A Break........

from the wool appliqué resulted in getting these Kathy Schmitz embroidery blocks set into a cute wallhanging.  Glad to have these blocks set and off to Debi to be quilted (along with two UFOs).
Sorry, the photo is a bit blurry.

I was sad to learn that our LQS, Sewn with Luv, is going to be closing.  I certainly understand Kathleen's reasons, but I will miss her wonderful shop and delightful staff.  Fortunately, Kathleen is a fellow hooker and a part of our hooking group, so I will be able to continue to see her.

At Ann Lynn's I am weaving a Rep Weave rug for my kitchen.  It should be 36" x 54".  It was great to finally get the weaving started after weeks of winding the warp and getting the loom dressed.

Try as I might, I just don't seem to be able to take cute photos of my pups.  This is my little man, Rascal.  He looks a bit wistful, but in reality he is waiting for a treat.

Yesterday I crocheted another cap, and I am now working on a scarf.  I have two more skeins of yarn to work up before I am finished with this charity project.

Tonight we had Southern comfort food from the garden for dinner........peas, fried okra, sliced tomatoes, deviled eggs (from the peeps) along with cornbread and ham.  Yum.  No wonder I don't lose any weight.

GRATITUDES:

Lunch and laughter with a like-minded friend.

A retirement party for a friend and getting to see folks we haven't seen since our retirement.

Bare feet and painted toenails.

Take care,

Jennie

Mondays

They roll around right regularly, those Mondays, don't they?  I usually take an account of the past week on Sunday night and have a plan in mind for the coming week by Monday.  This week it didn't happen that way.  No reason, really, it just didn't.  So, it is sort of Sunday/Monday here.

I had hoped to get both Words to Live By blocks stitched up over the weekend.  Boy, that didn't happen either!  Honor turned out to be way more work than I had anticipated.  I do plan to have #7 finished this week before #8 is in the mailbox.

Love Grows in the Garden saw a bit of work.  I will continue to work towards finishing the background this week.  Notice that I didn't say that I would get the background finished.  I said that last week.........

I whipped out Garden Basket #11 today.........and went to the mailbox to find #12 awaiting me.  But that is good news.......I am close to finishing this little BOM.  Hopefully next month I will get  the finishing kit for it.  And #12 is prepped and ready to stitch.  The blanket stitch on these babies is one strand of embroidery floss.

I had neglected Primitive Garden, and so decided it was time to get a little work done on it.  I pulled out a few blocks to get prepped and already have one ready for stitching.  It is so helpful to get several of them ready to stitch when I have all of the fusible and light box out.

It looks like this week's goals will include (but not be limited to......needless to say, I just can't stay that focused) more work on the rug background, prepping more Primitive Garden blocks, stitching block #7 of Words to Live By and the final Garden Baskets block and some crocheting on the Appalachian project.  I also have a date with Debi to take a couple of quilts over for her magic meandering.......two UFOs.  Sounds good to me.

My hands are weary of wool appliqué, so tomorrow it will be something different....plenty to chose from.

Robert and Sara Ashley just returned from a vacation out West with their Memaw and Big Daddy.  This is Robert sitting on the edge of the Grand Canyon.  Lovely, but there is NO WAY you would get me that close to the edge!!

My cutting bed has been quite successful this year, with all of the rain.  In fact, it is a jungle!!  But I can't bear to prune or pull anything up while everything is blooming.  Would you believe there is a wheelbarrow planted with Sweet Potato vine in the midst of all of that???

Cleome is one of my favorite old fashioned flowers.  She is pretty invasive, but worth it.  See the little seed pods already forming on this bloom?

Time to make a decision and get busy on something.  And that does not mean Pinterest!!!

GRATITUDES:

A vase full of sunny summer flowers.

Good news at the Vet's office.

Soft old T shirts.

Take care,

Jennie

Primitive Garden Blocks

I am moving along on the Primitive Garden Summer Blocks, and though not quite caught up yet, I am close.  All of the Summer Blooms blocks are done and the last two Words to Live By blocks are prepped and ready to stitch.  Hope that by the end of the weekend they will be completed, too.

Words to Live By Block 5 - Hospitality

Summer Blooms Block 5

Summer Blooms Block 6

Summer Blooms Block 7

I have taken time out to get a few more items crocheted for the Appalachian project, but still haven't depleted the stash of yarn yet.  I do have till the first of August, so there is hope.

4 More Caps and a Scarf

It seems, that with a garden it is either feast or famine.  The past couple of years we have had a drought, and this year, an over abundance of rain.  We are still getting veggies, but not the amount we had hoped for.  Obviously, it is what the good Lord intends for us to have.........and there is enough to share.

We have, once again, succeeded in breaking Bobbie and Snowflake of their broodiness, but neither have started back producing, so we are averaging two to four eggs per day.  They are enjoying being able to free range a bit in the garden most days.....and continue to be charmingly entertaining.

Blake and I bought this pretty orchid about eight years ago on a trip to South Carolina where we visited a greenhouse that grew violets and orchids.  It has bloomed faithfully, once a year, ever since.  The blooms usually last about 3 - 4 months.  I really need to repot it after this time, but I am afraid I will kill it.

That is about it for tonight.  Want to get back to work on my blocks.

GRATITUDES:

Air conditioning in our home and cars.

Free long distance calls.

Chicken antics.

Take care,

Jennie

Off Track

My plans got a little sidetracked this week.  Not complaining.......just sayin'.

Love Grows did see some progress as it was easy to do a little mindless background hooking after I was too tired to do anything else.  Perhaps I will get close to completing the background this week.

With only a few showers this week, we were able to do some catching up in the yard and garden.  That, of course, meant more veggies to put up......including 6 quarts of soup mix.  This was a first for me, and I will be anxious to taste the results.  I used tomatoes, butter peas, okra and corn as my sweet grandmother, Mama, would have done.  As I sat on the back porch swing snapping beans and shelling peas, I was reminded of my childhood days on Mama and Papa's front porch in Alabama, surrounded by my aunts, mother and grandmother, listening to woman talk and preparing vegetables fresh from Papa's garden to put away for the winter.  Those memories are so precious and I am so thankful for them.  Those same dear women, each in their own way, introduced me to the world of "handwork", for which I am eternally grateful.

The Appalachian cap, mitten and scarf project will be a priority, as we only have until the beginning of August to get them done.  Short notice, but not impossible.  Diane has whipped up a whole bag full of caps and mittens.  She is so talented, and can knit and crochet with her eyes closed, I swear she can!!!  I  am considerably less talented, but have managed 3 caps and a scarf this past week.  This little yellow cap was finished tonight.

I honestly didn't think I had a stash of worsted weight yarns, but on the outside chance, I went upstairs and plundered through the tubs to check.  This is what I came up with.  My goal is for all of this to go out in finished form by the first of August.  I think that will be doable.

I got blocks 5 & 6 of Summer Blooms prepped, but didn't get either of the Words to Live By nor the Primitive Garden blocks done.  I also failed to get the quilt tops to the quilter.  Maybe this week............

GRATITUDES:

Precious memories of the women in my life.

Naturally curly hair.......never thought I would say that!!

Prayer.

Take care,

Jennie

Made it by the skin of my teeth.

Got about a third of the background of the Love Grows rug completed this week.  Hope to get at least that much done this coming week, also.  The lovely background color is "Dawn's Early Light" by Jeanne Benjamin.  I think it is perfect for this organic looking pattern.

 

Lisanne Miller had this gorgeous hook for sale at Caraway, and I just couldn't resist.  It is silverplate, not silver, but that is okay with me.  I still think it is just lovely.  And it is great for pulling up size 8 and above loops.

Barely got Block 4 of Words to Live By finished tonight.  I really like the look of the stitching on the bird wings of this one.  Plan to get the next set prepped tomorrow.  And perhaps while I am prepping I will prep a Primitive Garden block........

Macy and Jackson helped me to pick out these yarns yesterday when we went to Michael's.  I explained to them that I would be making caps and scarves for needy children in Appalachia.  They thought these cheery colors would be perfect.  I tried to convince Jackson that the boys might like the camo green looking yarn, but he was deadset on the primary colors.  So, making a start on this project as my charity project for the month is also on my list for this week.

Last night  I pulled out two UFO quilt tops and their already pieced backings, pressed them and got them ready for the quilter.  I just need to cut some batting.  Hope to pass them off sometime this week, too.

After all of the rain the past few days, we welcomed a break in the showers to pick the garden this afternoon.  Looks like I will also have a busy week preserving veggies.  We got butter peas, pink eye peas, zipper peas, rattlesnake beans, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, okra, cucumbers and peppers today.

Bobbie and Snowflake are both broody.  I kept Bobbie in the broody cage for a couple of days to no avail, so then I swapped out and put Snowflake in.  Let everyone out to free range in the garden this afternoon while we were working, looked around, and they were both back on their nests.  Grrrrrrr.
I think Snowflake will be easier to break, so she went back into the broody pen.  Ronnie is really angry when they are broody, and if they come off the nest, he chases them all around the pen, pecking at them.  It is hysterical.

Enough for now.

GRATITUDES:

The opportunity and ability to use my talents to help others.

Bright, cheery yarn.

The garden's abundance.....and being able to share that.

Take care,

Jennie

Moving Along...........

There has definitely been lots going on here this week, and progress has been made in between sweet family time.  Macy learned how to weave a potholder and I learned how to help her make a duck tape wallet........my, how the craft world has changed!!  Anyway, it was all fun and hopefully good memories in the making for her.  Wish I had gotten a photo......have got to get better with that.

Block 4 of Summer Blooms is done.

And Block 3 of Words to Live By.  Block 4 is in the works.  And Block 5 of both arrived in the mail today.  This BOW business is going to be a run for the money.  But I am in love with both sets of blocks, and so, am motivated.

The beginning of this week found my sewing room in total disarray.  I am no neatnik, but I simply can't work well in such a state.  Not wanting to totally monopolize my Wednesday with cleaning, I devised a plan.  Setting the timer, I stitched for 30 minutes, then cleaned for 30 minutes.  I accomplished a lot.  I am still not where I would like to be with the cleaning, but it is ever so much better.

On Monday we visited my sister in Alabama.  She and my brother in law are going to be moving into an Assisted Living apartment soon, and I really wanted to see her in her home before they start preparing for the move.  It is a huge and heart wrenching decision for them.  I totally understand.......it is difficult to even contemplate leaving your home of 49 years forever.  She entrusted me with this beautiful violet, knowing she wouldn't have room for it at her new place.  I hope I can do it justice.

GRATITUDES:

A sister's love.

Southern style food.

A grandchild snuggled against me in the bed.

Fresh churned ice cream.

Take care,

Jennie

One of those days

It was one of those days.  Lots of busyness........good stuff, though.  Time with Macy and Jackson in their fort with a flashlight sharing funny stories.......mine were about their mom and aunt when they were little girls.  They loved to hear them and I loved telling them.

Lunch at Sprayberrys with the girls and their kids, Blake and me.  Good food, noisy sharing and a blessed opportunity to just be together for no special reason other than we want to be.

Lots of rain here, and a lazy nap following my haircut this afternoon.  A trip to the chicken yard and garden between showers, breakfast for supper and a little wool embroidery afterwards.

Then some catching up on my emails and favorite blogs.  And trying to figure out how to go from Google Reader (because it is supposed to be closing down) to Bloglovin' to follow my favorite blogs.  Took a little work, but it is done......using it looks easy enough, but old habits die hard.

Found this wonderful little graphic on Hanne's blog tonight and thought I would share.  It pretty much sums up my day.

Take care,

Jennie

Tuesday stuff

Weaving and Hooking Group today.  Weaving was a challenge.....got the 1020 epi warp through the reed and ran out of room right at the end; had to start all over.  Grrrrrrrrr.

Had fun at Hooking.  Great dinner, lots of show and tell and fellowship.  Even got a little hooking done.  I finished the borders on Love Grows in the Garden this weekend.  Would like to get at least a quarter of the background completed this week.  Looks like rain the next few days, so that is a possibility.  Here is the rug as of yesterday.

Prepped all of the Summer Blooms and Words to Live By blocks, so hopefully they will get stitched before the next ones arrive..............but that is a lot of stitching.  At least the prep work is done.  And block 3 of Summer Blooms is stitched.

Poppy anticipated our leaving her at home today.  I think she looks a little sad.  Or maybe it is just lazy.

And lastly, a happy little bouquet from the garden.

Bedtime now.  Babysitting Jackson and Macy tomorrow morning.  Have to have some energy!

GRATITUDES:

Sunny, summer flowers.

The sweet fragrance of gardenias when I walk out the door.

Yummy pie and ice cream.

Take care,

Jennie

July.......coming in under the wire

This quilt was well on its way to becoming a dreaded Block Set.........another UFO!!!  I finished the blocks way back in February, got the settings cut in March and even made the nine patches.  And then it sat.  Do you know how many other blocks have met the same fate at this house???  Well, I don't either, but I can tell you that it is far too many.  And I am determined that from this point forward it will not be happening.  Anything that gets started must be finished, discarded or donated in a timely fashion and that does not mean several years later.  I am committing to that, right here, in writing. 

At any rate, here was the progress at the end of May:

And now.......DONE!!!  Another finish for June.

The knit shawl was also a June finish, though I suspect it will end up unraveled and redone. I love the yarn and the pattern was nice......except that it doesn't fit. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I struggle so with knitting.  At any rate, I am disappointed but not yet defeated.

Do you remember the first string blocks that I donated? Well, the Heartstrings girls put them together and quilted them......then I took the quilt back to bind it, and it is done, too.

Looking at June's list, several things fell by the wayside. I still haven't completed the woven scarf. And I put aside the two rugs on the list to work on my camp rugs.  The black work quilt blocks are still a block set, though I did pull fabric for them.  And Primitive Garden saw no progress.  Since I completed " My Family" and "Letters From My Beloved", I am adding "Summer Blooms", "Words to Live By" and "Summertime" to the BOM List. These are all actually Summer Block of the Week programs, and I am already behind due to rug camp, but will be hustling this week to try to catch up. I am taking the Jayne Hester rug and Lion and Lamb off the list and adding one of the camp rugs, "Love Grows in the Garden". I would like to finish the camp rugs while they are still fresh on my mind.  I am also adding a VERY old (2006-2007) sampler block set that I would like to get into a top and sent for quilting. This will be my UFO project for the month.

Sounds like a pretty ambitious month. I know it sometimes looks as though I am setting myself up for failure with all of the things on my list, but I am really okay when they don't all get finished or plans change. The list just helps me to stay a little more focused.

GRATITUDES

Making myself "stick with it".

Goals.

Finishes.

Take care,

Jennie