Orange Scraps

 I cut out some orange squares and half square triangles this week for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for May.  Today, I made one orange block...there are more pieces cut out for the other blocks but nothing is put together yet.  I will show them in a future post when they are done.  The background fabric has orange square dots instead of round ones.  It has been in my stash for a while. These blocks use up most of a fat quarter of background fabric. 

Here is my block collection so far.  I have decided to make 9 blocks for a square quilt.  I have a list of colours I would like to add to the collection based on what colours I have for the background fabrics. 

I found out this week that I mixed up two of the colours in my cross stitch project...There was barely any difference in the colours so I will not be taking anything out.  Turns out that very light gray and very light blue are very similar.  I will likely have to outline the silo to make it more distinctive but that is quite doable.  Let's just keep this our little secret, ok?

There are lots more yellow flowers in the garden this week including primroses, daffodils, fothergilla and tulips (pink/red and yellow)

The bleeding hearts are starting to bloom as well.  I started with one plant and now have them in several spots in the gardens. So pretty this time of year. 

My husband and I went to see a Blue Jays game this week in Toronto so Finn went for a sleepover at my SIL's.  They have two border collies and Finn likes to play with their toys.  The squeaky squirrel was a big hit. (The Blue Jays won 8-1 against the Boston Red Sox)

He also enjoyed watching the birds at the bird feeder. 

The stadium where the Blue Jays play is called the Rogers Centre.  There was a statue of Ted Rogers outside the stadium.  I got a picture of a seagull on his head--it might have been more appropriate for it to have been a blue jay!

I will link up with Frederique, Angela and Kathy on the weekend. 

Hand Quilting and a Cross Stitch Barn

I added a lot of blue stitches to my cross stitch project earlier in the week, and then decided it was time to use some other colours.  As you can see below, I stitched most of the green border and got a good start on the barn.  Once the barn is done, I will go back to adding more blue in the sky. 

I hand quilted the light green block on my pineapple log cabin quilt this week. I am working on the gold block next.  3/9 blocks are quilted now.  This is a slow process.  I already know which quilt I am going to hand quilt next so will keep working away on this one to get it done. 

Angela announced that the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for May will be orange.  I have lots of orange scraps so will get started on my blocks this week. 

A mother robin has taken up residence on top of the light fixture outside our back door.  This is a popular spot for a nest each year. 

While on a walk at the park this week, I spotted this red squirrel and got a picture before it scurried away. 

Another type of daffodil bloomed this week.  Some of the others are fading now.  It's nice to have flowers that bloom at different times so that there are always daffodils in bloom this time of year. 

Finn has been very happy with the weather this week--lots of warm sunny days for being outside. Today, it  rained and is now dull and cool so we are staying inside.  Finn is happy as long as his people are nearby. 

These flowers are in bloom at the park where we took Finn for a walk last night.  So pretty. 

 I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers as well as Frederique. 

A Little Doll and Some Hand Stitching

A couple of weeks ago, I started to make a little folk art doll for a 5 year old's birthday.  This week, I finished it.  It has black hair, just like the five year old.  Purple is her favourite colour. 

I continue to work on my Mill Hill cross stitch on perforated paper.  It's coming along nicely. The green line of stitches on the right goes all the way around the picture. 

I spent a couple of hours working on handquilting my pineapple log cabin quilt this week.  The blocks were made a couple of years ago for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  2/12 blocks are quilted.  I am moving on to the light green block next. 

The azalea bush started to bloom this week.  It will soon be covered in these beautiful pink flowers. 

We were outside this am trimming some hydrangea bushes and Finn was making himself comfortable on the grass nearby. 

I have several types of daffodils in the gardens--this one is a double daffodil. 

We took Finn for a long walk last evening in Port Stanley.  The water was calm.  No wind.  Finn had a grand time and was ready to have a nap when he got home. 

These grape hyacinths are in several places in our gardens.  

The cream/yellow hellebores are in bloom too.  So pretty in the sunshine!

Finn likes to lie in this chair--its a good vantage point to see us when we are working in the kitchen. You can see his eyes better now as he had a haircut this week. 

Finn takes his tax collection duties very seriously.  The cheese tax must be paid!

I will link up with Kathy, Angela and Frederique.  Have a wonderful week!

Cross Stitch and Pink Scraps

This has been a good week for stitching and sewing in my neck of the woods!  I sat down to do some cross stitching three times and to sew by machine twice.  The sky part of this picture is done in blocks of colour but the farm scene at the bottom has more confetti stitching...I have not got to that part yet. 

Pink is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for April and I managed to get my pink blocks sewn for the four quilts I am making.  I am just about out of Kona white and will need to do some shopping before I can sew May's blocks. Last time, I bought a bolt of it and it is just about all gone.  Finn likes to model quilt blocks, as you know.  I did not have any white with pink dots fabric for the large block below so I used some light gray dotted fabric instead. I don't really buy pink fabric very often--so some of these scraps are really old.  

The instructions for the last three blocks of the Threadhouse Academy sampler quilt came out at the beginning of the month.  I made two of the blocks this week and hope to do the last one next week.  Then, I can put the quilt together.  I will likely use this one as a wall hanging. 

My daughter has been really busy at work lately but has found a few moments here and there to do a bit of crocheting.  She's working on that last lace section now and then will be able to move on to the next step. 

It was a beautiful sunny day today so Finn wanted to catch a few rays.  I brought out my book and a cold drink and Finn moved from sun to shade and back again, depending on whether he felt too hot or too cold. 

There are more flowers in bloom this week in our gardens.  The newest daffodils were covered in dew this morning when I took these pictures. 

The primroses have a few flowers--there should be more by next week. 

The bloodroot is also blooming.  These blooms don't last long but are so pretty when they appear. 

Finn used Lambie as a pillow this week as he watched me eat my lunch.  

I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers as well as Frederique and the RSC folks. 

Daffodils, A Birthday and Cross Stitch

My husband and I were both under the weather earlier this week so that negatively affected how much sewing I got done this week.  Hopefully, I can make up for it next week!  I did manage to add some blue and brown to my cross stitch project.  The brown part will be a windmill, eventually!  

Finn received this Lambie toy for Christmas and, recently,  almost removed Lambie's reindeer antlers.  I sewed them back on by machine with a mending stitch, which was distressing to Finn and he barked at me as I sewed. He was happy to have Lambie back to play with. 

 

I started to sew a little folk all doll for a little friend who celebrated her 5th birthday this past week.  It will be a belated gift!  

My hellebore flower opened and these mini daffodils put on a show this week. 

By next weekend, I should have some primroses in bloom. 

I started a new book--I had read lots of positive reviews and the book is living up to the hype.  I have added this one to the list for the book club that I lead for next year. It is an epistolary novel, written in letters. 

Today is Finn's 8th Birthday!  Our daughter bought him a volcano toy with 6 little squeaky dinosaurs that hide inside.  Finn very enthusiastically took all the Dinosaurs out of the holes and had a great time making them all squeak.  The gift got a 10/10 from Finn!

Finn's face looks a bit squished here...  LOL!  The dinosaurs did not stay in a neat row for very long!

I will link up with Kathy and Frederique.