Happy Valentines Day to US!!

It's hard to remember it's February - we have a gorgeous weekend here.  It's actually in the 70s!!  We don't even get that in the summer.  AND we had an awesome low tide to walk.  S*C*O*R*E!

I shouldn't mention that we're grilling out salmon for dinner!  Don't be too jealous - we also had 10 days of storms this month too - with more to come, I'm sure!  But, for today, I'm just enjoying it!

My Valentine and I went to a movie and dinner last night.  I had picked up some coffee beans and some red wine for him last trip to Medford, which of course, he helped unload from the car that trip.  No surprises for him.  BUT I got a gorgeous coffee table book of Vivan Maier Photographs.  WOW! I've been fascinated by her story since we saw the film about her discovery.  The book was a perfect present and very unexpected.  Thanks, darling!

Now, sit down, because this may surprise you - the movie we saw was 50 Shades of Grey!  I know, we seem like the wrong demographic for it and perhaps we are! Neither of us liked it very much.

We both read the books, and were wondering how in the world they were going to make a movie.  When the release date was announced, well, this movie seemed odd for a Valentines Day debut!!!

The story, in the books, is all about Ana's inner dialog with her "inner goddess" and her sub-conscience.  Problematic for a movie.  So what they ended up with was many soulful looks and alot of naked scenes.  Sorry to say, it didn't live up to the book.

However, it was interesting how they adapted the book.  I was glad to see it for that.

We came home and watched "Gone Girl" on DVD.  Had heard it was as good as the book, but this weekend, neither was as good as the book! Oh well!

The calm after the storm!

Finally, the Oregon coast was included in our nation's crazy weather this year.  We got hit by the edge of the "pineapple express" storm from Hawaii.  Lots of wind and rain.  7+ inches over the 9 days and the wind!  I thought I was back in Nebraska!!

We live in a condo on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean.  See the bottom of this page for the view from our deck! We're on the second floor and in the middle of the building.  I rarely hear any weather.  I heard it this weekend!  In fact, the wind woke me up - it was whipping around our building, we were reminded of the Old Father Hall on the UNL campus.  You would be fighting the wind to get in the door on the West side of the bldg and see through the entry hall - someone fighting to get in the door on the East side!! It was strange but apparently not just in Nebraska!

While I was Christmas shopping last December, I received a coupon for $20 off at Shutterfly.  I squirreled it away, in the "I'll think about this later" file.  It was good through Jan 31!  Well, I found it January 30th!  I scrambled through favorite pictures on the computer and compiled a book.  It was so easy and the service was awesome.  They actually delivered the book on the day they said!!  Amazon says, 5 days but it's often 12-15!!  We ARE on the edge of the civilized world here.

I didn't really have time to put captions under the pictures.  It seemed like there was only one text box under multiple photos - that's a pain.  So I skipped it!  I figured if I needed explanations, there's always my Pigma pen!  And of course, I'm already thinking about the next collection!  Here are some of the photos I printed in no particular order:

Boyd family gathering. Lincoln NE

Mr M kissing Miss P

Nana and papa welcome Mr D

Granny meeting Mr D

Family picture with the Grandmas - Lincoln 

At A&J's wedding

Don't you love Mr M's face??

A&J's wedding

More next time - when I can find them again!  If you haven't looked at Shutterfly lately, I recommend you go and see what they can do now!

Home again, home again - jiggety jig!

I'm back from my 6 day "world tour".  I headed out Thursday to Medford.  Went to the dealership to have a headlight replaced.  I wish they were closer to us, the service was awesome!  I was in and out in a flash.  Next stop was the Dollar Store!  I'm not sure who loves the Dollar Store more, me or my grandkids!  You'll want to check out the boxed Valentines there.  What a selection!  I bought cell phone scratch offs for Miss P; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Mr M, and a selection of super heroes for Mr D!!  I thought we could make a little "Memory Game" with them.  But he had plenty of fun just looking at them and carrying them around.

 I spent the night with A&J&the boys.  Busy household, but I was able to read plenty of books to the kids and sit and talk with A!  He loved his "40 memories" for his 40th birthday! Since I packed for 3 places; including a quilt retreat - my car was full.  A asked me if I was running away from home!

The next morning it was ally-oop over the mountains and on to Portland.  Stopped at the Apple store to consult about a password that wasn't working; Holly Hill to have fun running amok with my Christmas present gift card!!!  Wheee!  Yep, it's gone, but oh what goodies I found!!!  To L&J's in time to go to the Intl Festival at the kids' school.  We ate pizza; did the crafts and then each child sang an Intl song with their class.  Fun and games.  Then J&L went to a movie and out to dinner whilst the kids and I did secret Valentine's Day art projects.  We had a blast! I've been sworn to secrecy until after V-day!  Cute pictures coming up!

Sunday am was time to go to the retreat center.  I had taken everything out of my car into J&L's to regroup and get ready for the retreat.  L asked me worriedly, "Mom, just how long are you staying??"

It was foggy Sunday morning and I was glad to just be an hour away.  But all was well, made it in good time.  The retreat was for the Newport Guild - 58 crazy quilters out amongst them!  We stayed at the Oregon Gardens Retreat in Silverton and it's a beautiful facility.  The meeting room held us all and all our stuff with room to walk around!  We had 5-6 flannel sheets hanging for design walls, the electricity worked wonderfully!  A good time was had by all!  And the food wasn't bad either!

First stop was to go to the quilt show.  There are no flash photos allowed, so the only photo I have is this one.  I did a sample wool candle mat for Wild Hare Fibers - it really turned out cute, don't you think??

If I was making it again; I'd make it bigger and possibly put a sun with rays reaching out to the ships.  But of course, you can't do that with the sample.  There's a cotton liner fused and stitched to the back.  No picture, but I put a cute fabric with whales on it!!!  It's what is under the boats, of course!

The main trouble with retreats is ... you NEVER get everything done that you take.  AND you see a few more projects that you want to start!  This retreat was like that!

I was working on Stacked Blocks - a blog tutorial by Jean MaDan.  I love it! The blocks are a Bento Box-like block.  And when you put them together - it really looks modern!

And other quilts in the room that I feel I must make include ... The Fig Tree pattern, Prairie Sweets Revisited.  It reminds me of my Pies and Tarts quilt.  But I might actually allow this one to be used!  The difference is - you make 6" pinwheel blocks.  And fat sashing all around.  Then applique a circle strategically!  I loved it!

And this lovely scrappy quilt "Simply Woven" found at Moda Bake Shop!  Too clever and I can't wait to try it!  

Well, coming home from an awesome retreat is quite the task!  Nonstop fun and quilting always takes a toll.  So I sat and read for a couple of days while doing wash, etc.  Then back to business!  My DH's nephew and his wife have a new baby girl.  Receiving blankets were made and I'm finishing up the 'Name Banner' for the package.  To be pictured later.

I made 4 fabric post card "tags" and now have to figure out how to poke a hole in them! because they are tags!

I also finished some darn cute (if I do say so myself) rows for a traveling row robin!  A quilter's work is never done -so let's get back to it!