Tuesday, May 10, 2022

I can’t seem to get it right. Usually I take way too many projects to the Guild bee and bring many of them home untouched. The last couple of weeks though I haven’t taken enough to fill my time. Last week I had some Guild scraps to organize but today I was finished my projects and out the door for home by 1:30 PM.

I made three card tops; I briefly thought when I was packing things up maybe I should take something to sandwich them with but that meant spray basting and we don’t like to do that indoors so I decided not to bother. My “extra” project was cutting some fabric for background on my cross stitch blocks. Even with getting that done I was still done before I would normally leave.

There were no errands to run on my way home because I took care of those before I went sewing. Now that the Guild blog has been written I’ll finish unpacking my projects and start laying out the blocks for the cross stitch wall hanging. And when I get tired of that I’m going to do some work on my Botanical Garden.

Monday, May 9, 2022

I had gift cards from two of my girls for Mother’s Day so first thing this morning we headed out to Canadian Tire to spend some money. We picked out quite a few plants – marigolds, geraniums, coleus, and I don’t remember what else – as well as a hanging basket and a couple of herbs – an assortment in one pot and a lovely peppermint plant in another. We bought a French lavender for one of the big pots in the yard. I couldn’t believe that with everything we bought my cards covered all but one bag of dirt we needed.

When we got home we started planting. Pat actually did most of the planting but I did most of the running up and down stairs to find tools and bring him buckets of soil and water. Everything we bought is planted and looks good on the deck. There are still a few empty pots on the deck but we will fill them with daisies that we transplant from one of the beds in the yard.

When that was done I mowed the grass (lawn would be boasting) and then weeded another bed. I still have a lot of work to do but it is starting to come together and will be easier once we have everything transplanted. There is a dogwood bush that we want to move as well as the daisies and maybe our fig tree. I’ve been holding off on weeding a couple of beds until the lilacs were out; they are just starting now on both the bush in the yard and the tree in the back.

I’m having trouble settling in to do anything now that the yard work is done for the day. I have my Tuesday projects already packed up. My piecing challenge for the month is my cross stitch blocks; I have a plan but one of the squares doesn’t have enough space around the edges so I’ll have to do it over. I’ve dug out fabric and thread so I’ll sit on the deck, enjoy the sunshine and do some stitching.

Saturday, May 7, 2022

I still have 37 items in my outstanding list of tasks but today I feel like I’m catching up. Many of the things on my list are ongoing and non-urgent – more of a reminder so I don’t forget about them.

I started the day by doing a couple of decluttering tasks – monthly ones so they won’t pop up again for awhile. Then I started cutting fabric for a Guild class I’m taking at the end of the month. You would think that cutting ³/₈” squares would be impossible but I have a special ruler. Even though I put a new blade in my cutter some of the squares didn’t separate as well as I’d have liked. They are easily pulled apart if I need to fix them. There is still quite a bit of cutting to do so maybe I’ll get better at it.

For my trip in June I plan to send a box through the mail to save on packing space (and weight). I’ve had a pile on my counter for awhile so today I found a box to put in what I’ve collected. So far I have lots of room in the box which makes me think I might need to add in a project or two. So far I have a 3-Yard quilt (and extra fabric), my Sashiko embroidery project and extra fabric for my Circle of 9 quilt. I still have one project that I need to source some fabric for; I know we have plans for some extra projects that Deloise is looking after so maybe I have enough.

I had time before lunch to design another scrap quilt using the Guild’s donated fabric. If I decide to kit this one up I’ll need 468-2¹/₂” squares. I know there are a couple of bags of squares in the box I brought home but I don’t think there will be that many of them. Good thing I put in that new blade.

Although I didn’t do all the cleaning tasks I was behind on I managed to do a load of laundry, some vacuuming, some spot scrubbing on the floors and I cleaned the bathrooms.

I finished a couple of cards and I’ll stitch down the binding later tonight. I’m doing some prep work for Tuesday’s bee so that, weather permitting, I can spend most of the day in the yard on Monday.

Tomorrow I’m taking a day off and working only on my cross stitch projects.

Friday, May 6, 2022

My day yesterday was very busy but I enjoyed it all. I was surprised that I was able to keep up in the yoga class. The names for some of the poses were familiar but without the demonstrations I wouldn’t have had a clue how to do them. And I’m unlikely to remember them for next time so I hope the instructor continues to describe them.

I barely had time to do some errands after yoga before I had to be heading off to sewing. I worked on a UFO and made good progress. I’m about half-done the blocks so I’m hopeful I can get this scrappy challenge done and crossed off my list.

The ideas that I presented to the Guild last night were well received so I’ll continue to “play” in the Guild’s fabric bins. I found another scrappy pattern than I think will work with the children’s fabric I’ve located so far. I have some of my own that I could also donate as my grandkids have outgrown the designs.

I was tired today but there was work to be done and I carried on. My sewing room has been cleaned up and vacuumed and the room across the hall has also been set to rights. My computer work is done (Hall newsletter and an update to the Guild blog) and I have a couple of things ready for the mail on Monday.

I feel a lot like having a nap but I think I’ll do some stitching on my Peppermint Purple project; it is relaxing and feels a bit like a break from work.