CHIRPING!

We have baby birds again--

the nest is in one of my hanging baskets; 

 so far, the parents have been doing fine feeding these guys!

The plant has died--I can't water it and drown the babies! lol

The mega vase is finished! 

 The wood has a wonderfully smooth feel 

and lots of texture also! 

(more on the yarn tomorrow!)

It is 15" tall and has lots of visual interest!

I filled dthe cracks so they look like a healed scars!

 And the indents have bumps which would show up 

as bird's eyes in woodwhop lingo (think bird's eye maple). 

 I really had to think about this feature; 

 would I make the vase super thin to make the vase completely round with the little spots in the grain

 OR

 I could leave the indented sides with the bumps

 which is what I did! 

 I have more of this wood so I can't wait to see

 what it under the bark of the other pieces! 

 It's been too hot to work in the garage at the lathe

 but I have enjoyed sanding, polishing and rubbing this indoors.

GET WELL WISHES...

 Is there any better thought than to know you are loved?! 

 These guys came to help me feel better;

we spent a lot of time here yesterday bc it was very hot out 

and the pool is delicious!

  It's the only way to handle a heat wave!

SERENITY

My dream place to sit and knit...

 

JUST LIFE

Bill met this pair at the pond the other day--they are Black Bellied Whistling Ducks;  they are a kind of tree nesting ducks but they don't quack, they really do whistle!

This guy was sunning on the driveway one morning warming up after the rain!  It is an Eastern Racer, one of the best snakes to have in your yard because while they startle you, they are good guards against rats and other vermin!

Inside, this has been the progress in the bathroom's renovation!  We are waiting now for the delivery of the glass shower doors!  Imagine, waiting for an order.....We are thrilled with our contractor's work-it looks just like we imagined!  

And if you haven't smiled yet this morning, you will now!  This is one of the early morning chats between father and son!

 

TPT?

Since I haven't touched my embroidery since last week, I have tiny pins to show you this Tuesday!  They are made especially for quilters to number each block so you don't get them out of order when you walk from the design wall to the sewing machine--sometimes those few feet are just too much and the blocks get out of order or upside down! lol  Problems solved when numbered and if you put the pin in straight showing its orientation, no goofs should result!

I managed to load the table runner on a bit of scrap for a backing.  I didn't have the oomph to actually do any stitching because I've come down with a cold--a good old-fashioned one.  I spent most of the last few days horizontal.  

This was my snuggly--a new skein of yarn came in the mail!  I am working to finish up the blue sock so I can start another pair in this tropical looking yarn!  More info when I wind the yarn into a ball and actually start the socks.

  (or maybe a shawl like Meredith is knitting!!

I have to go today and get my final examination from the hand doctor to make sure I have reached his motion expectations.  I definitely don't have full range or stamina in the thumb, yet I can do almost everything I need to do so time will just yield better results will be my guess!  Bill is driving me so I can close my eyes and rest on the way.  And maybe even knit a bit!

 

WOOD ON THE WEEKEND

I enjoyed some time at the lathe Saturday when I should've been attaching binding but I was lost in the wonder of working with wood.  This is a piece of the holly cut down in my daughter's yard!

I think it took as much time to drill it out (using first a small forstner bit and then a larger one) as it did to turn the shape!

I need to apply the many layers of shellac yet so I will wait to share the final beauty shots!

 

A SOCK FOR SUNDAY

Once I got the crazy texture stitches out of my system, 

this sock knir up very nicely. 

 I did stick with the faux cable up the leg 

so it is a pretty change from the usual 2 x 2 rib. 

I already started the toe of the next sock!

  This is KnitPicks Stroll in the Manatee Tonal colorway 

on #1 needles over 64 stitches.

(sized for ladies 8-9 shoe)

 

A FINISH!

The quilting on the Sock Monkey quilt is finished!

Remember the game called Barrel of Monkeys--the center of the design reminded me of the arms that hooked together!

And the backing--it is a bunch of sock monkeys on Minky fabric--the blanket is made to hug!

 On the yarn front, I have finished the block for this month in Tunisian Crochet! The blanket has grown to half its size!

CRAWLING ALONG

We had a visitor to our back yard yesterday! 

 He is a newly hatched Gopher Tortoise! 

 He held still while I took pictures of him 

and didn't once tuck up inside his shell!

I finished piecing the top for the patriotic table runner 

and even made the binding for it.

I had some leftovers blocks afterall

 and made this into a tablerunner, too. 

 I did run out of the background for the last two borders. 

 I did make the binding for it though.

And I loaded up the Sock Monkey quilt-wait until you see the backing!

 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The quilting is finished on this QOV and it will be turned in so that the next set of hands will put the binding on it!  Nice team work!

I used a new panto of stars and waving flags. 

 It was an enjoyable job. 

 What's next?  I will be putting the Sock Monkey quilt on the frame!

We bought this tile for the shower wall.  It is large-9 x 18". 

 It will go on in this position like bricks.  We also bought some dk brown glass subway tile for a stripe around the whole shower.  

The stripe will bring the accent color of the dark stones of the floor into the rest of the area. 

 I felt completely drained after shopping/deciding on what to get!

This is what the area looked like at the close of day yesterday!  Flooring is next!

WATERCOLOR WEDNESDAY

Continuing  with the landscape theme, 

I had to add one of my favorite landscapes!  

I would like to do a series of moon-gates in another journal. 

 I would love to have  this one in my backyard!

   What would be your favorite landscape?

 

TNT

 How's this for an embroidery case?! 

It is the wooden case that my lathe tools came in,

 so now that they are in the new tool chest, 

I knew right away what I would do with it. 

 The stitching was thoroughly good this week; 

 I only have the center flowers group 

and I haven't found the color I want for them  yet. 

Still, I think it will be finished by next week!

SHOPPING FOR MATERIALS-

The men finished their work and took down the plastic which had covered everything BUT the cement dust was everywhere anyway! (it could've been a lot worse, I know!) I had to empty the linen cupboard and wash all the linens .  The medicine cabinets had to have all of the meds removed and cleaned.  I then waxed each cupboard to let the wood get a good drink!  That should be all of the super mess for this project!  Today, we will meet the contractor to purchase the supplies he needs to start the building of the walk-in shower!

I loaded up this QOV that a local woman made-I get to do the stitching!  I am getting a lot of tops done so that there is a frame-queue again! Today at quilting group, I will be making some more of the patriotic star blocks for my table runner.

 

SOCKS ON SUNDAY

I started all gung-ho on this sock sampler of stitches 

and then I ran out of steam. 

 I realized I hadn't written down any clues

 to what I did for rows, etc.  

I ripped it all out and am knitting a plain foot

 and will put the faux cable (the last stitches)

 on the leg for rib.   Ah, bliss!  

Vanilla might not be my favorite flavor for ice cream, chocolate or candles but it sure can't be beat for a sock!

 

PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE!

We have several stalks of bananas growing again! 

 These will be ready around August.

My lilies are blooming again!  So tall and ellegant! 

 So while it is pretty on the outside....

the master bathroom looks like this! 

 We have hired a man to rip out our fiberglass insert shower.

The plan is to make this a walk-in, tiled shower with glass doors.  He will build a shower seat and two niches for shampoo, etc. 

He will also install wall grips.  

We need to plan on making this safer as we age!

 The downside is that it will take a couple weeks to complete! 

 I had to move out of my own bathroom! lol  

It will be worth it! 

 Can you say excited?! 

Today,  I'll be quilting on the other end of the house they remove the insulation and chip out the cement slab so that it will slope

to the lowered drain.

 

STEPPING OUT

Nyki strides down the sidewalk like she has all the time in the world...she hurries to the door for no one.

Friends were over earlier in the week and we made stepping stones.  I have made one very similar to this before but it didn't weather well and I wanted to replace it.

I use tile adhesive to place the tiles where I want them-in this case, in cat prints and daisies.  After drying overnight, I then grout between the tiles which needs another few days to dry completely.  I use the 12"x  12"  cement pavers which are still under $2 each so that's good deal!

 

LET'S QUILT!

The Seaside Quilt is completely done--it's even been washed and dried!  I am thrilled with it!

It is just such a happpy quilt! 

 (I learned today of a little girl who has just undergone surgery to remove a brain tumor and now faces chemo/radiation treatment and I think this quilt will go to her!)

I made the binding for the Batik quilt,

added borders to the Sailboat quilt,

and started a table runner from scraps!