Saturday, December 16, 2023

Bob Ross Paint Night #3

 This week at our local library I painted this painting.


I love the snow texture on the "happy little trees".  

How it works... library patrons sign up on the first day of the month for the Monday night class.  They gather in a corner of the library.  Tables are already set up with a paper towel and the paints/paint colors named on them. Tools are set like a table setting, water glass, napkins, and all.  There's a large tv screen that plays a Bob Ross video.  We paint along and rewind when necessary.  When the hour is up we look at each other's paintings and are amazed that each one turned out uniquely cool.  We say our goodbyes and hope to see each other the following month.  :). It's such an awesome FREE program!


Monday, November 20, 2023

Bob Ross Painting #2

Last week at the library I attended my second Bob Ross night event.  It was sooooo relaxing.  I love how this painting came out.  The "happy little trees" really do make me happy.








Sunday, November 19, 2023

Fall Plant Updates

 This weekend I worked on moving and caring for some of my outdoor plants.  Let's start with the poppy plant that a friend gave me early in the summer.  It finally bloomed THIS WEEKEND!!!


It survived the freeze, frosts, and one snowfall.  I touched the above bloom and it popped open.  Hopefully seeds will fall.  I will wait a little longer since this is literally a late bloomer this year to trim it back and mulch it.  I planted some seeds nearby it of a fluffy pink variety.  Can't wait to see what spring will bring.


Foxglove (free seeds from the library) really produced plants, but they did not bloom this year.  I transplanted them EVERYWHERE.  Here they are in the orchard to see if the deer are going to eat them.



Underneath all this wonderful compost dirt from the woods are daylilies.  A friend from church gave them to me.  I can't wait to see what color they are.  (She forgot.) She has AMAZING flower gardens!  Two little lily plants that she gave me are from an earlier time this year.


The 92-year old lady that I longarm quilt a lot for gave me purple Bellflower plants.  I have been wanting these for over 20 years!  Here's a whole bed of them planted this week.  I dug them from her house on Tuesday.  I planted them on Friday morning...in the light rain... in my pajamas.  I got them in just before the big rain.  God watered them in for me.


The same friend also gave me a bag of blue Forget-Me-Nots.  They were a handful of dried up plants that she grabbed from her flowerbed thrown into a McDonald's paper bag.  She told me to plant half of them then (in September) and half of them in the spring after the frost.  They are a biennial.  The first group of plants are doing great.  I haven't trimmed back my snaps in the old kettle yet.  On the warm Ohio days a bloom pops out now and then still.


These next plants are ones I'm super excited about (from my 92-year old friend as well).  They are called Red Hot Pokers.   They get 36" to 48" tall.  I can't wait to see the bright colors against the old berry barn as a backdrop.  It sits out of the way (not used anymore) in one of the fields.  I mow this area.  I can't wait to be driving on the mower and seeing this surprise.


Along the back side of the old berry barn are more blue Bellflowers.


Here's a tiny plant of Beebalm (Monad).  I think this is the light maroon version.  I'm not sure.  I remember seeing it blooming in her flowerbed and asked her if she had enough of that if she would give me some.  


Below are more Red Hot Pokers planted next to $1 clearanced mums from our local Tractor Supply store.  There is are also some lams ear in this row.  I'm sure as things progress that I will have to move something as they grow.  The chickens and cats LOVE to go under this coop.  It's were the good dirt is perfect for the chickens to take a dust bath and the cats to hide and look for mice.  I have to put hardy things here because the chickens like to root them out if I don't carefully watch them.


I also planted over 300 daffodil bulbs that I dug out of my big flowerbed that was too much in the shade for daffodils.  I moved them out to the ditch by the road, along the driveway, and on the sunny edge of the woods.  I can't see what produces flowers in the spring.  I've owned and moved these bulbs for over 30 years from the house I had before I was married to here.  It was time to break them up anyways.  I know there will still be a ton of bulbs that come up in the flowerbed where I got them.  I'll try to get them out of there when I start weeding in the spring.  

That's all for now.  Hopefully I will get more things moved and ready for winter with a few days off for Thanksgiving break.






Friday, November 17, 2023

A Fast Finish

 This little quilt was on and off the frame so fast I almost didn't take a photo of it.  


I only remembered to take a photo of it while it was in the back seat of my truck in the driveway of the owner.  I quilted it for her using Circle Lord Swirls.  The owner will trim and bind it.  It felt so soft with flannel fabrics front and back.


Saturday, October 21, 2023

Tree of Life (Accuquilt Cut) in Orange

 Tree of Life block in orange was made this week.  This is a die from Accuquilt.  


The block measures 14.5" (14" finished).  I'm not sure how many blocks I will make.  I'm not sure of how I will set them.  Time will tell.  I do like this block.  I need to remind myself that I pushed the needle adjustment four times (right side) to get the 1.0 setting for the seam allowance to get that nice 1/4" seam.  If I don't record this somewhere I will forget if I pushed the button four or five times and my blocks will come out different sizes.  We definitely don't want that.
I'm linking up with the RSC23.

Grab button for SoScrappy

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Tree of Life Block in Aqua -- Accuquilt Cut

This week I made a Tree of Life block in aqua.  I really like the colors in this block even through trees aren't this color. 



The pieces were quickly cut using the Accuquilt BOB (block on board) die.  I got this die for Christmas last year.  The block measures 14.5" (14" finished).  I'm not sure how many blocks I will make.  I'm not sure of how I will set them.  Time will tell.  I do like this block.  I need to remind myself that I pushed the needle adjustment four times (right side) to get the 1.0 setting for the seam allowance to get that nice 1/4" seam.  If I don't record this somewhere I will forget if I pushed the button four or five times and my blocks will come out different sizes.  We definitely don't want that.
I'm linking up with the RSC23.

Grab button for SoScrappy


Tuesday, October 10, 2023

The Bob Ross Experience

Last night I stepped out of my comfort zone and went to a painting class at one of our local libraries.  The free class provided supplies to paint this photo.  An old Bob Ross video played.  We tried to learn techniques from Bob Ross.  Every once in a while the librarian would hit pause and rewind.  We would look at it and then paint some more. 


I'm happy with my first adventure.  I see myself taking this free class about once a month if it is offered.  I really think it looks much better in person.  Happy painting!

I thought of what it would be like to have sat by my friend, Linda, if she were in my class.  A little smile stayed on my face thinking about the relationships I have made during my quilting/blogging/life.