Fabulous Friday

For Today: Where in the World Is Kyle?  Can you guess.

Looking Out My Window: Blooming azaleas.

My Weekend Plans Include: traveling

I’m Reading: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Movie Marquee: Forest Gump

One of My Favorite Things: Girl Scout cookies

What’s For Dinner:  Shrimp and Grits

A Favorite Photo:

Until Next Time-

The Fig Leaf

When I refer to "the Store" in my blog

I'm referring to the quilt store where I have worked

for over 18 years.  

It is one of the oldest independent shops in Colorado.

This is where I hang out 3 days a week.
I put together a Smilebox.

These pictures were taken on a Friday

when one of my dearest friends, Becky and I work.

We've always labeled the day when were together

as the "Lucy and Ethel Show".

And to think we have worked together 

forever.

Come to the Fig Leaf on a Friday and you

are in for a treat.

Until Next Time-

Take a Peek

I took some of my own advice

and did some spring cleaning.

Not much I admit.

Welcome to the chest of doom.

 aka: the frig

Just a peek.

It's amazing what can get crammed in there,

forgotten, and allowed to create new strains of 

penicillin.

OK

the full monty.

Not too freaky

so I won't be asked to be on

"The Hoarders".

It just needed 3 jars of sweet gerkins to be 

combined,

some outdated things to be trashed,

 some unusual Asian condinments and sauces

to be reevaluated, and

mystery spills to be cleaned.

Look'n good.

I closed the door and told Ed to come look.

He did.

Big smile.

Then he opened the freezer door and

had a look of confusion.

What?

That's another whole project.

And not today.

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  The flowering trees are showing some hope.  Truly spring is just around the corner here. Also these are not new lawn statues posing with my little tulips.

My Weekend Plans Include: Should I suggest a bit of "Spring Cleaning"?

I’m Reading: Still reading The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson

Movie Marquee:   I still have :  A Year in Provence.  It was a BBC and A and E production and based on the book by Peter Mayle. It's a chronicle of his life for a year as he and his wife settle into a life in Provence.  It's fun.

Something Quiltie: One of the current classes at the store is a half square triangle exchange based on the book and idea by Eydta Sitar, of Laundry Basket Quilts.  The idea is to make a set of 28 identical half square triangles and exchange them with a group and then have a wide variety of pieces for a scrap quilt.  I'm working on them.

Using Triangles on a Roll

A finished half square triangle piece.

One of My Favorite Things: My mom could make a sandwich out of anything.  Sandwiches must have been one of her favorite things.  Last night for dinner I have to admit I simply had a PB&J. It tasted like heaven.  What could be simpler. 

What’s For Dinner: A frittata with mushrooms, spinach  and feta cheese.

A Favorite Photo:

 Easter, 1984

no comment on the "hair"

Until Next Time-

Itching to Work with Wool

I was bitten by the wool bug this week.

After getting out my little spring wool quilts and 

sharing about the great white wool cape, I found

myself itching, sometimes wool will do that, to 

make something new.

The idea of the chick wearing the bunny ears is just too funny.

Lots of my wool pieces are done on a dark background, but I

loved using a white wool this time to make a softer

more springtime look.

I adapted a pattern from

All Through the Night called "Easter Chicks." for 

the center and the idea of appliqued tongues on the background

from a pattern by Jointed at the Hip in their book

Folk Art Favorites.

Doing the tongues that way was a lot easier than having 

them be loose and then trying to buttonhole around

the raw edges.

 Mostly I used wool floss around the applique pieces.

I used what I had and then used a bit of

regular embroidery floss as well.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

This time I did fusible applique using

the fusible web, Soft to Fuse.  

It's a great product and doesn't make the 

pieces stiff with all that fusible stuff.

Years ago when E-Bay was in its infancy,  I bought 

a jar of white mother of pearl buttons.

I'll have buttons forever.

It was the perfect project to actually use a few.

I attached the ric rac by sewing on the buttons and

then added one button on each tongue.

Are you wondering about that original wool?

I found some of the lavender we had dyed and made

sure to include that in the piece.

It was a fun project, nice to get

something done so quickly and

play in the wool stash again.

Until Next Time-

The Horsetooth Half Marathon

I'm not a runner.
I'll probably will never be a runner,
and that's OK.

It's hard to understand why people love to do it.
But they do.
Ed is one of those people.

Yesterday, about 1700 runners started the day with 

a half marathon

running up to Horsetooth Reservoir just

west of Fort Collins and then back into town.

I was waiting at the finish line for 

my running man.

I was so tense and excited as I watched.

Ed had set a goal of 2 hours.

He was close.

2 hours and 8 minutes.

Proud of you.

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  Yesterday there was snow.  Today it's warmer.  We certainly needed the moisture.  Every little bit helps, but rain would have been certainly preferable.

My Weekend Plans Include: The Northern Colorado Shop Hop is taking place this weekend so I am on duty at the store both Friday and Saturday.  Also on Sunday the running man is doing the Horsetooth half marathon.  I'll be waiting at the end with cheers and beer.  It ends at New Belgium brewery.

I’m Reading: Just started The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson

Movie Marquee:  I don't think there will be much time for movies this weekend.  I still have last weeks:  A Year in Provence.

Something Quiltie: The shop hop is a very big deal here in this area.  We do it slightly different than other places in the fact that all of the shops come together at our fairgrounds and it becomes a one stop shopping for the customers.  Many of the shops that participate are a great distance apart and this allows this event to take place just over one weekend.  It is a practical solution for the stores in our area.  And shoppers can visit each store on their own time and schedule over the next couple months.  When you get a large group of quilters together for an event like this it can be a wild and fun time.

One of My Favorite Things: I really enjoy the big band music of the 40's.  I especially like this song by the Andrew Sisters, Maxene, Patty, and La Verne, who really were sisters.  Don't you love their harmony and swing?  This clip is from the movie, Buck Privates (1941), with Abbott and Costello.

What’s For Dinner: This week I tried a recipe from the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, a Meatloaf.  It's been forever since I made a meatloaf, much to the happiness of my three girls.  This one is great, really girls.  The only change I would make is not to put the bacon on the top.  It didn't get crispy, only very soggy.  Maybe it's there to keep the meat moist.  You decide.  Because it is huge and we both have been very busy this week, we'll have it one more time tonight.  After 3 serving, I probably won't make it again for awhile.  But I would make it again.  Mine looked just like the picture. Tah Dah!

A Favorite Photo:

Ed in Seattle, 2009

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

Wait a Minute

Yesterday there was a feeling of 

hope that spring had sprung.

Today is a different story.

Just when you think you know what's

happening there's a change in direction.

Enjoy the moment.

Until Next Time-

Tulip Fields

A few years ago Ed and I had a spring

break in Seattle, Washington. 

If you want to feel like spring is really on

it's way, head to the tulip fields in La Conner.

It is a patchwork of color from all the tulip blooms.

It truly was a breathtaking experience.

Quilters love color.  It can be from cloth or flowers.

For the past couple of years in the fall, I have tried to remember

to plant a few more tulip bulbs so

that there will be more color around the patio

each spring.

Come on little tulips, you can do it.

Until Next Time-

Only For A Friend

One of the great things about making a quilt today is the fact that

there is so many companies producting cotton fabric. 

Each company, with their group of designers,

are producing fabrics that are new and exciting.

That means, of course, there are so many fabrics for quilters to work with.

There's much more to choose from than when I first started

quilting back in the 70's, when calico was queen.

But sometimes you just have to giggle at some of the designs.

And say, "what were they thinking."

Of course, working at a quilt store, has given me an opportunity

over the years to look at a lot of fabric.  

Fabric that's printed and shipped out with the hopes

that "Quilters" will love it, be inspired and buy lots of it.

Quite awhile ago, a fabric came out that was in the 

Art Nouveau style from the end of the nineteenth century.

My dear friend and co-worked sweetly named this 

particular piece "the Armpit Fabric".

Here's a closer look so you can see where she was coming from.

It just tickled her.  And then, of course, it would tickle the rest of us.

Well, needless to say, it was not a big seller and it

was around for a long time.

Eventually, it ended up on the sale table and down to the last 3 yards.

Did I feel a sense of pity for this fabric or a devilish

thought that I should make something out of it just for her.

Yes, I did buy it.

I don't think she knew I was the one who got the last bit.

But, over the years it has continued to sit in my fabric stash.

As her birthday approached each year, I'd carefully consider what to do 

with this very unique fabric.

 But I couldn't think of just the right project.

Finally, this year I did something.

I'm afraid I wasn't too clever,

but she will be getting a pair of pillowcases...

to lay her sweet head on this idyllic woman's delicate armpit.

There's still a yard left and she's getting that too.

Happy Birthday, Becky. 

A special gift

for a very special friend.

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: A couple of weeks ago we had to have a huge cottonwood tree removed from the backyard.  It has looked very bare without it.  Yesterday, three new flowering crabapples were planted.

 

 The lake is very low right now.  When the irrigation ditches are open and the spring run off starts in the mountains it will be full again.

My Weekend Plans Include: For the past couple years we have hosted an annual raking day.  Seems like my crew was all busy this year, but we managed to get the job done.  So instead we are heading to Denver to join in with Elizabeth and Don's annual rototiller party, haul dirt party and get the garden ready for planting party.

I’m Reading: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Movie Marquee: Dexter, season two

Something Quiltie: I have been overwhelmed this week.  I've been working on 5 different projects.  I can do that for awhile then it stops being fun and drives me crazy.  I did finish this little quilt for "Quilts for Japan" sponsored by Quilter's Newletter Magazine. 

 

Made it from scraps of a previous project.  I hope it will be

a comfort to some little person.  I have one more to donate and several from some other friends.  I'll take then to the magazine's offices in Golden on Monday. 
 

One of My Favorite Things: I love "spell  check".  I have never had the skills or natural ability to spell.  My mom was a fantastic speller and my Dad... not so good.  You can see whose spelling genes I inherited. I have to admit that sometimes  I have even confused spell check. 

What’s For Dinner:  Last week I was trying out a new recipe for a pasta dish. Nothing to blog about.  This week I told Ed I wasn't cooking.  It was time to use up all the dibby dabbies in the frig.  Well, Wednesday was cold and cloudy and I made our favorite turkey chili.  So leftovers for tonight.  If you check out the recipe, I do add a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes.  We like the sweet smokey taste the barbecue sauce adds and, of course, a good stout beer adds something to the party as well.  Some for the chili and some for the cook!

A Favorite Photo:

It's good to laugh at yourself, once in awhile.

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

The Great White Cape

Ten years ago, a friend and I

began snooping around Savers,

Good Will, and other thrift stores buying

wool.

That would be in the form of wool jackets, skirts 

and other garments.  Our greatest find was

an xx-large white wool cape for just a couple of dollars.

We were ecstatic. 

That cape was cut and dyed into multiple pastel spring colors

and then used in multiple spring wool applique pieces.

We get tickled still about finding

"the Giant White Cape".

 2001

This little piece was primarily made from the "White Cape".

This pattern is from one of the Need'l Love books.

Wool applique is so fun and easy.

You do become a treasure hunter looking for 

the perfect wool to repurpose.

2002

It's a great representation of the busy robin.

Just the eggs are "White Cape".

The background was a skirt.

2003

On this piece I added the wool tongues around the outside.

Can you find "the white wool cape"?

Of course, the rabbit and those eggs again.

With wool applique it doesn't use much

of my wool collection.

You can save very small pieces for later use.

2004

from: Easter Threads by Need'l Love

Looking carefully, I don't think this piece includes any of the

original cape.  I should have been more

careful about including some of the "mother wool"

in each piece. 

2004

These large Easter eggs are wool

covered Styrofoam eggs.

The lavender egg is, you guessed it, the white cape.

Just noticed that the rabbit's eye,

it makes it look like it's been hypnotized. Ha.

I haven't used my wool for awhile.  But getting out

my Easter pieces has given my the desire to

see what I have left of that cape and

use it in something.

I've got a couple of weeks before Easter

I'll have to see what I can do.

Until Next Time-