100 City Sampler (actually 72)

In 2018 I did the Tula Pink City Sampler quilt along.  Surprise I only did 76 blocks I think but I only ended up using 72 in my quilt.  I used all scrap fabric for these blocks.  When I laid the blocks all out I hated them together.  I disliked them with sashing and together as a block they were so busy.  I finally landed on side sashing in low volume just using fat quarter in my stash.  I also had to quilt it with two different threads although you can’t tell in the finished project.  

I abandoned this project many times but this year I made it a priority and completed it. It has so many flaws and so many things I just don’t like.  I washed it and it’s imperfections are growing on me, but it’s not really my style.  I do love the binding this old old Jay McCarroll habitat fabric for the win.  

Thanks to the tree swing for providing me a line to hang quilts on although I did drop several pins in the yard and did not recover them.  Thanks to everyone who’s given me their scraps over the years I used many in this.  

The back is uninspired but again I was using fabric I had on hand rather than more and I didn’t want to use yardage for a quilt I was meh on.  

It also fits in well in my family room.  

Cheer

Someone’s also been doing cheer.  She loves it although I must say she spends most of the time on the sidelines goofing off and is rarely focused on the cheers.  I am assuming this will improve with age many of the girls also do this.  Anyhow the football season has now finished and she will be playing basketball in the winter along with dance.  

10,000 steps a day goal

I checked my tracker today and I am currently at 80 days of over 10,000 steps most days were I met this goal are weekends or vacation days.  Not sure what that says about work exactly but perhaps I need to walk on lunch or something.  I will say I don’t have a count of closing my rings on my watch but it’s probably higher at least on days where the battery doesn’t die.  

I think in November I am going to try and do 1.6 mile a day in my neighborhood,  if I can manage to sneak away from my kids in the morning.  This is two loops of our main loop and takes less than 30 minutes so it seems like a reasonable goal as long as the weather isn’t pouring rain.  Anyhow it’s a goal.

Football

This year he is playing tackle football.  It’s been a hardworking yet fun experience for him.  He loves being part of the team, with three practices a week and a game and/or scrimmage too it’s a commitment and some days he comes on home from school and is like “ughhhhh football practice” or “mommmmm bear crawls with pads is the worst I will topple over”. But then when he gets there he has a fun time and he tries to stay & play catch or tackle with friends afterward.  

He is not the best player on the team or even 2nd or 3rd, but he shows up and tries his best, drinks Gatorade, and cheers on his team.  His team is so far 1-5 (it might be 1-6 even). They are struggling to be competitive with only 14 boys even on the team.   

But he wears his jersey proudly.  I tucked him into bed last night and he had his football snuggled up with him like a teddy bear I couldn’t help but smile at his joy and passion for something so simple.  

Orchard

One of my most favorite things to do in the fall is go to the orchard and pick apples.  I love these apples they are so much fresher and seem to have more flavor.  

This last weekend was Macintosh weekend and so off we went to pick.  It was perfect time there were loads of apples on the tree many still in my kids reach although they did enjoy using the grabber tool.   They ate probably as many as we picked in the orchard but still they couldn’t wait for me to make apple crisp.  We also enjoyed their mini “petting zoo” although we prefer the other orchard with a larger one.

I got it made last night and I probably will make it three more times before we run out of apples.  Yum.

First day of school

Jones also started school.  Again it was delayed start like Thea but he was glad to go back.  I think two week quarantine did him in. He’s starting second grade. He was thrilled to have a laptop at school instead of a iPad.  His favorite color is red, favorite food is popcorn and he wants to be a lego master or video game designed when he grows up.  

Here’s to a great school year mister. 

Kindergarten woah

Thea Bird

Time has just flown by it seems like just the other day you were learning to walk and crawl.  I feel like I blinked and you are now five and so grown up using big words and having such sass.  You are growing up and I want you to know you are AMAZING.  

I won’t lie I did not cry dropping you off today, I jumped for joy.  We just finished up a quarantine where my patience and sanity was tested to the extreme, so I needed a break – thank you kindergarten!  But that’s not to say I that I won’t miss and wonder what’s going on at school and I am not grieving the loss of my bold toddler baby lady.  I do.  I do miss that lady, but I also celebrate your growth and learning. 

I hope that you will listen, watch, learn, experience and love school.  I want you to learn to read and add and subtract.  Discover a passion for history, science, math, art, dodge ball or writing.   Make friends, art, and mistakes.  I want you to show love and grace while doing it.  Be a friend.  Do to it all and be you doing it.  

I sent a postcard in your lunch box that says “Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons.” – and I mean it.  Be that flamingo.  Be okay being yourself, you are smart, fierce, genuine and sassy.  Here’s to a great year baby lady.  

Lots of love Mom

Monsters

We started another round of quarantine/isolation recently due to positive covid tests.  So far my vaccine is protecting me it’s just My sister and kids with it.  

During that time we started a second “family canvas”.  Thea and I started it by adding a layer of background paint with “debit cards”.  We then had planned to drew our family on the canvas but the kids started drawing monsters so I just rolled it with and we transitioned them into monsters. 

Then we started painting the monsters.  Thea and I did most of the painting, but the monster drawings were Jones’s.

The finished art work turned out waaaay different that I had anticipated but we hung it at the bottom of the stairs. There’s one monster for each person in the house.  I love how that little red one turned out the best.  He’s my favorite.  It’s such a fun addition to the house.  

Family Canvas Project

One of recent art projects was a family collaborative canvas.  We started by adding a layer of neon and bright colors to our large canvas.  Using assorted brushes we have.  I tried not to dictate how my kids applied their paint. Theas application was more wispy and Jones and I more solid shapes.  We then let it dry. 

I was not into that big circle I added. 

Our next step was adding tissue papers and painted deli paper with glue. This step really changed the look of our canvas and gave it some texture. Also goodbye green circle. 

After that we added another layer of paint this time with stencils and bubble wrap.  We applied the stencil paint with old credit cards and cardboard scraps my kids like this technique we’ve used it in our art journal before.  This layer added more depth.  

Before the next step I considered adding spray paint but that seemed like a bad idea since I only had gold and pink on hand.  So instead we did some just random drawing on it with paint markers.  I have some extra big Pocsa markers and these were the preferred marker of choice because they showed up the best.  But I also like the thinner tip look added in.

After we finished adding marker We decided it was done.  Originally I had intended on adding some splatter paint too but that seemed like much.  So I stead we signed our names.  I then added color to the sides of the canvas since I didn’t have the right size frame and hung it.  It’s truly one of my most favorite things now.  I love seeing it as I come up the stairs.  It’s so fun.

I love how it looks from the side especially.  I drew stripes on some of the edges.  

Note:  our project was adapted from the instructions from Family canvas Challenge by the art pantry https://www.theartpantry.com/