Here a project, there a project . . .

I'm working on things . . . but I'm not finishing anything . . . yet .

I worked on Little Stitches . . .

still three behind.

I worked on Bethlehem . . .

still have quite a bit to do.

I did get a new bed made . . . 

for Nina :) She loves it <3

Today, I'm working on Tilda . . .

four blocks ready to stitch.

At least I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of a normal routine.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Tasty Tuesday

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I feel a little more on top of my blog these days - I've finally caught up with all the comments. Thank you all for taking the time to leave a comment. Other than tracking, comments are the only way you know that someone is visiting. The blogs are set up to track automatically, but I much prefer the personal visits. You're the best kind of company :)

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I got a "taste" of back to school today . . . Newton had his own things going on, so I dropped off, picked up, dropped off and picked up again :) And in between, Honey Do needed a drop off as well. I managed to gather up some donations for Wednesday morning pick up and started dinner - that didn't finish in time for dinner :(

Left-overs tomorrow !!! :) 

This was around 9:30 this morning. It's really feeling like autumn here. Temperature hit low 70s late this afternoon, but the morning was down-right chilly. I was thinking about going home and putting on my jeans and a sweatshirt!!! Glad I didn't when it finally warmed up.

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When I wasn't trying to figure out what to gather together for dinner since mine wasn't done, I managed to get some sewing done.

Nina has been carrying around the scraps from the bedding I made a couple of winters ago that Taz and Harley shared. She's decided they are her new chew toys, since she's managed to obliterate everything else and we can't find any of the tennis balls.

You remember this, right?

So Nina got a new bed . . .

Total cost - $ 0.00 :)

This piece was a remnant that I cut in half because it was so big. I had the backing and batting waiting to be used. All I did was sandwich, run some quilting lines in both directions and did a self-binding all the way around. Nothing too fancy - but it's a finish :)

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

* Image found on the Internet.

Monday, Monday . . .

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"Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee. . . " **

That today would be a good day from start to finish :(

It started out well enough. Honey Do left for work around 6, empty washer and dryer, go back to bed. Newton woke me at 7:30, but I convinced him I wasn't ready yet, so nap some more. When we finally got up, he was extremely cooperative, got some chores done and we headed out to . . . oh wait . . .
I completely forgot he had a doctor appointment and we are on the wrong side of town and should be there . . . now !!!!

That was how my day started !! The rest of it went fairly well. We made the appointment before the next patient came in. Then we headed back to our original destination. I had some paperwork to drop off.

 

The building is an old bank that's been renovated to become office space. This is the ceiling on the ground floor and the elevator. They don't make them like this anymore. We have a lot of old architechture that is being renovated and retro-fitted for occupation. I love that they are not being torn down and rebuilt with newer more modern buildings. The office we visited had a great mix of the new and old for a very pleasing, efficient environment.

We went up to the ninth floor and had a great view of the city - downtown and Lake Erie. Newton had a great time just site-seeing while I took care of business.

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Bethlehem - Block 8; the pattern doesn't call for the tassle on his fez, but I felt it needed it. Slow but sure progress is being made. I've got some surprises in mind for this block. All of them have something special to make them stand out and this one will be no exception. Very excited :)

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

* Image from the Internet.

** Lyrics from "Monday, Monday" found on the internet.

Lazy Sunday

Most of the day was spent waiting for the promised rain, storms and cold front. It's been so hot and especially humid the last few days that we were praying for the relief.

It finally came about 4 this afternoon and kept on going. The cold front arrived around 8 along with a tornado warning. Because we are in such an urban area, that's not usually a huge concern, but that doesn't mean the conditions can't be set up just right.

 

These were all taken in just a couple of minutes. The clouds were moving very quickly, winds were picking up and it was raining. So grateful that there was no tornado and the gardens all got a good soaking the last couple of days since it's been raining off and on since Friday evening. The yard always looks best after a rain and Newton has been doing a good job working on a brush pile in our back yard that needs to be removed.

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Not much on the crafting front. I pulled out Block 8 of Bethlehem and started it.

Not much progress yet. Need to get my focus back.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Playing catch up

Block 11 of Little Stitches is done. Block 12 is started.

 

Blocks 13 and 14 are drafted and ready for August. Only four more and this project will be done and ready for framing. Need to decide how I want to frame it :)

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Saturday started with a visiting nurse. I like that I don't have to go to the doctor's office to have a physical done :) She was a sweet lady and I enjoyed talking to her.

Once she left I putzed around. I had this grandiose plan to get all kinds of things done today and it just didn't happen. Breakfast was made . . . I ran to the library and craft store for supplies for the craft for Sunday School. Coincidentally, we are studying the Lord's Prayer. So we are going to make book marks.

I've decided to spend my evening watching Netflix and working on the next block of Bethlehem :)

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative weekend.

A UFO finish !!!

That's right, I pulled out a UFO to work on the last few days.

This sweet little mug rug was purchased as a kit from Quilt Doodle Designs a year ago. I was very excited to receive it and started the project immediately. Until I realized I'd put the fusible webbing on the right side of the fabric instead of the wrong. I was so frustrated that I just put it away. 

This week, I decided I needed a quick project (relatively speaking) after a successful week of Vacation Bible School crafts. This guy has been sitting on the corner of my sewing table just waiting for the right time to make himself known. This was the week. 

All the applique was hand done, the quilting I did by machine. It's a long way from perfection, but it's cute and just for me. I can live with a little imperfection. But I do think he's awfully cute.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative and productive weekend. 

It's almost time for monthly recaps :)

Back in Business

I am finally back in business :)

Not literally, of course, but I am finally back to stitching and working on my projects. 

First, a bit of good news . . . I finally finished the applique on my Gnome for Christmas quilt designed by the lovely Wendy of Sugarlane Quilts. I will sandwich it over the weekend and then decide if I'm going to hand or machine quilt it.

Next up, a UFO !!!

I purchased this adorable mug rug kit from Quilt Doodle Designs last year. Fell in love with it because I love penguins. And, a crafter's worst night befell me . . . I traced the design and promptly ironed on the fusible web to the right side of the fabric instead of the wrong. I was so frustrated with myself that I just put it away until such time that I could just approach the project again and do it correctly. I only had to swap out one fabric - the hat - for a new one. Everything else had enough fabric in the package to cut new pieces. This time I did it correctly and should have a new project finished by the end of the week. (heavy sigh !!)

I wasn't going to start a new project because I have so many going and so many UFOs - haven't even been keeping up with them on my goal list :(

But the Jenny of Elefantz came up with a new design - FREE, no less !!!!

I've collected the first seven that have been published. Ms. Jenny is giving a new block each Monday. I printed off #7 on Monday, then decided to go ahead and cut the fabric and backing. This morning, I was on such a roll getting things done that I decided to go ahead and draw them off! How long do you think before I start stitching? Yeah, I'm afraid that it will be sooner than later, too :)

Ms. Sweetness herself is also hosting a give-away . . . 

and . . .  oh my goodness, how could there be more????

A new quilt design !!!!

Is this not absolutely adorable? Can't wait to get my hands on this one. Hurry, it's got a special price until August 1st !!!

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Thank you for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Muggy Buggy Tuesday

Today's forecast - 90s, no clouds.

No Clouds?

Temperatures were in the mid 80s by 11 a.m. !!!

Muggy . . .

Buggy . . . 

Flies are biting and it's too hot and humid to even sit in the shade. Gardening will wait for a cooler day.

So grateful for a/c :)

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Since it's too hot to do much else, my friend Jackie and I went to the thrift store. Newton had other obligations, so it freed up some time for us. This is the fun part of my haul :) I also found three pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts for Newton for back to school. You can't beat a couple of dollars for jeans that are in decent condition. I'm pretty picky, so they end up looking almost like new.

I found a couple of great linens. This one is hand embroidered and ticketed at 69 cents !!! What a shame, but what a great find for me.

A gorgeous set of linen placemats and napkins. I'm thinking about doiong some stitchery on them and giving them as a gift. Ticketed at $3.69.

The little crock was marked at $1.01.

I just love jars and pots and crocks with lids. My favorite color is blue or a combination of blue and yellow. How could this not have been waiting for me? Absolutely love it !!!!

Ticket price - 60 cents !!!!

Another great find for anyone who crochets doilies or does tatting. $3.63 for this cotton crochet thread. There are a dozen rolls and a metal crochet hook !!!! Maybe it's time to learn to tat or make doilies? OR give it to my sister, who already knows how :)

All totaled:  $15.16 :) 

I had a 50% off total purchase coupon !!!

I'm a happy girl :)

  

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I've watched a couple of really good movies the last couple of nights. If you haven't seen them, check them out.

 

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - serious movie, but really good.

Finding Normal - a romantic comedy, again, really good.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

To blog or not to blog

No, I'm not thinking about letting my blog go. I've made some really great friends in the year I've been blogging :) Can you believe it's been a year already?? !! I can't.

No, what I'm alluding to is more along the lines of how often? I don't sew, stitch or design for a living. I do all that I do for the sheer joy of keeping busy, making things for my home and gifts for friends and family.

Some people are curious about what you up to and about and check in regularly. My life is so chaotic that I don't always give myself time to check in with the bloggers I follow, however, I do check in daily with the ones that have become friends, or at least friendly. Not everyone leaves a comment, so I don't always know who's following my antics. And that's fine, I don't always leave comments either.

So, bottom line is, I guess I'll just blog when I have something to share. That means it won't be every day. But I try to keep up on my projects and I've overwhelmed myself with goals this year, so it should be fairly regularly.

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The weekend was fairly productive. It rained all day Saturday, so between loads of laundry I worked on Wendy's Gnome for Christmas.

I am finally finished with all the applique work on the top :) All I have left to do is put beads in place for the eyes on the gnome and the reindeer.

I've chosen this fun large dot for the backing fabric. I haven't laid it out yet, but I'm hoping I purchased enough to do the binding as well :)

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Sunday, I think all the prep for VBS hit me all at once. I managed to get nothing done !! Well, I did get a nap in :)

Monday . . . oh, for school to begin again !!! I so miss having my days to myself to do what needs to be done without teenage angst !! I absolutely hated being 13 and now I know how much my parents hated it too. He's always bored, but doesn't want to do anything. Everything, and I mean E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G, is an argument . . . keeping his room clean, what to eat, taking the dogs out, etc. These days, it seems we can't even have a civil conversation. Can't wait to outgrow this stage. It won't be soon enough.

He did manage to get some lawn mowed and the trash out to the road and his daily chores done, but not with multiple reminders. I managed some maintnance weeding in the flower beds while he mowed. Doggie trips got quite a bit of weeding done in the vegetable garden. When we weren't outside, I was planning my menu and grocery list for the next couple of weeks. I'm trying to develop a new system for myself. I have a three ring binder, 12 dividers (that I originally purchased for calendering), plastic page protectors. So I can plan 12 days, put the recipes in the page protectors and make a grocery list from there. The only thing I did with the grocery list was divide the produce into two weeks because fresh produce just doesn't last that long. My goal is to have a plan and have supplies on hand for those days. Essentially, cutting down expenses on food and saving time by not having to run to the store daily to get what I don't have on hand.

I've been collecting recipes since I was a teenager and continue the practice. I find them in magazine, cookbooks and Pinterest. Pinterest is great because I can save them in numerous categories and can even use it to set up a category to help with planning. You can get a quick over-view all on one page.

We all have to find and make tools to make our lives easier, more organized and productive. I'm hoping this system works for me. I try to plan menus but then I forget which book the recipe is in or I don't have all the ingredients, etc. I'll keep you posted :)

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I also managed on Monday to do some prep work on The Lord's Prayer.

Jenny has designed a gorgeous 26-week stitch-a-long as a free design. All the patterns are downloadable and free of charge. She's up to week 7 and publishes them every Monday. I prepared the blocks for drawing and will attempt to get those done in the next few weeks. I purchased additioinal fabric over the weekend to use in this project and that coordinate with a fat quarter bundle I purchased in the spring during a shop hop with my sister. Originally, I was going to use the same fabrics Jenny had chosen and found a fat quarter bundle. When I read over the instructions, I decided all those prints weren't going to work for me (Jenny used yardage of a select few). So I went through my stash and found something I like better and suited my personality. I'm excited to get started, but have a few others to finish first :)

Drat that to-do list !!!

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Mid - July . . . FNSI recap

I am completely amazed that we are more than half way through July !!!

I don't feel I have anything done, although the last few days I have managed to squeak out some time to work on my own personal projects.

I started and finished a set of placemats for my family.

Thursday, I finished another block on Wendy's quilt pattern.

This block is so cute and so much fun to stitch.

Friday, I managed to get the gnome finished and started the second mushroom. 

The top is almost finished.

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Have you been following or collecting "Row by Row" patterns? I've been seeing and hearing a lot about it on Facebook. I found this one on Facebook. It's called Trifle Dish and you can find it on Moda Bake Shop. Who doesn't love free quilt patterns?  :)

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.