Finishing Up & Prepping

 The last apron for part of my Summer Decor  for the kitchen is finished

The pillow covers were a little too snug so I had to make a 2" strip for the bottoms 

My little treasure from a  neighbors yard sale,it is perfect beside the sewing machine

Coffee staining a few more flags to add to an arrangement on the coffee table

The rest of the day I will finish up  my Summer decor & finish the binding on the 16 patch quilt,meanwhile the cutting table is prepped for a block party for one tomorrow 🤣 catching up on  2025 rainbow scrap challenge ,tiny 9 patches,mason jars,extending the reds & white top, scrappy blocks

Enlarging & Revamping The Reds & Whites

 Getting back to the red & white star quilt top,there's so many names for this quilt & it's been so long ago that I just call it my red & white star quilt 

I originally decided with a lap size with borders but decided to bump it up to a full size so off to the fabric shop to find something that would blend

Now the 9 patch, remember the cheap fabric & the tormorals 🙆 I tossed it all & bought this red & white & started over with a 5" 9 patch

The more blocks I made the more the white screamed at me,so off to the fabric shop I went again 😄 I found this beauty at Hobby Lobby ,so for this top I'm  taking apart what's been done & downsizing the squares & blending in this glorious rose print which will tone down that bright white

Sunday Inspiration

 

Today's Happenings

I luv  herbal teas as much as my coffee ,todays tea break is lavender & chamomile with a lavender infused honey  spoon stirer,if you leave them in your cup they will slowly dissolve 😀I like to stir them around & suck on like a sucker 😄

 I don't think my dirt likes cucumbers or vice versa 😄 this is the 2nd year I've tried growing cucumbers & they grow out round like golf balls 😄

 the tomatoes have finally bloomed,the squash are covered in blooms but no squash yet,the brussel stalks have little brussels,I tried the lemon basil dressing that I made yesterday on my salad & it was actually good

I'd say i would make it again but it was experimental  from the Basil vingeret recipe lol the vingeret calls for honey where as the lemon basil dressing callas for dejon, paremson & lemon, I had also read one that added mayo ,so the vinaigrette made more than it said so I started off with a little mayo then added lemon zest ,juice & the other ingredients till it tasted good to my liking , guess I should write down my chemistry experiments🤣 here's a refresher if you missed it yesterday 

As far as sewing projects go,I've just been doing piddly things, prep work on remaining pages of the slow stitch journal,final projects for the kitchen

Here are the links I used for the vinaigrette dressings

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/87544/basil-vinaigrette-dressing/

https://www.theharvestkitchen.com/lemon-basil-vinaigrette/#mv-creation-140-jtr

https://www.wholesomeyum.com/ribeye-steak/

The steak was cooked stove top on med heat,the recipe for the butter calls to roll it in a log & chill but Im never that patient 😄soften butter,dill & parsley , remove steak when done & cover the steak with the butter mixture & cover with foil ,I let it sit while making a salad & getting other things on  my plate ,it amazingly taste like it came off a grill, maybe the magic's in the foil🤷 but this is my favorite go to for cooking a steak

1st Harvest & Sorting Scraps

 Did you ever start a project ,& wonder 🤔why did I do that?😄 a while back the scraps were multiplying faster than they could be sewn up,it all started back when I decided to give them.a chance before tossing them out ,years of the same fabrics throughout quilts was starting to unnerve me 🤣I had the bright ideal to put them in a large trash bag,that was so wrong🤣so the sorting began

Amongst them was an extra large zip full of 2 &1/2" binding🤔 when? & why did I not use them?🤣

Then a pile of scrappy blocks & strips emerged 🙆

Finally the bag went to the floor🤣I am on the second round of filling a waste basket,the smallest scraps Im keeping are ones that just enough to use in my slow stitch journals 

The rain has really made the collards grow & today they needed to be dealt with

I don't think anything can kill basil😄it has grown like crazy but the dill & the parsley took a beating from all the rain 

So lets deal with that basil

When googling recipes, "All recipes" is one of many you can depend on to be reliable & good! I came up with a basil vingerette & a lemon basil dressing, tomorrow I will try one on a salad 

Just A Few More Quilt Books Please

Just 2 more "for now" 😄 the older quilt books seem to have the best patterns & certainly more details,the complete  guide to quilts has done  all the math for you for each quilt from how many blocks, yardages,strips etc from crib to king size,along with tips,a color chart & so much more ,Nickel Quilts is packed with quilts made using 5" scraps

between the two books these caught my eye for possible candidates in the future , 16 patch & flying geese,what a great scrap buster! The star looks outta my comfort zone but challenging enough to wantta  try it ,I can see it in Spring  or Fall colors

These blocks arranged in a strip style would be neat ,I haven't really done a lot of appliques  but I like the baskets with flowers enough to give it a try

Not Feeling This Flimsy 😄

 I pulled this top out the other day to make a decision to leave it at its current 46 x 50 size & use it for a snuggle lap size or make it full sized

but when I lay it out there's something about it that just messes with me😄 maybe it's the wider green border🤷

 leave it? unstitch it & start over? different layout? add frames around the center blocks? different color borders?  quilt it & be done with it & not look back?🤣I don't know but for now its going back in the closet 😄

Rain Rain Rain

 If it keeps raining , I'm going to have to get a boat😄 the sun pops out in spurts  , just long enough to run out & pour the water out of the barrels my veggies are planted in so they don't float right outta the barrels 🤣 the morning started out with more rain & a yummy bowl of greek yogurt with blueberries/raspberries & a granola mix

 

finished up the large rag balls,as soon as my niece saw a picture she fell in luv so guess I'll be making more for me later😄

another spurt of sunshine was a window to get Sadie home,the bottom fell out as soon as Grace & me got back home

by this time it was 2:00 & pouring down rain so what to do but make something yummy again😄 spaghetti & salad is always a good  quick lunch to whip  up when you're hungry & want something good, I pulled out one of the scrappy quilt tops with the thought of making it larger,the more I look at it the more I want to just rip it apart & start over😄

Sunday Inspiration

 

Rainy Days Calls For Silliness & Sewing

 We are still getting rain,so much that it us starting to cause flooding in some areas ,Grace & Sadie are stir crazy from being inside so they've been hanging with me in the sewing room ,what better to do on a stormy day but be silly 😄

Apron #3 is done,the chicken print requires a bit of gathering then I will be done with this section of Summer aprons 

I've been finishing up the pillow covers & working on binding on the patchwork quilt, rose lemonade herbal tea & thin cranberry almond cookies makes for a good break

I was wondering to what to do with all the basil that's growing faster than I can use it,I made pizza! Pesto,creamy melt cheese,grilled chicken,roasted sun-dried tomatoes & fresh basil on philsbury roll out thin crust dough,I've been researching vinegret  recipes so we'll  see what I come up with lol

Slow Stich ideas & Garden Updates

 I've got to do something with the basil,the parsley & the dill soon,but what?  I'm not sure just yet ,any ideas?

the tomatoes plants may be duds🤣 they're growing  but not blooming 

the squash seem happy

with all the rain the cucumbers are happy but drowning in the grass😄 guess I'll be pulling up grass 

I think the collards are ready to eat,they have really enjoyed the rain

just look at those little nobbies😆 those are little brussels coming out

the little black bees are back

todays a day of odds & ends ,I did get pillow too #2 with the blue & chicken print done,I may fool around with the stitch journal today & get some prep work done for different projects

the blue on the left is cut out from the fabric I bought from the warehouse,it will be filled with stitches,french knots etc.

we picked Sadie up this morning,I usually take them straight to the park but its already getting into the noon hour & its sooo hot outside,it was already 80 degrees at 9 this morning!

The Chicken Bobbin Won!

 I've won a few times but this morning the chicken bobbin won with only 8 inches to go 😄

Another bobbin in & the first pillow cover front is done

When trimming & squareing up make sure you know where your tape measure is 🤣

Fussy cutting more chicken blocks for pillow  top #2, its another rainy day ,the sun is refusing to shine as to day I give up let the rain have it 😄 so what better to do on a dark rainy day than some random sewing & maybe  squeeze in a finish or two on something