And so it begins...with a new quilt and a whole lot of gardening

Yesterday marked the last day of school. I am extremely saddened that my phone battery died JUST as I was saving the picture of the final bus ride, so.....no "last day of school" pics this year :0(

And it didn't take me long to lunge right into a new quilt. Actually, I have been asked to make a quilt for a coworker's daughter's bridal party hostess (.... follow that one?....). A coworker (and my assistant volleyball coach last year) asked me to make a quilt a couple of weeks ago for a lady who hosted her daughter's bridal shower, and I was thrilled to get some motivation again! I did request to wait until school was finished. I simply couldn't get out of the end-of-year slump with the crew of students I had :0(

But now, after my first day of summer vacation.....

Oh yeah BABY!!! I'm remembering what this was like last summer! And what's more.....I actually HAVE a summer this year (unlike last year where I essentially had only 2 weeks "off" for the entire summer)

Anyway, so yeah....pictured above is the pattern I felt would suit the request. She requested a unique heart applique with "Hostess with Heart" along an edge or corner, so I still need to work that in as I near the borders......

These are the fabrics I will be using. Burgundies, Browns, Creams were requested (a "flowery" motif). I feel the greens fit the collection as well, so I hope these colors are okay once the quilt is finished. She did say she enjoyed the "prettiness" of Dolly's Moondance quilt I made last summer.

I was able to get most of the pieces cut this morning before heading outside for the day to plant the garden with Paul and the girls.

We've had a garden for the past six years (I think), and every year, the organization gets better and better. This year.....Paul has gone all out!

He's setting posts and trellis for the peas to scurry up....

We are trying something new with the cucumbers this year as well......more trellis to direct the cucumbers on once they start growing.... (I think the girls were confusing the new items for a jungle gym)


And of course, we have our "milk carton" rows that worked WONDERS for the tomatoes last year (Lovely helper Candace ready with the watering hose). Since we plant our own from seed (rather than spending a fortune on pre-grown plants), the plants aren't super large once they make their way into the garden. So these domed milk jugs act beautifully as a mini-greenhouse for another few weeks.

Caitlyn kept me on my toes by bringing the plants to me as the previous tray emptied....

Cassie's math skills weren't allowed to take summer vacation yet since I had her divide the bean seeds into equal piles to make sure we had enough for the 7 rows I readied. Psht....we had plenty! I can't WAIT for the beans to grow, grow, grow! My favorite canned item over the winter was our green beans. I just BUMMED we didn't have enough canned to last very long. Ha, ha, ha....verrrrry different THIS year! I hope enough beans have been planted.....7 rows with 40 plants in each. Naturally, SOME of them may not break ground (always so sad....), but I think we should still be sitting good :0)

So, I'm kinda tuckered out after a GORGEOUS day in the sun! Mid-80's. Slight breeze. Not a cloud in the sky. Shoulders and legs feeling the sun DESPITE having sunscreen on. (I suppose 6 hours'll do that though, huh?)


Okay...so....
tomorrow, Paul has to plant the 2nd garden (most potatoes and sweet corn, with a few minglings of watermelon, pumpkins, squash....).
*I* on the other hand plan to spend the day working on the quilt for Jody. OH YEAH! I forgot to say above.....the wedding is next weekend, and even though Jody said "a month will be fine," I simply chuckled and said that I'd make a push to get it done by the weekend so she can gift it when it has the most meaning :0)

Happy Saturday!