Plovers on a tea towel

This is one of those slow rainy summer days when sewing is guilt free. You don’t feel like maybe you should be outside in the garden or doing something to enjoy the sun. Our summers are so short. Most of the time, I really do try to let my days unfold as they will though, according to how I feel.

 

Today, I decided to get a little much needed house work done early (for me) and then I popped over to Staples where I picked up a small wireless speaker, something that had been on my wish list for a while — perfect timing as it was on sale.

I’ve got it linked to blue tooth on my computer although I could quickly easily link it to my I Pad if I wanted. And one can move it from room to room. I know I’m rather late in discovering this; I feel pretty excited about it, lol, like I’ve discovered something new and exciting.

Once I got that figured out, and it took all of about 2 minutes, I was ready to finish laying out the little plovers on the tea towel. I ironed it all down and started the free motion stitching in black. 

I’m not adept at the satin stitch, nor do I often have patience for it. I do like the sketchy look of black free motion though. It has a gestural quality similar to a loose pen and ink. Hopefully, it will hold well enough to be used as I also used a light Steam a Seam.

Prince Edward Island

Last week, we visited family on the Island. My daughter was moving into a new  house and we took Ollie with us for a couple of days and an overnight at the family cottage. We kept him busy at the park, at the beach and around the cottage.

We were lucky to have excellent beach and swimming weather. I’m always happy if I can get in the water.

We wore him out. Us too! He did very well overnight with us for the first time and not even in his own bed. During the days we made a point of showing and having him play in the cottage bedroom where he would sleep and mom also prepared him well, sending his night light, his noise machine and his favourite books. He put his things into the room when he arrived so I think that helped too.

We went into Charlottetown for our last night so we could be around to keep Ollie busy once most of the furniture was in the house. I’m ever the teacher.

On Friday, I had a chance to go for lunch with my sister and my mom who has Alzheimer’s before we left for home.

It was a busy and somewhat exhausting week that sped by in a flash. You now how it goes.

Monday morning I was lazy and slow to rise. G has gone back to work and it felt a bit lonesome at first. Putting one foot in front of the other is how I get going. Tea and breakfast. Some wash. I cooked macaroni noodles at breakfast time for a macaroni and cheese casserole and I made the cheesy sauce for it after my lunch.

An easy supper.

With my tea at lunch, I sketched a few plovers for a little appliqué project.

Then I headed to the studio where I gathered some fabrics and some fusible and started cutting. Here you see them loosely arranged on a tea towel.

It’s a simple project for a little gift. Another day, I’ll add some water and sand, iron it all down and free motion stitch it to add detail and ensure durability.

My last thing is another afghan that I’ve started. My fingers must keep busy! I did this pattern, the basket weave in a smaller baby version and really liked it so I’m doing one for me.

What are you up to this week?

Bits and pieces

Bits and pieces is how I have learned this summer to break up my days. I’ve at the moment figured out how to be more consistent with pain meds and to balance small activities so not to aggravate the slipped disc which I’ve had for some time but which has worsened. As often happens with health problems depression is an issue. It’s not a serious clinical depression; I would not want to diminish the seriousness of a depression  some people contend with. I handle it by trying to relax and to let the day unfold as it will. There are always possibilities on my mind when I awaken, but they’re not firm goals.

After my morning tea in bed, and I stay as long as required, and breakfast, I take another tea out on the deck to ponder my morning. Today, I decided to pick some of the last of my rhubarb and mix up this recipe of rhubarb biscuits that I’ve been saving.

https://canolaeatwell.com/recipe/rhubarb-tea-biscuits/

They are delicious as anything with rhubarb can be. I found not all the rhubarb was well softened during baking though. Still a nice little treat with my salad.

I’ve been picking away at my gnome, cutting flowers, bugs and butterflies sometimes in the early evening while watching the news.

I still need more of the smaller vinelike flowers. They’re intricacies take more time than the larger flowers. 

This is a pattern by Leslie McNeil. I have followed her for many years and love her work.  http://marvelesartstudios.com/ It’s kind of the perfect project for me right now.

Today after lunch, I did a little free motion quilting on the sunflower bag. I know it would have been nice to have this finished by now. Readers if your getting bored, I apologize. It’s good though to think about the process sometimes, after all, for me, it’s more about that than the product. The process is where one can relax with good music and immerse oneself for a time. Although the finished product does make one happy too.

I feel content that in my allotted time this afternoon I got the center quilting done on one part of the bag.

Keeping it simple. It is a bag after all and will be used.

On my needles is another baby afghan knit from my leftover stash. Basketweave pattern

I’m excited because over the weekend I was able to pick up some of the fabric paint that I will use to paint a sky for my terns. We took a drive along the Acaduen Peninsula to Caraquet and stopped at the Grand Anse beach for a swim on the way back.

And, I’ve got some hand dyed blues on the way that I’m hoping to use for the water.  Something to look forward to. 

This is what I mean about pacing myself. I’ve got the paint and would like to do the sky but it doesn’t fit into my creative time today. I have to dole it out. I’m planning to make a simple pad Thai for supper which is one reason why I’m sitting resting and writing this right now. Also, it is warm and muggy again. We may go for a swim later or take a short walk and then get an ice cream.