Saturday, February 25, 2012

Big ocean day!!

I'm finding it hard to get anything on my 'to do' list done today - I'm too busy watching the ocean! Big waves covering the rocks/sea stacks out there. Here is "Ricky Rock" [Yes, we named the rocks we can see from our deck. Much easier to spot a whale if you can tell each other where in the big ocean it is quickly!!]



Then I took a series of shots as some waves hit it. Now that's entertainment!!






We were over in Medford and Portland last weekend. We hadn't seen Baby D since Christmas! Everytime we made plans to go over to Medford, the weather or that nasty flu hit! He's getting so big - and so fast with his army-guy crawl! He also kneels and bangs on anything within reach. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly, indeed!

Here's the most popular game in Portland - Papa Horsie!! I told them, "Don't break Papa, be careful!!!"



Is anyone else hooked on Pinterest??? OMG! It is so addicting! I'm going to need an intervention soon! The quilts! The lighthouses! The funny or inspiring quotes! What's not to love?

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I [heart] Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!


This is my Holiday guild challenge from last year. Even though it's too big for this chair - it has gamely hung on for weeks!! It's just folded over the top - no pins! And I love it!! Read more about it on this blog entry.

Remember when you made Valentines Mailboxes from cereal boxes and HAD to give everyone in your class a Valentine??? It was so-o exciting!! The girls spent hours signing and planning who was going to get which Valentine from the package. [The package was bought mainly if it had enough Valentines for your entire class!!] How to write their names perfectly and practicing our signatures ...

The boys spent as much time as their moms made them!!! I actually got a Valentine from a boy in my 3rd grade class that said something like, "Wanna monkey around?" LOL! I don't believe his mom screened that package!! However, my mom had a fit!! But we couldn't get too upset - there was no name on the envelope - so it wasn't 'aimed' at me! It just got dropped into my mailbox! I should have realized what boys were made of then!!



I had a good week! I finished an UFO and another WIP for the community baby shower. I finished piecing them at the retreat; then FMQed them at the rental LA at our local store. The new machine has such a nice stitch - I'm really pleased with it! The log cabin quilt is left over blocks from A&J2's wedding quilt.



The blue and shirting quilt was just an idea I had - when I miscut 10" squares for a workshop. Too much blue and too little shirtings ... didn't work for what we were doing there. But there they sat, cut and needing to be used before they fell into the black hole that is apparently centered in my sewing room!! LOL! I'll be glad to hand them in at guild this month. Woohoo! Two more finished projects!



I belong to the Label Crew from Make Life Sweet. I just joined this year. It's fun - they send you labels each month and a project to use them on. I loved the labels for February - but the project involved the giving of candy bars - not on our meal plans!! I had all these wonderful red strips out -for another ongoing project- so made up a candle mat. Cute - isn't it.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Busy, busy, busy!!

How did I get myself into all this activity? I like to think of my life as 'retired' and easy going. I've been known to drop my plans for the day in a minute to do something else that has come up. BUT these days are way-too-busy and no time for anything!

First things first - retreat last week was a blast!! My DH has a fit about us going just 25 miles up the road - to a town that doesn't even have a quilt shop - to retreat!! He just doesn't get it - [to be fair, do any of them???] Retreats are not about the destination, they are not about the scenery - although, both of those can add to the fun!! Retreating is about 'time, like-minded people, and immersion into your hobby!'

And you can ask anyone - new friends or old - for me, retreats don't have to be about following the directions!! Old friends will be glad to know that is still the case! A new mystery quilt? For me, the biggest mystery is how I got so many UFOs!! So why not take them and see how far I can get!!

Retreat is about quilting without the usual daily distractions. No meals that have to be fixed. No wash or cleaning calling your name. Just quality time with your hobby in a room with others who are also enjoying it. When you're done for the day, you wander off, usually towards the dessert table; leaving your station just as it is. No worries about it being in the way of some SO!! Or little hands getting into trouble there.

There's no guilt about not paying attention to anyone else. No guilt about 'doing too much quilting' - just fun, laughter, brainstorming 'fixes' for quilts 'not quite what you thought they would be....' and a room full of inspiration!!

Before cell phones, retreats were about any phone ringing is NOT for you!! But it's still not many calls for you. And you can always blame the reception for hiding your phone in your purse so you can't hear it ringing!! LOL!

I'm also taking a class at the new Community College. Just a community ed class - but the college is practically across the street from us. A beautiful new facility - and I'm taking Digital Scrapbooking! There were two classes teaching Photoshop - one all business and not at the most convenient time. This one - sounded like fun and was every Tuesday night. The first night I walked in - I actually felt like I was a Brookings resident - I knew 2 people in class!!

I never really scrapbooked. So this is a new experience on all counts! I'm learning Photoshop Elements, as advertised! It's all part of my 'busy-ness'. There's a whole lot of web resources to explore, including finding the freebies! Our teacher said, "This is like scrapbooking, but you never run out of your favorite supplies!! There are a lot of self-published photo books as a result of this class -all gorgeous - we'll see if I develop one!

Jill Schumacher - a famous machine quilting teacher is coming to our little shop. I wasn't sure if I'd be in town and able to take her FMQ class - but I am and I am!! I just picked up my pre-class-homework and wow! I'm going to be busy.

FMQ is on my list to learn this year ... I've been working on it. But you know how you like to stay in your comfort zone??? Well, even as you break out of your zone, you create a new one!! The majority of the quilts I've long-armed have been done FMQ with loop de loop, star!! A new comfort zone!!

And I can justify it - working on my spacing and getting to know the new machine, you know - all those great arguments against breaking out of that zone again!! But I must - so I have high hopes with this class! Or at least creating a new, larger FMQ comfort zone!!!

No pictures this post - but next time I hope to have the 2 baby quilts I'm making for the community baby shower done-done and ready for their debut!!

Did I mention how much time is sucked up with computer!!! Love it, hate it, too easy to stay on it!! Must leave now ... LOL!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Brookings Guild Quilt Retreat!!



After being sick all weekend - I hate headaches! I'm happy to report I'm well again and headed to the Brookings Guild Quilt Retreat! Doesn't that just sound like a kid who has been so sick that he couldn't go to school - BUT now, he's well enough to go outside and play!! Don't care!! I'm going to retreat!

My DH just shakes his head - we're leaving our homes to go just 30 miles up the coast - to a town that doesn't even have a quilt shop!

He just doesn't get it - We're staying in a motel 'resort' that is pretty nice and it does have a good conference room that we can all sit and sew in!! And that's enough!!

Back on Sunday - just in time for our Super Bowl party!!