Some painting, gardening, a wedding and another afghan

I’ve been lax with my posts here. We’ve been away twice in the last couple of weeks and now I’m packing for a major (for us) trip. We’re flying to Nfld and doing a coast to coast tour by car. I'm having a lot of anxiety making sure that I’ve got all my medications filled and packed properly. Seriously, I’ve filled 2 large ziplocks. I haven’t flown in quite some time and never with my husband so it will be quite the trip for us.

This past weekend we travelled to Moncton, NB for our niece’s wedding. It was outside at a a garden and The mosquitoes were a bit of a problem. They had a table of bug sprays, lol. It was a lovely ceremony though, and short, after which we moved inside to the tent which was great.

My sons and daughter also came so it was a nice little reunion. We met at the splash pad in the afternoon for a little fun with our grandson, Ollie.

My husbands happy place.

Some of you may remember that I started crossfit (on an extremely basic level) about 3 months ago. Sticking to it hasn’t been hard because the workouts are always different and fun and I’m seeing huge improvements. This morning, I saw my doctor and she adjusted my blood pressure medication because it’s dropped so much since I started. 

The only sewing I’ve done recently are these little zipper bags that are made from vinyl lined fabric which I’ll be using on our trip.

That’s a mug rug on the bottom.

They’ll come in handy for little snacks or for keeping track of pill packs and small items.

Today, after my lunch, I took out a piece of randomly painted canvas and added some free hand flowers and the black screen print.

I’m making a couple of very simple luggage tags. This is the front and back view with vinyl on the front. I’m going to do a zigzag stitch around three sides and add heavy elastic.

This is another double stranded crocheted ripple afghan that I just finished. They are so fun I wish I could do more!

Along with all that, I’m trying to keep up with the garden and use what I can. Yesterday, I harvested  a few beans, peas, tomatoes and the yellow zucchini. I managed to use most of the zucchini.

I’m hoping a friend can use some while we’re away and not too much gets wasted. My scarlet runner beans are just getting going. I have a little rhubarb I’d like to pick and freeze and I’d like to put in lettuce seeds for the fall. We’ll see if time permits.

Sunshine, gardens and paint and stitch.

Some days I have ideas floating around in my head and regardless of what is lying on my machine, I just have to try them. The sun was shining this morning and after all that rain, the temperatures are more comfortable and the gardens are lush. After I got home from the market, I took my camera outside to snap a few photos. As happens every year, the scarlet runner beans are taking over the deck.

There’s is a veritable tangled garden growing along the rest of the deck. Mingling and winding their way are snap peas, morning glories, tomato’s, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, peppers and a few tomato plants.

In the raised bed, there is lettuce, carrots and broccoli and by the back door besides herbs, I have one large yellow zucchini plant.

Most of the poppies are done but I especially liked the sunny picture of this small one with the seed pods.

Using my pictures as reference I sketched a few designs on some various small pieces of fabric. With Derwent Inktense blocks I painted  the coneflower and then took them to the machine to free motion outline with black. While the black thread was on the machine, I also finished outlining flowers on a piece of flower painted canvas which I want to use to make a sketchbook holder.

I will be adding color to the poppies. I plan to use them as a front and back for a small bag.

Already I trimmed the cone flower and picked out and cut backing and lining fabrics for a small bag.

I just had to follow my creative flow but now it’s time to pack up and change. Hubby is loading the kayaks and we’re heading out for a paddle. Haven’t decided where yet. That’s what summer weekends are about.

Gelli prints for little bags

We’ve had a spectacular, if a little too hot, weekend here; at least we were able to get cooled in the water. Sunday we went to my in laws at the beach and had a lovely swim.

Yesterday, we packed up lunches and the kayaks and drove about 1 1/2 hrs to Mount Carlton near the Center of the province. The highest peak in the maritimes is there as well as great hiking trails, but we went to kayak the Nictau Lake that has a little island where I love to swim. We hadn’t been in a couple of years.

It’s about a 45min paddle when conditions are good and they were.

We dock on the other side where the rocks are lower and have our lunch there. 

Jumping off the rock is exhilarating and reminds me of summer days at the lake when I was young — even if I can’t go as high.

Water is so enticing to me. I not only want to look at it, I want to be in it!

Even hubby joins in although he doesn’t jump not being a strong a swimmer. He enjoys it just the same.

This was the view before we started.

Meanwhile,  I’m still working on my sea life piece. After fusing on some foreground shells and rocks and adding some Inktense it’s ready for more thread stitching and embellishing. I had just enough time at the end of a sewing session on a different project to thread the machine and start on the pink seaweed.

On the long weekend in between outdoor adventures, I cut and bordered a Gelli print from my stash. I had the urge to sew up a couple small zippered bags like I do every so often.

One half had a small white blob that I doctored a bit using a light blue fabric paint and the end of a thread spool. It picks up the blue in the small striped border.

There’s often some way to fix those spots you don’t like.

After my gym workout and lunch, I started free motion outlining with black thread, a look I go to a lot.

I got both parts done, cut out the backs plus interfacing, and the lining and quilted the backs as well.

I’m ready now to move onto the zippers and construction.

In my evening hours I’m working on a second double stranded crocheted ripple afghan with totally different colors.  I had so much fun doing the first that I had to start another.

The rest of the week is fairly quiet except for a hair appointment and the gym so I expect to get a bit more sewing/printing done.