String of Beads

I did a little stitching in bits and pieces this past weekend. I finally got the 4 green peels added to this Red String of Beads block. I also found some yellow in the scrap bin and cut 4 of them for the yellow block. I still need to prep that one for stitching by drawing the peels onto the background for placement but that should happen after work today.

The boy is up at his competition and is competing today. It is a first time for him as a Sophomore, so we will see how he does. His teammate has not been a lot of help, so he has managed to go it alone or get help from his buddies instead. The girl is late at school today with symphonic band practice for their Spring recital the end of the month. I think she enjoyed sleeping in an extra 40 minutes this morning instead of getting to school an hour early for her brothers class.

 

Slowing down on Sunday

 It has been an interesting week. 

Last Sunday the girl turned 15 and took her proctored driving test online with her Dad in the room. She took an online course and passed that. Then they take an online test here in Florida. He took her to the DMV first thing on Monday morning and she is now a permitted driver for the next year. She has yet to drive, but maybe that will change later today for a little driving around our neighborhood. They have to wait a full year before they can test to get their license.

Monday, I started a restrictive diet before my colonoscopy on Thursday. I still was not feeling well with the sinus infection I had, so the limiting did not bother me. Coming up with meals for the family... well they were on their own for a couple of days! I think it was spaghetti and meatballs this night.

Tuesday was the normal walk the dog in the morning, then work then pick up the kids then attempt dinner. Greg made Mexican skillet rice, but Aidan turned up his nose and it had things I could not have (corn) so I popped some Berber chickens in the oven for me and Aidan with some bagged mashed potato. 

Wednesday - I got a liquid diet and then the 'prep' so they were on their own. It was leftovers or make their own stuff. I got to watch the Netflix series Queen Charlotte that afternoon/night and the cats were oh so happy to have Mom all to themselves!

Thursday - up early for more prep and then watch the storms roll in right before we had to leave for the doctors. Greg had to wait for 2 hours while they checked me in and got me done and then up and dressed and out the door, just in time to go pick up the kids from school. I did make dinner Thursday night... after some quick scrambled eggs when I got home.... I had not eaten food since Tuesday night! My co-worker technically left on vacation Thursday, but she knew of my procedure so let our boss know to call her if there were issues. 

Friday - back to normal (kinda) with a dog walk, work and kid pick up. I was feeling much better and managed to check a few things off my list today as well. We were to go out to eat for Emily's birthday dinner (birthday person gets to pick the restaurant out for their special day in our family). I had made a reservation at her requested restaurant, but she had a headache and I told her we could delay it until she felt better. We will try next Thursday or Friday. Greg ordered Domino's Pizza for dinner. 

Saturday - I got to walk the dog (I'm wondering why the 2 that wanted the dog are not getting up and walking him?) and then I took Emily to horses. Grandma came over to get a kid fix and a lunch out with us at a restaurant she enjoys. Some remembering of Papa Andy happened, and she gave an update on all the paperwork she has been dealing with. We have been checking in on her all week.

I dropped the boy off for a hair cut while I got some Groceries. The boy is prepping for his upcoming Skills USA competition, and finishing off a few things on his project. It was a leftover dinner night and I got a few hand quilting stitches in on this cat block while watching NCIS and episode 1 of The Gentleman. I like how this one came out. I might do all the cats this way... we will see. Free hand arcs are fun!

It is nearly mid month and this is all I have done with the yellows for the RSC! I did find the bucket of scraps. Maybe some progress will happen Sunday? I know we need to drop the boy to school late morning and then since we are halfway to my FIL's, and Greg has not gone over this week, we will go deliver some things and check on him. I should be able to find some scraps to cut the 8 yellow peels from for the string of beads blocks. I'll visit the yellow shelf to pick the Arkansas Traveller fabrics. 

The girl is excited to be the only child in the house for a few days while her brother is away at his competition. She get's to sleep in a bit for 3 days, since she can get to school for start time at 9AM. Normally, they get there for just before 8AM as Aidan has a class before school to fit in his elective of Robotics. Linking up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers.

 

Friday....

 No sewing but figured I'd check in. I'm finally feeling better and I've had my colonoscopy as of yesterday. Everyone is correct that the procedure is quick and easy but the prep work is the worst! I might have slept from 6pm last night until 7am this morning! Coffee with creamer is wonderful!

Since everyone is better now and I don't have limits on what I can eat.... we are planning to go out to eat tonight for Emilys birthday meal. She turned 15 on Sunday and got her drivers permit on Monday morning. She has yet to drive, but I think she will tackle the neighborhood this weekend.

Grandma is doing ok. She is feeling better as well. We hope to see her tomorrow.

My night blooming jasmine is in full bloom and smells amazing. 

Here are the two boys that enjoyed having mom confined to the master bedroom area with them Wednesday afternoon and evening. 

Peanut

Ollie

Hopefully some sewing will occur this weekend!

A Birthday Sunday in our house.

 The girl has been sick with a head cold (dr said it was allergies friday) most of last week and out of school the last 3 school days. She is better today and in the kitchen now making her birthday cake. It appears it will be a 3 layer red velvet cake based on the 3 prepped round pans sitting on the stovetop. Just shy of 6PM she will officially be 15! We know she was sick since when we cancelled going to the encampment this weekend, I asked about horses Saturday and she said no. 

 

She did finish the online driving course last night and then did the proctored test with her Dad and passed this afternoon. So, he will take her first thing tomorrow morning to the DMV to get her learners permit. She will go to school after that. I'll be dropping the boy off to school for his zero period class (1 hour before school starts) for Robotics. He has a Skills USA tournament next week in the northern part of the state. I took him shopping Friday night and got his black dress shoes and dress pants for the tournament. We drop him to school next Sunday and then we get him back Wednesday evening. 

I might have over done the running around the last few days and today is a putter around the house and rest day. I had made an ice cream custard a few days ago and churned half of it last night with the kitchen aid mixer and the other half got done today. I tried a maple ice cream and it is yummy with 1 cup of maple syrup in it. It tastes just like the creemee (called soft server everywhere but in Vermont!) we get up in Vermont at the sugar house across the lake. I ordered a couple of pint containers to put it in, and they arrived right before I put the ice cream on to churn today, so they are both filled and into the freezer. Last nights got walnuts added but I kept them out of this batch. This recipe does make a lot!

While I was running around all of yesterday, hubby was manning the text chat with his Mom. Unfortunately, her husband Andy passed away at age 91 last evening. He lived a long life. We have called and chatted with her today and last night.  She has a terrible cold still as well, so will be heading to the doctors tomorrow. Trying to get her to rest has been interesting. 

I think I'm going to grab some hand work and settle in with a movie. Time to add the green peels to the string of beads block.

Potato chip blocks.

 Well, Emily and I cancelled going to the Girl Scout Encampment this weekend. I have had a weird throat - not sore but off for 2 weeks and Emily was home from school the last 3 days. I went to the doctors yesterday and Emily went today - since she needed a note to get back into school after missing 3 days. I got meds for a sinus infection and thrush. No tests done but we will see if the meds help. Emilys was supposedly allergies and has a nasal mist of some sort that she can use for 3 days but no more. Hopefully we are both better by Monday. 

I dropped off our swaps to the organizers house last night and picked up 2 succulents. They were one of the projects for the weekend, so I snagged ours. Emily is in charge of them as I tend to kill everything!

I had taken today off as I was going with Greg to his appointment up in Gainsville for his back. They will not do surgery as his symptoms that bother him are not related to what they can do. So frustrating. We got back in time for me to go get the boy from school and he was tapped to bring the girl to the doctor for her note. 

Before we headed out, I managed to do a little sewing after walking the dog.

These 2.5x4.5 cut scraps turned into these two Potato chip blocks. The third one is on the machine at the point of adding the last colored surround. These would be fun as a scrappy 2 colored quilt I think if there is enough variety... you know like my wall of blues! Maybe a yellow as the light? There is some yellow in these for the RSC. I also found the bucket of yellow scraps for the month.

Linking up with the RSC on Saturday.

I have been listening to audiobooks (I like my free area on audible) I found this 2 book series by Mary Ellen Taylor. They were very good. 

I also read (the actual paper book for a change!) the 3rd book in the Women's Murder Mystery Club by James Patterson and got the 4th book from the library after I returned book 3. With over 20 books in this series, I'd prefer the free books from the library than buying them as audible books. 

April Fools?

It was no joke, Joy posted some potato chip blocks and darn it, I might have gone into the sewing room and pulled from the scrap bins and cut some 2.5x4.5 strips. No sewing on them yet, as I did go with the boy to Guitar tonight (he drove) since we needed a Sam's club run. The Ensure drinks were on sale - so I picked up 4 boxes of them instead of 2 for my FIL. He is drinking one in the morning and one in the evening. Meals on Wheels - or the church equivalent in his area provides a daily well balanced meal for him during the week.

I added the last red peel and have the first green one ready to go. When I snapped this photo- it reminded me of a star fish, just missing one peel for that.

Tomorrow the band is playing at the girls softball game so Emily is staying at school until after the game for a 8PMish pick up. I think I might head over and watch the game. It will bring back memories of the 5 years I was dragged to my sisters home and away softball games while they were in high school. My sisters are 11 months apart and both played all 4 years. 

Spring 2024 UFO Challenge

 Let's see how the Winter 2024 quarter finished shall we? The goal was to have 3 finishes. 

*** edited and added one so... at 30 again! 

The reality - 3 finishes! Would you believe the current list is under 30 now? Yup, me either! There are various orphan blocks hanging around, but I think I'll leave the list as is this quarter and see if I can whittle it down a little bit more. Shall I shoot for 3 again? We will see how the next 3 months goes.

#25 - Green Tumblers

#26 - Bear Paw

#6-Scrappy Kites

The list of UFO's - 

 1.) I know I have at least one more cut somewhere to fill that open spot for a 7x6 setting. *** found the parts in a baggie!  These are hand pieced.... and might need a little fixing along the way on some of those middle joins. Just ordered some kona solids for an alternate block for these to become a quilt. From Inklingo lemoyne stars.

 2.) Hexagon flowers on a black background. These are a stack of blocks I hand pieced a few years ago then hand appliqued to the black background a couple years after that!  Not sure if they will become one or two quilts.... I also have the black heaxagons I cut out of the block when I appliqued them on.... those might come out to play this quarter! Unfinished block size is 6.5 inches. Right now with 12x14 setting it will be 72x84. If I add a border - 5 inches all around it would be 82x94. Fit a double bed. 

3.) Midget Applique quilt from Sentimental Stitches. I need to add more flowers and leaves and the vines... and the bottom yellow border. This one is completely hand pieced.

4.) Ella Maria Deacon blocks - make a few more and finish them off into a top. I believe I was making these by hand. Patterns from Sentimental Stitches.

5.) Split Nines - RSC Challenge 2023.

6.) flying geese leftover from another project 2022 RSC quilt I believe. Well, the triangle of the geese actually!

7.) Midget block collection - I started these in Vermont in 2010! I have a light blue for sashing.

8.) Birds in the Air block collection

9.) Potato chip blocks - started april 5 and boy are they addicting! 

10.) Erin's Butterfly - I made the wings in 2021.  Need to add one more set of wings... thinking 9 is a nice number?

11.) Full Stop Sew along.... 2021 . Re thinking this one - might eliminate some of the white space and make a few more of some.....???? Or add some Alphabet or numbers to the mix?

12.) mostly cut out and some 9 patches are made. Hehe... from the first quilting book I had and made a quilt from. Introduction to Quilting 101 - the basics by Sharon Hultgren. I think this was Sunrise Surprise! The four patch from this book is at my Mom's hanging over a crib still!

13.) I forgot I had this. It is a cute birdhouse wall hanging but is foundation pieced, which I dislike. Maybe I can deal with it enough to get this done? Or rework it?

14,) This is a kit I purchased mid-90s - butterfly's. I think all the parts are there and I did start arranging them.

15.) Quilters Patch. A sew along that I completely did not meet my goals on in 2022. One block is done.

16.) Scrappy Flowering Snowball - I started cutting these with my accuquilt from scraps with the color of the month in 2020. I think it is time to start stitching them together. I see I need some orange added and purple and lots of lights!

 

17.) Bittersweet Briar - pattern in Kim Deihl's book and kit of fabric.

18) Brimfield Awakening EPP. I did start this and have the first fabric thread basted in purple!

19.) Bonnie Hunter Mystery - On Ringo Lake - maybe step #2?

20) Bonnie Hunter Mystery - Grassy Creek (2020) Think I am on step #4.

21.) 30's log cabin tulip quilt.

Quilt Tops: 

22) Cat and mouse is on the frame in process of hand quilting but has been sadly neglected.

23) Vermont Quilt Festival Booth Hop from either 2008 or 2009.  it is 71x71.

24.) Trip around the World - 2 inches hand pieced. 60x60.

25.) Y2K Joann's BOM - quilt top

26.) 1857 Quilt Along Top

27.) Spring Hexagons - not sure if this wants to be bigger or not.... 

28.) Triple Irish Chain - green. 80x80 I think. I did find both fabrics extra with it... Might need a green or cream border first or both... Made in the early 2000's. circular feathers in open spaces.

29.) Christmas Cactus Wreath.

30.)Harmony - hand pieced project started March 2021-

2/5/24 it is a top!