Family and An Early Christmas Gift

Family and friend filled weekend that spilled into Monday.........this past Saturday I hosted a family gathering, a chance for cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, husbands and wives to gather and have a fun day!  Some hadn't seen each other in  many years, grilled burgers, hot dogs, shared dishes, lemonade and games!  The oldest was 93 and the youngest was 9!

The bean bag toss got a little out of hand.........

Everyone getting a chance to catch up.........















 Sunday some friends that are summering in Maine spent the afternoon.......and we started the week with a visit from my husband's cousin, she and her husband were up for a visit from Florida.

Earlier this summer I finally got a chance to try kayaking and on Saturday I made plans with one of my cousins to go out later in the week, so this morning I got an early Christmas gift............

Making Progress

I haven't been in my sewing room the past few days instead I have been busy outside..........

The first coat of stain on the front porch, the second coat will go on next week, I have no time to get it done before a family gathering this weekend........

I  finished laying the bricks in front of the garden gate, it's not perfect but it fits with the rest of the garden.

 Found the strawberry plants, most have made it through this very dry summer.

Took the weed wacker and cleaned up around the hives, love it when my apiary looks neat and tidy,  next week I need to spend a little time looking in the hives........

 The cutting garden, had to take a moment to enjoy the beautiful zinnias.........

........and the garden along the fence with all the honey and bumble bees buzzing in the anise hyssop.

Hope I have the energy tomorrow to find my carrots.........I thought a before photo would help you appreciate the after photo!

After the family gathering on Saturday I will be able to get back to some sewing, especially since my yard and garden are in good shape.  

Time to Get to Work

The past few days have been spent loafing............

Took these ingredients and made some baklava for a friend...........

All the while, the house smelled of lemon, cinnamon, cloves and honey, then later, when the pastry was baking, it smelled of butter and walnuts.                                        

Thursday, after letting the baklava sit overnight, hubby and I delivered it to our friends and spent the afternoon visiting with them and then out to dinner for a treat........whole bellied fried clams, YUM!                                              









On Friday I picked up the wedding quilt from the quilter, put the binding on and then I spent the afternoon visiting with my quilting friends while I started turning the binding on this very large quilt!  

I hope to finish binding this by next weekend, I have finished one long side (115") and one short side (104") so I am well on my way.........

Today a friend and I went to a cute little quilt shop about 20 minutes from my house.  Grace you would love this place she carries only reproductions, I got a chance to see the precuts of Jo Morton's new line, Gratitude, and thought of you.  I picked up some muslin, and managed to talk myself out of purchasing a beautiful log cabin quilt kit. Planning on challenging myself to get UFOs completed in 2017..........

When I returned I started playing with the label for the wedding quilt, not sure if I like this one yet, but I am making notes and will get it done by the end of the week...........

After 3 days of loafing I need to get outside tomorrow, the grass needs cutting, winter wood needs to be brought inside (winter will be here before we know it), the garden needs weeding and the list goes on..........but I do not regret one moment of the past 3 days, the work will always be there, time spent with family and friends is much more important!

More Catching Up.........

More updating.........

Some of the blocks from a BOM program at a local quilt shop using Lori Holt's book 'Farm Girl Vintage', I have finished the blocks now I have to put them together into a quilt.

Earlier this year I was one of the winners of Riley Blake Designs' ~ 60 Days of Giveaways.

I also won the drawing for this fun bundle on National Quilt Day............both of my winnings have been added to my stash.

I also went out for the first time in a kayak, certainly not going to be my
last time, I really enjoyed myself.

I made a little more progress today on my wool project, this one will go on my table when it is complete, still lots of little details as well as two more bees to add to this one.

Catching Up

I haven't been the best blogger, no new posts in almost a year...........instead of trying to "catch up" in one post I will share a little at a time.

 Recently finished the wedding quilt for my youngest son and his new wife, it is at the quilter's right now, the binding is all made and waiting for it's return.  The quilt is called River Rock by Marcus Brothers using Primo Batiks.

A walk through the sewing room to see a few things I am working on during the hot humid days this summer and when we are blessed to have rain!

The bundle of fabric in the bottom right hand corner is going to be a rag quilt for a friend, it should make up quickly.  At the machine is a wool applique project that I am currently working on and to the left on the table are the shirts that are for a memory quilt.

A close up of the wool project, "Just A Buzz'n" by Crane Design.

.........in case those projects aren't enough to keep me busy I can work on one of these hiding under the cutting table
 

Time to work on a bit more of the wool project, hoping to add one of the bees soon.........