Happy Valentines Day!

I hear there will be a new Hand Pieced Quilt Along in 2020 coming in March! How exciting. I have yet to finish my 2019 one... but, that just needs hand quilting. It is together as a top... but might get some darker blue borders added by hand before the hand quilting begins. Maybe 2 borders.... we will see.

There will be new tips and techniques to build upon last years. I'm in.... anyone else?

I'm thinking I'll play with purples this year.... since I am using blues for the hand pieced Ella Maria Deacon quilt along and did blues last year. I have a nice variety of purples on the stash wall. Now to decide on the background.... hmmmm wonder if I have enough of that cream with the little purple flowers for background fabric?

Here is the link to the teaser announcement from Kristin and Patty.

In other news..... It has been a long week with very philosophical discussions about threats, repercussions and how some kids in our area have really messed up their lives at very young ages. There were threats issued on social media to the middle school that Aidan attends and the neighboring high school on the same street for Tuesday and Thursday. Two arrests have been made of a 9th grader and a 7th grader for 2 of the 3 threats made. The police are investigating the 3rd and are hoping for an arrest soon. I just hope that these kids get the help and counseling they obviously need. Unfortunately, there were no warnings issued before some of the tragic school shooting incidents we have had in the last 20-30 years.

With all of that, the kids said something about Valentines Day last night. I mentioned that I much prefer to have the little 'thoughtful' things all year long rather than on one day a year. They both looked at me with a strange look, so my example to them was -  their Dad usually makes coffee for me (he gets out of bed first! If I am the first one up then I make it and deliver to him) and then delivers me a cup the way I take it to me in my recliner.  It's the little things in life to be thankful for and appreciate in this strange time we are living in.... and getting sent to your sewing room when you are a wee bit grumpy! =) He gets me!

Another EMD block...

I managed to get another Ella Maria Deacon appliqued block done from month 5. Now I just have 3 left to do.

I also got something in the mail today. I had a $25 gift certificate from Bluprint so I ordered 2 sets of 3 different kinds of boundless treasures charm packs.

I do have a project in mind.... but look at these pretty colors in the packs. They were on clearance.

EMD Tuesday check in

I did get a block done this week. This one is hand pieced and part of month 5 for the Ella Maria Deacon quilt from Sentimental Stitches. I still have 2 blocks from month 4... and 2 from month 5 to do. Yikes.... month 6 will be released on the 15th! I'd better get busy stitching.

I won!

I got this neat little mug rug in the mail last week from Joy over at The Joyful Quilter. I had been the lucky number picked for this cute prize out of the Winter Blues Blog Hop! Thank you Joyful and the nice person who picked my number! Emily asked me to tell you that she loves it and those triangles sure are tiny! Note to self, make sure to put it in my office before she steals it for her room.....

Sunday....

When I picked up the kids from Grandma last night, she asked if I could fix an afghan for her. It was made by her mother and one part of the granny middle has come undone. I told her I'd give it a try.... but have no clue how to do it! Any advise? I think it is just chain and slip stitch?

We are hosting the Grandparents for a birthday lunch and cheesecake for the boy's 12th birthday (last Thursday) today. After that....I see relaxing with various hand work projects for me.

I'll watch a movie and get some hand quilting in on the pink and into the green.

I'll also prep the 4 peels to add to the middle of this EMD block and start back basting the next one. Oops, I need to add that 4th side first.

I might go in and prep the rest of the block from last month for hand piecing. I have the middle part done.

I'd like to also finish off this row of sheep in the knitting for Aidan's pillow.

Pretty much a relaxing day with lots of hand stitching. Linking up with Kathy and the other slow stitchers.

Saturday in ORANGE!!!

I was able to find just 10 pieces of orange that fit the cutting requirements for the Sweet Confetti Blocks in my stash. Big sigh of relief!

We switched things up this weekend since Greg works today and we will have grandparents over tomorrow for Aidan's 12th birthday lunch. The kids are off to Grandma's today to help her pick up the yard and woods from all the branches down from the storm on Thursday. That left me time to sew late morning to get my orange fix in for the week! I think I need to fix one white triangle on 3 of them... it must have got moved when I sewed it a bit since it is a little off on the top. I do love how these are coming out.

When I make these there is one of the quarter square triangles leftover. Last month I sewed them together. Kicking myself now....as I just realized if I cut the wings from a 2 inch strip of fabrics I can make flying geese with them! Maybe I'll get back in to sew those up today..... but must do some grocery shopping and pick up the house a bit for tomorrow. Em and Greg made the requested cheesecake with raspberry topping last night. It was a long day yesterday and I was in bed at 9!... Before both kids even!  All day long out in the sun and wind and cold (and someone forgot sunscreen and has a red face today!) to watch Emily and her school's soccer team compete in quick games (10 minute) against the other elementary schools in the area. We came in 3rd with a 5 games won and 1 loss. They had fun and you can tell soccer is popular here with some of the amazing skills and footwork and ball control these kids have. Then it was to school pick up line to wait and collect her from school. Home for a late light lunch - they didn't have time to eat there - then she went out and did a 2 hour cookie booth followed by dinner out to celebrate her brothers birthday. 

It is cookie season - she had a 'lemon up' stand in our yard yesterday. Booths don't start until the 14th around here but we can do these stands on our residential property. The only time I am happy we live on a busy street! She unloaded all those boxes to people yesterday (minus 8 boxes!). I put in an order for 60 more boxes and she can do it again Sunday or after school next week sometime. He goal is 350 cookies this year. She hit 300 last year. She is at 131 right now with some troop booths scheduled. This is my life for the next couple of weekends!

Linking up with the RSC Challenge.

Aidan asked why my background was yellow...I told him it was orange. He disagreed so I showed him where I set it up. He managed to get a better orange background.... and decided to add hearts for valentines day. I think I will have him be in charge of the colors from now on!

12

I'm really not sure where the last 12 years have gone! 12 years ago today - we welcomed Aidan into this world. He was a tiny 7 pound, 5 ounce baby boy. At 12 he is 5feet 2 and growing taller every day! We are so proud of the young man he is becoming.

Happy 12th Birthday Aidan.