Painting, staining and repeating

I've spent a good part of the last five days staining and painting. Early in the mornings before it gets to hot I've been staining all the exposed wood on the new front porch and since it needs at least two coats I've also been repeating the process the following day. The first day I ran out of stain part way through the first coat and had to stop until my husband brought more home.  Then as the day gets hotter I move into Studio B where the railing boards are being painted before they are put in place. My ten foot long table sure is handy!

My garden which has produced an abundance of tomatoes in the past few years is looking quite dismal this year. The only things growing really well are the sunflowers that I don't plant, but have a jungle of every year and the coleus that I put in the barrel by Studio B.

I have done a bit of sewing on my new Bernina, but nothing major yet. It's taking me awhile to get used to some of it's features, like pressing a button to lower the presser foot, but I'm sure I'll adjust.

Daily project update
365 Red Circles #207 - #212

Indigo and Rust  #135 - # 140

Week #31

Now linked to "Off the Wall Fridays"

Fractured Mono Prints #2

I've gotten the label and sleeve on the latest mono print piece so it is officially finished.

Fractured Mono Prints #2

73 1/2 " x 37"

Linda McLaughlin

2013

A close up.

Fractured Mono prints #1 and #2

I still have more  prints left so this could become a series.

In other news - my new Bernina has finally arrived and I will be going into Boise tomorrow to pick it up. Of course getting another machine is creating a space problem, or maybe it's just an organizing problem. 

 I want to be able to have both the Bernina and the old Janome set up at the same time. I have my old Bernina 1230 set up out in Studio B. I have a wonderful table that the Janome fits into, I want the Bernina to be in that spot. I think it will fit with some modification to the inserts in the table top.

Then I want to put the Janome in the very cluttered spot to the left of the table.

You can't see them because they are in the left corner under the piles, but there is a serger and a needle felting machine also in this spot. This picture might explain why they never get used. Also in this space is where I keep the plastic boxes that hold my daily,weekly and monthly project supplies, plus a bunch of other stuff. I'm getting my handy husband involved to get a longer piece of plywood so that it extends all the way to the sewing table and it will have legs like an actual table, not a board on two file cabinets. That means I have to find a place for the file cabinets and all the stuff. I'm hopeful that I'll soon be able to show a neater space with machines ready to use.

Daily project updates

365 Red Circles #199 - #206

Indigo and Rust #127 - #134

 Weekly project #30

Now linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

Apricots, a quilt done, parts for another and daily stitching

While many in the area are lamenting the lack of fruit due to a late frost, our apricot tree is producing a bumper crop. They are larger than what we usually get and taste wonderful.

We have eaten way more than our share and have given away five basketfuls already and there's plenty more on the tree.

I have the quilting done on the cutup mono print piece, just need to add the sleeve and label. Here's a look at the quilting.

In August I'll be going on another girls week up north with some friends so I've been getting parts ready for a quilt I'll assemble while we're at the cabin.

The photo doesn't show it but all the fabric is a woven metallic (except for the teal hand dye). I've had them in my stash for many years and I think they've finally aged enough for me to use them.

The front porch is progressing slowly, Don likes to stretch his projects out. We did buy a couple of chairs and a table and have been enjoying evenings in the shade.

Daily stitching projects, there are two photos each since I took pictures earlier in the week but never got around to doing a blog post.

365 Red Circles #191 - # 198

Indigo and rust #119 - #126

Week #28 & #29

Now linked to "Off the Wall Friday"