Category Archives: summer

Gardening and My craft basket

Memorial Day weekend was a bit of mixed bag as far as the weather was concerned.   It was definitely too chilly to head to the beach for the Air Show so we opted to stay home and plant, mow, trim etc.  Made some good progress and we are almost at the point of just needing to “maintain”.   Hubby doesn’t necessarily believe that I am finished buying new plants yet though.  🙂

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But I think we are almost there…..  until it’s time to think about adding stuff for the fall.  A few more plants left to get into the ground once it gets to be a little nicer again out there.

So Saturday and Sunday was spent outside and then Monday I was able to spend some time in my sewing room.   And here is what is in my Craft Basket this week:

20170529_140859  It being Memorial Day and all, I decided to take out this American Flag wall hanging kit that I bought a couple years ago.   I am no Betsy Ross, but I am going to try and get a good start on this by 4th of July.  Dare I hope to finish it?  We’ll see.    I have something else in my Craft Basket that I will be working on this week too.   20170529_141202

I will be making a small quilt with these solids and the stripe material.  Loved the bright colors in the stripes and so I just pulled the solids to go along with it and started cutting this morning.    I think it will make a very happy little quilt.  I’ll post some pics when it’s done.  Well, actually after it is delivered to it’s destination.  Wouldn’t want to give it away before it arrives at it’s new home.

Hope you had a good weekend.   See you soon.

Ginny

 

A day outdoors!

We were awakened early this morning by very loud thunder.  But a couple hours later, the sun was there to greet us.   Finally,  a beautiful, warm, sunny day.   I stepped outside after breakfast and was amazed at how wonderful it smelled.  What could it be?  The only thing that was blooming in the back were the azaleas we were putting in.  20170429_184659It took me a little bit to realize that my lilac tree on the side of the house was in full bloom and filling the yard with a wonderfully sweet smell.20170429_184637

Earlier this week some more of my tulips bloomed.  The name of these is Wine and Cheese   20170429_184439-EFFECTS  Love the combination of the yellow and deep red.

20170429_184428  Of course, these deep, burgundy tulips are awesome too.

So, it seems that we have turned the corner and it is  definitely the time of year to start spending more of our days outdoors.   I was so happy to be outside for the majority of the day today.  Lots of clean up done, azaleas and forsythia planted, pots are ready for the annuals to arrive.   I love seeing all of my hostas unfurling their leaves.

Tomorrow will be cooler but we will still spend a good amount of time outside.  Our attention will be focused on the lawns and also the vegetable beds.  I will probably also get my herbs planted.

Summer is coming and I am looking forward to many lazy days lounging outside enjoying the fruit of all of the labor we are putting in now.

Have a great week all.

Ginny

 

 

 

 

Hot August Days

 

We are in the middle of a heat wave for sure so what does one do to keep themselves busy while being inside all day.   This is what was in my craft basket today:

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I have put the last row on my lattice quilt and now on to adding the borders.  My first border will be  1 1/2″ white strips, then I will put a 3″ border of the tangerine and finally, a 4″ border of the green.  I was trying to decide what to do as far as batting.  I want this to be a “summer” quilt so I don’t really want warmth.  Just a light cover on a cool summer night— which would NOT be tonight for sure.  🙂   After  a bit of research,  I finally came to the  decision that  I would not be using any batting.   I’m just going to put the top and the backing together,  “quilt” it with some straight line diagonal stitching following the lines of the lattice strips.   I will use the Ambrosia Jelly Role for the binding.    And what will I be using for the backing?  I am going to experiment and use Seersucker.  Seersucker just screams summer to me.  Not sure how it will work but since it’s not a gift  I’m going to try it.

There are a number of  quilts on my list that need to be done before Christmas so I will be quite busy over the next few months.  I also have lots of other projects to work on so the workroom will be buzzing starting in a few weeks.  The first thing on my To Do list was to decide what patterns I wanted to use for each of the quilts.  The decisions have been made, most of the material has been gotten and now on to the cutting.  But, not until I finish my lattice quilt!  That has been in my “craft basket” for quite some time and was in the category of UFO (Unfinished Object).  But no longer.  It will be finished!

Keep cool everyone.   See you soon.

Ginny

 

 

August already!

I’ve been keeping busy but not a ton of time in my sewing room.  That seems to happen in the summertime.  I did have time to add a “new” bookshelf to my sewing room.  It is now home to my solid color fabric, some fat quarters and my quilting magazines.

Jpeg

Jpeg

I actually have made a few small things and got back to work on my lattice quilt.  Four more rows to go on that and it will be time to add the borders.  It was actually supposed to be my “summer quilt” for this year but that didn’t happen.  It will make it onto the bed next spring for sure though.

And what else is in my craft basket you might ask?  Well I’ve been collecting the license plates for the row x row experience this summer.  DSC03154

Here are three of them and a pattern for showing them off.   No, I didn’t get to actually go to visit Missouri Star Quilt Company but I was able to order their license plate.  I’ve got a few more to collect this year.    I am sure that these license plates will not be made into the wallhanging until winter is in full swing.   You see I have my usual “got to make by the holidays” list and I also have a different list this year too.  My “want to make before my grandbaby arrives” list!  That event will also take place in December so those sewing machines will be humming away.

For now, I’ll continue to enjoy the summertime and spend lots of time outdoors and organize my ideas and lists.  I think that maybe I need to get into some hand appliqueing so that I can be working on projects while enjoying the beach, the backyard or the front porch.   Of course the occasional rainstorm is welcome too…. especially if the aftermath is something as beautiful as this:

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Now I am going to settle down with the my M*QC catalog which came in the mail today.

Happy August.

See you soon.

Ginny