HERE CHICK--CHICK---

 I played with the 'chickens' all week--

I went from 3 to 9 chickens--and here they are in all their chicken glory--

and here is their close up photo they wanted me to post-

If you look you will see that 3 of them face to the right--other 6 face to the left- 2 are following the 'couple' facing each other and the top one in the right upper corner is off on her own mission--she is probably looking for a 'dish' of  ice cream???

I am happy with how these chicks came out--all my  seam allowances were right on the 'nose' as they say--and each strip fit perfectly--Oh and 3 of these are sitting in the green grass and 6 are sitting on 'straw bed'!!! Some did not behave and did have to be unstitched and redone--!!!

Now that black print fabric, I got for the backing--but then thought maybe it would look nice for the border--but I would not have enough for both--and I am leaning towards the fact that the black Farmer's mkt print may be a bit too busy for this quilt top--so --I am still thinking on this finish?????

And I got the Counted Cross stitch--Farmer's market all done--

and it is a total finish and has been hung up on the background board for display--

And I got my other challenge for the week finished--and that was finishing knitting the '2' baby sweaters I had on the needles so I can do buttons on the batch I have sewn so far and get them in the mail this week--

Here is the Navy and white strip done in the 8/6 weight from Hobbi

and this one is in a 8/4 weight--which is much thinner of a yarn--I usually have one of each weight on the needles--and yesterday afternoon while watching the Nascar race--I set up a new on with the 8/6 weight and discovered I already had another one in the 8/4 weight started---now when did I have a 3rd  one started and why????  it's a mystery to me????

The only 'adventure' last week was the Monday morning Van trip and we went to a larger Publix up the road--and yes--we all popped in at the larger Dollar Tree in that Plaza first!!!

So are you planning your projects to work on --for Christmas in July?????   I am--my fabric came in today for the hand quilting project--need find batting and backing and get it basted--it is a panel--but oh sooo 'cute'--and I just printed off 4 Christmas Counted Cross stitches from Melisa's site--and I have Christmas ornament stack of wool items to finish off--so far--What are you planning to do???

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I am scared--of what our future is gonna be--after what happened this week end and now what is happening today in Iran--so I do want to say Thank you to each and every one who has taken the time and the love to comment on my site all these years--and to tell those who I have read and commented on--Thank you for all your posts--and may we all have a wonderful and bright--CALM--future!!  But we just don't know these days how long we may have internet--or anything for that matter--and all we can do is keep on stitching while you know WHO gets us into a war to distract us from him getting his  --big beautiful bill passed--you do know that this is what Iran is all about don't you?????

HUG THOSE AROUND YOU--KEEP YOUR FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS AND KEEP THOSE NEEDLES FLY'N--

BLESSINGS AND LOVE WITH HUGS, DI

ARE YOU A CLOCK WATCHER???

 I am not sure I ever got over going to school and the schedule we had back in those days!!  Cause I still watch the clock--plus growing up --there was 'set' times for breakfast, lunch and supper--dinner was  saved for Sunday noon--dinner time!!!

I find I always have a breakfast time--between 8-8:30 am--Lunch since I moved here 6 years ago has been going down stairs at 11:15 to pick up lunch around 11:30--BUT--now that I am not going down all that much I have changed my lunch time to around noon!!!  And supper is 5:30--unless my kids are taking me out to supper and then it is usually much later!!!

I also find I do certain things at certain times of the day--Like mornings after breakfast--that is my counted cross stitch time--this past week -- I was, of course working on this project--

And Sunday morning is this project--

Got his second wing in and started filling in the wing with white thread!!

Around 10 am I go on to other things--could be some household chore or maybe preparing fabric for sewing together after lunch--if I haven't went shopping in the morning-- I am a morning shopper!!

Lunch is lunch and while I am eating lunch around noon time or a bit after--I am on the computer--first I read emails--then other blog sites and then lately a bit of time on facebook catching up on news and getting my kitten fix--along with seeing new craft ideas--

Then it is usually quilting time--this is what I am working on now--

I found this pattern in a Quilt magazine my girlfriend in NY sent me for my birthday last month--and I just found that straw fabric recently when I looking for some backings for a couple projects--

so the next day--Saturday I cut the pieces for 3 more--after I did all the background fabric pieces for a total of 9 blocks I believe--Well--the first one was a red one--I started with the first row of the chicken head and tail--only it was too short--what--I finally realized I had used a too short strip of the background fabric--that shorter piece goes down from the beak piece--OK--then on the wing piece--notice there is 2 small pieces on the print of the wing piece to make the point on the wing--well--this time when I did the points it was too long of a piece--now the letter for the tail piece is 'K' and that is also what I cut for the wing pieces--K is a 2" square--it took forever for me to figure out and to SEE that the wing pieces are letter 'N'--and are only 1.5" square--once I cut those--it came out correctly--I am sooo glad I did the single block the day before to check all the sizes so  I wouldn't have an issue when I went to do the other 8!!!!!!Maybe my 'brain' was on snack time, instead of sewing????  I only got the 2 other ones done--the red one needs some new pieces cut or some unstitching done!!!!

Yesterday--Sunday--morning after the cross stitching--I decided it was time to --clean out the sewing machine and put in a new needle and to put a new blade in my rotary cutter--so got out  my case of those supplies and first did the rotary cutter--then went to the machine--and here is what I found--

Oh my goodness--Diane--why have you not cleaned this out--So I began cleaning--forgot to take a photo of it all clean--but it looked really nice--put the big piece of bobbin housing in and then put the small bobbin holder in--and put the plate back on and managed to get those small screws back in place--then put a new needle in the top and went to pull up the bobbin thread--only the needle would not go far enough into the case to do it--sooo--had to take those 'tiny' screws back out--and read the machine manual to see I needed to line up a small white arrow with a small white dot--did that and put it all back together and the needle went down and did pick up the bobbin thread--only,it would not stitch--tried a couple things--no go--was lunch time--so left it--went back later and still couldn't get it to work--for some reason I happened to wonder if it was the new needle and luckily I had a different brand of needles so I got one of those out and put it into the machine--and just like 'magic' it is stitching now!!!

I usually quit work around 4 pm and fix me a cup of tea and a snack--this week I had fresh organic strawberries with my vanilla ice cream or honey yogurt--yum--

after supper I work on hand quilting, knitting, or/and more hexie flowers--

the grey one is a new color--the aqua is a second one of that color and yesterday afternoon while watching Nascar in Mexico City I got a second pink flower done--

I have all the blocks hand quilted on my Pink quilt--and have started on the border going all around it--and am trying to get the 2 baby sweaters I have on the needles knitted by this coming week end so I can put on buttons and get that package off to World Vision before the new postage raises July 1st!!

Last week--Monday was the Van trip to Walmart--

Tuesday--was a bus trip to Publix and to show a new neighbor the bus route and how it works

Wednesday--my friend Cheryl and I went on a venture --to two thrift stores--at the first one I found this old sugar spoons--

They where $1 each--

at the second shop I found these--

and these were $3 for the set--and that is all I bought-- guess I wasn't in the thrift mode--then we went to iHop for the pancake special and then on to Walmart--on Monday at Walmart I had found an organic t-shirt for only $8--I only bought one--really liked how it fit when I got home--so when Cheryl needed to stop at Walmart--I went it and got the other 3 colors--$8 for organic t-shirt is a 'steal'==I know have a navy and white strip--a grey, black and white t-shirt!!!

Well--guess I best get back to work--oh wait --today I did get things at the Dollar  Tree to redo the hallway table--cause it was time to take this display down--

Daniel is our Janitor and he is a special guy--not only does he do a good job cleaning this building--he is always joking and making us laugh--his birthday was June 13th--so this was up for 2 weeks!!!

I JUST DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY OR HOW TO FEEL--OTHER THAN SAD ABOUT ALL THAT IS GOING ON --HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD--EXCEPT--GOD IS IN CONTROL AND WE JUST NEED TO KEEP STITCHING AND ENJOYING THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE--

SO LOTS OF HUGS--DI

SOME OF IT IS BACK--

 I am happy to say that some of my 'mojo' is back--but it was also a busy week--as the first week of every month always seems to be, for me!!!

Monday the Van trip was to Aldi's--and most of us always ran off the Van and into JoAnn's--but--it is now totally closed and empty--soooo sad for us--now there is a $5 below on the other side of Aldi's--so a couple of us went in there--but I was not impressed--I did buy a couple items--but after getting home and really looking them over--I was 'sad'--as the little dish is really just a dollar tree item for $1.25--but it cost me $5.55--and the second item the same--it cost me $3.55--booo!!!

Monday afternoon my friend Carolyn and I went to Dollar Tree shopping for Happy Birthday decor for my little hallway to surprise out Janitor, as his birthday is June 13th!!  And then on to Publix for groceries--they actually had some bogo's I could use--so couldn't not get those items--right???  

Tuesday was a normal day--first I did design the table center piece for out in the hallway and then got it all decorated--then did some hand work and some house hold chores--

Wednesday morning was a 'nerve' day as I was going to 'interview' a new RN at anew doctors office--I have lots of health issues--but I need to be sure that the medical person understand '2' of them--Joshua, talked and listened with me for well over an hour--I do believe this one will work out--as I left the office and called for my Uber ride return it was not raining--the Uber showed up 3 minutes later and in the mean time the skies opened up and it poured hard and even though the Uber driver drove right up along side the curb in front of the medical building--I got soaked getting into the car!!!

Then that afternoon, Carolyn and I had planned to go back to Publix and was outside waiting on the bus and before the bus came another very heavy and very windy storm hit--we decided we didn't need anything at the store that day--  We went on Friday morning and it was nice and Sunny!!!

Thursday I spent most of the day putting to gether a new metal shelf unit for my closet--then hauling everything in that half of the closet out to put the shelf unit in and then sorting the things I took out and arranging them on the shelfs--oh--so much better!!!

I did decide to make a 9th hexie block ---

I did have to go 'hunting' to find more of the fabric lines I had used in the other ones and we happy to find a darker blue fabric that I had not make a hexie with!!

And  2 more flowers got sewn together--

I have just one more color to do--then I need to start over--

And I did get my orange peel top finished--

And once again--a fabric looked 'yellow' and was not--the backing for this piece--

But I am going to still use it!!!

And  I prepared a new leader/ender project--

I did work on my Farmer's Mkt Counted Cross stitching off an on all week--

I just have the last section to do now--only 3 letters, but lots of small items to stitch by the letters--

And  here is where I am on my Bee-

I am doing the outline of the wings first then I will fill in the wings--

LETS HAVE A GOOD BUSY WEEK WITH GREAT FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY--OH AND DON'T FORGET THE STITCHY THINGS!!!

HUGS, DI

JUNE "BUG"---

 Welcome to a new month--the month of June--

I was surprised when I went looking for 'June' clipart--most of it had to do with what I think is more August type clipart--so had to do some hunting around--and realized that this one was better--cause we also know what comes alive when the warmer weather comes to visit---bugs, bugs, bugs!!!!

And then we have the phrase--June Bug--

and we have an actual June Bug in my family--my middle sisters name is June and she was often called June Bug--the funny thing is--she was born in May!!!

Well---it was an off week for me--no motivation--not even a little--at least during the day--I still did do some hand work each evening--but as I talked to others the other day--I learned I had lots of company--then yesterday as I was waking up I realized probably why--we had the African dust visiting us --it was harder to breathe too--so that's my storyexcuse for not getting much done!!!!!!!! 

I did get a baby quilt top sewn--

I do think this quilt looks so much cuter in real life-the prints are of foxes and owls--I have realized that I do not have any wall space large enough to pin my quilts to for photos--oh, my!!!  this I taped to the back of the door for a quick photo for this blog post!!!   And I have ordered some really cute fabric for the backing for this one--

I am still appliqueing orange peels--

See--it is coming along--think I have just 7 more peels to applique on--and I also found a cute backing for this one on sale!!

And I have continued to do a bit of Cross stitching in the mornings--here is where I am on the Farmer's market one--

Still some stitching to do---but we are getting towards the end--

And with just working on the Bee one on Sunday mornings--here is where that one is--

poor little bee--needs his legs and wings yet!!

I always enlarge my patterns for Cross stitching--

the original pattern

And this is at 130% larger--this way I can mark off what I have stitched--and when I get done I still have the original pattern saved and in great condition--I made sure my last printer purchase would enlarge and it's an HP printer that I got for only $99 about 5 yrs ago.

I did get another Flower done--

these are Tilda prints--the solids are not--I tried to match them up from an online order and  only got a couple of them wrong--but was finally able to find solid colors in my stash to match them for the centers--the Tilda prints were a Fat Quarter pack that someone sent me as a gift--I do see they are still available!!

And the Chookshed challenge for June, is #5 and here is my #5 on my list--

Hexie's--I did only count 8--so have to decide if I am going to do a 9th one or what I will do for a center block???????????   What do you think????????????

And as everyone is talking about gardening--here is where my 2 miniature roses are-

This red one looks nice and healthy and is doing well--and look at all the new buds and blooms--

but--

The peach one--even though it is blooming--just is not as healthy looking and some of the bottom leaves keep yellowing and falling off--I just repotted these 2 weeks ago--I also did buy some special rose food--but not sure when to use it--as the dirt is so new yet--I make up my own soil--any ideas of help for me???

And here is the latest Cactus--believe this one is called a spring one--

And I do believe it might be getting ready to bloom again-at least I think those little tiny growths at the end of the green leaves are buds?????  They weren't there when I repotted it 2 weeks ago!!!

WELL--HERE'S HOPING I HAVE MORE MOJO THIS WEEK--HAVE TWO QUILT PATTERNS I WANT TO DO UP A COUPLE BLOCKS FOR TO SEE IF I WANT TO MAKE A QUILT WITH THEM PLUS, THE DECISION ON MY CHOOKSHED CHALLENGE FOR JUNE!!!!!

MAY EVERYONE HAVE AN AWESOME WEEK--STITCHING AND PLANTING AND ADVENTURES--

HUGS, DI

 

A DAY TO REMEMBER

 For most of us it is a day to remember those who gave their lives so we could have the freedom's we have had --til now--the future is now uncertain these days, it seems.  

I did not lose any family members in the military that I know of--but did lose '2' school male friends to war or ship accidents on the way to or from the battlefield--and I lost '2' good friends who had just signed up to join the Army and was out celebrating and had a car accident on the way home from the celebration--now that was 'sad'.    My father was in WWII and so was one of his brothers--but they made it home.

So--now on to what I did last week--

I got a big project done-- to the layering stage--

This is my Chookshed Challenge for May--I cross stitched these sheep squares a long time ago--probably a good 15 years ago and have finished them at least 2-3 times into a top--only to not like it at all and then unstitched--but this time--it will stay this way, and get quilted and  hung up, some day to enjoy!!!!

This is where I am on the current Counted Cross stitch project--

and this is the area I am working on now--

So this one is moving along--

Now yesterday I did start another cross stitch--for some reason I do not like to have more than one Cross stitch project to work on --but I did start this one--as I have been collecting some Bee themed items for a bit of decor probably in August!!  S000---

Now I will confess here and now-that both the black areas and the gold area's on the bee have 3-4 color changes--but--I am not doing any--my Bee will be just black and gold!!!!????

I got more orange peels appliqued on--

Someone should of called me and told me to count how many 'more' orange peels I would need to do by making this larger-----cause there is alot of them--more than what was done in the centerpiece of this one!!--(I did get more done on this one yesterday while watching the Indy 500)

While looking for a few new yellow fabrics to add some interest to this this I found this small jelly roll--

And I did use 2 yellows from this jelly roll--but look what else I found in this jelly roll??

Look at those Flamingos---now I have to do something with this jelly roll--I have had this jelly roll for a long time!!!!

And for my flower garden--

I believe I got one more done while watching the Nascar race last evening--but forgot to take a photo of it!!!

On Thursday my friend Carolyn and I took a walk--she had told me she had found a cute little sidewalk library the next block over so we went to check it out--

This is soooo stink'n cute--it is painted a bit darker yellow than it shows here--we each picked out a book--

But look at the lady's house who has these--

The Library is just like her house!!!

After this we kept on walking to end of the street and turned the corner and went into Harvest Thyme Cafe for lunch--it looks like a 'tea house' inside--it was a nice relaxing time and some good food--we tried 2 different kinds of French toast-a Strawberry one and a Chocolate chip one--and we shared them--we both decided we actually liked the strawberry one the best--!!!

WELL THINK THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR NOW--OH I DO HAVE '2' SETS OF FABRIC -- COLLECTED--ONE IS FOR A KIDS/BABY QUILT AND THE OTHER ONE FOR A CHICKEN QUILT--WE'LL SEE IF THE SEWING BUG HITS ME THIS WEEK OR NOT???

TAKE CARE--KEEP PRAYING THAT WE DON'T LOSE ALL OUR RESOURCES TO LIVE ON AND THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO BUY FOOD NEXT MONTH--WE NEED THE FOOD TO KEEP UP OUR ENERGY TO STITCH!!!

HUGS, DI