Faux Apple

Watched a video on how to make one of these faux apples.  It was fun.  However, I've decided I've got to find some smoother rocks.  

On a roll with rocks....

Today's rocks included this patriotic one. I plan to give it to a friend who is active in the DAR (Daughter's of the American revolution) organization.

She is bringing me some polypropylene, I use as a layer in my homemade masks.  I know she isn't going to let me pay her for it. I thought she would like this.

The next is one I was challenged to do.  Well, not exactly. I was asked if I painted any birds. I have a friend who loves birds and I wanted to try. Not sure how I feel about it yet. I'd like to try again, but it was very difficult so I won't try for a while. Gotta let my mind rest a bit from this one.

I did a little tutorial for the monarch butterfly for our facebook rock club, and made two more.  Each one is a bit different, not on purpose. I still like the first one best.

....and I made a quick unicorn for the granddaughter of a friend.

More butterflies...

Today was a great day to stay inside and paint rocks.  Then it was also a great day to go for an ice cream and few groceries and hide some rocks for others to find.   Worked on the other two butterflies first.

I started out doing these with the Posca paint pens and micron markers.  I ended up doing just a little brush work to blend some of the colors.

My little butterfly garden...

A friend asked me if I could do one with a butterfly and a daisy for a friend of hers.....

Then back to the monarch, my favorite.  All done with paint pens and micron markers.  Except the shadows. My grey micron marker died so I used a brush there.

Then to hide some....an ice cream cone at the ice cream store.  A little girl found it within a couple of hours!

Left at the park.

Left on an old rock wall in the center of our little town.

It's been a blessed day....

Painting and Cooking

No quilting going on over here, but there has been some painting and some yummy cooking.
Liked this butterfly so much, I want to make a couple more.  Found a great picture on Pinterest with three different ones.  Hope to do the other two tomorrow.

 The ant goes with the "Picnic" theme for one of our weekly Rock challenges in the local Rock painting/hiding group I belong to.  I will be hiding it.

 My grandson, Haddon, is currently crazy over spider man, and my granddaughter Emma loves unicorns.  The ice cream and Love are two that will be hid for the Rock club. Actually I made two of each of those. One set to hid, one for the kids. Emma wanted this Love rock.

There is something so fun about painting rocks.  It is a cheap hobby, if you mess up, you just paint over it.  I usually like the design on the natural rock surface but many cover the rock in a color first.  I only do that if I've messed up. Currently I am really enjoying the Posca pens. Most of these were done with the pens.

The hubby has lost about nine pounds and me, about three. Just cutting back. He wants to eventually lose 20. I have a friend who is doing the Code Red diet. I think it is a low carb version. We had a meal that would be ok on her diet -- sauteed peppers and onions in butter, grilled cabbage steaks, ( a little ranch drizzled on it) and a hamburger patty grilled. 

But the desert -- OH MY. It was so yummy. I mixed a little cream cheese with some whipping cream and about a tablespoon and a half of some Monk Fruit blend. Mixed it up with blueberries.  It tasted just like cheesecake. Here is the sweetener blend I used.

I've had this a while.  I bought it a year or so ago to try to get off so much sugar.  I wasn't thrilled with it then.  However, I've been using it in my coffee and it gives it just the right amount of sweet.  In the cream cheese fluffy stuff, to me it tasted exactly like a thin cheesecake. Sweet, and creamy. I am going to start using this more. I'd like to lose a few more pounds and I think it will help the hubby to lose his weight as well.

Another Pandemic Scrap Quilt

The is the fourth scrap quilt I've made since the Cover-19 Pandemic became our new normal.  Every one I make I swoon over it.  Each one I finish, I say, "This is my favorite!" 

This quilt is so heavy. I used a new technique on the machine binding that is a game changer.  I sewed the binding to the top, then hand stitched the corners. Then I used a school glue stick and and iron to secure the binding down.  Then zipped though the stitching on the top side right next to the binding.  Seriously a game changer for me. Mine still isn't perfect but it is much better using this method. And quick, for sure.

Patriotic Quilt Show

Today seemed like a beautiful day for a patriotic quilt show.  I pulled out a favorite of mine.  American Heritage was a block of the month program I did from The Cherry Pit quilt shop in Sevierville in 2008. I had only been quilting about a year. I learned a lot from it and it turned out so good. 

I made this before I purchased my long arm so I paid to have it quilted and the girl did a fantastic job.

The wind was really picking it up today!

Hope they make some smiles.  I had a friend who (jokingly) said, I drove by and thought your dryer had gone out....lol. I usually put these on the beds inside but I am liking hanging them outside for a patriotic parade. There are some subdivisions in Knoxville, that are doing patriotic parade drivebys. Neighborhoods are decorating for the 4th so people can drive by and enjoy while social distancing. I think that is a great idea.