This and That....

At times I feel like I accomplish so little.....but maybe it is because I get the wrong kind of help!! What is it about quilting and kitties and why does Bailey always choose to be my helper when I least need her around? 

Eleanor's son Orion asked me if I would make a quilt for the newest quilt book, and proof the instructions as I went along.  He invited me to take my pick of any of the fabrics in the shop and this just jumped out at me.  Or maybe it pirouetted ??? 

I had lots of fun working on this quilt design and had it quilted and bound in time for the meeting this week.  I love the mitered border with all of the cute ballerinas dancing in a line by the ballet barre. 

This is the next in line to be quilted....and I can't wait.  Part of the delightful problem of working at a publishing company is that you can't purchase a pattern without feeling the need to redo it.  So this was created in homage to Anne Sutton....a favorite designer of mine. I tweaked this and changed that and threw in a few bunnies.  Now  I can't wait to finish it. 

....and finally I unpacked my Julian tote and decided I had better finish some projects before I start some new ones.  This again was my interpretation of a pattern I had. Wouldn't it just be easier to make the quilt the way it is supposed to be and not change the whole thing? I just purchased the cutest backing ( green polka dots....of course) and hope to get this one quilted soonest.  Just screams SUMMER!!!!

      I leave you with a final project.....and one this beggining knitter is so proud of.  I used a size 8 needles and two complimentary light weight yarns. 

      You knit the first two rows.  Row 3 is simply a k, yo, k, yo all the way to the end.  Row 4 is a knit, drop the yo, k, drop the yo and continue to the end.  Row 5 is a knit all the way and then repeat rows 3, 4, and 5 til you are happy with the length. Finish by knitting the last two rows.  

      The sample I saw had yummy silk ribbons tied to the ends of the scarf, and I may do the same. 

      Good news is that I am not clever enough to change knitting patterns.....but I am sure in due time I won't be content to follow those instructions either!!!

Truly we are Blessed.....

    On this Memorial Day, I want to take a moment to thank ALL service men and women, and to share the happiest news that Jake is out of Iraq and safely in Germany. Jake is the youngest brother of my dear Jill, who is married to our very tall son Jonathan.  

     It has been a very difficult year for their family, as it is for all of the families whose soldiers are in harms way.  I have loved Jennifer's deep faith in praying for her son and Jill for creating a website which kept all of us informed of Jakes needs.  Jake received a weekly package of goodies while in Iraq to remind him of how much we all missed him and looked forward to when he would be home.

     So we count the days until Jake is home on US soil, and of course will blog about the wonderful party that will be given.  Thank you Jake for your service, and thank you God for bringing him home safely. Our freedom comes at a huge price....we cannot thank our soldiers and their families enough. 

     

 

Road Trip.....

     Yesterday I thought I would take advantage of having the house all to myself so that I could do a bit of cleaning and organizing.  Silly me....I started in my sewing room.  What I thought would take a quick hour ended up being a nearly all day event.  As I finished stacking and placing my stash in an orderly fashion the mantra "NO MORE FABRIC" kept repeating in my head. 

     So today my friend Linda called me and said "would you like to go on a road trip" and of course I said YES!!!!

     Off to Temecula we went and of course our first stop was Quilters Coop.  I was sure I could get out of the shop without a piece of fabric, but then I bumped into a bolt of Fig Tree's newest line that has a road map of France.  

     By pure coincidence I had downloaded this wonderful cross stitch design ( FREE on Blackbird designs blog) , and thought it would be delightful to place the stitchery on the fabric background and frame the whole thing for a certain couple that Honeymooned in Paris.  That was the beginning of my "what mantra?" kind of day!!! 

Next we saw this "way to cute" line that Anne Sutton of Bunnyhill Designs  created and named Chelsea after her cute little dog.  How can you say NO to bunnies....it too went into my shopping bag. 

      

      

     Now you would think I would stop there, but I cajole Linda into stopping at yet another quilt shop.  That is where I found the cute Polka Dot fabric to add to my Tanya Whelan stash to make this adorable Amy Butler bag.  

    

     We stopped for a bit of lunch at Mimi's and discussed what other things we could add to our fun day.  Yarn of course!!!!  I found the multicolored yarn on sale at the sweetest knit shop , and then the matching Spa yarn at Michael's.  This will be one seriously adorable summer scarf. 

     Thought these handles would do justice to another pattern for an Amy Butler bag that I would love to make.

And how could I pass up an Elephant pattern that would make the cutest nursery quilt.....not for ANYONE in particular, but you never know!!!!

     So, my floors aren't washed, I will have to rearrange the sewing closet ONE more time, but it was all worth it.  Seriously....what is more fun than shopping, and can anyone really have TOOOO much fabric???? 
   

Just because.......

    

Silver Linings.....

     I was eighteen years old when my father died suddenly.  I had never known such sorrow and a very dark cloud seemed to envelop me.  I didn't know if I would ever feel a sense of comfort and hope again.  

     A year later I met a very sweet boy.  He was older, wiser and he understood my broken heart....he too had just lost his father. 

      On May 17th, 1975 we celebrated that our hearts were hopeful and we pledged our lives to one another.

This year we celebrated our 34th Wedding Anniversary.  We chose to go to a place we visit often....the Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo.  But this visit was not like any of the others.

We had booked our regular visit...a discounted "Frequent Visitor" rate.  But when Stephanie heard that it was our Anniversary, she asked if she could change our room to the Mill House as their gift to us.  YES!!!!!  Our room was a private suite away from the rest of the Inn.  It was very chic and we were surrounded by trees which gave our stay a very "tree house" sort of feel.  We were lulled to sleep by the sound of the water wheel and the song of frogs in the creek.

We spent our evenings soaking in this hot tub, surrounded by trees, looking at the stars and feeling a total sense of contentment and relaxation.

Our days were filled with scenic drives along abandoned back roads.  This day we ended up on Big Sur....one of the most lovely places in California.

My husband,  the avid photographer,  found much beauty to capture on the many back roads we visited.

The wildflowers were in abundance....

Visiting a few wineries was on the agenda.....

As were gardens and sweet houses....

We completed our anniversary vacation by visiting our dear niece and her very adorable family....

...and completed our special day with a surprise dinner that Jonathan and Jill provided for us.  Our anniversary was special in ALL ways.  A celebration of years spent together, growing in love and knowing that even the darkest clouds provide a silver lining.

 

As Promised.....

What can you say to a boss who is as gracious as she is funny?  Thank you is a good start.  Eleanor Burns hostesses a camp twice a year close to her home in Julian.  She opens her home to her students to enjoy and allows some of her lucky staff to spend the nights in her darling log cottage.

This was my room....and the lovely lilacs in the previous photo are from the roadside as you enter the ranch.  She sweetly put fresh flowers in each of our rooms.  How lovely is that? 

I promised a peek at some of her collection of quilts that she displays in her home.  The quilts change with the season, and these are of course as fresh as a Spring day.

Hmmm....do you think the display was heavy on the tulip quilts because she wanted to please a certain Dutch teacher of hers????  

Not only are the quilts beautiful, but what a lovely backdrop a log home is.  This was one of my favorites.

This was another favorite....ok, ALL the quilts were favorites of mine!!!!

Close up of the previous quilt.....just adorable. 

Sweet Peas.....I think this might be a Mountain Mist pattern or maybe Marie Webster.  One thing for sure, El knows her quilts and has one lovely collection.  It is her dream to build an Eleanor Burns museum so everyone can enjoy her quilts.

This quilt was a BOM from JoAnne's back in the day.  I have the pattern somewhere....need to add this one to my Must Do list!!!!

This for sure is a Marie Webster quilt....because I have one too!!!!

El made this bitty quilt from a kit she purchased in Paris. We laughed that she had to go all the way to France to purchase American fabric ( that she probably already has in her store).

       I hope you enjoyed this peek at El's lovely home and quilt collection.  I am one lucky girl to get to teach at QIAD, and going to camp is one of the best parts!!!!

  

It was all SEW lovely.....

Here we are....the QIAD camp staff enjoying every fun moment of our camping experience!

So....did I have you curious about our mystery blogger who was going to camp.  Here she is peeking from behind her adorable quilt.

Ta Da....it was our own Polka Dots and Rick Rack girl, and YES, she did solve the mystery for me about how you can turn square charm blocks into whirlygiggles!!!!  And giggle we did. Cheryl you made my time at camp SEW enjoyable!!!

The QIAD staff provides a fun version of our store just for our campers!

Sue B.  organizes the most wonderful "auction",  with all of the money going to the Women's Resource Center. We buy tickets, we put them in the bags for the things we hope to win......

....and sometimes I get lucky!!!!  What fun and what a lovely basket of suprises.

When day is done the lucky staff girls go back to El's lovely log home for a bit of rest and refreshment.  Here El and Helen are trying to open that bottle of wine!!!!  Lucky for me, they finally got the cork to open!!! 

      I promise to include more pics in the posts to come.  Some of our students amazing work, and some of El's collection of quilts that decorated her home for Spring. 

I can't finish this post without a "shout out" to the best Mom ever.  I don't know why I was so blessed to have the Mom I have.  She has been there for me thru so many things and always makes me feel stronger and capable of all things. I hope I am half the mom for my children that she has been for me.  Momma, I love you with ALL my heart!

The two sweetest kids ever....with their much loved Oma.  Mother's Day was memorable and I treasure the time we had together.  I say it often, I mean it with all my heart.  I am so blessed.

  

  

Packing for Camp....

One of my favorite things about Spring is that I get to go to Camp Cedar Glen along with about sixty other quilters.  I have all of my projects picked out...some to start and some to finish.

I have organized all of my fabrics into neat little packages.  

I am bringing along my favorite magazines to read when I am not quilting. 

I have brought along some knitting for those cozy nights the staff gets to share at El's home Bears Paw Ranch.

And I am bringing along this mystery project that a certain fellow blogger has promised to show me how to transform squares magically into pinwheels.  Hmmmmm....can't imagine how that is done.

And I had to get one special treat to reward myself for all of my anticipated hard work next week....if you call quilting with the cutest ladies ever hard work!!!!  I found this very vintage looking sewing box at Joanne's.  I LOVE IT!!!!

    So my sewing bags are packed....what you don't know is that I haven't begun to even think about what to wear ! I guess you know where my priorities are (G)!!!! 

      See you all next week where I will be sure to post lots of photos of El, her lovely home and my projects as I complete them.  Oh yeah....maybe a photo of that mystery blogger too.  Think Polka Dots!!!!