the sewing room last night after unpacking, dusting, cleaning bathrooms and cleaning the fridge while it was fairly empty and then going shopping to restock everything. The kids were busy playing with toys they had not seen in three weeks. They also spent some time splashing in the pool with Daddy (lots of jumping in by Aidan and swimming by Emmy) and testing out the dive sticks Grandma sent over.

I got two of the Grandmother's Choice blocks done. Just one more to go and I'll be all caught up. These are week number 45 and 46 - Aunt Mary's Favorite and Barristers block. I just need to print out week 47 - Heroine's Crown and I'll be caught up. I believe there are two more weeks to this BOW that I started last August over at Grandmothers Choice.

I also stitched down the last two outer tulips on my Midget block for this week last night while watching the Harry Potter movie on TV. This is number 97 - Western Rose. I'll straighten it up a bit when I trim down the background to 5 inches.


Now I just need to pull out some teal fabrics if I can find some and make a snails trail and 16 patch block for Saturday. First I think we'll head to the playground this morning. It had been closed for a while and finally reopened a couple of days before we left for Vermont. There are lots of new trails and equipment for the kids to play on. We can't wait to go explore.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

I'm home....

safe and sound! The last flight was delayed by 3 hours. Not what I was wanting being by myself with two kids traveling yesterday. We survived and I am back home. So nice to get back to your own bed after being on vacation. A few pictures from the last few days in Vermont.
Kids at Charlies' Playground in Barre, VT (formerly Playground 2000)

Feeding one set of the ducks on the lake. They come right to the door to get fed some bread.

Loon with the baby on the back. 

Loon with her baby

Full Yellow Moon on the lake on Tuesday evening. A very pretty sight.

Monday, July 22, 2013

A trip down memory lane of old quilts.....

I saw this little baby quilt on Aidan's bed last night. I think this was the first quilt I ever made way back in 1992! It is tied and it was a turned quilt. I didn't do bindings back then! It is a tealish green with purple flowers. A simple four patch with purple and a print.

I've also been cuddling under my Vermont quilt that I made a few years ago while I was in my guild in Vermont. It was a block a month and I just love the three dimensional turtle on this quilt.

Looking into my parents room I get to see the Lady in the Lake quilt I made my parents for their anniversary a few years ago. It lives on their bed out here at camp.


I also have the beginning of a slanted shell variation afghan that I started last night thanks to Amy who made one last week. I seem to have picked up some Caron simply soft yarn in off white last Thursday when I was in Burlington. It is a no dye lot so I should be able to get more down in Florida when I run out of the 2 skeins I purchased. I need to modify the turn on the last row...... I was doing it from memory and the memory failed! I started with 127 chain stitches since it is multiple of 5+2 for the pattern. It should make a nice size baby blanket for some future baby in the family or a donation to Project Linus. It is a fun and very easy pattern if you feel the need to pick up a crochet hook and play. Thanks Amy for pointing me to the tutorial. I have a feeling it will be a great project for the plane ride home on Wednesday.



Sunday, July 21, 2013

An old project....

This is what lives permanently in my luggage.


I purchased this leaflet 2529 - Paula Vaughan's Quilts For All Seasons a very long time ago. It has a very pretty quilt inspired cross stitch design for each month of the year. It was surprising when I opened the front and saw that I had put my initials and year next to the two I had completed. I made the August pattern and completed it in 6 months back in 1998. It is framed and hanging in my sewing room.






I then made the September pattern and completed it in 1999. It was framed so my Grandfather could have it in his room in the nursing home. I got it back after he passed and it now hangs in my hallway as I exit my sewing room.





 This is where the month of January is. Some day it will get finished and look like this but for now it is my traveling project.

I might just pull out some floss and put a few stitches in it tonight as I am cuddling under a quilt. It is finally a bit cooler out at camp and I am looking forward to a fire in the fireplace and maybe a 'smore or two (if I didn't eat all the Hershey's bars I bought a couple of weeks ago).
Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what other hand work projects are being worked on slowly

Friday, July 19, 2013

On the needles.....

Well, after watching the boy limp along each day (especially in the evenings) after his knee twist last week (and again on Saturday and again on Tuesday) I took him to the ER here. I am not looking forward to the bill when it comes but the X-ray showed no break and the knee looks fine. He just sprained it.... which will probably take longer to heal. You can tell by the end of the day it is hurting since he starts limping lots more as the day goes on. They also checked out his hip and that seems fine. Hopefully it gets better in a couple of weeks with the ibuprofen and attempting to rest it a bit. Good luck keeping a 5 year old off it. I'll try and keep him to walking only (no scooter, no running and no jumping!) and try and limit that. I guess that means no hiking up Moss Glenn Falls this visit to Vermont.
I was thinking ahead and grabbed my Sugar and Cream yarn and my trusty bamboo knitting needles. You can tell I was there for a while (10:38-1:40!) because I almost got the whole dish cloth done in the time I was there.


They had a DVD player and he chose Bob the Builder 
While driving home with Emmy on Monday from a dinner with the girls in Williston I got to see this beautiful sunset over the mountains on the way back to camp. I do love the Elmore Mountain Road with all the beautiful green mountains. I was a couple minutes too late but still..... a pretty sight to see.



Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Tiny Tuesday - Midgets

This week is applique since there is not a sewing machine in sight. I had prepped block number 128 - Four Winds earlier this month and was able to get it sewn the last two days. It is an unusual block and my little cones are not perfect but it is done!

Mom also had some hand towels that needed some crochet on the top so she can hang them on the stove. I cut them in half and then do some crochet on top of each towel so they can be hung. She gets to add the buttons! I have one more set to do in the next week.


We finally made it to Ben and Jerry's yesterday. The kids got their ice cream sample at the end of the tour - although I think Emily got more on her face than in her mouth. We took a little hike to the flavor graveyard and then some time on the playground on the way back to the line to get a dish of ice cream. A very yummy lunch!


They had some free spin art as we were going in. The kids each did a little masterpiece that was hanging to dry until we left a couple of hours later. The green outer one on the top row and the orange, yellow and blue one next to it were Emily and Aidan's.

We also did a quick stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill - Mom wanted some cider donuts for Dad. They were not pressing apples since it is not fall but they did have a little video on how it is done. The store has lots of cute little things... I really love a couple of the baskets but nothing came home with us except the donuts. There is also a bakery there that made the whole place smell wonderful.

The weather has really changed here - close to 90 degrees and humid. I think I'll take the kids to the beach today for a couple of hours so they can play in the sand. We also need to either give the kayaks or the paddle boat a test drive today. I think it will be the paddle boat since I can put both kids in that one. My goal is to tire them out a bit since naps are not happening out here.
Have a great Tuesday.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Slow stitching at camp.....

The sky is a little overcast today, so while we are waiting for the sun to peek through I'm going to do a little slow stitching on my Mideget block for this week. Grandpa is entertaining the kids by doing some fishing off the end of the dock. Grammy is enjoying a cup of coffee and I'm going to enjoy the peace and quiet until my sister and her family arrive.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what other slow stitching is happening today.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Friday finishes....

While on the plane I got to knit a little last week and got this dish cloth completed. I guess my kids are used to me since my son asked me when I was going to sew on the plane! I decided to knit instead.

It has been a little cooler here at camp so I finally got the binding turned and completed on the Bricks and Stepping stones quilt. This will stay up here and live on my nephew's Charlie's bed. The pattern is free over at Quiltville.com. This is my favorite spot out at camp. I was sitting here when I snapped the picture of the rainbow.

The picture in the header was snapped on Wednesday evening while on a kayak ride with Emmy. No rain where we were but we got to enjoy the beautiful rainbow that the rain and sun create. We convinced Mom to go see a Dr. for her stuffy head and plugged ear that has been happening for a week now. We'll head home to the Barre area and maybe check out my brothers new adventure. He is creating a Disk course. I've never heard of them but I guess it is like a nature walk where you have holes like golf and bring a frisbee. You try and get the disk into the basket on each hole. He is creating it in the Barre Forest and it has been keeping him busy the last few months clearing and creating the holes. We'll also show the kids the granite quarries in Graniteville and maybe visit the Rock of Ages visitor center where my Dad helps out giving tours in the fall.

We had a little bit of a scare last night. The kids were checking out the tree fort in the woods while I was making dinner and all of a sudden they were both crying and carrying on. I went running. Aidan was on the ground in pain and Emmy was crying and holding her knee. I tended to him a bit and then gave Emmy a hug and told her she was fine to get her to stop crying (Sympathy crying I believe) and figured out that Aidan slipped and twisted his knee and it hurt. After I carried him back to the camp and got him calmed down a little it was inspection time. He seems better this morning but is favoring it a bit. He was bending down on his knees last night and crawling around so I think it is fine but it probably does hurt a bit. I'll keep an eye on him today. I'm thinking the Ben and Jerry's tour might be delayed at bit since there is walking and stairs involved. Bummer. Will have to contend ourselves with the 5 or 6 pints in the freezer from my nieces. They get 3 free pints a day each day they work. So nice of them to share =).

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Wednesday Hodgepodge......


Since all my Grandmothers choice fabrics are down in Florida and I am up in Vermont for a few weeks, I'll join in on the Wednesday Hodgepodge and get back to GC posts on Wednesday next month.


1. What's something people might ask you for help with?
People tend to ask me for help with crafting things or sewing. I helped with the dance costumes this year and my sister had a couple of questions as she is teaching my niece to sew this year.

2. What's something you might ask someone else for help with?
Printers! I was a programmer for many years before I had kids but was never good at hooking everything up like pc's to printers and all the wireless things. I ask DH to do all that stuff.

3.  Did your family take summer vacations when you were a child? If so, where did you go? If you're a parent, did/do you plan summer vacations with your own family? Did/do they resemble those you took as a child?
Our summer vacation was to pack up and move out to our camp on the lake after school got out. We were out here for July/August until school went back. I was a SAHM until last year so I would take day trips out to the same camp with my kids at least once a week to visit with Grammy and Grandpa. This year we have a vacation out here for 3 weeks. The kids are loving playing in the lake, going on treasure hunts in the woods and generally being kids and having fun outside.

4.   Pool-lake-ocean...which one is most appealing to you on a hot summer day?
All three have water associated with them so any would work for me - a water sign of Scorpio! At home we have a pool in the back yard. We are currently at a lake in the mountains of VT and later this year plan to take the kids to the ocean in Florida. I love all three.

5.  Have you ever justified using the expression, 'you gotta be cruel to be kind'?  Was it really necessary or were you rationalizing?
Tough one. Life is much easier if you just play nice with each other and if you can't, just walk away.

6.  The Journal of Psychology recently mentioned the results of a survey identifying the ten most hated foods as-liver, lima beans, mayonnaise, mushrooms, eggs, okra, beets, brussel sprouts, tuna, and gelatin.  Of those foods, how many do you actually hate? Anything you'd add to the list? 
Well, I don't particularly like liver, lima beans or okra but all the other things are fine. Tuna fish is not my favorite but I'll eat it. All the other things I love.... especially mushrooms and beets. Yummy.
I'd add salmon or any fishy tasting type food to my list of hates. Cod and Haddock, shrimp, scallops, crab and lobster are the only 'seafood' I like.

7. What's your favorite book or movie set in a beach or lake town?
John Candy's The Great Outdoors. I LOVE that movie.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I am having a wonderful vacation here in Vermont. We were lucky enough to see (and hear daily) a pair of loons with a little tiny baby,  feed the ducks from the dock  and hear plenty of hummingbirds flying in for a drink of nectar at the side of the porch. Yesterday we saw a beautiful rainbow while Kayaking on the lake last night. Lazy summer days are the best.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Tiny Tuesday - Cat's Cradle

I remember playing Cat's Cradle when I was growing up. Do you?
This is number 101 in the Midget series and was rotary cut and pieced. This block finishes at 4.5 inches so yes, those triangles were very tiny to work with.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Slow stitching Sunday at camp.

  Today will be a very busy day of family and fun out at the camp here in Vermont. We are celebrating my parents 50th Anniversary (June 15th) with a little BBQ. Hopefully the daily rain that is causing lots of flooding throughout the state will relent and not drop on us so we can enjoy a fun day splashing in the lake and chatting.
I think I have seen almost all my siblings and nieces and nephews except my sister Jo. She was camping but will be coming out today. Most of the others were out for the 4th of July and last night my brother David and family came out to celebrate a birthday. They brought dinner and the cheesecake for dessert!

G was taken to the airport in a downpour on Friday evening and arrived back home in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday. Hopefully he doesn't enjoy the peace and quiet of the house too much while we are gone! I think he will love that the clean house will be the same when he gets home from work each day.... very different from what he is used to!    
 Until the rest of the crew gets up and moving this morning, Aidan is eating his breakfast and I am doing a little slow stitching on my orange peels in yellow while looking out at a beautiful calm lake.


  I was expecting to be a little chilled at night up here but we seem to be in a hot pattern and it isn't even cooling down too much at night. That might change tonight and maybe I can get a few binding stitches in on the Bricks and Cornerstone quilt.

I'll be hooking up with Kathys Quilts today - head on over and see what other slow stitching is being worked on this glorious Sunday.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

A little slice of heaven.....

We survived traveling with lots of airport delays on Tuesday. The kids did great flying despite the 16 hours in travel with lots of waiting in the airports. Thank goodness JFK has a little kid play zone where they could get some of their energy out climbing and sliding on the big objects there. They also got to see them fix one of the engines in Orlando as they placed all the fins into the jet right outside the window we were sitting by.

It was worth it. We are now at the camp and get to enjoy sights like this.


Most of my family will be arriving shortly for a fun filled 4th of July here at camp. Wishing everyone a safe and happy (and dry!) holiday.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Grandmothers Choice - Star of Hope

Grandmothers Choice block number 44 - Star of Hope. This block went together very easily as long as you remember which way to sew the quarter square triangles. Don't ask how I know =).


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Tiny Tuesday - 1929 World's Fair

This week I decided to do number 96 - 1929 World's Fair block in the Midget series. This block was pieced in 8 paper pieced sections and then pieced into squares and then into my 4.5 inch finished block. I went with the red,white and blue since it is the week of July 4th - Independence Day.