Labor Day Week

The week slipped by so quickly.  I think the long weekend really snuck up on me.  I find I am still thinking I have a lot more of the week left.  Hmmm.  Anyone else feel that way?

Summer has finally hit with a vengeance here in So. California.  I really don't mind the heat, but I could live happily without the humidity.

With a stack of unquilted tops a mile long, I have been playing around a bit with some longarm quilting.  It has been really fun and it is nice to have some finishes so I can start more quilts!!!

A simple pinwheel design for our guild.

This is actually from Christa's String of Pearls QAL.  It looks completely different in the colors that are used in it, but I am happy with the results.

I had the best time last week meeting a fellow blogger. Beth made her way through the L.A. traffic and out to visit. We had the most wonderful time chatting and the day went much too quickly. She is every bit as awesome as she comes across in her blog - talented, creative and charming.  She has a picture on her blog.  Look at all of these goodies that she brought along with her.

I love them all, Beth, especially the wonderful tote and dishcloth which I am using all the time. 

Do any of you follow Rhonda?  Every Thursday she gives away one of her mug rugs that she creates.  The details on them are amazing.  I won last week's shoe mug rug.  Isn't it cute?  If you haven't joined in on the fun yet, you need to pop over for a visit with her.

I also won these wonderful Windham Fabric Scrap Bag from Debby during the Hexie Blog Hop that was happening.  She also has the most beautiful new header on her blog.

We are in the process of redoing the front landscaping.  After 25 years, things have died or gotten so overgrown it looked tired and unappealing.  We have had a bench on the front deck that was also tired looking.  This week, I stripped it all down and water sealed it.  Then I made new cushions for it.  It is definitely an improvement, but what a job that was!

Reversible pillows

I managed to get my Friendship bag off to my swap partner in our Sewing With Friends swap.  I think she has probably already received it or will shortly so will show it now.

The last of our babies also hatched.  We called him Tiny Tim because he is small and feisty.

So .... that's been my week.  How was yours?

End of the Month

It's hard to believe that August is quickly coming to a close for us.  Half of the grandchildren are already back in school and the rest go this week.  Where did the summer go?  My orioles have already migrated as well.  The garden will quickly take on an autumn feel.

August has been an incredibly busy month for us so my sewing room has sat idle day after day.  The bits and pieces that I did get to are mostly not finished. 

Thanks to Ida, who so kindly sent me some of her leftover Dick and Jane fabric, I was able to work on a quilt for the newest grandbaby.  Since her name is Sally, I wanted to use the Sally piece as the center of the quilt.   It still needs a border to tie it all together before the quilting can be done. 

Quilt Story recently had a sponsered giveaway that I was lucky enough to win.  These are the luscious fabrics that I received from Joy at A Joyful Soul Fabrics.

I was able to finish my Easy Street binding this month while being a passenger on several long car trips.  Mary did the wonderful machine quilting on it for me.  It's nice to have this finish for the month.  I hope to make some shams to go with this and use it on the bed in my guest room.

For my September finish, I think I will try to finish the election quilt that I made last summer. 

Don't Forget to Vote

Tomorrow is the last day to vote for your favorite pet quilts at The Pet's on Quilts Parade.  Be sure to pop over and visit the entries and get your votes counted.  There are prizes to be won from voting too.

While looking over the entries, these are the categories you will be placing your choices:

Dog on Quilt:
Cat on Quilt:
Other pet on Quilt:
Art quilt:
EQ designed project:
Pet themed quilt:

Since we don't have any dogs and cats left in our household, my entries are of the unusual kind.   I have two entries in this year's parade.

The first is in the category of "other pet on quilt".  It is #57 - our tortoise hatchlings.

My other entry is in "Pet themed quilt".  It is #58 with frogs, of course. 

A Little Altitude

The past week was spent in areas where the air is a little thin.  The tasks I take so easily left me huffing and puffing, but the views were spectacular.

Nothing like a pole in the water as you take in this view.

We started the week off in Colorado Springs at the gorgeous Broadmoor Hotel.  One of us had business, but I was along for the fun.  I had the great opportunity to meet up with a dear friend and spend some time catching up and laughing.

We flew home on Wednesday night and left again before dawn on Thursday to head up to the Sierras for our family fishing trip.  Fishing was not that great, but the company and memories were terrific.

Sunrise each day.

Fish???  Really????

Give us a baseball diamond and we'll bring our own team.

 

A birthday celebration too.

Sunday came all too quickly and it was time to return home with lots of laundry, unpacking and cleaning to do.  Hopefully, I will get a chance for some sewing this week.

Pets On Quilts Parade

Be sure to pop over to visit the big Pets on Quilts Show happening now at  Lily Pad Quilting.  It is always such a wonderful and creative event. 

This is the week to enter your quilts with pets and starting next week you will be able to vote on your favorites.  Everyone is welcome so join in on the fun and help to make the event another great success.

My entry this year is my egg mug rug and two of our new little hatchlings (#57).

Tortoises do nothing fast and hatching takes several days to complete.  The first day they pip their shell and poke their little snout out.

 During that day they absorb the yoke sac and then resume hatching out over the next day, eventually unfolding their shell and walking away from it.

 

 

August Goals

I'm a tad late in getting my August goals set.  It's not that I don't have a million items that I could list for the month, but the time is going to be short for sewing.  I need to keep my goals realistic if I want to have a finish.  So.....I have decided to finish up my Easy Street from last winter's QAL.  I loved the project and I really can't wait to finish it up.   I am linking up to A Lovely Year Of Finishes.

With August already in full swing I am noticing the trend towards fall.  I am seeing a definite change in the daylight hours and we have had a hint of fall in the air.  Some of the trees are actually changing their colors already.  How quickly the summer has slipped past!

I saw a quick and easy table runner in one of the quilting magazines and thought it would make a nice gift for a friend whom I am going to visit.  I may have to make one for myself too.

My Kindle died a quick death this past week - in the middle of a good book.  You can actually trade your dead ones in for a discount on a new one.  Who knew????  The problem is that the new one is much smaller than my old one so it did not fit into my handy case.  To protect the new one, I made a padded case to store it in when I am through reading.  It works great.

We had a fun weekend attending a Diana Ross concert at the Hollywood Bowl with some friends.  The concert was wonderful and she still has an amazing voice. 

Yesterday I was able to attend our granddaughter's dressage lesson.   I think if she ran away from home she would go live at the stable.  She just loves the horses. 

It's Sweet and Pink

The week has been a little busy - for a great reason.  Last Friday evening we welcomed our newest little granddaughter.  Ahh....the sweet baby snuggles have continued all week.  We are enjoying the newest addition to our family.    She has lots of dark hair and weighed in at 7#7oz - a perfect little bundle.  Mom is doing great too.

 

A happy big sister!

Sewing will resume eventually!