Our theme this year is just so fun. If you didn't get a chance to check out the post explaining it all --- here is the LINK to the initial post and another May LINK as well. I'm super excited about where this will take me. I know we all have colors that may not bring on the warm fuzzies, but this will be a chance to really challenge ourselves and we may find that our tastes can change.
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In years past, I have set goals for each month and I will continue to do that simply to keep myself on track. UFO mode will continue around here with minimal purchases (hopefully), but also a few fun and new items will make an appearance now and then. The "hopeful attempts" will change each month and will always show up at the bottom of the update if you read that far - and they are joined by links to the previous monthly updates for the year.
Now, grab a cuppa and sit back for a fun read and perhaps a new idea or two. (P.S. I format on a computer, so if you are reading on a phone, well sometimes the pictures will be before or after the story. It is what it is.
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Please remember that any links in here will open in a separate window so that you can keep your place on this page at the same time and there are no ads or popups EVER.
1st - Happy May Day! We are in recovery/unpacking/laundry/shopping mode today. I'm only home for a few days and the list is MASSIVE. We can do it.
Summer Moon posted today! Don't you just LOVE these blocks?
2nd - It's the proverbial "kick myself in the butt" time. Every minute of the day is being used to its maximum capability. I worked on Illusions during my time in Montana last month and now need to fix the one gold block and applique them all. Off to the studio I go and, seriously, 20 minutes later these are ready to pack for retreat.
My brain is now in costume mode and I have a fun idea for the "Snapshot in Time" retreat. Where is my school sweater? I can do something with that, right? Mister catches me in the act and snaps a picture to share -- I think it's the mess that did him in. I'm repacking the cedar chest at this point - oh, and the school sweater? Well, it's the ONLY thing in there that was damaged. ARGH.
3rd - Cut, cut, cut is the plan. First, a table runner or two.
4th - Happy Birthday to me! Waking to a coffee delivery from my love. It's a great start to a very busy day. I have a ton to do before I can enjoy this evening. Tomorrow is an early day and I'm not close to being ready. First, I hit the iron and get all of the appliques into place. There are a few and I even have to cut the lemon slices first. Then, out to the studio to finish all the applique stitching on my various projects. I run out of yellow thread before completing these lemon slices. Drat. However, both of Paula's projects are ready.
Upon our return home from an amazing, romantic evening, Mister helped me load the car for my early morning departure. I'm one happy girl.
5th - I am up before the sun and make my way to Rainbow, TX for our 1st of two back-to-back retreats. To read all about the fun, here is the Route 66 LINK. My first order of business is to get the bread going for dinner and I have to admit they look amazing.
I am also trying so hard to fix the round robin for Frieda. I've set up in my room with a 301 that is up for sale when my chair crashes out below me. I feel like Goldilocks. It takes me quite awhile, but I do manage to get the round back on with what I think is a better option. I still don't love it, but I no longer hate it --- that's gotta be an improvement, right? It's now off to Fawn once again.
7th - Mug rugs are being made all around today. As the illustrious leader, I must do one as well. First thing --- layout accomplished.
8th - The Secret Lives of Color - Turquoise - Make 2 - 3 1/2" blocks. I know, I know -- will the 3 1/2" never end. They will. Honest. This is the second month that I am going rogue and adding another category. What do you know about Turquoise? "“Which came first.. the chicken or the egg?” conundrum, one might ask, “Which came first.. the turquoise stone or the color?” In light of the previous information given in the monthly blog post, the best answer is likely the stone/mineral, which in turn lent its name to the color that followed." I have a ton more information in this month's pinned post. Check it out.
9th - I MUST focus on getting the baby quilt on the frame today. I only have three quiet days here where I can have it set up. First, I draw the pattern onto the top and then load the back onto the frame. Once I get the batting out, it has a ton of wrinkles, so I let it set for awhile and then throw it in the dryer to see if that helps.
10th - Settling in at the frame, another third is finished first thing. The fingers are starting to feel a little sore.
11th - Okay, it's crunch time. The bears are touched up, eyes done, and sprayed. One mess can be cleaned up.
12th - Round two begins today and the house is rapidly filling up. Here is the Snapshot in Time LINK so that you can share in our fun. My first task is to get started on the Bargello table runner.
We went to town for lunch and Babe's and I had a chance to stop and purchase some more stuffing. Once back, the tubes are sewn together.
13th - Bargello, Bargello, Bargello. That is my task for today. The tubes get cut, opened and put into columns.
14th - Time is flying by --- I am on day 10 of retreat and there are still items on my list. Go, go, gophers. Another round of Ruby Jubilee blocks.
15th - Well, it's here. The last morning. We are packed up and on the way home by noon. Mister treated me to dinner out and I'm now relaxing with my feet up.
16th - Every now and then there has to be a domestic day. Today is just one of those. Laundry, a trip to JoAnns for yarn, working on pictures and postings. Then to settle into a chair and get started on the afghan. I just couldn't keep going with the pink one. This is a better plan, although even this plan changes twice and I take the whole thing apart and start again.
17th - The Secret Lives of Color - Teal. Make 2 - 3 1/2" blocks. What do we know about this color that is oh so close to turquoise? I LOVE Teal. Thanks to Wikipedia - "The first recorded use of teal as a color name in English was in 1917. It is derived from the Middle English tele, a word akin to the Dutch taling and the Middle Low German telink. As a color, its name is believed to have been taken from the small freshwater common teal, a member of the duck family whose eyes are surrounded by this color. Teal is a cyan-green color. It can be created by mixing cyan into a green base, or deepened as needed with black or gray. The complementary color of teal is pink. Teal was a fad color during the 1990s, with, among others, many sports teams adopting the color for their uniforms.
18th - Booked flights to Montana for 5 days from now. Oh goodness. I have so much to do before I can go and will need to pack a project that must be done there as well. I worked on the second retreat pictures and posted them before settling in and finishing the afghan. It's so dang soft. I love it.
19th - It's a get 'er done day. I worked on posts then went to load the baby quilt onto the longarm. After cleaning up studio and starting to load, I discovered that I cut the backing and batting the wrong size. ARGH. Back to JoAnn's for third time this week and purchased a new backing. Now it's too hot to be out back so tomorrow is another day. Blogging happens.
20th - As soon as I'm up, I head out back, load the quilt with the new backing and batting.
Quilting takes less than an hour before it's off the machine.
Next, the binding and label are made and attached.
Time in my chair with a show and some thread gives me a TA-DONE. I quickly get everything boxed up and shipped off. When I say everything ---- two quilts, one afghan, ceramic bears, 10 pillows, 2 purses, and various odds and ends. Three big boxes out the door to 9 grandchildren.
21st - The new wagon for retreat arrived today!!
23rd - It's Up, Up, and Away, boarded before 5 a.m. Wow. Once airborne, I find Dune is available to watch and give it a go. GREAT movie. The remaining May days are shared in greater depth in this LINK.
24th - Mom's first rehab appointment is today and it turns out to just be another assessment. OMG. This is sooooo drawn out and I'm thinking one heck of a lot of money goes to sitting and talking. At least the flowers outside the center were pretty.
25th - I'm finally getting the sewing area set up. I really need to make some progress on this quilt.
26th - Some cherry blossom love!! Mom and I drove into Bigfork for a few groceries and stopped to peek at the trees. So, so pretty.
27th - The Secret Lives of Color - Verdigris. Make 3 - 3 1/2" blocks. It's ack to the book with this one and it closes out the green chapter in the book. I saved it for her to give us a third this month and because it fits the turquoise category. Now a bit on Verdigris: This color naturally forms on copper and bronze when they are exposed to various elements but it is more associated with wealth. Retrieving those formations from the copper plates was a costly and long process, then the dying happened and THAT was still frowned upon during the time of the color's rise. Read on, my friends. Education is a glorious thing and this book makes it all come alive. From here on out --- we are back to the book full time, my extra months are done.
28th - I REALLY need to kick it in gear a bit so today is a SEW day. After cutting the remaining border fabrics, I used everything I could that was leftover to make a backing. From that point, I sewed the binding and border strips in preparation for adding to the top I haven't made. Yep, all things in the right order never works well for me.
It's lunch time and I'm now ready to get going on the remaining blocks as soon as my tummy is happy.
29th - With a little determination, I get up and instantly gather all the items for this quilt and lay them out on the bed. While in Montana, I have a king-sized bed so it's a decent design wall. I love the softness of this line - next step is to pick it up and get ready to web.
Mom has requested that I make a new, lightweight coat for Bailey. He REALLY wants his jacket on at all times and it's getting warmer (well, there is hope that it will get warmer up here in Montana) so he needs something lighter. We priced them, but it's crazy so, believe it or not, it is getting cheaper to make ourselves. Just another way things are going back in time. Before the stop for fabric, we check out a plant shop and have some lunch with my sister and brother-in-law. Then it's off to get the fabric. Mom is so lucky as all the flannel is on sale and we're just going to do 2 layers of it. I also have a 60% off coupon for the velcro so the materials for this project are just a little over 5 bucks. 
30th - Good morning! I have high hopes for today and as I'm getting ready to make some magic, I realize that while at the store yesterday, I forgot to purchase some basting spray. ARGH. Now, another trip into town today (30 miles away) and more of the precious gas used, but we don't go back in until Wednesday and I need it before that, I think. Perhaps I'll reevaluate the time schedule and see if I can work it out.
Now --- get to work. With Virgin River to keep me company, I don't leave the machine until the blogs are webbed. A quick break to eat an English muffin and drink a cup of coffee is followed by putting all the rows together. Whew!
31st - I am up and moving this morning. We have the cleaners coming today and I've created a mess in not only my room, but the den as well. By the time I get everything picked up, it seems logical to get the laundry done as well. Since I'm in motion, I land at the machine and get Bailey's new anxiety jacket sewn. It needs to set for a bit so the glue on the velcro binds.
With that, I am calling May done. I don't see much else going on this evening so I'ma gonna get this posted. I came close on BINGO, but still didn't get the blackout.
That brings us to June --- and BLUE!!! Let's Color Your World with the many shades of this luscious color. The original post on this theme can be found here and all the wonderful information for month number 6 can be found in this June LINK. That is where the new BINGO card is as well.
Once again, thank you for reading this far and hats off! You are a rockstar! See you next month and stay creative Y'all.
UFO's to quilt:
BOM #2 - quilt and bind -
BOM #3 - quilt and bind -
Winter Wonderland - quilt and bind -
Current Projects:
UFO Items to work on:
Neutral strings -
BAD blocks as leader/enders -
UFO Handwork Items:
Hand Quilting --
Links to Previous 2022 Monthly Posts -
Lord woman, you make me tired with aal you get done. You are a beast!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. It truly is a problem when one overbooks like a crazy person. It is what it is.
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