Just so you'll know

They say diets don't work.

I'm here to tell you the Klondike diet doesn't work.

 The Snickers ice cream bar diet doesn't work.

Combining the two doesn't work.

Not a lot of success with the pistachio diet, either.

So, now you know.

It's back

Here is one of my latest finishes 

all packed up and ready to go to long arm Mike's.

I was going to attempt to quilt it myself but,

I wrestled with piecing the backing and decided

that was enough of a job and quilting

one this big would just

be more work that this particular

quilt was worth to me.

I had done all but the outside border

six or sew years ago and it's

been hanging on a ladder in my studio since before

the studio was a studio so 

I needed to do something with it before it gathered

any more dust.

All I need to do, now, is put on the binding

and make some matching pillow covers.

I took a little break to make some infinity scarves.

I made a bunch of these as 

Christmas gifts, but for the life of me

could not remember how I made them.

So, I found a tutorial to refresh my memory, and it

said these were also great for men.

I think Jack agrees!

March Madness

A finish.

I started to straight line quilt this, but

it was going to take forever, so 

I just free-motioned.

I pieced the back, and like it almost

as much as the front.

The next quilt was started at least 6 years ago.

It was to have an appliqued border where the

tan border is.  But it was never gonna get done and 

I had it hung on a ladder for decoration

in the studio.  It was just

getting dusty, so I slapped on the outside border,

pieced the backing, and

I'm hoping long arm Mike can work

some magic on it.

It is pretty boring without the applique.  But once it is quilted, and

has some matching shams, it will be fine.

This table top quilt, includes 4 blocks I got in a swap.

I free motion quilted it.

My goal is to get good at this quilting this year.

This is the pieced back.  Could have planned it 

a little better. Just wanted to use up

this dotty fabric.

Now,

this is another quilt started over 5 years ago.

I am going to complete the

applique on it (by machine).

Then I'm gonna quilt it.

It is half the size

of the quilt I'm sending to long arm Mike,

so I think I can handle it on my big girl machine.

Well, that's the round up so far for March.

Our House

Our house is a very very fine house,

with two dogs in the yard.......

and it is finished.

we have a few days to enjoy it till

we have to pay for it.

So here is what we have.

My yard boy.

See Daisy watching me at the fence?

Getting the cars back in the garage after 2 and a half
weeks of storing siding, ladders, drills and stuff.

Usually this photo would be of flowers along the garage.

A lot of honey suckle gave it's
life for room to work on the porch.

my garage boy.

Cars are all tucked in.


And the Carrs are on the sofa watching golf, knitting, and blogging.
Life is good.

progress on the house

Here is how things are shaping up.

I love this railing.  Not sure what we are going to do

about the steps and floor of the porch.  If we

can, I want to paint it.

Here is the front with the shutter on the big window.

Here is the back, with a shutter on the little window.

I wanted lattice on the garden side of the porch

so Daisy would not get under it.  We had just propped

and old board up against it.

Here is Daisy on the porch.

I want to paint the floor and just

put a runner down the middle.

They wanted to build a little wall

half way up, but I told them that Daisy likes to look out from

her bed in the corner.  so

it is screen from top to bottom.

Life with dogs does present it's decorating challenges.

It all looks to bright and new.  I'll think

it will look more like home once a 

coat of dust settles on it all.

Day four

This is a photo Jack snapped

of me and my laundry lady and neighbor, Debby.

As luck would have it, our washing machine

died as soon as it filled when Jack was

doing a load of laundry.

Deb was kind enough to wash and dry it for us.

I needed my jammies and yoga pants for the weekend!

Had I known he was going to take pictures,

I would have lost 10 pounds before I walked across the street.

Anyway, everything (even the fitted sheets) was so

nicely folded, we are just going to leave it

all in the basket as it is.

There was some sort of precipitation all day.

the crew worked till 2:00.

this is the front.

another view of the front.

the side

the side, again

another view of the side

and here is the back.  

Every thing, except Barney, will be covered with vinyl.

Look it my sweet princess at the gate.

and, again at  my handsome prince.

(my other handsome prince is taking a nap)

I good day to bake.  

and make a little turkey soup.

I have sewed very little since work started.

This weekend, I will be picking out outside lights,

and new curtain rods for the side and garage doors.

And hoping no more appliances die.