GOT LOTS OF 'B'S TODAY--

 TO tell you all about--

First up is the Big Blue skies outside the window today and a Big Bee--honey bee keeps flying past it!!

And it's Been a Busy week--Monday was the Van Trip to the Big Publix up the road--found some treasures at the Big Dollar Tree next door and some Bargains at Publix--

Tuesday, my  Best friend Cheryl and headed out to go to the Bank, when the X-ray technician called and said she was 5 minutes away --so we turned around and came back and she came into the apartment with her machine and X-rayed my arm and hand--she left and Cheryl and did continue on to the Bank--then we went to find some Bargains at Goodwill--but not a great day really--shelves were well picked over--I did Buy 6 items--one is this pretty Blue arch for my Bathroom--

I had been looking for nice blue flowers for the basket--but just couldn't seem to find any anywhere--then I seen this and for only $7,it was just the right color and is sooo pretty up there--!!  Also found a large bag of all sizes of styrofoam shapes for just $7--which if I bought them it would cost a whole lot more--found 2 nice clean straw hats for a future project I am working on--and a couple other items for crafting--On the way home we stopped at Zaxby's for lunch and had a nice Chicken Sandwich!!

Got a call from the doctor's office--no broken or cracked bones in my hand or arm--it is just--  they say, Psoriatic Arthritis--yet when I look this up--it really doesn't list my type of 'pain'--So????

The rest of the week--would you 'Believe' I actually did do some sewing???

I got the flimsy done on the Truck blocks--

Lots of Blues here--the Batting and Backing is all cut--now to just Baste it together for hand quilting!

And while I had the box of Batting down--I cut batting and backing for the Woven Heart quilt--

So how it is already for Basting--

I also picked out some fabrics for 3 other projects--one is anew BOM--that I am behind on already!!!

It has Been hard to sew--I feel like a fish out of the water with the new sewing room and cutting area--so have to get used to where everything is--and --if I want to cut out anything--I have to first clean off the 'desk' stuff to find room to cut--But it will it get easier--if one 'can teach an old dog' a new layout???

On the counted cross stitch front--

I did get the first row of '3' Blocks all stitched in--

and this morning I got the 4th Block started--

And as for my project for February--National Embroidery month--I got one Block all stitched--

and have started the second Block--

But I really need to find time to hand quilt--I have several 'quilts' on the runway wanting to be able to 'take' off to the finish line!!!!

And here is a sign that was a gift from a friend--

Oh and I have a new Best Friend who watches me while at my desk--

He is just so cute and he even has a rose for me--Best Boyfriend ever!!!

Sorry my photos are not the best--I can't seem to be able to download the photos I take on a camera with the sd card--so am using my cell phone for photos--and I find editing them is hard to do!!

HAVE FUN WATCHING THE SUPER BOWL--I WILL BE WATCHING AN OLD WESTERN--MY SUPER BOWL WILL BE NEXT SUNDAY WITH NASCAR--LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!  AND DON'T FORGET TO ENJOY SOME STITCHING THIS WEEK--

LOTS OF HUGS AND SMILES--DI

 

SOME PROGRESS--AND IT'S WARMER!!!

 I am finally able to say the weather temps are moving back up to more normal ranges for Florida--Yea!!!  Though today the Sun keeps having to fight the clouds to get out and shine!!!!

Monday was the Van trip to Walmart--had 12 signed up  for 9 seats--but only ended up with 8 residents showing up--  I needed to go but mainly for some basic items--one being a wrist brace--am having lots of problems with my right wrist and down my arm--but---the material they make the braces out of--down right--STINKS--and even with soaking in it baking soda and hot water--it didnot take the smell out of it and I can not wear it--does anyone have any other ideas for getting the smell out????  Thanks!!

Ok--we have ended the month of January--so what did I get accomplished????

Believe it or not--I did get one quilt completely finished--

 The Christmas Sunbonnet Sue is all done---I had planned to use more of the red lattice fabric for the binding--but found there wasn't enough and no other reds I had really worked so went with a green print!!

And as you will see in the next photos--

I added a novelty button to the Sue's hands--and I confuse--I finished this in the evening on the 31st!!!

My challenge project for this one--

was  my embroidered Trucks from Crabapple Hill studios-  I did make progress on them--just not what I had hoped to get done--

There is 4 trucks all together--I did get them trimmed up to 8 1/2 by 11 1/2--and I found lattice and cornerstone fabric and got them cut--they are just waiting for the quilter to sit down long enough at the sewing machine to sew them together?????

February's number for the Chook challenge is #10 and that is this one for me--

finishing off these wool Christmas ornaments--can't say I am happy about working on Christmas so soon--but this--January I also worked on Christmas Sues--soooo!!!

And here is where I am on the counted cross stitch project--

I have 2 blocks done and the little trees in the header all stitched in--it's hard to see by this photo but there is snow--snowing in both of these blocks--!!

It is National Embroidery month--and this year there is no daily stitching from Crabapple Hill--but--I remembered I had prepared alot of her blocks from some patterns while I was in New York--5 1/2 years ago--found that box yesterday and decided I would work on the '3' blocks I had traced and colored back then for this month--from this pattern--( sorry it is hard to see the photos--the one the picture was always very light anyways and I have had it a long time!

and this is the block I started last night on February 1st--

She did give us '2' blocks she was  working on--I have downloaded them for in the future--but as these are already prepared--will do these--

So now we are on to Valentines day--I did decorate the small lobby area by my apartment--but haven't done much in the apartment yet--My friend Carolyn came down yesterday afternoon and we worked some, on doing my walls--here is the main one we did--

I got my sewing machine table lower--and then we did this over it--but let me tell you--those 2 little black shelves did not want to hang on the screws at all--can't figure it out--they hung for me upstairs??? We finally put that wide thick double stick tape on the to hold them in place--(Men have their duck tape--women have the thick double stick tape!!!!!!!)  This morning I got the bright idea to display my little pincushions and such on them, the bunny and the chick are tape measures!!!

And we added these 2 canvas's to the doors of the china hutch--

I also did this, to over my desk --

They are 2 baking cooling racks from Dollar Tree that I hooked together using zip ties and added bright colored clips to--so I can add photos and such to it--(I can't use regular cork board--again cause of the smell on them--grrr!!)   I also added one set, to next to the sewing machine to hang patterns, ect, on it!!!

Working on some other ideas for the rest of the walls--!!

WE CAN BE SAD FOR THINGS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD--BUT WE MUST KEEP THE FAITH AND KEEP ON DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR US AND OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS--

BIG HUGS, DI

SUNSHINE AND NEW TREASURES--

Finally we are having a couple days of actual 'sunshine' in the Sunshine state!!!!

But we still need heavy sweaters and jackets outside--here mid state--it is still down right cold for us 'southerns'--but I hear we may have a heat wave coming this week to 70-74 degree days--instead of 60-64 degree days--the wind has made it feel even colder, here!!  And 'no' I did not get any snow here!!

The week was spent doing some shopping and trying to keep warm--On my Tuesday trip to the Plaza, I had a couple things I needed at the Dollar tree, and a list for Publix--but somehow my body also walked into a Bealls Outlet next door and I came out with a big bag of new treasures--

Two new pumpkins---I wanted a couple taller ones this past Fall--so I added 2 new ones for next Fall--the taller one has the prettiest feathers all around the top!!  and this cutey needed a new home--

I also got this tall mushroom with shiny things on the top of itplus, this really cute covered casserole dish that says 'grateful' on the top and a tall soap dispenser--

Now--here is the bestest part--these items where between---49 cents and 69 cents each--so all '6' of these items only cost me $3.54 ---score!!!!

The next day I had to go back to get more sheets of stick and peel for the china cabinet and once again this body walked into Bealls--this time 2 items came home--one is a glass round vase in a light color and the other is--

This neat Navy blue pumpkin on the top shelf--it is all sparkly and shiny--and the backing on the shelves is the new peel and stick sheets I got at the Dollar Tree--the wood on the back of the shelves is so dark that you could never see what I had on the shelves--now things stand out--I only paid 74 cents for the tall blue pumpkin!!!

And talking about 'blue'--

I finally started the hand quilting on my blue heart quilt--

I counted this morning and there is '80' blocks on this quilt--I have gotten '9' done so far--I can only do about 2 each evening as I am having problems with my right hand and arm--hope to get a brace for it tomorrow to see if that will help?????

As for other stitching--

I got these '4' items closures hand stitched--

I have had these done for years--they just needed to decide if they wanted to be pincushions or flat???  the two bottom ones will be cup mats--and I think I know how I am going to use the 2 top ones!!

One of my big projects the last week or so had been working at trying to get caught up on a Cross stitch project--

I have the header almost finished--needs a couple little trees--and all '9' blocks are stitched in-now to stitch what goes into each square!!!

And then there is knitting--

one sweater is mostly finished--

I just need to do the heming of the sleeves and bury the threads--

and I got '2' new sweaters started--

the top one is thinner yarn and easier on my wrist right now--but I like the option of having 2 to pick from to work on!!!

I also spent part of the week still organizing--the 2 big projects were accomplished--first I had alot of totes under my bed--they all had to come out and gone through and organized--they are mostly things for the china cabinet and decorating trims--

the second job was finding all my regular craft supplies in with all my quilt supplies and then organizing all the craft supplies so I can see and find what I need--(I had paint in 3 different totes before--

Now they are on 2 shelves in the closet and are marked--I think now most of the organizing is done--but I still need to find homes for a couple things and then I need to figure out my walls and how and what I want on them?????

Oh here is a picture of my plants--

And can you see where one of my new treasures has decided to make it's home?????

Two things made me sad this week--one of my favorite Blog sites--about Farm animals is taking a long blog break and may not be coming back--I miss my animal fix each day!!

And Crabapple Hill Studios is closing--if you remember she used to do a daily embroidery stitch along each day in the month of February and I have done one every year with her--so will miss doing that--and I loved alot of her patterns--Sad for me--but I wish her and her husband well on the next chapter in her life.

SO ENJOY EACH BLOG POST YOU READ AND LEARN FROM --AND KEEP ORDERING FROM YOUR FAVORITE QUILT SHOP--AND IF IT IS COLD WHERE YOU ARE--KEEP WARM--DRINK LOTS OF TEA!!!!!!!!

HUGS, DI

 

MOVIN RIGHT ALONG WITH--

 Well--I believe I am finally getting things moved around in this apartment so that soon I can get back to a routine in life and some sewing--

But first we will talk some 'sewing'--

I got this counted cross stitch finished to this point--

if you look closely there is alot of 'snow' to stitch in--both under the crow and sled--and in the sky--so this one is going into 'timeout' and into my --Christmas in July tote--it will have some company there--I know of a gingerbread quilt top that needs layering and hand quilting that month--too!!!!

Because I needed--yep--needed to get to work on this cross stitching--

This is a new design by Melisa--and she has already given us '6' of the little cross stitches for 6 of the 9 boxes--so I am way behind--there was 2 hold ups--first being the project above and second waiting on the fabric to stitch this one on--

a bit of history here--I am a self taught Cross stitcher from the 70's!! Then some where around 2003 or so--after getting into the computer 'life' and seeing alot of cross stitching I got back into it--only I decided I liked the look of linen--28ct linen and that is all I have used the last 20 years--I have done alot of stitching on 28 ct--but am finding it harder to work on these days--so decided to order some Aida 14 ct fabric for this project--and the first thing I discovered is how many colors you can get, now, in Aida cloth--and---don't tell anyone--it is so much easier to stitch and count your stitches on--so  I bet this 'old' lady starts doing more and more on Aida 14ct!!!!!

And evenings I have been working on a little crewel kit that I got for Christmas--

And finished this last night--all ready for framing--or???

This week I have been doing alot of rearranging--and first up is a new sewing corner--

Here I can keep the big ironing board up all the time--or use the little wool mat to iron smaller pieces--and my desk is also a cutting table on the other wall on the other side of the door way to the kitchen!!  Even got a new ironing board with an Amazon gift card I got for Christmas--

the Chair is a freebie that another resident no longer wanted--it will be used at the table when company comes--I will still use the desk chair for sewing!!

And --yesterday--this was the freebie from someone moving out--

Have wanted one of these for a  long time!!!!

Now on the wall where you seen the sewing machine and table a while ago--I now have my quilt display stand--

and yes there is still a small pile of things that need homes in front of it--and this is still the big oven I had in the old apartment--I have had it under my bed--but decided I wanted it out where I could use it--am hungry for a batch of blueberry muffins--sooooo!!!( remember--I had to get a smaller toaster oven for the kitchen--as this one is too big for the counter space I have now!!)

And my fabric stash shelf unit is now here beside the bed--

I had to take it out of the closet here--it just did not fit end to end like in the closet upstairs--and it took up way too much room in the closet--(we really only have one closet here--for everything--one with the 2 folding doors--so you have to be a master planner to fit everything in the apartment and not have a 'stuffed' looking apartment!!!

Here is a couple things I have done in the bathroom--

The top photo is my new towels and over it is one of those rub on decals--and this little white stool I just put together this week so I have a place to sit to put on shoes--well--that was the plan till my snowment decided differently!!!!

Here is the stand for the kitchen--

Can you see the 2 full shelves of all the different kinds of loose leaf tea????  My daughter got them all for me for Christmas!!!!

And here is some photos of the snowmen for January--

OH here is this months bed--

Oh remember this rabbit--is Frannie--and she used to help me sew--not sure that will work out this time--so now she sits here and can keep on eye on me where ever I am in the apartment!!!

Here is my window sill lit up at night--notice the reflection of the lights in the bottom of the glass container!!!!

And--

This is my buddy beside the TV and in front of my computer table--Should I leave him out all year--or does he need to be put away with the rest of the snowmen things????

WELL--I DO HAVE ALOT OF WORDS I COULD SAY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPEN'N TOMORROW IN DC--BUT I THINK I CAN SUM IT UP INTO ONE WORD--SCARED--AND VERY WORRIED--AMERICA--

BUT I PRAY EVERYONE HAS A GREAT WEEK AND LOTS OF SEWING TIME--AND JUST KEEP ON HAVING GOOD THOUGHTS AND ENJOY THE LITTLE MOMENTS IN LIFE--

HUGS, DI