Friday Finish!

 

This week I finished another pillow with the monthly design by Kathy Schmitz. The original design had a date and it included a grouping of designs you could add. I loved the cat and dog and thought it would be a perfect gift for my cat sitter. I made the dog a bit more pointy to look like Bean and faces, since the original was blank.

I added lavender, she asked me for some more lavender pillows and she just had some minor surgery, so a happy present while she recuperates.

I also got a chance to make a few masks for the boys. Nick wanted some crazy colored fabric, so that is what he got.

We also got a chance to spend time on the island. We took the RV so Bill could sit and enjoy the views with a few walks along the paved road. Of course I spent the majority of my time at the beach. I got a nice little stash to add to my collection.

The lightening wasn't great and I was getting tired, but I took a few quick shots of the action going on in the marsh area. There is an Osprey nest there and he was swooping back and forth, looking for fish, but too fast to catch him as he got closer.

I hope everyone had a good week and have a wonderful weekend.

Happy New Year!

 

I hope everyone has had a nice holiday week. We do not celebrate the new year, just another day for me. I just live for the day, trying to find joy in the moments and keeping busy. I also got a request for masks, 22 of them. I prefer to do a few at a time, it is rough on my arms, lots of cutting and sewing with the 3D masks, but I do like making them. I just wish there was an easier way so I could make more. I see so many people selling masks that do not fit properly and made with thin materials, and they charge more. 

These masks are going to a vet office, that my Niece works at. I made three styles so they can pick the ones they like.

Bill and I have been getting out when we can. The weather is colder and we get rain, but some days are nice enough to do a little exploring.

And we took the boys out,  to the lighthouse. 

It took about five minutes before they decided it as too cold, as you can see from this photo. We headed back to our house and all Nick wanted, was to jump in the hot tub, lol.

Today we got out for another ride and ended up going for a short hike. It was cold but nice to get out and get some exercise.

Along the ride we passed a lot of farms and quite a few Red Tailed Hawks.

And lots of old barns, most were falling down. 

We ended our ride at a pond, where the eagles hang out. We were lucky enough to spot them, but too far away and it was getting dark so I couldn't get a decent photo, but it was still nice to see them.

I hope you can get out and explore in your area, you never know what you will find.

Friday Finish and Fun!

 

It seems this week flew by, but we did have an extra day off, so it meant we were out and about. I am working on a new stitchery and I was able to make a few new masks. My son is using the store bought type that have no protection so I made him some box masks to try. When I went to the store to get more flag fabric, I couldn't resist getting a little for the boys. Nick loves bright colors and glitter and the dots you see are bit of glitter. I also used ribbon with glitter in it. I also tried one With a Christmas print, that I have,  I will have to fussy cut to show off more of the fun designs.

On Sunday we took the boys to Fort Getty. It is the perfect place to spend the day with them. We park in the campground area so the boys have plenty of space to play and water views on both sides.

And the beach is there, so they spent time playing and Nick has become quite the glass hunter. Not sure what he will do with it, but he told me he needs a lot to make something. Alex is just happy playing and running around.

On Sunday we went back to Machimoodus park, I wanted to hike the trail we missed. It was a beautiful place to hike and the views from the top of the hill were stunning, but too many trees in the way to get a clear shot of the river and the foliage along the banks from the upper hill.

We also went back to Fort Getty when Bill got home, a little glass collecting and stunning sunsets. 

With another day off, we decided to head to Devil's Hopyard to see the falls. They weren't running as heavy as they usually do, but still beautiful. It was also sprinkling on and off all day so between that and the crowds, we only stayed for a quick walk along the path.

From there we headed to Eagle Landing. There is a coffee shop on the other side of the river and a nice place to sit and relax.

We didn't see any eagles, but this Northern Mockingbird stopped by to say hi and get his photo taken. It as drizzling again and the main storm was getting closer, so we headed home before it hit. It was definitely a busy week of exploring and it is time to do it all over again. I definitely need more time in the day, or I will never get anything done at home. I hope this finds you all well.

Friday Finish and Fun!

 

This week I finished one item that I had been working on. I thought it was a bit plain with the solid blue background, so I added some words and extras and it makes a fun wall hanging for Christmas. The design is a free pattern I got from Heart to Hands. 

I also made up a batch of masks. It seems the 3D is the best and my DIL loves that style and the blue, floral bandana, so I made her 4 from what I had left. I also tried some fun fabric I had for Halloween. My brain wasn't working too well and I cut in the wrong direction and meant to place a pumpkin in the front, but they still look ok. I have a lot of yardage of this print, so I just used a piece from the cut end, the rest will go into a halloween quilt or backing for next year.

Last week my son called to say they wanted to go out with us, so we had a family day. They wanted some family photos, but I think they need to not wear hats and gear for family photos, so once I get better at using the new camera, I can do some nice ones for their Christmas card. I also got lucky and a Great Blue Heron flew by and landed in a tree. He was high up and I didn't have a good area to shoot from, but I was able to get a decent shot. One thing with the new camera is it is photoshop ready, so editing comes out much nicer.

On Sunday Bill and I took Bean out for a hike. We went to a new park in Connecticut called Day Pond. It had nice large parking areas and we got a nice hike through the forest to a beautiful cascading waterfall.

I also have been enjoying the birds that are visiting. These were all near the feeder and the birds do not sit still for long. A cardinal, Carolina wren, Tufted Titmouse and a White Breasted Nuthatch, are a few of the bird species that visit.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy a bit of nature and the outdoors in your area.

Friday Finishes and Fun!

 

This week I have been busy. I have finished a few things and one I want to work on more to make it better. I made a stitchery with one of Cheri Saffiote's designs and decided to make it into a pillow cover. This way, the person can put a pillow in or they can hang it, if they want, so more versatile and easier to ship.

Another thing I worked on was, more masks. I wanted to use up the halloween fabric and get those out, so the kids can enjoy them now. I know there are a lot of kids with bad masks, these are 3D so they are easier to breath and talk in. I will try and sell a few and the rest will be donated. I also made myself a couple and a few for our cat sitter. I do need to rethink the design, so I can sew it more neatly, have less bulk and that would be easier on my machine and my arm.

And of course, we had a weekend filled with adventure with the boys. On Saturday we took them to a new place. A beautiful park with a pond and waterfall and lots of hiking trails. And having large parking lots is always a plus, so we set up to have views and a spot to relax at. The bad thing was, the water levels were down and the falls weren''t flowing,  but it was still beautiful.

The boys had a full day, hiking, swimming and Nick found some painted rocks. I definitely want to go back and hike the trails, it is too much for the boys to do a full hike, even though they are moving non stop, most of the time.

And we had three friendly Mallard ducks, hang out with us.

I took several photos and this one shows how they have a nictitating eyelid, almost looks furry.

And on the way back, I got a shot of some early foliage. A lot of areas are turning fast now, due to the drought. 

On Sunday, I got up too late for a day trip, so we picked up the boys and took them to the boys camp. We lucked out and the gate was open, so we parked our camper in a lot next to a big grassy area.

The boys had fun at the beach areas.

And hiking along the pathways.

And while the guys were resting and playing at the camper, I snuck away and waited for some birds to sit still. I finally got one close enough and was surprised to see that it was a Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker.

This week, I had Bill take the week off. I am burnt out with everything that is going on and our last vacation was spent, with me sick. So I am hoping we can enjoy the week and get out to some places in Ct, that I have wanted to visit. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and find places that bring you joy and peace in these tumultuous times.

Friday this and that!

No finishes this week, mostly things I am working on. One is the fall table topper, I am hand quilting it, so that might take a few weeks. I also seem to have gotten something, a flu, covid who one of my many weird problems, but I have meds and they are taking care of, whatever it is. Of course this is the week that Bill took off and now we can't go on any trips, just in case. But we can do day trips and with the trailer, I am self contained.

One item I am working on is, a needle felted angel. I wanted to try making one by using a cookie cutter to start, for the shape, but I think I prefer making them on my own. I would have rather made a more artistic angel and had better wings, but it is not too bad and I will add arms and change it up more as I go.

And this is where I stopped with my angel. Having a photo helps me to see what I need to fix and what I want to do. I think I made her look a bit pouty, doesn't match love too well, lol.

 I also enjoy watching the birds that come to my yard, I have three Downy Woodpeckers that visit and they like to chatter at me, they keep me amused.

And a new Cardinal today, have never seen this one. I have a pair that stays here and the male will not let any others in the yard, so was surprised to see it, so it may be one of their young.

And I was able to find some new fabrics, some I found at Joannes along with heavier white for the lining. This batch I found at a local quilt store, she had a lot of nice girl fabrics but not as much for boys. I wanted to get some fun ones for the boys and I can donate the extras.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We have rain tomorrow so I will stay home and rest and then I am hoping we can get over to Newport for some walks at the sanctuaries and picnics at the parks.

Friday Finish and Fun!

I didn't get a lot done on my projects this week, but I did finish more masks. I have some flag material left, so I will finish that off and not make too many more unless it is for a specific person or someone asks. It is hard on my hands and joints, and I have a ton of projects waiting to be finished, so I will start working on those.

I also tried a new style, a box style. It was a lot easier to do and easier on my hands, but tougher on my machine. There is more finish sewing and going through the thicker edges, is not making my machine happy. I like the look in one way, but the stitching seems sloppy. It also is too snug on my nose, so you have to wear it looser, which defeats the purpose of wearing one.

If you want to try this style you can find the video on YouTube. It is easy to follow and I think if you have a smaller nose, it might be perfect.

We also got to spend time with the boys this weekend. The beach was more crowded so we left after a bit and took them fishing at a local pond. It was nice and the boys had fun. Nick got to use a real hook and Alex practiced with the plastic fish, but it only took one lesson and he was casting like a pro.

And for my quiet time, I have been sitting on my porch and enjoy the birds and critters who come to visit. Some birds have left the nest but these two still have a brood that they are feeding. 

Bill has the next week off, it is our anniversary on Sunday, 45 years. We had planned on going to Maine, but that is cancelled, so we will have to do day trips in our area. I was planning on trips to western Connecticut but we may be in for a heat wave, so hiking may not be the best activity. I guess it is time to get the kayaks on the water, so we will see were our adventures take us.

Friday Finishes!

This week I decided to do another little Pillow with a design by Deborah Cade. These are really fun to do and they work up quickly. There are others that I plan to do in the future. With the summer heat setting in, it is nice to have smalls to work on.

The designs from the pillows and from another project that I am working on, are from the Facebook group, Primitive Folk Art Quilts and Projects. The one I am working on now is a summer project from Julie Porter. She did hers with log cabin blocks, but I might use my seagull fabric. I will do the stitchery first, then decide on patterns and layout. These are two I worked on, I may use star buttons so didn't finish all of it for now. There are also some sailboats and a lighthouse in the series.

I also made more masks this week. It seems more people are going without but I rather be safe when in public and there is still a mask order in place, so if I see people without proper masks, such as store workers, I will have some on hand to give out.

The camping ones I will save for trips and sell at camps. I will need to replace some supplies and have my machine serviced, so the extra will go towards that.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We have hot days ahead, so hoping we can find a less crowded beach for the boys, they do love digging in the sand. We also got some real lures for Nick to try and we will stick with the plastic fish for Alex.

Friday Finish!

This week seems to have gone by fast, as each week has. It seems I never have time to do all the things I have planned. I was able to make a couple of little lavender pillow with some free stitcheries.  The designs are by Deborah Cade, offered in the primitive quilt group. She has several fun ones like this and I was thinking it would be a cute little quilt, mixed with prim fabrics.

I also made some new masks. One of my sisters sent me money for the ones I made her and extra to make masks for those who cannot afford them. Her twin sister loves angels, so the angel masks are going to her and the bandana ones, for a friend of hers. I also needed kid's masks, so I used some of the fun materials I had left.

I saw that we still have a mask order, until July, so more are needed.

I took some time to watch the birds in my backyard. I have a pair of hummingbirds that come to the feeder but they are always in motion and quick to leave. Hopefully I can get a better shot of the male with his beautiful red coloring.

This Carolina wren is living in one of the houses we put up. I can hear her babies, chirping in the house. I am hoping to get out for some birding this weekend, though we have rain tomorrow, it looks like a great day to explore on Sunday.

I hope this post finds you well and healthy.

Weekend Wanderings and Works!

It is that time of the year where I get out more and we had a full weekend, so I thought I would do my Monday postings to share our adventures with you. I also started prepping materials for more masks. Today I cut out the masks and made more Tshirt yarn for the ties.

It took me about 3 hours to make it, it is time consuming but worth it to get a continuous string to avoid waste. For now I am doing the main shirt, but I did find a video to cut a continuous piece from the upper parts as well, so I will try that when I get a chance.

I cut off the upper and bottom piece, then cut 1 1/4" strips, then I take the piles of strips and watch tv while I pull on the piece, which makes it twist into the rope shape. It is tough on the joints, but worth it to do a lot at once, so now I have plenty to last a while.

On Saturday we took the boys out for a birthday, day. They got their cameras and off we went. We started at a graveyard on the river that goes to the ocean, but Alex fell asleep, so Nick and I just walked around for a bit. Then we took them to a new place, a bird sanctuary that goes to a salt water pond.

The boys loved this place, an easy walk for them.

And of course they had to show off their jumping skills. Nick likes to do the spin and jump technique.

Alex is at such a fun age, everything is fun and exciting and he loves to play superman.

And while we were out I was able to capture a few birds. An Osprey, a Willet and a Salt Marsh Sparrow.

On Sunday we took them on another outing. This time we drove into Connecticut and visited two parks in the same park system. The first we found a great open spot to park in and got to enjoy a hike around the campgrounds.

The second was at another campground and beach area, so we enjoyed hiking around the trails. The photo with them sitting in front of the pond is from the first camp. They are closed for camping but allowing people to come for picnics and hiking, which is nice since our camps are closed to all access.

It was nice to get out and with the new camper, the kids are comfy and we have our own bathroom, which helps since bathrooms are closed. Nick took some photos and this one is my favorite, he loved taking pictures and when he found out it played games, loved it even more. Alex's camera took longer to charge and the next day he forgot it.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. With all that is going on, it is good to get out and find joy in our lives.