Bits and Pieces in February

We had a few warmer days this week.  Wicked high winds, but the sun came out now and then, so it made it bearable as long as one didn't need to be outside in the wind.  I stopped off at the garden center for a little bit yesterday.  It's a balm to the spirit to see all the plants on these seemingly endless winter days!  A little pot of sweet pale blue grape hyacinths had to come home with me!  

So pretty!  I have them sitting on the table next to the chair where I sit and sew!  

Gerry's Fan blocks arrived last week!  I love her choice of colors ~ but then she and I often see eye to eye on color!  She's hoping to combine these with another larger block that she has done.  Her inspiration?  Peacocks of course!  

I opted to use a limited thread palette in the colors of the block.  Most of the stitching is done and now I'm working on beading and applying the gold braid that Gerry included with the blocks.  This is just a sneak preview!  

I've also been working to finish the Pansy DYB bell-pull.  But I've been having to fix some issues.  This block is a good example of why glue is never a good idea on a crazy quilted block.  It simply doesn't hold up.  This sunny faced pansy is falling apart, even though the block has been handled very little.  I am having to remove the entire thing and remake it so that it will attach in a way that will hold it together.  I'm afraid the lovely pansy porcelain piece next to this pansy is also primarily glued on, so I'll be adding reinforcement to that as well.  

Outside, the sky has been pretty grey lately.  Day after day of grey.  Not so common for Colorado, where we have over 300 sunny days a year ~ usually.  But then this doesn't seem to be a "usual" year anywhere!  It's reassuring to see that the great horned owls have been checking out their nesting spot in the neighbor's tree and often sit on this large arching branch over the neighbor's house!  Love seeing them there.  It's entirely possible that they have already set eggs to hatch, as I know that owls start nesting quite early.  Too early to tell yet! 

Inside, the kitties search out warm cozy spots for their afternoon nap.  I keep my knitted wool shawl on the back of my chair for easy use when needed.  Thomas often curls up on it and naps while I'm stitching!  

The month is swiftly passing and it won't be long until March is here.  A little pot of green and white shamrocks came home with me from the garden center along with the hyacinths!  These are sitting on my kitchen windowsill right now!  

I've gotten a head start on my March pincushion for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project!  As you probably know if you've been reading my blog very long, green and white and natural linen are my favorite colors!  Can't wait to get started stitching on this!