Ohio Star Quilt

It was time to make another quilt.... so...
I first started out making a few watercolour sketches of how I wanted the quilt to look. 

I liked the simplicity of the pattern, "Ohio Star"... just triangles and squares.

pretty easy...  drew them on graph paper, then glued the shapes to plastic lids and cut them out with an exacto knife... this makes long lasting templates... started drawing the shapes on fabric, then  cutting..

 refined the colour placement.. each block will have 4 colours.. for now I am just cutting out the pieces for the 7 1/2" blocks, the windowpane strips will come later... 

I will be changing the tiny square in between each strip to red instead of white.. when the time comes to cut them out.

the pieces for 1 block are cut out...  that cool pin cushion was a gift many moons ago from Morna Crites Moore, stitcher extraordinaire.

I am using this wonderful old treadle to work on. She is not a highly decorated machine like many old machines but she is a workhorse.  I bought it a couple years ago from a former Home Ec teacher and before her it was her mothers. 

 some plains and prints

 and work in progress

Full view of the old 1936 Singer treadle sewing machine. love that this is foot/human powered and non electric.  I know I have mentioned this before, how much I love the old machines, but what is not to love about a hardworking machine built that many years ago that stitches as well as it did when it was first made.... just a few drops of sewing machine oil every now and then is all it asks for... and to dust away a few particles of lint... pretty easy upkeep. of course it is only straight stitch but prob. 99% of stitching is straight stitch at least for me... and she makes the loveliest straight stitch.

 can you imagine, this machine is 79 years old.. truely awesome!!

Liking how they are turning out so far...nice and bright. 

so onward we go......

of course, the dog would rather lie in the sun.

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Cheers for now from Desideratum Art Studio in St. Martins, New Brunswick

Dogs ~ What More Could You Ask For

Dogs are Great!

9" x 12" in my sketchbook, watercolour and pen.

Desideratum Art Studio, St. Martins, NB

Happiness

That is a happy dog if I ever did see one... smiling and kicking her feet up in the air.

.....................now what is that she is rolling in?

 and now a second happy dog rolling in the very same spot... 

guess that means that these 2 happy dogs will be sleeping in the garage tonight.

 I love it when the daffodils bloom.. it makes the garden look happy too.

I know it makes my spirits rise.

 After the dogs had satisfied themselves with their rolling we saw a flutter go by our heads up into  the trees. I searched the trees till I saw this little bird making herself very busy.

 As I watched I realized she/he was cleaning out a hole that a woodpecker had pecked in it.

She would peck away with her head in the little round opening and throw little slivers or splintered  pieces of wood out into the breeze.

 This is the first time I have ever seen this and I couldn't believe I actually was able to get some pictures of it.

I wonder if she is making a house or just searching for some insects that may have wintered there.

I love how Nuthatches face down the tree. So cute.

 She kept at her work without bothering with us at all. 

 She must have felt safe or maybe just very preoccupied...

 she is near the top part of this old dead birch.

 ... which is the tree in the center of this little grove. 

 It is always good to leave a few dead trees around for the wildlife. When Birch trees are young and growing they act as nurse trees for other seedlings and when they die they provide life for woodland creatures... it is good not to groom your surroundings too much.

 This Rhubarb pic was taken a week ago... it was big enough to pick some today... so I did.

 Spring tonic.

 Some daylilies that are naturalizing to a patch over by the old garden.

The  Mountain Ash buds are still swelling, but not leafed out yet.

 This young Spruce is still leaning over as a result of the Ice Storm at Christmas.  

I'll keep an eye on it to see if it stands up straight again.

 We always like to take a wander through this path  where the tree branches hang over head sort of like a tunnel.

 I was trying to photograph two Vultures that were playing on the sea currents but the sun got in my eyes...

 and I just got clouds.

 The Vultures would spiral round and round going ever higher and higher. They were so cool to watch... 

but I don't see them in this picture.

 I pruned the little Daphne bush a year and a half ago and it still looks a bit scraggly,

 but it is blooming more that it had been and the fragrance is out of this world.

 Of course I always have to linger over the finds from the seashore.  They make me happy...

better than rolling in the field.

 I see foliage from a few Violets, Forget me nots and and Cornflowers peeking out.

... and some of Toby's dog hair..

 After I trim his hair, I always toss it in the flower beds for the birds or even to supplement the soil. 

More new growth.

 Here is a little Lovage sneaking up in a new place near the patio door.

 ... the cheerleaders.

 The Lady's Mantle is spreading out..

 no chartreuse flowers yet but it is beginning to collect water droplets. I love when it does that.

 Looks like my garden is growing dogs too.  I swear she loves getting her picture taken.

 ...and more cheerleaders.

Hens and Chicks are such hardy little plants.. I really don't know how they survive.

... they are barely in any soil. They seem to flourish in just the pea gravel.

and last but by far not least even though he is the smallest, was the first Hummingbird to my garden just today. 

He has taken up his post.

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A Friend Blogger Janice  from across the ocean, just sent me this really fun and very Happy Dogs video...
You have gotta watch it... it will make you happy for sure!!

Desideratum Art and Jewelry Studio, St. Martins, New Brunswick

April Beach Walk by the Bay of Fundy

 

  You're welcome to come along.... breathe the fresh salt air... beachcomb... take in the sunshine.

 The tide is going out and there is plenty of pebble beach to wander on.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The dogs get so excited when they find we are going down here.
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Desideratum Art and Jewelry Studio, St.Martins, on the Bay of Fundy,

New Brunswick.