Progress!

Woohoo! I am making progress! I had some technical set backs, starting with the lettering. The pattern told me to hand or machine embroider the letters. Well I did the first two letters and positively hated it. So, ripped them out then heat-n-bonded the letters onto each block. Well, I don't know about you ladies, but no matter what I do nothing I bond ever- Ever -EVER totally sticks! So, I was unhappy with that. Finally I caved in and raced off to the local sewing shop, bought matching thread and zigzagged the letters in place. Much happier! Got the three borders on last night ... now it's sandwich time and the big decision .... to machine or hand quilt?
But first I must take a sidetrack and do my taxes - my math challenge for the year - YUCK. None-the-less the returned $ will be welcome.The quilt show season has begun. Thank you ladies it was a fun day - early, but fun! And thanks for the additional side trips, and for doing all the driving - it's such a treat to be a passenger! I admit to being only semi good at the show ... I purchased a fat quarter of a liberty print as a gift for a friend, and indulged in only one book! Pretty good for me ;) Although there was nothing really exciting at the show - no showstoppers as it were, I still find going to quilt shows to be inspiring and interesting and always look forward to the quilt show season.
TTYL

Snow! What's with That?

So what's with this weather anyway? I know it April, so I expect some showers, but snow!? Give me a break! I'm finally feeling better - human - and the sunshine disappears - ee gads! Even the garden is confused ... the Peonies are up about a foot, my Caragana tree is in full bud about to leaf. Now I'm watching my Japanese Maple as one of it's major branches is nude - no buds - oh no!!! Here's hoping it's just slower than the rest of the tree. I think I have to give up on the Lavendar and go hunting for more (to be planted in another location - hmmmm - where?)
I was too sick to attend our last guild meeting (boo for seasonal allergies) but just in case my challenge ladies, the Three C's, thought I had fallen behind - au contraire, block five is completed as you can see from the pic! This one was easy and completed in two days! I'm looking forward to completing this BOM!!!
Now that I'm feeling better (aren't OTC anti-histamines and decongestants fab!) I've returned to the vegetables wall hanging. I started embroidering the words, as per the instructions. Got two letters done and decided this was a) going to take forever, and b) didn't look like I wanted. So ripped out what was done and went for heat-n-bond letters. Much much happier. Below are the two with completed embroidery and lettering. Only four more to go.
I made a quick trip yesterday to the LM store and lucked out BIG TIME. They had enough of the mottled light blue background for backing and I got some really decent dark blue for borders and binding. Woohoo! Score!
TTYL

Daffodils and Sunshine - Oh My!

Well, I'm slowly coming out from under this cold/chest infection/seasonal allergies combination attack. The Daffodils in my garden have bloomed (yeah), my trees are budding and all my shrubbery are almost in leaf. So the garden is slowly coming back to life also, though I am concerned about my replacement lavender. The one in the back flowered very well for three years then died completely. I replaced it but planted the replacement in the front garden. I managed to replant it this spring (did not get it deep enough last fall when I first got it) so will give it another week or so and hope it comes back to life. I hope so as I Love LOVE LOVE Lavender.Not much new on the sewing front as I just haven't felt well enough to stitch - that says a lot!
I did manage to start satin stitching the letters for mother's vegetable wall hanging, but am not convinced I like the look. One and a half letters into it and I think I'm going to rip it out and try machine applique. This should be interesting.
TTYL

Sick - AGAIN!

So, here I am sick - AGAIN! Knew my chest was tight and my breathing was bad but put it down to seasonal allergies. Wrong, instead I have contracted another of my infamous chest infections/colds from HHHH. Argh! So I've been out flat on the couch for four days ... and the weather is phenomenally wonderful - just my luck! Tuesday the Forsythia didn't even have a bud on them, so during one of those rare half hours when I wasn't coughing my brains out I went out and trimmed them. By Saturday morning they were in full bloom. Woohoo! My Daffodils are up but not yet flowered and I can see the Peonies just breaking through the ground. My Weigela bushes at the front are budding and I have seen Robins and Red Wing Black Birds and even a pair of Gold Finches - so spring has definitely sprung!!

Above is mother's Easter wall hanging, now proudly displaying on her front door. I had planned/arranged to cook a turkey dinner for Easter (Saturday) for myself, mother and her friend and the two nephews. We held dinner at mother's 'cause her apt is better suited to dinner "parties" than my condo! As is her way mother whined for a good two hours because I/we didn't invite my niece and her partner. Being sick anyway I am glad I didn't as I barely got through the setting the table, cooking the meal, doing all the serving and cleanup, then driving everyone home! By the time I got home I was totally totally exhausted and collapsed. Why did I bother ? GOOD QUESTION!

Went to dinner and a movie - White Ribbon - with two friends on Monday night (before getting sick). Would have been a good experience overall if it hadn't been for the old COOT in front of us. The movie had NO sound track, was in B&W and had subtitles. The movie had just started and we were discreetly whispering to each other once or twice as we attempted to figure out who was who and what was what. The old COOT in front was truly obnoxious demanding that we "Be quiet ....We weren't at home in our living room" and that there was "nothing to laugh at" (my friend had giggled quietly when he said the "not in your home living room" bit). OK - one can and should expect a level of quiet at the cinema, I give him that, but there is also a polite way to ASK - and he was NOT polite! I do not feel at all guilty that his movie experience was interrupted. Tolerance of others while in public is not just a nicety it is a necessity! Ask nicely next time ....

Well, not much else on the home front. Not much of a productive week. Here's hoping for continued great weather and better health ...
TTYL