Colors of March

                             The weather is finally giving us indications that this is the South after all!  (azaleas)

camelias

                                                                      Mexican daisy

Rugosa roses

Florida dogwood

wild phlox

Indian Red flower (common name wild flower)

lemon blossoms

wild blackberries

Maple tree branch

It is a delight to take a walk out again!

Great Start to This Week

The pools guys put in a long day today.  They repaired some rain wash out and then finished the leveling.

They bent down all the re-rod steel -it sure did make a difference to see them laying down!

The forms were made for the steps outside of the sliding glass doors. 

And around the areas that will be used for plantings.

While all the fun was going on outside, Bill finished up the plumbing.

 We will have a shower after inspection!

We have door knobs on the closet doors, too!

I was holed up in the sewing room doing this.

All in a Day's Work...

Dad and Bill added the closet doors today.......no doorknobs yet but doesn't this just look so pretty?!

One in our room and in the guest room. 

I finished the kid quilt .  It will be in the mail Monday.  I have decided to make one of these each month .

Sock one done and already cast on the second one.  I will dye them when I am finished-trying to decide between lime green and olive green.........

The pool is grounded-see the copper wires?  Since Florida is the lightening capitol of the USA, you have to plan ahead.

We had our morning inspection.  (Yes, it is good we are adding a screened in enclosure....)

Bill was given some Tilapia (4) to put in our pond.

 He has high hopes of stocking this with all kinds of edible fish for our fishing pleasure.  The kids will try to fish here next week when they come for Easter's visit.

I weaving on this dish towel for me.  I have had to learn to make a repair on a warp thread.  Nyki has been swinging under, through and around when I weave and we heard a snap.  It is good practice for me.

 She got a time out.

WEAVING NOTE TO SELF:
 ( While it is efficient to use a long warp to do a series of projects, like towels, it is a creative quagmire.  I want to do too many different ideas and I will not repeat a mile long warp again.  It is worth the pain of rewarping several times rather than get locked into the marathon of   S A M E  again.  I'm just recording a lesson, for me and for you!)

Correction

On yesterday's post I called our window thumper a goldfinch but he is actually one of these....

a yellow rumped warbler.........  looks like the yellow missed the named part, but what do I know?  I called him a finch!  Thank you , Daughter, for the link.  We will look and listen for these guys now that I have learned about them!

Quietness of a Warm Day

                             
We had this little visitor this morning.......he hit the window and was stunned.  We set him in a tree in the sunshine and he took off after a few minutes rest.  I was pleasantly surprised to see we have goldfinches!

I started a new pair of socks.......a few YahooGroup friends are knitting this as a KAL and I am doing it toe up instead of as it is written.  It is a Ravelry pattern if you want to try it. 

The pool has tile all around the edge.  The have finished running the plumbing and electrical wiring.  Now on to leveling the decking!

See what Bill has been working on!   The sinks are getting faucets...

The shower is getting walls, the ceiling is getting light fixtures...

 It is going to be the best bathroom E V E R! 

Happy Birthday, Abigail!

Our grand daughter turns six today!  What a blessing she is to our family!  We love you!

Friends and Tiles

We went out to lunch today with friends from NY...........we went to our fav place, Corky Bells.  It was way too cold to sit outside and eat but the food and conversation were warm inside!

We returned home to find this going on today!  It really perks up the pool area! 

He ran the plumbing today and then started the tile.  This week should have a ton of progress to report. 

This afternoon I spent a few hours in the sewing room and finished Mom's quilt top and then loaded her table runner and quilted that ,too.  I have a backlog of items lined up for the quilting frame....

Foot Hugs

I finished the pair of socks for Mom..........Deborah Norville's wool/bamboo/nylon blend of sock yarn on number 1 needles, toe up.  Remember how much you are loved , Mom, every time you wear them!
(I used only one skein of yarn for this small size (7) shorter sock-I recommend 2 skeins  for a larger size)

Window Shade Tutorial

Buy the Walmart low budget brand of vinyl window shade and the hardware which used to come with the shade but is now a seperate expense and use a ceiling mount-about 1/2" from the back wall.  Since I have a double window I use two shades side by side to cover the 6' expanse. 

Screw in the wall side hardware and now you are ready to measure the width of your shade.

Rip off the vinyl part of the shade-we are not going to use it.  Slide your roller out in length for a firm fit and tape it to that width.  Do not assume both rollers will be the same, measure both individually and mark right and left-trust me on this!

Measure your roller bar from edge to edge excluding the plastic end caps.  This is the width of the iron- on decorator interfacing.  Measure both roller bars.  I use my rotary cutter for these cuts so they are straight.  The length of the shade is determined by the length of your window+ 3" for covering the roller bar+ 6-8" for ease and overlap.

Now iron on the decorator weight interfacing to the wrong side of your shade fabric.  This step cannot be rushed.  It requires 12-15 seconds of pressure (no sliding) for a good bond.  Be patient, start in the middle and work out.  It will all come together and stay that way if you are slow and methodical at this stage!

Leave 5/8" of fabric  beyond the interfacting on long outside edge of your shade and

.....leave the rest of the width of fabric loose on the other. 

Place fusible hem tape (double sided) on the edge of the long sides and iron in place, and trim to the edge of

the tape and...

remove the paper backing. 

...iron the hem onto the back of the shade, start from the center and work out to the ends.

Use whatever means you have for drawing the decorative edge on the bottom of the shade.  I am using a template that came with the expensive shade kit. Center your template or draw the design placement.  

Be sure to level your design,

Now, cut with good scissors along this marked line. 

Cut a width of fabric, it does not have to be on the bias, the curves are gentle and it is not required.  I cut the strip the width of the fabric by 2 1/4" for the binding on the lower edge.  Fold it in half and press.

Sew this like a quilt binding, using a quarter inch seam allowance across the bottom, sewing slowly and easing the strip across the gentle curves.

I use the Sharon Schaumber binding technique of putting a line of kid's washable glue on the seam allowance on the back of the shade, then pulling the binding to the back and pressing it in place with a hot iron.

Again, start in the middle and work out to the edges.  This can get a little sticky but it produces a perfect edge every time-no missed areas on the back when you stitch from the front (stitch in the ditch along the front of the binding on the right side)

This might be the trickiest part but we are on the home stretch now.  Place a length of duck tape (I am using white) along the top edge of the fabric.  Line up the roller shade keeping it level.  Stick the tape real well to the roller.  Wind the fabric on the bar-you will want the tension of the spring device very loose.  It can be a pain to adjust it but keep working at it. 

Put the roller bars in their respective hardware and you have made the shades ($5 each + fabric) for a very sleek , clean window treatment!

Ta Da!

Optional bottom treatment is to measure up 4-6" from the bottom and place a sewn in fold in the fabric to make a header for the pull bar which is what I used on the other shades I have made but wanted to try this one a bit more formal without it.  You will have to allow another 2 1/2" for using this as an edge to pull your shade up and down.