Mother Nature's Misbehaving on a Slow Stitching Sunday...

Hello .. and Happy Mother's Day to all of you!!  Mine is a quiet one today... celebrated yesterday with my son and daughter in law and grandson ... yummy dinner from Carrabas and a gift card to a wonderful garden center...which I will enjoy spending as Mother Nature has been a pain in the patootie these last couple of days... I know that around here the official date for the last frost is Mother's Day/May 15 but for the past 10 years at least I've had flowers in the ground by the end of April and had no problems... not this year... I spent Friday night covering all the stuff in my window boxes with sheets, carrying all the petunias in pots into the garage, moving the planters I could lift into the garage and  "un-planting" a bunch of stuff that I had in pots that I couldn't lift... forecast is looking up from here ... highs in the 70's ...hmmm... just checked and Monday and Tuesday have lows around 35... ugh... don't want to have to re-locate everything again...

Here is the same window box I showed last week... all tucked into a polka dotted sheet...

The stuff in the boxes fared well... but I think I lost the lantana I put in the ground and some marigolds... glad I hadn't put any zinnia seeds in yet... I'll wait till at least the end of the week for that...

As for crafty stuff  I got a little done here and there... I sewed all the blocks together for The Good Girl quilt... you can find the pattern on this page...

and here is one of the pieced blocks...those squares were left over from my Chamomile quilt of last summer... which you can see here... sorry that last week I forgot to put in the link... oh and here is a link to the pattern...

and made a back from this fabric...which has been aging in a bin for a loooooong time...

and as every piece came out of my stash, I was a VERY Good girl!!

As for stitching I started this piece May 1... not doing Stitch Maynia... just stitching... excuse the wrinkles...

this is Faith of the Heart by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread...

the saying on this one speaks to my heart... and I love the GIANT birds flanking the house... the linen is a 32 ct I painted with Rit Apple Green and Turquoise... and while I thought I had diluted the dyes pretty much so they would be very light, they dried more intense than I wanted, soooooooo.... I turned the linen over and I'm stitching on what I thought would be the back... that worked out nicely...what isn't working out is the thread... I had most of the called for threads... and I made a couple of substitutions... but I running out of 2 of the colors I chose... I put an order in to 123 Stitch... hopefully by the end of next week I'll have them. Every company seems to be running behind in filling orders...and I understand... more demand and less staff... I need to practice patience... which isn't my strong suite...

And on the Covid front... well things are looking up a bit... last Monday my quilty lady friends came over to do lunch while social distancing... we all sat out on my driveway and talked and had lunch and show and tell and there was even a bit of hair trimming too...it was so nice to get together... the weather was lovely and none of us noticed till the end of the day that we all got a bit of sunburn... back of necks, tops of arms... definitely loaded up on Vitamin D...

Ohio is opening things back up... retail is this coming week... restaurants can do open air dining May 15 and inside seating May 21... hair salons are opening too... I have an appointment for a cut and color on the 18th... yeah... I need to find out when Hobby Lobby will be open... I didn't find anything in my framing stash to FFO my Vintage Bird piece... I need a square frame at least 10" x10"... or an rectangular one is that same range... or  I could take this one to the framer... hmmm.... I'll be the little shop not far from me might be open this week... wouldn't hurt to give them some business...

Well next week doesn't have much on the calendar... pretty much like the last 6, 7, 8 weeks... I'm babysitting Elliott on Tuesday... fun but exhausting... and I want to spend some time on my sunroom porch... my handyman finally got it painted for me... small space about 7' x 10'... lots of windows ... but lots of edges to be cut in and the brick sucked up almost 2 gallons of paint... took waaay longer to paint than either one of use anticipated .... but boy does it look great....

I love how clean it looks ... I wavered on painting it because this is what use to be the outside of my house before I had the porch enclosed... I decided that no one is ever going to take the windows and door out and make it an open air porch again so I might as well have it made over to my liking...I spend lots of hours out there... in the nice weather I can open the windows...when it is a colder I have a space heater than warms it up ... it is so nice to sit in the sun with no bug issues...and I think the 17 year cicadas are due for a return visit... looked it up... suppose to be 2021 but some of them always come early...

Well I'll be sitting out here on the porch for a little while... I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts and read some blogs... the Dude is perched on the back of the couch watching the world and the birds... I've had some pretty birds visit lately... some cute little red house finches and a cardinal or two... there is only one feeder the doves can sort of perch on... which is good... they are relegated to eating off the ground... otherwise they hog the feeders...

I hope you have a lovely Mother's Day... take good care of yourself... and...

happy stitching-
carol fun

Tis' May... on a Slow Sunday Stitching...

Hello all - well the tooth extraction went well... thank you Lord for IV sedation... I didn't feel anything and don't rmember anything and don't want to think about how that bruise on my neck happened (oh I know how it happened but I'm not thinking about it)... didn't touch the Vicodin... an ice pack and ibuprofen got me through... thanks for all the paryers and positive thoughts ... they were needed and appreciated...

So now it is May... and I do not want this to be a repeat of April... I always think February is the longest month of the year because of the cold weather but April was at least 473 days long because of the quarantine... ugh... things are opening back up a bit here in Ohio... my favorite quilt shop, Homegrown Homesewn, will be open limited hours and limited numbers of shoppers in the store starting Tuesday ... the garden centers are all open which is great as the weather has brightened up too.. well at least it was bright Friday and Saturday... I conducted my annual pilgrimage to several places... got geraniums, and petunias, and coleus, and petunias, and marigolds, and petunias, and lantana, and petunias, and snapdragons... and some petunias...

I've put 90 marigolds in the ground and got the window boxes cleaned out and planted up... this year my color scheme is a pretty pink-y rose geranium with purple, white and purple and white striped petunias... I picked these colors because there wasn't a lot of wave petunias to be found... so I went with what I could get... I'm also afraid that some of what I thought were white petunias are going to turn out to be red... they weren't well labeled... and if a red one does sprout it will be removed... yes I am heartless...

Here's one of the 5 window boxes....

Ignore the spots where the damn squirrels have gnawed on the boxes... my handyman has an idea for putting a metal corner edge on the boxes.. hopefully it will break them of this habit...

And here is my pyramid of petunias... lots of different varieties...

I know it is a little sparse now ...and there are still 2 empty pots ... and I know these pictures are a bit boring but in a month I'll be happy to see how much they've grown,

As to crafty stuff... I banished the bunnies and brought out the birds... I'm still working on a couple of displays as I have stitching I need to FFO (fully finish object) and without my mecca of Hobby Lobby I am lacking in framing material....(my hope is HL will re-open around the 12th... fingers crossed... and for a rant... if I can do to the grocery and the garden centers why can't I go to HL?? I wear a mask and keep my distance and HL has LOTS of stuff that is ESSENTIAL for mental health... taking a deep breath now)....

So here is the quilt wall/tier tray display...

Here's the tier tray...

I kept is pretty monochromatic ... light turquoise with a touch of light green... all the cross stitch pieces are older ones but I still love them... and the quilt is one of my favorite Stack n Whacks... that petunia fabric is a Phillip Jacobs design... did I ever tell you how much I LOVE petunias??  yeah I think I did, LOL... (and that inside border isn't black it is a very dark purple ... darn camera)

And this little vignette sits on my yellow cabinet...

I found that picture stand in my stash (had a markdown sticker on it from Micheals... originally $30/now $9... not bad... instead of pictures I tied on some paper pennants I made years ago with a bird theme... and the little pillows are from the sampler A Saviour's Praise. by Kittenstitcher...I just stitched pieces of the fabulous border... I want to do more of these...

the larger piece is from Pineberry Lane... Tansy Yarrow Rue... I brightened it up ... linen and thread... I like the primitive style but don't like too much brown in those pieces... I also like the finishing on this piece... that giant wooden tag is a fun piece... wish I remember where I got it...

And I liked that Pineberry Lane piece so much that I stitched part of it a second time as a little pillow... and the hedgehog is a Prairie Schooler piece... I like that beaded edge... takes forever to do ... but I like it a lot!

As for the pieces I showed last time I wandered in here... here is the Tulips piece by Blackbird Design...

And here is Garden Friends from the Sewing Club book...

oh I am really really happy with this... the frame was in my stash in the basement ... there was a clip on it and I took that off ... love the weathered look of it... added a french wired silk ribbon rose that perfectly matched the colors of this piece... serendipity that was 30 years in the making... the backstory... I sewed the ribbon rose 30 years ago when I lived in Modesto California... there was the little gift shop that had the most beautiful bits and bobs... I bought yardage of several different ribbons and made the roses to embellish things... this was in a bag in my craft supplies... so happy happy happy I saved it and found it...


I'll show you the full shelf display when I get this piece FFO'd...

This is Vintage Birds by Jeanette Douglas Designs... it is very pretty... love the peacock...
however,  instead of doing the called for Algerian eye stitches  I did a Rhodes mound ...

because I DO NO DO eyelets... I like the raised texture it gives the peacocks' tail...

On the quilting front, I got 2 tops sent off to Quilting by David and one of them showed up on his feed this morning... I let him pick the quilting panto and I really like it! You can see it here...

And I played with a new pattern... it is called The Good Girl quilt by Meander  + Make and you can see it here...  I changed it a bit to make use of a pile of 3.5" low volume squares I had left over from the Chamomile quilt I made last summer ... you can see that one here...

And here is my version of The Good Girl quilt...

ALL of these fabrics came from my stash so I've been a VERY good girl indeed.. I may sew some of this together today... or work on the American Jane project... need 6 more 49 patch blocks and 10 9 patches... or maybe FFO some cross stitch pieces... or sit and cross stitch on the porch... decisions decisions...

Glad I did my gardening Friday and Saturday... today has been stormy... thunder and lightening... but tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and mid 60's which is good because I've planned an get together of my quilty lady friends... there are 5 of us, so that puts us well under the 10 person gathering limit put forth by the governor... and we will sit 6 feet apart on my driveway which is something like 16 ft wide and almost 35 feet long... everyone is bringing their lunch and something sweet to share...the newest message is Stay Safe Ohio... some businesses are opening up and from the people I saw out and about on Friday and Saturday people are on the move... I did see a lot of masks ... but not everyone... and people were trying to keep their distance... I think it is a good thing to do... we aren't going to acquire any immunity sitting on our couches... just my opinion...

I have lots more gardening to do... Phase 2 and 3 include putting down some flower seeds and then planting the 200 plus dahlia tubers I have... the soil needs to warm up a bit for the dahilas and I think the seeds would benefit from that too... but I am antsy to get them in... along with all the flower boxes I potted up 3 large planters and a big planter box and put in those 90+ marigolds .... love all the color...


Soooooo... I shall link up with Kathy's Quilts... spend a little time looking at what everyone else is doing and then figure out what I'm going to do on this rainy Sunday afternoon... lots of projects to chose from... I hope that you are healthy and happy and that things will be opening up where you are soon... I know some states have draconian stay at home orders that are crushing the economy and people's mental health... I could rant more but you get my drift...

happy stitching-
carol fun

Coming to terms with Covid 19 on a Slow Stitching Sunday...

There is crafty content in this post...you just have to scroll down a ways... starting off with a bit of a rant... sorry...


Hello -- long time, no posts... well the last couple of weeks have been very interesting, haven't they?  and very trying too... I've gotten a couple of messages asking if I was all right or if the Covid got me... well I haven't gotten it (and hopefully won't) but it has certainly gotten to me... lots of people seem to be taking this more in stride than I have... staying home as much as I have has been an  adjustment... I use to think I spent a lot of time at home but I was mistaken... the short trips here and there everyday are sorely missed... eating out a restaurant is sorely missed... going for a stroll around Hobby Lobby is sorely missed. 

While others jumped in and took advantage of more time at home I found it hard to focus... I deeply resent being told to stay home... I resent being told I'm  OLD... I know I'm over 65 but I don't feel old... and I certainly don't like being told what I can and can not do...I am angry and hurting over all the people who've lost their jobs and heartbroken over all the small businesses that are suffering...  I've been trying to frequent my favorite restaurants and pick up carry out as much as possible... I want them to still be there when this is all over.  I've made some masks for my family and neighbors... I've Face Timed with friends... but it isn't the same as having lunch or coffee together... I miss the ordinary-ness that use to be my life...

The open-endedness of the situation has given me much anxiety... and to add to it I've been dealing with a dental issue that has been driving me nuts... side story here:  35 year old dental work, root canal, crowned with post... infection under the tooth... 3 or maybe 4 rounds of antibiotics and it isn't getting better... saw dentist 2 days before everything shut down in Ohio... we agreed tooth needed to be pulled and I'll get an implant in a couple of months when it heals... tooth hurts, heck my whole upper jaw hurts... set up appointment for extraction but then it couldn't be done... rescheduled for May 6... tooth has given me more and more problems... lots of texts with my dentist and he finally said I know an oral surgeon who is seeing emergency patients... saw oral surgeon on Friday... now scheduled to have the tooth removed tomorrow... going to sedate me as he explain the way this tooth was fixed 35 years ago will require it to come out in pieces... isn't going to be pleasant... will definitely be better for me if I'm not awake... I agree but I'm anxious about being sedated... the doctor does have an excellent reputation and I'm probably better off with someone who does this kind of work on a daily basis versus my general dentist who only does it occassionally.... that's what I'm telling myself... if you are so inclined a prayer or positive thought for me on Monday around 9am would be appreciated... I'm one of those people who've had bad experiences with dentists throughout my life from childhood on... the last time I had a tooth pulled it was the result of a dentist (not the one I see now) accidentally breaking a tooth while trying to re-cement a crown... ended up having the tooth removed with only novocaine...traumatized me for years...


Hopefully after the tooth extraction I'll have one less thing to worry about and with any luck some things in Ohio will open up May 1...which seems like it is soon but is still 2 weeks away... arghh... as for what I have been doing ...

 For quilting I have the orphan American Jane blocks sewn together... need a back and then it's off to Quilting by David...

Worked on another American Jane quilt... this pattern is Simple Pleasures by Brenda Riddle and you can see it here....

I've used fabrics from almost every collection she's done in this one ... think it will look great on my bed this summer...


As for cross stitching ... that's what I've played the most with... I've been taking advantage of every single day the sun has been shining and sitting out on the sunroom porch to stitch... it has been a salvation for my gray moods...

Here's where I am on BBD O Joyous Day.... that middle section is almost done...

not sure as yet what I'm going to stitch where it says O Joyous Day...

And while I've been stitching I've been watching FlossTube videos... Brenda and the Serial Starter have touted the value of comfort stitching BBD designs  so I went through my charts and found a small one I've always liked...

This is called Pins & Tulips Pincushion from the book Thank you,  Sarah Tobias... I think this is OOP...

the bottom line of the alphabet was suppose to be the back of the piece but I like seeing it all up front... not sure how I'm going to finish it ... and this is my first foray into stitching on 40 count  which was also inspired by watching Brenda and Laura... it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be... I definitely need my high power reading glasses but one ply over the 2 threads does stitch nicely...  and some of the larger charts I'd like to do would be smaller in size on 40 count and space for hanging and displaying stuff is at a premium now days... the linen is painted pale green and yellow...   I lightened up the tulips and changed the greens to GA Dried Thyme... I must have 10 partial skeins of that color... sheesh...


And since that attempt with 40 count came out so well I dyed some more  40 count linen and started this piece... this is Bower Birds from Hello from Liz Matthews...

I wish I could truly capture the color of this linen ... it is a spring-y yellow-y green... I mixed Rit Apple Green with some Lemon Yellow ... my phone just will not get it right... look at DMC 15   ... that is closer to the real color... as for floss I'm using a skein of Cosmo Seasons... it was in my stash... # 8016... has Japanese characters on the label... got it years ago in a quilt shop... I'm happy with the low contrast tone on tone look ...

Then I started thinking about some new Spring decor when I finally banish the bunnies (they are still out as we speak)... I like to add birds to my Spring decor and found this chart in the newest BBD book Sewing Club... it is called  Garden Friends...

The linen is 32 ct I dyed for some other chart and it wasn't right for that ... the dye was Rit Wine... think DMC 223... I pulled the called for over dyed threads and then ended up using DMC instead...my Schneckly - Dirt Roads - Olive were all too close in value and my Oscar was almost black... I wanted springy greens  and I wanted the hollyhocks to pop on this linen and the Sanguine and Cinnabar were just washed out... and once this bird was done I perused my BBD charts again and found this little guy...


This is from the book For my Friend ... the chart is called Tweet Hearts Examplar #1... I plan on stitching Examplar #2 too... 32 ct linen I painted a while ago... used most of the called for DMC except the flower... brightened it up with DMC 3712...

And while mindlessly scrolling through IG...something I've done waaaay too much of I saw several people doing a SAL with Vintage Birds by Jeanette Douglas Designs... I remembered I started this a while ago... like June 2017... when I released it from its plastic bin I saw I had stitched more than I thought... this is stitched on a soft green linen... something I bought before I was painting and dyeing my own linen... it is pretty...  I want to get this one done and added to the Spring decor... I do LOVE birds!!

So that's where I am with crafty stuff... I might get some finishing done this week ... we shall see how I feel after the dental work... they gave me a prescription for 6 Vicodin... take one every 6 hours for severe pain if needed... take ibuprofen on a regular basis... hope I won't need the Vicodin... but think stitching may be all I'll be up to...

I hope that your confinement has been happier than mine... I'm getting  a bit better with the situation after these last 4 weeks... I use to think home incarceration was no big deal... I have changed my opinion... it is still a jail sentence just with better toilet paper... and yes I was totally stocked with TP and paper towels and baby wipes and disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer... my family may have laughed at my "inventory" previously but not anymore... my stock portfolio may have taken a hit but my garage stash of goodies is worth its weight in gold ...LOL

I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today... as always there is so much eye candy there... take good care of yourself... I know we'll get through this ... we don't have any choice, do we? I'm trying not to dwell on the disappointments in the last month...no Easter celebration and more importantly no BIG birthday celebration for Elliott's 1st birthday... we did do a little low key cupcake and yes he doesn't know the difference but the grandmas were a bit weepy that day... we are planning a BIG celebration when we can all get together. I don't think I mentioned it by my son and daughter-in-law bought a new house ... put the bid in about 48 hours before everything went to hell in a handbasket... lovely home... about 50 years old... great neighborhood... updated kitchen and baths...nice yard... lots of kids in the neighborhood and the top school district in the area and the state... it is about a 5 minute drive from my house...not as convenient as the 2 block/3 minute walk I now have but it is a  lovely house for a growing family... they'd like to have another child and their little house is already too small with just Elliott... they close April 29... hopefully furniture stores will reopen May 1 ...they need a bunch of new stuff ... much bigger house and what they have now is leftover and a bit scruffy around the edges... at the very least they need a new sofa/end tables/coffee table/ottoman for the family room and a much bigger dining room table...I know they've looked online but they want to see it in person...and so would I... okay ... I'm rambling again...

TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF!!

happy stitching-
carol fun

Unexpected events? What was I thinking???

So two weeks ago I titled my post Unexpected Events... prophetic?  I had no idea what was ahead... like most of you life has been turned upside down and shaken strongly in the last week... here in Ohio the schools are closed (probably until the beginning of May as it stands right now), restaurants and bars are closed except for carryout or delivery, department stores and other retail places are closed, and most recently hair salons and barber shops... it gonna get ugly in more ways than one... no one needs to see my roots...literally...

And I'm not gonna lie... I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this... I'm seeing plenty of pictures on social media about how much everyone is getting done... that hasn't been the story here... I'm having trouble focusing... more than my usually BB in a box car behavior... and I've spent waaay too much time mindlessly scrolling  through Instagram.. NOTE to others... when you follow over 3800 people on IG you can scroll for hours and never see a repeat post... really, you can...  you probably shouldn't do this... if I can't be a good example, perhaps I can be a warning... don't do as I do... unless you want to... and then do it... right now it makes me feel better and gets my mind off of things and I figure I shouldn't beat myself up over it.

I have found that staying in my pajamas all day seems like a great idea... it isn't... I'm definitely better when I get up, make the bed and get dressed... I'll admit I haven't put on any makeup for a week but I have on clothes that I can go out in public with... and the only people who've seen my face were at a drive up window and I don't think they are judging.

I think it is okay to admit it is a scary time...I have plenty of food and other essential supplies... I'm not a hoarder or a prepper but I do like have a nice stash of paper and cleaning products and frozen meat and foods ... my inventory of TP has been ridiculed in the past... who's laughing now??? l use to tease that TP would be currency in an apocalypse... pretty smart ain't I?  And it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) I have lots of essential crafty stuff... I have plenty of yarn, fabric and thread...absolutely no chance I'll run out of things to do...when I can focus and do them.

Also these changes are only happened a week ago (although it feel like a month)... it takes time to adjust to change... and the older I get the longer it takes... like getting up off the floor... I can do it but you can't rush me...

This morning when I woke up this popped into my head...

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Right now I'm praying for wisdom...snd in the spirit of being more cheerful, I'll show you some of the Spring decorating that I completed before everything changed...

Here's the shelf unit... there is stuff from last Spring and new stuff... and I tried to arrange things differently...

Starting at the top I've got Ah tis' Spring from Notforgotten Farms... love that bunny... and a Spring Lizzie Kate piece on the front of a little caddy filled with tulips... I do LOVE tulips... the bunny jars are both new purchases this year... from Marshalls/TJ Maxx/Homegoods ....

Next shelf  has a little lady with a BIG tulip being cozy with one of my carrot cars... she's from Pineberry Lane.... and Prarire Schooler March - Daffodils is flanked by cut bunnies that look like foil wrapped chocolate... but they aren't... they are some sort of pottery...

Third shelf has Sampler Hill  by With Thy Needle & Thread... I love this sampler... did you know there are 99 tulips in the border?  Some of the ceramic bunnies here are old and some are new... the cabbage I picked up this year.

It is a very nice display and I'm enjoying the cheerful colors... most needed at this time.

Outside on the porch I decorated the little shelf unit...

Starting at the top ... another carrot car... you can tell I'm infatuated with them?... and a paper mache glittery bunny head...  Below that some candles and candle holders that I white washed... they came from Hobby Lobby ... and I love the bunny in the decorated egg... I picked him up at the super markets last year.... On the bottom is a collection of bunny heads... the lastest purchase is the one with the yellow glasses...

isn't he adorable??

And one more display... this is in my TV cabinet...

the little chick jar with the egg was something I saw on IG but couldn't find anywhere locally... my friend Stephanie found it on a site called Mecari... had to have it... think I'll use it again when I bring out all my chickens in the summer.

As for accomplishing anything, there isn't much to show... I did get all of the red part of Santa's coat stitched on Elliott's stocking... it is some kind of velvet fiber and it was very nice to stitch with and looks and feels lovely... here's  a pic of the back as it shows more clearly what is done...

and here's where I was a month ago...

It makes me feel better to see some progress on this....

And since I couldn't settle on what to stitch... should I start something new... or pick up something old... I knew I needed something that didn't require a lot of decision making so I turned to something I always love stitching ... a Blackbird Design sampler...

this one is O Joyous Day... I got it several months ago from a shop in Wisconsin as I remember... it was released at Market so it is easy to find now... not gonna apologize for the wrinkles...I'm very happy with the turquoise linen ... but I should have cut the fabric larger...not a lot of extra fabric ... but enough to have it framed close to the design which I like.   I have one more flower to do in this section... checked my count and oh is is off... not ripping it out... luckily the piece has 3 sections and I should be able to get back on track...

I think I'll wait to pick a date for a Joyous Day... perhaps the date when it is okay for us over 60's to return to the outside world....

So I'm going to work hard to be positive next week... things are starting well... my son and daughter-in-law put a bid in on a bigger house on Friday and their offer was accepted... the real estate market is red hot here ... the house was listed less than 24 hours and there were multiple bids... the inspection is Monday and I'll get to see the inside then... the online listing only had pictures of the exterior and they didn't take any pictures while they were looking at the house... they had a showing at 4pm and by 5pm had made the offer...their real estate agent put it together before they left the house... less than 3 hours later their bid was accepted... quite a whirlwind... now instead of being walking distance from my house...about 3 minutes... it will be about  7 minute car trip...not too bad... I drove past the house yesterday and it is a lovely neighborhood... sidewalks on both sides of the street and mature trees... the neighborhood is about 50 years old... lots of kids out playing so it should be a perfect spot for Elliott and hopefully a sibling in the future... we shall see.. definitely something positive to focus on.

I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today... I should spend some time seeing what others are up to... and I'm hoping for some sunny weather... although the forecast isn't promising... the day I got to work out in my yard last week did wonders for my state of mind... lets hope that next week brings some good news for all of us... take good care of yourselves... hugs!!  from a safe social distance....

happy stitching-
carol fun

Unexpected events on a Slow Stitching Sunday....

Well that week didn't turn out how I thought it would... it looked like a great week... the only thing I had to do was babysit Elliott on Tuesday...no appointments...no lunch engagements... no where to go... I was going to get sooooo much done... sewing, stitching, knitting, decorating... and then Monday came along... I started feeling icky around 5am... the fact that I know what time it was is a harbinger of a bad event as I'm NEVER up that early... I fought off the erpy- ness (I know it is a made up word) for several hours but eventually my stomach got the upper hand... ugh ugh ugh... spent the day in bed or in the bathroom... good thing it is a small house and a very short distance from one room to another... you know why... I think I got some bad lettuce as I had a salad for lunch and dinner on Sunday and I was the only one who got sick... other people who I dined with ate the carbs and they were fine... so much for eating healthy ... I should have had the burger...and the fries!! 

For the rest of the week I've been off... babied my stomach... lettuce has not passed my lips...which is so strange... I usually have a salad for at least one meal a day... I've been tired too... and Dan the handyman was here M/T/Th/F... he was busy busy busy ... but the job still isn't complete... as of Friday he's got all the doors hung, the trim and doors patched, sanded and primed and he's painted (first coat) 3 doors... remember there are 13 doors up (the special order  14th door still hasn't come in) and on Friday he told me the doors will need 2 coats of paint...which I can see ... and it might as well be done now or it won't get done... he wasn't available for work this weekend as he had other work obligations with his landlord, so it has been a quiet here... I'm ambivalent... I want the job done but I'm enjoying having the house back to myself... 

The week had a full gamut of weather from snow flurries to sunny and 50... today is suppose to hit 60 and the temperature is forecast to stay in that range all next week... but with rain... I could do without so much rain... I finally got the energy together to banish the snowmen to their plastic bins and broke out the Spring/Easter decor... I was talking to a friend and said I was happy that I've come up with a schedule for seasonal decorating that makes me happy...

Jan/Feb    Snowmen

Mar/Apr  Easter/Spring .... bunnies and chicks

May/Jun  Spring/Summer... birds

July          Patriotic

August     Chickens

Sept          Fall ... pumpkins

Oct           Halloween... more pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns

Nov          Thanksgiving... turkeys

Dec          Christmas

It is a bit of work... luckily my younger son totes the plastic bins up and down the stairs for me... he likes when I decorate so he's a good sport about the heavy lifting... I do look back at the pictures I take each season and see how I did things in the past... some things I put back in the same places as they won't fit elsewhere but I do try to change things up ... this time around I've got a new display area in my kitchen which was fun to to play with... and there is where I'll start...

this is the shelf box that I got at Hobby Lobby... I've been enamored with IG displays of Rae Dunn and did a little shopping ... picked up my first pieces of Rae Dunn... a collection is starting... my goal is just to do seasonal pieces ... so I got the PEEP eggs cups and the carrot car  Hop to It... a friend contributed the Cute Chick mug and the HOP egg cups in the bottom chicken wire area... that chick jar had to come home with me too... shopping at Marshalls/TGMaxx/Homegoods for these items... not places I normally go ... 

I put up my bright tulip quilt in the living room... the tulips are my take on the Lori Holt pattern  Tulip Patch in her Quilty Fun book ... this one is very scrappy and bright... 

the tier tray is a great spot for small cross stitch pieces... at the top is one I just finished ... it is part of the Hip Hop pdf chart from Primitive Acorns which you can find here... 

the other bunnies are Prairie Schooler  No. 178...other little knickknacks I've collected including cute bunny salt and pepper shakers from Cracker Barrel... I noticed this year the price went up to $1.29 from $.99... but the increase didn't stop me from picking up some new ones... 

I put my pansy plates in the same place as always because I also put my pansy quilt in the same place on back of the couch... 

they are all just 4 feet apart... and I pulled together my 2 pieces of vintage looking chick stuff with some cute chicks... to top off my tier table... 

the little yellow cabinet is again featuring my mercury glass duck and some cute cross stitch pieces... the white egg piece was a gift ...the bunny is  from With Thy Needle & Thread's Holiday Hoopla series and the Lizzie Kate Spring String is a long pin pillow...

I'm still working on the big shelf display so I'll save it for next week ... I did get the Prairie Schooler Daffodils/March piece FFO'd...

I painted the "frame" multiple times... it started out bright yellow...ow... too bright... repainted it a softer yellow...not enough contrast with the stitching... broke out some green paint... lightened it up and slapped it on... I like the messy brush strokes on this ... kinda like the wind the piece talks about...

I worked a little on Elliott's stocking but never made it to the needlepoint store... maybe this week...  I need to make a decision on background color soon... 

And in case you think I forgot... I didn't... my semi-annual rant against Daylight Saving Time... and this is the one I hate the most... who wants to lose an hour of sleep???  There have been clinical studies that this change is hazardous to many people's health... accident rate increase in the first week of the time change, as do the occurance of heart attacks... the human body wasn't designed for this ... everyone could wait a couple of weeks and it will get lighter earlier ... waiting won't kill you but DST just might... I know that some states have voted to not do DST anymore but they are waiting on Congress to approve the measure... let's just do it for the entire US... I think it would make the majority of people happy... and on top of the time change this week you have a full moon and a Friday the 13th... my deepest sympathy to teachers and health care workers... along with carnivorously you've got a rough week ahead... and why don't people wash their hands more?? I've been admonished to do this since childhood... soap and hand sanitizer have been flying out of the stores... really?? what have people been doing before this?... don't bother to answer ... I know... I'm pretty sure that the bad lettuce I got last week wasn't washed properly or was prepared by someone who hadn't washed their hands... okay... I'll stop ranting now...

 I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today... and I hope to have some time to sit in the sun on my porch... I'm not cooking dinner... think we'll do take out from somewhere... no salad for me... maybe pasta...  the upcoming week looks quiet but then so did last week... I'm just hoping that all door project gets wrapped up... but then there are other projects I want Dan to tackle... but none of them seem as complicated... at least I hope they aren't...

Have a great week everyone... 

happy stitching-

carol fun 

Topsy-turvy on a Slow Stitching Sunday...

Hello --well it has been a  bit topsy-turvy around here for the past 2 weeks.... first there was a week of appointments and problems to be dealt with and then this last week has had me glued to the house dealing with a home improvement project which isn't totally done ... but it is getting there...for over a year I've wanted to replace the interior doors in my house...they were the original 1953 heavy blonde wood ...nice but i prefer white doors... thought about having them painted but it would have required taking them down, sanding them, painting and rehanging the doors...and that wouldn't have addressed the issue of the door knobs that have been falling off or the ugly hinges... soooooo... I've opted for new white 6 panel doors with the brushed nickel hinges and door levers...

Now I need 14 doors for my little house... and it needed 5 different sized stock door slabs along with 1 custom slab... and those doors that can be replaced with the stock sized doors, are all slightly different sizes from the stock slab... so each and every door needs to be custom sized and trimmed by my handyman Dan... and that takes time... a lot of time... so far it has taken a least 2 hours per door and he is not a slow worker.  The doors have all been hung at this point... new hinges put on the door frames ... Dan wants to start to fill in the holes in the door jams where the old hardware was but it is a multi step process as the old hinges were HUGE and ugly and left BIG voids... then he still needs to paint the slabs ( I thought they came painted they are only primed and it is a creamy white, not the white WHITE the trim is painted in my house) and install the door levers... he's been here since Wednesday... and today is Sunday... and I think it is going to take until Wednesday or Thursday to complete this job.

Dan is a great guy and a great handyman... I am so lucky to have him in my life... my little house would not be in such great shape without him... he paints and does construction and minor plumbing and electric and he trustworthy and doens't cut corners... which takes time... and I don't know why it is, but it is this way, I don't get much done when there is someone else in my house... and it alters my routine (I've had to get up early every day this week...ugh)...but,  I can't wait for the doors to be completed... they already make my house look lighter and brighter... it will be worth it, I know...

In the meantime, I have a couple of things to show that I've been working on... first... I've got Prairie Schooler Daffodils all stitched...

still needs to be FFO'd (fully finished object) and I planned to do that before today, as it is March 1, but didn't make it... this is another piece of 32 ct linen I painted...  I also planned to have my snowmen put away and my Spring decor up... but along with the home improvement project, the weather has got me out of whack... for the last 4 days I've woke up ...early, ugh... to  dusting of snow and cold temperatures ... this is the most winter weather we've had all season... it is suppose to hit mid 50's this afternoon and the forecast calls for more Spring-y weather going forward so hopefully when Dan is done with the doors I'll re-do the decor in the house...I've gotten some cute ceramic bunnies from Homegoods/Marshalls/TJMaxx... even a piece or two of Rae Dunn... I am NOT planning to collect Rae Dunn... but... there are some cute seasonal pieces and I've seen some bird houses I wouldn't mind having... oh no... not another collection...LOL

I have been sewing... simple stuff... I threw together this top one evening...took about 5 hours total...honest... I had seen this quilt ...click  here .. on Instagram... simple but striking...now there isn't a full picture but what I saw intrigued me... I loved the color palette... gold, deep turquoise, plum... I added some olive green and threw in some Charlie Harper prints with light backgrounds...

I love how it turned out... it is a free pattern but I can't find the link at the moment... so I'll just tell you it starts with 5" x 10" rectangles of fabric... nothing hard... now the really dark pieces in the top are plum... and what you see is the total extent of plum in my stash...not much... I'll be on the lookout for more ... I sent it off to Quilting by David to get the same loopy panto...and I put together a back from my stash so it was a totally FREE quilt...oh I'm so proud of me...LOL

Then I turned my attention to blocks that have been languishing since July 2015... I had made these Charming Star blocks in an I Spy fashion for at the time, my yet to be conceived grandchild... well said grandchild will be a year old in April and I'd like this to be part of his present sooooo...

all sewn together... got a turquoise minkee back for it at Homegrown, Homesewn...and sent it off to Quilting by David... it will be back in plenty of time for Elliott's party.

Then Friday morning I had a idea about the ziploc bag of leftover American Jane blocks in my sewing room... what if I made a crazy quilt with them??? hmmm... well it might look like this...

I haven't got it all sewn together yet but I think this is the final layout... now there are blocks from at least 4 different quilts I've started and not completed or extra blocks from other quilts... all American Jane collections except for a scattering of backgrounds that are other collections... I know that a couple of blocks were part of a start of a Farmer's Wife SAL that I never  could keep up with...the big blocks were suppose to be flower tops for a Lori Holt quilt...  and the coffee cups, the baskets, the apples, the trees and the stars were part of a quilt in BH&G magazine that didn't get finished either... oh well... I've always wanted to do a quilt like this so I'm HAPPY!!!  I haven't touched the Fresh as a Daisy blocks... and I've only gotten one more 49 patch block done in the last 2 weeks... too distracted by the home improvement project.

A side note - I always like square quilts... and most of my quilts have been square quilts... till recently when every quilt has been a rectangle... hmmm... new direction??

So today is March 1... for me the beginning of Spring... I want to do a good cleaning in my house, but I'm not starting till Dan is done with the doors...  there is  fine saw dust everywhere ... but then there are other projects I have for him too... he use to be available only on weekends but now he's open during the week too... and a have a long list of little jobs I'd like him to tackle... he's happy for the work and I'll be happy to get things taken care of ... should be a busy Spring/Summer around here... I have 2 painting projects I want done... one inside and one outside... will need the weather to cooperate for that and the forecast while warmer has a lot of rain in it... ugh...

OH before I forget... the dahlia tubers are in at Costco... last year I bought 6 bags for a total of 60 tubers ...I bought some smaller bags here and there too but that was my bulk purchase last year... I dug up all the tubers but didn't tag them so when I re-plant those it will be a surprise what comes up... I plan to do better this year with labelling the dahlias... and to start that project I bought not 6 but 7 bags of tubers... I know I should hang my head in shame but instead I'm doing a little happy dance...

I thought that the varieties this year would be the same as last year but they are all different as far as I can remember... look at that ruffly purple and white one in the last bag... I think they are called cactus dahlias and I don't have any like that.... soooooo, that's my excuse for buying 7 bags... hard to pass them up at Costco prices... I plan to plant them closer together this year so I can have more flowers...I've seen pictures of gardens with the plants all packed together and I LOVE that look... now to order some zinnia seeds...

So new month, new plans ... I am going to focus on Elliott's stocking for the month of March... I need to go back to the needlepoint shop and get some more fibers and order the background wool... I know I have till October to finish it but I'd feel better the sooner it is done... I may give myself permission to do a little seasonal piece but the majority of my stitching hours need to be the stocking... I'm already drooling over the new crossstitch that is coming out at market... ALL of Brenda Gervais pieces are WONDERFUL... and I've seen some Kathy Barrick and Liz Mathews stuff I like too ... and Blackbird Designs doesn't usually reveal till the actual market and you know there will be something gorgeous there that I'll have to have ...


Well I will link up with Kathy's Quilts today... I should have some time to look at blogs this evening... doing lunch with my son and Elliott and then watching Elliott for a couple of hours so my son can get some work done... my DIL is out of town for a work event... and my son's job is really busy busy busy at the moment... happy to help out a bit...

Hope you have a great week ahead... I'm looking forward to newly painted doors and some warmer temperatures... and perhaps releasing  the Spring decor from their plastic bins... that would certainly make for a sunnier mood...

happy stitching-
carol fun