Fall Recap - read all about it!!

Early in September a friend, K, came over to help clear the sewing room.  Even though the sewing room is larger than the Rainbow Rock sewing space … storage is all mixed up throughout the new apartment.  And even after clearing out a BUNCH of quilting fabrics, tools, patterns and books during the move -  I’m still stuck with no actual working space!  Sigh!  However, the timing was perfect to make room for my friend coming to visit for a week!

K helped a lot, gave me good energy to get back to sewing.  BUT still stuffed in my space.  So I joined the DeClutter andDeStash challenge.  It was really good for taking a realistic inventory – Martinis that night to drown my overwhelming emotions!!  

The timeline was pretty short.  I was able to keep up for a few weeks, but then it was deep into fall and Xmas prep.  Going to revisit it in January – run through the steps a few times more. Fingers crossed.  I mean really – I’m 69 years old, how many projects do I have left in me???  Let’s say 10 more years – say 10 projects a year … probably pie in the sky. I have more than 100 UFOs / WIPS.  I suspect I’ll find more “Oooo – I want this” projects on the horizon.  But don’t you hate to give up on promising projects – the potential you’re going to miss out on!!

In summer, I entered the #100dayhandsewing challenge on Instagram.  It was fabulous!!  I’ve been working on – okay, getting ready to work on “Wool around the Garden”  A BOM in Quiltmania 6 years ago – but I really got it going during those 100 days.  And it’s so much fun to make sure you have a project to work on for tv or God forbid football evenings.  :>

 

 

We went up to Portland for Miss P’s 15^th birthday.  They grow so fast! 

Then a visit from one of my friends. She's the kind that it always seem that you just talked.  No awkward silences – no ‘not getting it’!  She was here for 7 days.  We never ran out of conversation or laughter.  Funniest part was the inspection of new quilts!!  We walked the Redwoods and a lot of beaches – voting on favorites!  We sat and watched a huge tide coming in against the sea stacks at Lone Ranch Beach.  I even talked her into joining the Tai Chi in the park.  Hmmm, she thought she’d try to find a class back home.  I’ll have to bring that up next phone call!

Now that's close inspection!!

The next visitor was our son A.  We had missed quite a few chances to get together since summer.  Covid and child germ bombs!  (His definition!)  He needed to come over and inspect the new digs; walk a few beaches and watch football with Dad.  Before he left, K(8) asked him tearfully why he had to leave for the weekend.  A(46) replied, “I miss my mommy!”  K blinked and couldn’t argue with that!!  Before I let A leave, he helped me clear the garage and put up a shelf.

Good thing – the weather had changed and the cover was off the Band Shell and we needed a place to do Tai Chi.  When we first saw the new apartment’s garage – my first thought was “I think we could hold Tai Chi here!!!”  It’s an oversized double stall garage AND there is a large window on the back wall – so some natural light and weather protection.  It holds 5-8 of us pretty well.  We’ve been meeting twice a week the last 3 months.  We like to keep the garage door open for the air.  We really can’t meet if it’s under 50 degrees or with rain and wind coming from the South. Works well except for that last few weeks.

I have to tell you about the coolest thing since sliced bread.  Stas Gallery Wall.  In the new apartment we have a large wall with a light switch and the thermostat in the middle-ish.  Not too convenient.  Found the Stas system on Amazon.  The big draw was you can change things out without any additional holes, etc!  There’s a top ‘bar’ that goes across and hanging clips from there.  We had our handy man hang the bar … we really don’t like to do ladders anymore!  Within 15 minutes of him hanging it I had 4 quilts hanging up!!  Then I change it out every month or so!  So much fun!  A real showcase when hosting my quilt group!  I’ve had so much fun with it already.  Check into it!  It can hang pictures too.

One day DH and I were walking the beach at Crissey Field Visitor Center and lo and behold – there was a pumpkin tide!!  Yep, pumpkins had washed up on the beach!  So cool to wander by! There was double-takes and wonder!

Winter storms come from the south out here.  (Bad weather from the south?? Not what we’re used to from Nebraska.)  Our new apartment bedroom has large windows facing South.  The really big storms pound on the glass, squall after squall!  One night I actually dreamed it was the tide hitting the window!  I was not reassured when I woke up.  It did sound rhythmic like the tides.

 

Thanksgiving was a trip to both kids’ houses.  And we knew it was going to be a great trip!  We saw NINE rainbows on the way!  Some were to the right, one was to the left and several were Full or (double) rainbows.  We started seeing them 30 miles from home.  They continued all the way to Portland 300+ miles away.   Of course, that was some storm front that went that far!!  A pre-Christmas gift was going to the Van Gogh Experience with the Portland and gang.  It was wonderful.  If you are able to catch it somewhere – go!  Totally worth it.

 

Entertainment at the Medford gang’s house was playing games.  All kinds of games.  DH and the boys had many War card games over the 3 days we were there.  We played Azul and Catan and E (4) played cut-throat Go Fish with the most beautiful deck!  Very fun!

So now you and I are all caught up!!  See you at the year summary!  

Summer Summary

 

Summer Summary

Well, it’s obvious that I dropped the ball … off the cliff ...this year with the blog.  Sorry.  I also use this as a summary of all the fun and how productive I am … okay.  Looking thru my daily journal I’m giving myself and you too – seasonal summaries.  Trying to start them today so they will have 2021 on them!!

 My son and his family were due back in July from 2 years in Panama.  They were out of the country when the Almeda fire swept thru and burned down their storage unit.  It seems it’s easy to get storage unit insurance if you own a home.  They didn’t – so no insurance.  Of the myriad things, precious things, they also lost almost all the quilts I had made for them and some that my mother had made.

My son got back in April to start a new (perfect) nursing job.  We were able to come over to the Valley and help get the new rental house ready for the fam.  Gathering donations and picking up essentials was a great scavenger hunt!  But the house was ready for their arrival the end of June.

 

Quilts needed to be replaced, so starting last winter, I got on the ball and started sewing up a storm.  Making twin size replacement quilts.  One for each family member – FIVE!!  A friend long-armed the first quilt but then it was all up to me.  Walking foot on a domestic machine.  But I “got ‘r dun”!

                       

My DIL received a Disappearing 9patch to replace her Masters graduation quilt.  It was all greens, this time she requested blue and greens.  She so regretted leaving quilts back in storage.  But it only got ‘down’ to 60 in Panama – didn’t need quilts!

I ‘remade’ my son’s Nursing School Graduation quilt.  He is color blind and poor thing usually gets scrappy quilts – they must look like a pile of worms!!  Luckily, I found the Nurse Quotes panel again at Forget Me Knots in Bandon Oregon.   Gotta love “It’s only poop!”  I created a 2 fabric quilt and scattered the quotes around the blocks.  Turned out great!

DGS (10 yrs old) received a “Stripe me lucky” quilt designed by Jen Kingwell’s group.  Sprinkled a few super heros and Micky mouse fabrics into the blocks. Fell in love with that and made enough blocks for almost TWO quilts.  You guessed it, the second one isn’t finished but it’s going to be mine!

DGS (8 yrs old), still into Super Heros, got a square in a square with super hero fabrics.  It turned out really graphic.  There was one fabric with words on it – after his first nap under it, he came out and told me there was a mistake – in the words!!  I think he thought I had written them and now wanted me to correct them!  But all’s well that end’s well!

DGD (3 yrs old) got a remake of a rainbow rail fence pattern.  Her oldest cousin (P) got it as her kindergarten quilt 10 years ago!!  I still had the pile of pink fabrics and the white dot neutral!! It turned out adorable and I put fish and sea life fabrics on the back.  After all, it is from “Beach Nana”!

 The rest of the summer we were lucky that the outdoor swimming pool was open.  Went almost every day.  Attendance was so good, they kept it open thru September!  And Tai Chi started up again in Azalea Park.  There is a lot of moles or voles there.  Quite challenging to Tai Chi on the grass! So we ended up in the Bandshell.  There is a canvas ‘shell’ that shades it.  Helps send the sound out, of course, but also sucks in the sound from anyone in the audience!!  That was unexpected – be careful what you say out there! 

We also enjoyed greeting all the dogs that walked in the park.  They have a schedule – we saw “Fluffy Butt” every class!!

P and I kept up our rigorous sewing schedule we’d started last year.  Fun and games and mountains of blocks helped us keep what was left of our sanity!

We were able to go up to Portland for a two day visit.  P (14) ran our butts all over the tennis court.  I think I may have graduated to “Spectator”!  We discovered that we did most of our time out in public, except this trip.  No movies, no shopping … I think the Grandkids discovered that we’re kind of boring without the outings!

We caught M’s (12) baseball game – each year it’s amazing how much they improve their skills.  He plays a myriad of positions.  Catcher, second, first and even pitcher!  They all do.  A good way to learn and also keep their interest.  I remember standing in outfield bored out of my mind – except when the ball finally came my way and then PANIC!!  If I catch it, I’ll have to throw it all the way back!  GULP!

AND the condo sold!  After being on sale on and off the last 3 years – we have to move!  Luckily, the agent that sold it owned apartments and one was coming up over the summer, did we want it?  You bet – sight unseen!  There is a real scarcity of rentals here and we didn’t want to leave the ocean just yet.

The trouble with local moves is the lack of respect!   C'mon People!!  You still have to handle and move every single item in the house!!  And there were a lot of items, believe you me!  I started packing in mid-June and we moved August 4!  But we are both 68 years old, even if DH doesn’t remember that.  I’m only good for a few hours every day packing.  No marathons at the end, please!  Well, of course, you think you are making great progress … but there is always a marathon at the end!!

We love the new place.  There are windows on all four sides!  Good for ventilation and view!  We overlook the Port and it’s always entertaining, if loud, down there. There's a dog training class.  Line dancing lessons on the boardwalk.  But, why, oh, why do they tend to hire the really bad bands for every festival??  We enjoy our lo-o-ong walks on the beach those days!!

           

And of course, there are still sunsets to keep track of!

  

The first week we were here, the Coast Guard reset a channel buoy!  6:45 am – helicopter started and flew all day long!!  Woke me up with a start!!

There were boats, Coast Guard personnel in the channel, cement trucks on the Jetty …  A husband with binoculars at the window for 11 hours keeping an eye on everything!!  Now that’s entertainment!  It ended for the day at 5:45 when high tide was up to the knees of personnel on the buoy. The CG does lots of training – and always interesting to watch. 

Stay tuned for "FALL" at the Harbor!!  I'm making all sort of plans to revitalize this blog in 2022 ... forgot how fun it is!!

 

 

Whine, whine, whine ...

 That's me this spring.  So many impending changes are stupefying, and quite frankly, I don't have that far to go!!

But last week we started Tai-Chi in the park again.  Our teacher/leader is fighting lingering health problems but gave us permission to teach Chi-Kung ourselves to keep the class going and ready for her return.  Yay!  Seven of us were there and it felt like being at home!  All vaccinated so hugs all around at the end!  Of course, there was some stiffness of joints after not tai-chiing for a year.  Some of us were fairly active each day, but I'm sure no one tai-chied for an hour!  And some of us only thought about it every day, sigh!  Hoping to expand class to 2 days this week.  And open it to friends who are interested too!

Then the pool opens next Tuesday!  We're lucky to have an outdoor pool here in Brookings.  On those cold, foggy mornings we feel like Iron-women! Ready to take on the world!  After a hot beverage, of course!

We're all hoping to kick out the 19 (pounds) of Covid and get back to socializing and feeling like ourselves - 2019 style!

I'm a little overwhelmed, we welcome our Panama Gang back to Oregon in July.  They lost all the belongings in storage 2 years ago,  due to the Almeda fire in Southern Oregon.  This included furniture; kitchen supplies; toys; books; videos; family pictures; winter clothes; and QUILTS!  Hmm, Does anyone who is not related to a quilter have 27 quilts in their house?  

Since they were headed to Panama - where 70 is a cool day - only one quilt went along.  I pin basted 2 quilts this am - hoping to get one quilted this week, and the 2nd quilted next week, leaving just 1 more to do!  What was I thinking???

I'm also trying to rehab a doll for E, the 4 yr old.  Said doll was given by P, her 14 year old cousin!  YouTube is a wonderous thing!  Found how-to videos and will attempt to follow them to success!

We still haven't seen our new apartment, should be able to get a feel for it next week.  Remodeling will start soon; and maybe, just maybe, we'll get an estimate of when we are moving!  I'm not good with uncertainty!!  But I'm trying!

Stay safe!!

Big Changes Afoot ... I'm not ready!!

 First of all - we got our second shot of vaccine!  And no problems!  It was recommended to go off Naproxen 2 days before to 2 days after.  You know when you wonder if your pill-regime is working ... this achey-breaky body tells me it is!  Back on now - but it always takes a few days to get back in gear.

DH went golfing this last weekend.  The first time in a l-o-o-ng rainy season!  I had plans ... I'm sure you know those plans!  AND there were interruptions - each day!! 

I wanted to set up the quilting in the main room - but someone wanted to see the condo.  Okay, that's over, now I can lay out 'Wool around the Garden'.  A 56" circular quilt from Simply Modern BOM - 5 years ago??  I finally have the first 2 quarters done and I got busy getting the second half done.  It's wool applique on cotton background.  

We live in a small condo (and my DH thinks 1/2 of the condo is his too!)  To work on the design, I laid out the finished 1/2 on the floor in the living room; the new 1/2 was on the dining room table with my giant cutting mats protecting the table from pinning.  The colored wool pieces were everywhere!!

I got the pieces traced on freezer paper, chose the colors and cut out the applique. There was a few color mix-ups and change ups.  Hated the base of one lighthouse ... you know I never do follow a pattern exactly!  

Sorry - the only photos I can get to load today!!  Better luck next time!

Late one night I was cutting the windows and doorways out of the houses.  How you ask??  I use a rotary mat and exacto knife to slice a diagonal opening in the windows.  Then sit in front of the TV with a bowl or small waste basket on my lap and trim them out!  One of the hard parts is remembering the correct order of houses to put them back!

The next morning when I was out walking - another call asking for another condo viewing - ran up the hill (ok, scrambled awkwardly!) and whisked it all back into the sewing space.  Afterwards, I was just too worn out to drag it out again.  Hoping today is my chance!

My DH 'stages' the condo for showings - I shovel my project back into hiding ... viva la difference!  And don't tell DH!!  Don't get me wrong, we're keeping it neat and tidy.  But I think people looking at occupied houses should realize people actually live here!  I see no reason to hide the soap dish in the bathrooms!!

And this is our only home.  Not our second!  Quilters have a lot of stuff!  One lady visiting said she loved seeing all my quilts in the online pictures!!  Oh dear!

I'm feeling worn out, my heel hurts, I'm losing things (usually happens when too busy and/or under stress) and I want those pesky elves back to come back to help move my projects forward ... to a more satisfying place for me to enjoy working on them.  NOW, please!

We have a new Grand-dog in Portland!  A new puppy.  She looks very small next to the German Shepard!  Welcome to the family Miss G!

My DS is back in the states.  In Oregon too!  He starts his new job in Medford next week.  Let's just say, it's a dream job for a nurse with small kiddos.  DDIL and the 3 Grands will be back after her teaching contract at the International School ends in June.

Miss E (turns 4 in June) is adorable! (as are all Grandchildren, of course) She returned from a playground expedition declaring:  "Mission A-complicated"!!  I don't know about you, but that sums up the last year for me!!!

 

Happy Quilting Day

 Last year we were bound and determined to hang quilts - and it was the perfect day on the coast for it.  We were quarantined, but a quilt hung on my balcony all morning!  Just for the travelers on 101 and the fishermen in the cove!!

Today is windy and looks like it could pour any time now.  But on DH’s walks I’ll be asking him to take a picture of different quilts made this last year.  

The ocean and sky can always be the background to our life!!

I’m celebrating National Quilt Day by quilting!!  Here’s my setup for large quilts.  Old dogs can learn new tricks - see the rolled towel peeking out on the right.  My quilt sandwich kept trying to catch UNDER the acrylic table.  So I rolled a towel, and stuck it under and it’s working better.

Here is today’s first quilt.  Bonnie Hunter’s Pineapple Blossom started 3 years ago right before my DHs Quadruple Bypass adventure!  Christmas colors with a snowman flannel for the back!

Stay Tuned for more adventures in Quilting today!!!

Quilting has indeed saved what sanity I have left.  It kept me thinking, creating, looking thru fabrics and dreaming of the next quilt.

We Got our First Vaccine Shot!

 Halleluiah!  It's like a gloomy cloud over our head has lifted!! 

What a relief!  I highly recommend it!

Short Month!!

 February zoomed by.  The Mod Squad show comes down tomorrow.  Here is a link to the interview.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqRqacETN1k

The Mod Squad Display is up and running at the Manley Art Center Gallery!

 Now appearing for the month of February -

 the Famous Creative Mod Squad Artists!

It was a busy week, looked almost like herding cats ... but our whole Squad jumped in and made quick work of it. Thanks, Mod Squad-ers for your great attitude and sense of humor - we can rest on our laurels for a minute or two!!  But our February meeting is next week ... do you have "Gifting" done???

Besides Self-Portraits, our display includes a selection of our work from 2019 - 2020.  Some of our favorite work /challenges were not selected.  And I tried to keep the number from each artist evenly as possible.  You know how that goes!!

So these pictures are from taking pictures of everything turned in and available for the show by challenge.  Even though we didn't meet much during 2020, we had 48 challenges!

 Pantone Color of Year  

Personal Symbols

 Trapunto (not in show)

  Curvaceous (not in show)

 Fish  (not in Show) 

  Skyscapes      

Space / Night Sky 

  Boro / Visible Mending

Food (not in show)

  Spring Fabric Challenge

Love Is In the Air (not in show) 

  Vision Boards              

 A New Beginning

  The Daily Button 

 Covid-19 / Quarantine

I was told we could only display 50 out of 86!!  Gallery Manager wouldn't count them as groups / categories (15 groups)  But of course, when we got the 50 up, it really looked like a half-done job.  She allowed us to add more - so we had to go out and buy more dowels, (they didn't get painted grey.)  Then mount 4 more groups on the hanging ribbons ... without the cutting mats for grids that we used the day before to prep.  

We ran out of ribbons - so we ended up with 65.  It turned out well. But most of us were exhausted.

The members were encouraged to bring Fiber Art; P and I both entered something.

  

A Year at the Coast                     Squirrel! by P                                 

with my fabric Post Cards           working with Laura Heine pattern

Busy 2 weeks, as you can guess.  Laters! 

And a sigh a relief is heard throughout the land ...

 

Things are looking UP!

We can all use some fun with Bernie!  They should give him the Peace Prize for cheering us all up.

Seems like the more we know about the Congress break in, the more damning it is.  Thank goodness, we have Biden in office and he has a plan to get us back on the right track.  Enough said.  I don't do politics.

This lovely Great-Niece of mine is at peace.  After fighting Cancer with all she had for over 2 years, she's no longer in pain.  We'll miss you, N.  But you will always be in our hearts, encouraging us to go the extra mile.  God Bless and RIP.

Taking the day to just let the memories come and go.  I would love to be there with family, but COVID is just too rampant yet.  One more milestone we will have to process later.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start! In a calm way, please

 

Happy New Year – though I did hear ‘Mrs Maisel’ say that she’s just calling February 1 the start of the new year.  Let January shake off it’s ‘2020 vibe’.  

It's a New Year from sunrise on Rainbow Rock

2020 did give us lots of time … to waste, to discover, to read and even to spend HOURS on your computer devise.  I will never tell how many Wheel of Fortune games I played!!  Although I do have to point out, it’s one of the few games there are no ads every move!  Just saying!

I read 83 books this year!  The last two years my count was in the 40s.  And a LOT of them were excellent!  Here’s the ones I recommend.

A Small Town by Thomas Perry  I love his Jayne Whitefield series: a one woman Native American witness protection force.  Always excited to find a new book.

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn  Artsy woman trying to make a living and find a man ... good old romance for a bewildering year.

Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg  Not your typical book club group!

Virgin River by Robyn Carr  Beware there are over a dozen books in this series, you’re going to have to pace yourself!  And then there is the series on Netflix!  Oh, yeah!

Jane Harper’s series based in Australia   The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man.  Excellent series and The Lost Man took my breath away!  I hear there is a new book out soon.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett  She is usually a great read but she’s outdone herself in this one!  The cover is delicious and the story is even better.

American by Day by Derek Miller  Book 2 of a series from a Norwegian author.  The first book was Norwegian by Night.  I think I read it, but didn't log it.  I love a good strong woman character and this has her.

The Dressmakers Gift by Fiona Valpy  Generational tale centered on WWII

Year One by Nora Roberts  Set in an alternate reality, proving Nora Roberts isn't just a romance writer.

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian  This was really good, kept me guessing until the end.  And the series on HBOmax is good even if the story is tweaked a little.  As usual, book first is the way to go.

The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg  Who doesn’t want to run away from home?  Yes, I’m talking to you grown-ups!

The Lola Quartet by Emily St John Mandel

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins  Excellent prequel to Hunger Games.  Learn how Snow got to be Snow.  I listened to the audio book from our online library and the narrator was awesome.  Got a lot of quilting done just listen to the book.

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Mortimore  This was a real find, different plot.  I loved it, loaned it to my friend, told my daughter to read it and they both loved it!!  SciFi but not really.  Try it!

Beyond the Black Stump by Neville Shute  Written in the ‘40s (!)  another Australia author.  I really love his writing, I went on to read 3 more books in our library.  Definitely a winner.

Well, shall we talk about quilting?

I looked at my list and I was underwhelmed.  But then I remembered I made more than 300 masks!  Well, that explains it!   

 

My favorite projects this year were:

I topped the Road to OK that was a raffle block from Nebraska.  I wanted to win back then but I didn’t, so I made one block to remember it.  It IS a tricky block because the points of the stars are in the center of the block, not the outside.  There was ripping.  The star is made by the 4 corners together.  AND I really just loved the name for it’s own sake:  I wanted to be on the road back to OK (normal), didn’t you.  We still do.