I'm back and new Grandbaby is here!

I was in Nebraska for my mom's 93rd birthday - a whirlwind 10 days of appointments and her "to do" list for me. Here we are with mom on her birthday.



And talk about good luck - while I was in Lincoln, Sue Spargo was teaching a workshop, her Travel Journal class. What fun. J, G and I got in and had the most wonderful time working on our 'life journey' trees. Sue Spargo is a great teacher - most patient with clumsy fingers trying to learn the embroidery stitches.



Of course, I squeezed in some of my favorite quilt shops and quilting friends too. And I caved in and bought a BOM. J had been raving about the Farmer's Wife BOM Country Sampler was offering - paper pieced! I thought it sounded good, but ... then I saw the fabrics and all that willpower just went out the window! It's gorgeous and I can't wait to work on it. J and I did finish one block - and the rest are in a box I had to mail back ... I'm waiting for it's delivery on pins and needles, of course! LOL!

A good time was had by all - and although the time went entirely too fast ... it's good to be back home - even if it IS still raining here!!



I got into Portland on Tuesday - the first activity was to go to the zoo with Miss P and Mr M - and their parents. It was a quick trip because no one realized that the zoo gates closed at 4 pm. Hard to explain THAT to preschoolers looking forward to the trip!


The next day was recovery-day for Nana! Rainy in Portland too - so we played a new game - hide the pony and look for him with a flashlight! Great fun. We also ran around in circles, played 3 board games and played with play-dough. Nana was ready for a nap when they were!!

Thursday we headed for Medford for a dentist appointment and surprise - someone beat us there! Mr D - who wasn't expected until April 18 came early and we got to see him when he was just an hour old! It's hard to remember that they come that little!! Not much more than a peanut!! AND he was 7 lbs 6 ozs!! Just the right size.


Welcome to the family, little one!!

Brookings quilters ... don't look!!

My DH gave me the best Christmas present last year. He arranged with a local florist to deliver 'coastal' fresh flowers every month this whole year! We were gone in February, so we skipped that month. Flora Pacifica is awesome! Each bouquet is a mixture of flowers. And there's always buds hidden away that bloom last - this month it was the red & yellow Tulips. We got them last Wednesday - and I notice the leaves are starting to droop! Trust me - it was awesome earlier!! Thanks, Dear Heart! I'm feeling so spoiled!

Now for the secret part! I've finished my Guild Holiday Challenge early. Sorry, I can't keep it under wraps for another whole two months!! We're not supposed to show it about until after the 'vote' at the end of April. But I can't wait that long!! [grin] So here it is:

Be Mine
22" x 21"
made for Brookings Quilt Guild Holiday Challenge 2011




The challenge had a size limit; and had to be a holiday. I've been reading about 'slow quilting' on the web and it intrigued me. I picked out 18 shirtings in my collection that had red in them. [no - I don't think you want to know how big that shirting collection is!! There's alot more without red!!] Then I HAND appliqued the large heart - yep, me, by hand!!! I used the freezer paper method to get a good edge and I'm amazed at how well it came out - even the top of the heart!! [insert pat on my back]

Now, I purposefully set the 1/2 inch grid for the quilting off-kilter. I didn't want any lines following - or not following the seam lines and there's not much space between 1/2 inch! If I had a do-over, I'd have set it at a better angle - but "Oh, well!" I used DMC embroidery floss - pink, yellow, green and blue - and stitched a modified Sashiko stitch for weeks and weeks! But it was fun to hand stitch on a project for a change. While I worked on it, I wadded it up in my lap, I usually quilt in a hoop. But since the whole idea was large stitches, lap quilting worked well, but I really had a crooked project before washing and blocking it! Although it IS straighter than it looks in this photo, really!

When I got to the heart, instead of following the grid, I stair-stepped the stitches across, I wasn't sure what to use to fill in those spaces. More embroidery - Algerian Eyes?? A million French Knots?

So coming home from Portland last week I stopped in Newport and consulted with S. It was a good excuse to see her! She helped me decide buttons was the way to go. I came home and started looking for tiny 'findings' buttons that were country colors. But insead, my jar of small white buttons leaped into my hands and yelled, "ME! me! me!" LOL! So I used them instead and still haven't found the others! I used the space between the stair steps for the white buttons. S had said it reminded her of a box of Valentine's Day candy - so I mixed it up a bit so it looked like some were missing!! Yum!!

Until I put the buttons on, it looked very modern to me! I used old fabrics - shirtings; an old method - sashiko and it looked modern!! But the buttons brought it back around to my antique-ish style! I'm very pleased AND I get to show a red and white quilt this month! Those of you that can go to NYC - to see the Red and White exhibit - have fun for all of us!!

We've had rain, rain and more rain since getting back from our trip. Not to mention a tsunami!! Over 10 inches in March - and it ain't done yet!!! But today it was a brighter shade of grey ... and we're taking that as an improvement!! LOL!

We were on vacation ... can you guess where we've been?

Here's a hint!

!>


It's true, it's true - I got DH out of Oregon for 'basically the first time' since we moved here - almost 3 years ago!!

We had lovely weather along the coast in January - R was able to go golfing 10 times!! But we had the chance to go to Palm Springs and stay with Newport friends so we skedaddled out of here! The weather has turned B*A*D since we returned - causing R to start planning next year's trip - to stay LONGER!!

We drove South on I5 - delivering baby furniture to A&J2 and having lunch with R's golfing buddy in Ashland. Stayed in Redding with good friends B&D and then the long stretch to get to Palm Springs. We had our first In-N-Out Burger in Bakersfield. We got to Palm Springs to perfect weather - 70s, dry air and no wind!! Now that's what we're talking about!!

Sunday we took off to explore. We took the Aerial Tramway up the mountains 8500 feet above sealevel! - that's where you can sled in snow and find really big pine cones!! Then we went to my first 'new' 3D movie - The Hubble at IMAX. I was blown away! See it if you can!! Dinner was at an Italian restaurant. Our local Italian place closed when we moved to Brookings and we've been desperate for good Italian that we didn't have to cook ourselves!! That dinner was the first of lots of good Italian on this vacation!




I was great the first few days. We even went twice to Water Aerobics at the city pool. Pool's capacity was 680!! Yep, it was LARGE! Valentine's Day found us at Torme's Supper Club with a live band and dancing with my husband!! Very fun.




Then I got an 'allergic reaction of epic proportions' to something blooming in the desert! After a week in paradise (with a box of Puffs at my side) we headed to DISNEYLAND where I promptly picked up my "1st timer" button!!

>


L - a good friend from Newport went with us and she is the BEST Disneyland fan!! We had a blast with her as our guide. Loved California Adventure and "Soarin' Over California!" Second favorite was Mr PotatoHead's Arcade where I surprised my husband by having more-than-double his score!! Watch out! - I'm a mean, green, shooting machine!! The new California Adventure water-laser show "A World of Color" is simply unbelievable! When you're there - don't even think about leaving early!!

The next day R&I went to Disneyland by ourselves and we did well! Actually rode the Indiana Jones ride and Space Mountain before official opening! Magic Hour is!! Of course, we were pooped from the day before, didn't have L with us and it started raining at 2:15 ... but still, lots of fun! Scoped it out for our next visit with the grandkids!! Maybe to celebrate our 40th anniversary??? It's a thought!

Saturday it was still raining as we left LA. We made it to Santa Barbara where R attended half a year of kindergarten a l*o*n*g time ago! I toured my first mission and we stumbled across an awesome Italian restaurant downtown. They were cooking something garlic when we walked by - R immediately went in and made reservations for that night! The downtown is everything you'd want - great shopping, great food and many theaters. We saw a movie while hiding out from the rain before dinner.

Sunday saw us heading for Monterey. We had breakfast in Malibu and it was sunny and wonderful driving up Big Sur. We immediately drove the 17 mile loop around Pebble Beach. Stopped and bought sweatshirts and then had dinner at the slowest Big Bear Diner in the west!! It was comical - we advised new customers [under our breath] to order breakfast ... cuz they'd still be there!! Helpful in many ways, I'm sure!!




Monday morning we were at the Aquarium. I'm happy to say it was awesome, and also proved the little aquarium in Newport is very good too!! They had a seahorse display that was amazing. R fell in love with the Leafy Sea Dragon! Now that's a funky animal!!




On to San Francisco - and wow! We had clear weather and it was so much fun - my 1st time there and we triangulated that town!! The first thing we did after checking into our motel by Fisherman's Wharf was buy 'hop on and off sightseeing by bus' tickets good for two days! There were 4 tours and we took them all! Went around downtown several times; went out to Golden Gate Park where museums reside!; went to Saucilito over the Golden Gate Bridge and then took the night tour too!

And the food - let me tell you - it was not on our diets, but boy-oh-boy was it good!! The first night, Neptune's on Pier 39 - creamiest clam chowder we'd ever had and you know we have it every chance we get!! I'll dream of that chowder until we go back for more!

Lunch the next day was in Chinatown at R&G Lounge. R declared it was better than the food he had in Taiwan and Hong Kong! That night we went to Alioto's where I had some pasta that saved my life!! We'd just come off the night bus tour, where we were upstairs in the open air bus and we were frozen!!

The last day we bought day passes for the Muni-system. Cable cars all day long! What a blast!! The Powell and Mason line started a block from our hotel. We rode it downtown and then a different one back to the wharf. Then up to the top of Lombard street - the crooked street. We got off and walked down - trust me, it was better than walking up!! 31% grade!! Then we got on a bus to the Coit Tower. Toured the tower and then walked down Telegraph Hill hoping to see the wild parrots. [no luck] Caught our double decker tour bus and rode to North Bay - the Italian section.




We sat outside and had a wonderful late lunch in the sun. Back on the cable cars for more fun downtown! I shopped at Britex Fabrics!! They were even having a sale - I bought 1/2 yard of Japanese navy bunny-rabbit fabric!! And yes, I could have bought more, but I was able to stuff the half yard in my purse and not carry anything else cuz you need two hands to hang on the cable cars!

That night we ate at the Blue Mermaid down at the wharf. Award winning chowder ... need I say more? They drew us in and proved it! After our Italian lunch we weren't that hungry - but needed something! The crab sweet corn chowder was also yummy!!

We woke up Thursday morning to rain and forecast of really bad weather coming. So we high-tailed it home. Drove thru snow south of Crescent City - very unusual for the coast!! We had two days of cool but clear weather with whales entertaining us! And San Francisco had their first snow since 1980 the day after we left!! Someone posted ski run ratings of all the streets online - believe me - all would have been 'expert'! We were so glad we missed it!

Then the winter storm hit here - not cold enough for snow - but man 'o man - have we got wind and rain! Even so, it's good to be home - and out of the car!! I've been getting caught up on our TIVO and quilting on my "Holiday Challenge"! Yep, good to be home in any weather!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Here's my DD's Facebook entry today, featuring Miss P!!

Miss P: "Why do people write songs and make music?"
DD: "That's a good question, what do you think?"
Miss P: "They write songs and make music so that people, people will fall in love with them. Right?"

A few seconds later Miss P says: "Mom, quit hugging me. I can't breathe." :)

Just the latest from some of my favorite sweethearts!!

Busy busy busy!!

Oops - I skipped a week (or two) - there goes that resolution!! We've had great weather this last month - and I hesitate to brag about it. Both because no one else has had good weather and I'm afraid I'll jinx it!

I was up in Portland babysitting while L&J went to a Trail Blazer game. We did great - even though I was solo this time. First question was: "where's papa?". Well, he stayed home to golf - do you want to call him?? YES. "But papa, you always come with Nana!" 4 years old and an expert at piling on the guilt - but aren't they all?!?

Last time we were there Papa whistled with his fingers in his mouth and Mr M turned to me with a quizzical look on his face, stuck one finger in his mouth and blew hard! I knew exactly what he was asking!! "No, sweetie, Papa didn't come this time!" We had Nana's soup and watched movies and ate cake!! Just a usual day with Nana!!


We finally got pictures of the cute outfits my sister sent them from Nebraska for Christmas! What can I say - it's a busy household!

Then to Silverton for the quilt show with friends from Newport. The show was at the Oregon Gardens - 80 acres of wonderful theme gardens! Highly recommend visiting if you garden at all! Even I enjoyed it!!

Last weekend was the Brookings guild retreat. 29 crazy quilters at the Gold Beach Resort - it was fun fun fun!! Two members each taught - new techniques and great quilts. Seeing the show and tell was awesome - all the different color-ways, every quilt looked different!

I, of course, did my own thing!!! I missed the last guild meeting because of the babysitting in Portland and didn't get the instructions and supply list. So I worked on the 2nd Eric Carle bunk bed quilt. At the last minute I threw in a gallon size baggie of 2 inch squares. So between the bunk bed quilt and activities, I sewed together NINETY scrap nine patches!! I could have sewed more but ran out of time and 'beige-ing' squares!! Makes you wonder how many quilts you can make with the entire stash!!

I might be out of touch for the next week or so --- crazy schedule. But know I'll have even more to tell you when I post again!!

2nd UFO done for the year!!

I am on a roll!

But I'm ashamed to say that I actually wore this jacket once without it being finished! The whole class was supposed to wear our jackets to guild last June. My sleeves weren't 'bound' or hemmed or whatever you want to call it!! But I figured no one could tell with a raw edge jacket!! And they couldn't! ... til I told them!! Why do we do that????

My DH doesn't like this jacket. And I purposefully made it all one color - but it's still too 'quilty' for the likes of him. I picked dark blues because 1) I have a truckload of blues, 2)it's my favorite color and 3) I have a jeans kind-of lifestyle! I just heard all my friends say "Duh!" LOL! Definitely describes my lifestyle, especially now that we are retired and live on the 'casual' coast!

We cut 2x4 inch pieces of our fabrics - tons of them! We slit up the side seams following that seam all the way out to our cuffs. The sweatshirt was prewashed and the right size! We started tiling the fabrics up from the bottom edge. You overlap the fabric 1/4 inch so that the edges stay together and don't show the sweatshirt. We didn't cut the front - but did draw a line that showed us where we would cut when we were done piecing. A whole lot of "Glue-Baste It" was used!! Along with spools of thread, small zigzag stitch and parallel lines of quilting a quarter inch away from each other.

There were a few of us in class making 1 color jackets. But there were some wonderful jackets using Bali-pops too!

Anyway, I finally bound the sleeves and covered the inside jacket seams and threw it in the wash. That helped lose some of the loose threads that are all over this jacket. Unfortunately it also split some of the too scant overlaps! DARN! So I "patched" over the bad seams with more of the same fabrics - and I'm not telling you where!!

That patching took longer than I thought - next time I think I'll wash it on "gentle"!!

I'm not planning on ever making this jacket again - but if I did, I would sew the pieces together like patchwork and then 'quilt' it onto the sweatshirt. Those loose threads drive me nuts!!! [is that just my Type A personality showing???] After dealing with this project, on a hunch, I'm never going to make a rag quilt!!

I'm joining some Newport friends at the Stitches in Bloom Quilt show in Silverton after babysitting for my daughter Monday. And I think I'll wear my jacket with no guilt because it's DONE-DONE!!! Hooray!!

First UFO done for the year!!! Hip hip hoorah!!

I was named Queen of the UFOs this morning and my reign is OVER!! My first UFO finish of the year ... the first of many, I hope. Here is '8 tiny reindeer'! My first ever table runner.

The pattern is from "The Night Before Christmas" by Art to Heart. I love this book. Not only are there other cool projects that I'd like to make ... there is an AWESOME embroidery alphabet to use on stockings. I make alot of stockings and it's HARD to fit long names on that six inch stretch!

This project, traced in 2009, resided in a World Atlas for over a year. I cut the
wonder-under and didn't want it to curl ... and forgot about it over our move!

I love the embroidery - don't you just love that casual alphabet?? And then there was all the finish work. 8 embroidered sets of antlers, 8 red noses, 8 harness buttons, 16 tiny reindeer eyes, 6 doorknobs and some button holly! Add blush to Santa's cheeks ... more work than a baby quilt!!

The pattern called for 1 blue for the sky. Well, I tend to buy a third of a yard and didn't have an acceptable blue big enough - it's ridiculous for me to buy any more blues [among other colors!] so I used 3 of my favorites! And I love it!

Why do I feel this is bigger than it is?? 26" x 37" - entirely from stash including the back - so I'll say 1.5 yards! Not too much, but a start for the 100 yard dash in 2011!

It's machine pieced, machine appliqued, there's both machine and hand quilting! And all that hand embellishment! Fun project!

My DH even commented on it - asking why 8 schnauzers were pulling the sleigh! I said - 'they're reindeer, silly'. and he said, 'they have too much tummy - they'll never get off the ground!'

On Pepper, on Lassie, on Tonka and Rocky. Go Trei, BJ, Scout and Buffy!! LOL!




This year for Christmas DH got me flowers from a local florist each month! What a sweetie. We got our first bouquet this week. Those lilies are 8" across! It's been fun and we used the vase we bought in Newport on our way home from Christmas.

He's a keeper!