TOUCHING BASES

The bird bath fountain sprung a leak so Bill fixed the leak and put a new sealant on it and I gave it a new paint job!  I had to let the paint set up for 24 hours so today we will set up the solar fountain part again!  The birds and squirrels are really missing the fresh water!  (I had to do this first thing yesterday before the rains moved in and Bill brought it into the garage to finish drying when it got dark out and rumbling!)

For those of you interested, this is the Passion fruit. 

 It is about 2 1/2" tall and very aromatic.

Unfortunately, this one had lost its meat and was only seeds that looked like polliwogs so I wouldn't even try a lick ,even if it did smell good! lol  I will dry out the seeds and plant them.  I found out that I have an ornamental one and that is why my fruits don't fruit but I will grow this on the other side of the trellis arch 

and let them keep each other company!

In the studio, I put the dark border strips on the Sea Traveler quilts then loaded up a table runner on the frame.  (I have a large queue for the frame so I need a simple and quick project first!)

Last of all, I added the stars to the panel-plus-scraps QOV quilt! 

 I am pleased with the results.  I have one more step and that is to add the blue w/stars strips to the sides only to make this wider because right now it is only 60" wide and I like them at least 65";  I will probably make this one 66" so the final measurements will be 66" x 80" which is a generous twin sized quilt.  

I will be working on this at the quilting group today!

 

Beauty

 Oh, look!  It spits!

The bird bath is attractive to both birds and little boys!

 A sulpha butterfly on a knotweed blossom.

 A hibiscus bloom.

 Camellia buds. 

A sunset on the way home, sweet home.

Oh, Yeah!

 The birdbath is finally in its place of honor in the front garden!

Now for the birds to get used to it!

There has been so much rain this summer,

they are not in need of a 'puddle' to bath in but I am happy to see it out front!

And another hat is off the assembly line! 

 This yarn is now gone but another colorway of the Mary Maxim Prism

 is on the machine for newborn boy hats next. 

I just tweaked out the extra 17 'piano keys' I needed to complete the 

Starry Splendor quilt top.

Let the piecing proceed!

Here's to a good week.

About Time to Clean it Up!

 Mondays are again an abrupt shock to our systems.

They were a nice way to start the week for a few years but now that a school year has begun, 

I remember how they do not fit with the rhythm of a human body in any way!

Last week I said I was going to finish the birdbath once and for all! 

What a good way to make something good come out of the day.

 I am ashamed at how long I have let this take up the  front porch! 

 But I worked the grout in and around and sponged it throughout the afternoon!

  Now to let it dry, seal it and touch up some paint and get it out front in the garden!!!!

 I have just three more little stars to make for the border!

I could've started piecing the center of the quilt but this required less thought!

Today, I went with the easier route!

I used up two little balls of the Scrubby yarn to try and reduce the size of the dishcloth on the knitting machine-this one is 9" x 9" which is much better than the 11" one but I still like them 8" square!

  A little more tweaking and I will have it! 

 Today, I hope to find an hour to try a new kind of stitch 

which will result in color work on the front! 

 It seems like an ambitious idea for this kind of yarn but it is only a 4 row repeat

 and not really that difficult!

  I am hoping for success right out of the gate!!!

What did we do without YouTube?!?!

Settled #1

 We found a big cement slab for the pedestal to rest upon

so we could place the birdbath in the yard!

 I should've waited to paint the base first

but I couldn't!

I will paint around the pedestal and be done!

Here, birdies, we have some water!

(In Florida, there is plenty of food for the birds, 

but there is a shortage of 'puddles' for the birds to water in.

This will be an essential stop for them when it heats up around here!)

I was measuring the quilt tops so I could buy the right amount of fabric today

 and I discovered two things about this quilt-

first it isn't square like I thought!

When I measured it,  

it is actually 40" x 48" so I turned it on the design wall and sure enough, 

it was the right size for a lap quilt!

But then I saw this corner in a new light-

I sewed in a wrong color here!

 Ahhh, much better!  

Now to head out to purchase some backing, borders and bindings!

And a quick beach visit to reward us all for the trip!

It Takes Time

Working in a few minute increments,

the Winding Ways quilt top is completed!

I need fabric for the backing so this will be added to the

quilting queue behind the LeMoyne star quilt which needs border fabric...

a trip to the fabric store needs to be squeezed into next weeks' schedule! 

 The second coat was added to the birdbath

and I spiffed up a few Terra Cotta pots, too.

 The rim needed a steady (sort of) hand to paint the rim of the basin-

two coats also!

I had to take a deep breath and realize this project needed time

to complete it;  

I had steps that needed 24 hours between them and there

was no hurrying it if I wanted it to be done right.

Now I have to apply sealer to the grout and tiles 

so that this birdbath will last 20 years!

 I will apply it, rub it out in 30 minutes and let it be for another 24 hours.

I will get to use this birdbath before another week passes!

(son #3 who is in the business of caulk and grout restoration

says it is an easy step that people skip and they shouldn't if they don't want to

repeat a tile and grout project in another 5 years!)

 

 Another pot was painted and it sure makes them look beautiful again!

(the paint is inexpensive as paint goes-$15 a quart at Home Depot!)

The old birdbath is all painted and waiting for me to work on the mosaic for its basin!

(It was exciting to see that the work I did to level

the inside of the basin fit beautifully;

secure and level is a wonderful thing!)

 Which I have started....

and will take my time to work on it

without being impatient!