TAKING A BREAK AND HAVING SOME FUN!

We all need to do this from time to time.  Sometimes our obligations have a way of getting us stuck down to the grind, and we need to break loose and just play for awhile.

How do you break free?  Or do you break free?

I go upstairs to the studio, rummage around and let my mind take over whatever it wants to do...

I have had a project mulling around in my mind for a long time, after I saw a painting on Pinterest of a sunflower.  For some reason the image stuck with me, and because I don't paint, I started creating my own rendition of the painting in my own style.

Fabric...

To be exact - fabric scraps... the kind and size most people throw out!

I have mine all sorted into bags according to colour, and those bags fill three drawers of a chest of drawers.

So I started gathering my yellow, red and brown scraps, and then I started cutting.  I began laying my scraps out on my cutting board and I got this...  not bad for a start.  After I looked at the picture I took I realized that the center was much to small - easily fixed!

One thing led to another, and the next thing I know I was making this video:
https://youtu.be/B3V9VPnnVko


And after working for awhile longer I decided to pin what I had so far onto the actual fabric of the quilt.  It's going to be a 6 ft wall hanging when it's done - and I have a lot more petals to add before it looks right... but the center is much better!

Then I rummaged some more - cut up a pair of capri's from years and years ago, and made the stem, and pinned that on my piece.

Next I have to add the smaller darker petals that surround the center of the flower.  And make some leaves, and then somehow attach the whole sunflower to the piece permanently and quilt it, and I plan to do a lot of embroidery stitches on the petals themselves to further enhance the piece.  It has a long way to go - but I am happy with my progress so far... and yes, the sunflower is going to spill out over the edges of the quilt- it's not getting trimmed down - it is exactly the way I want it to be!

I have another wall hanging quilt peeking out behind the sunflower one, that one is just waiting for me to get some border material, then I will sew it all together and finish it...

My Play Day turned out to be just what I needed...

And I didn't even make a dent in my scrap stash!

I see another Play Day in my Future!

IT'S UP TO US TO TEACH THEM CREATIVITY !

I often wonder and even worry about the future of activities such as knitting/ crochet/sewing/crafting in the generations to come, and even within the generations now here.

With technology being what it is, and where it seems to be headed, there seems to be less and less interest by our youth to be creative, less opportunities to work with their hands to create, and dare I say, less and less imagination in a generation that only needs to touch a screen to be entertained and challenged.

I feel we are somehow to blame for this - my generation, that is.  We were the generation that introduced much of the technology that rules the world today.  It was novel, exciting, and we jumped on the trolley that we thought would lead us to new places and to a new world.

Boy did it ever!

I'm not sure I have much pride in the technology our generation helped create.

That is why whenever I see a child show interest in a handicraft of any kind, I jump at the chance to fan the fire of creativity.

Last week we were in the city, and we visited our son and his family.  Our little step-granddaughter is 9 yrs old.  I made her a Junk Journal for her 9th birthday and she is so in love with the journal that it really makes me happy.

She has been struggling to find ways to fill her journal with the things she thinks need to go in it.  So I went through my craft room and packed her a full box of supplies and ideas to help her work on her journal.

She was over - the- top excited!

One of the things she loves the most about her journal is the tiny books that I made and tucked and hid throughout the journal.  She wanted to learn how to make the tiny books, but time wasn't on our side.

It really bothered me that I couldn't show her how to do the simple craft she really wanted to learn  - so today I made her a video showing her how to make her own tiny books.

Given the chance, I believe she will be making a lot of tiny books in her future... and why not - who said journal making is only an adult activity?

It can be done by children as well  - I am sure of it - and I plan to prove it with a series of Tutorial Video's  just for kids, on how to make a simple journal.

If you have interested children in your world, perhaps you will follow along and help create some rather awesome journals for the Children in your lives to give as gifts this Christmas...

To get you started here is the first video in the series...

How to make a Tiny Book.

Get out your scissors, paper, glue and lets get the kids creating!

https://youtu.be/jKPhiaq6KxE



If you want to see the journal I made for Zhanna's birthday here is the video where I show you cover to cover of the book...

https://youtu.be/cSeL_fGQya4

SOME KNITTING AND A BOOK REVIEW!

Now that the garden is doing it's own thing without interference from me, apart from watering and weeding, I have been taking some time to do some of the other things I love.

I have been knitting.

I finished the pullover I was knitting for myself to use on my fall morning walks - it turned out great, and I will have a picture of it soon, I promise - or maybe a video - not sure.

I also started knitting a few items for a new baby in the family that is due to arrive in October.  It is the first child of my nephew Leigh and his wife Jenna, and we already know it is going to be a boy.

So far I have knit a darling little cardigan, a hat (toque style), some baby mittens, and I am now just starting some baby socks.  Again - I will have pictures when I get them all sewn together, washed and blocked...

I have rooted through my huge stash a yarns, and pulled out all the suitable sock yarn I could find, and next I am going to start knitting socks.

I think that is going to be the Christmas gift of choice this year - that and calendars featuring my photography.

Last year, I did a couple of calendars, using Walmart photo - but although the calendars turned out quite nice, it was on the pricey side to print more than a few.  So I am on the hunt for someplace I can get a quantity of them printed, and then I might sell some of them as well as give them as gifts to friends and family.

I also have been doing some reading from my lovely little spot in the pumpkin patch.

I just finished a book called.   The Chilbury Ladies' Choir.   by Jennifer Ryan.

It was a delight to read.

It's about a choir in Chilbury England during WW11, that looses all it's male singers to the war effort, so they continue, much to the horror of the times, as a women's -  only choir.  The story is less about the choir, and more about the individual lives of the women in the choir, as they try to live through a very difficult period of history, for England and indeed most of Europe.

It's a good read with some colourful characters, some historic events, and really good story telling.

The novel was published in 2017, and was Jennifer Ryan's first novel - so I will be keeping my eyes open for her next novel - if one comes along.


If you missed my last two video's taken from my Pumpkin patch last weekend, you can catch it here...

https://youtu.be/iiCowXmzOnQ


https://youtu.be/PSiJ4cElPG0


So now, I'm off to cast some socks on the needles -

Until later -

A BEAUTIFUL EVENING, AND SOME BEAUTIFUL IMAGES!

For the past three days we have had a break from the extreme heat and humidity that for weeks had us in it's throes.  I have been able to have the windows and doors open all day long and it has been so nice to be able to leave the air conditioning off and just enjoy the fresh air coming in the windows.

Truly the past three days have been my idea of the perfect summer weather.  I know my perfect summer weather is not what a lot of people would hope for summer, but there it is.

I have never been a heat lover, or a sun-bather, or really much of a beach-goer.  If and when I do sit outside, it's usually in the shade.

But one cannot deny the beauty of summer, and my yard really does showcase a lot of that beauty, each and every day.

I am very very fortunate to be surrounded with Mother Nature's, best of the best.

In particular, I love summer evenings the best - especially that couple of hours just before the sun goes down for the night.  That time of the evening offers a hush of activity - both human, and nature; sometimes a cooling evening breeze, and always the most beautiful light and shadows.

It is the best time to take out the camera and get some really beautiful images - especially of flowers.

That's what I did last evening.  I took an hour, and wandered around my gardens with my camera and just forgot everything except the beauty all around me.  It is amazing when you slow down and really look, what you can see.  And that is precisely why I love the activity of photography.  It forces me to slow down, look carefully, find what inspires me... and then encourages me to take the time, make the effort to get the sharpest, cleanest, image I can  - over and over again.

I often only intend to be out shooting the camera for a few minutes - but most times I loose track of time, and I am out for hours... and always, I am totally relaxed when I do finally go in the house.

So here are a few of the images I managed to catch in my yard, just as the evening sun was saying goodnight to the gardens.  It really was the perfect evening to be wandering around the gardens with camera in hand.

Enjoy!

HOW'S THIS FOR A CATCH-UP!

Well, It sure has been awhile since I have sat down to write an blog.

I hope everyone hasn't given up on me, and moved on elsewhere.

It has been a very busy few months here on our little slice of earth.  We have been busy working in the yard, in the gardens and on the hedges, and also just enjoying every minute we can of being outside in the sun and fresh air.  The time will come soon enough when we will be stuck indoors during our long winter months, so now it's time to enjoy the outdoors while we can.

My gardens are not doing as well as I had hoped at the beginning of the season  - but I am not the only one saying that this year.  Once again we find ourselves in an extremely dry and hot summer.  The lack of rain has really taken it's toll on the plants and trees, and also on the insects and birds.

Perhaps I do have more birds and insects than most yards in town,  but that might be because I continue to feed and water both species.

So I water from the hose - it is after all the only way I will have any crop this year.  But even that isn't going to get much in my freezer this year.  I can tell already that yields are not going to be anywhere near where they have been other years.

I do have some successes however.

Remember the Peppermint Stick Zinnia seed I was going to try for the first time this year.... well, just today, the first flower showed it's beauty to me... take a look!

Isn't it gorgeous?

A couple of other Zinnia's new to me as well this year, that are just as fetching are these two...

New tomatoes I am trying this year are these Midnight Snack cherry tomatoes...

They are almost too pretty to eat - I can't wait to try them.

But of course there are some things that have a forever place in my gardens - and they never disappoint.

And Mother Nature never disappoints either, as usual summertime here is a daily show of some of the most breath-taking sunsets you could ever see - we are truly blessed.

The summer hasn't all been about the yard and the gardens and mother nature, I have also been on a knitting frenzy for a few months now.

I have finished my walking sweater for my fall morning walks, - it turned out great - better than I expected.  I have several pairs of socks on the go, and though I have not quite conquered Magic Loop yet, I  have once again become comfortable knitting with DPN's.

Currently I am knitting a darling little baby sweater for an new expected baby in the family, who is due to arrive in October.  It is knit in one piece, which I have never attempted before, and I must say, I am delighted with the way it is turning out.

When I get that project done, I plan to do a reveal Vlog on all my completed knitting projects.

OH yeah - and I have done quite a few Vlogs for YouTube as well, so if you haven't already check them out, if you are interested...

my channel is:    Whatever the Weather may be.

So how's that for a catch-up?

I will try not to be so tardy here in the future.  

Stay Well everyone...

Till Next Time!

DO YOU JOURNAL?

Do you keep a journal of your everyday life, or maybe of your gardens from year to year?  Do you keep a journal of special events, or your child or grandchild's progress?  Do you keep a journal of your travels, your adventures?  How about a journal of your thoughts - your dreams, hopes, aspirations?

For some people journaling is as common to them as breathing - for others it is something that they have always wanted to do - and if truth be told - they are really in love with the idea - but they just never had the time to start - or maybe they did start - for awhile, but let it go for another time in their lives when they would have more time.

I can't tell you how many times I have started a journal in my life.  Mainly because so many people I knew did keep one - and I just thought it was the most romantic thing ever.

Since retiring and moving to the country - I have kept a garden journal.  It's sort of my year-to year guide as to what I grow, when I plant - what grows, what doesn't grow.  It's easy, because I don't have to write in it everyday.

My Mom was the master of journaling.  She certainly never had a spare moment to sit and write in a book every evening before she went to bed - but she always wrote the daily happenings on her calendar that hung inside one of the doors of the kitchen cupboard.

At the end of the year she would then take a "scribbler" and copy everything down from the calendar to the book.  I have one of her "Journals" that cover the years 1966 to 1980.   Believe me - it is a treasure like none other.

Here is Mom's "journal"

 

In it is our life as a family...

Important things like: June 11th 1969, there was a heavy frost.

September 11th 1969 - Mom bought 25 lbs of flour for $1.68

I had a slumber party on January 13th 1970.

I got my ears pierced on November 18th 1970.  It cost $5.00 for the piercing and $5.00 for the solid gold studs.

On March 21st, 1972 - I took my drivers test - and passed!

And on it goes!  There are every day life events of my entire family, that when you read the date and the event - you are instantly transported back to that day in time.

We would not have that - had Mom not written it on her calendars every day of every year until she passed away.

That's what journals have the power to do.  They can connect a family with memories perhaps long forgotten - but even with events that until the reading where not even known.

It's powerful, it's humbling, and it's also wonderfully entertaining!

This year I made my first junk journal for our little granddaughter.  It is filled with all kinds of neat things, that are attractive and exciting to write on and to look at - but the real purpose of the journal remains the very same, as my Mother's Hilroy "scribbler".  

To catch those moments in life that are special, and put them down on paper.

It's never too late to start writing one, and it's never too late to encourage our children and grandchildren to do the same.  

Of course now -a - days you can do it in a fun handmade book called a junk journal.

I  have a video of the journal I made for our grand daughter.... 

https://youtu.be/cSeL_fGQya4

And I just posted another journal-related video tonight on my treasure find of vintage paper which I will use to make more Journals in the future.

https://youtu.be/p69yLh2a2Ok

I think we all should be writing on calendars every day, so we can leave our special moments behind for the next generation to enjoy!

Don't you agree? 

A BURST PIPE, A REPRIEVE, AND AN ANGEL WITH A GOOD CATCH!

Its a very hot day today, and already the day has been far too exciting for my taste.

We were going to head to Dauphin this morning and do a real good stock-up grocery shop, but then over breakfast we changed our minds and decided that we would put that off for a few days.

So I ventured across the street to water my neighbour's garden, leaving my cell phone at home on the counter.

When I got home, hubby met me at the door saying that a pipe had burst in the closet in his office, and that there was water everywhere.

First thing that went through my head was good thing we changed our plans.

The person who we have always called to do our plumbing had a stroke a few weeks back - and because we live in a small town, you can't just thumb through the yellow pages and find a plumber.

How lucky is it that when men visit they talk a lot about home repairs.  As it happens, just last week when we were having dinner with our neighbours before they left for holidays, the men were discussing a plumbing job that our neighbours had recently completed.  They had used a new guy who turned out to be just great - and our neighbour had passed on the info to my hubby.

We gave him a call, and he was in our house within 10 minutes -  but his first words to us was, had we called just a few minutes later he would have been gone out of town for the day to work on another job.

Would you say, we were being watched over?

I would.  First we were not supposed to be home, but we were.  Then we didn't have a person to call - but we did - and then he wasn't supposed to be in town - but he was.

Yes - for sure we were being watched over.

A new pipe has been installed, the water has been vacuumed up, and the dehumidifier is running in the closet.  I don't remember what I had planned to do this morning, so in frustration, I grabbed my camera and headed outside.

There is not much yet of interest to point a camera at, but I did find a couple of cute photos just waiting to be taken.

I took this one...

then I walked to our new little seating area and took this one...

I looked down the flower bed where yesterday I added a little angel planter that I had put a  marigold in.

And to my surprise - it appears she has managed to catch a recently hatched egg somehow.  My guess would be that the Crackling's have robbed a nest and dropped the egg in flight.

The co-incidence is just too amazing to be real... but there it is even so!

And it's just noon!

Interesting day, so far - can't wait to see what the rest of the day brings!

Have an amazing day, everyone!