Batik Time

My granddaughter Maegan visited me this week.  She loves to make things and wanted to try her hand at batik.  She catches on very fast and I think she did a great job!  We haven't ironed off the wax yet but I know her fabric is going to be wonderful.  She's going to make some pillows with the fabric. Kimberly will be visiting us tomorrow. It's a joy to have granddaughters, love 'em.  Oh yes, love my grandsons too.  Dillon is busy at wrestling camp and Shawn is really enjoying the summer rec program.

Sunflower Apron from Zazzle.com

Sunflower Apron from Zazzle.com

They Are The Champions!

Girls Softball----Congratulations Mangos!

My grand daughter Kimberly is the catcher for her softball team.  She does an excellent job and the rest of the team are very good too.  It's been great watching these teens come up through the years to become such great players!  I remember one of their first practices when they were very little.  One little girl ran to third base first not yet knowing where first base was.  They've come a very long way!!  They beat Andover's team last night in a very close game.  Kimberly caught the whole game and also got the winning run at the end of the game.  This is a very proud Grandmama!  I would be proud of her even if they hadn't done so well.  They are such good sports and love the game.  Congratulations to the Franklin Girls Softball Team!!  We'll miss the starting pitcher, Kelsey, next year because she's moving up to high school level ball. Soon the others will join her and we'll have fun seeing what they can do in the years ahead!

It Rained But The Sale Went On

On Friday before the yard sale, the weatherman said Saturday looked good up until 2PM when we could expect showers.  So the  Art & Craft Supply sale went on as scheduled.  A good number of people came first thing and I'm happy to say I made some sales.  So I got rid of some of my older "stuff" and of course found other things to buy while there.  One seller had so many things that I would have liked to buy that it was difficult to decide without going in the hole.  I'm selling some of my quilting magazines & books,  some fabric and other craft related items.  I used to make Santas, Dolls and Stuffed animals so I have things like eyelashes, eyes, noses for bears etc.  Didn't sell much except some straw hats for dolls.  The batting and pillow foams went quickly at a very, very low price.  Patti said she's going to put on another similar sale in the Fall and I'll try again.  Hopefully, we'll have much better weather.  Now I've decided to have my own yard sale on some upcoming Saturday..too be announced.

Art & Craft SUPPLY Yard Sale News

I've been going through my boxes and boxes of supplies and pricing items low so hopefully they will sell and I won't have to lug them all home.  The sale is tomorrow at 10 AM until 2 PM.  170 Province Rd, Gilmanton, NH @ Badger Brook Farm.  Ten people will be selling all sorts of art and craft supplies.  I can't believe some of the things that I've held on to through the years.  I actually found some patterns for clothing I made my girls back in 1972!  I'm going to keep one of the patterns and add it to a picture I have of them wearing the dresses, another collage in the making!! 

We're still doing yard work and I'm pleased with all that's been accomplished this spring with help from my kids and others.  I've planted some climbing vines up the trellis on the pergola and I'm anxious to see how they do.  I went to Orford, NH yesterday and visited a friend at her campground.  We went to lunch at a wonderful little drive-in in Fairlee, VT.  They had the most beautiful flowering vines there and I'm hoping that mine will come close to how those looked.  Oh yes, I had a lobster roll, she had shrimp salad and they were both EXCELLENT. 

Have a great weekend everyone, enjoy the sun while it's out!

Completed Driveway and Huge Koi!

It's done and I'm pleased with the results.  I didn't drive on it for a couple of days because I wanted it to harden up before I parked my car on it.  I'm planning on putting some screened loam along the side and at the end by the house. 

Yesterday was a good day.  We went to a small car show in Cornish, NH and enjoyed taking some photos.  Wouldn't you know it, my battery in my Nikon died shortly after arriving.  I should know better and always charge the battery the night before.  Anyway, lucky for me I had brought along my Cannon point and shoot.  It takes good photos so I guess it worked out okay.  We also drove to Concord to see an antique car show on Pleasant Street but didn't see anyone there.  Either it was cancelled or ended early.  So we went to Barnstead and visited a business that has several ponds and waterfalls on display.  Believe they also give classes in building them.  In one of their large ponds they had the biggest Koi fish I have EVER seen!  The fish is huge!!  I took a photo with it swimming along with another Koi that is the usual size (also quite large) hoping to give the viewer some idea of how huge this thing was.

Have a good week and I'll be back to posting soon.

Paved Driveway!

My driveway is being paved today.  After 30 years living here, I've finally decided it's time.  It's look'n good!

My New Pergola

The pergola is finished and now I'm going to plant some climbing plants on each side to climb up the lattace.
The guy who built it was funny, he said he can't guarantee the roof won't leak : )

Quiltlet Challenge In Progress

I thought some of you might be interested in the process I used in making this small art quilt.  So here are the steps I took (as I remember them), I work intutively and don't take notes.

The word for this challenge is Rebirth.  I decided to use the wild flower Trillium because I think they are so beautiful and they arrive early in the spring when the flowers are just waking up from a long winter.

Process:
I'm using a photo my friend Ron took of a trillium. 

• I enlarged the photo and printed it on my ink jet printer using cotton.
• I used colored pencils and markers to add to the color. 
• I used fusible web and added that to the back of the cotton photo. 
• I cut out the flower. (Photo 1)
• I fused the cotton photo on to some thin batting. (Photo 2)
• I chose one of my hand dyed fabrics for the background.
• I tore off the fusible on the small leaves only then fused them to the background fabric. (Photo 3)

Now I'm quilting the individual petals of the flower and will tack them onto the backing so they curve out much like the real flower.

I'm adding the backing, quilting it and bind to finish.  So far I'm pleased with how this is turning out.

I'll post a photo of the finished quiltlet very soon!

Here's the completed art quilt!

Sorry it took so long to post, I'd forgotten.