While outside with Destiny last night we found a smake skin. It was a little over 2 ft long and was in the rocks next to my clematis. It is just a garter snake and will keep mice and smaller critters away but still I don’t want grab it by mistake. Now to find out how to relocate it.
While researching and staying out of the heat(heat index today is 103) I will continue piecing blocks for my quilt
I am adding another row to make it bigger. 1 set if blocks made and working on the next set.
I have been watching too much news and just spent the last few days din a big funk. Now I will be focusing on all the positive things around me and what I can control. With that in mind when I fell asleep I woke up this morning in a wonderful mood. So to answer my question the answer is YES beautiful days are a state of mind.
Masks have the focus of Saturday and Sunday, with headbands and mask straps. Kansas City is back to mandatory mask wearing again with new outbreaks of the virus. there are a few things I learned wearing masks.
I wear glasses and they fog up wearing masks. So to fix this here is something we found works.
2. Fold this in half.
3. Fold the top over about 1/4-1/ inch over at the top.
Lastly hook the folded over part of the paper towel over the top of your mask, and wear the paper towel inside nest to your face. You can trim this if you want.
The paper towel absorbs the moisture of your breathing and talking so the glasses do’t fog up. It works for us.
If you have a cricut there is a free file for the mask holders. The one they have it is 8 inches long so I sized it down to 6 inches and 4 inches. I cut these out of Heavy Duty Template plastic.
This is what I’ve been up to and will be making myself 2 blouses and a dress for Destiny. Have a Wonderful day.
Today was a day to finish our Missouri Hwy 36 Quilt Trail. It goes from one border of Missouri to the other(Kansas on the west and Illinois on the east). We broke it up into 2 days. The first of June we drove 209 miles to Hannibal and then worked our way home. We made it thru 6 shops the first trip. Some of the shops were in the cutest towns. These were in people’s barns or sheds. These the towns had populations of 200-300 people. We thought these were going to be the smallest.
This morning we drove to 95 miles to pick up where we left off. The 2nd stop today took us to Jamesport, MO. The whole town is Amish and was amazing. On the way into town we stopped at 2 Amish fabric stores and were amazed with the beautiful quilts they had for sale. If anyone is interested the 2nd Saturday in October is the Annual Amish Quilt Auction. People from many states and Canada send their quilts, wall hangings, & quilt tops to be sold on consignment. The Amish also sell their quilts here.
From here is where things started getting interesting. The GPS took us from the highway to Farm Routes, then to County roads, to gravel roads.
This road was what we drove on for 3 miles. The shop was so worth it. The shop was a large barn with the shop was in the right side of the barn and then over the garage part of the barn. Walking inside it looked like a large log cabin with a loft inside. We asked where the next shop was not wanting to go 3 miles on the gravel road again. Directions we got were so funny. “Leave here turn right, then go over the bridge and turn right on the black top road(no name) go down that road over 3 little bridges to Avenue City. You will know it is Avenue City when you see the school and gas station, that is the city, then turn right and you will see a big sign with the shop’s name on it. About 8 minutes from here.” We exchanged a 2 lane gravel road to a 1 lane gravel road. We had to pull over for farm equipment to come by. Then we saw the sign, pulled into the drive and there was a Trailor house. We didn’t know if it was a home or shop. It was the shop and cute inside.
We left this morning at 8:30 am and got home at 6pm. Was fun and met some of the most wonderful people around. The smallest towns had the cutest shops. I have marked the ones I want to go back to. We visited 8 shops and didn’t see the same fabric in them over and over.
This was a quilting trip highlighting the smaller less know shops. Find those shops in your areas and support them.
Just remember these few things: 1. Pack a lunch and drinks (we were on the less traveled road and found a sandwich at a gas station to share for lunch. They only had 1. 2. Full tank of gas, 3. Either new or good tires to handle the gravel and things you may have to drive over.
Once we got on the Highway heading home we found truck stops and got gas. Enjoyed the 2 days.
Last week I painted the sewing room and got things back to normal. Then with having Granddaughter 3 days a week I found if I don’t plan to finish things I don’t. Yesterday was a wonderful day. I started making a series of 4 panels. Just practicing free motion quilting. I was so in the zone I didn’t hear the phone ring, or hubby telling the phone was for me. When he tapped me on the shoulder I screamed and jumped. Ever get that into doing something? Well this is the first panel finished.
As I was sandwiching my little piece I remember the advice I got from someone that they spray baste and iron their sandwiches so there won’t be any wrinkles. I thought I will try this especially since it was small. The spray basting and spray starch were side by side, you got it, I spray starched it and ironed. It was damp and NOT sticking together. Frustrated I let it dry and pinned it and quilted. It wasn’t until I was ironing some place mats that I noticed what I had done. I have moved the spray starch and spray basting so they don’t sit next to each other.
Today I will be cutting out a dress for Destiny and a blouse for me. Maybe the dress will be finished by time she comes over tonight. Maybe Thursday is more realistic. Have a wonderful day all.
With all this virus going on and the protesting we just wanted to go for a little outing. We drove around Independence and took a few photos. We do live in a pretty area. Just a little history about Independence. This is where all the Wagon Trains would meet to start out to Santa Fe, California, and Oregon. The travelers would try and purchase enough supplies to last for the long trip. We also have to oldest Court House still in use. We are also the home of President Harry S. Truman.
This is Clinton’t Soda Shop. President Truman would walk from his home to this for a soda.
Court House, still in use.
President Truman’s home with wife Bess
This is the original well house. After this history how about a walk around one of our parks.
This was a fun walk on a nice day to walk. Hope you have enjoyed it.
Last week Hubby had been saying he can’t hear the voices on the TV. We have a sound bar, but that wasn’t helping. So we went to the Audio store. We decided to purchase a surround sound system and they will be installing it. Then the crazies hit us hard and purchased a 55 inch QLED tv. I decided that I might as well stop putting off the painting the inside of the house. It has been about 15 yrs since last painted. I started with the most important room. My sewing room. Walls are finished and I am putting things back in place, and deciding what I want to keep or not.
The room was blue and now a light lavender.
Color on right is the new color.
While I was going thru all the nick knacks and found a diffuser from Hubby’s Parents.
I don’t think I will use it until the cord is replaced. LOL might be a little shocking.
I guess I better get back to work putting things away in the sewing room. Hope you have a great day.
I started playing with all the fabric I got the other day and have made this little Messenger Bag. I think I will keep making them for the fall sales. I added a little bling to add a little sparkle to the horses.
This evening I will be working on some travel games for kids to play in the car. We will see how it turns out.
The weather is getting hot here, but more humid so this Grandma is NOT getting out side if I can help it. That means inside projects and one I have been putting off is painting the inside of the house. It has been a long time since I painted and the grandkids tease me because the last time I painted we had a HUGE, and HEAVY Entertainment Center so I painted what I could reach. Now with a smaller entertainment center and bigger TV you can see where I didn’t paint if you look behind the tv. Just trying to pick colors. May be time to make up my mind. We will see what I decide.
Stay cool, (or warm) and enjoy whatever you do,.
Instead of talking about sewing we are changing our needles to Crocheting.
Below is a patterns by Alicia I hope you enjoy it.
Infinity Scarf
By Alicia Hill
Stitches to know
Slip stitch
DC-double crochet
Sc- single crochet
Shell -5dc in same stitch
Sm V- sc, ch2, sc in same stitch
The above infinity scarf was used with Hobby Lobby’s I Love This yarn and an “I” hook. I can comfortably wrap this around my neck twice.
Ch 155, join to the first chain being careful not to twist.
Rnd 1- Ch 3 (this counts as first DC), 4dc in same stitch, skip next 3 chains, Sm V (sc, ch2 sc in same stitch), skip next 3 chains, *shell (5 dc in same stitch), skip next 3 chains, Sm V, skip next 3 chains, * repeat *to *. Join with slip stitch to top of starting chain 3.
Rnd 2-Slip stitch in next 2 dc. Chain 3 (this counts as sc, ch 3 of sm v) sc in same stitch, *Shell in chain 2 of previous sm V, Sm V in 3rd dc of previous shell*. Repeat from * to *. Join with slipstitch in ch2.
Rnd 3- Chain 3, 4dc in same stitch, Sm V in 3rd dc of previous shell, *Shell in ch 2 space, Sm v in 3rd dc of previous shell *. Repeat from *to *. Join with slip stitch to top of chain 3.
Rnd 4, repeat rows 2 & 3 to desired width.
*feel free to make and you wish, however I would appreciate it if I was given the credit for having written the pattern.
Woke up this morning and on the road by 7am. We drove about 215 miles to Hannibal, MO. From there we drove MO HWY 36 Quilt Shop. 11 hours and many shops later we pulled back into the drive way. We are planning on finishing it up Friday.
We made it thru the last 8 shops. Only 2 weren’t available. We even drove down gravel roads to someone’s house, thru small towns where the population was only 300. Another shop was in the building in a lady’s backyard, next to her hair salon. Door was open and we started looking around and no one was there. Building was empty, so we left without fabric. The 2nd shop we didn’t buy from was closed. Not too bad.One of my favorite shops was in Hannibal, the Hickory Stick Quilt Shop. My reason was she had something made out of most of her fabric so you could see them sewn into something. This is what I bought there.
Aren’t they so cute?
Another favorite is Sew Creative. She had such a wonderful supply different and unusual fabrics.
Now here is the rest of my finds.
Friday we start again in Chillicothe, MO and work our way to Independence, MO.
Tomorrow a trip to the zoo and the rest of the week sewing.
Stay safe out there.
So glad you asked. I have finished my new wall hanging. I ordered a kit and have finished it. I also want to add a series of 4 smaller ones to go with it. The larger one is Titled “I’ll Never Desert You” from AQS.
The 4 smaller ones will be 4 different types of cacti in pots. Here are 2 of my littler wall hangings,
Need to quilt and add the embellishments. Some embroidery, and beads. The other 2 are still being drawn and then will applique them in place. Really excited about these. My drapes are the muted South West colors.
With this virus there will be no craft fairs this summer, or at least not in June or July. This means more time for me to sew for me and even work on some Christmas making.
I need to start thinking about what I want to do for whom.
Take care and be safe.
One Creative Family 