I had five days off and hardly took any photos! The days were packed with one thing or another, though — and mostly of my choosing.

I spent a lot of time sewing. On Friday, I was able to tune in to The School of Making Club’s 100 Days of Sewing: Weekly Check-in on Zoom… and stay for the whole time! That weekly event happens when I’m either just getting off of work, or I have the day off & I’m occupied elsewhere. Anyway, being the start of a holiday weekend, there weren’t as many participants as I’ve previously seen (when I’ve been able to check in for a few minutes), but it sure was fun! I shared my project, and learned a lot of random things — some even about sewing. The official 100 days is almost up, and those check-ins will end (sadly).

Katie laughed the other day when I told her that I was almost finished with one-third of half the back! And, lo, I did finish it! On to the next third… step-by-step, stitch-by-stitch. I spent a good few hours stitching/beading almost every day that I was off. No photos.

I’ve also been crocheting and have 8-10 out of 35 squares done for the granny square afghan! I’m going to need one more skein of antique white, as it’s used both in the squares and to border each one (not to mention seaming, when that time comes). Also no photos. The skeins are big & they get “floppy” as they’re used, so I plan to wind them all into more compact balls — which will also make them more manageable to take along on an upcoming little road trip, too.

Ali & the kids were over a few times — but they were busy, too! Ginny came over on her own one evening & hung out with us… helped Kate make puppy treats, supper (for us), and chalked up the sidewalk a little. We sent her home when the street lights came on (that was always the signal to go home when I was a kid).

Did I mention that the weather was absolutely perfect the whole weekend?

I’m welcoming guests to The Artist’s Perch this weekend for the first time since January — except for five days in July when someone was here for the EAA Fly-in in Oshkosh. Ali & the kids were in the apartment for much of the first half of the year, then I had it blocked off (except for those five days in July) so Maddy had a place to land when she was here. I’ve been doing the kinds of things that no one will really notice — pulling out everything that was put away earlier this year (guest book, house manual, some decor), washing all of the pots & pans, laundering all of the curtains. I also bought a new floor lamp for the living room and found room to install a cute little coffee cart in the kitchen. I have a few more tweaks in mind, then we’ll be ready to do the usual — cleaning the bathroom, making the bed, dusting & vacuuming, and stocking the fridge. I’m a bit out of the Airbnb groove, since Annie’s had a long-term guest since August 1st, and they’ll still be there for another week or so!

The kids had a busy last weekend of summer vacation!

The farmer across the street from their other grandparents’ house hosts a small-craft fly-in & car show every year… and this year, the kids (except Davy) took flight!

Davy helped Grandpa (with an assist from Ali) fix his bike chain so it wouldn’t keep falling off…

…and then we had the last sleepover of the summer.

There are plenty of lovely, summery days ahead (I’m sure of it! and we’ll enjoy every minute of it), but there’s nothing like the first day of school to put a bookend on summer!

It sure went fast.

Meanwhile, still fighting the plague (allergy?), I took a couple of naps over the weekend, but also did a lot of sewing/beading, and started a new crochet project. Did I mention that Addie’s blanket is completely finished? Ends woven in, washed & dried, and ready for delivery in a couple of weeks when Kate & I make another quick trip to MN. I’m still working out the details of the new project, but it’s worsted granny squares, so it’ll go a little quicker. One of my best repeat Airbnb customers gave me some yarn last winter, and I feel obligated to use it… so this is what I’ve come up with. Maybe a photo soon?

It was a very busy weekend… and I have very few photos to show for it!

Junah had started a K’nex project when they were over on Thursday, and on Friday he sent me a text asking if he could come over & continue working on it. Well, #1, I love getting text messages from Junah! #2, Of course!! He always recruits someone to “help,” which basically means they’re the parts-finder. On Thursday night he nabbed Maddy, and on Friday it was Kate (I’ve done it plenty, trust me). He likes to chit-chat as he builds, so no one really minds being relegated to such a lowly task because he can be very entertaining.

I took the girls to get back-to-school haircuts on Saturday morning. Malina has the cutest bob (no picture). Ginny just had a couple of inches trimmed off & a little layering (it needs more layering, and maybe some thinning) (no picture).

The girls came back home with me and we made earrings out of buttons! I have hardly any photos, but here’s one:

We bent & wound wire around the button shank to make a loop that we attached to a pre-made ear wire. I made another, less dangly version, wherein the winding & ear wire are made of the same length of wire. (Guess what? No pic.)

Annie & Addie came up on Saturday as planned, and we demolished a small (delicious) birthday cake between us all. He loves chocolate… and so do we!

I finished the border on his graduation blanket…

…but still have some ends to weave in/affix, and personalization to do. Kate & I are planning a quick trip to Minneapolis next month, and I will be delivering it then. Just in time for cooler weather (we all hope). So, not quite finished, but he wanted me to take a photo, anyway.

I finally finished the girls’ bed pockets. Whew! They went back-and-forth from my house to theirs a few times — to figure out where to place the Velcro, then to replace the original Velcro with bigger/sturdier lengths. Sheesh, it was a little fiddly, but the girls love them!

I also made a pillowcase for Davy! I bought some “Cars” fabric a while back that was perfect. I used a little Mickey Mouse fabric scrap for the cuff & trim because I made a wrong cut — but mostly because the stupid pre-printed fabric was printed so wonky that it would never square up with the grain of the fabric. In fact, the selvedge is showing on one side… and that’s just how it’s gonna be. Anyway, Davy helped me feed the “burrito” through the machine — he was my pin-puller — but otherwise just hung out with me in the Little Working Museum, asking a million questions (lots to discover in the museum, I guess). Somehow, he ended up inside the pillowcase and was toted around.

These lilies are blooming at Ali’s, and I couldn’t help but think of the (mostly) Kaffe Fassett fabrics that the girls chose for their bed pockets… and it’s not hard to see how nature has inspired!!

With the bed pockets finished, I pulled out my Alabama Chanin Car Jacket project and… started slow with a little applique. I’m going to have to get find my groove again!

There was lots of together time…

…and some carrying-on with projects-at-home time. Where Rusty is standing is now currently a gaping hole big enough for a sliding door (which is currently being stored in the garage).

This morning…

…it’s roofing time! They say it’ll only take a couple of days plus another day for gutters — so should all be done by mid-week. Crazy. And expensive, but whatchagonnado? We’re already 10 years past the 20-year roof expiration date on the old roof — which we ended up doing ourselves 30 years ago when we hired a shitty contractor. I’m happy that someone else is up there this time.