Was today our Indian Summer?

I'm not sure what the temperature has to be to call it Indian Summer, but I suspect today was as good as it's going to get this year.  When Barb called to see if I wanted to join her and Bill on a ride to the beach I jumped at the chance.

After helping to pick a few sauna rocks,  I left her on the beach to take pictures of footprints in the sand.

I decided to give my aching knee a break and not come back down these steps once I hauled my buckets of rocks to the top.

Instead, I spent my time wandering around in the park enjoying the sound of the dry leaves crunching under my feet.

On such a beautiful day, it was hard to believe that November has arrived and it won't be very long before these leaves are covered with snow.

There are still a few trees that are refusing to give up their leaves.

I haven't spent much time with my sewing machine all summer, but on the cold rainy days we've had I've started to cut out fabric and play a little bit - so I suspect I'll find time soon to start stitching.

All this color will have to be my sunshine for awhile.

Summer Fun

I posted a picture of Wendy and Elizabeth on facebook - when they saw it they wanted me to post more of their pictures so I thought I'd do it here.

It was a perfect evening to relax at the beach.  Too cool to swim, but warm enough to play.  I don't relax much when the kids are in the water and I'm in charge, so this worked for me.

Brian found a fort on the hill and patiently spent the evening hauling flat rocks to make a floor inside.  He's pick up a rock, throw it a few feet, and continue this until it was close enough to carry into the fort.

Meanwhile, the girls set about making their own house on the beach --

with a little "help" from Mark.

I'm not sure what this other project was - other than good times.

When I tried to get a picture of Wendy and Elizabeth - they just wanted to goof around.

Fun times - I wish some of my grandkids would move to the Copper Country. I sure have no desire to move to the city.

Before and After

I thought I'd sneak in one more post before the month ends - just to keep in touch!  No quilting projects to report - but I did have some fun with a sample can of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  

Here's what my small end table looked like before -

The before picture was taken back in March - but it wasn't until my sister and brother-in-law started moving in on my block that I got motivated to work on it.  They've been full of energy painting walls and ceilings at their new house - and since I didn't feel like helping with that major project, I thought I better do something so that I could have the excuse that "I'm busy!"  

All painted up, I'm quite happy with the results.

The color is Versailles - followed by a coat of clear wax.

Al's Graduation

Not much time for stitching this month - I suppose it'll be that way until September.

There was a lot of rain on the day of the graduation party (Sharyn and I got drenched on our walk home from a rained out grade school field day) - but you wouldn't know it by this picture.  The skies cleared so that the graduates, families, and friends all had a good time.

Graduation was held at the Breslin Center on the MSU Campus in Lansing.  

With about 600 graduates, it was close to a full house. 

Where's Waldo?

and there's Jim - he appears to be texting Phil again.

Al tried to get me to smile for a picture.

Kisses work best.

Just another baby quilt

I had no progress to report for April and apparently someone was checking my blog and noticed.  I started feeling guilty so thought I better get something done.

I was sorting through my fabric and came across some pieces that were left over after making Andrew's quilt almost three years ago.  There was just enough left to put together a small quilt.

After using a few scraps to dress up the back, I think I had less than 10 square inches left - I had no guilt about pitching it.

The weather cooperated so I could get a picture outdoors before I gave it away.

March Progress Report

I only finished one of my stitching goals for March (goals which had been moved forward from February).  My goal was to quilt and bind this one.  I sort of exceeded that goal by making it larger before I did the quilting and binding - maybe that excuses me for not meeting the rest of my goals.

I had a difficult time getting a decent picture.  I'll be glad when the snow is gone and I can get back to my clothes lines!

In keeping with the scrappiness, I backed it with a sheet I found at a garage sale last spring;

and I managed to find a large enough piece of a favorite fabric to use for binding.



Although I don't have a photo of this second one completely finished - it was another finish for March.  A cooperative effort with my sister - she did the final steps and sent it off.

For April, my hope is to empty my sewing room and have new flooring installed.  That just might mean I don't get any sewing done - it'll be a big project.  I'll concentrate on my hand stitching projects in my down time, but those are long term goals - nothing that will be completed in April.  Obviously a new floor is more important than any stitching I would do.

If I manage to get my sewing room organized in order to do this - it's a bonus!

What Did You Do on National Quilting Day?

Which was yesterday - in case you didn't know.

It dawned on me in the morning that half of the month was gone and I hadn't even started on the quilting goals that I had already moved from February to March.  I decided National Quilting Day would be a good time to make an effort.

This scrappy log cabin quilt, which I put together last August, was one that I had hoped to quilt and bind.

Then I realized the reason I kept avoiding it was because I really wanted it to be bigger.  At 42x56 it might be nice enough for a child's napping quilt but I'd rather have it large enough for me - or someone closer to my size at least.

So yesterday I set about to add another column and another row to it.   It's now 56 x 70 - good enough.

I'll put the quilting and binding on my list of April goals while I decide what would work as a backing.  Til then I need to spend some time cleaning up the mess I made of my sewing room on National Quilting Day.

February's Lack of Progress

I didn't meet any of the sewing goals I posted for February -- didn't do a stitch.  For two of the weeks, I was busy helping to care for my mom after she had a fall.  We finally got her settled into a nursing home on Friday to get some therapy.  I don't know what my excuse could be for the rest of the month - I just kept procrastinating.  And it was a short month.

But the month wasn't a total loss.  I did manage to finish two small weaving projects.  My first attempts at weaving - and I really enjoyed it.

 I used a blue and white striped sheet for this one - strips cut on the bias.  I like the design that was created from the stripes.  The gold/white part was also a striped sheet, but was cut on the straight grain.

 They're both about the same size - perfect for a small table runner.

I'll shove the February goals into March and see if I have better luck.  It is a longer month.

February Photo Hunt - Day 5: RED

February Photo Hunt Day 2 - Entrance

The entrance to  my basement doesn't get used very often - it's unusual to have it shoveled out.  I cringe if I have to go through here - spiders and cobwebs take over from lack of use.  This week I had a flood in my basement so I had to sweep out the cobwebs for the guy who grinds roots out of sewer lines.  Actually I swept it out a few days earlier when I purchased a new washing machine -- thinking my old one had caused the flood.  Next week has to be better.

Getting it Done in January

Here are my completed quilting goals for January - I managed to finish all of them.  Wouldn't it be nice if the rest of 2013 would be that productive.

I finished quilting the blue quilt in the middle - and got all three bound.  The two on the right are waiting to see if the February grandbaby will be a boy or a girl.

I also made another baby boy quilt - and passed it on to a new great nephew to snuggle.

I even managed to get started on what may be a QOV.

Even more fun than meeting my goals was the opportunity to take a weaving class at the Calumet Art Center.  It's always fun to learn a new craft.  Many years ago my dad made a table loom and it's been sitting in my attic waiting for me to retire.

It may sit there a bit longer.  Apparently it went to the attic via the old stairway that has since been made into a closet.  It's a bit too wide to fit through my newer drop down stairway.

Fortunately I was able to rent a loom at the art center to work with.  Here's what I have done so far - what a fun way to use up some of my quilting scraps!

 My goals for February:

1. Finish my weaving project.
2. Baste and quilt low value log cabin quilt
3. Baste and quilt one more baby quilt.
4. Baste one more quilt top - not sure yet which one I'll pick.

I think its doable!

What's Cooking Wednesday - Week 5

I did consider wimping out on this one - after all, tofu was the ingredient!  Never tasted it and it wasn't on my bucket list.  I decided to give it a try anyway and dug around on the internet trying to find something that I thought I could handle.  I came up with this recipe for Tofu Chocolate Mousse from Martha Stewart.

It was very easy to make and wasn't that hard to eat, although it wasn't as sweet as I like my sweets.  A little dollop of whipped cream helped that.  I'm linking up to Judy at Patchwork Times - check there to see what recipes you can try using tofu!

I continue trying to "find the time" in 2013.  In addition to trying new recipes, one goal I had now that I'm retired was to go through some of the crafty books I've purchased over the years and try something new.  For my first attempt, I dug out this book and used the technique to make a little chair pad.

It was a fun to try something new - and it took about 50 feet of 3/16" rope for that little pad.