The Birds of Summer....

We have officially become crazy Bird Watchers....  Our back yard is the perfect spot and we spoil bribe our birds to stay as long as they can... we put Bark Butter in a limb looking stick that has holes in it... The Downey Woodpeckers are crazy about it!  Mark will fill it up and before the day is over it is all gone!

WE get giddy over new arrivals..... E V E R Y T I M E....

They are definitely an interesting little creature that God made!

We have our year round visitors but oh in the late spring some of the most colorful come and delight our souls!

Yesterday I was crazy over a pair of Bluebirds looking to nest!

For some reason the Grossbeaks have hung around a little longer than they normally do in the spring... maybe because we have had a cooler spring this year?  Whatever the reason we have enjoyed watching them!

Above is the Male Grossbeak and below is the female!  In most of the species the female is not the prettier of the two.... and sometimes do not even look like the same bird!

The Baltimore Oriole's have also stayed longer this year than normal......  They love Oranges and Grape Jelly!  The Oriole's are just beautiful!

Above is the Male Oriole and below is the Female Oriole.

below you see her with a mouthful of jelly!

Our Faithful Cardinals who stay year round!

WE have been working on sprucing our landscaping up this week!

Hope you are doing something fun today!

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

Happy Tuesday!  Nancy

Tuffet Craze

Last Saturday I taught a Tuffet Class in my home to these two young ladies Jamie and Jessica.... They were beginner sewers and they did awesome making the tuffets..  Once again it is the Quick and Cute Tuffet Pattern by Erin Underwood.  These two had theirs done in record time!

Happy Wednesday to you!  Nancy

I love C R E A T I N G beautiful things....

One of my life long passions is simply crafting.... making beautiful things.. but... I receive so much JOY from teaching someone else to do something that they did not think they could make!  For the last 10 months I have been teaching in some Quilt Shops.. I have mainly taught Bag Making, but as of late I have taught the Fold n Stitch Wreath and just this past Saturday I taught the Quick and Cute Tuffet by Erin Underwood..  It is so awesome when I see the excitement and hear it in their voices, because sometimes you just need someone to guide you through it the first time and then LOOK OUT you go full force and make more......

Oh and just so you know... when I teach a class EACH student must buy their own pattern... no sharing.

I will share some pictures of the latest class I have taught....

The below picture is from Quilting in the Valley in Lasalle, IL.....  The fun thing is I made four new friends!

Below is the Fold n Stitch Wreath I taught at The Quilting Bee in Galesburg, IL

Happy Monday.... What are you making??

Nancy

A little makeover.....

Sometimes the smaller things can make the biggest difference!  In the picture below... do you see the double sliding doors on the left?  Well those doors went to our pantry and they were a pain in the hind end!  If you had them slid one way you need something on the other side... If you had them slid the other way... well you get the picture.  It was hard putting things away and getting things out.  It was always a mess.  Sooooo I got the brilliant idea to put in French Doors.

THE BEFORE PICTURE

THE AFTER PICTURE... 

They were inexpensive Pine French Doors from Menards (less than $250.)  I painted them with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Provence toned down with Arles, to give it a little different color. I put frosted contact paper in the windows so you cannot see all the stuff on the shelves.  Even though it is organized I still do not want it showing.  

 A better shot of the doors.

And the inside... I love this.  It has made so much difference!  Thanks to my hubby for being the muscles behind this project!!

and you thought I was finished.... Ha ha.. I am always looking for another project!!

Happy Weekend!  Nancy

Spring has arrived....

We had a few visitors come and go... A few turkeys and lots of beautiful goldfinch.... The goldfinch stay all winter but oh in the spring when the get their summer color, they are beautiful!!

The Nappy Bag for a new mom...

Last week I made the Nappy Diaper Bag for a new Mom to be!  The pattern is from Samantha at home with Mrs H....  It was the first time for this pattern and I even got to use my embroider on my machine!  Not to shabby for a first time pattern use!  It is a great pattern, and I wouldn't expect anything else from Samantha!

 I also made a little diaper changing mat that I just whipped up out of the blue (pun intended) ... No pattern.

I think it looks good on this beautiful little Momma!

Happy Sewing!  Nancy

A few things I have been working on...

Here is the Bloom Quilt (Lori Holt Bee in My Bonnet)   I have been working on!  Who knew I would like appliqué?  

 My daughter and hubby recently got a camper so I had to make these cute pot holders for them!

Found an antique metal picnic basket that wasn't even cute, so I painted it and put a window decal on it!  It does a good job holding most of my fabric for the Farm Girl Vintage blocks I am working on!

I recently made a Swoon Harriett purse and just love it!  Tula Pink fabric fit the bill for this cool bag!!

So there you have it...  No this isn't all I have been doing just all I am showing for now!  I will try to post our latest DIY home project in a couple of days as I get it all completed!  New pantry doors and a revamped pantry!  Who knew doors could make such a huge difference??

Keep  Smiling!

Nancy