A wonderful week...

     I couldn't have asked for a better week that just passed.  Wonderful weather, things being accomplished, and everything being quite peaceful.  

     I got into a rhythm with the quilt repair.  Rows 5 and 6 are nearly complete.  I'm trying my best not to change too much with the quilt as much as possible.  When I bought replacement fabrics I tried to stay within the same color family as the old pieces.  Then when I get to the point of sewing it all back together I place each block back where I found it, no matter how close in color the next block may be.

     My littlest turned 11.  So many mixed emotions on this one.  No different than the other two growing up but still a bit emotional for me.  We just spent the whole day doing what she wanted.  Chinese food for dinner ( a new tradition she says because it is what was for the dinner the night before she was born).  Chocolate Victoria Sponge cake for dessert (I have to find a better recipe for the cream in the middle though).  She was in heaven.  Just like it should be. Love my little freckle face to pieces.

     I was admiring my collection of heart rocks that my family finds for me whenever we are out on one of our excursions.  I may have to find a new spot for them all.  I'm running out of room on the shelf in my craft room.  But that is a good thing when it comes to something like this.

~*~

Kar

Spring hike...

     Last weekend found us waking up early and deciding that we all needed to get out and do some hiking.  The outdoors was calling us.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect for us to accomplish it.  Cool in the morning and warming up to the perfect temperature while on our hike.  We decided to head out to one of our favorite spots not too far away.  But far enough not to see anyone else and only hear the birds and wind going through the trees.  Perfect.  It had been two years since we had been back to this favorite spot due to the wildfires that swept through this area last year.  Luckily it didn't look like a lot of damage was done to the trees overall.  Many were still standing and still green.

     There was rocks to climb, rocks to collect, creek sounds to listen to.  A perfect day to have spent with my dearest people.  I can't wait to get back out there again.  Soon.  Very soon.

~*~

Kar

Making progress...

     Easter was wonderful.  A most wonderful, quiet weekend.  Just the four of us.  The highlight had to have been making the "monster" eggs and Strawberry Lemonade pies and then the girls having to find where the Easter Bunny hid their baskets.  It took longer this year, so I'm thinking the Bunny did a good job at hiding them.  I still ate too much candy, even after asking the Bunny not to leave too much this year.  Life goes on.  Our little duck friends came back for a quick visit that evening looking for bugs and the bits of bread that was left in the yard for them.  It's a simple little thing that makes the girls squeal when ever they spot them in the yard.  So cute.

     Progress is being made on the quilt repair department.  One is finished, washed and ready to go.  It isn't perfect.  But at least it is all in one piece now.  The other is proving to be a lot more work.  Some blocks can be saved.  Just a few stitches here and there to hold them together.  The rest have to be pulled apart all together and remade with new fabrics.  The craft room is a mess.  Which bothers me from time to time.  It can get rather chaotic in there with 3 people in there working on totally different things at the same time.  But on the other hand it's pretty wonderful having the girls in there with me making things that make them smile.  One person has been on a skirt sewing frenzy here lately.  She went into a panic when she couldn't find the pattern she had been using.  The search went on all over the house for it.  Finally I packed everyone in the car to go get another one.  So much easier than to see someone continue to panic the rest of the day over one pattern.  My list only consisted of one pattern and one zipper.  While I did get what I had planned for, there were a few new fabrics that some how found their way into a cart and ended up coming home with me.  I really don't know how that happened.  They wait patiently now on the shelves with all the other stashed pieces, just waiting for that perfect project to be used in.  There are ideas floating around in my head for them already.

     The sun is shining, the air is warm.  Which only means time out in the yard cleaning up after Winter.  There are plans for the front flower bed that change daily.  Yesterday was a wonderful day with a great many hours spent out in the yard making things look better.  I'm hoping for a few more today before rain comes again.  I'm getting a little impatient with waiting on all the flower seeds that have been planted.  Too bad they don't just pop up out of the ground over night to show their pretty selves.  In a perfect world.  

~*~

Kar

Back to sewing...

     Once the little crochet blanket was finished it took no time at all to get the sewing machine back out  for some serious sewing.  3 1/2 months since I last used it is way too long.  Four pairs of pj's were completed in a flash.  They are so awesome to lounge around in at the end of the day while working on the Scrap Granny Square blanket that I started a while back (in 2009, I just looked at Ravelry).  Beyond sad.  But it has been wonderful sitting in those wonderful pj pants, working on the scrappy piece of yarn work and going through a marathon binge watching of Foyle's War before the new season starts here.  Wonderful evening work.

     Over the weekend a major project was started.  Major surgery on two quilts for a BIL.  So a trip to the fabric store was made to get all the essentials.  I'm glad to have an assistant that knows what she is doing to help me on this.  The simpler one to fix is nearly done and then it is on to the major operation.  I'm just enjoying looking at all the old fabrics that were used one these quilts.  Just gorgeous.  Too bad they aren't available anymore.  I would go on a major spending spree for sure.  Then again it might be a good thing they aren't accessible.  I'll have to make sure to share pics of some of my favorites.  This is definitely one of those labor of love projects for sure.

     To be continued...  

~*~

Kar