Spring is here!

     I didn't feel great last week, so I didn't have enough progress for a Sunday post and gave myself a couple extra days to come up with Blog show 'n tells. After a lot of wasted time Googling symptoms and trying to understand the difference between a sinus infection, long Covid, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, I am feeling a bit better this week anyway. I am now satisfied I will live to do another round of bowl fillers and here they are!

     This is the monthly series, April:

     There's also a seasonal set-- "Winter" was my first ever bowl filler set,  before I starting really enjoying designing them and decided to go monthly.

    

I also did "Autumn" last year.

     It might not be too obvious what the difference between the Seasonal and Monthly Sets are, beyond that the monthly ones are a set of twelve, and the seasons are a set of four. The seasonal ones were designed first, and I wanted something super quick to stitch, so they are more limited in color. One of the three designs in these sets will always be just a single color, and your can stitch up multiples in your own favorite colors-- like the leaf above. The Spring set will have a one-color butterfly. The seasonal sets also all have a design with the alphabet in it-- like an old fashioned sampler.

     On the other hand, the monthly sets are full color-- they include the month name, then two more designs-- I am trying to tie each set of three together with the same cute elements-- can you can see the carrot below in all three? I just think it is cute visual play. The bunny scene also has a missing carrot-- did you notice? I just love designing in these little back stories.

     So April bowl fillers were released today-- I'm shooting for the 21st-ish of every month to release the next month's set so you have time to make them. Or you can just buy them on intro price make them a year ahead-ish-- lol. I think we can all identify with that!

    The Spring set is a little late-- forgive me, but spring snuck up on me, being precious hard to find around here still yet. But this is what it looks like so far and I would hope to have it Saturday, latest.

   I still have to work out the color-- it won't be red. I'm no pastel fan, and I particularly detest pink!! Let me know your thoughts.

    The "fun" sewing is a still a little backed up here! The first Barn Sampler Star block refuses to be born. Thanks to all who commented on my Facebook design question-- A, B, or C. So, I agree the star looked more distinct when not connected to the corners, BUT THIS BLOCK IS HUGE! That's one thing you can't convey on the internet. So I think it needed the extra detail. It still isn't completely sewn together, and I have to make another one for the first month's assignment to be complete. I am getting seriously behind. I always hopefully think to myself,  "just one rainy summer day months from now and I could catch up the entire quilt." But I'm not sure the finished result here has wowed me worth all the hoopla of coloring and then stitching it.

     In the hand stitching department, I finished the two Prairie Meadow blocks that went to Florida with me.

     I now have a set of six-- halfway! The three week plan per block is working out, and I'll try sticking with it till it's done. Feeling kind of "meh" about this project, too. Some of my blocks, actually ALL of them, really have some fullness issues that need to be "quilted out." You can really see it in the sideways light I photographed them in last night. I'm thinking I should not glue them completely up at one time-- maybe start with a few shapes in the center? Anyway, these are big heavy applique shapes which is not helping. Again, HUGE blocks. This seems to be a design trend lately.

    The Love Note cross stitch free pattern from Fat Quarter shop is slowly getting filled in. This is a mindless task. I love it!! heehee. I got a lot of white done last week.

    On the back burner, the Cupid Box was halted waiting for fabric. I am not going to give names, but it took a major supplier (not FQS, I will say that much) TWO weeks to get me my extra floral fabric. In the meantime, any small business person on Etsy will get you fabric the day before yesterday. I can just imagine these people strapping three toddlers into their car right before dinner to drive 1/2 hour to the local post office and ship. The fabric has now arrived, I have the plan, and I'm hoping to git 'er done this weekend. And I think you know where I will be shopping for hard-to-find fabric from now on.

    Then, I received notice that March's Sew Sampler box shipped- YIKES. I need to get my Sunburst table runner quilted SOON.  It's been sitting idle for two weeks. Another job for the weekend.

     And last of all, here are Sugar Meadow happenings...

     Earned or not, I have, over the last few years, developed a reputation for having an occasional "freak out" moment. So after the last week of nasty surprises, when Mr. SFO announced, "There's a green plant growing out of our septic system," my heart and mind were in full freak out mode-- What the heck!!!! What now, what next?!!! On the outside, I kept my composure, to avoid accusations of freaking out.

   At the earliest possible convenience, when no one was watching, I snuck outside to survey the next expensive repair:

    Daffodils! Hurray! Spring has arrived.

     We have indeed survived out first Maine winter.

"Stonehenge" is now uncovered...

The lake is starting to melt...

    And we have some new peeps for the meadow!

 

  The chicks are beyond cute-- I offer them little treats on my hand, and one brave soul will grab a bite-- then all the others will chase it around the little pen like a football team after the quarterback on the gridiron -- never mind that there are 30 more pieces in my hand. 

I can't wait to watch my little team grow
during the warming weeks ahead.

Welcome, Spring!

xox
Carol