Mid-week Projects

Nothing like a holiday weekend to quicken the pace of an already hectic week.

Newton didn't go back to school Tuesday or Wednesday due to the extreme heat/humidity. That reason is also causing some stress among everyone. As for me, it just makes me unproductive and lazy which I really don't like.

Today, however, was my monthly block of the month sewing class. I was debating about going and after two broken machine needles, may I should have just stayed home. The instructor broke one and I did the other. In the end, attempting to do a fringe stitch on the machine didn't work out for me.

Some decorative stitching, lace trim and buttons and the block is finished. Time to get the next block prepped for next month.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with kindness.

Verse of the day:

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

Weekend recap

How was your weekend? 

Not only did we have a long holiday weekend, Honey Do wrappers vacation around it. We had three days of driving around our area, shop hopping for both of us, Friday he helped me with grocery shopping, and putting things away when we got home. He spent the rest of the week working around his "studio" while I worked in mine. Both of us being somewhat productive.

For me, most of my productivity came in Monday. My goal for this week, until it's finished is Mystery QAL #3. I got four of my five blocks framed. I haven't completely decided on a setting so it will happen as I go.

I did manage to get lots of leaders and enders out together for the beginning of a very scrappy quilt. All these bright colors, leftover blocks from other projects and scraps make me very happy.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with kindness.

Verse of the day:

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIVUK

Goals for September 2018

It's a new month ! ! ! 

Are you excited ?

I AM :)

image from Yahoo.com

Here are my goals for the beautiful month of September . . . 

1. Mystery QAL #3
This will be my priority until it's finished,
due September 30.

2. Blocks of the month

- download those I'm saving for later

- Color Bear Challenge

- Color Block Challenge

- Starry Bright

- Fall into a Quilt

3. Christmas Quilt - gift for Mom

4. Maggie's First Dance

- quilt

- bind

This is where I'm going to start and see how far I get. I didn't get anything done last week with Honey Do being on vacation, and that's ok. A new month is a good place to start.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with kindness.

Verse of the day:

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 28:7

Faint, but still a rainbow.

Stay-cation - Day 3

This was a very fun, relaxing day.

We are going on a picnic !!!

As we were making plans for today, we thought we would go to Subway and get our favorite veggie sub, some chips and drinks and we could picnic.

Our destination . . . 

Mentor Headlands.

This is a beach front state park on Lake Erie.

It's only a 35 minute ride from home.

Here's how we spent the morning . . . 

We walked the beach . . . 

and walked :)

The surf was pretty rough, but the water was nice.

There was lots of drift wood.

 

Our goal was the lighthouse at the end of the beach.

 

Bonus on this gorgeous summer day . . .

two planes practicing for the air show over the weekend.

Temperatures were in the mid-high 70s, breezy along the lakefront.

 

Honey Do works with wood, so I got some lessons on "burls". We found some really nice wood, just no way to get it from the beach to home.

Goal accomplished - Arriving at the lighthouse. This is as close as we could get.

One of two of our nuclear power plants. This is Davis Bessie. Perry is a further west on the lake.

And my treasures . . . Beautifully colored stones, small shells and glass. Even an aluminum nail.

And smaller pieces of drift wood. Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but had to have it.

Once we made our way back down the beach, it was lunch time. There were picnic tables near our car, so we ate a leisurely lunch there talking about what a great morning we had and how much we enjoyed our time together.

We made our way back home, spending more time outside with the pups before Newton got home from school. 

We still have a few more days, including a holiday before the work week/school begin again on Tuesday. Now that it's the weekend, plans are to stay closer to home because we really don't enjoy the crowds.

Friday we went grocery shopping. This is something I typically do alone, but every once in a while I enjoy the company and help. It also helps that Honey Do can pick out some shopping that I either don't do well or choose things that I particular like to eat. That usually includes seafood and steak. Helps with meal planning as well. I'm hoping we have most of the next month covered as far as supplies are concerned.

So we're going to take the rest of the weekend and rest and relax at home. Meals will be simple. And we'll just find things around the house to keep us occupied.

Wishing you all a good, safe weekend.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you days filled with kindness.

Verse of the day:

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions amonth you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1:10 NIVUK

Stay-cation - Day 2

Stay-cation, Day 2

While it is really nice to have clear skies, and warm summer breezes, are really nice. The temperatures reading 90 degrees and humidity, that actually feels like 100, don't make it completely pleasant. We're expecting storms that are related to these conditions. 

In the meantime, we are enjoying a second day of freedom from responsibility (at least to my mind).

Today's excursions took us first to Pins and Needles to get another RXR.

It's a small store, but I managed to find a couple things.

A half yard for a dresden plate pattern, a half yard for halloween, measure tape twill and the RXR (from left to right).

From here we drove to the other side of town with the intention of walking through a mall. We haven't been to the mall in years. It was something to do that wouldn't take a very long time. But first, lunch :)

We had tossed salads, iced tea, lemonade and shared a margherita pizza. It was very nice and relaxing. We made plans for Day 3.

Then we went to the mall.

This wonderful LEGO display greeted us at the entrance. We walked around a bit, got talked into doing a survey and then headed home. 

I spent the afternoon doing the chores I didn't get done in the morning before we left. And watched the day change . . .

The rain came in about 3:30 p.m. and as expected, it just poured. It didn't last very long. Hopefully it brought some relief.

Something I forgot yesterday . . . 

One of our absolute favorite stops in town.

We were trying to figure out what we wanted and where to go for lunch. 

Chocolate is it's own food group in my world, so why not :)

When we walked in, the saleslady happily obliged us with some samples of orange and raspberry chocolate covered honeycomb :)

We, in turn, obliged by making a purchase that included a very nice variety of their chocolates because they really are one of absolute favorites.

Yes, these are real. They sit in the back lot and can be seen from the highway.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with kindness.

Verse of the day:

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIVUK

August 27, 2018

I'm going to see if I can't do interim goal reports. I've been somewhat productive since I posted my goals. So the first report, August 5, will be productivity in red. 

My second report for August 12, will be productivity in blue :)

Time for my third report of the month, August 20. This week hasn't been quite as productive. But every thing done, is a step forward.

It's the end of the month, well almost. This will be my final post for August except for one for my September goals. 

Did I get everything done?

Let's see . . . 

1. Monthly blocks of the month

- Elefantz 
downloaded and drawn off

 

I was behind, so I had two to draw off.

- Clever Chameleon Color Bear downloaded, pieces for this block have been prepped.
DONE

There are now enough bears to put two complete rows together.

Half of a quilt DONE.

I just love the "party" print I found to use as sashing.

- Designs by Jen Color Block downloaded, DONE

And the beginning of another row . . .

- Quilt Doodle Doodle BOM * downloaded

- Honeybee Cloth Sweetest Things * downloaded

- Alida's Starry Night downloaded, assembled

And . . . 

The first two rows are sewn together !!!

- Janda Bend Quilts Fall into a Quilt (x2)
Pie block - DONE

Second block has been downloaded

DONE
I have enough blocks to put a row together, but have opted not to do this one just yet.

- Morning Glory Designs BOM * downloaded

* some of these I'm just collecting patterns and will make at a later date.

2. Maggie's First Dance

- top needs to be sandwiched 
I reserved a room at church to layout the quilt, have all my supplies packed and in the car.

And after a morning in my old Sunday School class, I have a pin-basted quilt ready for machine quilting.

- begin quilting

3. P&N BOM

- prep block for next class (August 8) 
prep work done
DONE

4. Busy Bee BOM

- cut and assemble first border

- finish stitching June blocks (2 of 4) DONE
All four blocks have been hand appliqued.

5. Needle Book

- finish assembly DONE

6. Postcard Swap

- make

- get in the mail
DONE - I'll post pictures next update.

7. Mystery project 
(not to be confused with Mystery #3)

- pull fabric

- cut, assemble

- get in the mail
DONE

8. Curtains

- make curtains, so Honey Do can hang rod during his vacation :)

Didn't quite make it, but I did work on them a little

9. Holly Cottage Christmas

- review and plan next step

still not done.

10. Christmas PJs

- make at least one pair

still not done.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with kindness.

Verse of the Day Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-5

Stay-cation

Honey Do and I are enjoying a "stay-cation" this week. It began a day late due to some unforeseen circumstances at work. Both of us were okay with that. It's timed this way because it falls around his birthday and with Newton being 17 (yes, already!!!) he really wants to spend time with his friends, so he'd prefer to be in school anyway.

One of many efforts to bring awareness, this one to cancer. The "field of Hope" is a huge field filled with sunflowers. It is a gorgeous site, it is unfortunate that a child lost their life to this horrible disease. What a beautiful memorial. This is the last year this event will take place.

Honey Do is getting ready for hunting season which begins at the end of September. How quickly this year has passed us by.

Cabela's is new to our region, so we went and checked out the store and he got some supplies.

There's really not much there for me, but I did find some beautiful wildlife.

And how's this for an entrance?

Very cozy and welcoming.

And just because there won't be much sewing happening this week . . .

Doesn't mean we can't do some shop hopping. Honey Do is very generous with his time and wallet, as he paid for all of my purchases.

First stop . . . 

Here's what I found, along with the RXRs that were the motivation for these stops :)

The half yards in the background were $3.99 yard and are earmarked for Fall into a Quilt, along with the fat quarters in the foreground. I don't usually purchase fat quarters, preferring to make my own, but at $1.00/each I couldn't say no.

And the "eye balls", yes, for the Halloween quilt :) 

And our second stop. 

Two half yards of Halloween prints and a remnant for my Starry Bright collection.

Wednesday, we have no other plans but to go to one more quilt shop. Their RXR is done in three parts because they have three locations. Together, the "rows" will spell Cleveland as part of the block. This year, you kind of need all three rows together. Not sure when I'll get to work on these, but I love this year's theme and am pretty partial to several of the blocks. I'll share that in another post.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with kindness.

Verse of the day:

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:14 NIVUK