Granddaughter's Birthday

While we were visiting our oldest daughter, Jennifer and her family, our oldest granddaughter had her 17th  B-day party.  She's a cutie and a lots of fun.

Aunt Erin folded up some money into a shirt for her, and I thought it was so cute. 

She recently got a puppy; it is the cutest thing she calls him Chino-short for Cappichino.  He's a lot of fun too; he entertained us alot.

Earlier that day we went on a River Boat tour-cruise of the Missouri River, and I forgot to take my camera--bummer!  When we got home I requested the boys shoot off their potato cannons they made, so we could watch.

They shot them off of their second story balcony-deck.  (They have an amazing view of the sunrise from there.)  They had a big field to shoot the potatoes into, it was quite interesting.  Erin even got in on the act.

Our vehicle was just below the deck and there was a mud puddle they were trying to hit nearby, but no such luck--I think the shape of the potatoes makes aiming with accuracy impossible.

Our poor vehicle is in the shop today--the alternator went out on us yesterday while we were across town.  We thought the battery was acting up, so my hubby charged it up thinking that would take care of it.  It didn't.  I'm so thankful it waited until we got back from our trip.

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears--Oh-No!

We went to visit our kids in Iowa, and while we were there we went to the Zoo.

Here's are some  beautiful beasts.

Our first exhibit to view was the Desert Dome, and Kingdoms of the Night.

There were many things to see in there including some beautiful flowers.

And these hogs of some sort.

Our oldest grandson is growing like a weed--5'11.5" at fourteen.  You see him in the orange shirt.

There were some pretty good exhibits, but when we got to the bats area we needed some SERIOUS room freshener!  Good thing I had a jacket to wad up and breath through.

Below they are watching the beaver swimming around in the dark room, and it was hard to see.

I've got more pics to show, but that's enough for now.

Going Greenish

 I love the green of the outdoors, and I love evergreen trees---so I made one for my pins.

It's made up of five little stuffed shapes.  In the picture below I have completed 3 of them, and joined them on the straight side (middle of the tree).  They are stuffed with Poly-fil for the upper 2/3 of each shape then filled the rest of the way with regular rice before closing it up.  The rice makes it HEAVY and I like that.  Have you ever pulled a pin out of a pincushion and the pincushion went flying?  Well, that won't happen with this one.

I really like it--excuse the toe.

I think it will be great for when I am cutting out a clothes pattern.  I can just set it on the pattern piece before I pin it and the pattern piece will stay put while I pin it.

Now, if I could just get this excited about doing dishes--and COOKING--I did not inherit my mother's genes in this area like my sisters did.  However, I used to enjoy cooking when I could eat sweets--I made pies all the time and cookies; I even made my own bread.  Now, cooking is a necessary evil, and I have to eat right or I will get sick again.  Oh, well.  At least I can still sew.

Patio Reclaimed

 We did some work on the patio last weekend.  I needed to pull the lemon basil that was coming up in the cracks of the pavers---It just got out of hand.

But, look what happened---Aaaaak!  They reseeded.  I have more work to do.  I think our linoleum knife will work just fine.

The tomatoes are gone; we can see the chimnea.

Much better!

What a mess it was.  I am thinking about planting flowers in that bed next year.  Here's the before picture........Yikes!

Our sweet potato vine is a little out of hand also, but I don't mind it so much because it can be moved.

There's a chair under there somewhere.

I'm glad it's cooling off a little so we can enjoy the great outdoors.  I'm so very thankful for all the rain we received also.  The yard has greened back up.

                       

                           Hubby had some brush from our daughter's home to burn.

HOT WORK.

                                                                   COOL WORK.

                                 I love these colors in flowers--Now I can enjoy them year round.  Hydrangeas, violets, sweet rocket, phlox, irises--to name a few.

It's coming along.  I did three and a half blocks last night.  My hubby ask me, "Who's this quilt for?", and I  said, "It's for me".  'Bout time.
I think this post is too long for Blogger--I can't get some of the wording centered.

Hexie Love

 I've started a new project--HEXAGONS--I needed something to work on in the evenings and when traveling.  It will be very portable.  I made these two yesterday afternoon while my hubby and I were watching a war movie.  That's a good diversion for me because those movies are a little too intense for my enjoyment.  Hubby is always reading something about war...it's his hobby.  He always knows the answer to just about any question I have on the subject, which is nice because I don't like the nitty-gritty details.

I'm thinking lavenders, purples, blue violets, and various shades of these for this quilt.  This is my first project that uses English Paper Piecing and I am enjoying it--it's so precise.

Each small hexagon is 2.75" across, not including seams, and each flower block is about 7.25" across.  I figure I will need about 81 blocks for a good sized lap quilt.

Here is the back of one flower block.  The basting stitches and paper will be removed when the blocks are joined together.

I have a hexagon template for rotary cutting the strips of material into little hexagons with seam allowances.  This should make the cutting go a little faster.

Fun.

Sewing Again and Birthday Girls

 I've sewn another bag.  I recently bought a purse pattern that I have been wanting for a long time, the Prairie Rose  by Fig Tree and Co.  I think if I make it again I will put batting in the flap and quilt it also, and maybe add some tabs on the inside for a magnetic closure.  I would kind of like to make it in a red print and also make the front of the bag a couple of inches less wide.  It is gathered on the front at the top, but I don't want it so bulky in the front.  I have to mess with it too much to get the flap to lay right.  I do like the looks of it though--It's very girly.

A row of piping around the edge of the flap before adding the scalloped ruffle in a contrasting color would be nice also.

The flap seems a little long, too.  I think I'm a perfectionist just looking for the perfect purse.

I linked up with amylouwho's sew and tell.  Go check it out.  There's another linky party at The Shabby Nest--tons of stuff.

We went to our middle daughter's home for our  youngest granddaughters' B-day party.

Evie is three now.  The party started with a wiener roast.  Yum! I indulged with a bun--I'm on a diet.  It sure was good.

Our little Sophie will be one later on this month.  She's in the swing with mommy--her best friend.  Her eyes just light up when sees her mommy walk into the room.

Evie got some new PJ's and wanted to wear them-cute.  I think Isaiah's head is getting warm while he's roasting his hot dog.  Chili is hoping for some crumbs to fall.

Madison reminds me of myself when I was her age--always active.

Grace recently had her B-day also--she's the red-headed-Sweetie.

Dad needs a picture for his cell phone.  Don't you just love the flags in the window?  Celeste made them.  Such a cute idea.