Finally……….

It feels and looks a little more summery around here! It’s 80F, the lawn mower is running (apparently the grass wasn’t deterred by the recent snowfall! and I pulled some of the summer furniture out….Yay! But first, the front yard had some clean-up that needed to be done. As a result of the recent heavy wet snow and ice, we lost many of the branches off of the pine tree in our front yard. Last evening #2 son climbed the tree and used the chain saw to lop them off cleanly and DH finished the job today. Once the branches hit the ground they seemed to multiply somehow!……….

Our front porch is typical of older Midwestern farmhouses, with its railings,  wood floors and the obligatory swing (my opinion!). It’s a wonderful place to do hand work, grab a cup of morning coffee or eat a meal……all listening to the chorus of birds singing their little hearts out!!!!!……..

And, or course, I can’t forget my little “Firefly Guy”!!!!  Yup! Let the summer begin…………

Unexpected progress……

Today was an unplanned day at home, so I headed to the sewing room for the morning, resulting in this………

I am a happy camper! This afternoon, to celebrate the temps actually resembling something like summer (80F+), we hopped on the cycles and took the long way to LaCrescent (MN). Beautiful bluff/valley views (no photos, sorry……they would have been a blur, anyhow!!!) and fresh air…..lovely.

The next fabric for this project is a Stonehenge print/motif and I have none! Oh dear! What to do!! Sigh….guess I’ll have to mosey to a quilt shop. Wait!!! In a week we head out to the Black Hills and several of my favorite shops. In the mean time, I will be working on the appliques and cutting more sashing strips. To be continued……..

On this beautiful Monday…….

The snow is almost gone, the daffodils are blooming, the tulips…getting ready to show off their Spring(?) colors and I’m on to the next project! The quilt we normally have on our bed during the winter was a purchased one many years ago. It is time to rectify this situation. After some fun time with the rotary cutter, I have this…….

And this……….                                                                The flowers are fussy cut from a tablecloth of my grandmother and will be one of several that will be appliqued onto the pieced top. I have done one similar to this for my daughter-in-law in a lap size.  Shown here:Ours  will be a full-bed size and to the floor for ‘drop’. I will need quite a bit more of the Stonehenge fabric (in the lower right corner of the 1st photo) but that is some newer/just purchased fabric and is currently available. The yellow is extra wide backing material. Stay tuned for future progress…………..

 

Yes, it is……..

Tonight is the local high school’s Prom. Ordinarily, this is really  not super notable but this year is different. Why? Well, for starters, 2 days ago the whole region was buried under record snowfall after a weekend of 70F temps! No, there will be no photos of the “white stuff” in this post…there have been enough posted/plastered everywhere else. Today began with dense fog and a dismal landscape, but then…..the sun came out, melting began in earnest and the thermometer read 65F….yay! The following records #2 grandson and special friend’s obligatory formal send-off to dinner and on to the dance and overnight lock-in After Prom Party………..

That 2nd photo includes #1 grandson (who is actually a senior and the future recipient of the quilt posted here) and who is in no way the “dance” type. They are the greatest Grandsons and I/we love them dearly! Still, I pause to consider, how time has flown by and these cute toddlers are about to begin their adult lives. How is it that they are of that age when we are…………we are……… And that’s today’s post! Have a wonderful rest-of-the-weekend!

Just a quick one……..

This is a lap quilt that a friend asked me to quilt for her. She loves paisleys as much as I do (or is it the reverse??) and had collected a beautiful assortment of fabrics featuring this motif. So, how should it be quilted???? Why, with paisleys….of course!!!!! The photos tell the story…….

And the backing…..so pretty!

Will get a complete photo at the quilt show, mid-May, when this beauty will have its binding finish! Til next time……..

Did I say “I never……..

win”????? Well, I have…again! A while back my sweet bloggy friend Teje did a drawing for a wonderful pair of sunglasses from Firmoo and, yup, Nero (or was it Hannah?!?) picked me!!! Yippee! When I arrived home last eve this is what greeted me……. Delightful! Exciting!! Happy dance!!! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I am so impressed…..thank you, Teje….and Firmoo! Exchanging info with the company and confirming needed details was so very easy and ordering is well laid out on their site. Opening up the little package, this is what greeted me…….

And what is not in the photo is a little baggie containing extra tiny screws, nose pieces and a very handy, mini screw driver (both flat and Philips) that has a key-ring clip on it. The glasses are very well made and have “heft” to them….definitely not of the discount store variety but, rather, like those that can be purchased at a vision store. Thank you Teje…….and Nero, for choosing me!!!!

These will be awesome in the coming motorcycling days!!!! Now, to check out the weather that is threatening to whiten our landscape in a significant way…wha-a-a-t??? To take my mind off the pending(?) change, I’m off to visit Teje in her beautiful spot in Crete…..why don’t you do the same?

A Perfect Sunday….part 2

So, now it’s DH’s turn to go for a “putt”………..

With a “lid”, and………

without!……….Have a sunny week! Til next time………

On a Perfect Sunday Afternoon……….

While the guys attend to this………………

 

I attended to this……………….

Just sayin’……a gal gots to do what a gal gots to do!!!!!!!!!!!

“Hammers and nails and……

Puppy dog’s tails; that’s what little boys are made of.” Isn’t that how the first part of that old saying goes???? Well, my latest finish is the cutest (should I be saying “handsome-est”?) little man’s quilt ever (my estimation, only…LOL!). A friend just had a new grandson a while back….his first! So I thought something special was in order. As this little one is not really a baby, but more a toddler, and summer is coming up (the little one lives in Indiana) I thought that maybe a small cuddle quilt that would have an “older boyish” feel would be a tad more appropriate. Having these in my stash (and changing from their original plan of becoming a quilt for a G.Grand of ours , but there is a darling 2nd little girl on the way, due in July!), a fun time of deciding a layout began……It came together quickly (I started this last Thursday, finished and out of the dryer today!)! A photo “run-down” of the finish……………

The plaid sashings and binding is some Thimbleberry fabric from a Christmas line of long ago! The backing is a flannel  piece that I had from making bathrobes for our boys (does that give you a hint as to age of the fabric?? At least 35 years!!!)…..

Dogbones!

The quilting was done with poly quilting thread from Connecting Threads. I’ve used it once before and, so far, am liking it. The stitching is a loopy meander and I did a “dog bone” shape in the triple border….fun! It’s all washed and dried, crinkly cozy and ready for gifting (label to be applied as soon as I have a few details on the recipient).

Photos may be enlarged by clicking on them. Lots of weekend remains……..I think a jaunt on the motorcycle is needed!…………..

Finally….signs of……..

SPRING!!!! Yup, I think we’ve finally turned the corner….at least for the next few days, 70’s will be the number on the thermometer..yay! And this is what “Spring” looks like around our little rural piece of geography……….

Rhubarb!!!

Summer “homes” ready to head to the river sites.

This little building houses our outdoor wood-fired boiler. All cooled down!!!! A casual walk in our woods yielded these photos…..

   Inspiration for GS’s quilt.

   Arborvitae that became a winter deer buffet!!

 

Almost ready to RIDE!!!! Tomorrow……….