Hi all. I hope you are enjoying the weekend. Right now I’m sitting in front of a cozy fire. I don’t want to get up to do anything, so it’s a great time to write to you all. Outside it is raining quite heavily, and it’s not a warm rain, I might add. Our wind chill is 29°F (-2°C) degrees on this April 29th! Ugh! I’m dreaming of last weekend and earlier in the week when it was beautiful.
I find that I sleep better at night when I’ve been out for a walk (probably because it wears me out-ha), so I’ve been trying to walk daily. I took some photos last weekend and earlier in the week of how things are looking here in northern Illinois. I want to share them with you.
I often walk down this country road; it’s very peaceful and quiet. This crabapple in front of a little farmhouse was very colorful; I had to capture it with my phone.
This is just a fraction of violets that covered a huge expanse of someone’s front lawn. They don’t last long though. When I walked past today, the flowers were almost all gone. I do love violets though. Even the heart-shaped leaves are pretty.
Back at our house we had tulip quadruplets in bloom.
The brilliant red violet lilacs have started blooming.
Gina found this nest which fell out of one of the tiny lilac bushes. She inspected it, and will be putting it securely back for mama robin to return to.
We have carpets of lilac phlox blooming around our property.
Our apple tree is in bloom now, too. I brought some branches inside last week, when they were beginning to bud, and they bloomed inside.
The daffodils looked pretty for a couple of weeks around Easter time. Now, this is how they are looking. I kind of like how they all dried up and seem to be stuck in this state.
I couldn’t resist showing you this next photo of our backyard. I know dandelions are weeds, but sometimes I find them kind of cheerful.
Back in the studio today, my sweet Alice wanted to say hello. Alice is painted by Nelly Valentino. I think I only had to wait a year for her to arrive, she arrived last June. Don’t you love her brown eyes!
Also, today I rinsed and preshrunk this bunch of fabric. There are a couple here that I will be using next. Even though it’s an extra step I like to preshrink all fabrics and cotton laces because I often dampen when ironing and I don’t want some things shrinking more than others do.
I hope you are staying warm and dry wherever you are today. Happy springtime! Bye for now, and thanks for visiting with me today.
Cindy Rice Designs 
Thank you Cindy for sharing this beauty
I’m glad you enjoyed my humble spring photos, Orly. I don’t live anywhere majestic, but it is pretty all the same.
So sorry you’re getting all of the rain. I know Jeanne down south has a bucket in her dining room. Out here in CA, we’re headed for a heat wave. Rain all gone for some time to come. Have to water the plants tomorrow.
Love your walk photos. Much more rural than our daily walks. We do a mile up and down hill daily. Panting when we return. Know it doesn’t sound like much, but we try. 🙂
Our flowers, same as yours are done blooming, but somehow the dandelions are doing so well. 😦 Can’t keep a handle on the weeds. Everywhere this year. Not used to the rain.
How can we be so much in tune. I too always preshrink my fabric. When I’ve mentioned it before, lots who sew and make dolly clothes say they never do that. They like the crisp new fabric look. I however, like it if the fabric dye doesn’t transfer and ruin a doll. If I find a fabric that is unstable, I simply do not use it. Here I am spouting and I haven’t made anything in months. Busy around here. Sorry to blab. Your lovely fabrics should be a page in your upcoming book to be.
Tell Alice Hi from Bessie Bell and newby Effner Samantha.
Hi Joy. Well, a mile up a hill is probably like 2 on flat land. I actually like walking up hills, rather than down. It’s easier on my knees and feet.
I noticed they were getting lots and lots of rain in southern IL. Ugh. We are so wet here, I cannot imagine more.
Your a preshrink my fabric girl too, huh? I like the fabric to be as soft as possible. And, yes it would be heartbreaking to ruin a doll.
I’d love to make a quilt with my fabric scraps, tons of memories there… someday, maybe.
I hear your girls calling for a new dress. Now here’s my “words of wisdom” (ha ha), a little work a day adds up to something finished. Maybe you can carve out 30 minutes a day?
Now Alice wants to visit and meet Bessie Bell and Samantha. Soon I will lose all my girls to CA, where the sun shines.
Hi Cindy.
Thank you for your weekend catchup. It is great especially when it is from the other side of the world. I loved the photographs. Here in Tamworth Australia we are enjoying beautiful Autumn days. We had friends over for a Hamburger lunch today. It was a great day. I was complimented on my garden which at the moment is dominated with miniature yellow chrysanthemums which are in
full bloom.
It is quite cool at night and we have had to put the heater on a couple of times. In a few weeks we will become grey nomads and head north to the warmer weather, in our caravan, for a couple of months, to get away from the cold. We will travel around and see places we missed on previous travels.
I hope the weather gets warmer for you this week.
Hi Wendy. I love to hear what it’s like in other parts of the world too. When you describe going north for warmer weather and nights getting cooler I feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Going south always means warmer for me. And, our nights are getting warmer, well they are supposed to be anyway. Your chrysanthemums sound so pretty. Wishing you safe travels in your caravan.
Hii Cindy, I am sorry you had to get rain, that is a low windchill, no wonder you have a cosy fire! It is great to get out for a walk and be among nature. such beautiful photos you took, I love the violets too. And look at them tulips , something to bring a smile to anyone’s face. I am trying to get to know all your girls! Gina is so sweet with the nest, lovingly protecting it. The lilac is georgous Cindy! Hello to you Alice, nice to meet you. I love her eyes , and the pretty bow in her hair. It is dull here again , roll on May is what I say, Have a nice day Cindy, Huggs, Terri.
Hi Terri. It’s another dreary day today. No surprises, it was forecast, tomorrow and Tuesday too. Another day, or two, or three, for a fire in the fireplace.
Usually once May is here we get more sunshine than not. I hope that’s the way it goes this year, you never know.
I have three Little Darlings. I’ve had Gina for 5 + years. She is usually a brunette and has blue eyes. Alice is the same sculpt, but with brown eyes. Lucy, is the smiling sculpt, always happy and cheering me up. If you want to read more about these dolls I have a FAQ page on my website with links to the artists’ sites. http://www.cindyricedesigns.com/faq.html
Enjoy your day!