Earth Day worthy recycling

these wood steps up to the second terrace of the garden came with the house

so they had been out there in the sun and the snow for at least ten years

and they were starting to get really dangerous

last week we decided that we would move the gate into the garden area down to the other end of the garden where there is a gentle slope up to that top level

and we would take these steps out entirely


and this is what I did with the wood after we managed to pull those steps all apart

in this little area between the fence and the side of the garage we've never been able to get anything except weeds to grow

last summer our son in law helped up put down the stone pathway there on the left side, which cut down on the area that I had to keep after the weeds in

I'm hoping my "boardwalk" will help that in that area too

using wood that was otherwise going to end up in the land fill --- PRICELESS!

yesterday we planted the first things in the garden -- Yukon gold potatoes, red and yellow onions, beets and swiss chard -- lots more to do, but these will tolerate the chilly weather we're still likely to get in the next few weeks

this garden however is going great!

the first side is all beaded around the stones, and I started in on the second side yesterday

while I've been stitching along I've been thinking about the clasp that this piece will need, and I think I've finally solved how to do that --- I'll be making a cylinder of beads to use as the bar and a loop of beads as the other half of a toggle clasp, and I can do the attaching before I put the backing on

I've also decided that this piece will need some beaded fringe -- with flower "drops" at the ends -- that will add to the time needed to do the finishing, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't look "finished" with out it

like I've said ---- Must.Stitch.Faster

the second of the feathers on the little hat is done

I have one more to do

then it's on to the quilting of this piece

still doing that chant:

Must.Stitch.Faster



time to get stitching!