Improvements

Lots to talk about today...let's get to it!

The kids' playset is being built, and it should be done this afternoon! They had seriously outgrown the old one...it was a metal one from Toys R Us. It served its purpose well but the slide was broken, they couldn't swing too high without it "bumping," etc. So a local fence company was running a special (with FREE installation, woo hoo!) and we ordered one. Most of it was done yesterday...

And Don (the installer) is coming back today to finish it up. It still needs the swings, glider, canopy, rope ladder, "rocks" to climb, and some other assorted goodies. Here's another view with the old swingset in the background...

Yes, the new one dwarfs the old one just a bit! LOL That one will be headed to the junkyard asap.

I told you Mason had an ear infection, right? Well that's all better, but he didn't tolerate the amoxicillin well and got sick to his stomach a few times. He stayed home from school yesterday because of middle-of-the-night "happenings." He's much better after we stopped the medicine, poor thing. Then last night he got his finger caught in the linen closet door. This kid has been having some bad luck lately! Anyway yesterday I was folding laundry and as I was finishing, I noticed this in the hamper...

Hee hee! Between him and the cats I can't leave a laundry basket for a second!

I got some great things in the mail from Brenda at Pumpkin Patch Primitives. She's got a really nice selection of fabrics, patterns, kits and primitive goodies. Here's the bundle I ordered...

The top fabric is from Red Rooster's new Harvest Town line. I LOVE autumn fabrics, don't you? I also got a set of FQ's in fall colors and textures that I think will go really well in the new pattern I got as well. Brenda included the sweet notepad on top, isn't she the best? She gives such personalized service, always with a nice note too. Thanks Brenda!

Speaking of Brenda, I got this garden flag from her last year, which is in front of my house right now...

Here are those hyacinths you see on the right...

These were from a pot I bought at Wegman's a few Easters ago...I planted the bulbs outside and now they come back every year! Love that! Speaking of spring flowers, here are the daffodils along our front walk...

There's our walkway that's going to be replaced next month. In fact those slabs will be removed and that area will be incorporated into the planting bed. The new walkway will start to the left of the daffodils. I cannot wait for this project to be done...I love the front of our house but the new walkway and porch will make it really nice, I think. Of course I'll show you along the way!

Since Mason's been sick, I haven't done much quilting but I have been doing some embroidery. Remember that stitchery I was working on? Yup, still plugging along on that. It's kind of driving me crazy because the stabilizer keeps coming loose. Then I have to stop and iron it back on. Does anyone have any tips about this? I'm using the tear-away kind, should I be using something stronger? Help!

I've seen a great idea on some blogs, using fabric in embroidery hoops for decorating walls. I know Sarah's done it and I love how it looks. You can showcase some of your favorite fabrics, then change them whenever you want. So I bought a couple of blue ones at Joann's today to decorate my laundry room. I can't wait to pick out which fabrics to start with!

 Good sales, folks! All thread is 50% off, along with their summer decor. The flag was only 20% off but it is the perfect size for me so I got it. We have a flagpole on our porch and our flag ripped last year. I went to get the pole out of the garage but noticed the paint was all peeling off. I sanded it and I'm going to give it a coat of white paint this afternoon. That'll look nice and crisp on the porch, I think!

Well, Don's not here yet and it's almost 1:00pm...I hope he gets here soon and has it finished by the time the kids get home! C'mon Don!

Have a great day! P.S. The mac-n-cheese was *delicious*!!

♥ Jen

Spring things

I picked up two happy items at the store this morning...

I haven't bought a quilting magazine in quite awhile....usuallly I flip through them and put them back...but this one looks great. Do you love the quilt on the cover? And an article about Minick & Simpson, LOVE them.

Tonight for dinner I'm making one of Gooseberry Patch's yummy-looking mac-n-cheese recipes from the first chapter of their downloadable Circle of Friends cookbook. I think it's still available for download. I'm trying the "Triple Cheese Mac" recipe on page 15. Mmmm!

Donna, I keep meaning to tell you that I think your apple trick for the rabbit trap worked. We left a few slices out there and a few nights later, one of them disappeared. We still didn't set the trap but I guess Dave will soon. Thanks for the suggestion...the lettuce and carrots just weren't cutting it.

Come here, little bunnies! Yummy apples inside!

Have a lovely weekend!

♥ Jen

Fabrics, music and chocolate

Remember this fabric I posted recently?

I've gotten several emails about it so I figured I'd share the info here...it's by Makower UK, and the name of the collection is called "Country Kitchen." This particular print is called "Country Kitchen Cups," and the other one I posted is called "Country Kitchen Dresser Stripe." You can find them here, which is the first place I could find online where you can get both.

I went to Joann's today, but only because I desperately need a new rotary cutter blade. Next week they're having a lot of sales - plus I have a few 50% off coupons for then - so I'll head back then to stock up on thread, etc. For now I just got these...

The Dritz notions are 50% off, and I had a 40% off coupon for the blade. I know, a very boring trip, but a couple of necessary items.

Speaking of shopping, while I was out I made my first ever trip to a thrift shop. Annabelle is going to a 70's party this weekend so I was hoping I could find something there. Well...maybe it's this store, or something, but ick! First of all it smelled musty. The clothes...not good. No quality stuff, and nothing from the 70s. I think I'd have to go to a more vintage clothes type place for that. I checked out the china/doo-dads section and there was nothing good. Just some cheap tacky stuff. Linens, yuck. No quilts, no nice handmade pieces. I left feeling like I had to wash my hands right away. I was hoping to score some good stuff like so many have...I guess I'll have to try a different store, maybe in a different area. Blech.

Anyway, I made this quilt block as part of a "secret project..."

It's the same pattern as the one I'm using for the 30's quilt I'm procrastinating about working on. Ah, Lakehouse. I love you so.

Speaking of Lakehouse...did you see the new Dolly Dresses 2 Collection that's coming out? I am anxiously awaiting this one. Did you see the ORANGE elephants?! Oh boy. I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it.

The next collection I'm waiting on is Monica's upcoming collection called "Holiday Happy." Oh. My. Gosh. This may be the cutest fabric ever. EVER. The gnomes are perfectly perfect. The coordinates are each individually wonderful. And the colors...oh my. Just fabulous. I'm going to sit here and think about them for awhile...

OK I'm back! That was a nice daydream. Hey, want to see a picture of my little violinist?

Sorry it's blurry and all, but we were sitting much further away at the concert, it was hard to get a good pick. The "Fiddle Fair" was Tuesday night, and it was the violinists, violists and cellists from all four elementary schools in our district. There were 128 violinists alone! It sounded really good. Annabelle was proud (me too!). Mason was still not feeling so hot so he rested on me most of the time. He's much better now though.

I picked these up at Gertrude Hawk yesterday. I look forward to the week after Easter every year because their chocolates are half price.  These are heavenly!

In fact I'm off to enjoy some right now. Have a great chocolate day!

♥ Jen

Sick day

Hey all! How was the weekend? Did you have a good Easter? Our little guy has an ear infection--his first one ever--so he got put on antibiotics today by his pediatrician. Hopefully they'll kick in soon. He's been one miserable little boy since Saturday. We were thinking it was just viral but no such luck. So I've got my buddy home with me now. We're sitting on the couch at the moment, he's playing Mario Party 8 on Wii. There's still a bit of energy for that.

I did get to make my April coffee quilt block over the weekend...I couldn't get the colors to look right in the photo, sorry, it's just so gray and dark out today!

I was getting a little bored with neutrals for the backgrounds...and I thought if they're all going to be different, they should be really different. So this time I used a light green Lecien print, I thought it looked nice with the teal cup fabrics. I also liked the birds eggs fabric for this month, since it is April. Otherwise the cups are Fig Tree'ers.

I ordered this pattern from Camille last week, and it arrived today. She was having a $5 special!

I've always wanted to try this one..one day I'll get to it!

Have a happy day people!

♥ Jen

On this Easter evening...

Happy Easter to all and to all a good night!

♥ Jen

Bluebirds and bunnies

I just have a few minutes, my friends...Dave took the kids to Home Depot and they'll  be back soon...how did he get them there, you ask? For the mundane task of buying compost and bird seed? Ah! With the promise of ice cream on the way home. It's 86 degrees here today...I feel like it's mid-July instead of early April. It was so nice today though, playing outside, having all the windows open...but it can go back to Spring-like weather soon. Really. I'm not one for the heat.

Speaking of bluebirds, I  saw two in our yard over the past two days. They are pretty rare to see around here, even though they are the New York state bird. Interesting, huh? Huh?

Tomorrow, Dave is working so when he gets home we'll color our Easter eggs. Then of course leave out carrots and lettuce (and the prettiest egg) for the Big Guy. Hopefully he'll bring some good treats (and NO white chocolate!).

Speaking of RABBITS now, we have so many in our yard it is incredible. We back up to the "forest" and they like to visit our property and poop. There are rabbit poodies everywhere, it's disgusting. Good thing they're so darned cute. Dave is determined to not let them eat our veggies this year so he got a humane trap. The plan is to catch them one by one and let them free in a field on his way to work. For the past few days we've left the trap out, unset, filled with lettuce and carrots. They're on to us because not a nibble has been taken. Hmmph. Is there better bunny bait?

Ok, off to finish up dinner dishes...Happy Easter, everyone!

♥ Jen

New fabrics

I did a little fabric shopping yesterday. There's a quilt store in North Syracuse called Mission Rose Quiltery. I go there occasionally, when I'm in the neighborhood. I took Dave's car in to get his snow tires off and Honda just happens to be near the quilt shop. I got a yard of this...

So cute, right? I'm seeing aprons in this fabric's future. Here's a smidge closer...

There were a lot of sweet fabrics in this group. I also got some of this...

Is that not adorable?! Another apron for sure. I'm really happy that this quilt shop has been offering more and more kits. It's so nice to just grab one sometimes. One half of the store is cottons, the other is yarn and wools. I've gotten wool there before and it's really beautiful. This time I picked up this fun little wall hanging kit...

Not that I need another project, but I think it'll be quick and fun to make for the summer. What else did I get? Just a few fat quarters...

That top one is from Michael Miller. More detail...

Oh hi Willow. Yes I will take your picture. Do your pets always want in on the photo taking? I can't tell you how many times I've cropped out a tail or two.

Ok where was I? Oh right, well, that was it at the fabric store. Now if they'd only have a 30s section I'd be ecstatic. Finally the library had this for me, that I've had a "hold" on forever...

Have you seen this book? Oh it is too cute. I haven't had a good look at it yet but I'm sure there will be a project or two for me.

We had an early Passover dinner at my mother-in-law's house over the weekend--lots of fun! The kids got to see two of their cousins which was great. Did I take any pictures? No, the camera never left my purse, darn it. Ugh! Well next month we're getting together again so watch out! Now Easter's coming up this weekend...and it's supposed to be beautiful out, near 80! I don't remember the last time (if ever) we could wear short sleeves on Easter. I do remember a snowy Easter Sunday or two...

I'm making apple butter pork loin tonight. It's pretty chilly out today, still good to make cozy meals. Have a great day!

♥ Jen