May's a coming

May is just around the corner.    I have got lots accomplished in the yard and with stitching.  I don't know what is going on but the yard work this spring seemed a lot easier.   I feel like I am missing something.   I have one foundation bed at the back of the house and my vegetable garden yet to do as well as the ongoing back 40 project.  I am enjoying all the daffodils that have come up as a result of my plantings last fall.

1.  Dogwood not looking too good due to a recent hard frost.  2. Tulips - I need to order some more tulip bulbs for fall plant this year.  3. Not a fan of hyacinths but do love me some English Woods Hyacinths.  4. Tons of daffodils coming up out back.   I can refresh the vase of cut ones every couple of days and still have a ton left in the yard.  

Keeping up my streak of being in OCMD each month of 2022, I WAS to go to OCMD for 5 days mid-April.   Alas, my daughter-in-law came down with COVID (Yes, she has been vaccinated and got the booster) and I had spend the day with her the day before she tested positive.  I just felt the responsible thing to do was to stay home.   I seem to always be busier than a one-armed paper hanger so I had been looking forward to the downtime.  You know when you are home there is always some task calling you, clothes to be folded, dishes to do, closets to clean, gardens to weed......  

I had kitted up some small kits and WIPs to take to OCMD. Again, I have no defensible reasoning behind how any of us think we can accomplish so much stitching at a retreat.….but I digress.  So to smooth myself since I had to stay home, I rewarded my little old self with a start on AUTUMN SKIES by HOD.   I pulled the called for DMC and then switched them out with comparable over-dyed.  Not too far in I ran amok.   When I completed the second row of 3 pumpkins I realized I placed the pumpkins in columns rather than staggering them.    No frogging for me.  I decided to go with it.    

I finished COZY INTO WINTER from Jeannette Douglas Designs.   I love the colors in this one.   I stitched on a 32 count mystery fabric that had a little sparkle in it.   I changed out the row of quilt stars from white to the yellow because the white did not show up on the fabric.  JDD’s has companion pieces for the other seasons.  I haven’t purchased them….yet.

Still needing some instant gratification, I picked up this little zip bag that was in my ADVENT EXCHANGE this past Christmas.  Stitched this up in less than an afternoon!

I had fallen behind 4 weeks with my i-Stitch BAND SAMPLER and although not caught up, I am not falling any further behind which is some kind of plus.    It’s that time of the year, when I am outside more than in.   We had a rainy week which coincided with my week of self isolation so I was able to make some notable progress on all my WIPs.  Obviously I am not a monogamous stitcher  but I'm trying to devote all of my stitching time to band sampler so I can get caught up.  This week's assignment is not so stitch intensive so if I can get last week done, I might have a chance to be on target again.

I also made progress on RED FEBRUARY from Sassy Jack’s before deciding to put this one aside for a bit.  

Next weekend we celebrate William’s 6th birthday!  Where has the time gone?   He recently had a 3 day sleep over at Damma's and we did all the fun things from blueberry pancakes to ice cream to dying Easter Eggs.   Life is so good with little boy hugs in it.   He asked me to make him Pokémon pillows for him which is again something to take me away from stitching time.

1.  How pastel sidewalk chalk turned this color I don't know.  Just like I don't know how it got on his face and not the sidewalk.  2. Jumping on the neighbors trampoline  3. Dying Easter Eggs  4. and 5. The mess I am making trying to create the pillow he asked for! Pattern created, templates made, fabric cut and now to appliqué the pieces.

And just to make sure I give them equal time, Miss Raegan ready to ride her scooter on a recent Damma Day.   I found out later than I had her dressed in her PJ's all day.......oh well.  

I’ve got lots coming up in the next couple of weeks that is going to keep my away from stitching but it is good stuff.  More on that next time.

Where would we be without the love of our needlework to work on in our downtime to smooth our souls?   And the love of a good book as well.   I recently finished NIGHT ROAD by Kristin Hannah and ESCAPE by David Baldacchi.   I gave both 5 starts.   I am currently reading BEYOND THE CRUSHING WAVES by Lillian Mirren while I wait for Book 19 of the BREGDAN CHRONICLES series.  

Thanks for stopping by…….Stay safe and keep on stitching.