OK, who knew that there is properly an apostrophe after “fools” in April Fools’ (plural possessive) Day? Not me! I just thought it was a day in celebration of the Fools of April, without any possessive rights. But grammar aside, it also means that Angela at So Scrappy will be announcing a new Rainbow Scrap color of the month for April. Personally, I was rooting for yellow because I’ve kinda-sorta forgotten what yellow sunshine is like. But, it’s Purple!
On Wednesday, the rain and/or snow kindly paused just long enough for Grass Masters to come in and rip out the grass/sod in the east side yard and the front yard between the walkway (that leads from the driveway to the front porch) and the house. They capped off the old sprinklers, installed new drip lines and valves so I have plenty places to tee-off drip lines to my front walk flower pots. The grass was replaced with a weed barrier and small rocks that match the front parkway. It’s all so neat and tidy, and the remaining flower beds are almost ready for planting. We have a load of soil coming next week to even out the grade along the front flower beds. It’s something I’ve needed to do for a couple years. But do I have a picture? NO! It has snowed every day since Wednesday, and you can’t see anything under the snow! So stay tuned as I play with this new project this spring!
Wet weather outside means sewing time inside. I knocked back a lot of my smaller green scraps by constructing ten candy blocks measuring 8.5”, unfinished size.
They were followed by fifteen 6.5” crumb blocks.
I also finished assembling the green scrappy “creature” quilt (so named because my Creature Quilts, like Frankenstein’s monster, are assembled from scraps and bits and leftover and then “reanimated” into a quilt). In the case of this green Creature from the ???, I also had to assemble a backing from scrap strips and chunks. (No picture). It’ll be pin-basted and quilted next week, fingers crossed.
But I did manage to quilt, bind and label two Community quilts (pictures coming when I finish the other two of this batch) and baste my batik jelly roll race quilt. Oh, I love these colors!
And finally, the elephant blocks have a turn on the design board. The quilt will have Kona Snow vertical sashing between the elephants in a row and between each row itself. But I’ve decided to make the perimeter stop border in magenta - or whatever you want to call it - before adding the final gray print border. See the pinned-only sample, below. How do you think it will look?
*************
Three miscellaneous things; two good and a rant.
1. Celebrating: I hit the 45 pounds-lost mark this week at Weight Watchers! I’ve started riding the exercise bike indoors 3 days per week too. I’ll add walking outdoors to the routine for 2-3 days per week once the snowy and icy weather passes.
2. Pleased: Former President Donald Trump has been indicted! And although these hush money payment charges are the least grave of all the pending investigations and alleged crimes being investigated, we are ever hopeful that the other DA’s and Special Prosecutors will be following through with their charges later in the year.
3. Rant: Old El Paso taco shells. They didn’t change their packaging, the item count, the contents net weight or the nutritional information of their crispy taco shells, but look what I discovered when I put a shell from an older box (on the right) next to a shell from the new box (left)…
How is it possible that twelve of the new smaller shells are EXACTLY the same as the larger, older shells? I know it’s just a devious way to screw the customer - give less for the same price, a perverse price increase. Yeah, I know, I know…. First world problems….
Have a great week!
17 comments:
Yes but smaller taco shells are super frustrating to us, too!!
I love your "greenery" candy blocks and the Green creature ones, too...I almost threw out all my scraps a few days ago--but after my "brain fog" receded I rescued them and re-thought it.
I can no longer make big quilts--kind of a bummer--but I am going to try to re-size my ideas [glass half-full]...using scraps...I cut really small telephone paper squares 3.5" and am going to try my hand at those for small place mats (??Am I crazy?)
Anyhoo--hope to get back to scrap sewing this coming week...hugs, Julierose
Shrink-flation! We've seen it in many products, unfortunately... Thumbs down on that, but thumbs up for your #1 and #2 on the list! Love your fun green projects, and your candy blocks are reminding me to get mine back out. Some of mine are going to be purple!
Those 8" candy blocks are such fun. I love how they can be made from squares and HST and how those pieces can be "crumbed". Yours positively shimmer, just as a hard candy should.
Every time I see your Candy Quilt, I want one too. Congratulations on the weight lost. That's the weight of a 5 years old child off your back. You most feel so much better already. I'm sure Old El Paso is not the only one with this trick. Sigh! ;^)
Great use of your GREEN scraps, Cathy, and I absolutely LOVE your Race quilt!! Best of luck with the quilting and figuring out a plan for the Ellies.
Great use of your tiny green scraps for the candy blocks and crumb blocks, both sets are great and I know you will work them into quilts soon. The Ellie quilt is super, the stop border in magenta is a definite Yes! Very striking. 45 lbs loss, what an achievement! You should have a medal! Yes, I had imagined April’s colour would be yellow although I have a lot of green projects to finish first. Agree with your first two points but never had taco shells. However I’ve seen similar fiddles with other products, eg less cornflakes in the same sized box as before. A real cheat. Enjoy finishing your Green Creature Quilt.
We had Mole Masters come and work over, I mean under, our lawn. They are very secretive about their methods, but I can’t resist the price of free.
Oh, won’t it be wonderful having a beautiful new look to your yard to go with the bushes new you! Congratulations on the -45 lbs! Hip hip hooray! Love the magenta stop border on the Ellie quilt! Yay, on your #2 good thing! But will it stick! Fingers crossed. And your rant! I hear you! I opened a box of saltines the other day and all 4 sleeves were nearly 1.5” shorter than the height of the box! Makes us so mad!
You rock in so many ways!!! I share your joy in so many ways. About that rant - well, it is really a matter of perspective. May be they are rooting for you in your weight loss journey, two small bits at a time. Lots of Squishy Hugs. I can picture my arms going around you farther since your are that much smaller now :-D
So much agreement!
Yes on magenta. Wow and moving your quilts along. I’m still working on my pink and green RSC 23. Congrats on #1. Keep on raising that number. Totally agree with #2 and I’m so irritated with folks saying it’s the DA’s fault when it is/was the choice of the grand jury who are regular citizens. My rant on food is about cake mixes. I have lots of yummy recipes to make cookies from mixes but the mixes keep getting smaller and I have to figure out the right amount of ingredients to use the cookie recipes. The alternative, I suppose is to raise prices.
Everyone loves your elephant blocks, especially me! As for those green candy blocks, I'm wondering if they are flavoured lime or peppermint? Many congratulations on your weight loss, it's never easy but you have done so. Guess you will need a new winter wardrobe, or maybe you have some lovely clothes tucked away that havent been worn for a while?
Those candy blocks are such a great scrap-buster. And I love the elephants. Every.one.of,.them!
Yay - to the successful weight loss journey, and to that indictment. Let both be just the beginning of more. I'm at 29 pounds lost, and have hit another plateau. But hopefully in about a week our snow will be gone, even the new snow expected tomorrow. I like how you are using that magenta border. It's just what the quilt needs.
The candy blocks remind me of Jolly Rancher green apple flavor. Congratulations on the continuing weight loss. Bring on the purple!
I'm a yes for the magenta too. I think the candy blocks are such fun and not a calorie to them! Congratulations on your amazing weight loss - that's amazing. I try to not take notice of the dwindling sizes of products (I am looking at YOU Kleenex facial tissues!) but it's hard. What bugs me is when they not only downsize the contents but also raise the price.
It's going to be interesting to see how the Donald manages to weasel himself out of this latest thing. I was astounded to hear on our news that he's asking for money to help him fight the charges....,and no doubt he'll get millions.
Yes, it is frustrating the way companies try to trick the consumer! It happens in many products. Ice cream 1/2 gallons frustrated my ice cream loving husband! Great green blocks! Love the elephant quilt and I think the colors for sashing and border are perfect!
Post a Comment