A rainy Tuesday.....

I just did not feel like doing the Tiny Tuesday blocks...so I didn't! The kids were up, had breakfast and were dressed this morning so they should be all set for school schedules next week. Daddy played school with them yesterday so I had to do the same today. Our science experiment was to make play dough and then use the food coloring drops to make the colors. Em did a rainbow of colors and Aidan did orange, blue and green. They have played off and on all day with it - baking lots of play dough cakes and cookies! My sheet pans will need a good scrub once they have finished all their baking. The bottom of the coffee table is acting as the oven right now. We did some reading and went to the library to return books and take out some new ones. They helped me make our quiche lorraine for dinner tonight with some measuring, stirring and such. They wanted to make cookies too... but I think we'll keep that for a Thursday project. I also cleared out the fridge a bit - all the leftover veggies were put into a pot with some onion, beef broth, water and some frozen prime rib leftover from New Years (I love my seal a meal for the freezer!). Yummy.

I have been sneaking into the sewing room a bit while they have been playing. I cut all my churn dashes out and have the parts pieced and cut. They are all set to start sewing together tomorrow (Grandma day and she is keeping them overnight! Lots of sewing should get done!).

My two RSC Sampler blocks are completed. A shot of all four of them.

My 16 patch block in bright and light greens is completed.

I cut out some pink hexagons and then drew my lines on the back for hand sewing while watching a disney show from the library this afternoon.

While digging to try and find my crossroads top to measure it... I saw the rows of my Hugs and Kisses Quilt. I laid it out on my bed this morning and this afternoon the rows are all sewn together. I need to sew the borders together and see how they will fit all around it. I was planning to hand quilt this in a quilt as you go method but my pieced border was making me a bit nervous on how to attach it. It will just be put together as a top and then I'll work on hand quilting this in the fall when it cools down a bit........ or sooner as it is pulling me towards it right now.

The main project for Wednesday.... is to piece the green homespun backing I found today, pin for quilting and then get it quilted. I'll need to piece a binding as well. It should go pretty smoothly as the quilt is just 48x60 so not too bad to tug around under my machine.

I was originally scheduled to work Friday and have Saturday off.... and then swapped it with Greg so he could have the kid free day Saturday. Well, the kids decided they wanted Dad to stay home with them on Friday after we go meet their teachers in the morning. Looks like I get a second kid free day on Saturday this week  - maybe step two of the Celtic Solstice mystery will finally get started!

Now, do I work on appliqué tonight or the pink hexagon border on the spring flowers quilt....... I'll see which one is calling my name around 7:45 tonight..... or maybe 8:30. The rain finally stopped so I might just have to go take a walk after tucking the kids into bed.

Slow stitching Sunday....

It is Sunday again and the last week before the kids head back to school (not that I am counting down the 7 days until the boy goes back and 8 for Emily! Stagger start for kindergarten so she goes on Tuesday and then full time for both next Thursday). A perfect time to sit back, relax and reflect on the last week. It was a little laid back this week with lots of time at the house, a play date on Thursday morning, bowling for the kids on Friday and then a nice afternoon visit with my 13 year old niece, Sarah. She is down in Florida with a friend this week and got a chance to be dropped off to see our house and the kids while her friend and her Mom got some Mom and daughter time together.

While the kids were with Grandma shopping on Wednesday I got to prep my appliqué block for the Century Quilt.  Everything is all prepped and I will be stitching down the vines tonight after we tuck two kids into bed. This is the September block from the BOM and I love the blue flower. I have two of the last appliqué block kits... so if it goes well one will be in the quilt and one will be made into a little pillow to go with the quilt.

Tomorrow will be an early one -  I get to go to work at the store and it is the start of waking the kids up at 6:30 so they can get used to that early breakfast and being ready to head out the door for school for 7:20. School starts for them at 7:45 - they have to be in their seats in their classrooms at that time. I have a feeling it is going to be a long week getting them prepped for the early wake up time.

Off to check on my dinner - shake and bake chicken with au gratin potato's and a mixed veggie. Maybe a salad on the side if I get this posted and have time to spin the lettuce.

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

Saturday in bright green.

I was so surprised when I started tugging bright and light greens from the bin and closet at how many I had! I prepped some hexagons last week and have been sewing them together in little bits of time this week. Two to go! Don't you love the striped one? I only had to take one side off and restitch it to get the pattern. It makes me wish I had more stripes to put into this!

I also made one of the RSC Sampler blocks this week. Tinkerbell wanted to be in the middle! I hope to stitch the latest one posted together today if I can get a little sewing room time in.

Head on over to SoScrappy on Saturday morning to see the other bright green creations for the week.

Tiny Tuesday

It was time to tackle a tougher one this week. I decided to paper piece and drew the outline from the book onto a piece of paper. I remembered to make a line 1/4 of an inch around the outside for seam allowance.  I cut it into two parts and paper pieced each portion and then put them together. It got a little wonky when I pulled the paper off. but it should be fine once I start assembling them.
This is called Pleasures of Home.

We did a quick 30-40 minute walk at the trail head this morning. They drew a couple of pictures along the way - some leaves and a butterfly. There were tons of spider webs and big spiders..... maybe we should wait another hour in the morning to have others hit them first? We managed to not walk through any but there were lots around. Some pictures I took along the way.

Aidan drawing the butterfly.

A butterfly that sat patiently while Aidan drew it.

A spider in his web

The 30 minutes I was in sewing this.... someone ran over someone else while driving their cars and trucks on the floor. It never ends. One is playing in his room and he let Em take his Knex into the living room to build with them. We'll see how long this lasts. Then it will be off to the library to return and take out more books. I've been done the book I was reading to Aidan for a few days now.... time for another one. He liked the book so we'll see if we can find others about Melvin Bederman the Superhero. I am reading Ralph and his Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary to Em. I already read the three in that series to Aidan. Em is on book two. I think I might start Little House on the Prairie with her after we are done with Ralph S Mouse. We'll see. Too young to read the Harry Potter series to them.....bummer.
I've been instructed they want celery with cream cheese as a snack so I'm off to make that before we head to get books.

It's Sunday.... which means slow stitching today!

Kathy reminds us each Sunday to relax with some slow stitching and remember to breathe. It is a nice reminder each week to sit back, relax and reflect on the positives from the week.
I finished off an appliqué block this week for the Century Quilt and have two more left to go before this quilt can be put together into a top. I plan to start prepping one of these for appliqué later this evening.

While relaxing after the kids are in bed tonight I plan to add this last row of hexie flowers onto the spring flowers quilt. I had planned to do some more hexagon's for the border... but this pretty batik arrived in the mail this week from Kathi over at KCDesigns and I may incorporate that into the border instead. We'll see what happens over the next week. Thanks so much Kathi for such a beautiful fabric surprise in the mail.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts to see lots of other amazing slow stitching projects today. Now I am off to work for a few hours. I do love my short 4 hour days at the store on Sunday. Will call you later this evening Mom =).

Saturday in bright or light green....

First off - I purchased some mushrooms earlier this week (2 - 8ounce packages of small cremini) to make a recipe I found last Saturday night. We had gone to Sweet Tomato's for dinner after work and I loved the corn chowder - two cups later I had to try and find the recipe. Now... I had changed my schedule last year to work on Mondays..... because that was the only day they had Cream of Mushroom soup! Oh my, it is good. I could not find the corn chowder recipe (although there is a good one from The Pioneer Woman I have made) but... I found the Mushroom soup recipe. I made a half batch Friday night..... pure heaven!  It really was ready to eat in under 30 minutes too! I know what I am having for lunch at work today - yummy cream of mushroom soup. Ok, the secret is out... I love soup. I know, I know,.....you live in Florida and love soup. Very strange but that is just me =)

Ok - back to fabric. Since Angela was so nice to post the first sampler block on the 1st I was able to make it up last night after pulling some bright batiks out of a scrap basket. These were leftover from my niece Jillian's quilt last year. Good memories.

Now to find more to make my normal monthly blocks (hexagon flowers, churn dashes, 16 patch). Since it is a version of green this month... I hope to get the green and cream crossroads quilt quilted and bound this month. I made that on the emerald green month and would love to get it finished off.

What are your plans for the month?


Head on over to SoScrappy and see what other green projects are being started this month. If you are interested, I finished off the red and blue star quilt earlier this week and you can see the finished quilt here.

Friday.....

Last night a very tired girl put herself down for a nap around 4:30 and got up a little before 7.... yup - that messes up bedtime! Aidan and I ate our dinner - baked cod with chives and lemon zest on top, risotto and a veggie. They were watching Food Network and Giada was making something similar and they wanted to try it. Em was still sleeping so we headed out front so he could do chalk and his scooter. It gave me a chance to work a little on this appliqué block to get it finished by the end of the month! That did mean I was in the pool with her from 7:30-8 last night before she got a bath and some reading time and bed around 9.

I just had one yellow bud to put on this morning and once I emptied out the busy bag I found it and quickly put it on. This is a shot of the completed block with Sophie. This is where she is in the morning to get brushed and at night after the kids are in bed. She loves laying on the recliner fold up part... and yes, I tend to leave it up at night for her to stay sleeping on. Spoiled kitty. Two more appliqué blocks to go and the Century Quilt can start being put together! Sew exciting! Hopefully my niece Sally still likes blue and yellow since this one is planning to land in her room once it gets done.

Yesterday morning was a play date with Em's friends and then home for lunch. We got school supplies for them and their classrooms in the afternoon and it is all packed up in their backpacks ready for the first day of school in a few weeks. (18 days but who's counting!) This morning we are meeting a friend of each at the park for a little play time and adult talking time for me with my friend Erin. I think it will be bowling this afternoon - with a heat index over 100 it is too hot to be outside even in the pool for very long. Not sure if I am working this weekend or if Gail is giving me the weekend off to make up for the last week of coverage while she was gone. I suppose I need to go in for a bit on Saturday and do month end.....oh right, kids are to Grandma so I can think and do it at home if needed....hmmm. Must call work this morning and see what my schedule is! Time to get dressed and get ready to head out before it gets too hot to be outside.