Winding Down

We delivered face masks #56 through 63 to Gary and Shelly today. 

We did the social distancing thing, talking to them from our car, but it was so good to see them and to get out of our house for a couple of hours.

They are both die-hard LA Kings fans so I knew they would like the first four masks

but I was thrilled at how enthusiastic they were about the other fabrics. Made my day week. 

I’m planning to wind down my mask factory after this weekend, barring special requests or local emergencies. I have 8 left to deliver locally, plus 40 or so that are going to Colorado for Rachel’s family and co-workers. The need seems to be diminishing and commercial production is ramping up (or so say the news reports I read). 

Time to get back to quilting!

April Flowers

My aunt sent a picture of this gorgeous tree in her Ohio backyard 

so I thought I’d return the favor  

with a shot of my favorite orchid tree in full bloom.

I saw these at the Santa Barbara Zoo several years ago and had to have one.

And as long as I was outside . . . I’m not sure what this shrub is but the birds love it. One pair builds a nest inside it every year.

Hubby’s rose tree is budding. We mostly ignore it and it blooms like crazy almost year round.

I call this one ‘fake iris’; pretty sure that’s not its name . . .

It always surprises me when succulents bloom. 

So pretty!

Six More, Out The Door

Things went much faster today after I taught this cutie how to make bias-strip ties. She loved making them!

She’s probably better at it than I am, at this point.

And she didn’t burn herself, which was my main hesitation in letting her try. 

Thanks to Leanne’s help, these masks are packed up - four for Idaho, two for Pennsylvania - and ready to mail tomorrow morning. That’s 50 down, ?? more to go. Woohoo!

Planting Season (And More Masks)

Between Jac and Leanne, we are going to be up to our arm pits (ha!) in deliciousness in, oh, maybe 10-15 years? 

They are both very excited about their avocado trees but I’m not holding my breath. 

I’m trying to keep track of the number of masks I make, purely for personal curiosity. Today, five went to a friend for her family 

and four more went to the daycare Leia attended prior to kindergarten. 

The new pattern I tried, that I had such high hopes for, takes forEVer. I figure it’s taking me 40-45 minutes per mask. I need quality and quantity, so after I finish the 13 I’ve cut out but haven’t sewn, I’ll be searching for a new pattern. Again. Maybe this one my SIL recommended? I haven’t tried that style yet and I’m curious. If you have a pattern you like, especially one that has a pocket for a filter, I’d love to know.

 Tomorrow’s project

Never Dull

There’s never a dull minute when Jac comes to visit. 

Me: May I take a picture of your avocado tree?

Jac: Wait til I get my glasses on . . .

Jac: I love my tree. But I don’t like adocabos.

So expressive. You know what she’s thinking even without seeing her whole face.

Mugging for the camera while watching TV. 

She’s a princess through and through.

Tools

Leanne’s school is doing ‘distance learning’, starting today, 

which meant Leanne needed a computer to keep up with her work and attend the twice-weekly class meetings on Zoom.

We love our iPads but they weren’t going to cut it in this instance. 

So Pop and I surprised her with a laptop on Saturday. Hopefully it will make returning to (distance) school - and the resulting homework - a tiny bit less painful. 

I once again changed the mask pattern I’m making. There’s so much conflicting info about what is needed and what pattern is acceptable to whom. This one is easy to make, has features I like and I can crank them out fairly quickly.

It has an opening for a filter, if the recipient wants to insert one later, and I modified it so I can add ties to some masks, rather than using elastic. (I found more elastic on Etsy! Hurray!)

I also dug out a couple of tools I’d “put away” (and then couldn’t find!) during the Great Reflooring. The Clover bias tape maker lets me make ties super quick and the SideWinder -  a gift from a friend when I first started quilting - means I don’t have to unthread and rethread my machine every time the bobbin runs out. Love them. Now if I could just find the other three (four?) different sized tape makers I own, I’d be a very happy camper quilter. 

Tantrum Day

Donovan fed and watered his horses,

and took a nap (he loves the blanket I made him!)

before entertaining us with Tantrum #1

and Tantrum #2.

Sooner or later, he’s going to get mad at me for laughing, but at this point he’s more cute than terrifying. 

Finding The Happy

Concentrating on things that make me happy, since the things that make me want to cry are out of my control. 

Donovan fake napping with PopPop. “I’m asleep Grandma, honest!” Not.

Real napping after I separated those two, Pop to his (tv) room and Big D to the crib.

Donovan discovered the elephant I crocheted a few years ago. 

It was today’s favorite toy. He even left the eyes alone after I asked him not to pull them out. Such a good little guy. 

Playing in the front window. All the kids have loved that big bay, using it as a stage or a playroom. Donovan thinks he’s hot stuff now that he can climb up and down by himself. 

Bonus - I have 10 more masks almost finished after a friend dropped off her stash of elastic. It’s a drop in the bucket but it makes me feel like I’m doing something to help. 

Bikes and Playdo and Masks, Oh My

Since the beer bug hit (get it?? Corona? Beer? Oh, never mind 😜) our time with the baby grands has become more limited.

Today was Jac’s turn to hang out while Leanne took an online painting class at home. 

Jac got to do anyyyyyyything she wanted (what else is new, right??)

so we did art, and played with playdo - mixing the colors, which Leia *hates* (hi, Leia!) - 

and watched both versions of Frozen AND 

Jac rode her bike outdoors for the very first time. 

She made it almost around the cul-de-sac before she crashed (minor) and decided she’d walk the rest of the way around the block. 

 One for me

After she went home, I started on a new face mask pattern. The “for a nurse by a nurse” pattern is the one our local hospitals are asking to have donated.

 For Mary, test #2

My first try was way too big but the second one was much better. Hoping I can cut my time down from 1.25 hours per mask, which included cutting and making the binding/straps the old-school way. 

I want to start cranking these out and get them where they’re needed. Faster is definitely better.