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This year Rosie is a prairie dog. She's so happy about her costume, can't you tell?
What kind of a face is that? I think she was mocking me.
Oh how I do look forward to Halloween. When I get to put a hat on my dog and take pictures. What's the fun of having a patient little dog if you don't take embarassing pictures of her? She's such a good girl! Now it's time for some treats and cuddles for playing along.
Happy Halloween! x
Fall makes me so happy. I feel like I wait all year for the leaves to start changing. Happiness to me means cool crisp days, smoke coming out of chimneys, fog in the mountains, apple spice candles.... you get the picture. I could go on forever. I always have a quilt hanging behind the couch, one for each season. I was so excited to put up my fall/Halloween quilt this year. Which is actually a sight to see cause I'm barely tall enough to stand on my smooshy couch and clip the thing up there. I have to use my mind powers to finish the task.
The border fabric is my favorite. It's an old Thimbleberries print. My next 'fall' quilt is actually my vintage sheet quilt. The backing is an old floral sheet with nice fall colors. I just fold it up with the backing out. It's an accidental fall quilt.
It's summer on the inside!
I also have an old fall quilt on the little couch. I think this is the second quilt that I made with an actual pattern, many moons ago. While making this quilt, I learned about the importance of squaring up blocks. It was a nightmare, and I'm surprised it's swirly quilting doesn't include bad words. Really bad ones.
Rosie is happy that fall has come around again too, because she knows the fire will be going. And she deserves some spoiling. The poor thing had surgery in her mouth to remove a cracked, absessed molar. Half of her little face was all swollen...it was sad. But she's all better now, and content by the fire.
Can you see the hot dog princess lounging? She'll be there all day.
As will this little one. Only he likes to lay on the arm of the couch. He's been angry with me because I've been having to give him medicine. Poor guy has had more urinary tract problems. :(
If you enjoy the little things, as I do, then you'll know how happy I was to find this little plate at Goodwill years ago.
I was also happy to pull out my little crow door hanger. Made a few years ago from a pattern in American Patchwork and Quilting. I've had to re-attatch the bells though. Neighborhood cats played with them and pulled them off. I wonder if they'll find them again this year. The little stinkers.
Happy fall, I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. x
I have so much to tell you all about! I'm not sure where to start, it's been such a busy few months for us. I'll have to share it all over a few posts, or this one would be waaay too long. Every year as summer approaches, and as we are nearing the end of our home school year, I plan all of the sewing/home projects I want to get done. Then reality sinks in and I realize how busy summer will be. Then as fall approaches I am yearning for the routine of our school days, and hope to get some sewing in where I can. My mom and I look forward to 4 uninterrupted days of sewing at our yearly quilt retreat each fall. We went to our third one a few weeks ago, and had a blast.
Picture it, 4 days of sewing with like minded people, all new friends. Coffee and tea available all day and night. Every meal provided. Cozy lodging out in the country of the pacific northwest. It is bliss.
Doesn't mama look happy? She and I had the messiest tables in our little grouping of tables. Ok maybe mine was the messiest. Look at all of my stuff on the floor even. Sheesh. Down below is a quilt my mom was working on. Isn't it awesome?
I was working on my Victory Garden quilt, an awesome pattern designed by Michelle. I've been wanting to make this forever.
It just makes me happy. Extra happy I'm sure because I'm using my Holiday Happy fabrics that Monica designed. I literally smile all crazy (as I tend to do) as I make each block because I love these fabrics so much.
It was so fun seeing old friends and making new ones of course! (Missed you Monica, Renee and Michelle!)
Here are Chara, Quynh, and Evelyn. They were right behind mom and I, and are awesome. Chara is a wedding/portrait photographer and she has a cat with diabetes. Quynh is a food photographer, my new sister (mom adopted her), and throws elaborate birthday parties for herself. Evelyn does something very smart and technical (good memory Sarah) has an adorable red haired daughter, and makes 400 quilts a day. I love them all, but not so much that I wouldn't steal their fabric when they weren't looking. Watch your backs ladies.
Here are some photos of the ladies' quilts. Maybe I should think of stealing the finished quilt tops instead of the fabrics. That means less work on my part.
Here is Karen, our gracious hostess. She is posing with her birthday cake that some of her sweet friends surprised her with. Isn't it amazing?
Now we met some more new friends. They arrived the second day of the retreat and sat at our table grouping. Meet Stacey and her daughter Dante.
Stacey is a devoted mother and runs an alpaca farm. Dante is a hair dresser and has a horrible rare milk allergy. We had so much fun getting to know these girls. Dante seriously cracks me up.
One night just a few of us were still up sewing. Dante had been string piecing her jelly roll strips all day. We decided that we wouldn't head off to bed until her first official block was finished. Here is her hallelujah pose. By this time we were over the edge tired and couldn't stop laughing.
The block turned out great. So then Dante, Mom, and I took the little walk to our lodging. In the dark.
We were on the lookout for bears and serial killers hiding in the woods.
We made it back alive, and headed off to bed. Of course we were hoping not to wake anyone because we were laughing so much. I decided to take a picture of Dante as she headed down the hall to her room. And she does this in the split second it took me to take her picture:
This sums up or delerious bout of late night sewing. She cracks me up.
The next morning, refreshed, I took a few pictures on my walk back to the building where we sew.
I love being here. The retreat center is so peaceful and out of the way.
Cry Baby the cat escorted me the entire way. When I stopped to take pictures she stopped to wait for me. Cute.
Back inside, I continue to take photos. This picture cracks me up because of the peeking.
The lady on the right made these for her granddaughters. I can't remember her name at the moment, but she was so nice. I do remember her daughter in-law's name though, Roberta. Of course that is not Roberta holding the other quilt.
Hi Roberta's mother in law!.......peek.
Here's a kooky bunch. Quynh, Melissa (who is pregnant and you can't tell!), me, Chara, and Evelyn. This was the last day and mom took these of us before we packed up to go. Of course everyone was sans makeup and not feeling purty. But we sure had a blast.
Mom took a series of photos and ended up with this one:
Don't ask, cause I don't know. Good times.
And lastly, my sweet mama and I.
Warms the heart doesn't it? I'll dissect the meaning for you, apparently, I'm reluctantly strangling her, and she's surprised, scared, and trying to scare someone else with her right hand.
I'll leave you with that. I'm hoping to get back on the computer soon to get some regular posting and blog visiting in. I miss you all!! x