good things happen . . .

To those who wait? To those who do?  Randomly?  I dunno.  All of the above, I guess!  This month kicked off with Easter, and we celebrated with the Merkel family at my folks' house.

Assessing their plunder!

It was a lovely day . . . the weather couldn't have been more beautiful!  Or at least, so I thought.  We had Monday off, so Todd and I took the boat out.

That was pretty exquisite, too! 

We found our first hatchling in the turtle sanctuary and moved him/her over to the nursery.

They are always so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they make their first appearance in the Spring!

I convinced Todd to do a thing for me.

I desperately needed working space in the Nook.  Desperately.

Now I have it!!  I'm so excited!  At some point, when the weather is a little warmer, I'll go back through the tubs and organize them a little better.  But I'm very, very pleased with both my storage *and* my new found working space in the Nook!  Plus, I have a lot more space for storage than I thought! *wink*

So immediately I had to do something fun to celebrate . . . 

These Moda blocks had been on my to-do list for a while.  And these colors are yummy.  The photo doesn't do them justice.  And I know I'm always saying that purple is my favorite color, but I really think it's blue.  Blues draw me every time.  I adore purple, but I want to quilt with blue.

I also got a new rotary cutter, which I LOVE!  It is a delight to wield.  Seriously.  If you've not used these, you should give them a try. It cuts like a dream.

I got some more 'spring' color to add to our yard!  

Usually we do hanging baskets for Mother's Day, but I was ready for some color NOW!  Heh.  I love impatiens ... and they last all the livelong summer!

Speaking of plants, usually Todd waits until after his birthday to plant our little vegetable garden, but this year, he went ahead and got it in a little early.  

I should get more pictures.  He's expanded our raised beds and it's looking so good! This is one of the new beds, in which he's planted three blueberry bushes.  Whoop, whoop!!  We love blueberries, for sure!

Finally (and I'll wrap this up), we got a load of supplies delivered for the construction of the bathhouse!  We are so, so excited about this!  

The completion of the bathhouse will complete the vision Todd was given for the camp when we first started out here as camp hosts, 12 years ago.  Two bunkhouses and a bathhouse; a place where churches could being kids and youth and enjoy God's creation. And God has been so faithful!!  Work won't start until May, but building materials are hard to come by and Todd wanted to get them early, instead of taking a chance he couldn't get them when he needed them.  Yeah, we're very excited!

:)

i've fallen . . .

. . . and I can't get back up on the proverbial blogging horse!

I hesitated using that title since I have had shoulder surgery recently and didn't want to alarm anyone, but every time I went to start a post, that commercial went through my mind.  But I also couldn't bear to put a pic of a woman sprawled out on the floor at her most vulnerable hour of need (I know, I know, it's a paid actress).  Besides, the turtles are starting to show themselves in the sanctuary ... hibernation time is ending!

We've even found a few new hatchlings!  I adore teeny-tiny baby turtles! ♥

I did get my sling off this weekend, though I'm still sleeping in it.  Which is odd, because that was so tough on me with the right shoulder.  But this time (probably because of the bonus bicep tear repair), I don't sleep well *without* the sling!  C'est la guerre, huh?

I also got to sneak in some Nook time. Our April mug rug swap for guild is themed "Spring".  I haven't quilted the bottom two, yet, because I was worn out.

Aren't they cute?!  I love that little carrot ... it goes with my table topper!  I had just enough fabric to make a matchy-matchy.  I probably will not swap that one!  :)

I did a lot of shopping during my convalescing.  I don't need to have an additional surgery any time soon, y'all.  I'll share my loot next go 'round!

We did get our boat launched and into a slip for the season ... HOORAY!  That takes a LOT of stress off both Todd and me ... I didn't realize just how much it stressed me until we weren't having to do it.

Click to see the big pic!

We enjoyed a lovely day on the lake this past Friday.  

That's our slip ... the empty one between the two motor boats!  :)

It's so nice to park the truck and just walk onto the boat and vice versa when the day is done! I like  easy, happy finishes.

I appreciate all the sweet, well-wishing comments on the last two posts.  Typing was such an issue, I didn't do a very good job of responding to them all.  I hope that's all behind me now!

Have a happy week!

:)

working weekend . . .

I *did* get in some good stitching time over the weekend . . . yay!!  And I managed to play in a wide variety of mediums/techniques, too, so double points for me!

I started off the weekend by tackling the sixth block for my fairy frosted orphan project . . .

I think this block fits right in with the other five, don't you think?

Oh yeah -- can't even tell it's not an original!  LOL!  I didn't get the short block fixed.  Fiddle-dee-dee.  There's always next weekend, right? ;)

I also set my hand up for this little wool trick . . .

Hahaha!  Get it? Card Tricks in Wool! I'll be slow stitching on this for the next week.  I like having projects like this on hand for evening slow stitching. I can't wait to share a finished photo of it!

Sarah, who's one of my favorite enablers, caught my interest in her 'thirds' hexie project, so I decided to order some templates for myself. I had lots of Civil War fabric left from an earlier project and decided it need to be put to use . . .

Have no idea where I'm going with this.

Only that I need to do a LOT more, Hahaha! That's okay -- more evening stitching, right?

I also added to my fabric "Fabergé" eggs collection. Another great use for frosted fairy scraps.

My bunnies are so happy! So am I. I'm really digging these fabric eggs!

And look who we found out and about this weekend in the sanctuary . . .

He's so happy to be above ground! In honor of his 'coming out' for spring, let me share a link to this darling, darling, EPP stuffed turtle ~ Tilly the Turtle ~ to be precise. Another dear "Sarah" friend (who's local and also a pretty good enabler) sent me the link.  The tutorial and pattern are free on Abby Glassenberg's blog, While She Naps.  TOO CUTE!  Hmmmm.  That block that needs repair may have to wait yet another weekend...I think this weekend might see some turtle stitching!

:)

a lucky break . . .

For all my good intentions, I didn't get a bloomin' thing under my sewing machine this week...more busyness! Todd and I headed to Montgomery on Wednesday evening after church. It's about a three hour (and some change) drive and we had a conference that started at 8:30 the next morning -- so we decided we go down the night before. What we didn't realize when we made that decision was that the *state* softball and baseball tournaments were in Montgomery this past week, and getting a hotel room was night impossible!

It all worked out for the best, though.  We love to stay in different B&Bs, so we were lucky to snag the *last* room available at Red Bluff Cottage Bed and Breakfast.  We got in late and went directly to our room, so we didn't really have a chance to explore, but I knew all was well when I saw this on our door . . .

Yes, we stayed in the Stitch in Time room.  What are the odds??!  It was so sweet -- she had framed blocks from quilts her mother and grandmother had made, hanging on the wall over the bed.

And lots of little embroidered pieces and stitching books and pictures that just made me feel right at home! It's funny to me it was the last available room, when it would have been my first choice if all the rooms had been available!

Breakfast was delicious, too.  But check this out . . .

Stitching *and* tea?!?  This place was my B&B dream!  LOL!  We had homemade waffles and sausage . . .

It was very good! In fact, I had to take a picture of Todd's plate because I started eating without a second thought about a picture! Unfortunately, we had to get to the conference, so we still didn't get to hang around and take it all in. That's one B&B I'd like to revisit someday. And we met a lovely couple who were 'on holiday' from the U.K. Get this -- they'd visited New England and the East Coast before, but because they'd fallen in love with the show Nashville, they wanted to visit the South.  I equated it to me wanting to visit England because of Downton Abbey!

We didn't get home until well after dark on Thursday, and Jocelyn came by with both girls on Friday morning. We thought the day was going to be a rain out, but it didn't hardly rain at all!  We'd been wanting to share the turtle sanctuary with Everley (Ellie just came for tea, coloring, and movies). Because it was a bit cool, there weren't too many turtles out and about, but there were some.  And there were some big ol' toads, which to Evey are almost as good as turtles (almost)! Evey and I went out to take a last look after lunch and I was uncovering leaves to see who was buried, and I found a tiny, tiny turtle -- must have been one of the new hatchlings. Evey was overjoyed!

He was so tiny, he fit in the palm of her hand!

She brought it in to show mommy, Ellie and Paw-paw.  Ellie was happy to look at it while Evey held it.  LOL! They are such opposite little girls - but both incredibly dear!

Saturday was my slow stitching day. Todd and I took to the water for the day. He fished and I read, stitched, and fished. LOL!  My water days are a whole lot more versatile than his water days! :) So I've finished up the first quarter panel . . .

(I know it's a wrinkled mess -- sorry about that!) Hopefully today I can sneak in a minute or two to transfer some letters to the second quadrant, so I can stitch a little more through the week.

My stash went up a little because of the bloomers fabric . . .

And since I didn't actually *make* the bloomers yet, well, nothing went out. Hopefully next week I can happily report a debit to the stash!

Linking up today with Patchwork Times and Kathy's Quilts.  Be blessed in this day that the Lord hath made; rejoice and be glad in it!!

:)

let's make it . . .

. . . a wonderful Wednesday!!  (Did you think I was going to say something quilty-cutesy? Psyche!)

I'm just going to be straight out honest and say that I got in more napping than stitching on Sunday afternoon. (insert cheesy grin here) But I have done a smidge of stitching on Evey's quilt . . . 

"G", to be exact.

I found a cute pattern for bubble britches for Evey (to go with her turtle smock). I was prepared to buy a pattern when I remembered I've got a pretty decent arsenal of patterns for little girls' clothes saved on my laptop. Sure enough . . .

Just the bloomers. For now! Pdf patterns are interesting, because you've got to print them and then put them together . . .

Tah-dah! That was quick...luckily for me, these little cuties only needed five pages. But I still had to find some appropriate fabric! Luckily for me, there's a little shop *two*doors*down* from my place of work -- Barb's Sewing. I think I've got the perfect little print to hide a diaper and go with the smocked turtles . . .

Isn't that cute stuff??? Add that half-yard to my stash and out again.

I found a *GREAT* video tutorial for baby bloomers from Vintage to New.  

This tutorial is definitely worth checking out if sewing a pair of baby bloomers is in your future. LOL!  (insert another cheesy grin here)

So that's where I stand on Wednesday -- hoping to have bloomers finished on Friday and powering through letters "I" and "J"! Linking up today with Esther's Quilt Blog WOW (WIPs On Wednesday) post. Have a GREAT day!!

:)

so much to say . . .

Do you know how long it's been since I've submitted a stash report??  About the same length of time it's been since I had anything to report!

Isn't that sad?!?  But finally, I do have a little something to throw out there, so there it is.

I finished up my wool apple stitchery . . .

And it's just fitting perfectly in its little spot.  

Glad I got it finished in time to give it a little 'air' time before moving to the big guns . . .

Which, who am I kidding, the pumpkins have already started making a pretty strong showing . . . 

Tea (which a sweet friend brought back from her trip to Gatlinburg, TN, for me).

Creamer (which my sweet husband spied and brought home).

Even my coloring sheets! Do you color?  I adore coloring -- it's so relaxing and fun!

Here's a fun freebie I pulled down off the Dover Samples.  I subscribe to their weekly samples, not just because of the coloring -- in fact, that's secondary -- but because of the potential *stitchery* and crayon tinting patterns!!  Always thinking, this one.  ;)

My coloring has taken a turn to Bible art journaling, which I'm loving.

I'm working my way through the Book of Proverbs (part of a challenge for a Bible study I'm facilitating, Lysa Terkeurt's The Best Yes).

Todd and I spent a good portion of the past two days over at our house, clearing out the painting supplies, touching up trim, and thoroughly cleaning it all . . .

I'm so ready to be done with this house!  Hopefully the market is at a point where we can successfully sell it. I do not want to rent (ever again) it, if we can help it. Anyone out there wanting to move to Alabama?! It's got a GREAT room for quilting! Haha!

And it's the land of cotton!! Bahaha!  

Anyway, as we were leaving, I snagged up some leaves from the magnolia tree out front.  I've always wanted to make a simple wreath from magnolia leaves and saw one a couple of months or more ago on [I *think*] the Better Homes & Gardens website.  For the life of me I couldn't find it again, but I had the picture in my mind pretty solidly, so this is what I came up with . . .

Have mercy, I think it took me longer to pick the leaves than to make the wreath! I already had the ribbon, so that was nice, and I actually used cardstock for my 'base'. I sprayed the finished piece lightly with a little gold glitter. Yay! The Nook's door needed a little something something!

Speaking of the Nook, after I finished up the wreath, I used up some of  that stash fabric . . . I made a simple little pillow cover for my love seat. 

I've been meaning to do this for a long time -- and eventually want to do something a little more involved with some quilting -- but this will suffice for the time being! I love the colors in that purple. It's hard to see, but it's burnt orange, purple, brown, and just a tad red. It's true autumnal fabric to me. One look around the camp's Serenity Pond and you can see what I mean . . .

The sumac trees are always the first to start changing and gosh, they are just beautiful right now!

And finally, look what Todd brought in to me yesterday morning . . . 

A new turtle hatchling!  They're so darling when they've just 'broken free'!  And not shy in the least little bit!

Time to hit the road to church this morning . . . linking up to Patchwork Times.  Have a wonderful day and thanks for indulging this longish post!!

:)