Busy and Productive

This has been a good week for getting things done.

Don’t look at the dog, look at the white part next to the bed.  What you can see is the top step, of two, we put next to the bed because we have two dachsunds and don’t want them jumping on or off the bed and hurting their backs.  However I painted the steps with a glossy paint and decided it was too slick.  So I needed a rug runner for them.  See it on the step?

I bought a bathmat with a rubberized backing and cut it in half.  Then I needed to bind the cut edge.  I was planning to use colored Duct tape but found a woven binding tape and sewing it on.  

I have to say that my straight stitch machine did a wonderful job.  This is the machine that I do all my piecing on and it handles all fabrics, has a pin stitch for when I have multiple layers, and never fails to give a great stitch no matter what I throw at it.

I also got all my Carpenter’s Star blocks put together and two of the three borders on.  Just for this picture I stuck a piece of the outer border up so I could see how this quilt will look when it is all together.  One small problem is that I don’t have enough of that outer border fabric for the binding so at sometime I will have to figure out a substitute.  Anyway, I am really pleased with how this top is looking.

I got to celebrate Mother’s Day over a three day span.  On Saturday we received a package from our youngest son and his wife.  It contained the card you can see in this picture (Snoopy dances on the inside) and the glass owl in front of the lamp (a Christmas 2010 gift).  I collect glass owls and they keep finding ones I have never seen before.  And the fun thing is that we will get to go antiquing with them next month when we get together in NC for a short vacation in the mountains.  Yea!!!

On Sunday, after our Mother’s Day dinner, DH and I spent time, and money, at Lowes where I got this throw rug.  I don’t drink all these kinds of coffee but I do like flavored coffee and love this little rug.  It is in the entryway of the bedroom, reminding me what I get to look forward to when I get up in the morning.

Then on Monday we had lunch with our daughter and she gave me this gift.  I kind of looked at it askance until I opened it and saw what was inside.

Look at these beautiful plates.  Of course she has already told me we are to have her and her husband over for desert served on them.  And you are seeing them fresh from the dishwasher: yes, we have already had desert on them, twice.

 

I should also note that I heard, via email, from our older two sons also.  I feel truly blessed.