Healing, kittens and stitching

Thank you for all the supportive comments after last weeks post about my husbands hip replacement. He is doing very well and I'm amazed at how fast he is recovering. The first few days after surgery, while he was still in the hospital I was wondering how I would be able to handle him when he got home, I didn't need to worry. One of the physical therapists actually came over to our house the first night he was home to make sure he could get up and down our 14 steep stairs to the second floor bedroom. He not only did it that night but has been going up and down at least twice a day since. Right now he's in the kitchen fixing his own lunch. He's still using a walker, but is gradually using a cane more frequently and it's made a huge difference. Next week the 27 staples holding is hip together are coming out.

The feral Mama cat that hangs out in our yard has had three kittens this year. Of course they are adorable and are really starting to get out and play. They are five weeks old so it will be a few more weeks before I'll need to find new homes for them.

This year they are all black and white with a little triangle on their foreheads just like Mom.

2018 Weekly Leaf #30

2018 Daily Stitching #2 days 57-63

I'll be linking up with "Off the Wall Friday" and "Slow Sunday Stitching "

Weekly and Daily stitching update

My hubby had hip replacement surgery earlier this week and is still in the hospital so I haven't gotten much done creatively. Luckily the hospital is only four blocks from home so I go back and for quite a bit. He is doing fairly well and is scheduled to be home tomorrow morning, that's when I'll get real busy. I've kept up with my weekly and daily stitching but that's about it.

2018 Weekly Leaf #29

2018 Daily Stitching #2 days 50-56

I did lots of the background while sitting at the hospital, the top third is done.

That's it for this week and I'm not going to promise much more for next week. I'm taking a bit of a break this afternoon and having lunch with friends, then back to the hospital.

I'll be linking up to "Off the Wall Friday" and "Slow Sunday Stitching".

Making books

I'm participating in an online class called "Mixed Media Printmakers Retreat" this week, the instructor is Linda Germain. I took one of her other classes a few years ago and like her teaching style. Everyday we've been getting a few short videos on how to make different types of books, a video on a layering technique and one that is an artist talk. I rarely work on paper, but have a stack of printed ones left over from the last class I took from her and some others from botanical printing. It's been a great divergence to try something new and use up stuff I have. My goal is to do the class without buying anything new and so far it's working great , only one day to go so I'm sure I'll make it. So here are my first books.

A board book, I used cardboard pieces and taped them together because I didn't have an old child's board book.

A book made with tabs, I used fabric to cover the cardboard for the cover.

A book with stab binding, a fabric cover again.

The inside cover paper.

 An accordion fold book made form some of my botanical prints on heavy watercolor paper.

The covers of the accordion fold book.

I haven't made todays book yet, but its next on my agenda.

I finished the little pink 'spike' stuffed toy for our soon to arrive great grand daughter.

2018 Weekly Leaf, week 28

The next five leaves are all cyanotypes, but instead of blue and white they are gold and dark green.

2018 Daily Stitching, days 43-49

Working on the upper right corner this week.

Next week I'll probably do lots of background stitching on it. My husband will be having hip replacement surgery on Tuesday, so I'll have lots of sitting time in the hospital.

I'll be linking up to "Off the Wall Friday" and "Slow Sunday Stitching".

Baby quilt done

I finished the quilt for our soon to arrive great granddaughter and have the little stuffed toy made from the scraps almost ready. In answer to my question of any particular colors or theme for the baby, I was told unicorns, rainbows and stars. After an internet search I found a fabric that had all the above and a coordinating darker pink with stars. I kept it simple and also used the unicorn, rainbow and stars for the backing.

The indigo fabrics now have a bit of rust on them, I'm not sure if they are ready to stitch yet or not. I'll ponder it a bit.

2018 Weekly Leaf, week #27

2018 Daily Stitching #2, days 36-42

I'll be linking up to "Off the Wall Friday" and "Slow Sunday Stitching".