text: We had another nice weekend, though a bit windy and a little cooler, but still nice enough to enjoy being outside. On Saturday we went to another town and then stopped at the ocean for some fresh air. It was nice to get out, but it was too cool to stay out long and walk the beach. As you can see, it was sunny on one side and the other side was foggy. As we were leaving, the fog came in fast, so it was a good time to go.
  We stopped by a park and took a walk down the point, a little warmer and a short enough walk that I could handle it. Still sore from my fall, so doing a bit at a time. On the way back we passed the Umbrella Factory, a small farm with stores scattered about in the old buildings. We stopped for a quick walk and to enjoy the animals.
  I think this goat is pregnant, her belly looked a bit over sized.
  This Emu always cracks me up, he has the strangest eyes, but they wouldn't stay still to get a nice clear shot. Then they decided to show us how they mate, lol.
  In the parking area, they have an old truck, part of the eclectic and funky landscape they have. Now everything looks bare and sad, but in the spring, all the gardens will be in bloom.
  Sunday I didn't have a lot of gumption so I told Bill to decide where we went. He decided I wanted to go to the antique barn, lol. I think he has more fun than I, and he plays with everything. I didn't see anything I wanted this time, but I got some aged cheese cloth that I can use for projects.
  On the way I noticed the bird sanctuary that we always pass and thought it would be fun to check it out. It was just what I needed, a good walk and fresh air made me feel much better. It as a nice walk along fields and wooded paths and several streams.
  We found an old fireplace, but the red brick looked new, so not sure if it is from an old home or someone built that as a picnic area.
  We walked to the end of the pond, a nice view across to the bridge. The bad thing was, a lot of the land is private so you have to take detours and the bridge area is private. It was still a nice walk and good exercise.
  I hope you all had a nice weekend. Today I started a new punch needle design, so that should be ready by Friday.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 10:53 PM 6 comments:
  Labels: beach, bill, charlestown breachway, emu, fireplace, goat, hiking, Maxwell mays santuary, ocean, pond, Rhode Island, River, rusty truck, sea, westerly
  Friday, February 24, 2017
  Friday Finish!
  This week I finished another piece done with the snowman pattern from Kathy Schmitz's, One Stitch at a Time Club. I decided to make a runner this time and used white fabric with the fun blue snowflake border. I really like how it came out and am leaving it white for now, it may be going to someone who likes brighter pieces, but I can always tea stain it, if I change my mind.
  The finished piece is 26" x 11 1/2".
  We had some beautiful weather this week, so we took advantage of the nicest day and Bean got to have some fun time at the dog beach.
  Of course he loves to jump, he is such a show off.
  He found a piece of drift wood so a few rounds of fetch was mixed in with walking up and down, on the beach.
  I hope everyone has a nice weekend. I am babysitting Nick tonight, but the poor guy was fast asleep when he got here, so I am relaxing until he wakes.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 6:47 PM 10 comments:
  Labels: beach, border collie, christmas, kathy schmitz, ocean, photograph, play, primitive, quonsett, sand, snowflake, snowman, stick, stitchery
  Monday, February 20, 2017
  Weekend Wanderings!
  We had a beautiful weekend and it was nice to get out again. On Saturday we went for a ride to the ocean and spent some time at the wharf. It was a little cool for the beach but I wanted to get photos of the seagulls that were flocking on the buildings and check out the boats on the docks.
  I caught this photo and thought it was funny, with the speed limit sign. It makes it look like the gull on the post is chastising the other gulls for flying too fast in the slow zone.
  At the docks behind the building is why there are so many gulls. The fishermen were throwing the leftover fish to them.
  And, I found out, it attracts the seals too. I never knew they came into the harbor and it was a treat to see them swimming around and playing in the channel.
  On the way home we took a detour and stopped at Snuff Mill. It is where they ground tobacco and also the home of Gilbert Stuart who painted the famous unfinished portrait of George Washington. It is the one, seen on the dollar bill. The museum grounds are closed, so I took a shot from the road, I would like to go back and revisit it when I can go inside. I used to go as a child since I could walk there and it cost 10 cents to get in.
  Sunday we had Nick for the day and it was an even nicer day, so we went back to the wharf and got to enjoy some time on the beach. We watched the sail surfers on the water, while Nick played in the sand with a toy he found on the beach.
  Even though it was nice, it was still cooler at the beach, so we headed back up the bay and Nick had a picnic on the URI Bay Campus beach. It was a lot warmer and less people, so we could relax and Nick loved the fact that were were thousands of rocks he could throw in the water.
  I have also been searching for a vacation place, for our anniversary in June. It seems the Acadia area is popular in June now and now openings on the water, but I finally found one in Stonington at Old Quarry Ocean Adventures. It doesn't have hook ups, but he will plug us in with electric and water and we will stop at a camp on the way home to dump the tank. Now all we need is nice weather so we can enjoy kayaking around the islands that are scattered all through the area.
  I think the view is well worth it and there is a launch right next to us. Another bonus is, they will cook our lobster dinner and bring it to our site, so a nice anniversary treat. And, if Bean behaves, he is allowed to go leash free so he can play on the beach. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and hopefully winter will end early this year.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 9:35 PM 7 comments:
  Labels: barn, beach, camping, fishing boat, galilee, gilbert stuart, Kayaking, maine, nick, ocean, picnic, River, sand, seagulls, seal, snuff mill, URI Bay Campus, wharf
  Friday, February 17, 2017
  Friday Freebie Finish!
  This week I have been taking it easy, not easy for me, lol. I worked on my stitchery but wanted to do something quick and fun. I revisited a site that I hadn't been to in awhile, Rusty Tin Roof. They used to offer a free monthly magazine with free patterns. I found some new ones I hadn't seen and made one yesterday.
  The pattern is called Garden Rabbit Family by Cave Creek Primitives. Some of the patterns are still available to download, some are gone, but well worth a look while they are still up.
  My bunnies are not exactly the same, I did not have status so I guess I need to hit the flower shop at the craft store, well worth having some dried flowers to put with my pieces. I found an easy way to do small patterns; I trace the pattern onto muslin with a water erasable marker and retrace the design from the back. That way I have my lines for eye and face placement and then I can just sew the back to the front and follow the lines on the back. The material I used was over dyed and grunged up, so when I added some black walnut ink, it made blobs of ink, but that makes it more fun, so I left it.
  I am sorry I didn't think to remember what issue these came from, but I think it was from a spring issue, since that and summer was what I was looking at, this time.
  I took a break from my stitchery, I am debating on the center, should I do a fill stitch or a spaced running stitch to look more quilted, thinking of the quilted look? I will add a blue snowflake border and border stitches too.
  Another thing I do while I am resting is look for vacation places for our June anniversary week. I wanted to go to Acadia this time, but it seems all the good spots in the good camps are full already, so not sure if I want to go if I am stuck in a small spot away from the water.
  One place we went that was nice was Freeport Maine and stayed at a camp there. They are an old farm on a peninsula so lots of land to go for walks with a state park down the road. We loved paddling there, this is Bill getting the boats ready to go out.
  And this is what we came back to, a mile of mud flat. So, the bad thing is, I checked and the tides are not in our favor, if we can get out, we can't get back in. There are launches in other areas, but I really want to relax and enjoy the area we are in. One of the nice things about camping in Acadia, no mud flats. So, I will keep looking and inquire at the camps I like and maybe they will have something that has views and enough space, since we cannot be on top of people especially with Bean.
  I hope you all have a good weekend and nice weather, we actually have some warmer days, so I am going to enjoy getting out.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 9:28 PM 7 comments:
  Labels: bunny, buttons, christmas, easter, eggs, freeport, jute, Kayaking, maine, primitive, rabbit, snowman, stitchery, Wolf's Neck
  Monday, February 13, 2017
  Happy Valentines!
  This weekend, I had to take it easy. At least it was snowing and the roads were horrible, so I didn't mind staying home for once. Since my arms are still a bit sore, working on my regular stitchery was a bit tough to do, so I made up a small quick project to do, just in time for Valentines.
  I have a draw full of pre-cut pennies, so I picked some out and that saved on cutting them out. I picked a scrap piece of wool that is too thin to hook but has a nice purple hue with specks of colors thought and red hearts. I finished the smaller pennies with a simple wheel stitch to turn them into little yellow flowers with a triple french knot on top.
  This is an easy project to do and you can make them in any size, using those little scraps of wool that you just don't want to throw away, turn them into pennies. If you have never made one, there are tutorials online and you can find circle templates to print out and trace. Freezer paper is the best for cutting out pennies, especially when you are making a bunch. I did get a circle cutter, still need to try that on wool.
  And the winner of the pattern giveaway is.......... Lauren, of Rugs and Pugs! Congratulations Lauren, please email me, your choice of pattern. I am hoping to get my runner finished this week, now that my arms are feeling better.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 10:10 PM 12 comments:
  Labels: cotton ticking, giveaway, hearts, love, penny rug, primitive, valentines, winner, wool
  Friday, February 10, 2017
  Friday Finish, and Giveaway!
  This has not been my week, or more like, my worst one in awhile. Bill was sick, then I got full blown flu so we were both sick, who takes care of who? LOL, we all know the answer to that.
  Bill started to feel better and he did a few things, like take the dog out to play and stare at his computer, but I did get him to go shopping and make up a chicken fry and we made burritos, not the smartest thing to eat when you are sick, but Bill is limited in his cooking abilities. After that I decided rice was a much better mix with the chicken and much easier on my system.
  So, two days of misery with the flu, mostly laying on my chair and sleeping, and looking forward to the next day when I would have more energy to relax and sew. Well, that night I had one of my old spells, when I was in the bathroom and ended up crashing my body into things as I tried to stay upright long enough to get back to the bed. Never made it, whammed my hip and whole right side into one doorway, whammed my left side on another door and Bill finally found me on the floor.
  So, My body feels like it got hit all over with a baseball bat, my motions when I am like this are in high gear, I thrust forward or sideways at high speeds, so not much that doesn't hurt, at this point. For now I am waiting for the main trauma pain to subside, then I can see if anything is really hurt or just needs some rest.
  I had two things planned for this week, flu killed it for two days, now I can barely move my arms since my shoulders took the brunt, so resting them and just light typing today.
  I received my new design from Kathy Schmitz's One Stitch Club and wanted to make a few things for my Christmas box. I did get one thing finished, a snowman dish cloth. This is a fun one to do on a dish cloth and I was also thinking, what if I add another to the other end as a runner, maybe some simple trees on each side to balance it out, what do you think?
  My other project will be a runner, but I just got it started before I crashed. Not the best photo, but my new flash is being buggy, maybe it was the discount batteries, Bill bought;)
  We got quite a bit of snow, I was disappointed tonight, beautiful full moon to catch right after the sunset, but my bones can't take a car ride and the roads are still covered, so not worth the risk. The good thing is, Bean was in heaven, he got to go out with Bill and catch snow, that he was shoveling.
  And for putting up with all my rambling, lets have a photo contest. The winner gets any free e-pattern from my ecrater site, even booklets. Name this photo, add a funny caption, you decide. I will pick a winner on Monday night.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 10:33 PM 12 comments:
  Labels: bird, border collie, christmas, contest, giveaway, photograph, primitive, snowflakes, snowman, tea towel
  Monday, February 6, 2017
  Weekend Wanderings!
  This weekend was cool so we didn't get to spend a lot of time outside and when we did, we basically froze. One of the things I wanted to do was, check out the state park at the south end. I camped there when I was younger, but now it is so popular it is hard to get in.
  The campground is on a salt water inlet, with views and close to the beaches and ferry, so it would be a fun place to stay. I did check online and can get in, in early spring, but once the weather warms, it is full up, so maybe i will try for the fall.
  The nice thing is, you can still park outside the gates and walk around before they open. It would have been nicer if it wasn't so cold and there was still snow on the pathways, so we couldn't explore the old fort.
  It is a really nice park, the sites are spaced nicely and on some you can see views of the ocean. Another nice thing is, they have a hill with a lookout so you can go up there and enjoy the views and I know it would be a great place to watch the sunset. They also allow dogs, which is a big plus.
  I am standing on the platform which sits on an old bunker. The bad thing is, you are on the water, but I didn't see any place to put a boat in, but there is a launch across the inlet.
  The hill where I was standing, this area was an old fort, so there are still a few underground forts but they have them closed off now.
  We took a ride down to the docks and enjoy the views and as always, plenty of seagulls waiting for scraps.
  The coast guard boat, heading out.
  We drove around the loop to enjoy views from different areas and headed home. Since it was sunny out, I wanted to catch a sunset, so we headed to the lighthouse in Jamestown. We stopped in a different area and I caught some shots from the cliffs, sadly it was muddy and freezing, so I think I will sit in the car next time and get out to take shots;)
  Then we got home and Bill had the chills, and he was sick and soon after it hit me, so Sunday was definitely a day of rest, at least for Bill, lol. I made tacos since it is loaded with antioxidants, nothing like hot peppers to kill a flu. I also loaded us down with vitamins and herbs so Bill was ready to go back to work today. I am fighting it, so hopefully it won't get the best of me.
  Bean and Moki love the couch and usually sleep at each end, but sometimes Bean just wants to get closer and cuddle. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 10:04 PM 6 comments:
  Labels: boat, border collie, camping, coast guard, dog, galilee, Jamestown, ocean, Rhode Island, seagull, sunset, tuxedo cat
  Friday, February 3, 2017
  Friday Finish!
  This week I worked on a new punch needle piece. My friend gave me a few from her old stash and she knows I love patterns by Brenda Gervais of Country Stitches. The bunny was a perfect one to do for spring.
  The original pattern is set on a wooden board, but I wanted to do something different and make mine into a pocket. I like how it came out and it looks nice hanging from my peg rack. I added a thicker piece of wool yarn around the edge and used that as the hanger.
  I also finished the ties on my quilt, now I just need to trim the edges and add binding. The triangles are done with hand stitching and then I used the ties along the middle of the strips.
  You may remember the post were I showed you my messy rooms. Well, now I am thinking it would make more sense and be more efficient to change the rooms. I hate to move my beach room, which was my daughter's room, but it is longer and I think it will hold the machines and table much better than the more square room. So, I am measuring and thinking it out and if I do that, the beach room will be upstairs and become a guest room and the small room will be my room to relax and create in, as well as a play area for the kids. I can get floor couch chairs that make into beds so they will also have a place to sleep when they visit. You can see the rooms on this post, what do you think?
  It looks like a cold weekend, so no walks, but hopefully we can get out and enjoy some time outside for short periods. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
  Posted by WoolenSails at 8:42 PM 15 comments:
  Labels: bunny, easter, flowers, flying geese, hand stitching, homespun, needle punch, pocket, primitive, quilt, rabbit, tulips