Landscaping upgrade-part 1

WE have never been in one place this many years. Trees have grown to the point there is too much shade for bermuda grass and some of the plants. Now is the do something about it time. Last three years have been the inside of the house, this year the yard!

When we moved in there was no walk from the driveway to the front door. We went with Limestone slabs which worked great for a while, but more shade and getting wet they got they became slippery. WE could get them clean but it never lasted long.

Another problem tree roots causing blocks to move. These were  3 inch diameter live oaks when we moved in!

And since our walkway to the street is starting to break up it is also getting a make over so all the walks will match.

Then to the back, more areas where grass does not grow.

These were also small live oaks!

As you see a lot of shade now and that is more important than grass! Especially in Texas!

The area in front of the deck also getting a make over

Design Wall Monday-June 5, 2017

The first of 2 Arkansas Crossroads quilt is off the wall and sewn together. Not a great picture but will work for now.

I am in a swap on another group where we are swapping Red/white HSTS that finish at 2 inches. Have a pretty good start but a long way to go. They are due later this summer.

Also have blocks for another swap due in August. A good start but more to sew!

On Saturday I had class 1 of 2 classes-Rocky Mountain Bear Claw Table runner pattern by Judy Niemeyer. Our class work before class was cutting the strips needed. Class one cutting out the patterns with fabric. We started sewing the claws. I left early so did not get as much done. Worked on it later on Sunday. 5 are done but need 16 for the table runner. So more to go plus other homework. Next class is the 24th. To see a picture of the finished product.......

                                              TABLE RUNNER

All for now  over to Design wall Monday on smallquiltsand dollquilts

Design Wall Monday-May 29, 2017 Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day where we pause and pay our resepcts to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country this is a short video from Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetary in Annville PA.  My Father and his 2 brothers and a sister were all in WWII. When visiting any of the National Cemetaries it is a sobering time. We were fortuante in that all of the family returned from WWII and the ones since then. My Father is now buried here as well as other family members. This was from their ceremony yesterday. Hopefully one day we will be in PA for the Memorial Day Ceremony

In Honor of Memorial Day





Now on to quilting!


We got back to Round Rock middle of last week. Took a few days but I finally got back to my Arkansas Crossroads blocks.

The X blocks are sewn

Here 2 blocks laid out to get an idea

On Saturday I put it on the design wall. And that is where it has been patiently waiting for the next step! I do need to move a few blocks around, although I am not sure it would really matter! There is a lot going on!

The outer border blocks are made (half an X) for the outer peaks.

Will play with those on the design wall today. And while I was at Honey Bee (LQS) saw the perfect wide backing. Bought enough for 2 as I have many more 2.5 inch squares to use. The quilt used 404!

This next one will be sewn as leaders and enders. Have a lot of other things to work on too. But it was the perfect projet to take along on our trip and work on in the room at night!

over to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Design Wall Monday-May 22, 2017

Once again I have not been posting much. Not sure why, just not doing it!  But I have been getting some sewing in.

We are once again at Rockport Texas for a few days. This time my machine made the trip as well. Also brought along a container of 2.5 inch squares and strips. Decided to work on Arkansas Crossroads. A great scrap quilt. My scraps range the gamut from batiks, kids, brights, you guessed it everything. The 16 patches are that-everything. This is th first five done.

Now all 19 are done. Ended up doing an extra! and the crossroad blocks are also done; 68 of those.Still need to do the border blocks. Glad I decided to toss in some fabric for background just in case I got the 16 patches done. That would have meant another trip to the quilt shop in town.Yes, another, we stopped there on Friday!

Jeanne, the owner of Golden Needles and Quilt Shop wanted a picture of the girls! It is a great little shop. Lots of coastal fabrics which we don't get at home.

We spend most of the days checking out the birding sites and back roads going through the flats. Galen gets lots of pictures. At night he is downloading his pictures from the day, getting them sorted, I'D and posted on the various groups. Good time for me to sew.

My stack of blocks. The ones with the clips are the 68. 4.5 background block with 2.5 sqs sewn on 2 opposite corners, They are not trimmed and pressed yet. Maybe tonight.

2 old quilts always travel with us for the bed so the girls can be on top

Tiki has a favorite toy-her buffalo. It also made the trip.

Over to a new site for design wall mondays

Small quilts and doll quilts

Design Wall Monday - May 1, 2017

Not much to report this week. I made 2 more blocks for the Canada lotto on QWC. So now I have 2 sets completed. Hope to get another one done but that depends on the usual-time and other commitments!

 I was  putting more fabric away and kept finding cute prints for the bow tie blocks for the Quilted with Love group. Started to lay them a side, then thought maybe I should go a head and cut the pieces. Of course, now they are cut they might get lost, guess I will go a head and sew the blocks. 52 on the wall right now! They are fun to make!

Galen was away all weekend on a birding get together near Anahuac, TX. Not the greatest of weekends weather wise but they did see birds and other wildlife. It was very windy and the elevation may be 5 ft above sea level. Strong winds coming in off the gulf closed a few roads to them-covered with water. But they had a good time. He leaves tomorrow for PA for the annual Let's spray the weeds on the farm up there. It is in a PA conservation program. 

Yes, I plan on sewing while he is away. I am so far behind on some of the BOM I have been saving that I need to get busy! Plus I still need to put for stuff away and reorganize.

Most of all I should get my car back tomorrow!

Back to Patchworktimes

Design Wall Monday April 24, 2017

Last week did not go as planned but I did manage some sewing. I found this pattern and they had used Kaffe FQS for it. So did I; 6 darks and 6 lights.

         The fun part was laying out. Love the off center design. Kept the picture                                handy when I was sewing the top together. I managed to get this far  early in the week                                                                                    

                             Tuesday morning we made the mistake of going out for breakfast. This happened on the way home. I was crossing the highwy with the light. The other driver ran the red. I saw her coming and got mine turned just enough that she caught the front of my door and the fender. Of course it helped that i was driving a Tahoe.Mine needs a new door and fender. They first thought they could repair the door but the hinges bent from the impact.
.

                                           

Her car did not make out as well but fortunately since I got mine turned at an angle she did not hit head on. Could have been much worse. She had her 2 year old in the child seat in the rear and also she was very pregnant. 

Her car was driveable but they would not let her drive as the air bags had not gone off. The police said that since they didn't they could go off at any time. 

                                     Her insurance got us a rental so I still have  vehicle to drive.

                  Today I got back to sewing finally and got the top put together!

Today was a cool but sunny day. While I was getting the top together Galen was working on the back porch.

It is shaping up. Late May the yard gets a make over!

Hopefully that will be all for this year. The driveway can wait until 2018!

Over to Patchworktimes

Design Wall Monday-April 10, 2017

Managed some sewing this past week mostly on blocks for 2 yahoo groups where I am a member; Quilted with Love and Quilters Who Care. The QWL group is making the 6.5 inch bow tie blocks for this quarter out of kids, novelty and bright prints. Most of our quilts go to the little ones. They are fun to make. We send them to one person and she makes them into quilts.

       The QWC group lotto this quarter is a certain block in reds and wow and coc . At the end of this next quarter at least half of the blocks will go to a member in Canada and quilts for the Canadian service men and women will be made. Last quarter we did blocks for American military.

It's fun to make all these blocks and know they will be put to good use.

On Saturday April 1 we took off for a drive to San Saba.  For your next trivia question read this historical marker and use it as a question!

The color really does not show up very well. The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush and Indian Blankets were very colorful.

                                       

This field was absolutely full of bluebonnets

This past Saturday we took off and saw that the Barrel Cacti are starting to bloom

We decided we needed an umbrella for our new deck. We wanted one of the cantilever ones. Now we won't be bombarded with stuff dropping from the trees. Will really be good in the Fall when the acorns are coming down.

Got the base weighted down today-filled it with sand. Tiki has decided this is her spot! The chair are just her size! 

That is about it for now. Not sure how much sewing will get done this week. Lots going on and of course all the various Easter 

services

Over to Patchworktimes