FNSI results and Sunflowers

FNSI – One quilter’s trash is another quilter’s treasure.  I have decided to make a few doll quilts for the Get your Mrs. Claus on Project.  As I was digging through the leaning tower of scraps Friday evening, I found some pretty pieces that were headed for the trash can at a retreat I attended.  So from trash, I was able to make a doll quilt and 6 mug rugs for my Hospice project.

I cut out another quilt from scraps leftover from a baby quilt last month.  I really am trying very hard to use up some scraps. 

Today’s adventure involved fields of blooming sunflowers.  On the way, I had to stop and get a picture of this sign.

“Adopt a Highway” signs are very common around here, but I’ve never seen a “rustic road”.

The road to get to the sunflowers probably wouldn’t even be considered a road.  I had to get out of the car a couple of times to guide dh over the ruts and try to limit any damage to the car.  Needless to say, we took a different road home.  Our destination was McKee-Besher WMA.  they have 5 fields that are planted in sunflowers, and two of them are currently in bloom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After photographing the lovely sunflowers, there was time to visit a nearby quilt shop to pick up another Row by Row pattern.  And maybe some fabric for a Christmas gift.  Christmas will be here sooner than you think!

And now I must get back to work on those doll quilts!  Hope you’re all having a nice weekend.

~~~Sunny~~~

. . . stitching and paddling . . .

Yes, I do still stitch, even during the summer months.  I've just finished two snowmen for Christmas gifts.

The pattern called for a wool scarf, but since I didn’t have the required size of wool, I decided to crochet them instead!  I’ve finished the second scarf, and just need to attach it.  I’ll probably add some fringe to the ends as well.

I finished a gift for a blogging friend last month, but I couldn’t show it until it was received by my friend.   And now I find that I don’t have a picture of the completed project!  I tried to steal a copy from her blog, but since I couldn’t, please visit Di if you want to see the house I constructed for her.

For the past month, I’ve been using the scraps from my projects to make coasters/mug rugs.  Our Hospice has a large fundraiser every November, and they’ve put out a call for approximately 500 mug rugs to give out as favors.  Hospice is an organization near and dear to my heart, so I’ll be making as many as I can.  Here is what I made last Friday night. 

Somewhere in the sewing room is another stack, made from the scraps of Di’s house, the purple and green from last month’s scissor keeps, and from the crochet hook caddy that I made.  I probably have about 15 in total now.  some of the designs are dictated by the size and shape of the scraps.  Some are from common block patterns.

We’ve had a lot of rain this summer, and our flowers are all beautiful.  This sunflower was planted by either the birds or the squirrels.  We have a large one and a smaller one in our pots.

Mr. Squirrel was quite entertaining yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

Our kayaking trip this past weekend was on the Nanjemoy Creek, right where it empties into the Potomac River.  We’ve gone there before, and knew that we would be able to take our ‘big boy’ cameras  and lenses.  And we were rewarded.  Eagles, Osprey, Herons, Egrets, and even some butterflies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly, I have to work five days a week, but another weekend will be here soon!  And Friday is FNSI!!  See you there.

~~Sunny~~

Finger Lakes Revisited

I just can’t understand how times flies so fast!  Once again, it’s been two weeks since I’ve posted.  I have done some stitching, but I don’t have any decent pictures, so I’ll have them next time. 

Mr. QD and I decided we enjoyed visiting the Finger Lakes region so much last summer, that we should go back for the long weekend.  And what a perfect weekend it was.  I left work a little early on Thursday so we could drive up and be ready for an early start on Friday. 

Friday found us kayaking on Canadice, the smallest of the Finger Lakes.  We also visited Hemlock and Honeoye. 

The day started out breezy and cool.  We actually paddled with jackets on.  Canadice and Hemlock are the only two of the lakes whose shores are totally undeveloped.  We saw a lot of other paddlers, and it was exhilarating to battle the wind and the waves.  Because of the length and depth of the lakes, and because they are separated by hills, they tend to be very windy, and aren’t exactly ideal for kayaking.

We didn’t get a lot of pictures, because we were rocking and rolling, and my camera was safely tucked into the dry bag most of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

After loading up and leaving Canadice, we drove over to Honeoye and had our picnic lunch.  Most of the clouds had departed by then, but it was still windy and chilly.  This lake is circled with vacation homes, so very different from Canadice.

There were also motor boats, which aren’t allowed on Canadice.

We hadn’t seen any birds at the first lake, either.

 

 

 

And they must have a week problem, because this is quite the weed whacker.

On Saturday morning, we got an early start, and headed to Ithaca for the Farmer’s Market.

They have lovely produce, herbs, baked goods, cheeses, maple syrup, all produced within 30 miles of the market.  We purchased some tempting treats and had a tasty lunch as well. 

Before we drove over to the park for kayaking, we made a quick stop at Quilter’s Corner for their Row by Row pattern.  I was a good wife, and didn’t make DH wait in the car for very long.

Ithaca is situated at the lower end of Cayuga Lake, which is the second largest of the lakes.  From our vantage point at the market, we could see kayakers on a creek leading in to the lake.  we went to Allan Treman State Marine Park.  The amazing thing was, they let us in free since we were ‘only’ launching kayaks, not boats.  We usually have to pay double because we’re launching two boats instead of one.

We paddled out to the end of the canal and onto the lake. 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a lot of boat traffic on the lake, so we turned around and went back into the canal.  We paddled back into the center of Ithaca.

It was a nice relaxing paddle, going past the Farmer’s Market, and the rowing boathouses for Ithaca College and Cornell University. 

We then went looking for some waterfalls, but the directions for them were not very clear.  We did locate Ithaca Falls, but I think the best part was below us, so not visible for pictures.

 

 

 

 

We had better luck with waterfalls on Sunday morning.  We made a quick trip into Watkins Glen and Montour Falls.  Sorry Di!  We had breakfast, went to the Pier for a few pictures,

 

 

 

 

 

and stopped in at O’Susannah’s for a Row by Row pattern.  Then on to Montour Falls so DH could get pictures of the waterfalls before we had to start the trek home. 

I’m sure we’ll be going back again some day, and we’ll kayak at the end of Seneca Lake next time, and up into the creek.   We both love the Finger Lakes Region, and  the drive is reasonable.  If you live anywhere in the northeast and you like outdoor adventures, waterfalls, beautiful scenery, or wine, I highly recommend a visit.

And now back to some stitching…….Sunny

I don’t understand why this is all laid out properly in the draft, but then goes all over the place when I hit publish.

FNSI and Busy Weekend

Dh and I went out for dinner Friday night after I got home from work, so I got a bit of a late start on FNSI.   I almost decided just to go to bed early and not stitch, but I HAD to go down to the craft room to make a couple of cards.  Once I got down there, finished the cards, and started stitching, I couldn’t stop!

I put the final stitches on this cross stitch, which was a SAL from Blackbird Designs.  I’m not quite sure how I’m going to finish it, but I’ll play around with it this week.

Then I finished constructing this house, which I’m making for a secret project.  I need to add some hand quilting, and get it bound this week, and then it will be sent off in the mail to ???

I’ll get a better picture when I can photograph the entire thing.

The next project was to use up the leftover fabric from the scissor keeps that I made last week.  I started with two thread catchers.  I received one of these as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago (thanks Linda!) and I use mine every day.  I thought they would be perfect to accompany the scissor keeps.

I still had a little fabric left, so I made a couple of small mug rugs. 

Our local Hospice has a fund raiser each November, and they’ve put out a request for nearly 500 small mug rugs to be given out this year.  I figure I can made quite a few with some of my scraps.  I can’t throw out fabric, and none of these have to match anything, so you’ll be seeing more in the coming months.  I still had some very small scraps, so there will probably be a hexie flower mug rug or two!

On Saturday, we travelled down to Virginia for a family graduation.  It was a fun weekend of family, food, and celebrating!

 

 

 

 

 

On the way home today, we stopped at a garden center to buy a few more flowers.  At this rate, summer will be over before DH thinks he has enough flowers!

 

 

 

 

 

Off to work again tomorrow.  Have a nice week, everyone!

 

A couple of pictures from last week’s kayak adventure.