April OMG.....

Tuesday the blocks got to this point.

Today during my lunch break from work... I got the top completed! Nothing like waiting until the last day of the month to get it done!

Ollie approves! Linking up with the OMG for April.

Book Club - Jo

 I just completed this weeks block before the timer went off indicating dinner was ready!  I do love how she came out. Have you read Little Women? I know I have as well as watched the movies (not the latest one though). Someone in the comments on facebook asked if anyone had read Little Men. I didn't think I had but went looking in the book case and I actually have the book! It was my Aunt Diane's, hardcover. I put it next to my bed to read. Have you read either book? Linking up Thursday with Patty and Kristin, our hosts for this fun sew along.

I had picked up a box of tomato's on Saturday and Sunday was spent doing this. 13 pints and 2 quarts of tomato's. I had a layer left in the bottom that I dealt with today. There were 24 (I had to toss one that spoiled) that I took the skin off and cooked down with a little oil, garlic, salt (oops - used Koser and a bit too much!), and oregano for a marinara sauce. That was dinner with meatballs and homemade bread.  I'd show the bread but I made a half batch (one loaf) and there are about 2 slices left! My family loves it.  

I also survived cleaning pools yesterday with hubby. I just did the brushing down, he did the rest - water testing, adjusting, cleaning filters and checking equipment. Seems it goes quicker with 2 people! We got done 30-60 minutes before he normally does, so we called the kids and asked if they wanted Zaxby's for lunch. We picked up on the way home and had a nice family lunch on the back screened in porch before we headed out to do the last pool a few streets up from us. Almost time for the nightly hoops session with the boy and the girl thinks it is movie night. I'm thinking Mrs. Doubtfire since neither child has seen that movie yet.

Progress on my OMG....

Don't mind the piles of 'stuff'. I was able to get all the green sashing and settings sewn. I somehow managed to turn the second row down... completely around. Oh well, it is not changing now!  I still have the small yellow border to add then the outer dark blue print final border. I hope to get those added tomorrow late afternoon... if I am able to move! I will be cleaning pools for Greg who's back is still not great - better than yesterday though. Still a few more days to get this top completed before the end of the month. Wish me luck - my first hosting of a Zoom meeting for my girl scout troop tonight.

Sunday.....

After yesterdays errand day, today will be stay home and relax.... until this evening when I need to go retrieve the children. We let Grandma come get them today for a day at her house with the dogs. Greg (hubby) is still a hurting unit with back pain when he moves so he is sitting and trying not to move too much today.

That leaves me to putter and play!

Blueberry muffins were made this morning. They were so yummy! One of the errands yesterday was a trip to a local family run farm market. I got my fresh corn there on Thursday. They got 50 bushels of tomato's for canning on Friday afternoon. I didn't go over Friday so called Saturday afternoon to see if any were left. 1 left... but someone had called and requested it. Would I like to be called if they don't pick up? I said yes, they were 15 minutes away so just give me time to get there before they closed at 5PM. They are closed Sun-Tues so didn't want them to sit. I got a call at 4:40.... she didn't show up if you want them they are yours! I have a nice box of tomato's that will get water bath canned today.

They also had pickling cukes but I figured I'd wait for next week on that one. I did grab 4 cukes and did a quick pickle on them to go with the fish fry we had for dinner last night. The farmer fields here in Florida are full and with all the restaurants and businesses closed they are having trouble finding places to put it. I know some are donating to food banks but lots are dying in the fields. I will be happy to put these up today and stock the pantry with some nice canned tomato's (and they won't go bad if we get a hurricane and lose power!).

While those are processing I plan to start my OMG for April! Yesterday the boy helped me to arrange the 12 blocks to a pleasing layout. I started cutting the huge squares for the setting and corner triangles. Just have to cut the sashing and start sewing it all together. It will be 72x72.

Tonight will be settle in and relax with some slow stitching. But what will be chosen?

Some rows have been added to the crochet blanket this week.

I finally pinned the umbrella quilt and it is ready to land in the hoop for hand quilting with the newly purchased blue quilting thread that arrived in the mail last week.

The cat and mouse on the frame has been sadly neglected. Will this be lucky enough to get some stitches?

Prepping and stitching the next Book Club Block could also happen.

So many choices... I think I may have to toss the options into a hat and pull one out to see tonight.

Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Stitchers. Try to squeeze in some slow stitching each day for some sanity in these trying times. Even if it is one row of crochet or one strand of thread. It will soothe your soul.

RSC - Light Blue....

I added a couple of the Stashbuster blocks in light blue (ok, humor me on the second one!)

My 10 Sweet Confetti blocks from Sunday Best Quilts were also completed this week. I think I am all caught up for light blue. 

I guess I have 5 or 6 blocks I am working on this year for the RSC.

2-16 patches.

14 Cobblestone blocks to make a row quilt.

Stars and nines - each set of 4 is a 12 inch block. This will probably be multiple quilts. 

I have added a few crumb blocks some months as well. 

Yesterday I pinned the Umbrella quilt for hoop quilting. I hope to start it tonight as I have been informed it is a movie night by Ms. Emily. We watched Woody the Woodpecker earlier this week when I had a headache so we watched in the bedroom. Tonight will be living room with popcorn to watch 'The Princess Bride'. One of my favorite movies....neither kid has watched the whole movie. Each has seen parts. They now get the quote I love to say 'You killed my father, prepare to die!'. 

We did some social distance blueberry picking this week. 

I have 5 quart freezer bags full of frozen berries in the freezer now. It was nice to leave the house! I also popped out for fresh corn on the cobb. It was so yummy. Emily and I had 2 each last night and today for lunch. I have 3 left - one was a baby corn in the bag and not fully formed so he didn't get cooked. The boys opted not to have any.... their loss!

Linking up with the RSC Saturday. Go and see how well others are playing with their scraps!

Cathy - Book Club

I was able to find some darker purple to add to this bottom block. I didn't have enough of the flowered print or the pansy fabric for this block. It needs a proper pressing but it went together really easily. It reminded me of the many blocks I made in green and browns for my husbands quilt I made 12 years ago on the machine.
I'll be linking up Thursday with the other Hand Piecing Book Club Members.

Sunday....

I think I am fortunate to be working still from home so I have an idea of what day of the week it is! We also have kiddo's doing virtual online school so that tells us when M-F is as well. We just learned Florida will finish out the school year with Virtual learning. A little sad Emily will be missing out on all the 5th grade graduation and happenings before she heads to a middle school next year. But, better to be safe.

Today.... will be a sewing machine day. Aidan has requested to work more on making his apron and Emily wants to make masks. I made my first one this morning for Greg to take to work with him. As of Monday they have to wear them at the store. The one they provided him yesterday lasted 5 minutes. Too hot to breathe with. I sent him in with this bat fabric mask (because he let me have a sense of humor!) Not bad for a first try. I found single fold bias binding 1/2 inch in a box that was light green and made it work. Must find my green bias binding maker... I think it is hiding with the herra marker that is still missing. They must be having a party together! This was a free pattern from bluprint I downloaded this morning.

When it is time to settle in to relax, I will probably grab Emily's crochet blanket and add some rows to it. I am on a new skien of yarn this week for it. I think there are 2 more skiens to go. 

This is my storage for it.... since I have 2 cats that love to eat yarn!

I did hand stitch this 9 inch block this week for the Ella Maria Deacon Quilt along. Lets just say I am happy it is done and I have lost the interest in making a 60 degree diamond block quilt for a while!

Linking up with the other Slow Sunday stitchers over at Kathy'squilts.

RSC Saturday..... a wee bit late....

I took me until 5PM today to finally get my 14 cobblestone blocks sewn and photographed for this post. The light blue joined the bright and light green, orange and teal from the first 3 months. Each cobblestone finishes at 4.5 inches. I had to show off the fresh mopped floor.... before anyone drops stuff on it!

I started off the morning sleeping in! That was a nice change. I worked extra hours this week so the last few days have been long. I did a little facebook meeting with a few quilting blogland friends this morning before I had to log off and spend time with the boy. Our deal - if he vacuums I'd play monopoly with him. Emily was on dusting duty. I have to say - the living room looks nice. While they were doing that I cleaned up the kitchen and cleared off all the shelves (I have a big kitchen) and washed everything down. Floors got handled as well. Then it was monopoly after lunch. Sophie likes to be part of the action when we play games.

This week a lot of time was spent on this one block from Ella Maria Deacon. It is all hand pieced.... with multiple unpicking and redoing. Lots of these - well 8 of them.

Became 2 halves.

 Then the squares and triangles were hand pieced in this morning on the video chat.

Not perfect but done. It needs a press into submission at some point.  Since there is light blue, I included it in here today.

 Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Now my microwave is beeping at me that the chicken might be defrosted so I can make the apricot topping and pop it in the oven. The kids are insisting they need to be fed and Aidan had picked out this recipe to try yesterday.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all my readers! The kids were busy looking for eggs this  morning around 7AM. Took them a while to find all 42 eggs. I guess someone is getting better at hiding them! They hid 2 each for Mom and Dad..and we had to find them. We did get hints, thank goodness!

We will be having a small meal with everyone home today (The grocery store hubby works at is closed on major holidays!). Ham, potato and a veggie and I hear I am requested to make another loaf of the Oatmeal back of the bag bread from King Arthur Flour. It was easy to make and oh so yummy.


I plan to get a little hand quilting in today on the cat and mouse quilt on the frame. Not much progress has been made this week.

Saturday I was able to get a few stitches in on this little practice piece. A few weeks ago I saw on the Celebrate Hand Quilting Facebook group a note from Jim at YLI. He was asking for 50 people to test a couple samples of YLI as they have a new supplier in part of their processing chain.  I was sent 2 spools of thread to test. They arrived Friday! First, I pulled my existing natural YLI thread I am using on the cat and mouse and felt for differences. One was softer and one was a little harder/thicker. The original was in the middle. I grabbed a couple of cuts from the back of the last quilt and some batting. Pulled a book and drew a design onto it with chalk. Pinned and quilted.

I stitched with the softer one, then the original, then the thicker one.  They all quilted fine. It was a little harder to bury the knot on the thicker one. I think I prefer the softer one, it glided in the fabric a little better but I was happy stitching with all three. I'll continue to quilt with the different spools today and make sure, then I'll fill out the questions and e-mail it back to them. On a positive - the stitches on the back look like the ones on the front! I think I am finally getting better at this!

There are always other projects in case the mood strikes! Crochet was added this week on Emily's afghan and I need to grab another skien of yarn from the sewing room. This is the blanket stitch - pattern from Mamainastitch. It is a nice relaxing stitch and works up so pretty.

If I am able to concentrate..... I really should finish off the first row of sheep on Aidan's knitted pillow.

I also have 2 more EMD blocks to make for the month.... and the next release is 3 day's away! Best get busy on that one. One will be EPP (Which I found a video on Bluprint with instructions) and the other is borderie perse.... but I may swap that to something else. We will see.

I believe a puzzle will also be taken out to work on today since Aidan is now comfortable doing his Zoom school meetings in his room and the girl scout table in the front room has freed up and can hold the puzzle pieces. We will start with a 300 piece and then move onto the 1000 piece one! We needed to replant parts of the garden yesterday as well. My beans came up and some of the kids plants did but my beets and swiss chard were a no show so we will try again and upped the watering time in the morning - since it is hot down here. I added scallions, radishes, a couple types of lettuce as well. One tomato plant has little tomato's but the set of 6 in the garden has nothing yet. Fingers crossed they produce. I might throw some peas in today and see what happens... it might be too hot for them though.


Linking up with the other slow stitchers at Kathy's quilts.

RSC in light blues.....

I added two more Stars and nines to the group. I hope to add one more teal and orange to the mix today so I have 3 of each. 

A couple of nine patches in light blue were added to the pile as well. I guess I am making 2 of these each month.

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

No sore throat yesterday and I feel back to normal. Must have been a cold. The kids 'know' so they are filling the easter eggs with candy right now so I can just hide them later tonight. Must remember to count them so we know if they get them all this year! They have filled 2 each for me and Greg to find as well =) We have a little ham, a box of scalloped potato and a bag of veggies from the freezer. There might be some of the yummy Oatmeal bread left tomorrow as well. The kids want to make egg shaped sugar cookies so they can do that today and decorate them up for our desert. 

EMD Thursday....

Why, yes it is Thursday so it is time to show off the just completed Ella Maria Deacon block! I used back basting and then needle turn applique. I did the inner spokes first, thank goodness. The outer one went so much easier. Two more blocks left for this month and one from previous.

Hubby came home not feeling well yesterday from work. He is taking it easy today on his day off. Me, I've had a sore throat for a few days now so I'm taking it easy today on my day off as well. Watching movies and stitching.

I am trying a new recipe for bread - Back of the Bag Oatmeal Bread from King Arthur Flour. It is on the second rise in the bread pan right now. We will see how it comes out. Tonight is take out for Emily's birthday. She wants ribs from Pig and Cattle for her belated birthday dinner since her Dad has worked the last 2 nights.

A little Finish.

I added 4 little yellow triangles today, sewed them together and got it quilted and bound. This little guy finishes off at 12x16 and was made with leftover triangles.

Someone turned 11 today! She decorated her own cake. A pasture with water, hay and a feed bucket for her 2 horses that are on the cake! She got her wish blowing all 11 candles out at once! She got a round of Happy Birthday from us and one earlier today from her classmates on the morning Zoom session.

Book Club - Hand Pieced Quilt Along - Penelope

I hand stitched Penelope on Saturday while on a Facebook chat with a few other quilters. I did not have enough of my other purple so pulled this pretty pansy. We will see how long this scrap of fabric lasts for these blocks!
Linking up with Patty and Kristin.

Slow Sunday.....

It has been a very slow start to Sunday so far. I slept in.... and coffee was made when I got up!
Greg is off to work at the grocery store - with a mask for safety. The kids are home in their rooms - they each have some reading to do and Aidan has some homework to do that is due tomorrow. I let Greg explain to Grandma why they can't go over now that we are in a Stay Safer at Home order in Florida as of Friday. I made sure Emily called to let her know before Greg left for work...yes, she wanted to talk to me and I told Emily to hand the phone to Dad instead. I figured it would be easier for Greg to explain our reasoning to his Mom.

I really don't have too many plans today. I do want to go through the pantry closet and organize a bit today.... and see what I have so I can plan meals for a few weeks! It is fully stocked.... cause I always have a stocked pantry and freezer. It is just in my DNA I guess!

I will get some hand quilting in on my cat and mouse quilt. The butterfly's are done so onto the cheese in the light teal border.

I hope to get the inner circle of my EMD block appliqued down and then I'll back baste the outer ring.

I pulled fabrics for another EMD block yesterday and I'll plan to start EPP on those today as well.

I think it is time to pull out a puzzle to have out for everyone to work on. We have a few to choose from so I'll make a pile of the puzzles and see which one we will have out to make first.

We missed our daily hoops session yesterday.... so I'll have to get in a few rounds of HORSE with Aidan today. So far I tend to win the majority of the time!

I think we might try this bread recipe today too.

Linking up with the other Slow Stitchers as we are all working on social isolation.

RSC Saturday in light and bright BLUE...

Well, it took me forever to find the completed star blocks that I knew I had somewhere in the sewing room. Turns out I had 8 of them instead of 6! I created some nine patch blocks to go with them and managed to get these 2 blocks made before I logged into a family Zoom meeting tonight. Seems I needed help from the kids to get the microphone working... but then it was nice to see all my siblings and almost all of my nieces and nephews. A big thanks to Kristin (my niece) for setting it up.  My parents managed to figure it out too! I have a feeling we will be meeting again soon.

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Louisa - Book Club block #3

I had some time this afternoon after braving the crowds at Sams to prep and make my block today.
The kids had a better day 2 of virtual learning. They got their 50 minute PE session in tonight with me. I took them on a walk for 30 minutes and then we were playing hoops....probably for another 30 minutes or so. It is the second day in a row I have reached my 10,000 step goal. It has been a while since I have reached it.

Before dinner I was listening to my audio book of Jane Eyre and prepping the parts for Louisa. I got her halves done.

Then finished her off before starting dinner.  Linking up with week #3 of Book Club.

I had pulled out pork chops from the freezer yesterday and then made some zucchini fries with some zucchini before it went bad. No leftovers.... good thing hubby was at work tonight!

Some April Fools Day! and EMD weekly update.

Ever feel like you are in the movie Groundhog Day... and every day is the same? Let's hope today does not repeat tomorrow.

It was day 1 of virtual learning. With a little effort we got Emily onto her Zoom conference call (someone might have written the wrong code down!) with her class for 9AM. She got to see her classmates and teacher and they went over their new work, got their assignments and were good to go. Her two teachers have put their assignments for the week up. She spent Tuesday organizing a white board of her tasks for each subject and created a plan to work through them.

Lots of emails and reminds came through from Aidan's teachers last night and this morning. Let's just say his were not as smooth. I think it was mostly user error and lack of patience.... someone does not deal well with change and this is a big change..... but with a little help he got connected to 2 of his teachers or their work assignments. He has 6 teachers so a little more coordination. His robotics teacher has assigned them Code.org lessons. Greg and I were chatting last night and figured that would be how he handled robotics. Aidan is familiar with that platform since they used it in his gifted class in elementary school. He just needed to scroll down to see where to enter the initial code..... the little oops smirk was common from him today after I had him try a couple of things.  He has a lot assigned but 2 weeks to do it. I think he also did science or math today. We will see how tomorrow goes. I should have more patience since I won't be juggling work and kids.

Ella Maria Deacon.... I finished off this block on Sunday. I only have 1 outstanding block from previous months left.

So I started month 7 and got one of them completed! I finished the inner circle after work tonight. I did back basting and needle turn applique for this one. 

I took a walk last night and nearly got blown away it was so windy with the cool front moving through. I am looking forward to my walk tonight - temps around 70 instead of feels like 88! Much nicer. I wonder if I will see the wild turkey's again?

I did call Emily's horse academy and got her a riding lesson yesterday. Good thing I did - Florida is going on stay at home (which we have been doing - the only exception is they go to see Grandma and this riding last night - only 2 people in the ring on horses) effective tomorrow night. I was able to prepay some lessons and a little extra toward horse care for Liz. She rode Prism yesterday and after a few weeks out of the saddle she was cantering.

Before riding she needed to brush him down.

A bath after his workout.

I suppose it is after 5PM... and no one is making dinner.... so I guess I have to come up with something! I did sheet pan chicken last night with potato and green beans. I think it will be fish and french fry's today.... Unless I can talk someone into picking up from Mojo's.....