MOM - we'll help clean up!

I see there are some new recommendations for books! I may have to give up sewing to get through them all! As much as I love to read, I could never read all day, as that just wouldn't work for me. Variety is the spice of life! So reading and sewing! 

A couple more flower pictures! I made Murphy wait while I took these; she was not happy! 

Love the color of this rose

Even in October, a full seed of a dandelion

In the afternoon, I was outside in the gazebo. I couldn't help myself, as I want to enjoy the last few lovely days of summer, and I haven't really spent much time in the backyard this year, or so it seems. Now that it's Monday, I must get back to work, as I have a few things to tidy up, and then I can focus 100% on my personal work. 

Hanging out in the gazebo

Imagine my surprise when I studied the pond, which I do every time I go outside, and spotted babies! Yep -- I haven't seen baby fish in a while, and there seemed to be a few of them, which is good. Since we stocked the initial lot of fish there years ago, it has been a self-sustaining pond. That was an exciting find! The pond will soon be closed for the winter, and the fish can settle into the bottom to semi-hibernate. 

Baby gold fish

To give you a little update on what I've been working on, we had our Many Blocks project update yesterday. I had to switch projects a while back and have moved to Farm Girl Vintage. The project I was working on was one of the 365-Day quilts, and with my workload, I just wasn't there mentally. Farm Girl Vintage was a much more manageable quilt, featuring 48 blocks. I taught this as a class several years ago, and well, my quilt never got finished. Good grief - I just checked my poster with all the classes, and I taught this TWICE. Once, in 2016, and again in 2018, but it still hasn't been finished. 

Farm Girl Vintage

So I'm attempting to make that happen NOW. A while back, I had cut out all the remaining blocks, although I found MANY errors on my part with the cutting. I seemed to be missing a lot of pieces, particularly the background!

Anyway, I managed to get five blocks completed since the last class in early September. That doesn't sound like a lot, but considering my September, that was pretty good. 

Block One

Block Two

Block Three

Block Four

Block Five

There are now three or perhaps four blocks remaining to be sewn together, and I'm going to do my best to keep going. Wait - that's a ridiculous statement; I will make that happen. I want that quilt done! 

I'm using a Fat Quarter bundle from Lori Holt (the quilt designer) called Farm Girl Vintage or something like that - it's farm-related. Well, I have a ton of fabric left over, and I also have the Farm Girl Vintage 2 book. Should I just keep going and make the second quilt? I think so! Just use up the darn fabric because what else will I do with it? 

If anyone is working on a project with many blocks and needs some monthly motivation to keep working on it, let me know. I'll forward you the details of the Many Blocks "class." elainetheriault@gmail.com

And one other thing, if there is a pattern that you would love to do as a sew-along, let me know. Currently, we are sewing away on Colour My World, which I had always envisioned as a challenging quilt. I have no idea why. However, as you break it down into small pieces, just as with anything, it's actually a very doable quilt.

This quilt came to my attention the other day, and I think it's stinking cute! I may just have to acquire the pattern. And wouldn't it make a fun sewalong? I love all the little quilts and how all of Elizabeth's animals are showing off their handiwork!

Show and Tell pattern by Elizabeth Hartman

We also had a great show-and-tell for our embroidery club. WOW -- We have some very prolific embroiderers out there, and they are quite creative with their machines! We exceeded our class time by 10 minutes, and I didn't even have time to show my stuff, which is OK. That class is full and has no space available for anyone else to join. 

Sadly, Muprhy will have to go on her medication for her weak sphincter, as she had an accident yesterday. DH asked why she didn't go outside, as the doors were open. The problem is that she doesn't experience the urge or the full bladder feeling that most of us do, so she has to be reminded to empty her bladder. And trust me, she is like a small child. "Mom, I do not have to pee!" And then she has to pee! We still have to remind her, but with the medication, at least it holds the sphincter tight until she does go. I'll be heading to the vet today to pick up the medication! I knew it was too good to be true.  

And GRRRRR - I hate when this happens. I was at IKEA the other day and didn't have anything to buy - I even looked for a particular item before I left the house. Then, after embroidery yesterday, I now have something I need to buy! I'm pretty excited about it and had no idea this item existed - it will be great for picture-taking, as well as other things! Yet it is for home decor! That's why I love my classes and other coming-together sessions. I learn so much from others. Now what else do I need from IKEA? 

Speaking of buying things, I went to the mall yesterday to get some fall-scented hand soaps. OK -- I'm a sucker for that stuff. Imagine my surprise when I walk into the store to find huge sections of Halloween-themed body lotions and soaps. I'm not much into floral scents, but I love the smell of pumpkin spice, and I also love the Warm Vanilla Sugar, or whatever it is called.

Halloween-themed body lotions and other fun things

I bought some body lotion and the hand soaps. I had to carry it all home in my little shopping bag, so I am always conscious of the weight. But everyone is getting into the swing of Halloween! 

The dollar and craft stores are filled with ideas if you want to make your own crafts. YES -- you could buy this stuff, but where is the fun in that? I'm a maker and I need to make things! 

My girls are so funny. The two of them are lying on the floor during the baseball game and couldn't care less what's happening. Not that I was worried, but that massive lead sure got eaten up in a hurry, until the team settled down! BUT the moment I dig out the hand mixer to make whipped cream, guess what? 

MOM - we don't want anything, but if you need help to clean the beaters, we are here! 

I use that hand mixer once a year to make whipped cream for pumpkin pie, which DH bought and shouldn't have, but now that we have it, we have to eat it! There is hardly anything left on the beaters for them to lick, but whose kids didn't fight over who got the beaters to lick? Mine are no different! 

Making whipped cream

And that Miss Lexi --- what a scammer. I watched her intentionally pull the blankets off her bed and with a saucy toss of her head as well. They were a bit messy from whatever she had been doing earlier. So I fixed them for her, and she jumped right in. 

Mom -- how nice that you made my bed for me. I had to force the issue, and you call yourself a good dog Mom! 

I don't know why these girls never got into the habit of sleeping together. That would be blasphemy. Gosh, Murphy got jealous of the little bit of extra attention that Lexi got as she settled into her bed. 

MOM - look at ME! Why is Lexi getting all the attention? I'm sad! 

Well, I was up and ready to go to spin class, but my stomach is feeling slightly unsettled. I didn't even finish eating my protein bar, and I have no desire to do so. I think I'll stay close to home in case I need the washroom. Not that we don't have washrooms at the gym, but you know what I mean. 

That means that I can start work a bit earlier this morning, and well, that's OK by me. I have a few writing assignments that I'd like to get out of the way, and the sooner the better, because I want to tackle Studio B. The weather is going to get colder this week, and since the gardener was here last week, there will be zero incentive to be outside!

And I'm going to follow up with the CHATGPT thing. There's more to it than I was doing. I've also contacted the page's owner to assist. 

And on that note, I'm out of here. It's Monday, and I have to get a presentation together. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

PS - Now that it's a little later, my stomach is feeling much better, but I'm going to stick close to home this morning.