Friday finishes!

 

This week I finally finished the hearts I made. I tried a different way to sew the first one and messed it up, so just three for now. I use wool for the backs and sew them in reverse, then I cut a slit on the back and turn them right sides back. Then I stitch up the slit and cover it with a wool heart, that I blanket stitch. I kept it simple and made them into bowl fillers.

I also made two new pieces, a kitty doll and a kitty pillow. This time I changed up the pillow to give it a little more character. The little kitty looks bigger since it is in the forefront of the camera.

Today we went for a ride so I could get some more felt. After we drove around. the beach areas. With the snow and ice, we couldn't get into any parking areas and it seemed all the birds are further in the coves, since the inner areas are frozen.

We stopped at the boat launch and I went to the cove side, but it was covered in snow and ice.

I did catch a seagull as it was flying off with a clam.

After we stopped at the breach way and watched, as they piled more rocks along the sides. It is great for protecting the inner areas and the boating passageway, but sad to see the area we used to park out, disappear, along with the dunes. I do hope they clean it up and restore it, when they are done.

At home, I have been visited by a few hawks. This Red-shouldered Hawk was in my big tree, watching the birds at the feeder. Not as many critters out in the yard with the snow, so they start going after the birds.

A fun thing I found last week was an online app, called chatGPT. It is free to use but you can only do a few photos without paying. I hate taking pictures of myself, but this way is fun. since my hair was pulled back, it changed it to pure white. Bill and I are so fair, so it tends to wash out our hair in photos.

I hope you all had a nice week. We had plans with the kids, but as usual, they are sick. So, hopefully we can get out this weekend and enjoy a few nicer days. You know it has been cold, when 40 degrees seems warm.

Friday finishes!

 

This week I wanted to work on a Valentine project, but didn't have enough time to finish. I have a lot of loose threads and wanted to use them up in a project. This pile is from two smaller boxes and I still have another to go through. With the prices of thread going up, it is nice to use what I have.

I also wanted to try something new for charity. I have been looking at different ideas and the bear was one, that is simple and quick. I made this one up, this afternoon. I used a template that I made out of card stock and traced around that, onto the fabric with a washable marker. When I finished with the face features, I turned it over on the light pad and retraced the outline for sewing. 

Not perfect and I don't like the way the side seam came out, so I watched a video on the ladder stitch, so I will try that on the next one. I have lots of extra fabrics, so this is a great project to use them up and help others. I also forgot to add stitched claws on the hands and feet.

Here is one version, from Wendi's, Shiny Happy World. You can also search online for patterns. I used one that had more curved arms and legs, but I changed them a bit.

Last weekend we went to the backside of a pond, where there is a private beach. We paddle in the inner cove, but this area is nice at low tide since we could walk along the inner cove and on the other side of the dirt road, is the ocean. 

We also stopped in the beach parking lot and caught a group of Brandts and ducks. Then we stopped at the other end of the pond, but no birds were around.

 Our last stop was at the marsh, were I caught a few visitors in the smaller pond. 

I was busy this week, putting all the Christmas away. I have less of Valentines, so the house looks bare. For now I want to concentrate on getting old projects done, and ones for summer. I hope you all had a good week.

Friday Finishes!

 This week I was able to finish two items. I like doing small projects while I work on the larger ones. They are simple to do and something fun to do, while I watch tv.

One item is another heart. I do enjoy making rag rugs and a heart is a quick way to make one. 

I also made another small mat for my table. This one I used precuts with a spring look. These are fun to do and I think I will make one for summer with my nautical or seagull prints.

We also got a chance to take Bean with us for a ride to the beaches. It was too cold to be out long, but we got out in certain places and let him roam a bit.

I also caught a few birds along the way.

Along the route we stopped at the college campus beach. 

I was also able to get a shot of the lighthouse, from a different view point. When I opened the photo to see it, I was surprised at the shapes in the doorway. 

One afternoon we had the boys, while dad went shopping. They spent the time trying out my instruments. Nick seems to pick up anything and play it by ear, Alex is getting the hang of following notes.

Today we stopped to see if we could spot the Eagles, none in sight. I did spot a Hawk hanging out in a tree by the pond.

I hope you all had a nice Valentines. I do not celebrate it, too commercialized for me. Weather is coming in tomorrow, so we won't be able to get out too much. 

Friday Finish!

 This week I wanted to make a little mat for my side table. I also wanted something with reds for Valentines. I do enjoy hand quilting at night, so this was the perfect project to keep my hands busy and make something I needed. It was also a way to start using up old stash and these were precut mini squares, so they were perfect for a small mat.

Last weekend we went to the southern beaches for a ride and look for birds. Lots of birds, but always hard to catch them. I lucked out and found a hawk who was hanging out in the area and stayed long enough for a shot.

Another day we took a trip to the island. At one beach we enjoyed watching a tow boat bring in a larger boat with a long tow rope.

Once they got closer to the bridge, the tow pulled the rope in to be closer to the larger boat. They do this when they get into the narrower channels, for better control.

At another beach I spotted a couple of crows, hanging out on the icebergs. It has been raining today and then cold again, so I am hoping it will warm up so we can go on more walks and less riding. I hope you all have a nice weekend and enjoying the winter months by catching up on your own projects.

Friday Finish!

 

I hope everyone is having a good New Year. It seems last year and into this year, I am getting every flu that is going around. My son was sick so I assume I caught it from him. I am not as bad and am fighting it off, but it means resting and finding a new easy project I can put together. I cannot stand just sitting all day and working on something is a good way to pass the time and create something new. I am leaning towards a long pillow to put on the back of the couch, so hopefully I can put that together tomorrow.

This week I wanted to work on something and need more lavender pillows for boxes I will be resorting. I decided to sign up for the new club, PQP Club. You get access to all the back issues of the magazine and 4 new designs each month. I found a valentine stitchery set that was perfect for mini pillows and I reduced it a little more.

We had a few warmer days, warm enough to get out for a bit and walk on the beaches. We went to one of the southern beaches and walked a bit on the point. From there I could get a shot across the water, to the lighthouse. 

At the beach end,  I spotted this guy, trying to keep from being swept up on the beach. He would swim out and then get pushed back.

He seemed to be content to stay at the beach area and enjoy the waters where it was a bit calmer.

Another day we went to the island and walked along the beach. A view of the lighthouse across the bay.

I spotted a flock of geese in one of the yards. I walked up to them, got my camera ready and caught them, just as they flew off.

On another beach I spotted a flock of Brandts. They were not afraid of me and actually followed me as I walked along. On the way home, I spotted a Kingfisher, hanging out on the camera of the Osprey nest. 

I hope you are all doing well this year and not in the storm's paths that are coming through. 

Friday Foibles!

 

This week I got the idea to make a heart piece with a wooden heart, I had. I painted the heart in beach colors and then tried to add a paper heart with decoupage. That didn't work, the paper started bubbling up and then ripped as I tried to flatten it. So, I put another paper heart on a piece of cardboard paper to keep it stiff. That held on but just didn't have the look I wanted. So, I just used rug tape to adhere it, then added a cloth heart with tape, so later I can redo it and make it into a summer piece. Maybe even using tape so I can replace the items each season. 

This is what I had in mind when I made it. What I did, with a little photoshop magic to add flowers and items that aren't really there. Happy Valentines.

We had cold weather last weekend, so we just ride around and look for birds, I can shoot from the car. At one beach, I spotted a common eider and a group of Horned larks. One of these days I will get them, when they stay still.

At another beach I caught a Long-tailed Duck. The birds seem to give me that sideways look.

A Great Heron decided he didn't want his photo taken, either, so I just caught him before he flew off.

And I got lucky, when I saw the Belted Kingfisher, sitting on a telephone pole. I had to be sneaky and shoot from the window, so he wouldn't fly off. They are a large bird, he looks small up there.

Yesterday I woke up sick, and Bill came home sick. Since it was early, we decided to drive around the beach areas on the island. I got some pieces of glass, while I walked a bit and spotted this Song Sparrow, hiding in the bush.

At another beach, I spotted a group of Brants. They come down from the arctic to winter in our bays. And again, I get that look.

On the cove side, a Coast Guard ship, goes by the lighthouse in Newport. It was nice to get out, but today I had to rest. I guess we caught what the kids had. We have a nice weekend coming up, so hoping at least to get out for some rides. I hope this finds everyone well, and enjoying a spell of nice weather.

Friday Finish!

 I hope everyone had a nice holiday. As usual, ours was a bit hectic, but I was able to get everything done and enjoy time with the family. I have been working on hand quilting and a puzzle that I got for Christmas, nice ways to relax. I also need more sachets to replace my old ones that I use to keep my items fresh smelling. I made up this little pillow and stuff with lavender. The pattern was free and you can get this one, along with many others at Pinker and Punkin blog.

We got out for some rides and bird watching, but this week we had more rain, so we were stuck home more. I was able to catch this gull, enjoying a snack on the cliffs. 

I took a few photos of the family at Christmas but the quality is bad in low light. Alex wanted me to take a photo of him with his new gun, so I took the photo and had some fun with editing.

And this one, was edited with the new AI in photoshop too. I love how I can tell it to make backgrounds to have fun with family photos. I hope you are all enjoying your weekend and hopefully the rains will stop and we can get out before it gets too cold.

Friday Finishes!

 I hope everyone had a nice week and found time to craft. I was able to finally finish my newest piece, from the stitch of the month club. Just in time for Valentines. I added a few of my own touches and think I might do a little quilting around the border.

I also wanted to make a new coat rack. My old one has been knocked down, too many times and isn't strong enough for coats. This way when guests come in, they can hang their coats at the top of the stairs. I found rustic railroad spike, hooks, on Amazon, so Bill made a basic prim board to put them on. And, I got to put my church cat up, finally.

Last week we did our usual ride around and explored a few waterfalls. We met up with the kids and spent some time at their house, always nice to spend times with the boys.

At home, the red squirrel who lives next door, has been coming over for his fill at the feeders. He is so fun to watch and starting to get used to me.

I also enjoy watching the White-breasted Nuthatch, but they never stay still, always busy.

Luckily, all the birds and squirrels seem to be able to outsmart the hawks. This Red-Breasted Hawk, came into the yard to hunt, but once he saw me watching, he took off and went to a high tree in the back field.

I hope you all enjoy your weekend. We had a beautiful day today, but were stuck waiting for an estimate on a new sewage ejector pump and they didn't get here till after dinner. It seems everything is starting to go lately, luckily we have some savings to pay for it. Last week it was radon, Bill got a detector and ours is above the level, so we go that system put in. Hopefully nothing more major comes along.

Friday Finish!

 

This week went by too fast and as usual, I didn't get as much done, as I planned. Christmas is still up, but I have been taken a few things down at a time. This year I need to repack, with things to keep and things to get rid of, way too many years of collecting.

I got some fabric markers to try, so I made up a little Valentine piece to try them. They are ok, but more for kids and the boys will have fun, using them to make their own items with. I also used cheap thread, which was ok, but tends to get a little fluffy, as I stitched, so I will stick with DMC.

We spent some time at the beach last weekend. I just wanted to get out and was surprised at all the hawks we saw. I was able to catch one in a field.

In the same field, a windmill. Someday I will have to stop when they are open, to see inside.

At the beach, I enjoyed watching the seagulls and a house on a small rock island.

Of course I collected a few things on the beach and found a few strange items.

On the road to the beach, I spotted this guy, up on a pole.

We also went to another beach and I got a shot of the lighthouse on Dutch Island. Trying different photos that I have taken before, to see the new camera's capabilities.

And at home, I finally got a shot of the female Cardinal, she has such beautiful coloring 

I hope you all had a nice week and enjoy your weekend. We have one nice day, then more rain. No real snow in our forecast.