Snowy Sunday Stitching

I finished hand stitching the binding on the Frosty's this week. Now I can start hand quilting the embroidery blocks. 

Yes, I know this is not the normal order. I did machine quilt the sashing and cornerstones before I made and attached the binding to the front. I am trying out the blue marker for the first time with this quilt. I marked lines at 1 inch intervals using a 45 degree angle on my ruler. I have 3 of the Frosty's marked for hand quilting. I'll be working on this Sunday morning while I watch the F1 race with the boy.

 

Linking up with the Slow Sunday Stitchers. 

RSC in red

 I got a little time to sew this week and prepped some reds for the split nine patch blocks. I always pull one out of the box as a reference to help with placement of the squares.

I think they turned out pretty good! 8 blocks to add to the mix.

I had some thoughts for the Table Scraps Challenge.... but I made a change from the original plan. I was thinking green and red apples, but it didn't happen.  I had these squares left on the cutting board after making the above blocks..... so in the interest of the challenge, I used them to make this red toned placemat. I had thoughts of adding a red apple to that one lighter block in the middle, but it didn't happen. It got machine quilted and I attached the binding by machine. I still need practice on that, but it is getting a little easier. As for the letters A and G.... Aren't you Glad I had these blocks sitting on my cutting matt to use this month? I was!

I'll link up with the RSC on Saturday and with Joy at the Table Scrap Challenge on Friday.

Wednesday

 I kinda did something stupid yesterday. The weeds have taken over everywhere and the ones poking out by the entrance to the front door were driving me nuts..... so I kinda pulled some of them yesterday morning after dropping Emily to school. Yup, big mistake. I don't think I got much sleep last night cause no matter which way I turned, my back hurt. I did wake up ok with Ollie cats butt against my hurting back spot so I must have slept for a few hours early this morning. I last remember seeing 3:40 on the clock. I think his weight and warmth against it helped. 

The advil has kicked in and I was able to get up from my chair at work without issues for lunch, so that is a positive! I did my normal walk out to see the chickens and collected an egg. I got 2 yesterday and none the day before. The dog likes to go out around this time with me and explore a bit. 

I have not made much progress with any sewing projects, but I did find these two things.

My pattern and fabrics for the Christmas Cactus Wreath - that I'll plan to do as part of an unbegun challenge this last half of the year. My 'hope' is to have it done and ready to display on the kitchen wall for the month of December. It is a 60x60 quilt.

I also found a charm pack of these reds to make my split nines for the RSC this week. I think I need to make 8 blocks to get my quota for the month. I cut some of the charms into 2.5x5 inch strips. 

There is also the ABC Table Scrap Challenge for the weekend. I have not started it, but I have an idea! The letters are A and G to go with the red for the month of July.  I am hoping to see some apples in my future. Come back Saturday to hear how that adventure goes!

Yesterday we had some good thunderstorms roll through late morning. An unusual time for storms to go through - normally we get the late afternoon ones with the Atlantic and gulf breezes mixing in the afternoon above central Florida for a quick storm to cool things down a tad. This storm was intense and close. It knocked the pin from the transformer across the street which left us without power for a couple of hours. The dog notified me someone was 'out there', so I walked out and checked it out. It was not raining at that point and just a little thunder in the distance. It was neat watching him use the tools from the ground to knock the bad switch off and attach the new one. Just like that, the power was back on! Which means the internet came back and then I had to continue working! It was a nice 2 hour break snuggling with this one who thinks he is a lap dog. Did you know, those new fangled recliners that require electricity to work.... don't work very well when the power is out? I was trying to find a comfortable way to sit and this recliner has the old school handle, so I was using this one and the dog decided to jump up and join me. 

Lazy, lazy

Forgot to post this yesterday!

I have been very lazy the last few days. The back is better, until I forget and bend down or turn the wrong way. No where near the pain Wednesday, thank goodness but I know it is there.

I did manage to cut a few more reds the make my second kite block for the month. 

I am unable to find the box of red scraps...and bending and tugging things around the sewing room is not a great idea right now (ummm, should have remembered that before trying to find my Christmas Cactus Wreath kit Thursday!). 

I might make the split nines this week, we will see how it goes. I think I have a charm pack of the red/tans I used for the Harmony quilt and if I can find that, will make the blocks out of that.

I am in the process of defrosting the fridge/freezer (Sunday). The model we have is terrible and the back ice part of the freezer keeps freezing over and then the fan makes the most annoying sound and it does not stop! I vacated the living room yesterday to watch tv in the bedroom because of the noise.... well, and the boy kept muttering (loudly) in the front room his wheel was not working right with his F1 game. Watching Back to the Future 3 in the bedroom was a much quieter experience with just 2 cats vying for my petting attention.  So, this is my 2-3 time a year defrosting of the fan, while I have a Harry Potter movie on. 

The kids start school in a few weeks (Aug 10!). Emily starts a week of marching band camp - 8-5 M-Th this week. Next week it is for a few hours every evening. She is out school shopping today with Grandma. Aidan is going on Tuesday for his day out with Grandma. They do lunch and then she gives them a set amount of money to get what they need for clothes, and they keep whatever they don't spend.  

Another day....

 Well, while I was walking Bear yesterday morning we met up with 3 wild turkeys on the way home. They were on our street, so I had to go past them. I did not have my phone with me..... but that would not have mattered as no one was awake in the house. Sigh, Bear saw them as 2 were running away and he is strong. Lets just say my shoe came off and I wrenched my back holding him back from chasing them. I did get him home and didn't think too much about it. Took my shower and logged onto work. After sitting for over an hour... I tried to get up from my chair. Oh boy, my back was killing me. Once I got up I was mostly ok as long as I didn't bend down. Advil was the key and yes I did ice it a bit to get through the work day. 

I have a bunch to do at work after being gone 3 weeks,  so floated working today to get things done.... but my boss never got back to me with approval so I guess I get my normal day off and the work will be pushed back 1 day on the timeline! 

That means I'll wander into the sewing room and see about the split nine patches today and maybe start a Christmas wall hanging that I have had the pattern and a jelly roll for about 16 or 17 years now. 

I did a little binding stitching on the Frosty's last night. I still need to hand quilt around the frosty's and I plan to do a cross hatch behind them in the block. I just need to decide how much space between them. I am thinking one inch and see how it looks with the hera marker. Bad photo but a bit of binding stitched down.

When I posted the animals the other day, I didn't add the boys! Peanut and Ollie have been very snuggly since I got home last week. They said they were bonded when we got them from the shelter, and they tend to be together like this when they are sleeping or looking outside. They do play and chase each other as well. I woke up with one on top of me (Peanut) and Ollie was right up next to the pillow. 

As for meals.... Monday night was some carnita's with cilantro lime rice and fresh salsa. Tuesday Emily made a risotto with the broth I made from the chicken carcass over the weekend. Yesterday was going to be Gumbo, but I didn't think driving was smart, so it got put off to today. I had purchased some frozen crab cakes from Sams so Aidan cooked those up last night with some rosemary roasted potato. He took pity on me and said he'd handle dinner when he saw me attempt to get baking sheets out of the cabinet. I added some leftover salad in the fridge from the previous night to mine. I need to pop out and get andouille sausage for the Gumbo. I think we have everything else we need. We will see how it turns out! 

Scrap Jar quilt is finished.

 Finally! Now to ship it up to Vermont. Twin size. 

Onto the next binding of the Frosty quilt.

Animals.....

 I have been extremely lazy the last 3 days. Might have needed to recover from all that driving on Wednesday and Thursday to get home!

A request was made to show the girls. I snapped some photo's yesterday. There are the older 3 - I only collected 2 eggs so one of the Plymouths (the black and white ones) is not pulling her weight!

The new girls got bigger! Still not the same size as the others so we will keep them separate. One of the Rhode islands is up front and the back on the left. Then eggnog in the middle and Blackberry on the post. Her neck is looking a bit like my Poppy but she has feathers on her feet!

I got into my office this morning and Bear came with me and laid on the floor. I went into Greg's office and got the dog pillow and placed it down. 3 turns and he settled in and is sleeping like a baby. Funny how he comes in with me while I am working now. 

This was him last night. He pulled the charity quilt onto the floor and decided to nap on it. I told him it is not his, but he is ignoring me. It will get a good brush off and wash before it goes to it's new home. I have 3 sides of the binding stitched down. 

Friday I had Aidan drive me to Sams Club to get a roaster chicken for dinner... and a few other things jumped into the cart. He was still complaining there was no snack food all weekend. I did ask before going to Aldi and while at Sams! Arrghhh.

Friday night was air fryer sweet potato fries and the chicken. Saturday we had bag of Shrimp Scampi from Sams over angel hair pasta and a salad. I had taken a pork tenderloin out of the freezer Friday and we had pork schnitzel last night with mashed potato and peas. 

The kids are headed to Grandma's today to see the New Indiana Jones Movie. I get to log into work for the first time in 3 weeks. I kinda miss vacation already.