Fall is here!

One of our trees in the front yard...
yes, our leaves blow into our
neighbors yard (white van)..we do
try to rake as many as we can!  Have
to be neighborly, right!

 And that means it's time to start bagging leaves again!  We only bagged 3 today...beautiful weather here in Michigan the past few days...temps from 60-75!  Yesterday, we were going to rake leaves but it was so windy I just cut back my hosta plants in the back yard.  I don't normally cut them back until spring but we have bunnies that like to visit our yard at night and the dogs go crazy!

I have been busy the past month helping with our Friends group prepare for our book sale, which was a great success!  We raised around $1000, which isn't bad at all!!  Our next sale won't be until spring so we'll have somewhat of a break!

In between time, I'm still knitting..although, I did go 6 days without touching my needles!  The pics below show some of the progress...I'm only on row 30 or 31 or 69 rows!  And the color isn't really showing up it's true color...This was my start.....

And this is a closeup of the funky SPIKELET stitch...those little bobbles!  

It has a similar ruffle neckline as my first lace top but not as tight.  My sister was on vacation (tour of Egypt!!) so we are both caught up and around the same row knitting.  Always fun to knit with her!!!

And check out my mandevilla vine!!!  I brought it inside when night time temps dropped to 55.  She's doing so well!!!  I am determined to not set her back like I did last year!  

She even has a flower budding!  

I made a purchase that is helping me keep her alive!!  Last year I either over watered or didn't water enough...and repotting and fertilizing this plant just about did her in!

I love this meter! Works so good!  Of course it's an Amazon purchase!  Go figure!

So now it's time for Lions football and knitting and maybe a glass of wine later!  I have my veggies all washed and marinating and my Parmesan Oven-Fried Chicken all ready to toss in the oven at half time so dinner will be ready when the game is over!  Works for me!

Nope, I'm still here!!!

I am still alive and, yep, I'm still knitting...but haven't in a few days.  Actually, My sister and Nancy have been on a tour of Egypt for the past 10 days!  They've had some great experiences but my sister said they should have done this tour when they were 50!!!  Folks were dropping off left and right from some of the tours due to the ups and downs and walking required.  But MaryAnn and Nancy hung in there...even with a slight cold!  They are troopers!  So, I've been waiting for Mary Ann to get back and catch up to me in knitting.  I'm not that far ahead of her so she'll catch up quickly...then we start on the hard part!  HA

I am also working on the Language of Flowers online class with Hilary.  It really is interesting and I'm anxious to get started on the quilting and creating a piece....but...I figured I needed to do a practice piece first.  I decided to use this flower picture to trace/draw....

I'm using an old pillow case for the background (dots!)...the lace piece is from my flea market find.  Other pieces are from my stash.  

Just playing around with different layouts.

I am going to use the first layout and not this one.  Looks like an 'E'!  HA

Once I get the collage fused and sewn down, then I'll trace the flower and start stitching.  

But in-between knitting, making this collage, I'm helping set up for our local library book sale next week!  It's a lot of effort but we're lucky to have a great leader who is very organized.  Yes, she (her name is Amy!) and I get along very well....go figure you say!  HA

I also made some book marks to hand out to the kids or even adults.  I have lots of card stock that I've either stamped, dyed or printed on.  What better use then to sew edges of two pieces of card stock, punch hole and add a ribbon.  I only have about 18-20 made so far.  Hope to get more made as our book sale is next week.  

And speaking of our book sale, I've put together a youtube video that we can post on social media.  Hope you enjoy our little library and the effort the friends group put forth!

Lace Sweater #3

Yep!  My sister and I are back at it again with another Lace sweater!  This is the pattern we're working on.  It's called Sayuri and it's by the same designer we both like, Valentina Bogdanova.  Her patterns also include pictures of the unusual knitting stitches in her patterns, which I really like.  And, so far, her sizes work good for me....watch...this one won't!  HA  

I started on 9/9 but I had to stop and order another circular needle.  Mine was a 24 in and I really could just use a 14". I was stretching the stitches which I didn't like.  Some knitters use what's known as 'magic loop' but I've never mastered that technique so it was buy a new circular needle!  HA

Looks a little strange but this was working on the short rows for the back.  Makes your sweater lie better...

So now I'm starting on the 2nd chart and will be knitting 63 lace rows!  YIKES...along with a new stitch called spikelet!  Hmmmmmmmm

The color of this yarn is Dusty Coral...

 

This is the yarn/color my sister is knitting.  It's going to be for her daughter.  

wish us luck!

What we're doing on the rest of our summer vacation!

 

Yep, this is what Bob and I are working on (again)...guess I shouldn't say "again"...it has been five years and for the most part the painting has held up fairly well.  

Of course, it always seems like we are doing this work in the hottest day(s) of the year.  Bob measured the temperature on the deck and it was 114 on the top of the rails and 118 on the deck floor!!!  TOOOOOO hot to paint!

Bob repaired quite a lot of the wood in areas awhile back....this year, he's been working on the three King Posts we have.

The wood was rotting pretty bad back in 2017 so Bob totally repaired the tops of the posts.

And he really did a great job.  But this year the base of all three posts were rotting out.  The cedar held up pretty good since 1996!

So my hubby finished rebuilding the base of each post!  I forgot to take pictures before he repaired them..dang.

I wasn't happy that he had to climb up the ladder to do the repairs on the outside but I guess you can only nag them for so long....and they're going to do what they want to do anyway!

This was actually a picture from 2017 when he was painting the bottom wood he replaced.  So now I have to repaint the deck.  

I did get the two king posts along with the rest of the beige painted on the north side of the deck.

And finished the 3rd king post and this area..Bob will power wash the deck and do the 'roller paint thing' on the deck floor, when I'm finished.

Do you see all those white spindles???  Well, I get to paint those too!!!!  Although, I can sit for the most part (until I need to paint the opposite side!  HA).  I'm not sure how many spindles there are but there are alot!  

So that's what I'll be doing in the coming weeks..although, probably not until Wed. or Friday, this week, depending on the weather.  I did tell Bob I'm only painting when it's below 75-78!  Which it will be on Friday - mid to high 60's!  But sunny...my kind of weather!   I am also having a root canal done on Monday and some scans on Tuesday...

Only problem, I may be painting into October!  Fine with me!  At least it won't be hot, hot!  I hope!

Beaded Wren more progress

 

I finished beading the leaves on my wren.

Well, in this picture they are all beaded!  HA

I laid the piece onto a deep green fabric, which I think I'll use for the binding...unless I decide to wrap on a canvas or have put in a frame!!!  Decisions...decisions!!! All the other birds I beaded are in frames...I think this is the hardest part!  

Language of Flowers Workshop - continues

 

Yep, I'm still at it with Hilary's online class!  I have to say it's rather fun adding the detail to a tracing.  It certainly makes me look closer at the subject I am trying to draw by adding detail.  

This is my second inspiration piece.  I'm trying to decide which tracing to use for my actual quilted/drawing piece.  

This is my 2nd tracing.....

And this is what's now in my journal!  Which is a 9"x12" journal.   I do like the detail in my first tracing (below) and can see it would be a perfect piece the free motion stitching.

I like the detail in this drawing...guess we'll see.  I was trying to pull some vintage type fabrics from my stash.  Haven't decided what colors to use to compliment the lace/vintage fabrics.  Problem with this drawing, the flowers are white in the picture...guess I could make them pink or blue or????

Late post for Labor Day 2022!

 Darrin and Kris had family over for Labor Day...Darrin loves to smoke meat so he out did himself again on Sunday!  He smoked a pork roast..actually two of them....and it was delicious!  Kris had corn on the cobb, corn fritters (really good!), stuffed mushrooms (excellent), orange fluff salad, Dawn make a tomato salad (yum) and squashed garlic/butter potatoes, which were great too.  I made corn salsa w/chips and a lemon pie.  All good food and family! 

(L) Nancy, (Kris mom), Amber, Dawn and Kris.  Nick was up north with Braylon to attend her brother's wedding.

Nancy and my hubby, Bob...

Ryan, my SIL Jeff's son, Jeff and my son, Darrin

My lemon pie...it really tasted good...doesn't look so good but was delicious if I say so myself.  And the crust didn't get soggy at all (even the next day!).

And I got to wear my latest knit sweater!  It was only in the mid 60's!!!  

All in all it was a really nice family day!!!  I love those days..just doesn't seem like we have enough of them...but kids are busy

Language of Flowers Online Class

 I believe I mentioned I was taking the Language of Flowoers online class by Hilary Beattie!  I am excited about this online class...it combines design and quilting, so the best of both worlds.  Only issues is Hilary would like to encourage us to learn to draw!  OMG!  I have a hard time drawing stick men..let along draw flowers!  HA  But I'm giving it a go!  NOT!  

Hilary is so good at showing us how to use an inspiration picture and transfer it to a piece of paper!  She also gives us the option of using tracing paper...so guess which I decided to use!  HA  I've always said I can trace with the best of them!  HA  So here's what I've been working on the past few days!  

This was traced from my inspiration piece above.

And this is how I traced the pic above to my journal and then added definition!  I'm happy with how it came out.  Now to work on another piece.   I know I can enhance areas when I get to quilting but I'm a long way to that section of our class!

Yes, I did try to draw this original pic!  OMG....I just can't decide where to start of how to start.  But I might before this class is over with in a year!  

Here are some of my 'attempts' at drawing...no, I didn't even take 5 min. to draw any of this!  HA

This was my inspiration piece!

And this is as far as I got!  I couldn't figure out how or where to start to draw!

My next inspiration piece...

No it doesn't look anything like the above picture!  HA  Another one that I just didn't know where to start or where to end!  HA

But I can still "trace with the best of them"!  HA

Beaded Wren Progress

 Well, I finally got to attach my beaded wren to the quilted background!  Next, I wanted to add some color so rather than me messing it up with disperse dyes or hand painting, I decided to just add some applique leaves!  And, of course, bead them!  

Here's my progress so far!   I took a friend to the eye doctors and it gave me the opportunity to attach my wren to the background!!!  

I cut out some green leaves, which I think gives the piece some color, obviously!  It needed something else.

This is before I added the beads.

I think the leaves and additional beading add a little more to the piece.  I'll off set him when I decide border, canvas or 'what' to finish the piece.