halfway through…

How is it July already?!

But here it is, four days in, celebrating Independence Day, here in the good ol’ USA! Weather permitting, we (as in me and the Merkel crew) plan on taking the boat out for an afternoon of swimming and an evening of fireworks on the lake. Boom!

I’ve done some fun things this year. After signing on to be the 2nd VP of Programs for my guild, I decided it wasn’t as bad as I’d worried it would be. In fact, I really enjoyed getting speakers, managing programs, and writing blurbs for the newsletter and introductions. I was actually all set to volunteer to do it again for the next guild year, but the incoming president (who’s currently the 1st VP—a position which automatically rolls into President the following year) told me no. Or rather, she said she’d rather have me as her 1st VP. 😳 Needless to say, I sat on that for a hot minute, but in the end, I agreed. So here I am.  LOL! The position starts with close of our August meeting.

 

I took a very fun wool appliqué workshop with one very darling Vicki McCarty, of Calico Patch Designs. Each day we received four of the first sixteen blocks and worked on one block in particular. There were lots of goodies and door prizes, too—it was like going on retreat, but sleeping in my own bed! Loads of fun!

Our May program at guild was MJ Kinman. Our workshops coordinator was out of town, so I had the privilege of not only escorting MJ through the program, but the workshops as well. 

          

She was a fabulous speaker and teacher. Her classes were full both days and the inspiration level was high! I had planned on paying for both workshops, but since I had to coordinate, I didn’t have to pay…but it also means I had other duties that didn’t allow me to be fully present in her teaching. I did go home and make my topaz jewel!

Nine year old Edith (local granddaughter number three) decided she wanted to make a quilt. By hand. With my help.  She brought me a 5” charm pack of purples and asked. What could I say? I picked up a second pack and she laid them out the way she wanted. Six of the nine rows are stitched. 

 

She’s stitching the squares together and then I’ll machine stitch the rows together and add borders, to make it big enough for it to be a nice lap quilt for her. I’m thinking it would be the perfect quilt for hand tied quilting. We could do that together! With purple yarn, of course!

 

Twelve year old Olivia (California granddaughter number two) flew out with her mama for a wedding. It also happened to be Olivia’s birthday weekend and we were so pleased to be able to celebrate with her! 

Later in June I took a traveled north east to spend a long weekend with my sister and her local family, and then went on to Annapolis for a mini reunion with friend from high school. 

Same group I traveled to Charleston with last year. We had a really lovely time. It was so nostalgic and sweet, plus Annapolis is a hotbed of historical significance, which made being there in our country’s 250th year all the more exciting! And it was Plebe Week, which just added to the fun! I felt 16 again! Plus I got my fill of Maryland blue crabs:  steamed, crabcakes, cream of crab soup, crab puffs . . . ALL THE CRAB! We’re already making plans for next year. Quebec is at the top of our list!

My girls are doing great! 

 

 

They are definitely divas—but such fun and a complete comfort. I love them so much! Even when they are so bad.  LOL! And thank goodness they’re around—they save me from talking to myself! ;)

Happy 4th!!  :)

birthday hijinx . . .

Whew! What a wonderful birthday week/weekend it's been!!

It started when I got out some of my fall decor and decorated my front door . . .

I kinda miss having a front porch ... and the back patio really isn't big enough (or seen well) to do more than a bit for me.

Then I met my Cross Stitch group on Monday.  Remember how I'd made such great progress on my Lady Halloween piece?  I looked at it Sunday evening and realized I'd stitched two complete elements in the wrong place:

UGH!  Don't you hate it when that happens? Anyway, I spent my group time on Monday picking out all the inappropriate stitches. And then the rest of the week adding them back in the correct location (along with a few more) . . .

Then there were presents from my Affirmation Sisters . . .

Fun stitchy stuff!!

On Friday I had birthday dinner with Joc and the local crew . . .

Joc made me this beautiful Almond Joy birthday cake.  It was SOOO good!

And they gifted me with this beautiful blue enamel dutch oven, which was on my wish list!  I'm so excited to cook in it ... just in time for soup and chili season!

Saturday morning started early ... with Ezra's soccer game!

He scored the first goal of the game, and they won (although they don't really keep score officially, the parents do)!

After that, I headed to the Merkel's to watch the Alabama vs. Mizzou game.  It was a good (and close) game, but BAMA pulled it out!  Roll Tide!  When the game was over, I headed home to do some stitching.  I worked on the cute little Halloween stitchery that was gifted to me with the stitchable ort tray.  It's really cute!  

Someone had no interest in what I was doing . . .

And then someone was waaaaaay too interested . . . 

Sassy girl!

A quick look ahead . . . we've got LUKE Haynes coming in to speak for our guild program on Thursday evening, and then he's there for the next two days doing workshops.  

I'm taking his Friday workshop, Clothes to Quilts.  I'm really looking forward to it!

So that's it from me.  Celebrating all month long, though ... whoohoo!! Linking up last minute with Kathy's Quilts: Slow Sunday Stitching!

:)

whirlwind moments . . .

Well. That didn't go as planned!  I knew I wasn't going to be an every day blogger, but gosh, I sure hadn't planned on more than three weeks going by!  C'est la vie. Life has been so busy!  Lemme share . . .

I finished up my March 3-yard quilt.  Whoohoo!  Of course, I never got to the April quilt, so March and April are just going to share this one . . .

The girls immediately gave their seal (cat hair) of approval!

And while it doesn't look like a lot, I finished the waves and started on the ship on my Coming to America project . . .

Thursday, April 17th was a long day.  It was Todd's birthday, so Ezra and I made the trek out to the marina and had a picnic lunch.  Ezra sat in the captain's chair and informed me that since he was sitting there, it was now his boat.  Love that little guy!

From there, we met Joc and the girls (who'd spent the day at their homeschool cover) at the cemetery. 

I'd picked up Todd's favorite ice cream cake and we sang happy birthday to him and shared sweet "Pawpaw" memories.  

All in all it was a sweet (bittersweet) day. But it wasn't over.  While I'd have liked nothing more than to go home and sink into bed, our guild's speaker was Jan Davis, the first woman quilter in space.  

Mind you, she didn't actually quilt in space, but she did bring fabric with her (as one of her two personal items), including this beautiful block of her own design.

I'm glad I went ahead and went, but I slept until noon on Friday!

That Sunday was Easter. I celebrated with the Merkel crew at their house.  It was a beautiful day!

Filled with beautiful kiddos, all decked out matchy-matchy for the day!

Then I was on a road trip to Charleston, SC!  This summer is my 45th (can you believe it?!?) high school reunion, and they're taking a riduculously expensive cruise. I talked to a group of gals I've kept up with, to see if anyone was planning on going, and we decided to ditch the cruise and meet in SC for a long girl's weekend!

It was such fun!  We did the Charleston City Market, the Magnolia Plantation, and even took a haunted carriage tour!!  

We also ate a LOT of seafood; to my heart's content! It was our last night, eating out on the water, that I caught this gorgeous sunset . . .

And then this past weekend, it was ballet recitals . . .

Dinner with the darling Marie Bostwick, who was in town on tour, promoting her latest book, The Book Club for Troublesome Women.  Quilters who are also book readers may be familiar with her Cobbled Court Quilts series. She really is amazing!

And then Sunday evening my mom and I traveled to Gadsden to see the Gaither Vocal Band.  It was a great evening of music and praise and fun.  

Whew! I was actually glad it was Monday, and I didn't have any plans until late this afternoon! Happy month of May . . . summer is just around the corner!

:)