Finally Back
I started this blog about three weeks ago, went to visit my mom before I finished it, and here we are. So let’s just do both March and today.
March 16
It looks like it’s going to rain . . . again. So far the whole month has been stormy, rainy, foggy and for a few brief moments, sunny. I caught a couple of sunny minutes earlier this afternoon. Thank heaven for pansies – they hang in as long as we don’t have lots of freezing weather and brighten even the grayest day. And the tulips, which started coming up at the end of January are beginning to bloom. The front lawn is beautifully green, though the back is ready to be declared a swamp. I’m actually longing for a day dry enough to pull weeds. This is high level cabin fever.
I’m at that point where I have a bunch of new ideas, but absolutely MUST finish a few things before I start anything new. One project will (I hope) get finished tonight. Then I’ll finish one more thing before I start something new. I’ll take the time to hang up spring quilts even if outside doesn’t look all that springy.
I always want to quilt tulips at this time of year. We lived in Holland for a couple of years in the ’80’s. This time of year the tulip fields are simply stunning. After a long, cold winter, seeing all that fabulous color is just wonderful. Now we get a taste of that in the Northern Willamette Valley where tulips are grown commercially and the fields of riotous color brighten up even the soggiest spring. I probably have enough tulip quilts, but perhaps there’s room for one more.
There are patterns for both “Singing Tulips”, above, and “Tulip Fields,” below. Just go to our shopping page.
April 15
And I’m back. I should’ve just posted the short bit above at the time as things got busy and then it was April. The March weather didn’t improve much until the very end and suddenly spring came, the grass grew and some weeds took hold. I’m tired of my winter clothes and never want to see them again. So, basically, it’s a normal early April.
It’s official – the UFO’s are out of hand. I’m spending some time attacking the pile and deciding what to finish and what to set free. So far, I’ve finished one UFO, quilted another and only have the binding to do and am quilting a third. I also have an idea dancing around in my head that will make a good pattern and I’m excited to start it.
The other thing I’m starting is a six week online course with Shelly Stokes on using Paintstiks on fabric. I’ve used them a couple of times over the years, but having them just hanging around while I’m not sure just what I want to do with them is silly. So when I got the opportunity to learn from a pro, I decided to just jump in. I’ll post pictures once I get going.
I love spring, but as you might have guessed, I’m not really into pastels. Why I think spring things should be pastel, I’m not quite sure. I look out the window at tulips and forsythia and daffodils and the colors are pretty bright. Spring Sampler is about as pastel as I get and it’s not exactly a wallflower.
It will be on special on our shopping page until mid May.
We took a short road trip with Toby and Ella. They’re actually pretty well behaved although Ella likes to take her half out of the middle of the back seat. Also, she rarely sleeps during the car portion of the trip. Apparently she doesn’t want to miss anything.
Toby, on the other hand, settles in for a nap as soon as we hit the freeway so he can be full of energy when we get to Nana’s.
Over the years, I’ve taken about a millions pictures of the dogs and once in a great while I get a good one. This is my new favorite of Ella.
She can be kind of bossy, but is mostly a sweet girl.
Toby is harder to photograph. Black dogs are a challenge. He’s an 85 pound snuggler, which can be interesting. He has the cutest sense of humor of any dog we’ve had. Toby knows he’s hilarious and really enjoys it.
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Keep quilting,
Candy
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