Ready or not - here it comes!! SUMMER! and the Brookings Annual Quilt Show!

Quilt of Valor Presentation

Sunday, May 26, 2019   2:00 pm

Kalmiopsis Elementary School Gym

650 Easy St  Brookings OR

If you are in our area - please join us.

And although I'm not nearly as panicked as I was last year ... this year is still B*I*G! 

The QOV quilt is the one I made this year.  I love Double 4patch - it's so graphic and don't tell anyone ... so easy!  I got this free pattern from maryquilts.com.  A valuable resource for quick gift quilts.

This morning, Fierce Beyond 50, had this timely reminder!

Is it me or is May just as chaotic as December? I feel like I’ve been high-tailing it from one act to the next, whipping through costume changes and practicing my lines, scrambling to get into place before the curtain rises. Sorry for the acting analogy ...but I was very into theatre back in the day. Though none of the things on my calendar are there without my permission, during busy seasons like this, it’s so hard to take a break or scale back. There's nothing on my agenda that isn't good or worthwhile, but for me to enjoy all of them, I have to protect that much-needed me-time. What do you do when your busy schedule crosses the line from invigorating to stressful?  No matter what you do to recharge, just remember to do something just for you!    And take a bow, Fierce friend! Because you deserve a round of applause for all that you do day in, day out.

Fiercely Yours, Marie Founder, Fierce Beyond 50 Check her out!  My 'not the best plan' recharge is ME tucked under a quilt, phone silenced, with a good book, chocolate or Mike's Lemonade!!  Okay, I make to-do lists too! I'd like to say "more later"  But that hasn't been happening lately - and I don't think you'd believe me anyway!!  (tee-hee)  BUT ... hope springs eternal!! doni

There's something about spring ...

There's something about spring ... that makes me a bad blogger!  Sorry, I don't know if it is the rainy weather; spring allergies;  the countdown to the Quilt Show; there's a million excuses!  And I've been using them all!!

But I have been nose to the grindstone all weekend!  One of my QOV quilts is done-done!  Alleluia!!  It will be presented over Memorial Day weekend - no last minute sewing for this one!!  I'm presenting a QOV today to a local veteran.  He can't come to the Memorial Day Presentation, but his family is visiting this weekend, so we're giving the quilt to him today.

AND I'm working on a "color-block" quilt for my DS's family.  Have you tried this?  I first saw it on Pinterest (trouble maker that it is!)  Since I have been saving scraps forever, they were taking over the closet space.  I had sorted them into medium boxes by color.  Something had to give.  This method has many names - the 'mile a minute' method should be easy and fast ... right??  The answer is 'kind-of, sort-of!"  

Here are some of the blocks on the Design Wall.

I'm currently working on the end of the Orange blocks.  

Red, purple and blue are finished.

20-something blocks made YESTERDAY!!

There are threads and stacks of color all over the condo!!  I did make 20-some 8 inch blocks yesterday!!  I have definitely gotten the routine memorized!  

* Sort scraps by length

* Start by sewing 2 small fabrics together

* Press and trim if needed

* Pick a scrap the right size to add

* Sew together.  You're basically making a log cabin quilt with scraps of varying widths.  There are alot of choices and variations to get bogged down with!  But it's fun to see those stacks of fabric disappear!!

Just have 3 more colors of scraps to 'block'!  Fingers crossed it will be ready to 'top' this week.

Ladies - keep those engines revving!!  Sew like the wind!

You've heard about something new ... Now let's see something that hasn't been reported yet!!

We were able to display our Mod Squad projects from last year at the library again.  This year's display was just as interesting!  So interesting that we already are committed to March 2020!!  The display cases are in the lobby and they're HUGE!  Here are this year's challenges:

 The double cases with free magazines underneath.

Challenges included 'Thread fabric', A Bird and a Word, Hide this Fabric!, and Trapunto

Displayed in second case:  Vacation, 50 Shades, Doodle Art and Mandala

The intrepid Hanging Committee!  Thanks Ladies for your help!

Well, This Happened ...

From Curry Coastal Pilot
Highway 101 is closed at the Hooskenaden Slide 12 miles north of Brookings after torrential rain caused the grade to sink.

Traffic may be rerouted along Carpenterville Road, however, if drivers must be aware there are areas of gravel road and places where the road is merely a single lane.

Drivers are urged to use caution and allow for additional travel time if you plan to use the alternate route.

This is about 10 miles north of us!  And we're always headed North!!  Including for two upcoming retreats!!

But moving on ... part of my Christmas present this year was tickets to the "Come From Away" Musical when it came to Portland.  That was this weekend.  OH WOW!  It is Fan-tabulous!!  We laughed, we cried, we gave a long standing ovation!!  I highly recommend it to everyone.  See it if you can.

With the slide, we had to go over to Grant's Pass and then up over the high passes on I5.  I don't like doing that in the winter.  But it was only a little nerve-wracking this time.  And a beautiful drive on our way home.

Only two more weeks in my embroidery class - it's gone fast and the students are even doing their homework between classes!!  Yay!  It's been fun and I'm sure I'll offer it again.

And I've been having all the fun!

...with no time for blogging!

We got away to Southern California in January.  It was not the vacation of our dreams!  We got stuck for FIVE hours on top of the Grapevine.  6 inches of snow and it was crazy!  I wasn't sure my bladder could withstand 5 hours without a break.  When we finally got released, we stopped at a MacDonalds - but it was closed!  We begged the lovely man inside to let us in and -bless him- he did!


It definitely wasn't as bad as it could have been - we had excellent reception, no kids in the car.  Listened to NPR, 60s and practically everything else.  The new car was good on slick highways.  Got to Palm Springs later than expected, but 20 minutes before the hotel restaurant closed.  Dinner was served and it tasted mighty good!

BUT it was raining in Palm Springs!!!  The first rain they had for 18 months!!!  Lucky us!  But sitting around away from home is alright.  No chores calling you.  We went to see the "Green Book" movie and it was excellent.  DH and I grew up in the Midwest.  We didn't have the psychedelic 60s!  We definitely had the segregated 60s.  And they nailed that!  See it if you have the chance.  We've already qued up Don Shirley on Pandora!  Excellent music.

 My the pineapples are large in Mission Hills!

We did have a morning without rain!  DH looked up the weather the day before we were supposed to leave ... a sunny weekend!!  What the heck, we're retired, we booked a room at Cody's just off of downtown Palm  Springs and stayed 2 more days.  So glad we did.  A lot of Sherman's NY Deli was consumed!  I laid about the pool, reading.  It wasn't quite warm enough to get in, IMHO!

My view from the poolside.  Blue Skies!!!

We had a great time taking a Celebrity Homes Bus Tour in Palm Springs.  We had Annie - a /Real New Yorker tour guide.  She knew everything about those glory days.  It was very entertaining, she told stories, answered questions and managed to guide a giant tour bus around the narrow streets, past a wedding and the Woman's March.  All without incident!!  I highly recommend the tour!

The mountains in Palm Springs are different than our Oregon mountains.  These are certainly rock from the bottom up.  That's my hat on the hill starting behind the strip center.  Palm Springs has 3-5 earthquakes a day!!!!  But since they are built on the sand over an aquifer, they don't feel them unless they are over a '4'.

I made DH check the "Grapevine Road Conditions" before we left the desert - but it was smooth sailing all the way.

I got to spend time with a birth-sister in Tracy.  We had a great time talking and looking thru her family pictures.  Funny to hear the 'other' take of the stories.

We got home and had to make a quick trip up to Portland.  Boy, I'm too old for 'up and back in 2 days' trips!  But had to get back in time for our Guild Quilt Retreat!!!

We go up the coast 25 miles to a SureStay Hotel with a nice conference room we take over!  A rollicking good time was had.  There was plenty of chocolate, snacks, good food and late nights!  Who could ask for more??

I'm teaching a hand embroidery class at our local quilt shop.  It started this week.  The class was full and we had a good time, learned two stitches and they were sent home with homework on those stitches!  I think it went well, but we'll see if they come back for week two!!  LOL!

Then ... I was down and out for 2 days.  I still don't know if it was allergies, stress, or the good old fashioned cold.  But I'm still thinking allergies because a cold would have lasted longer, right??

Happy February!!

2019 - think of all the fun ahead of us!!!

The ocean is ever-changing, but it's nothing compared to what our beach does!!  The sand is high, the sand is low.  The cave is tall with a tide pool inside or the cave is munchkin size and you have to crawl to get in!!

The designated rock was showing, that usually means we can walk the whole beach.  But not this time!  Sand was high? low? who knows? ,,, water was too deep at the tight spot, so we had some time to draw 2019 on the beach.  As you may remember, we didn't get to do that last year - DH had just had Quadruple Bypass surgery!  I'm glad to report he is well and golfing as much as he dreams of!

He thought we needed to rewrite 2019 on the beach where we usually do - where we can see it from the deck.  So we carefully made sure we were straight-on, and dug in our heels to make the numbers BOLD.  Walked back up the hill to get the shot before the tide came in ... and some trees had the nerve to grow in the last two years and block our view!!!  LOL!  Oh well, I refuse to take it as an omen that the year will go like that!!!  I took it as a plus that I could get the shot of the first 2019 from beach level!!

Here is that shot - the message is just to the left of the little tree sticking up!!  I think the sand must be lower here because there seems to be more rocks!

Happy 2019 anyway!!

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!!

Happy Holidays from the Boyds!           Sorry, we didn’t send out cards last year. R kept us busy. Dec 7, 2017, he failed a stress test –BIG TIME!          3 ambulances, a Life-flight, Quadruple Bypass and 9 days in the hospital - December was a blur!          Heart problem, not Acid Reflux, as we thought.                I’m happy to report that he’s doing great – better than ever and golfing every chance he gets.          And here’s what else has been happening!!  This shot was designated last year's Christmas card picture!          A and J are proud to introduce Miss E. She 18 months old now! She loves to ‘read’         books to her brothers! She’s very emphatic about the story and gives a royal “Ta-Da”        at the end! The boys are busy entertaining her between all their activities and         marathon LEGO sessions.  K started Kindergarten this year and talks and tells        stories all the day long!       J and L moved last summer - to a 1947 cottage on the edge of Portland. L loves        bringing this little gem in the woods to life. P is now in Middle School (!) and loving       it. School and Tennis keep her busy. M found that he CAN easily attend a school        without his sister! He’s in Tennis too, but his heart belongs to Baseball and        Video Games.        I was Honored Guild Member at our 2018 Quilt Show.  Truly a once in a lifetime       experience. It was great fun to dig out a selection of quilts and handwork for my       display and greet everyone as they came into the show. The rest of the summer was       filled with Camp Nana/Papa and weekend trips          Can't you just feel the excitement of being at the beach??  I love this shot.          Rocks to perch on ... things to do!             Pictures to take,                                      Redwoods to explore!!      We still love living on the coast! This year’s photo is last Tuesday’s sunrise from       our deck, The ocean is ever-changing, calm or gigantic waves, inspiring sunsets and       sunrises – something new to discover and enjoy every day.         Wishing you and yours the best in 2019!

I've been a bad bad blogger!

Sorry about that.  Many things went down the drainpipe this year!  I've been busy - stressing myself out, mainly!!  It seems to be just one minor problem at a time - but each takes up time, energy and why-oh-why do we "celebrate the problem" rather than just fixing it???  One of the age-old questions!!

I know Thanksgiving is next week ... but do you realize it's only 38 days to Christmas??  Time to get into gear!  Here is one of my favorite Christmas quilts I've made.  From "Art to Heart" -The Night Before Christmas- book.  I love their patterns.  So lighthearted without being too "Cute-sey"!

This weekend is time for the "Secret To Do List"!  I begged out of our guild's mini-retreat so I can work on it!  K texted me back 30 minutes later, "It's driving me crazy, just what IS a secret to-do?"  

Well, it's a task that you can't do in front of friends - because it's that kind of challenge or it's for them!!!  I have 8 secret pal gifts to make and the Mod Squad challenge this month ...

About secret pal gifts ... what do you do?  I always always make one for me!  I have to admit I'm often the last person to get what I make for others done for me!

Does that even make sense?  Oh well, those who read this blog can probably figure it out!!

PS - a gift card holder is great fun AND it can hold a package of needles!!  I have made lots of them and they are always popular!  AND Pinterest is a great place to look for ideas - of anything!!!  Just saying ...

Let's see what you've missed because I didn't blog!

Well, Santa Clara was wonderful!  We took the Artists' Studio tour; two lectures and ran wild through the vendors at the show!  A good time had by all.  My "Welcome to the Neighborhood" was accepted into the show.  And although it did not win any ribbons there ... it certainly looked like it belonged.  The hardest part was of course, packing it and mailing it!  But it was even home before I started worrying about it!!  Hope to go to the show next year too - we love it!

During the show - there is a Celebrity Dance Contest with a bazillion dancing kids there!  We couldn't resist taking a picture of the 3 Musketeers in front of their photo drop.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Not too busy, just right with your favorite foods perfectly done!  (done by someone else is a bonus!!) Enjoy!