OMG for April

Well, there are a few hours left to the last day of this month and I 'might' find some time to get back to the sewing room later and maybe add the borders to my graduation quilt. I have all the blocks made and sewn together so I am calling that a big win. It will be a top by Thursday when I have plans to pin it for quilting this coming weekend.

Linking up with all the others at Elm Street Quilts for the April finish linkup.

A Heart a Day in the month of May!

I gave myself a challenge to appliqué a heart a day in the month of may. I did a month of blue baskets last year and it worked out well so I'm at it again.

Anyone else want to join me? It is really a no rules challenge - mine is to hand appliqué a heart a day and at the end of the month I'll have 31 cute hearts on a 6 inch finished square. I have a plan to set mine with a colorful 9 patch to make a nice little throw quilt.  I made a practice heart here. The original thought for this challenge is here along with a link to the heart coloring page I am using. I found my fabrics to use in this post... and my silly idea to use the cut out white to make another star here. I know.... I'm nuts.

Today will be prep day for me - I have a stack of 5 inch colorful squares from Connecting threads that have been hanging around for a while. They fit my heart design perfectly if I am careful drawing and cutting it out.

I should cut some 2.5 inch squares in white and colors too.... so I have have a stack next to my machine as a leader and ender project. Those scrappy nine patches will make themselves along with other sewing.

While in there...I need to prep my next dresden plate. 3 left to go as I finished off the pink one yesterday. I'm thinking I'll pull brown next, then maroon and finish off with my favorite color - blue.

Prepping will be my reward once I get the girl scout finance report and other documentation finished up today. My meeting to turn it in is Wednesday so it has to get done today.
Linking up with Kathy and the other slow stitchers.

Is anyone else interested in joining me for A Heart a Day in May? I'm giving link up's a try and plan to have one each day if you care to join in and show off your progress.

RSC Saturday....

It's not yellow but it is progress on an old RSC project of my Dresden plates. I should finish off the pink one later today. I just have to add some peels into two more sides of the surrounding squares. I'll have to search for the batting and prep the next one soon... brown, maroon and dark blue are left before I'll put all 12 together.

I tilled the half of the garden not planted and around some of the planted parts and I was done for the day. It will be a day relaxing in the recliner watching tv and stitching I think. Low energy with a touch of whatever the boys had... or maybe I just need a day to relax? At least the boy seems to be recovered and is busy with Emily entertaining themselves for now. I think they made a list and are working on the 'relaxing' for a bit. They found a book of board games I've had forever and played a few before lunch. It seems it got too hot to be outside for them after they weeded a little and watered everything for me. I hear they want pool time this afternoon - just waiting for the sun to get the chlorine level down a bit after shocking it last night. I hear the pool temp is up to 80 degrees!

Linking up with the RSC Challenge.

My little bits of yellow - a future crumb block in yellow. Sewn around the graduation blocks on Thursday.

Yesterday Emily had her second riding lesson. She got to walk out to get her horse to ride for her lesson. She got Cowboy since Belle was in use. 

Serious pose while leading her horse around.

Slow camera missed the huge grin on her face as the horse was off leash and fully in her control!

Friday......

I had company yesterday - the boy was home sick with whatever Dad had earlier this week. He is home again today. Achey and blah - flu bug that is going around hubby's work and through their kids. Sounds like 5-6 days of iciness in store. Hopefully just the boys get this one - Emily and I don't want or need it!

I had yesterday off so got some quality sewing time in and got almost all my block made for the graduation quilt. 2 more to go and then I can assemble them this weekend. This is Spinning Pinwheels pattern. A big shout out to Dot for the help with the pattern.

Ollie promptly decided to sit on the quilt.

Peanut had to join the party.

Ollie thought it got too crowded and went for some food to snack on so Peanut decided to be King!

Monday....

I think I need another weekend already!
Great progress yesterday although it didn't seem like it. I had to do the kid drop to Grandma yesterday as hubby was under the weather. He is still holed up in the bedroom today... day 3 of a possible flu bug. He is quarantined from the rest of the house =)

After dropping kids off and a little visit with Grandma - I headed to the girl scout store to pick up a few things and get Emily's Jr vest and necessary decals for it. Home for a bite to eat and then it was sewing time! I saw this beautiful field of flocks and had to snap a photo.

The 18 blocks needed for the graduation quilt got completed. Now onto the second block. I got everything cut and sewn and pressed to parts. I have a bunch of HST's to make again.... but the other parts of the block are ready to cut from their sewn together strips and should go together quickly.

Some crochet got added to the new afghan... until the kittens discovered the yarn moving.

So I switched to something I keep putting off - adding badges to the brownie vest. I know - I still have some from LAST year that need to get put on but I am running out of room! I added 7 fun patches yesterday to the back and the 2 journey's, a first aid badge and a camper badge that were earned this year to the front. I still have a bunch to add (at least 10 and some more she is getting..... arrrgghhhh). Hopefully I can add another  3-4 today in a rainy day car line without poking my fingertips too much.

Clorox wipes will be used a lot this week to try and keep the rest of the house from getting whatever Greg has.

Sunday... Earth Day.

For earth day weekend - my girl scout troop learned about the importance of Bees and got to see a real bee hive and taste some honey directly from the comb! We all learned a lot and the girls were attentive, listened and asked and answered some great questions. That led Mr. Chappie to gift all of us with a bees wax lip balm and a little jar of honey from his bees!

I think we will be making a tin can hive for local bees in the near future to help the bee population.

Without bees - there would be a lot less crops and food for us. So - if you see a bee - leave them alone as they are working and really won't sting unless threatened. Also - if you are stung use your fingernail to flick it off quickly not pull it out. Pulling releases the poison and that stinger can wiggle in for a while.

Emily in her garb!

Some of my troop

Mr Chappie and a hive

Honey comb!

Today - Hubby is under the weather again - headache yesterday when we got home in the afternoon and we didn't see him again as he was sleeping the rest of the day. Not looking good today so I'm off to bring the kids to Grandma's then will swing to the girls scout store in Wildwood to get badges - sewing from their pillowcases and the save a bee badge from yesterday once we do our community service project and our bridging stuff for next month.

Once home..... I need to do a little weeding in the garden and plant the other half if it is not too hot out. Looking back at past posts - I am very late with the garden but we did have lots of frost in March in Florida this year. At least the beans, radish and some of the beets and swiss chard are up. The carrots should pop up soon and there are sprouts for the summer squash, watermelon and melon we are trying. I think we need some bees to help out the garden!

I need to throw a coat or two of the modpodge onto the girls flower pots they did last Monday for Mothers Day gifts. We'll plant some flower seeds that Mr. Chappy handed out to us yesterday in them. Hmmm one girl was not there and one I sent home with a Mom as she was under the weather. I have technically 16 girls... but 14 attend regularly.

I plan to sew a bit with the machine on the graduation quilt, and at some point add some slow stitching to either the pink Dresden plate,

the trip around the world quilt on the frame or

some crochet stitches into the new granny as you go afghan. I plan to just keep going around- maybe adding colors - until it is the size I want... or I get sick of it! It is actually 2 rounds bigger than this photo.

Or.... sit on the screened in porch and read a bit. We will see! 

Linking up with others at Kathy's Slow Stitching.

RSC Saturday in yellow.

I finally have some yellow to show so I can link up with the other RSC quilters today!

I made three of the yellow blocks for the sampler this week!

Friday was a stressful day so I spent the afternoon sewing after picking up the kids from school. Emily and I got a couple of rows added to her triangle quilt.

Aidan got his out but got frustrated due to seam allowance - I need to do a little fixing and get him back on track Saturday.

I also have 12 of the graduation quilt blocks completed.

I thought I was in the mood for quilting in car line yesterday but instead grabbed the yarn and started a granny square afghan. I think I will continue to go around until it is the size I want. More colors may be added at some point.

The stress yesterday was lots of calls in the morning from our school district in Marion County with a shooting at one of the local high schools in Ocala - about 30 minutes from us. There are 5 in our area and the kids are slated for another one but have the option based on curriculum on where to go. All the schools were put on lock down in yellow or red for the rest of the day and a sheriff was dispatched to each school in the area. He was standing outside the doors to the elementary school when I went to car line for pick up at normal time. Sewing helped. I am just thankful for a wonderful plan in place that was followed and handled in 3 minutes to get the person in custody. Great job by all those involved to keep our kids safe.

 Emily's teacher left in the morning - she got a text then went to the bathroom quickly, came out and the kids knew she had been crying. She got them settled to their split class (a few go to each of the other teachers in the grade) then left for the day. Her son went to the high school and she obviously went to that area to find out about her son. She got a text from him mid morning and got to hug him finally around 1PM. This all happened around 8:40 in the morning. She was kind enough to send an e-mail to the class last night saying how brave the kids were and well behaved when she needed them to be and wanted to share that her son was ok and she will be back to her normal self on Monday. Such a great teacher we are blessed to have.

Now - off to a fun filled day this Saturday. The girl scouts will be earning their Save a Bee badge today at a local bee hive. I'm bringing supplies and the parents will determine if their kids do just the classroom or the classroom and hive. I'm bringing some benadryl and the ER/Quick care is 4 minutes up the road with a fire station 2 minutes away.
Have a wonderful Saturday and I'll see you at the linkup.

Graduation quilt and Instrument petting zoo

Progress? Not so much! Thursday is my day off and now that bowling is done it was a free day for me. I had planned to sew all day..... but other stuff needed to get done. Shopping to get groceries at a couple of stores and 3 loads of laundry and picking up the house a little.... left me with about an hour of sewing time before getting the kids. I got everything pressed and made a few blocks and one oops, that needs to get fixed. It was progress at least!

Oops....

After school pick up - I dropped Aidan to a friends for about an hour for a hang out sessions  - it is not a play date mom!. Emily and I headed to the park to meet up with a friend of hers. Home to make dinner - baked fish and yes the house still smells like fish. I'm blaming the salmon and not the cod on that one! Then it was quickly off to school for the Petting Zoo - the middle school band came over and gave a quick performance and then had their instruments there for the kids to test out! I think there was about 11 and both kids tried them all out. Emily loved the drums and clarinet and Aidan loved the trumpet and french horn! They get the chance to select band in 6th grade at middle school. A little way's away but something to look forward to.

Photo's for Mom and Dad... looks like the music tradition will continue with these two. The students from middle school were showing the kids how to play the instruments.

Ms. Goode - the kids elementary Music teacher is helping Emily with flute.

Monday progress....

Why does it seem like so little progress from yesterday? I finished making 72 half square triangles in white and blue. Then I trimmed all of them (72+72) to be 3 inches. Yup - that took forever! Then it was sewing them together and I still need to press those units. I had a few more minutes before the roast was ready... so I cut my 6 strips each of white and teal and sewed them together.  Of course I ran out of bobbin thread half way through so that got a clean out and rewind as well. (OMG - the roast came out awesome! I got a 6.3 pound choice rib roast - aka prime rib at Aldi for $5.42 a pound Saturday. It was marked down with $10 off at register to move it and with a 15 minute start on high 450 then 325 for 2 hours and yummy, yummy, yummy)

I just have to press the hst units, then press and cut the strips and then sew them all together to make my 18 blocks. Then the other block should go quickly as there is no HST's to make or trim down. My goal is still to get this top completed - either as a top or quilted too by the end of the month - but we are halfway gone so I'm really shooting for the top completed. I do have all of May to quilt it!

Sunday...

It has been a busy last couple of days! Perfect time to relax today with a nice walk before the storms roll in (right after I post this!) and then a day of sewing and 'me time'! The kids are on their way to Grandma's for the day - the first time in a month since Papa Andy fell and broke a few ribs. He is home and doing much better.

Friday - a busy day. I had lunch with Ms. Emily at school - a little late for her special birthday lunch. Then the afternoon was a drum initial lesson for 15 minutes - which she loved! Then it was off to..... her one request for her birthday - ride a horse! I found a groupon with another Mom's help for 5 private lessons for 30 minutes each.... for around $70! Nice. Emily absolutely loved it.

Emily and Liz

Emily and Belle - her ride for the lesson.

Saturday I helped out at a girl scout recruitment booth at a festival. It was a bust - a wee bit high price to get in but we had a nice shady spot under a tree and it was bearable until mid afternoon. I got a few patches hand sewn onto Emily's brownie vest and we got the rest of our year planned. Seems the kids were in the pool while I was away as it was around 87 degrees outside.

Today - looks like a rainy afternoon as the cold front goes through Florida.... so I'm off to take my walk and then will find my way to the sewing room and work on the graduation quilt parts. This afternoon or evening I expect to add some more badges onto Emily's vest.... and add more stitches into the pink dresden plate. Three blades to go then I can start the cross hatching. Just brown, dark blue and maroon to go on these!

Linking up with the other Slow Sunday Stitchers. Remember to take some time to do something for you today! A sunset photo from a walk a couple of nights ago.