Friday Finish and Fun!

This week I finally got time to finish my stitchery that I had been working on. It is one of the designs offered for Free from the Facebook group, Australian Stitch Along. I love the saying on this one, and more fun colors for my art space in the guest room.

I also made some more masks. My sister is going to her granddaughter's wedding, and she doesn't have a decent mask, so I made her two to match her Navy blue dress and some Native American prints. I had one piece of ribbon left, so I put that in one mask, to fancy it up.

And the boys got their first ride in the trailer, they loved it. We sat them at the table, but tomorrow I will put down the table and put in some pillows and a blanket so they can stretch out and be more comfy for longer rides.

And we ended up back at our house but that was fine with them. It was hot and a few squirt guns and they were happy. I am not sure who had more fun, them or Bean, he loves playing with the boys.

Their birthday was this week so we are planning on a day out. Nick said he wanted to have a picnic at the waterfall with hiking trails. I am assuming he means the one in Connecticut, which is good since they have large parking areas and picnic areas along the river. We got them cameras, so they can use them to take their own photos.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We are in phase 2, but I plan on avoiding the beaches and areas that just opened, I know they will be mobbed.

Friday this and that!

This week Bill was home for half of it, so I didn't get any of my projects done. I did make more masks. I got a request when someone saw mine, so I made up a big batch that I can take in and hopefully sell to others at the trailer place. This way I can pay for my supplies and give away masks to others who cannot afford them.

I was able to go to a local quilt shop and they had a lot of fun fabrics, but I had to go quick, tell her what I wanted and get out, lol. They only took in one at a time so it kept others from waiting. Though the lady before me was taking her time and getting lots of fabric. I did get two nice ones, a fun camping print and flags. I also got some eagles and native American from Walmart, the only two bolts they had, but great prints.

We also had a day at the beach, but the other glass collector was leaving just as we came in, so I know she got all the surface pieces, but I was still able to find a nice collection.

 And we got to spend the day with the boys. They were full of energy and having a wonderful time at the boys camp, they really needed a day out. They both love jumping but Alex doesn't understand that you are supposed to say catch, before you jump into someone, lol. Luckily grandpa has quick reflexes.

And they explored and played with items they found on the beach. Alex enjoyed throwing sticks and logs into the water, then he would say, bye bye. One log was a bit too big and heavy to throw, but he tried with all his might.

And we had some quiet time so grandma could rest, and of course the boys had to be goofy for the camera.

And the next day we went hiking with Bean. We found a new place that went along a river and then into a farm field. The birds are what we spotted along the way and the bridge is from the next hike.

Since we were in the area, we checked out another hiking area and decided to try that one too. Another one that was wooded and ran along the river and no people. We even stumbled onto an old cemetery from the original owners of the land.

And to top our week off, we are not getting the big trailer, but were able to get a new class C that had just come in. Our dealer gave us first dibs and it is just the right size to go on adventures with and take the boys out for day trips and weekends. I was apprehensive about having to find good spots for a large trailer and the fact that we cannot camp right now, so now we can do day camping and just have fun and still camp when they open again. It will also be nice because I can bring our food and have picnics while we watch the sunset or stop for lunch on long drives, especially if we take the boys with us, much easier than hours in a back seat.

I hope you all have a good weekend and prayers that this virus dies out soon and we can all get back to a new normal.

Friday Finish!

It seems the weeks are zipping by and with Bills 4 day schedule, I get less done. But it is nice that we have more time to get out, and it would be nicer if the weather would be nicer on the days he has off.

I wanted some new projects to work on this week and I was able to make one. There is a group on Facebook called Love and Hugs from Australia, Stitch along. They are offering free patterns from different designers and there is a nice variety to fit everyones taste. I took the ones with inspirational sayings, fun to stitch up and hang on my wall.

This one is a design by Natalie Bird, it was not only fun to do, but a great piece to keep me in a happy mood. I am thinking of going with brighter and fun art pieces in the guest room. I used colored pencils on this one.

I also made masks for the adult kids, these have pockets in them and I made my sons, slightly larger to fit his chubby cheeks, lol. We got to see the kids outside and played kickball with Nick and then Alex grabbed my hand to show me his new clubhouse they are building. It broke my heart to have to let go and hard for him since he doesn't understand why grandma can hug and play with him.

And I wanted to make more masks with pockets, but my brain was on hold and I did things backwards and cut some wrong, but I was able to make 4 with pockets and the quilted one is two layers. I have some ideas to make it easier, so I can try them next.

And we got to spend a few hours at the beach and we had it all to ourselves. The tide was still higher up, but the storms had thrown some nice pieces in the rock piles.

And we got a day of hiking. The Boy Scout camp has a lot of side trails and one led to a place called Dinosaur Caves. They are big but no dixnosaurs, lol. It was 5 miles of hills and rocky gorges, but I made it and then crashed when I got home, my knees are definitely getting crickety.

And on the camping end, our Maine trip is cancelled. They will only allow in state campers, so I have no idea if and when we can go camping. And to top it off, Bill went to the trailer to get something and it stunk. It seems a crack formed on the top vent and it has been leaking for over a month, all over the bedding and mattress. The mattress is ruined, not only does it stink, it is all rusted from the heating elements. We got a price for the trade in, for like new condition, now we may lose money on the deal and honestly, it is their fault. I wanted to take it in months ago, I was afraid something bad would happen and it did. Tomorrow Bill takes it in and we will see what they say, it may still be covered under warranty, so I am hoping that is the case.

I hope you all have a nice weekend, we may have one nice day and then rain, so I hope that changes. The beaches and parks are open, though limited, but I will stay away from those areas and stick to exploring new paths.

Friday Finishes!

I hope everyone is doing well, this has been a long road with quarantine and things are still not settled. We will be lifting some restrictions for getting out and shops opening but with limits on social gatherings and masks are required. I cancelled another camping trip that is coming up, I wanted to do it now before it was too late, since it is out of state. I am still not sure about going to Maine, they have restrictions on people entering, so it may not be worth it for now and I am still unsure about getting the trailer.

Luckily I have plenty to keep me busy. A new month means a new design from Kathy Schmitz and I always enjoy doing those. I made a little pillow to put in my room, wonderful words to live by. I used colored pencil on this one.

I also made more masks, it took longer this time, my brain wasn't working too well this week, then my machine was giving me fits and my iron is dying, but I got them done. I think I will try using my mechanical machine and see if that is better, especially going over the thicker sides.

I wanted to make some fun ones for the boys, so I did little dog faces. Unfortunately I did one upside down, but I sewed it a little tighter and it will be a good fit for Alex. They love alligators so there is one of those and a little animal on the other side.

I also made up a few with different fabrics, it is fun to try. them to see how they look. I love the sheep ones, fabric that was gifted to me. I still need to put the ties on.

And during a moment when my brain was working, I made one with a filter pocket. I just thought it out and did it myself, the instructions confused me. Now I can make them with the pocket which will give people 3 layers and they can add a filter if they want. It is also nice since I can use some of the pretty fabrics for the front, that are not as thick.

I also took the yarn and braided it, it is way too thin and too hard to tie. This gives it a nice look but also too time consuming, so I am going to buy cheap t-shirts in packs and make my own. This one went to a woman who works at my husband's office. She is the cleaner and has to be around toxic chemicals. They are giving out junky hand made masks to people and they are not as good as the ones I have made, so I guess I will make more for the workers who need them. This is vintage fabric from the 80's.

We also got out for some hikes and beach time. The Boy Scout camp is closed and so big, that we can walk around an area and never see anyone, so it was nice and peaceful.

And I was lucky enough to find the Ospreys in their nests. This one was mad that I walked too close so he flew around and then came back, once he knew I wasn't going to bother them.

This nest is viewed from the roadside, so it is not as close, but he was making some funny faces.

And of course I found more glass. Even with the shut down, the regulars have been coming to go beach combing, but I still found some nice pieces. I hope you all have a nice weekend and Mother's Day. It will certainly be different and I will miss being with the family, but knowing they are safe, is gift enough.

Friday Finishes!

This has been a busy week, time seems to fly by which is good, maybe the bans will be lifted soon and we can all get back to a new normal. I am not making any big plans, I am happy to just be, to create and spend time with the boys when I can.

This week I finished a runner I made for the new trailer, which I am doubting will happen at this point. I have no idea what is going on and they don't answer my questions, so I may just take my money back and keep looking. I am not even sure if I can travel with the way things are, so not worth it if I cannot go camping and it just sits in the yard.

I wanted something prim and would work with brown shades, so I used blocks from two pre-cuts. I did the black blocks in the middle, since that is where I plan to put a basket to hold salt and table items. I did one design in the center, then butterflies at the end and outer corners and a floral design in the rest. Nothing fancy, but it will be used, so I want it to be easily washed.

Speaking of washing, the backing is a heavy black material and it did not shrink, so it has a big bulky puff underneath. I will take the binding apart and recut it, or I may replace it with something thinner, but not good as is, way too bulky.

As usual, a horrid photo, I love how it looks and it is longer than it seems.

Here is a close up to see a little stitching, I did this by hand with a tan floss.

And I made more masks. My DIL loved the ones I gave them and so did her sister. So, I made two each for her family, and Ivy will ship them to England. The dark reds and blue jean will be for the guys, Nick wanted the pretty colored one.

And for the girls I used an old print from Barbara Brackman, gifted by a friend. The pale yellow with blue feathers are for them. Then my son said he wanted a cat one, he wants to wear it for fun at a meeting, lol. One is upside down, I was trying to save material and forgot about direction.

I also tried a couple with a slot for a filter. It was a pain and I will stick to my two fabric masks. I heard that a good test is to try and blow a match out, with the mask on, and I could not blow it out, so I guess mine are nice and tight, but still comfortable and breathable.

I also need for ties and no old T's so I found some T-shirt yarn on eBay, I did make sure I got name brand instead of imported ones. Not the colors I wanted, but good enough for the masks and will be easier for me to make more. We have a few people in town who are charging for them, and a lot of people cannot afford them with loss of pay, so I will make some for those who need them.

We were able to get out for a nice hike last week, I got in 5 miles with lots of hills. It would have been shorter, but we took a wrong path and had to back track. There was a lot of downfall along the trails which made it hard to tell where the paths were so a few dead ends.

But it was all worth it when we got to the swamp and our reason for going. Can you see all the blobs in the furthest trees?

It was amazing to see the blue herons. There were at least 30 nests and some would come out and fly around but not close enough. It is also very swampy so no good places to stand along the shoreline, but I was able to get one decent photo. I will definitely go back to this place and take the easier path.

And a funny for today. Nick wanted to show me the new mask, I made. I keep thinking it looked big on him and something was not right, then it hit me. He has it on backwards, lol. Alex will not wear one, he is a fuss budget, so I may try making him a ninja mask and seeing if that works.

I hope you all have a good weekend. The weather is warming up and the sun is out again, so even if we have to take shorter walks and stay close to home, I appreciate every minute that we can.

Friday Finishes!

The weeks seem to fly by which is good in some ways, but I can never get enough done, even tonight I just finished the dishes and laundry and realized I hadn't done my blog post. Tonight I did make a nice dinner since Bill is home so that took time. The good thing is, on his 4 day shifts, I get him to help me with some cleaning.

I made a pillow with a design by Cheri Saffiote. I enjoyed making this one and I love the saying.

I also spend too much time trying to make masks. I am horrible with directions and the first one I made was a flat mask with darts for the nose and chin, but It was too close to my face and I couldn't breath. The second mask was in two pieces so it has a nice cone above the nose and fits snuggly around the shin and I can breath..

I used fabric I had won which was a nice weight and I had some white sheeting material, thin but dense so I can breathe and feel comfortable but no air can get through the fibers. I also used t-shirt material to make ties. Those are nicer since I can pull on them to tighten the mask around my face. The pattern I used can be found at  Wholefully.

I modified mine to make it easier, nothing fancy, just sewed it together with the pattern pieces and made one length of rope so I could hang it from my neck.

Then I made a batch for the kids, more for the boys and a couple for Mom and Dad to try. That way they can see if they like them before I make more.

Yesterday was a fairly nice day, so we headed to the beach. I found out that my favorite place was open on weekdays only. There were a couple of wind surfers and a fisherman, so we had the beach to ourselves. It was so nice to get out in the fresh air and find some treasures.

On the way out, we stopped at three different nesting areas. One osprey decided to take off after I got one shot, so I couldn't get closer, the second pair were in a farm field, so too far away to get a close up and the third was hiding in her nest and would peak up, every so often.

I hope you all had a good week and you and your familys are safe and healthy.

Friday finish and Fotos!

I hope everyone had a nice Easter. It was not with family for most of us, but we can still treat ourselves. For me it was Clam chowder and Clam cakes. I made enough for an army, but we enjoyed the leftovers.

This is how mine came out. I follow recipes but change them up to fit my diet. I do not. use spices in my chowder, but I do use salt pork, you have to have that. I also use twice the amount of clams, I like a thick chowder and cakes full of clams.

During the week I worked on finishing my challenge piece for the groups, Quilts by Cheri. We were given the dimensions and sizes for the background, then told to use baskets from her older patterns and make them into something new for ourselves. This is what I came up with and it fits perfectly on a side table I have in the guest room.

On Saturday we went for a short ride around town. It was nice to just get out and we spotted two osprey nests. One I will have to go back to, so I can get close ups, when they are in the nest.

Sunday was another drive to the ocean. We took the side roads and spotted two more nests in the salt marshes. One was closer, but she was not happy that I walked through the bush to get closer.

Today we took a drive, but Bean came and that made it hard to get out for walks, since all the places we found said, no dogs allowed. We did find a new boat launch, hidden behind some houses. It was really beautiful and quiet, but mostly marsh.

There was a bridge you could walk on, the problem, I didn't realized that where Bill is, is in Rhode Island, another step and you are in Connecticut, so I accidentally crossed the state line. And if that wasn't bad enough, I wanted to get a photo of a cardinal in the tree, on the other side. There was a big pile of mud at the end of the bridge, so I stepped on it to see if it was solid. Well, it was not solid and that was when I saw the actually color underneath, it was cow manure, lol. The farmer put it there to keep people from coming onto his land, and I was the idiot who stepped in it.

Further up river there was an abandoned mill, so we drove around and stayed on the RI side to get photos. I was surprised to see so many Double Crested Cormorants along the river, I guess they decided fishing in the river was easier than the ocean. These two are a funny looking pair.

Our final destination was an old cemetery along the larger part of the river, but it was windy and cold and no dogs allowed. It is one of those places that you can walk in, for hours, so we will go back on a nice day without Bean. We were treated to another nest along the river, this one was built on a large crane, so I guess they won't be using that, for awhile.

I hope you all have a nice weekend. We are expecting some rain and cold so I am not sure if we can get out tomorrow, maybe a ride around the island to see what is open for walks and the views. Bill is on 4 day shifts now, so he goes back in on Sunday, then he gets four days off, just wish he got the nice days off. Be safe and find joy in the simple things in your area.