Another dreary Sunday-but QUILTS!

It's Spring time in the Midwest so that means rain, rain, rain and scattered periods of light breezes, high winds and tornadoes. Yes, we've had our first touch down of the year, and it wasn't three points, either! Even though the worst of it was about 50 miles away to the west, I had just been in that area earlier in the day. And even though, the touch down was only for about 2 minutes, it took out a house, several barns and lots of trees. No injuries from the tornado, though. Sadly, in another part of the area, a fellow who was struck by lightening while riding his motorcycle near a lake, though. I guess I am just tired of the gloomy skies and the high humidity.

We've had a great start on the garden and the yard, but now we are bogged down again with the weather. We planted 24 trees, 5 large shrubs, and 9 (8') fence posts for the garden fencing. We have another 7 to go, but who knows when it will be dry enough, and we have enough energy left to get those in the ground? The spinach and lettuce is coming up nicely, and the peas finally got in the ground yesterday, too. Late, but they will still be good.

I went to a small quilt show yesterday, and truly enjoyed my time with the girlfriends. I didn't buy any fabric, but there were a couple of new vendors, and I found some nice treats for my sewing room, and elsewhere.

Here are a few of the quilts I found interesting.

This series reminded me of a butterfly metamorphosis

This was inspired by slices of geodes

This was a local BOM of red applique, beautifully executed

My favorite-inspired by tiles - All APPLIQUED!

Unfinished fan block appliqued with with bias onto whole fabric

So, after fighting with Google for a couple of hours yesterday, I am finishing up this post. It's a wet, dreary day again today, but I have plans for sewing, sewing, sewing! I have the French roses ready to join. By the end of the day, it should be coming up roses! LOL!

I AM SO EMBARRASSED!

Something I've learned: always check the link that you post!

For those of you who tried the link in the previous post to the Toy Society, please try it again. I have fixed it now, so it really is the charitable link and not the "party town" link!

Bonsai, Toys and Tae Kwon Do

I delivered the Bonsai yesterday, and it will be revealed to it's new owner today. I am anxiously awaiting word on the recipients response to the gift.

When I was in Cambria, CA with my BFF's, I was introduced to the Toy Society. While we were there, my friend Wendy dropped a puppy at Moonstone beach, and actually got to see who took it home. So now, I've decided that this is something I can do while sitting with Hubby watching TV or waiting at ballgames and such. This first puppy was made from some of the felted wool we made in California. Right now, I am only making Scottie dogs with left over scraps of upholstery that have been on my quilt guild's "free table". So far, I've made one drop in a church parking lot, but I have two more almost ready to go. Check out the blog and see if you want to join in the fun!


One of the joys of being a grandparent is getting to see the young ones mature and gain confidence. The youngest of our grand girls, 10 year old Kaitlyn, has found something that really inspires her - Tae Kwon Do. She's been attending Ko's Black Belt Academy for a just short while now. She has asked to go at least 6 days a week because she enjoys it so much. Last week, she earned her Yellow Belt! They focus on self discipline, coordination, and focus. We're so proud of her!

Showing her form

Breaking the board

Receiving her yellow belt

Camria quilts and things

So sorry to be late in posting the quilts that we worked on while in Cambria at our girlfriend retreat! Spring has sprung (mostly) and there is so much to get done for the garden. We're making some pretty ambitious rain barrels, an ambitious vegetable garden, and getting a new small shed painted and peg boarded for hanging tools.

So, in the meantime, enjoy the quilts!

Here is everyone in the aprons I made for each of us. The pattern is Church Lady Aprons, and they are reversible. One yard per side makes the apron in it's entirety!

Sherri

Joyce

Wendy

Marj

Quiltgranny

Almost Zen - Marj

Urban Chic - Wendy

Caboodles Calendars - Joyce

Rescued 9 Patch Pizzazz - Marj

Mail Order Stars - Sherri

French Roses - Quiltgranny Sharon

Unknown pattern - Wendy

Bird Brain applique wildflowers - Joyce

Reading Rings - Quiltgranny Sharon

Favorite Reading Ring - Quiltgranny Sharon

Back from Cambria, CA

I know, I know, I know! I've been back from Cambria for more than a few days now, and I haven't posted! Here I am now, with lots of show and tell, though. I had an absolutely marvelous trip with my girlfriends, and as always it was just way too short. Where does the week go, anyway?

I was a very tired girl when I arrived in San Jose where I was met my my BFF's at the airport. With the two hour time change, I had been up since 2 AM CA time, and arrived about noontime. We drive another 3.5 hours south to Cambria, picked up the house key and promptly unloaded all our gear. It was a dark and windy night when we arrived.....

Welcome to our home by the sea.

This is the level where we set up our sewing machines. Come in and sew a while - or a week!

Do you recognize that pile o'fabric that was on my cutting table last month? These are the surprises that I made for the girls. Anyone who was working in the kitchen had to wear their apron, but that didn't seem to be a problem at all! The aprons are reversible, personalized with their name on one side. You can double click the picture to see the beautiful embroidery (thanks Debra) on Wendy's pocket. SOMEONE even wanted to wear hers all the time.

Marge invited us to Tea by the Sea on Monday. Lovely cucumber sandwiches, scones, sugared orange rinds, and different tastes of tea were served on Wendy's bridal shower (from the 60's) tablecloth. (Marj is taking the picture.)

Yummies!

We had to go shopping of course, to our favorite little thrift shop in town. A salad spinner is a winner for Wendy (and our kitchen!) We also found great wool jackets for our projects, too.

We flew a kite off the deck of the house....

And we could have gotten in trouble for stealing plants by the roadside....

But, Marj did some guerrilla gardening for orange flowers from Millie's garden instead. Now of course, we didn't know Millie before Marj made us stop the car so she could go ask if she could dig up some flowers from Millie's garden! Millie was delightful, and even gave Marj a shovel so she could take those "dratted" flowers away that Millie thinks are weeds!

We (Sherri and Joyce) cut up all our wool finds for the wash when we got tired of sewing...

Or we (Marj) traced off patterns for applique and embroidery projects...
Or lapsed into a happy "zone" at our sewing machines for a while (Wendy) ...
Here's a little teaser for tomorrow's post with all the quilts we made while at our home by the sea. I was working on Measured Words before I left the Midwest. Well, by the time it got to California, it had become Reading Circles (or maybe Reading Rings) ! Inspiration abounds! More on that tomorrow, as well as many more quilt photos!

Off to camp!

My flight to San Jose CA leaves at 6 AM tomorrow, and it takes about an hour to get to the airport from our new house. I am going to be one tired, but happy, puppy when I arrive there! I get to spend an entire week with my girlfriends, sewing, laughing and just generally being friends! I've already sent a project box ahead, and now I've got the suitcase packed with my Words project. There's still room for a few clothes, too. Of course, Clyde knows something is up!

I think the house we rent is right there on the coast where the white houses end. Do you see it?

Have fun while I'm gone - will be back on the 30th!

Yard work and quilting

I've been getting ready for my girlfriend retreat in Cambria, CA. I've gotten a pedicure, had my hair cut (decided to leave the gray alone), and I've even shaved my legs! GASP! I'm leaving Sunday, returning the following Sunday, and we'll be sewing and laughing the entire time.

I've gotten started on my Words project at least 3 times (and more in my head), and so far I haven't liked a single experiment I've tried. And the pressure is mounting to land on something that I like so I can work on it in Cambria, and have it ready to be submitted by the middle of April. Well, I hadn't found anything that I like that is, until this morning.

I know we get inspiration from the strangest places, but I have to tell you that this is my strangest one of all. Here's my story of how I got from A to Z.

Chapter 1
My first inspiration for the wavy words was from my bathroom rug. I like the rug:

I don't like the wavy words:


Chapter 2:
I have a "Hubby-do" list (as I'm sure many of you do) for while I'm gone. This is our first spring at our new house, and what we've discovered is that we have the worst of the worst CLAY dirt here. So much clay, I think we could sell it off for the stuff they use to line ponds with! At any rate, it wasn't draining off the house correctly, and I couldn't plant my old fashioned flower garden out my stewdio window, nor could our new vegetable garden get dry in order to till. So, Hubby rented a "cutter", and started in making french drains away from the house. All in all there is about 400' of drainage between all the lines. Here's Hubby with the new toy - Watch out, though, he is cutting through everything that isn't moving!


Illustrations:





Chapter 3
Arches
As I was documenting the work for posterity, it came to me how lovely that arch is in cut through the dirt. The water that immediately started running in the grade just emphasized the curve of it, and my brain ran away with me back to the stewdio to try out something. Ah, success, I think!

And the eye candy working in my garden (a local college boy) isn't too bad either!