Is it just me or is Fall going by really fast???

We were in Portland for the big birthday bash. Miss P turned 4 a week ago and it was "princess-elicious" all around! There were 5 kids from daycare and it was one of the loudest parties I remember!! There was no shy, getting to know each other - nope, it was full-out chaos from the get-go!! Or, perhaps Nana is just getting old?? Don't answer that, I prefer to be oblivious too!

I made Miss P a Disney princess panel nap blanket - it was a big hit. UNTIL it was time for bed and the beloved blankie was gone in mommy's car. Then we didn't like it quite so much! I didn't get a picture of it - yet - but I'll see her this weekend and try to remember to take one.

Stashbusters online has been interesting lately. A member suggested using up whole categories of stash that you are tired of. Some used all the holiday, or all the homespun and waved 'bye-bye' gleefully. I'm not at that place quite yet. I cleaned all the "I don't love you any more" fabric out of the stash when we moved two years ago. HOWEVER, I had some yellow and white 4patches I got in an exchange some time ago. Bright yellow's not my favorite - but I really don't like WHITE! Have you ever noticed that white on white fabrics kind-of glow in the dark??? I'm more of a beige-ings type of girl. Everytime I came across those blocks - guilt struck. So that was the category I used up!



I read in Nancy Goldsworthy's book "Quilter's Guide to UFOs" about a baggie of 4patches she found. Hmmm, sounds very familiar. I started out with a blue w/yellow-ish polka dots. It was in a kit I'd gotten at a garage sale. Started to make a baby quilt - not enough of the blue. Then my water aerobics bag fell apart. They tend to do that after years of chlorine dripping in them. So I switched to making a tote. It's very cheerful looking, isn't it! Not my style but it's growing on me!!



Of course, I lost some of the 4patches in the deep piles in the sewing room - made some more and after the last seam was taken ... found them along with some blue and green 4patches too. Just enough to make a small [very narrow] wall quilt to hang my ribbons on. Hmm, too narrow - but if I add a cute scrappy border of yellows and blues - perfect!! And those just happened to be sitting in a basket, left over from the wedding quilt this summer!! The blocks are G*O*N*E!! Whether it's the size or just the accomplishment of using all those darn blocks ... I like the wall quilt!



While I was in birthday party mode, Gold Beach - the next town north of us had their quilt show. I missed it, but Brookings was putting some quilts in it and 3 of my quilts went. My lighthouse, the antique pine tree and the new ABC quilt. S took them for me and brought them home. We were in Gold Beach last Sunday eating breakfast. R bought the local paper since there was news of the proposed golf course going in. He read the first page and then opened it to continue the article. I looked over at him and thought, 'that looks familiar!' And it was! Pictured in the Banner area of the paper was my lighthouse quilt telling people where to find more pictures of the quilt show!! How fun! When I got the quilts back and finally unpacked them again ... the lighthouse quilt had won the "Fire Chief's Award!" Surprise!! You can see the kite-shaped ribbon hanging on my new wall quilt!! Along with 2 ribbons I got from Newport. I still have to find my NE State Fair ribbon - Lord, help me, it's here somewhere!!

This weekend I head for Portland area for the Newport Quilt Guild's retreat at Menucha retreat center on the Columbia Gorge. I love retreats and this one is in a beautiful area. Since I can't really pack up everything I need for the project that is calling me right now ... Reminisce is back up on the design wall. I've been trying to figure out what to take. As of now it's the itty-bitty log cabins and the Birds of a Feather quilt that has sat too long in the middle of hand quilting. It would be wonderful to have the handquilting done for the October guild meeting ... there's prizes for finished UFOs!!! It's pushing it, but within the realm of possibility ... depends on how it goes at retreat!! IF I actually stick to those projects ... it's still two whole days away ... anything can happen!!!