Finishing RSC Pink and So On ...

It's been a while (again) since my last post. Many things have gone in that have kept me away from the blog. My fingers have remained pretty busy though.

As April ended, Angela announced that May's Rainbow Scrap color would be orange. I quickly dug out my orange scraps, my English paper pieces, and my EPP caddy. I knew it would be just the thing to take on our upcoming trip to Wilmington NC. The last of my brother's kids was getting married on May 2.

So, working in the car along the way, working more in the hotel in between wedding events, and then working along the way home from my brother's house in Lexington NC, I cut, glued, and stitched. I ended up getting almost all of the Grandmother's Jewels completed by the time we got home and then I did finish them up.

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One week later .... Now where was I? Ah, Grandmother's Orange Jewels!

My Favorite Jewel

Five Orange Jewels

I also finished up the jewels for Pink Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Quite a Stack of Jewels

As I began earlier in this post, we went to Wilmington NC for my niece's wedding. We had a wonderful trip and I saw "long-lost" cousins, I enjoyed quiet one-on-one breakfasts with my daughter, and I loved spending time with friends & family.

We finally met face-to-face Mom's great-granddaughter Everleigh, my niece's daughter. She was born the end of November and is at the great age of 5 months -- aware of her surroundings, you don't have to be too careful holding her, full of life and personality!

Since we were here for a wedding, let's see a few pictures from the wedding weekend.

The Bride Preparing with
Her Twin Sister

Mom Seeing Her Granddaughter
Before the Ceremony

Exchange of Vows

My Brother's Three Girls!
His 2 Daughters and His 1st Grandbaby (Everleigh)

The Bride & Groom
Let's Party!!!

My Beautiful Cousin and Her Debonair Husband
Came in From New York

My Handsome Cousin and His Lovely Wife
Came in From Connecticut

So many old memories shared and new ones made. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to reconnect. Mom was beside herself!

After the wedding weekend, my son & his family joined us for an extra couple of days at my brother's house in Lexington NC. We had so much fun there too. We loved feeding the chickens!

Three of the Five Young Ones

Mom Feeding a Leghorn

Jacob, my Grandson, Feeding Chickens
Notice the Dog Keeping Watch!

Chicken Frenzy!

Both Grandsons Enjoying the Chickens

The Quilt Fred & I Slept Under
My Sister-in-Law's Great-Grandmother's Quilt

Close-Up of One of the Blocks
Hand-Pieced and Hand-Quilted

John & Karen recently bought a couple of jet skis to go with their house on High Rock Lake. My son & daughter-in-law learned how to run them and off they went!

Jared

Amanda

What about the boys? Want to go for a ride too?

Jared & Brody

Amanda & Jacob

When we got home, I managed to have a UFO finished just in time for the monthly TAS (The Applique Society) meeting. Meet Daphne, a table runner made in a class by Katrina Hadjimichael from Austrailia!

I think that pretty much catches us up on where I've been, things I've sewn, and happy to be home again. Our trip was full of memories to last a life-time!

If you've stayed with me this long, please join Angela at SoScrappy to see what others have shared with their orange scraps. I'm sure they've been more productive than me!

A Little RSC Pink and a Little I Like Thurs

This week I finished the 2nd Grandmother's Jewels. Only three more to go for this month. I have plenty of pink scraps so there isn't a shortage in that bin!

Pretty Jewels!

Spring has sprung around here. I've been working whenever I get a small chance to get a handle on the weeds and pruning. I hope to get some weed killer down on the bits I couldn't get pulled up. Then I'll lay down my newspapers and then some mulch on top of that. Let's hope I can get at least some of the gardens done this upcoming week! In the meantime, I've got some blooms to share.

Clematis is Blooming

Late-Blooming Daffodil
Bulbs From Mom's Yard

One Lone Amaryllis This Year

We had a visitor the other day. She was there all day but was gone by the next morning. She's a Luna Moth. I read up on her and she only lives for one week because she has no mouth. She conserves energy by just hanging out, trying to interest a mate for her hundreds of eggs. So sad!

I can share a finished project which always earns an atta-girl!

This & That Pattern Called Pumpkin Spice

On to the I Like Thurs prompt now. LeeAnna gave us this to work with:

"April 16  2026

what is your favorite daily routine? describe it to us... for example

wake early when others are asleep for the peace? Make list?"

I actually have two favorite daily routines. I do cherish my quiet mornings. Mom & Fred sleep in later than I do. I enjoy my coffee and wake up with games on my phone. First games are in the New York Times app:   Wordle and then Connections followed by Strands. I save Pips for last because it has a timer involved and I really need to be awake! I move on to a game of Spider Solitaire, then Blockadoku, and then, last but not least, I do a Mahjong Solitaire. All that takes about 30 minutes and then I wait to talk to my best friend, who lives in Knoxville TN. We chat for about 45 minutes most Mondays through Fridays. Then it's off to get dressed and walk my Gracie by 7am. We return around 8 and I can usually hear stirring going on upstairs and I know the day will officially begin in about a half hour.

My next favorite routine starts between 5:00 and 5:30pm. WINE TIME!!! 'Nuff said, right? Hahaha!

Please join all my friends to see what they are sharing.

LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for all the wonderful inspiration and happiness.

(Clearly I missed an update or something because LeeAnna's prompt apparently was favorite song to sing. No time to change my post now. Ugh! Sorry, LeeAnna!)

Also, Angela of SoScrappy for all things pink on the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Little By Little ...

Slowly but surely I've managed another blue jewel for RSC 2026.

After a bit of a warm spell, we've turned bitterly cold again for the weekend. My fingers split at the nail due to the cold & dryness so it makes it difficult to do handwork. This upcoming week might lend itself only to prepping a few more jewels but that's OK. I know we'll warm up again.

I did finish Scarlett, my cross stitch project designed by Stacy Nash. I just love her!! She's very helpful and holds my small scissors. *wink*

Scarlett - Front

Back

My Little Helper

Before She Had a Heart

I'm showing her back before I attached the helping heart. I found this linen at my LQS and knew it would be perfect. I LOVE IT!

On a note from the home front: I've been very busy going through Mom's house, sorting what to donate, what to trash, what to put into storage, what to recycle. I have also been setting up the move to a storage unit and making phone calls to cut off her utilities. On top of that, Mom continues to happily go to PT twice a week and make the drive with me to get her weekly hair care. I have less than a month until the closing date of Feb. 13th, which is a Friday. I hope it doesn't live up to its legacy -- Friday the 13th.

Wishing everyone a safe & healthy week! Do check in at So Scrappy to see what amazing Rainbow Scrap projects are being sewn.

RSC 2026

Angela is once again hosting the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for 2026. I think you should be able to click the button on the right sidebar and it should take you to her website with the instruction to join in. You want to, right????

The color chosen for January is BLUE. I was thrilled with the choice because my local quilt shop is doing a "Snowflake" challenge for January and I knew what I was going to share. I'd started this quite a while ago and I knew it fit the bill for "Snowflake" and then it also was BLUE! I quilted and bound it last week. Ready to share and then hang for January!

Looks like a Snowflake!

I'm planning on pulling out some blue scraps for a new English Paper Piecing project. I was inspired by this photo from Paper Pieces. You can order the kit at their website but I knew I already had enough papers to start and I want to use my own fabrics. I think it'll make a great RSC project!

Grandmother's Jewels Kit Available Here

I'm not sure how big I'll end up making it. I'm never too sure exactly how big the "blocks" will be when EPPing. We'll just have to see!

Th-th-that's all from here in chilly IL. Next week we'll see the sun again and warm back up towards the 60s! Happy New Year, my friends!