Spring has sprung..........hopefully!

I'm so ready for spring.  The first time I went to Walmart (and you know I try not to go there unless I absolutely HAVE to) and saw bulbs available, I snatched up a pot of what turned into pink tulips, my favorite.  I could tell they were tulips, but since none were close to blooming when I purchased them, the pink was a happy accident!  These were beautiful in front of the kitchen window, but I think David is transferring them outside today as they are kind of past the pretty stage.  He's been working in the yard and garden some and will probably plant potatoes today.

And it was also time to put away the St. Pats decor.............all 2 pieces of it!  This was a cute little table topper made from 1.75" half square triangles that finished at 1.25".  And now the Easter/spring decs are out.

 The Easter decs include this pillow made from more leftover half square triangles - this will be going to Sarah for Easter since the leftovers are from the quilt on her bed.

And this table topper made from leftover half square triangles from the heart table runner.

I was trying some things I had learned in the online quilt path class I had taken.  Some I liked and others I didn't, but it makes a cute spring table topper and Cici and Esme like to sit on it and block the view of the TV.

Saturday evening we met the Bentleys in Columbia at Como Smoke and Fire to celebrate David's and Charles' birthdays.  I finally got to meet my great nephew who was born in December.  He was a cutie!

And Saturday afternoon I stopped by some of my piano students' house to see their 3-week old golden doodle puppies!

Babies and Puppies all in the same blog!  Life can't get any better!

In the sewing room, I finished piecing this project.  It was part of a Missouri Star Triple Play tutorial using the equilateral triangle.  I couldn't seem to get a picture without a photo bomber!

And I had a request for a pumpkin wall hanging in a certain size, so this is what I came up with from scraps from my pumpkin quilt, pillows, and turkey wall hanging from last fall.

And remember that pear wall hanging?  Well I loaded it on the longarm, went downstairs to have lunch and came back to this.............Esme is sure this is a kitty hammock.  

She thought she was being so cute, but I didn't touch her, just reached for the nearest spray bottle and gave her a good squirt in the face!  Relaxing Lavendar Best Press!  She dashed away.

The relaxing part must have worked because I found her curled up on her pillow.  Not sure if the Best Press affected her "Cruella" hair or not. 

I adjusted the pears and got it quilted and bound and it's already hanging in the dining room.

Esme still thinks she's pretty cute.  We're working on not sleeping in the "Longarm Hammock".

And I finished binding the Christmas Village quilt.  So, I'm either late for Christmas 2021 or just really early for Christmas 2022............

This will be going on Sarah's bed for Christmas.  I'm looking forward to some quilting this weekend.

Christi

Beware the Ides of March!

 

We'll start with this picture for no apparent reason other than to say, you never know what Esme is up to!

And I know that the Ides of March are over, but I've been trying to get a blog post done since before then, and something always derails my plans..............so, the Ides of March will just have to take the blame.  

Several things have happened since my last post which have no pictures (for which you can be thankful because they wouldn't have been pretty photos!).  

This is the one month anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  We have been messaging with Yuliya, our Ukrainian exchange student daughter frequently.  She was in Kiev when the bombing started, got out, and is now living at her mother's apartment in western Ukraine.  There are 6 of them in a small 2 bedroom apartment, but they are safe for now.  

Closer to home, on Feb. 28th, the hubster was putting tin on the side of the shed and fell off his ladder.  (He would want me to note here that he is not THAT clumsy, the ground was very soft and the ladder started sinking and it went one way and he went the other.)  He hit his head - not sure what on - and passed out.  He has no idea how long he was there and doesn't remember anything before being in the house.  Long story short, he took himself to the ER, lots and lots of blood (which explains the absence of pictures because I just wouldn't do that to you), stitches and 9 staples, passed out again, and had to stay overnight.  He's much better now.  The staples are gone - he was threatening to have me take them out one weekend, but I managed to stay REALLY, REALLY busy in my sewing room to avoid having to do that.  

We celebrated some March birthdays.  Yuliya's was right at the beginning of the month.  She was living with her boyfriend's grandparents then and they somehow managed to have red velvet cake for her birthday in the midst of the war.  

My cousin Susie also celebrated a birthday.  I sent her a box of "table scraps".  

A table runner for Halloween and one for Christmas!  Both made from scraps and leftovers!  Yeah for leftovers!  Also note, Susie just got this table that used to be our grandparents dining room table.  I love helping her decorate it!

And this red one was made from leftover half square triangles from other projects.

I took the layout from what was supposed to be a full size quilt and just used my little triangle squares to make it.  Each block finishes at 1.25".  

I spent some time doing the layout to make sure everything was turned the right way.  My old bread board worked well for this.  Of course, I had it all laid out and then............I SNEEZED!  So, I fixed it and set to work sewing it together before any other disasters (Cici, Esme) could strike. 

Here is a close up of the Baptist fans I quilted on it.

And here is my cousin with her table scraps!  She LOVES it when we take her picture.  (Thanks to her sister, Pam for this one!)

The hubster also celebrated his birthday on the 17th..........Happy St. Pats!  I made a lasagna and key lime pie and delivered it to the hog barn where they guys were individually weighing 1200 pigs that day.  The next day I took him to Kleinschmidts to buy some new boots, and to a steak house in Warrensburg.  And that weekend, we met friends at The New Theatre in KC for dinner and show.  So, I think we celebrated it well.............but no photos to share.  (I know, Susie, David got all that and no photos in the blog and all you got were table scraps and your picture posted.  Life is just not fair sometimes.)

So I know you want the animal update............

The birds have appreciated the birdfeeder during all the snow we've had.  I especially love the cardinals.

And I apologize for the poor quality of the photos.  It was hard to keep the glass inside clean as Cici, Esme, and Willow all took turns sitting in the window seat watching the birds.  I have since cleaned the windows on the inside.  The outside still sports a couple of feathers stuck to the glass where the birds flew into the glass............not the brightest birds in the flock!

And who doesn't enjoy a sunny spot!

Or a nap!  It's rare to grab a photo of Willow sleeping............or this clean during the spring thaw.  

I grew some cat grass and Cici devoured it.  Esme didn't care for it, but Cici mowed it down in nothing flat.  So, I'm growing some more for her.  She has simple needs.

And sometimes I call Esme, Cruella because her fur never looks that clean or neat.  She loves to walk along the side of the tub between the shower curtain and liner while I'm in the shower in the mornings.  She has, on occasion, fallen in, and sometimes can be a little damp after playing there.  Last week, she was sitting there, and I just picked her up and brought her in for a shower.  (Giving her a bath had been on my list, so hey, why not check one thing off early in the morning!)  Believe it or not, she really didn't mind the shower.  She didn't like the spray in her face, but other than that was fine with it.  I hadn't really planned this out and didn't have the pet shampoo.  Pantene to the rescue!  If it's good for my hair, it's surely good for hers.  Then I realized that I didn't have any of the old towels ready.........so I used David's!  (Ok, I washed all the towels after that.)

Here she is sunning herself after her shower..............you get the Cruella reference now.  

I have to say that the Pantene seemed to make her fur look better.  Maybe next time we'll condition too.

And yes, I have been sewing............ That Christmas Village quilt (last post) is quilted and almost has the binding done.

I finished piecing Just Kitten Around.

Here is another half square triangle scrap project that has now been made into a pillow for Sarah for Easter.  It is leftovers from the quilt on her bed. 

 I added another round to my challenge piece.  The prompt was diamonds.  The next prompt has been released and is piano keys.  I'm still mulling that one over.

This was my attempt to lay out a quilt on the floor.............too much assistance from the design team of Cici and Esme!

And this pear wall hanging now has it's borders and may get quilted soon.

SEW...........that's it for now.  I am hoping to have some time this weekend to spend quilting and sewing.  Of course, David still thinks we need to have MEALS!  And, Willow really REALLY needs a bath.  She has been enjoying the spring mud way too much.

Christi