Catching Up With Projects and Plans

September is flying by. Is it already September 28th? We got back from California on August 27th just in time for Labor Day Weekend. On the Tuesday after Labor Day, we went to Wolftrap in Virginia to see Les Miserables. Was that ever wonderful. The staging was unique and the music was incredible. I've always wanted to see Les Mis and I was not disappointed.

The very next weekend I was off to Harrisburg, PA with friends to see the Mancuso Bros. Quilt National Show. We spent Thursday night in Harrisburg and therefore had a good day and a half to see the show and shop the vendors. On Friday, we were back in the car heading for the hills of West Virginia to a retreat house that a quilter friend had secured for us. And it was definitely up in the hills. I stuck with redwork so I didn't have to bring a machine. Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Hannah's affects on our region, we had to leave early. It was still fun to spend time with quilty friends.

The weekend's efforts eventually resulted in this cute little needlecase. The pattern was from a company called Cinderberry Stitches. The designer is from Australia. I also worked on a pattern that I had found on-line and I've managed to finish it this month. I did it because it reminded me of my dear friend LaDonna and since both of us have names that start with "L", well it was a natural. I call it "Ladies Who Lunch". Definitely something LaDonna and I like to do.

While feeling inspired this month, I also made a lap quilt from old left-over strips of fabric. I think some of the scraps went back about 20 years. I'm going to be giving it to my dear FIL in November for his 90th birthday. Of course, first I need to get a label on it.

In about three weeks, we'll be heading our for our grand Spain/Portugal adventure. I've been having a great time shopping at Chico's for travel clothes. I also found a wonderful and (hopefully) secure travel bag that fits neatly over my shoulder and across the front. But I needed something a little more fancy for going out in the evening. Thanks to a pattern from Lazy Girl Designs called 'Sassy Bag', I now have a cute little secure (hopefully) evening bag. I first made the pattern according to directions from a batik. For my 'evening bag', I added zippered pockets and an inset decorative fabric and applique.

And as if I wasn't busy enough, I also found time to work on my small group quilt sampler. My goal is to actually have it quilted and finished in time for our quilt guild show next spring. The top is now done. The sandwiching and quilting......well let's just hope I don't keep procrastinating.

And finally to finish off the month, I got around to working on my September BOM for thequiltshow.com. The picture shows the pieces cut out and laid on the dining room table but in actuality, I now have them fused on the background fabric and ready for stitching down. Two days of September to go. I just might finish before October's pattern is out. This has been a fun project and I'm very proud of myself for tackling it and doing as much as I have. I am seriously considering stopping at nine blocks because Fall is looking pretty busy. I think nine would make a very nice quilt.

Ahhh.......it is August already. As I look at the calendar, I realize it is almost to the half-way point of August. The months do fly by. Currently we are having a lovely respite from the three H's that usually dominate our summer weather in Maryland. No heat, humidity, and haze. Lately, we've had balmy breezes, blue skies, and perfect temperatures. We haven't turned the A/C on in 6 days. Hope that has an impact on the utility bill. I took this picture when I was out and about on one of our clear and beautiful days. These barns are a vanishing breed in Montgomery County, MD.

Next week, we are off to CA for a visit with the DGDs. We'll be with them for one day before they leave for a vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We'll house-sit while once again scoping out the area for a future place to live. When they get back, we'll stay on for a few more days of DGD hugs and kisses.

We're slooowwwwllly.....but surely attacking the closets and cleaning out the clutter. It's really discouraging to find boxes of stuff you packed up thirteen years ago when moving from CA to MD. But I'm finally getting to them and tossing out stuff like crazy. DH has found the shredder and he's having fun with that while watching the Summer Olympics. This closet used to be filled to the ceiling with boxes. You couldn't even walk into it. I'd say there is definite progress.

I'm working on a scrap quilt that I'll give to my FIL in November for his 90th birthday. There's a picture of the initial top on a previous blog. I'll take another picture and post it when I finish it. I just have the border to quilt and then the binding and label. I haven't even started my August BOM

for the TQS challenge. I'd really like to do that before we leave for CA.......maybe this coming weekend I'll get inspired.

A Quilty Weekend Away

Last weekend was my annual visit to MAQ. The letters stand for Mid-Appalachian Quilters. It's a guild whose sole purpose is to meet once a year for a weekend seminar/retreat. This year over 300 people attended and over 50 classes were offered by local teachers. We stay at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD. I took advantage of two classes and spent one day in studio working on my own projects.

First up on Friday was a class on making T-shirt quilts. It was called "A Scrapbook You Can Sleep Under" and it was taught by Lauren Kingsland who just happend to be a member of my quilt guild. I learned great techniques for stabilizing the stretchy knit fabric. I also liked how we used all the little bits of the T-shirts including pockets. Lauren helped me pick the sashing which is just perfect....kind of a watery, wave look to it. Now I need to add a border and get it quilted for DH.

On Saturday I hung out at studio finishing up the T-shirt quilt top and then working on some sashings around sampler blocks. The sampler blocks are from an exchange I had with my mini-group and they've been hanging around in a bag waiting for me to "do something" with them. There are about 12 more to add sashings to. Then I need to see what kind of setting will work. My goal is to have this done for our guild quilt show in April 2009. I'm one of the last of the group to get this project finished.

Ahhhhh......Sunday, a day of rest. I took a half-day class learning the techniques of redwork. I could seriously get into these portable little projects. I must be very loyal because once again, my instructor was one of our guild members. After class, it was time for lunch and the drive home. Fortunately, I'm only about an hour away. Now I reflect back on memories of a great weekend with good friends.

When last I blogged we had sold the townhouse in Valencia, CA. Closing is scheduled for next week on Tuesday. Along the way there have been a few glitches but everything has been solved so far. Just waiting for the check in the bank. In anticipation of a little money in the account, we're looking over brochures for trips to Spain and Portugal. We're ready for our first post-retirement trip to somewhere wonderful.

Scraps and Snippets of Life

The first step in the journey to CA has begun. We have sold our townhouse in Valencia, CA. If all goes well, it will close on July 23rd and we'll have some money in the bank. Timing wise, we're not quite ready to buy in Alameda so our actual selling of the MD townhouse and the move to CA might not be until next spring. Of course, the big hurdle is dealing with the accumulated stuff. It is so easy to procrastinate.

I'm back in to listing on eBay but it is slow. I've sold a few books. Recently I started cleaning out a closet and came across oldest DSs old bookshelf strategy games. They are now for sale on eBay and I've actually got a bid. Who knew? I guess some people are still in to board games. Hmmmm....I wonder if anyone wants some jigsaw puzzles?

Just for the fun of it, I started making a string quilt. I'm not sure why since I have many other unfinished projects. It started when I began cleaning out a fabric drawer to put aside fabric for my quilt guild's charity quilts. The scraps were just too enticing so before you know it, I was sewing a quilt top. And it is just that.....a top, not yet a quilt. But I'm auditioning borders for it and I really like it so it has the potential of actually becoming a quilt.

And my last little project......a small 10"X12" quilt from a pattern I found on-line (though I know not where). I just loved the turtles, especially the one going off the edge. I also loved that it was small and doable in a day. I even got to practice some thread art.

California Celebration

When last I left my blog, we were in St. Louis, MO. From there it was back in the air to Los Angeles, CA where we would be attending my sister-in-law's surprise B-day. The logistics of getting an entire family and various friends together was a nightmare. But thankfully all planning was done by my niece and all we had to do was show up and help out. The helping out began with meeting my DIL and DGDs at LAX. Oldest DS would be flying in the next evening. Friday was supposed to be the wind-down day, playing at the park, hanging out with the DGDs, going swimming at the hotel pool. Unfortunately, the weather did not co-operate and it was rainy, windy, and cold. What do you do to entertain active toddlers? You go to Target and buy toys and DVDs.

Saturday morning, DIL and I were dropped off at the party leaving DS, youngest DS, and DH to manage on their own. The sons were required to feed the girls and get them dressed with bows in their hair. Then they would ride with DH who was to also get FIL and BIL to the party for cake cutting. It was a girls luncheon but the guys were going to come in with the cake as a surprise after lunch.

The party was incredible. My niece did an outstanding job of putting it all together. It was elegant and sophisticated and lots of fun. My SIL was definitely surprised. People from all walks of her life were there. This party had been in planning since December. My SIL has been a real rock in my DHs family. She cares for her husband who has diabetes, her father who is in assisted living and an elderly brother. She does all this with smiles and good humor. It is just the kind of person she is. We were all delighted to be there to pay her tribute.

One of the things I have in common with my SIL is that we share the same birthday. Though we always remember each other with a gift or card, we haven't actually been together on our birthday for 13 years. Though this party was definitely for my SIL, my dear niece thought of me and actually provided two birthday cakes. Mine was chocolate and SILs was lemon filling.

The Birthday Girls!

A Visit to Missouri

On May 12th we left for a three week trip which would culminate in Alameda, CA. First stop....Kansas City, MO for a four-day Genealogy Conference. What a delightful city, Kansas City turned out to be. The weather was just right (not too hot, not humid) and the hotel was luxurious. We enjoyed the downtown singing fountains and a visit to the Hallmark Center. The amount of new genealogy info was almost overwhelming but we enjoyed learning new techniques for research.

Next stop was just down the road in Independence. My DH's roots go back to the original LDS church which later became the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and today is known as Community of Christ. Though we are not members, we had wanted to see the temple that they built in the 1970's and DH wanted to do some family research at their archives. The temple is quite an impressive building.

The temple to the right is the Mormon Temple in Nauvoo, IL. Navuvoo was the next stop on our family research trip. This temple was burned in the 1840's and the LDS church restored it in 2006. The views from the grounds near the temple were breath-taking. The town itself is rather small and quiet.

Then it was time to head back to MO for a visit to St. Louis. We took the scenic route along the Mississippi River. The weather again was beautiful and not hot and humid. Spring was blossoming all over. The St. Louis Gateway Arch was just as fabulous as I thought it would be. I decided to "go for it" and take the little car up to the top. It was like riding in Mork's capsule. Once we were at the top, I elected to take a quick view out the windows and then sit down. Needless to say, we didn't stay up there too long. We also took an hour long river cruise. A leisurely riverboat cruise is much more my style.

So that's our trip to MO. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Next blog..........Celebrations in California.

A Visit to Fallingwater in PA

One more place to check off my "want to see before I leave the east coast" list. Today we visited Fallingwater in Ohiopyle, PA. It's a house built in the 1930's by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufman family of Pittsburgh, PA. The Kaufman family owned quite a bit of land near Ohiopyle and at their son's suggestion comissioned FLW to build a house near waterfalls that were on the land. He not only built it near the falls, he built it over the falls. It is a very modern house for its time. The Kaufman's son donated the house to the Western Pennsylvannia Conservancy in 1963. I had seen it in pictures but to see it in person is a totally different experience. We were blessed with a beautiful spring day. There are no pictures allowed inside but you can take pictures around the outside. Here is a small look at Fallingwater

I would suggest a visit to Fallingwater for anyone who is in traveling in the area. It is southwest of Pittsburgh. Frank Lloyd Wright had an incredible vision when designing this house. Every room in the house leads the eye to the outside and the beauty of its setting.

From Fallingwater, we traveled north to a small burg called McMurray. This was, of course, genealogy related. We found the cemetery at the Presbyterian Church in town and without too much trouble discovered the gravestones of Jim's gggg grandparents, Jane and Alexander Sweney. Tomorrow it's in to the city of Washington, PA for more ancestor searches.