Tuesday, July 21, 2015

I Should Have Known......

FYI

So I thought using the blogger app would help me be able to post quicker and a bit more often after all it is on my iPad and very handy.  Decided to put it to the test this past Saturday.  Things were moving along pretty nicely and making progress on my first post when hubby calls and can I help him a minute.  Set my iPad aside and go help him with for a few minutes.  On my way back to my iPad when here comes my son needing some assistance.  Okay so now I'm back to my iPad and hubby decides we need to take our chair out to the furniture store to see what part needs to be ordered to fix it.  Unexpectedly furniture store has part on hand and will have it fixed in 30 minutes.   Head home.  Oh shoot, now it is time to get ready for date night.  I should have known the same reasons I don't get to the computer to post would apply to using the blogger app.  I'm not giving up though.  I'm thinking if I could get in the habit of a short post every couple of days I might actually get it done using the app.

4TH OF JULY WEEKEND CONTINUED

To this point we had already had breakfast out, trips to garden center, gardening, cookout, home made ice cream and fireworks.

Actually on Independence Day we enjoyed a nice quiet grilled out supper on our deck.  We made grilled chicken sandwiches (our first time making) and they were delicious.  It was a very hot weekend that weekend so I paired it with a decked out green salad that was light and refreshing on such a hot day.




















On the 5th we attended the GOODGUYS Car Show for All American Sunday.  It was another hot day but was so worth the heat as our car was the Sunday pick and won.  I made a picture collage to share a bit of the award presentation with you.


FLOWERS

With this hot weather mixed with rain showers every few days our flowers are looking BEAUTIFUL! I'm have to say I am enjoying fresh garden tomatoes from my friend, Launa.  Sweet corn is out so must make a stop at my favorite stand soon.


STITCHING

My friend, Harriet and I finally got around to celebrating our birthdays (hers June, mine July).  In case you did not recognize my veiled pic from a previous post.


I stitched this design by Teresa Murgida of Primitive Acorns called Queen Bee.  She has the cutest designs and so much detail for the small stitch count.  As soon as I saw this design, I knew I wanted to stitch it right away.


I had in mind I wanted to finish it into a project bag for Harriet who loves to crochet dishcloths.  So I took the stitched design to my local quilt shop and found these delightful fabrics.


I whipped them up into this project bag in no time at all.  I even found a skein of yarn in complimentary colors to include in the bag.


I have picked up and started working on Lizzie Kate's Land of Liberty.  I am hoping to finish this one this weekend.  I may be overly optimistic as I am getting very little stitching time these days.  Just so busy with activities durning the summer.  Yes, I am craving a blizzard so I can have some relaxing time at home.  Would love enough time at home to actually get bored.  We are, however, several months away from that even being in the realm of possibility here in Iowa.


FUN, FUN, FUN!


Fun at a car night in a town on the outskirts of Des Moines.  Keith is having a great time.


Coffee/tea with my delightful friend and fellow stitcher Cathi H.


Colorful vintage birthday gift from Rene' who knows my passion for stitching.  So very thoughtful.




Straight from the heart birthday gift from Harriet honoring with a memory ornament of my parents' anniversary.   So special.

Iowa State Fair is rapidly approaching so will share entries for this year soon.  I have many thoughts to share from the past 3 months of packing up and emptying out my childhood home readying it for sale as both parents have passed.



















Saturday, July 4, 2015

Happy Independence Day!

 HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!


My family and I are enjoying a long 4 day weekend to celebrate Independence Day more commonly referred to as the 4th of July.  

PICTURE WALK

Today's post will be a little picture walk of our weekend thus far.


Breakfast out.



A trip to Goode's Greenhouse - hey the plants were 50% off!  Bill and Keith took time to pose for a quick photo.


Keith looks pretty happy with his choice.


Homemade ice cream!  Keith just could not wait until the 4th so we had ours on the 2nd.


Warm sheets straight from the dryer on a cool day here.  Love that smile!






Enjoying the results of our gardening this Spring and Summer!


Playing with my camera.  These two pictures are exact same bloom.  Difference between taking a regular photo and using the close up feature on the camera.
FOURTH OF JULY COOKOUT


Brother and nephew doing the cooking.


Great-niece trying to tie her shoe.


Niece and soon to be niece-in-law sharing a laugh.


Husband and son enjoying drinks waiting for food.


Great-niece stealing my SIL's chair.


Names in chalk.


My sister-in-laws enjoying the cookout.


Nephew-in-law holding his sleepy little girl.


Great-nephew showing uncertainty over our fireworks.


Brothers enjoying watching the kids.


Great-niece finally gave up and went to sleep in my arms.




Trying out the fireworks feature on my camera.  Works pretty well.

STITCHING


I even managed to add a few stitches to this little patriotic piece.  This is Land that I Love by Lizzie Kate.  I just love the new little needle minder my friend Cathi H. made.  Thanks again, Cathi!

SEWING


Next on my list is to make another one of these bags.  My friend, Launa, saw it and thought one would be perfect to put her daughter's computer in at college.  I'm going to make this in a size that will hold a laptop rather than a stitch project.

I've found a new way to make project bags that I'm going to give a try.  The zipper has a tab on each end which looks much cleaner and I get to quilt as I go which will be fun and give me some flexibility for design on the outside of the bag.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  

I also signed up for an online class through Craftsy for making 3 of the Lazy Girl Design bags.  Looking forward to making those as well.

WHAT"S NEXT

Oh, in case that is not enough.  Fireworks tonight and car show tomorrow.