Fabulous Friday

For today:

Looking Out My Window: A blossom on the pumpkin plant finally bloomed.
It's not leaving much time to grow into a magnificent pumpkin.

 Great Color

 My Weekend Plans Include: The store is having their 5th Saturday Bag Day Sale so I'll be there all day Saturday.  Sunday we'll be celebrating a friend's birthday so it's a "Non Cooking Day"!

I’m Reading: True Blue by David Baldacci.

 

Movie Marquee: Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation,  with Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O'Hare, and Fabian,1962.  Also The Dinner Game.

Something Quiltie: One thing I do after finishing a project is that I reorganize my workspace.  It makes it so much easier to start something new.

. 

I’m Thinking About: how blessed I am in every aspect of my life.

One of My Favorite Things: My three favorite places to shop for clothes, Chico's, Coldwater Creek, and Eddie Bowers.

What I’m Planning: Kate and I have to coordinate our calendars this weekend. It's time for me  plan a visit to the "Sunshine State". 

What’s For Dinner: Flank Steak and Veggie Kabobs. 

A Favorite Photo:  

Until Next Time-Kyle

Wahoo, Wednesday

Wahoo!

The top is done.

My vintage ocean wave quilt top is completely pieced back together.

Before

After

It's a 65" square.

Before

After

No holes and it lays flat.

Before

After

No missing points.

It has a new life.

Does the future include hand quilting?

Let me know what you think.

Do I leave it as a top or keep going?

Either way I love how it turned out.

Wahoo!!!

Until Next Time-Kyle

Don't You Love the Weekends

Despite being pretty warm, the weekend was productive.

It was a good ratio of

Chores

Errands, 

including a trip to the Farmer's Market

and

relaxing

It even left time for working on a quilt project.

This quilt top has been completed since January.

Waiting for inspiration.

Finally.

After drawing a couple different quilting pattern 

for each section of the quilt on the Golden Threads Paper

pin it in place.

Then it's just a matter of sewing on the lines.

and tearing away the paper.  

This part takes the longest 

and is nice to do outside 

so little bits of paper don't require getting the vacuum out.

Completed.

This is the back of the quilt.

It's a little easier to see the design.

That was easy.

Next step...adding the binding.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today:

Looking Out My Window: It's a calm and beautiful morning in Colorado.  I'm hoping the weather is not a major factor for Kate.  Tropical Storm Bonnie might be her first Florida storm experience. Tropical Storm Bonnie

 

My Weekend Plans Include:  Working a few items off my endless list of things to do.  I think I'll come up with some kind of a reward for my effort.

I’m Reading: Three Cups of Tea , One Man's Journey to Change the World, One Child at a Time by Sarah Thomson

 

Movie Marquee: The Assassination of Jesse James and Zorba the Greek, 1964

Something Quiltie: Make a hot dog pillowcase.  A what?  Here's a link to our local guild's instructions. Hot Dog Pillowcase pattern, LNCQ  They're fun, easy and quick. I made one last Friday using Alexander Henry's Halloween  fabric, The Gastlies. 

 

 I displayed it Friday at the store and by Saturday morning the bolt was emptied.  

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I’m Thinking About: I'm tired of hot flashes and I want them to go away...soon.

One of My Favorite Things: Grilling and eating outdoors. Everything tastes better that way.

What I’m Planning: I'd like to machine quilt another baby quilt this weekend, but I need to plan out the quilting patterns.  The Golden Threads paper is a wonderful no marking method for creating tearaway stencils.  Sometimes the planning takes longer than the doing.

What’s For Dinner: Turkey Italian Sausages and fresh corn on the cob... on the grill, of course.

A Favorite Photo: 

Naples, Italy
The best Pizza alla Margherita
Notice we are not sharing with each other

Until Next Time-Kyle

The Practice

I've been in...

Leadville,

in case, you don't remember your chemistry.

Ed wanted to go and do some 

practice running 

for the Leadville 100.

He hit the trail and ran over

Hope Pass towards

Twin Lakes (10.5 mi)

This is up, down and through streams.

Then he got his reward...

It's amazing how a reward can motivate.

Next segment

This part was suppose to be 13.5 miles.

I was waiting for him on a county road and had an

estimated time on when to expect him.

Thank goodness for cell phones.

He had lost the trail and I was not suppose to panic.

Right!

Eventually, he showed up coming from a different direction

He went farther than he had expected and used up time.

Was he done yet?

Not quite.

 Ed's like the energizer rabbit, he keeps going and going.

One more pass

This segment is 10 miles of up hill (or mountain)

Please note the PB &J and bag of potato chips!

I moved on to meet him at a campsite called May Queen at Turquoise Lake.

What did I do while I waited and waited?

I worked on my Ocean Wave top.

Finally, 3 hours later.

I was so glad to see him coming down the trail.

It started to rain so he actually decided to stop.

It was quite a practice.

Tired Feet

The next time is the real thing.

I think this a good sign of things to come.

Until Next Time- Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today:

Looking Out My Window: Once upon a time when I was visiting Kate in Lubbock, Texas, I brought a pumpkin back home.  It was called a "Fairy Tale Pumpkin". I had never seen one before.

I saved the seeds and this year I planted two in a large flower container. They are both growing like crazy.  I don't know if I'll get a pumpkin.  But maybe if I make a wish....

 

My Weekend Plans Include: It's going to be very hot, so I'll try to do things that won't cause me to combust.

I’m Reading: I am listening to This Time Together, Laughter and Reflections, by Carol Burnett.  It is a wonderful book, especially listening to her tell her story.  It has made me smile.
 

Movie Marquee:  This weekend includes, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1975, didn't get to it last weekend, and also The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming, 1966.  I'm still into classics.

Something Quiltie: Because I didn't have enough projects started already, I bought a new super duper pattern, called Roseville Album.http://www.gloriouscolor.com/store.php?cat=329  .  What do you think, other than "She must be crazy".

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I’m Thinking About: I am visualizing Ed crossing  the finish line at the Leadville 100 race.  I know he'd appreciate everyone doing the same.!!!

One of My Favorite Things: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

What I’m Planning: I'll be up in Leadville next week and I'll be able to sew for long stretches.  I need to get some projects organized so I can work on them while I'm waiting for the "Running Man" to go by.  Ed is practicing with a mere 50 mile run.

What’s For Dinner: It's E.M.F.H. night..."every man for himself".  Maybe I'll have a grilled cheese!

A Favorite Photo: 

Until Next Time-Kyle

Closer to Shore

This past week has been a productive one.

I finished the last of the 

smaller units of the Ocean Wave quilt

that I have been reconstructing.

And I finished piecing the 16 units made up of 4 blocks.

Because I'm sewing this by hand

each step takes a bit of time, but the results 

have been perfect.

Next step?

Sew the 16 units together in 4 rows of 4.

Once I start piecing the rows together I can

fill in the empty squares.

So far the blocks seem to be laying flat

My goal this week is to get the rows together

and then start the long seams across from edge to edge.

I'm beginning to see the shore line off in the distance.

I'm ready to ride this wave in.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Happy Anniversary

A year ago we had a wedding!

It was a perfect day.

Tears and Laughter

Family and Friends

Martin's mom, Pam and I worked

together on a wedding quilt 

for our Colorado kids.

Happy Anniversary,

Jessica and Martin

and many many more.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today:

Looking Out My Window: I finally see a couple of red tomatoes on our plants.  We've got huge plants but not many tomatoes.  My basil is doing well this year.  It would be nice if they coordinated their efforts so we could enjoy the perfect Caprese Salad.  

 

My Weekend Plans Include: I'm going to just  sew, sew, sew.

I’m Reading: Can you believe I 'm still listening to The Time Traveler's Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger.  My ears and mind must be busy with other things.
 

Movie Marquee:  Actually last week we watched The Final Season.  It's a great feel good movie.  I recommend it.  This weekend we are watching two classics,  The Trouble with Harry, a Hitchcock comedy, 1955, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1975.

Something Quiltie: America's pastime is baseball and when a player hits a home run, he still must run and tag the four bases in order to score. I've put off doing a couple of bindings.  So I am going to hit a couple of home runs this week and sew around 4 corners and score.

I’m Thinking About: Time just seem to go faster and faster or am I just moving slower and slower?

One of My Favorite Things: freshly washed sheets.  

What I’m Planning: I hope it's OK to say "Nothing". It's time for a brain and body rest.

What’s For Dinner: It's just me tonight so, whatever it is, it's going to be simple.

A Favorite Photo: 

A Visitor in the Willow Tree

Have a wonderful weekend.

Until Next Time-Kyle

You Have to Have Pie

What would the 4th of July 

be without fireworks?

Unacceptable

What would the 4th of July

be without pie?

Unforgivable

So keeping in the spirit of the holiday

we made our 3 all American classic pies,

apple, blueberry and cherry.

We played with a small star cutter which was very fun.

I did break a bit with tradition and made

3 different types of pie crust.

The cherry was made with my pie crust recipe with shortening and then

milk,egg yolks and lemon juice for the liquid. 

It's the easiest to work with and has a wonderful flavor.

The apple with the Pate Birsee, an all  butter pie crust,

and the blueberry's crust was made 

with half butter and half lard as the fat.

It was the flakiest with a wonderful flavor.

All three were delicious.

We even had time to make tiny pies

for our youngest friends.

Which pie was finished first?

The Cherry.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today:

Looking Out My Window: My patio looks ready for company.  I even stuck some flags in the flowerpots last night.  Maybe I should get the Tiki lights out too or would take be over the top?
 

My Weekend Plans Include: Celebrating the holiday with family and friends. Nothing could be better.

I’m Reading: Still listening to The Time Traveler's Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger.   I'm also drooling over the book, Chocolate Chocolate by Lisa Yockelson.  This is one of those cookbooks you'd like to start on page one and make everything in it.  Of course, you'd weigh 3000 lbs. by the time you got to the last page.  Yum!
 

Movie Marquee:No time for movies this weekend.

Something Quiltie: Next week I get to meet my newest baby niece.  I have a quilt already for her to welcome her to the family.  

I’m Thinking About: the 4th of July's I celebrated as a kid back in Michigan.  Small town parade, sometimes being in the parade, sense of community, flags in the cemetery, neighborhood picnic, sparklers, fireworks, and feeling safe and loved.

One of My Favorite Things: I thoroughly enjoy making pies.  On the 4th one of our traditions is to have pie while we watch the fireworks.  Depending on the number of people who join us, I generally make three, cherry, blueberry and, of course, apple. I could probably sell a couple dozen to the people who walk by and comment on our dessert.
 

What I’m Planning: I'm  having a house full this weekend so it does take a bit of prep work. 

What’s For Dinner: I'm not cooking tonight.  We're off to Puccinella's Pizza for a slice or maybe two.

A Favorite Photo: 

Don't they look good?

2009

Have a safe and wonderful holiday.

Kyle

Red, White and Blue

There's something wonderful about

the combination of 

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE.

July's Quilt Show

1995

The trend was cutesy and folksy.

I had liked the border fabric and designed the rest to go with it.

Stars are always a good choice for a July quilt.

2002

"Liberated Lady" 

This quilt was a year long project and based

on a pattern from Kansas Troubles Quilters.

A group of friends

met once a month to work specifically on this pattern.

Each month, my friend, Becky and I, would pick a new

location in town to meet and work.

Here we all are at City Park by 

the Statue of Liberty.

I had bought so many different fabrics to use in 

the Liberated Lady quilt, I used the remaining

fabric to make

"Stars and Stripes Forever"

October, 2002

This time the stars were quilted into the pattern.

It was a fun to get a second quilt made with the same fabrics.

It was like getting a "free" quilt.

This quilt was based on a pattern by

Blackbird Designs.

I love to applique

Beyond the Tragedy

2002

This quilt was made to remind me to look

beyond the tragedy of September 11, 2001

and to find strength in our spiritual lifes,

our homes and families,

the beauty of the world,

and

the blessings of our country.

Have a wonderful celebration this 4th of July with your family and friends.

Until Next Time-Kyle