Motivation Friday

Time to check in.  Last week was Riverboat Days.  Beautiful weather and family fun.  Laura Beth, Nick, Mason and Asher were here.   Mason brought his tent--Nick and he slept in it.  The nights cooled off to the 50's and the days were perfect--75-80F with a slight breeze.  How did we all fit??  Quite well with some planning---

Grandpa bought rolls for breakfast

Luckily someone remembered we needed a high chair---its hard to feed Asher without one! 

One afternoon we walked on the historic Meridian Bridge--its only foot and bike traffic now.  

Laura Beth pushing Asher

If you look carefully you can see Nick and Mason waaay at the other end--its a double decker bridge--they walked across on the bottom level and then back across on the top.   It was a very narrow bridge--not for the faint of heart.  Ken and his dad drove a combine from Nebraska over the top a few years ago.  

One day we stopped at the Visitor Center--Mason dressed in the homesteader clothes for us--

Mason as homesteader

A photo from the parking lot--all the spillway gates are open slightly--

Laura Beth, Mason, Nick, and Asher

All the water was being released through the spillway and the generators were shut off--divers were in the water doing maintenance. 

I'm back to volunteering--a lady came into the Visitor Center and said a butterfly had just "hatched" and was fluffing up outside.   I grabbed my camera and found him (her?) on the paving stones out front and convinced him to climb on my hand for a ride to the bushes.

Its a Swallowtail butterfly---its wings were too crumpled for me to identify which species exactly. 

I've been making yo-yos--there are now 578 in my baggie.   Making yo-yo's is very relaxing.  

Have you been sewing?  Family fun and vacation?   The days are getting shorter and summer is winding down. 

 

Monday Goals

My only goal this week is more yo yos.   It's Riverboat Days starting Friday and I'm going to have fun.  Laura Beth, Nick, Mason and Asher are coming to visit.   Luckily the weather has cooled--Saturday night we had a few scattered showers and Sunday was overcast and in the low 70's.  Hopefully the weather will only be in the 70's during the day and cool at night.

Whenever I am home I never see the Morning Glorys blooming.  Henrietta knew I missed them and took this picture---

These were planted from a mixture of seed so the color was a surprise.   Thank you Henrietta--they are so pretty!

Have a great week!

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Saturday

This month's color is jade/teal.   

3-36 patch blocks, 6 Spinner blocks, and a pile of 4 patches.  Thank you to SoScrappy for hosting this challenge.

All year I can hardly wait for these--

Tomatoes from my garden!  YUM!  Small but tasty.  The extreme and prolonged heat has been hard on them, I had hoped I would have extra to can but I doubt it.   Even with plenty of water the plants didn't blossom or set fruit much when it was so hot. 

And a picture from the Visitor Center---

Why is water being released through the spillway gates?   No, not flooding---extra water needed for navigation (barges).   Because of the drought the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers require extra water to maintain enough depth to float barges in the river channels.  (I think its 9 foot deep across a 30 foot channel--but I'll have to check)   How much water is being released--38,000 cubic feet per second--or 281,200 gallons per second.  

Remember the flood from last year?  This picture shows how high the river rose.  See the line across the sign and on the concrete?  

Its a beautiful day--I think I'll sit outside later and make--surprise---yo yos!!

 

Motivation Friday

Time to check my goals---

1. 50 yo yos--YES
2. 6 Merry Go Round blocks--8 more
3. Rainbow Scrappy blocks--YES
4. Simply Solids--nope

Its been a good week.  A couple of days ago the intense heat broke and today is absolutely beautiful.  Windows are open and a light breeze. Perfect to sit in the recliner and make yo yos!

Keeping my projects together is easy since someone recommended EZ Stor bags.   Heavy big ziplock bags with handles.  Mine travel in this basket---

How I keep it together

Each project has its own bag.   The little $1 basket can hold LOTS of projects!

Making yo yos is addicting.  This week the goal was 50.  I have 91 so far--see the little slip of paper in the baggie?  As I add yo yos I change the count.   The bigger bag has 200+.  Only 1200 more to go. 

Yo yos in baggie

The Merry Go Round blocks are also addicting. 

Merry Go Round blocks

These are made in pairs--the fabrics are reversed from inside to outside.  The half blocks are sewn in horizontal rows--and the next row completes the block. 

I hope you are having nice weather wherever you are.  Did you sew this week??

Monday Goals

Time for weekly goals.   Maybe I will do better this week than last week.

1. 50 yo yos
2. 6 Merry Go Round blocks
3. Rainbow Scrappy blocks
4. Simply Solids

After a few cooler days the forecast is for 99F.  That means its good weather to stay inside and sew.  What is your favorite thing to do when its hot??  

PS--thanks to Henrietta for the new header!

Motivation Saturday

Time to check in on my goals.

1. sew Simply Solids together-nope
2. more Merry Go Round blocks-nope
3. sew more Trip Around the World rows together-nope

Did I do ANYTHING this week??  Yes, I started a new project!

My New Project

Yo yos!   A very portable project--perfect to pick up and take along.  Making yo-yos with a Clover Yo Yo maker is easy.  This size finishes at 45mm--or 1 3/4".   I have a whole shoebox of ugly unloved 5" charms I can use.  The circles are cut about 4.5" in diameter using the lid from a gallon pickle jar for a template.   So far I'm just making yo yos--I'm not sure what pattern I will set them in--but I know if I want something large enough to cover a queen size bed--that uses about 1,500 yo yos.  Not really that many--my bag has 200+ in it already. 

Henrietta humors me in this project, I'm sure she thinks I am quite insane.  But--then I find out SHE'S joined in.   And that magazine--I've found it!  ROFLMAO--not gonna happen!

Last night brought high winds, rain and a bit of hail.  Toni, Eddie and I take refuge in the Administrative building during storms.  While driving across the parking lot I was almost struck by the huge garbage dumpsters.  Luckily I saw them and hit the brakes--I was wondering how I would explain this to my insurance agent--hit and run by an unmanned dumpster??

Dumpsters--almost as big as my car!

These are big dumpsters--I can barely see over the lid.  Even the concrete curbing could not contain them in the high winds.

We knew the storm was coming--we had been watching the radar.  Hmmm--should I take a few things I wouldn't want to blow away in my car?  Yes--might be a good idea.  I packed my meds, my jewelry and purse, and--my featherweight!  Ken listened to my choices and then said "oh yes, the sewing machine would be my FIRST choice."  I think there was a little sarcasm in that comment.

If you had to pick a few items to put in your car to take to a storm shelter--what would you choose??

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Over the weekend I worked on the Simply Solids project.  

Its hanging sideways over the top of another quilt that has pink borders.    I've added another row and made it two blocks wider.   Twin size maybe.  The rows are now all numbered and pressed--ready to sew into a top.  It was a very quick and easy project.

Weekly Goals--

1. sew Simply Solids together
2. more Merry Go Round blocks 
3. sew more Trip Around the World rows together

I took these pictures from the Visitor Center a few days ago.  See the tour buses??

I like this picture better--more perspective.

It looks like the buses are driving off the cliff! 

I have a few days off from volunteering and plan to sew and veg.   What are your plans for the week?

Motivation Weekly Review and Rainbow Scrappy Challenge

Busy busy week!   These were my weekly goals--

1. Press Sister's Choice rows--nope
2. Press Simply Solids rows--YES
3. Cut more Merry Go Round strips--YES  

Lots of sewing but no finishes.   That's okay--progress is progress!

I finished the last of the blue Rainbow Scrappy Challenge blocks for July.

Blue Rainbow Scrappy Challenge

Lighting isn't the best--but you can see what happens when you use two fabrics where the value is too close--the blue/green combination.  That's ok -- I will use them anyway.  How many blocks do I have so far?  31 -- 36 patch blocks that finish at 12".  50 Spool blocks that finish at 8".  And 169 - 4 patches that finish at 4".   Five months left until the end of the year.  

Laura Beth, Nick, Mason and Asher were able to stay overnight on their way to visit Melissa her best friend.   Mason immediately wanted to help me "sew Grandma".  Ken had to work (he works overnights) so at 4:23am when Mason fell out of bed in the room next to ours he missed the excitement  I wasn't asleep yet and flew out of bed fearing he had whacked his head on the nightstand but thankfully no.  I crawled back in bed chanting "go to sleep" and had been asleep about an hour when I heard Mason get up and crawl into bed with me.  "Grandma--is it time to get up?  I have all my energy back."  I said "not until 7:00am when Grandpa comes home from work".  So THAT prompted Mason to get the two alarm clocks in bed with us and discuss what time it was and how long until 7am!  As soon as the clock changed to 7am Mason asked "where's Grandpa?" and I explained it would take him a little while to drive home.  Lots of sighing and several times he would get out of bed to "check Ruby" since she lays right outside the bedroom door.  As soon as Grandpa opened the door Mason was ready to eat breakfast.  Before they left Mason helped me pick tomatoes--

Prince Mason and tomatoes

while Ken and Asher hung out.  

I can't get this photo upright!!(Fixed by Henrietta)

I wanted to position my small fan to blow directly on me one hot afternoon at the camper while napping-- 

Fan on Drawer

I pulled out a drawer and laid a serving tray on it--perfect shelf for my fan. 

I hope you've had a great week and stayed cool!

Weekly Goals

Its been too hot to blog.  No motivation for anything.  107F yesterday.  Its good weather to read and nap!

Weekly Goals--

1. Press Sister's Choice rows
2. Press Simply Solids rows
3. Cut more Merry Go Round strips

I can't say I haven't been sewing.  All the Sister's Choice blocks are in rows.  Simply Solids blocks are in rows too--just need to measure and see if I want to enlarge it a bit.  I have used all the MerryGoRound strips I brought with me to the camper.  And--I've even done some hand applique on Beyond the Cherry Tree quilt.  

I haven't finished anything.  I haven't bought any fabric.  No design wall because Ken was sleeping on the bed Sunday!  (I use the bed while at the camper)

Remember when I bought Evelyn the 301 for $5?  

Evelyn

 

 

 

I needed a slant shank 1/4" foot.  

1/4" foot

Cost--$20.  4X what the machine cost.  Now that made me chuckle!!

I hope you have cool activities planned for your week!

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

I've been working on these blocks---

Merry-Go-Round by Sandy Klop

It uses 2.5" strips and is scrappy--perfect!  A box of noodles is waiting on the couch.  You can buy the Marry-Go Round pattern here with free shipping.

Last week I bought a dozen Kona solids.  I had seen this pattern in McCalls-America Makes Fast Quilts magazine.

Simply Solids by Heidi Pridemore

So simple--5" charms with a neutral strip.

Weekly Goals--

1. Birds in Air blocks
2. Rainbow Scrappy Blue blocks
3. Merry Go Round blocks
4. Simply Solids blocks 
5. Sister's Choice blocks

The weather is hot HOT HOT!  I'm staying inside and sewing.  

What's planned for your week?

Sunday Stash Report

Its confession time again!.   I have a LOT to confess!  22 yards!   15 yards was cream to tan backgrounds.  6 yards were 1/2 cuts of Kona solids.   That makes my numbers----

In This Week--22 yards

In Year to Date--146 yards
Used This Week--ZILCH
Used Year to Date--106.75 yards

Stash is ahead 39.25 yards

See how everyone else has done at Patchwork Times!