July's Finally Week

It's the last week of July and it has been a very busy, productive month !!

It's been hot and humid and finally today, I could turn off the air conditioner for a few days. The sun is shining and it is a gorgeous day.

My main priority most days has been getting the gardens and yard cleaned up. I relinquished the responsibility when Newton got old enough to use the lawn mower. Unfortunately, he's not as detail oriented and the entire yard has suffered. But I'm slowly taking it back. Not too quickly, he still needs to help out as a family member.

The front gardens are officially done. I still need to get mulch, not soon enough. I've been keeping all the others clean in the meantime. 

 

The gardens are showing their appreciation to the attention :)

The only garden I planted this year was an herb garden and it's doing fantastic :)

And because everything is doing so well, I'm encouraged to keep going and doing more. I haven't felt this good about my gardens and yard in years. The cooler temperatures should also allow me to transplant some more of those seedlings from last week.

Since July was so productive, most of my to do list was done. This has allowed me to start, and finish, some new projects.

I talked to my youngest niece a couple of weeks ago. During the conversation, we got around to quilts. It has been a very long time since they got new ones, so I made a flannel quilt for my 13 year old great nephew, using leftover flannels from pajamas I've made over the years. I was particular to make sure I chose designs that were age appropriate. I used larger pieces of the blocks to patchwork the backing using up more scraps.

Once the patchwork top was finished, I started on little brother's quilt. He's getting a "big boy" room and the only quilt he has is the one I made for his birth - five years ago. He loves dinosaurs and bright colors. I used three different pale greens for the backgrounds and leftover blocks for the checkerboards at the top and bottom to make the quilt a little longer. More for a twin size bed.

I was able to use one queen size batt for both quilts, which I had on hand. 

I had this bright stripe set aside with the bright solids/tonals. I think it was supposed to be another quilt that never got made. There is still enough of the solids/tonals to maybe make another smaller patchwork. I'll have to see. For now my focus is on quilting the dinosaurs and getting that quilt finished.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defence; he has become my salvation.’

Isaiah 12:2 NIVUK

July Goals - End of Month Report

1.  UFO Challenge #12

Vintage Farm Girl - DONE
- assess status
- assemble top

2. 12 Things Challenge #12

Betsy's Closet
- draw off stitchery designs DONE

- begin stitching

 block 1

block 2

block 3

3.  "Believe" Block #6

Applique the pieces DONE

 

4. "Girls Getaway"

 block 4
- draw off and begin stitching DONE

5. Baby Quilt DONE

- choose fabric
-make quilt

 

6. Doll Quilt/Gown DONE
Make one more of each

 

7. "Gingerbread Village"

Stitch/assemble block #5
No progress - I have the design


8. Sweet Land of Liberty (SLOL) QAL

- assemble next block/Saltbox House
-assemble first unit
Fabrics chosen


9. JoAnn's BOM DONE
- assemble next block/October

10. 15 minute stitch challenge

That should keep me plenty busy for the month :)

100%

I have bonuses !!!!

Quilt top for 13 year old great nephew, completely finished. Just need to get it to him.

Quilt top for 5 year old little brother, who is getting his first "big boy" bedroom :)

And a couple of new projects prepped and started.

Patriotic star designed by Cheri Payne.

I just need to applique the pieces and embroider the lettering.

Garden Angel also designed by Cheri Payne.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mark 11:24 NIVUK

HQAL - July 28 - 28

It's been three weeks since the last report. Time really does fly, especially when you are busy. All the other ladies posted over the weekend, but we haven't been on the internet much lately and that's okay. 

You can catch up with the other lovely ladies here.

 

Doll quilts

 

Baby quilts

 

Betsy's Closet - Block 1, 2, 3

Vintage Kitchen - Block 1

A flannel quilt tied and bound for my 13 year old great nephew, for no other reason that just because.

Well, that's my three weeks. Hope you are all managing with the heat and humidity.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 NIVUK

Sweet Relief

Relief has finally arrived. After numerous days of 95 plus degrees, with heat indexes around the 110 degree mark, relief has arrived in the form of a steady, gentle summer rain and a cold front from Canada.

We've had beautiful days and evenings. The heat index made it hard to spend too much time outside. That allowed me to accomplish things inside, as well as out.

I started working in the small backyard flower garden last week. I got all the weeding and trimming done. I put a coat of primer on the fence until I can get the desperately needed paint.

Newton helped by relocating a garden bench from another garden.

I mulched the garden with hay from my sister. It's not my favorite look, I prefer bark, but the price was right and will do for now.

Monday I started re-weeking my front gardens. The plan is to get them cleaned up, the in the fall, I'm planning on relocating more of the perennials to dress up the newly cleaned gardens.

 

I added this small bird bath and an old wind chime.

I am finding that getting the gardens done is best done first thing in the morning. The sun isn't exactly up, but it is light enough to see . . . 6:30 a.m. - sorry, night owls :)

I spend 30 - 60 minutes weeding. :(

It is a necessary evil. The end results are worth the time spent.

My week began in the garden we pulled the bench from. This only took about 30 minutes and rain started. I finished just in time.

I filled two trash cans and used about an hour to only get partially done on this garden

I still have the far left corner to finish. That won't take too long.

It's taken all spring to find my green thumb and motivation. Part of that is just finding and making a good time to get it done. The motivation came with that.

There will be plants broken down and relocated. That's one of the best things about perenials, you never run out of plants.

Sometimes there are seedlings to relocate too

These got fairly large. I'm moving them any way, hoping for the best. These plants I got from Mom, who got them from her dad's garden many, many years ago. I wasn't particularly protective of them. This makes me really grateful that they were persistent, because now they have a place in my garden for good, They come back and reseed every year.

Wednesday started a little slower and later. I didn't get out until around 7:30 a.m. This garden had more to clear out than I had anticipated on Tuesday. It took about an hour to finish.

As I worked it I was also weeding the long garden on that side as you can see in the foreground of the photo.

The 30-60 minutes each morning has greatly contributed to how I feel about my yard and the overall joy I feel for making it a priority. This allows me time to do other things throughout the day - so it's not taking time away from sewing or stitching. It's also allowed me to slow down and enjoy the processes. And even more surprising, I feel like I'm getting more done than I originally planned.

This, unfortunately, is what is still left to do in the front yard. This was done earlier in the spring and obviously didn't last long enough. The spring rains came and the weeds took over.  It will most likely take all of the next week to get this finished, and I will.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalms 46:1 NIVUK