A few things accomplished this weekend.........

I finally got the primer on the concrete acorn that Lem gave as an anniversary gift in March........  I even got it painted black but forgot to take that picture...........Now when Jason has time he will put it on top of the mailbox...........

This pin oak was a six inch twig last year with the acorn still attached........  It is two feet tall now......  I am going to enjoy watching it grow.........

At long last the garage portion of the front of the house is weeded and mulched.....

One side of the front is weeded and mulched..............

The last task is the other side of the front...... Lots of weeding to be done here.........

I did get one portion done this morning.........  Maybe on Wednesday I can get more done........

The slip is finished for Christening gown...............  Tomorrow I will be making some baby items for Georgina........... A good excuse to stay in and sew............VBG..........

Okay so I am behind in posting........

That is not all I am behind in doing............

The Fab Five of Fountain Hill have a new twist on birthdays..........  You have to host your own get together when it is your birthday.........  And we don't do gifts..........  We tried going out together on birthdays but it was always a problem finding a time that we were all available..........

We don't do gifts because we already have things we need and want and we are in the down-sizing time of life..............

Georgina's birthday was last week so we got together on Monday......

Rebekah was there.........

And Chuck.......

Tim joined us.......

Georgina and Fleming.........

And Lem and Marilyn.............

We had a great lunch and good fellowship..............

This week we have had rain..........and rain..........and did I mention rain?

I can't cut the grass till the yard dries out a bit more........

Today I worked in the garage trying to get it organized and swept.........  I also painted a few items but ran out of paint before I finished................

Maybe tomorrow I can get the front porch done.........

It Has Gotten Worse...

With all the yard work and shopping and cleaning and mostly being with neighbors and relaxing I still have not gotten into the studio.........  It just keeps getting worse.........

I keep adding layer upon layer of things to be done but doing nothing...........

This morning we are going to Georgina's for a couple of hours of knitting and then a nice lunch.  I am baking a lemon cake as we speak for the occasion......

I did get Joyce's dresses hemmed and she came yesterday to have tea and sit with Lem and I for awhile....

I think that while the cake bakes I will try to uncover the cutting board..........

More progress the front porch.

I finally found just the right thing for the front porch.........  At Happy's of course..........  Last week I found this wreath stand and metal bird............  When we went for the cabinet I found the bird house.........

I took the ivy off a lamp I had and used it on the wreath stand.........  Yesterday we went to Michaels and I found some red flowers on sale....  The plan is to paint the bird red with perhaps some black trim...  But I couldn't wait to try it.........  Yes I should have swept the porch first but I didn't............

Now, doesn't that look welcoming?

No, I still have not been in the studio....... Maybe next week..........

Yesterday's mail.............

I got my goodies in the mail yesterday........  The first package from Elegant Stitches.....  The thread she sent makes a big difference in when adding the laces and doing the hemsitching.......

Of course I had to get a couple more patterns for later...............

From ABC Stitch therapy I got more fabric and the metallic threads and beads for the other Christmons......

They will have to wait till the Christening Gown is done...........

And this is Happy's............

One of my favorite places to shop..........

A neighbor took us there yesterday to get the rug we purchased at the auction..........

And today Jason took us to get the china cabinet we purchased several weeks ago.........

The dining room is starting to come together......  I can already see that some rearrangement is in order.....

Now to get curtains and rods.......  Tomorrow we are going to look for some flowers and candles for the table......

What Wednesday Already???????

I started the week with the studio looking like this..........  Slip waiting for entredeaux...(I ordered it on Friday, maybe it will arrive soon..............

Cross stitch ornaments ready to assemble........

Things to be put away on the cutting board...... 

Joyce's dresses to be hemmed in the chair..........

Jason's shorts to mend, Jean's pillows to assemble. Kim's quilt to bind.....  BOM from Temecula to prep...

No I did not get to work in the studio............  I mowed the grass instead........  Then started clearing out the dining room just in case my rug and cabinet arrived......

I think the wall with the picture is where the cabinet is going.........  Not really sure till it gets here....

I didn't like the black cord from the lamp stretching across the wall so I stopped long enough to make a fabric tube to cover it.......

Maybe today the furniture will arrive.

Happy's.............

Friday Marilyn and I went to HAPPY'S ANTIQUES AND EMPORIUM...........

Many of the items in this cabinet came from Happy's........  The quilts came from me and not all of them are finished but them in there regardless.............

I have been looking for something for the front porch........  Here it is.......  A wreath stand.....  I plan to paint it black, add a sign that says WELCOME and add ivy around the base and around the sides.....

The bird will be painted red with perhaps some trim......  Not really sure.........

I have always admired these finials in other peoples houses but never had any myself........  Found these three for $10.00 and they came home with me.......  Not quite sure where they will end up but I will be moving them around till they find the right home...........

Marilyn and I went on Friday to get the details for the auction they were having on Sunday at One......

Yes, we did go.........  I got these two teapots for the small sum of $5.00........  At $2.50 each I could not leave them there..........

This  bowl I purchased from the store.........  Sad to say that while I was getting the car closer to load things into the trunk the handle on the top of this dish got broken.........  Therefore I sat it on top of a book on the top shelf and you really cannot see that it is damaged............

These five pieces were purchased for the grand total of $5.00.......  I needed a new pot and I am delighted to get these........

I also purchased a hand crocheted bedspread for $20.00 but I gave it to Rebekah on the way home.......

I got a 7'x9' rug for the dining room.......  Not sure what it looks like but the background is burgundy and it went for $80.00..........When Jason goes for my China Cabinet he can bring it home too....... 

That will mean that the dining room will be mostly finished except for curtain rods, curtains, centerpiece flowers, and candles....

Oh, I almost forgot......  an odd set of plates with two cups........  They were old and they were lovely and now they live here.........

Looking forward to my next trip to Happy's...............

Begun at last............

When I am faced with making something that I am not sure of I tend to put it off........  It never ceases to amaze me at the things I can do to procrastinate...........

I promised Georgina that I would make a Christening Gown for soon to be granddaughter.........  She ordered the fabric and pattern and I have been putting it off for a month now........

Tuesday was the day to begin..................

We chose to do a short sleeved version.............  Now to hone my hand sewing skills............

I looked on You-Tube and reviewed videos of attaching lace and making a rolled hem.........  I started with the slip and I have made good progress so far.........  Decided this morning that I needed Entredeux for a better method of attaching the lace.......... One phone call and the needed materials are on the way.....

Last Night

I made a small prayer shawl for a dear friend........  Faye went to live with the Lord yesterday morning
 and while we rejoice in her life we will miss having her here with us..........

She was part of our knitting group and I was asked yesterday morning to make a mini shawl for her to have now............

Faye was a joy to be with and I am blessed to have known her..................

Merry Christmas

I have wanted a Christmon tree for many years and I had been making plans for some time and I had been collecting things for that project.........

I am hoping that this is the year...........  I found the books I had been saving for this project.....

I found the fabric I had with the gold thread in it and even ordered more..............

Above and below are the first stitched ornaments...........  I hope to get some materials next week and begin finishing some of the ornaments........

No, I am not working on things that are on my list.......  I am too absorbed in this project right now and plan to ride this wave as far as it will take me............

A Beginning...

Here is the first section.......  I removed some of the filler that had been put in....... I realized that when adding the sashing it was getting rather large so I needed to rearrange a few things.......  No, I cannot seem to hang a quilt on the design wall straight............

Wednesday a week a go I had an accident in the kitchen that resulted in second degree burns on my abdominal area......  I am pleased to say that at last it is starting to heal............

The Time Has Come

I have been looking at this for some time.  I have even partially assembled two quilts and just hung them on top of this one........  The time has come to get on with it........ Not being sure of what I am doing does make me want to postpone it but there is a deadline and I need to get it done.

This is the section I have decided to tackle first.......

I started by making a graph so that I could determine the sashing sizes needed....  The hexagons will be appliqued in place and I need to sew the flying geese together to get an exact size but this is a good start....

It will be interesting to see just how far along I get today.

Another Finish

Another wee sampler that I kitted a few years ago......... Amazing the things I find (and lose) as I continue to organize the upstairs............ 

I uncovered a cross stitch started back in 1986...........Almost finished...........I have the perfect place to hang it but I have lost it again........  Maybe it will turn up again in a few days..........

This Week

This promises to be another full week...........  I need to get this quilt put together and ready to baste before the third Wednesday in June so that I can demonstrate Sharon Schambers method of basting a quilt alone..

We are trying out some new recipes from a cookbook given to me by a friend.....  Last night was Herb Simmered Beef Stew.......Delicious..

Last Friday I went with friends to Happy's, an antique shop in the area.......  Found a few things to change the living room a bit.............  This replaced an Easter decoration.

Went upstairs this morning to select fabric for another Quilt Along.......  No I have not finished the last quilt from Judy's Quilt Along but I see no reason for that to keep me from joining in on this one..........

What are your plans for the week.....

Oh Happy Day...........

Okay, so it was the last week in April but this is the first time I have had time to get to the computer...  Maybe I should rearrange my priorities..............

WE HAD GUEST................  Dear Jean came to visit......... All the way from Cape Cod..........  And what did I do for entertainment?  We went to a family reunion of course..............