Saturday, August 31, 2019

August Finish? Maybe.....

I finished the hand quilting Thursday and trimmed it up. Emily pressed my binding for me and I will attach it to the front today. Good hand work for movie night tonight.

Saturday morning will be watching Emily ride Prince at the new riding facility. She is so excited and I am so happy it is 10 minutes from home. I just checked the address and it is a little different from what I was thinking. Mom - it is right behind the Catholic church on 200!

We will do the yard pick up after that and then jump in the pool to cool off. Might as well enjoy it while we can as the temps will be in the feels like over 100. Right now it looks like the hurricane will stay on the east coast side and potentially off the coast. In our hurricane prep we realized we needed a better form of cooking option for no power. We have a camp stove arriving tomorrow.  We don't have a gas grill just a big green egg. The pellet stove takes electricity. It is nice to have options and we are prepped for 'what if'.  We have been discussing a gas grill...... I noticed I grilled a good amount while up in Vermont. It is so nice to just push a button.... and it is ready!


I think the cat and mouse quilt will be the next one in the hoop! Must find a backing and get it prepped.

Linking up with the RSC Challenge....and looking forward to purple!

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Wednesday.....


I finally finished the first block for Happy Little Things BOM over at Jaquelynne Steves  The Art of Home website. I had pulled some fabrics from stash for this one and since I have so much waiting time, figured I'd hand piece this one as well. All done and ready for the next block release next month.

I had an early dentist appt this morning. After, I stopped at Sams as we were out of frozen burger patties. I buy them in the 6 pound package of individual patties as they are so easy to defrost in the microwave (3=1 pound) for meals. As you know, I am in Florida and we are busy watching the weather as a competitive sport with hurricane season in full swing. Dorian is powering up to become a hurricane and only Mother Nature knows where she will go. I am inland and on the west side of Florida so will probably just see rain and wind... if it comes in around the middle of the state. Too soon to tell....but people are already getting crazy buying bottled water. Me... we have a couple cases in storage already. Plenty of batteries in the house  (cause we live in Florida and you just never know!)  I just fill up big blue jugs of water and other containers and the tubs.... if it is a chance of losing power. We will see how things are shaping up Friday..... if it looks like central Florida then I'll fill bigger tupperware containers with water and pop them in the deep freezer. They will keep things cooler longer in case of a power outage... and can be used for drinking water if it is longer. Hopefully, it will go north and away from land and we will have a nice holiday weekend. If not.... I have plenty of hand work to keep me occupied!

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Tuesday Umbrella

My last blue umbrella for the month. I'm happy to say I am all caught up with these again. I wonder what color umbrella's will be added next month. It will either be purple or darks - brown or black. Those are the colors left for the RSC this year.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Monday progress.

I decided to test out the sewing machine yesterday. It still works!
I found this pile of parts from cutting out Emily's triangle quilt. I just paired them together and sewed. Then trimmed to 6.5 tall by whatever. Not sure how these will go together but time will tell. Maybe a little quilt for the kitties?



I had these half square triangles trimmed up and in a little basket.....so they got sewn up too. I know I have more of them somewhere in the bins from trimming off the stars sample quilt I made. I think with a couple more I'll make a cute little wall hanging for my office or sewing room. These blocks are 3.5 inches.

It felt good to sew again.

I also did hand piecing.... the BOM is nearly done. Just need to cut and draw sewing lines for the last frame for this little guy. I like that I decided to hand piece this one. One block per month for the next few months over at Jacquelynne Steves website.


Sunday, August 25, 2019

Sunday....

 This is what happens when I attempt to take photo's for the blog! Peanut thinks he needs to 'help' holding things down! Silly boy.
This is how far I have gotten on the BOM - Happy Little Things. I decided to hand piece this one as I have more waiting time than sewing machine time lately! I got the flying geese done in the car line. Lines are drawn and this one is ready to get pieced the next time I am waiting.
I grabbed the first 'clip' I saw. It was a binding clip. Great way to keep parts together.

 I also found block 1 from Save the Bees BOM...who know's maybe I'll actually finish this block sometime now that it is in the baggie of hand work. I might have found this while starting to go through things as I put things back in the sewing area!

 This is my take with me baggie of hand work. It contains the above 2 projects as well as my umbrella block parts for back basting applique. I think there is also an applique snowflake tucked in there from another project... just in case I might run out of anything to do!


I did have an issue on Friday. I had tucked my knitting needles and yarn into the car console. I have a bunch of stuff in there.... and when I tried to get it out.... I broke the tip off one of the bamboo needles! Bummer..... I love my bamboo needles. Since I have not 'found' the bag of knitting stuff, I opted to cast off this dish cloth half way. Hey - it will still wash the dishes just fine! Note to self - always buy 2 skeins of dish cloth yarn so I can make 3. One skein tends to make 1.5 dish cloths and I only remember to buy 1... so that second one is ...... colorful! I think instead of the console I'll grab a big zippered bag that I can tuck various projects in and just keep it in the passenger foot area. Must pack that bag up today and pop it into the car. I'll tuck the cross stitch and it's book in there as well. Never can have too many options available!



Linking up with the other Slow Sunday Stitchers. 

Saturday morning we split up a bit. I took Emily to horses while Dad took the boy to get a hair cut - out to lunch with some of his gift cards and they picked up some powdered sugar Emily needed to finish off the lemon frosting for her lemon cake she made Friday night. I heard from Aidan.... Dad was thinking she needed 5 pounds of powdered sugar (5 cups in reality) and was putting 5 bags of it into the cart! Aidan just looked at him and asked what he was doing? He realized his mistake and they got 2 bags and put the rest back on the shelf! Silly boys.  We did find out some great news. Emily's riding instructor had to move quickly back in June and relocated about 35 minutes from us and had to leave behind the covered arena. We are in Florida. It rains and is HOT.  It was feels like 97 degrees at 10AM yesterday. Em was dripping sweat and red faced when she was done at 10:50. Liz just signed a lease for a covered arena 5 minutes from us! I fear my girl is going to be having a second home at the barn helping out very soon.

Prince was waiting for her when we got there to get his rub down and then get all saddled up for riding.

He got a bath after and then she put him out in the field when she was done her lesson. 


Saturday, August 24, 2019

RSC Saturday....

This little 'brella was added to the collection this week in the light blue pile. I'm not sure where the week went but I have yet to use my sewing machine..... maybe today I'll break down and see if it still runs!

Linking up with the RSC Challenge.

The boy wants to trim bushes outside this morning, and I really should weed the front triangle bed which is over grown. Em has horses mid morning as well - it has been a couple of weeks since she rode and she is anxious to get back on Prince!

It was a busy week. Second week of school for the kids. Monday was our first meeting of girl scouts. Wednesday was Aidan's guitar lesson and Thursday I had the first day of bowling in the morning and training for nut and candy sales at night. Friday was cooking club. And just like that the crazy school year schedule begins!

I did get a couple of new recipes from last night. I loved the one I made.
Grilled chicken penne al fresco. It was so yummy! Everyone went back for seconds and thirds on this one.

Margherita Pita Pizza .
2 tsp italian seasoning mix
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove - pressed
4 flat pita bread rounds
2 plum tomato, sliced
1 cup (4oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp snipped fresh basil.
Directions - Preheat oven to 425. In a small bowl combine oil, seasoning mix, vinegar and garlic minced with the press. Mix well, Place pita rounds on rectangle stone. Brush one side of each pita with oil mixture. Slice tomato. Top pita rounds evenly with tomato and cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are slightly browned. Sprinkle with basil. Cut pizza's into quarters.
Pumpkin bread pudding was the last recipe.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Prep Work.

The key for me to get things done is to have a plan and do the prep work! This week the goal is to get my umbrella done  and hand piece the Happy BOM. The umbrella is prepped and in it's baggie for the car line with necessary threads and needles and scissors. The main part of the block for the Happy BOM is prepped and lines drawn all set for hand piecing.


The knitting needles and yarn for dish cloths now live in the car console.... in case I forget to bring anything with me!

I also went onto my library website and downloaded their free audible app to my phone and checked out a few books. I listen to them while walking or in the car line waiting on the kids. A great way to 'read' some books.




Sunday, August 18, 2019

Sewing Sunday!

I am halfway moved into the new sewing area! When you sort through things as you bring it back in, it tends to take a looooonnnnnggg time! I did sort 2 big drawers of strips of fabrics (1.5,2,2.5).... I have a lot more room now! I'm going to hand off a bag of yarn to one of my girl scout Moms so she and her Emily can crochet.

Last week I had some goals and I'm happy to say I made progress on a few of them! I got 3 umbrella blocks completed- laid out on my new floors which are so much nicer than the carpet,


 the knitted dish cloth finished and one patch hand sewn onto Emily's girl scout vest. I forgot how much of a pain it was and will attempt to use the machine to stitch the rest of them today.

I did make my embroidery block - I just need to add a couple more french knots and then trim it to size. I am thinking I will pull some fabrics from the stash and hand piece this one while in the many car lines I get to sit in now! I'm debating changing to blue to a little bit darker floss.....


I'll stitch in Emily's and knit or crochet in Aidans. His I tend to be on the road waiting to get in with all the police going back and forth..... I like to be looking up not down at my stitching. I'm going to try a hexagon crochet block to make into an afghan. I found a tutorial I liked here - will see how it goes! Hmmm. Might have to look down at that though, unlike my dish cloths (which I need to finish the one I started last week in car line - it is half way knitted!). Will give it a try this week and see how it goes.

 I also got back into hand quilting and have 2 sides of my setting triangles to go on the basket quilt. That will be the project to work on today.

Grandma called this morning.... seems the gage on her pump is zero and no water. Hubby will go and see if he can figure it out and will bring some jugs filled with water for her. We kept 2-3 of the big blue jugs from when we had them at the store. They come in handy to fill with water in case of power outages (hurricanes) or situations like this. Hopefully it is an easy fix and she doesn't need the pump replaced... we had to do that a few years ago with ours. I see a nice quiet house for a few hours and time playing with fabric in my sewing room. 
Linking up with Kathy and the other slow stitchers this week.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

RSC Saturday

It is another rainy day here in Florida. Lots of rainy day pick ups from school (3 of 5!) which we normally don't have until a few months into school!
That has allowed me extra car line time!

I am all caught up on my umbrella blocks! (I was 3 behind!) I finished off the pink and made 2 blue ones this week. That's my new flooring in the sewing area/office (a.k.a the finished garage area!). I love it with my pretty sunny yellow walls!

All the umbrella's so far. No clue how they will end up in a quilt.

I also picked up my blue basket quilt and I've got 2 sides of the setting triangles quilted in the evenings. I have yet to find the herra marker (hopefully today as the sewing room painting and floors are done! Time to sort and move back in this weekend!) so just did a free hand lines to mirror the triangles. The bottom is done and I'm working up the right side. This is 32x32 for a pretty wall hanging.


Linking up with the RSC Challenge. Head on over and see all the fun projects being worked on.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Umbrella needed?

We have needed an umbrella here a lot lately! I got the pick up lines today in the rain. This blue umbrella got stitched in Emily's and the last few stitches got added on Aidan's wait time. I think his time will work better with knitting or crochet so I can be looking up... if ever the cars move! At least we got home before 5PM today (4:30). Yesterday it was closer to 5:30 when Greg got him - delayed release for an hour with thunder storms - 4:45 instead of 3:45!
 


Last night I tried my hand at embroidery - the Happy Little Things BOM! It went pretty well for my first stab at it! Not perfect but done enough for me! I need to rewatch the french knot tutorial and add those and the last part of the flower tonight. I hear it is game night tonight... I see Pictionary in our future.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Thursday needs an umbrella!


This one finishes off the pinks. 5 pink umbrella's for the month of July. Now to start the light blue for August. I have 2 drawn and fabrics picked. 




Mid Week!

I think we are settling into a routine. I just have to change my work hours on Tuesday's so I can drop the boy to his school that starts later... but will have G pick up the girl so I can work the extra hour  on the end of my day - 9:30-2:30.

I've gotten a walk in the last 2 mornings...much needed as my ring finger is getting a wee bit tight. Time to buckle down and get back into the walking routine. We are working on healthier lunches and dinners. The kids are making their own lunches this year - I love it! I just ask what they want and will make sure we have it. They each requested their fruits and veggies to bring in (Em - strawberries and blueberries and cucumbers; Aidan got cherries and broccoli and dip with his sandwich. Hummus has not made it into the lunch yet but is a snack after school). I almost forgot first day of school photo's - Emily's was by the car at 7:20 while Aidan's was by the door at 8:20.

Emily - 5th grade
Aidan - 6th grade

Aidan is loving his new school and teachers. They both had homework yesterday! Emily is happy she gets to see her friends from last year at recess and another one is split into her class for specials. She was happy to see Bella in her specials classes (pe, art and music).

I did attach one badge to Emily's vest by hand in the car line. I'm gonna get the machine out and use that on the rest! I think I have at least 25-30 to add before Monday!

The dish cloth got completed.

I also started hand quilting the final setting triangles on the basket quilt last night after Emily read to me for 30 minutes. I need to remember to grab the umbrella baggie today for Emily's car line and my dentist cleaning appointment.

I just have a little touch up painting to do around the baseboards in the sewing area before they can be nailed back in. I did put up the shelves and moved the fabrics back on it yesterday. Baby steps around working and kids but the end is in sight!

I saw both sets of wild turkeys yesterday morning on my walk! I was happy to see they have grown in the last month and are all still at the same numbers. I was thinking it was the same set...but they were still on the other lawn when I went back through. They are a block apart.



Hopefully it will be an Umbrella Thursday post tomorrow! 



Sunday, August 11, 2019

Crazy Sunday...

How is it noon already? It was a lazy morning but it is time to start getting things done. Kids are off to Grandma's for the day. I have the last minute day before school things to do - shopping for lunch and breakfast things and picking up a few things for the class rooms I have not gotten yet.

My main goal - get the final floor swept, mopped and laid down this afternoon. I want to be able to 'move in' to the new sewing room and get everything put back from my office and bedroom where they have been stored for the last month. I figure it will take me this week to get that all organized and workable.

As it is the starting week of school - that means lots of car line time for me. 2 car lines this year as the kids are in different schools. I see lots of time in my vehicle in my future!

There is the dish cloth to finish.

Some scrubby yarn ready to make some round scrubbies.... once I find my crochet hook!



Badges to stitch onto Emily's vest before next Monday... I think this one will have to go to the top of the list with a deadline!


Embroidery - I am going to embroider that flower from the first block of Happy Little Things. I drew it on with pencil and have the hoop. Just need to pull some embroidery floss.

Umbrella blocks - I have one pink to go and will need 2 light blues come Tuesday. With 2 car lines to work on them I will be able to get right back on track with them.

I fear I will 'find' other things to distract me as I put my sewing room back in order and go through things... but this will be what I concentrate on this week in any down time I have. Must find that squeeze ball for my hand with all the first week paperwork that comes home to be filled out. I swear - the parents have all the homework the first few days of school!

I am finding I really need to get back to concentrating on making some hand work time every day again. It relaxes me and I really need that with the crazy school starting up time of year. I think that is why I look forward to the car line waits.... it 'forces' me to have a good 20 minutes of time to sit in quiet and stitch and regroup before the kids get in the car. Now I'll have that times 2! Must make sure the busy bag is packed and ready to go by the door.

Linking up with Kathy and the other slow stitchers today. Head on over and see what fun handwork is being stitched all over the world this week.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Saturday....

I did have a little blue today. I spent the day in Tampa at a girl scout training event. It was a 'cruising' theme so I selected a blue lei. Someone was thinking ahead and had made a crocheted anchor swap! How cute!
Our service unit received the CEO award of excellence. That included meeting our family partnership goal (I've been holding that duty the last couple of years), girl retention and new girls added. There is some blue in the knitted dish cloth that I pulled out at the end after the last training while waiting for the wrap up session.... and knitting in the car on the ride home. I car pooled so got to knit in the back of the van! It was a wee bit too early to knit this morning.... 6:45 to 8:15 when we got there.


While visiting the booths there we got tickets we could enter for some door prizes. I put the majority of my tickets into the bucket for a book by the CEO of girl scouts Sylvia Acevedo which is signed by her and included a patch. I won one of the 10 books they had to hand out!  I'm looking forward to reading it. She is an engineer who has worked for some amazing companies like NASA, IBM, Apple and Dell. I also won a bingo game in one of the sessions and got a little box of candies. It was my lucky day!


After 2 days of getting up at the crack of dawn I am looking forward to sleeping in a bit tomorrow (5AM today and 6AM yesterday). I sure hope the cats get the memo on that one and let me sleep.

School starts Monday! We did meet the teachers on Friday. Unfortunately - both were at the same time so I went with Aidan to the new Middle School (he is doing the Cambridge Charter Academy within a different middle school than what we are zoned for about 20 minutes away from our house.) while Greg went with Em to meet her teachers at the elementary school 5 minutes down the road. I wish I could have done both but..... I 'needed' to see how the new school was and figure out that process. There are over 500 incoming 6th graders to the school that were there to get their schedule and find their way around campus to their classrooms. Aidan was very happy he got his elective of Robotics (called Critical Thinking). I think after meeting his teachers and walking around following his schedule he is feeling a lot more comfortable about attending a new school where he really does not know anyone. The first week should be interesting.... they do have different start times and end times. As long as Greg can drop Aidan off to school I should be able to do the pick up's and still get my working hours in. Of course....first day Monday I'll go with for drop off to both kids. Mom's gotta do what a Mom's gotta do. Lets hope I don't get teary eyed.... for some reason his entering 6th is hitting me where VPK and Kindergarten never did. The kids are growing up and becoming independent... as they do but I'm missing them being little! (The boy is nearly my height and his feet are bigger than mine at age 11!)

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Tiny Tuesday....

I'm still working on pink despite the light and bright blue selected for August with the RSC. This little one was stitched at the kids dentist appointment yesterday. I hope to finish the last one in pink tomorrow during their doctor well check visit... or today at my dentist appt.  Then... I can start on light blue. Showing the umbrella with my pretty yellow wall. Still waiting on the carpet in the sewing section to get pulled up (hopefully tonight) so I can get the last of the floor down tomorrow night.


Sunday, August 4, 2019

Sunday again....

It has been an eventful week. Last week we were in Vermont with family arriving in the afternoon. This week we are home in Florida and I think I am still recovering from travel! Of course.... my original flight Wednesday around 2:30PM was changed a month ago to a 7:20PM flight out (arriving 10:30 in Florida).  Well, there was weather ....... so we finally took off around 9PM and arrived a little before midnight. My cell was not happy in upstate NY so a text went through to hubby who was able to book us a room in Sanford so I didn't need to drive 1.5 hours home that night! Seems a lot of us did that as he said 25 rooms were booked for that reason! The kids enjoyed making their waffle breakfast at the hotel and I think that was the first time they both SLEPT in a hotel! They were tired! We got home late morning on Thursday. I admit... I unpacked and did a load of laundry and then did NOTHING the rest of the day! The cats finally let us pet them after a few hours.... guess we got the silent treatment for leaving them for 2 weeks! Friday.... I had to work (I work remotely for a company in Vermont). I worked a little longer than normal.... to finish at a good stopping point and make sure my move to production worked so there would be no errors that night. Had to do a little shopping Friday.... I had missed my Aldi and it's prices. Avocado for .49! It was $1.79 in VT... yup, no avocado for 2 weeks for me!
Saturday..... was moving things off half of the floor in the sewing area and the first half of the 'garage area'. Then the carpet and padding were cut and removed. The floor prepped and then the new floor was laid down.... well, we have one strip by the wall to do today. It will soon be time to move all the stuff on the last side out so that can get the same treatment today and the new floors put down. It has been a long process but I am loving how it is looking.

Instead of stitching I have been doing a lot of reading.... I think I read 2 books since I got home on my kindle! Time to pull out some hand stitching for tonight though. I think the basket quilt needs to get finished so hand quilting it will be tonight. I still have all those setting triangles to stitch.

I have a slew of badges to get onto a girl scout vest as well. I have 2 weeks till our first meeting to get all those sewn on. Guess I should plan to do a couple each day! This is the last week before school starts for the kids. I have lots of appointments scheduled - dentist, doctor and meet the teachers.


I have a feeling we will be watching Descendants 3 tonight.... we watched the first one on Friday night and the second one last night. At least I will have choices on hand work while watching it tonight!