Almost Summer...

Jim, Cookie and I are heading out for a picnic today. We plan to go on the westside road along the lake to Vernon, stopping for photos and to have a picnic by the water.

Where ever you are this morning, I hope you will have a wonderful day.

Spring Flowers..

Lilacs, can you just smell this wonderful fragrance.

Not sure where I took these or what they are...Old age settling in.

Our Home...

We have a great balcony on the top floor and now beginning to sit downstairs on the lower deck where we can enjoy the garden.

The awing keeps the house really cool.

This is the long garden bed that is planted up against a wall.

It is especially lovely in the early morning light.

New Market Bags..

Here are the 2 new market bags that I made yesterday. I really like how they turned out. I cut both out at the same time and that really worked well for me. I lined them both with my thrift store fabrics that I found.

On the first one, I cut out a small trout and sewed it to the front pocket.

These ones are made as gifts...the recipients will remain anonymous.

(at least for now)

Detail of the pocket and the fabric.

Some of the new thrift store fabric I found yesterday. I washed then all, and was able to dry them outside... The black fabric was used for the bags that I made yesterday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is."
[ albert einstein ]

Thanks to rebecca sower' s blog.

Hand work..

These are the front panels that will be sewn to the journal covers...I am working on 3 at a time & as you can see, there is still work to be done.

click on them to enlarge

Cindy, you will notice this old bark cloth that you and I found as a curtain panel, still one of my favourites... More work to do on these before they are complete.

I take my work outside so I can enjoy the birds and the sunshine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.

Eleanor Roosevelt

# 675 Post...Jimmy

I took these photos on Sunday when I helped Jim GPS map the Black Mountain Golf Course here in Kelowna.

It will open to the public this Saturday.

The St. Andrew's bridge pose.

It was a beautiful day and we had alot of fun on a spectacular new course.
Now we will have to go play it.

Today....

One of the poppies that Cindy gave me when we were still in Nelson and I brought it with me to be planted in my garden here in West Kelowna.

On my reading list today...what a wonderful way to spend part of the day. Going for a drive, working in the garden, walking with Jim and Cookie and having the time to look through my new magazines.

Garden in Arizona

Our next door neighbours, Jeff and Kathy in Az. sent us this photo of our garden. The poor tree is broken, but I was planning to replace it anyways this fall..I guess it will be gone sooner than later...

Things are really coming along on the east wall, wonder what it will look like in 5 months when we go back. I has been over 100 degrees for the past few days down there, the plants will be growing at a fast pace with that kind of heat and being watered.

Jane Market Bag #3

I can't stop sewing these bags...so much fun to make and now that I know how to make them, they turn out quite quickly!!

This one is a April Cornell table cloth with the border of the table cloth used for the pockets and handles..Inside was lined with a pillow case.

I have so much fabric. These small projects are easy to make & can use up a fair bit of my stash. I know they will be enjoyed when I give them away.

Off to do some wine touring this morning.

Beautiful day in the OK

My handsome son...

My favourite and only child...Jeremy at his school's graduation ceremony.

What a busy week they had, 10 days of science in Orlando enjoying all the kids being excited about seeing how science really works...Back to BC at 1:00 am then off to teach class the next morning. Graduation duties all weekend.

He and Julie both love to teach and it shows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.

Carl Jung

Lilacs....

Cindy (thank you darlin') sent me those photo of her lilacs in bloom.

Many years ago we went to my small home town of Bull River and dug up some of my Mom's lilacs. Every year around their wedding anniversary (May 24th) they bloom at Cindy's house...how sweet is that? I also have some of those same lilacs but they aren't that mature to bloom at this time.

Raining here today, doing some work from home and then planning on sewing something new...stay tuned!!

almost finished

The newest sampler with just a few more finishing touches needed.

I love doing this kind of hand work.

Where ever you are reading this from, I hope you are having a great day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.

~Author Unknown

Hand Stitched...

This hand stitched sampler will become part of the cover for a new journal.

I am calling this one "A Key to your Dreams."

Thanks to my Cindy for gifting me all these wonderful old keys.

Yesterday I worked in the garden, took Cookie for a walk and worked on a new sampler piece...almost finished. It was lovely sitting outside on the deck in the sunshine, listening to music and stitching away to my hearts content.

Jim was in and out working most of the morning and afternoon. We went of a drive in the evening to check out some of the new homes being built on a mountain to the north of us.

This wonderful weather is why we moved here in the first place.

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We remember our Mom & Dad today as it was their anniversary.

You are both missed every day.

Cookie and a DQ moment...

"This is heaven" says Cookie as she is enjoying her DQ ice cream.

It was a beautiful evening yesterday. We took Cookie on the golf cart and drove around our neighbourhood and after that headed to the Dairy Queen for the first ice cream of the season.
When we still had Pebbles, it was one of the most fun things we did. We would take the "Girls" out for ice cream. We would take them in the convertible and all the little kids would come over and want to pet them. If they had any ice cream left on their faces, the dogs took that as an indication to give them a big kiss.

Nest....

Macropetala BlueBird clematis that is winding it's way over the retaining wall.

IA few days ago I found this little nest with 5 eggs in it.

Nestled up against our wall it provided warmth and security to the little house sparrow whose home it is.

Isn't is sweet?

Evergreen Geranium whose leaves are very fragrant.
~~~~~~~~~~~

Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever remains to them?
Rose F. Kennedy

Another Market Bag!!!

Newest bag..

Thrift shop pillow cases brought home, washed and put to good use as the lining of the bag and the handles!!!

The "Pebbles & Stones" label came for a dress that I plan to use for anothet project!!

A beautiful day here in West Kelowna and no wind...smiles all around!!

Sheeting rain in Orlando

News from Jeremy in Orlando:

"Rain Rain Go Away ...but we are still here to learn and play!!!
Well, it rained but we never let it get us down. We had an excellent Ed. program that taught about waves and energy. The kids really liked it and learned a lot. Unfortunatley, the fireworks were a no go, so we went to the outlet mall instead. It was a huge hit with the crew. Tomorrow we are off to Hollywood studios then home. Expect a phone call after 12:00am for a pick up time :)

The Jane Market Bag finished....

Yesterday was all about sewing and being creative.

I finished the Market Bag and love how it looks. The front print pocket panel was the only new material used. The rest of the material including the label was a thrift store find.
You never know when you might need a label to add a little

"stylin" to your bag.

I plan to make several more now that I know how to put the bag all together.

Sampler finished...

It's all in the details. Handcrafted and sewn.

If you want to get a closer look, just click on the photo and it will become enlarged.
Now off to start making the Market Bag...
Jimmy off to Calgary for the next couple of days visiting his Mom. He will be staying with Brad & Carmen in their new home.

What I am working on today....

I have wanted to do a "sampler" for quite some time. Yesterday while I was thinking about my making my "Market Bag," this sort of came together. I will hand and machine stitch it to the background piece and then hang it in my craft room as inspiration.

Definately a bird theme.

Details of the unfinished piece.

My lucky #13 at bottom.

This is from an old English estate ledger book that I found in AZ.

When I took this photo, the while glue was still wet where I glued the pearls onto the flowers. It dries clear and they add just a bit of bling.

I ripped some of the fabric that I have for my Market bag, full overblown English roses on heavier upholstery fabric, I may start on that today.