Day 182 of 2020

Today Ann of Stitch Supply Co announced the winners 

of the last prizes of the Mugs Quilt Sew Along. 

Imagine my shock when I found I was randomly selected as 

the Grand Prize Winner! 

I feel incredibly grateful.

Day 181 of 2020

In this house, Monday is laundry day. 

I think this pretty much sums it up.

Day 180 of 2020

Well, the linings are ready. 

Slow progress, but still progress. 

I'm trying to embrace the small steps

 because they really do amount to big things.

Day 179 of 2020

Fireball and I "went to" a concert tonight. 

We actually went to the den and set up the live stream concert. 

It was great and we had the best seats in the house. 

Update on yesterday's post: 

It seems that I actually bought enough of the fabric

 to make a table runner and two kitchen towels, 

so in total, I hemmed six ends. 

I also figured out why I got stuck on the project in the first place. 

The fabric is navy, red and cream. 

I remember thinking I should match my thread 

(and change it in the middle of the hem) 

to whatever color was showing on that end. 

In the end I just changed my thread to cream and did all the hems the same. 

I do overthink these things. 

Conclusion:

It took longer than thirty seconds but... 

DONE.

Day 178 of 2020

Do you want to hear something ridiculous?

This is one of those fabrics

 that is hemmed along the two long parallel sides and sold on a roll. 

Sometimes I think people use them for kitchen towels. 

I usually use them for table runners. 

All one needs to do to make them useful is to hem the two short sides. 

I bought this one a long time ago, 

so long that I really don't remember when. 

Well, today I found it again on a stack of other fabrics. 

The really ridiculous part? 

It was already pinned and ready to sew. 

This project will probably take a little over thirty seconds to finish. 

After all, I will have to change the thread on my machine.

Day 177 of 2020

In the bottom of the photo you can see 

that there is a gap in the vertical trim just below the soffit. 

This space is above the second story on the outside corner of M's former room.  

There is quite a racket coming from this space.  

The momma bird on top the gutter has dinner in her mouth to feed her babies, 

safely hidden down behind the trim piece.  

I think she thinks I am too close 

even though I am sitting far away with my zoom lens. 

Ultimately, she flies off. 

I went inside and I am sure she came back.

Day 176 of 2020

Here's the latest on the downed tree in our back yard. 

Fireball made lots of progress today 

and could have made more if the chainsaw had been cooperative.

Day 175 of 2020

Now that the mugs are done, I have switched to making more masks for family. 

Today seemed very much like a Goldilocks situation. 

I'm trying some new styles and some were too large, some were too small. 

I'm still searching for that "just right" one.

Day 174 of 2020

The top of the mugs quilt is done. 

I am so happy with it. 

I won't be able to give it to Little E until her visit at Christmas 

which might not be a bad thing. 

It has to wait its turn in line to get quilted. 

I have at least a couple that need to get done before this one.

Day 173 of 2020

Just a boy with his dad, and his dad making ghost story telling faces. 

Happy Father's Day to all my dads near and far.

Day 172 of 2020

Fireball was looking a bit shaggy since the hair salons and barbers 

were shut down for so long. 

We're still not comfortable going out much 

so I offered to give him a home haircut. 

Yesterday he took me up on the offer.  

Today he trimmed up his beard to go with the new haircut.  

I think he cleans up pretty well.

Day 171 of 2020

No internet. No television. No phone.

 Let’s play a game.

Day 170 of 2020

My mugs are all hanging out together, all stitched in rows. 

After I make a fabric decision in better light, I will be building shelves.

Day 169 of 2020

My last set of blocks, the espresso mug, is done.

I've arranged them on my design wall

and the sashing is all cut. 

The goal now is to get the top done by the deadline.

Day 168 of 2020

Today was the last day before it gets unbearably hot this week,

so Fireball suggested we finish a partially made project

 we found in the garage the other day. 

The wood was mostly all cut but not assembled.  

We finished it in pretty quick order so we continued on to project #2. 

This one had been talked about and roughly designed for some time

 and even had some casters purchased. 

We made it up as we went and used wood we already had on hand 

that was previously intended for other projects that never got built. 

I am very happy with how it turned out. 

Here is the problem that this little rolling cart solved. 

Every time we wanted to use the miter saw, 

it took two of us to bring it out of the garage, onto the driveway. 

It is quite awkward, heavy, unbalanced and difficult to do. 

Now the saw sits nicely in the cart with casters. 

It only takes one person to roll it out for use. 

The front two casters lock for safety. 

As a bonus, the shelf below can hold other items, 

in this case the air compressor and accessories.

Day 167 of 2020

We got this new game back in March

 just as everyone was staying home as instructed. 

GB#3 came for another visit this morning so we opened it up. 

After playing as it was intended for a while, 

we began building castles, headquarters and barricades. 

There were characters, voices and intricate plot lines. 

There is nothing like a multi-use game.

Day 166 of 2020

The weather was so beautiful today, I couldn't stay inside and sew. 

Instead, Fireball and I worked on cleaning out our overloaded garage

 and when you clean out, some things just have to go.

Day 165 of 2020

Here is the first of the last set of mug blocks 

alongside some of the essential tools for the making of these blocks. 

Day 164 of 2020

Last week's birthday boy wore his crown when he came to visit today.

Day 163 of 2020

This is the last week for blocks of the Mug Quilt Sew Along. 

This block is also paper pieced. 

I have not been able to sew the last two days, but I am ready to go.

Day 162 of 2020

I haven't walked as much since I hurt my ankle on the first of May. 

Today I ventured out with Fireball. 

This particular path had pretty spring flowers in bloom last time I walked by. 

Now there are beautiful roses.

Day 161 of 2020

This is not at all what I expected from the book store. 

So many of the regular magazines are missing

 including the two from the UK that I regularly buy. 

I was told that it could take up to 90 days to be back to fully stocked 

and that they would only be carrying current issues.  

Any issues I have missed will not be received by the store, and 

I'll have to contact the publishers to see if they are available for sale.

The answer to the question posed in this post is the Day of the Dead fabric.

Day 160 of 2020

I think I've mentioned here before that I like to listen to books. 

I may have mentioned that I am also a fan of all things Rifle Paper Co.

For Christmas Fireball received a pair of AirPods. 

They sat on his desk unopened for months. 

I finally asked if I could try them out to which he heartily agreed.  

I love them and have probably used them every day since, 

so when I saw that Rifle Paper Co. had a case for them I was smitten.  

Later when the case went on sale I ordered it. 

Today I received my Happy Mail 

and I guess I can officially call the AirPods mine.

Day 159 of 2020

I did finish all the Latte Mugs in time. 

I am all caught up. 

I did make eight mugs again. That makes four extras so far. 

They will likely become part of the back. 

Here is a question for you. 

Only one of these fabrics was purchased especially for this quilt, 

especially for Little E.  

The rest are from my stash. 

Which one is it? 

Day 158 of 2020

The first Latte Mug is done. 

This week the blocks are paper pieced. 

While I have no problem with this method of piecing, 

the pace is not my favorite. 

It is so much slower than my usual assembly line sewing.

At this rate, I'm not sure when I will get these blocks done. 

Next week's blocks are also paper pieced. 

Wish me luck keeping up.

Day 157 of 2020

We went hiking with the birthday boy today. 

It was literally a walk in the park.

Day 156 of 2020

Tomorrow is someone's birthday so I made a crown.

Day 155 of 2020

Last week's blocks are finished. 

Week 6, Pedestal Mug 

These were fun.

Day 154 of 2020

Prepped with a little progress.

Day 153 of 2020

Many years ago I became a mother on this date with the birth of our son, Big D. 

This year our daughter-in-law, R, 

(I really need to come up with a different name for her) 

made him his favorite pie to celebrate. 

This evening she brought some over for us. Yum! 

Big D, thanks for making me a mom.  

I love being a mom and now also a grandma. 

Happy Birthday.