Design floor Monday

I picked my UFO project for June and encouraged my Vermont Quilting FB group to join in. I just had the 16 patch blocks when I started Saturday.  I made those last year with the RSC Challenge. Hopefully this will be a finished quilt by the end of June. The pattern is Goodnight Irene and I love how it is looking in the scrappy colors. Excuse the messy floor.....not much area in the sewing room for display and everything extra gets shoved into my space. The kids and I will be working a bit each day this week to clean up in there in the afternoons.

Linking up in June with OMG for the June One Monthly Goal.

I did some outside work yesterday and the heat did me in. A splitting headache yesterday evening had me in bed by 5 for the night. Feeling much better today... and love how my planting area came out. Just need one more white bee balm to put in there and some mulch. Greg pulled the bushes out of there last weekend... they were trimmed down last year and then a frost got them. They didn't come back well so we decided to take them out. I'm going to love these perennials with a pop of sunny colors - yellow, white and orange - as I enter my house. Yikes, the driveway really needs to be power washed. Living in Florida it is a constant fight with mold with all the humidity.

Today will be a BBQ of some Ribs with my MIL and FIL coming over for some pool time in the back yard. Greg has been busy building a deck for it yesterday and today. Me.... I guess the house needs to get picked up and food needs to get made. Potato salad, dip for chips, and a taco salad. First.... I need to pop to the bowling alley (why are they bowling on a holiday?) and deliver some Avon orders.  Must get moving.

Taco Salad Appetizer.

8 ounces of cream cheese - softened

8 ounces of sour cream

4-5 medium tomato, chopped

1 small head of lettuce

1 onion, chopped

1 large jar of salsa, drained

16 ounces shredded mozzarella

sliced black olives, optional.

Strain the salsa and discard juice. (1-2 hours). Mix cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. in a 9 1/2x11 dish or round platter, layer the ingredients.

-cream cheese and sour cream mixture

drained salsa

chopped onion

chopped tomato

shredded lettuce

mozzarella

black olives

Chill for a couple of hours. Serve with Tortilla chips.

Slow stitching Sunday....

Kathy reminds us to slow down and relax with some stitching each week. Today will be a bit of a busy day but I do plan to get some relaxing stitches in at some point.
The big question.... which project will have some stitches added to it?

I have these diamonds that need to be turned on the 1857 block. I use back basting and stitched every other diamond. Once these are turned I'll back baste the others and turn them this week.

I have these pretty blue squares that need to get marked with their sewing lines 1/4 of a inch from the edges.. so they can be added as the next round to the trip quilt. I have 80 of them to mark.

I'll probably add this green dresden (finally... it has been waiting for over 2 weeks!) to it's backing so I can machine stitch the green squares onto it to make a block ready for some hand quilting. I have another sage green dresden that needs it's middle added before that one can be appliqued down.

I think I'll concentrate on getting the dresdens finished off, so I'll have a little hand quilting project to take with me to the beach next month.... and up to Vermont in July.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what other hand stitching is happening on this holiday weekend.

My builders (Greg and Emily) are prepping plans for a deck to be built around a part of the new 24 round pool. Nice and big.... the 15 round was getting small with me and the two kids in it. Despite the bigger pool, the kids are right next to each other in this one and bugging each other!

Showing a picture of the guinea pigs in their play area this morning. They love the tunnels.... and I love that it is recycling a Fedex box and some round cardboard tubes. Guess it is time to clean their cage while they are playing.

We also had a caterpillar that we watched turn into a pink lady butterfly. This was a girl scout project. One of the leaders was doing it and had extra's so I grabbed them for my girls. One emerged yesterday and we set her free. The other one.... had a burst of meconium yesterday afternoon but has not emerged. I fear that one won't survive.

RSC Last Green Saturday....

I got some much needed sewing time in last Saturday and managed to get my 18 geese cut and sewn for the row along.

I also added 17 BITA blocks to the pile in forest greens. I still have 16 to make in light and bright greens... that may happen this weekend or maybe we'll have another month with some green in it =)

Linking up with the RSC Challenge on Saturday and Oh Scrap on Sunday.

The kids are officially out of school and will be 2nd and 3rd graders on August 10 when they go back to school.  Yes..... I am already counting the days =) My working from home life (computer programming) got extended through the end of August.... that will be interesting to see how the kids do this summer. Right now I work 20 hours over four mornings while they are in school. I have them scheduled for a couple of camps in June and will bring them to Vermont for a week or two in July.  I guess we'll figure that one out as we go!

I had 1 cup of buttermilk leftover from waffles last weekend. Since I have lots of veggies in the house for the weekend and thanks to the guinea pigs eating them I keep a good stock. I figured I'd make a homemade ranch dressing. I found this one here and added the parsley, chives, scallions and garlic from my garden. So yummy!

An appliqué block completed.

My fingers healed enough from those girl scout badges that I was able to finish the last two tulips last night. Just needs it's dark purple peels added to the four corners. This is my replacement for the saw block number 10 I believe. I just didn't care for it so crafted my own pattern of this one.

Monday.....

Well, the patches are on her uniform and my finger is killing me. Should have found my thimble much sooner than the last 3! Oh well, knitting for a day or two should let it heal up a bit.
I know I am missing one or two....not sure if I find them I really want to put them on today. We'll see. She has one from camp in April and one from the fall I am missing. Good thing she is moving up to Brownies... no more room for patches! We have a crayola experience one to add after June.

As an appreciation for being a volunteer it was a troop leader and daughter event last night. We did Painting with a Twist and had a blast.

Emily with her work of art.

And mine. I was good until I attempted the birds in the upper corner. Those did not work out well!

Sunday Slow Down.

I 'found' Emily's girl scout uniform just in time to add lots of badges to the back by hand today! I added the two giraffes from her sales this year and an online patch before heading to scout Sunday at the church where scouts meets this morning. I'll have to get the rest on today for her bridging ceremony tomorrow night. She will bridge to brownies tomorrow. Aidan will also have his scout ceremony tomorrow night... followed by a bonfire and smores. I asked if my Daisy's could crash their party if we supply smores things and they are letting us. =).

before picture

All of the badges that need adding. I know there is a horse one somewhere  too..

I got some machine sewing and prep time in yesterday afternoon while the kids were at Grandma's. I have three more of my 1857 blocks prepped for back basting this week.

Linking up with Kathy's Quilts who reminds us to take time for ourselves to recharge, breathe and relax.

RSC Saturday in Green

I got these two houses finished off this morning while waiting for the kids to get ready for Grandma's house. 

This needs to be hand appliqued down and then add the squares around the edges. Tonight's project.

Prepping for working on BITA's today. These will finish at 6 inches.

Linking up with the RSC Challenge today. 

Tuesday design floor....

Lots of resting in the chair Sunday night with a heating pad for company let me finish the black round on my trip quilt. Note to self - use a cart to carry full bag of potting soil instead of carrying it in one hand with the african violet mix in the other. It was a wee bit heavy and that is a long trip from the back of the house to the shed. I would have posted this yesterday.... but blogger would not let me attach a photo. Today.... the kids have awards ceremonies at school. I was invited to Emily's at 9:30 as she is getting an award.

Slow Sunday Stitching

Yesterday was errand day with lots of time in the car. Today.... will be puttering in the garden and repotting house plants (hey Mom - I've got 3 still alive! I picked up an african violet since mine has been dead for a year and a potted palm Thursday. Think I can keep them alive?) with help from Aidan. Pool time will happen as well - temps in the 90's!

I know at some point there will be slow stitching. I hope to finish the two peels in the middle and add four dark purples to the corners today. I also want to prep block 8+9 today so I have something to work on this week.

What will you be slow stitching today? Head on over to Kathy's Quilts for some inspiration.

RSC in green.....

I did get a chance cut some green scraps on Wednesday and made 2 houses and have 2 more ready to make.

I also grabbed the two dresden I made last year with the challenge - one in dark green and one in sage greens. I found a scrap of green for each and have attached that to the middle of the dark green. Now to appliqué that onto the white background and then I can make the scrappy border so it will become a 16 inch block ready for hand quilting.

Maybe I'll have time this weekend to start in on my BITA blocks. I seem to have lots of green in the scrap bins that need to get used up.

For now - breakfast time! The chocolate cake donuts (in a muffin pan) just came out of the oven. The guinea pigs have a clean cage and it's time for breakfast for the humans.
I'm linking up with the RSC Challenge. Head on over and see what fun green projects are being created with scraps.

Appliqué anyone?

I have been doing a little hand work this week. Finally finished adding the peels to that block and got a border and another block done. 

My first 'free' Thursday.... a morning walk with a friend and then chatting for another hour, quick shower, prep of avon and delivered a few orders. Trip to TRU to try and drop some gs cookies  - but she isn't there until 5PM. Will go back later tonight. Then.... a leisurely walk through Walmart. Home for a quick lunch and off to get the kids from school. I think we'll repot some house plants and weed the garden after a quick oil change in the car. Sure do hope they don't have homework =)

Design Wall Monday....

I finally got my squares marked for hand piecing on Saturday evening so I was able to start attaching them on Sunday. I got one side added. These are 2 inch squares hand pieced into a Trip Around the World pattern. Not sure how big it will go... but it is a forever project so I'll continue until I get sick of it..... or run out of fabric! I love how the black round is toning down the two bright rows before it. I wonder what color the next round should be?

Slow Stitching Sunday..... Mothers Day

Just want to wish my Mom Arlene a very Happy Mothers Day. How you managed to raise 5 kids and stay sane I'll never know =) The photo bomb in the back is my niece Kristin... who graduated Friday from Northeastern with a BS in Rehabilitation Science (PT). Congrats Kristin. Also a shout out to my sister Terri and her hubby Bob who are celebrating their 17th Wedding anniversary today.

Yesterday I did mark my squares for the next trip round and will probably add a few at some point today. I did no hand work last night...so I still have one heart and 4 peels to add to this last block I have prepped for the 1857 quilt. Emily is clearing off the back porch (how does it get so cluttered so quickly?) so we can have lunch with Grandma out there today. I'll also be able to relax on my glider with some hand work later today.

Linking up with Kathy's Quilts today for the weekly slow stitching link party.

I'm off to pick up and clean the house... which I did not do yesterday. Hmm I also need to make a blueberry pie with the blueberries we picked on Friday. I can't wait to taste that one this afternoon.

I got a bag breakfast in bed from Ms. Emily today - banana nut muffins and a coffee =). It must be a first grade thing as Aidan did that last year. The kids have been doing art in school this year and the teacher posts it to Artstonia. Well, that has offered to put the photo's onto things. Grandma has gotten the kids mugs with their artwork for christmas and t-shirts for Easter. Well...... Greg ordered each of their artwork onto fabric! There are 15 of them so far on a nice rectangle of fabric. At the bottom it say's either Artwork by Aidan or Artwork by Emily. I think they will make a great quilt for the kids!

RSC in green....

 I have only done a little hand stitching this week and there was a wee bit of green involved so I'm counting it! I added some green to these two blocks from the 1857 album quilt from sentimentalstitches.com. She just released May's blocks but you can get the ones released Jan-April in her store.  I have a purple heart and four dark purple peels to add to that second block to call it done.

My blocks so far - Jan,Feb and 2 from March.

I pulled Em from school on Tuesday and we both went to the doctors office to check on the sore throats we have both had for more than 10 days. Just a viral thing.... and mine is finally not sore this morning. Unfortunately hubby has come down with it so he'll be doing the couch and resting thing this weekend like I did all last weekend. Em is a trooper and just takes medicine and continues with her day!

Thursday was my bowling banquet - we ended up in 1st place =). Friday I helped out at field days at the school. Amazingly it was 46 degrees yesterday morning here in Florida so it was beautiful and in the high 50's to low 60's for the first two hours. Perfect weather for field days in my opinion.  It warmed up a bit into the 70's for the second set but was a beautiful day. After school we headed out to the blueberry fields and picked 10 pounds of blueberries! The kids want to make a pie so that will be on tap for later tonight or tomorrow morning. Lots are in the freezer on sheet pans ready to be put into ziplock baggies for future use. I made some blueberry muffins with some this morning and boy were they yummy. That leaves about 4 cups for eating over the next week or so. We sent some to Grandma's for Papa Andy too. He likes them with his breakfast.

Aidan and Emily before picking.

huge blueberries!

Bucket full to the top!

Emily's yield - over 3 pounds!

Today - kids are off to Grandma's with Dad. I'll be grabbing a quick shower and then logging into work for 5.5 hours today to make up the time I missed this week. Love that they are so flexible with me. Maybe if I get done before the kids arrive home I can get some sewing time in with the machine today?

Head on over to the RSC Linky party and see what other greens are popping up this weekend.

Slow stitching Sunday......

Do you ever have an idea pop into your head and you really can't (don't want to) do anything else until you give it a try? No? Just me? Hmmmm.

I keep moving my pile of dresden plates around the sewing area lately. I made them last year with the RSC Challenge -  no background and no middle yet.  As I keep moving them I think 'you really should cut the backgrounds out and appliqué them down already!'. But... I always have something else that needs to get worked on. Well.... it is getting hot down here and I am missing hand quilting. My 90x90 trip quilt is going to wait until fall to get pinned - did I mention it is hot down here now? What about framing each of these 12 inch plates in the color of them and then hand quilting each 16 inch block? Oh, I like that idea! I guess that means I need to pick a middle color for the plates... do I make them all one color, a coordinating one or keep it all in the color shade family per block? So many decisions..... now I remember why I keep moving them around instead of doing something with them.
Until today! Well last night really. This will be my hand quilting project! This block is 16x16.

I also have this 'forever' project - I picked a black for the next round. I just need to mark the backs and then put them in their baggie with scissors, needle and thread and it is ready to take with me in the car for the pick up line this week.

For applique - I finally finished the two corner and one border block I had prepped and drew a few of the next set of blocks onto the back for back basting. Just need to add some green circles to my current one..... middle bottom. That will happen shortly.

Plenty of projects to work on depending on what type of hand work I feel like doing. Today will be a mostly resting day with hand work... my cold moved into my right ear and boy, do I know when the tylenol runs out. Hope you have a restful and relaxing Sunday.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what others are slowly working on this week.