Inspiration

Ever wonder why you saved those seashells, and keep moving them around from drawer to drawer? This is my creation that reminds me of walking the beach in Sebastian. Now I can go to that place everytime I walk into my bathroom.

Memorial Weekend

What a wonderful weekend, a great time with Kelly, Marie & Brandon!

The weather mostly cooperated -

A fun packed weekend with golf, food, beverage, flowers, biking, lawn

darts,smore's at the bon-fire, in house product consultant for kitchen

and just a little rain - these golfers are socking wet

Such Fun!

Book Review

Even though I grew up in the 60's when the novel that I just read takes place, I can't quite relate to the characters. Perhaps because they are black maids and genteel southern women. The book is called, "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. It is the stories of domestic help and the families that they worked for in a time when blacks had their own grocery stores, their own schools, beauty shops, black public restrooms, so white people would not catch their germs.
Where was I? I can't even imagine what the south was like. Laws have changed this racial imbalance, but have attitudes changed with the times? Easy to sit back and say that was a southern problem, but, I know people in Bemidji that feel the same way about our American Indians.
Read the book!

Measue Twice, Cut Once

Another lesson learned - 8 1/2 by 9 1/2 is not square. I haven't quilted for awhile so getting back to a project and made a mistake cutting two pieces. Generally you can sew pieces upside down, inside out, miss matched or what have you and with a good ripping scissor can fix most anything. Mistakes in cutting are not so easy to fix - too little fabric left so need to buy more to cut again.

JP

lesson learned

I made this bee-themed runner a little while back, with the hopes to sell it in my shop. It was cute, but probably not the best-made item I was putting out there. Then, I got this crazy idea to wash it, just to make sure that I could say "machine washable" and not lie.

I would have been lying. The brown ran through from the back into all the stitching and bled over most of the white fabric. Sad.

I then hastily washed all my unwashed fabric (to ward off this mess again), and made a brand new bee-themed runner.

This one is better.

Two lessons learned - wash my fabric and if you aren't happy with the first, make another one - it WILL be better.

"trip to the fair" Baby Qilt

Kelly's Sunrise View

What a great view for morning coffee

A really cute little cabin on the lake

Men notice this one!

Such a lovely April that I just played outside. Yesterday, I opened up my sewing shop , turned up the heat and created this little table runner. When I was in GM, I bought this animal panel thinking it would make quick pot holders. I cut it apart, and added a few quilting touches and it turned out cool. Kind of fallish, so it may go in the drawer for now.

Happy May Day

Happy May Day!

Rain has finally come so things should really green up now.

one of my favorite camp sites

Spontanious! Sometimes it is best to just give your hostess only a day to prepare for her guests just so she doesnt spend days cleaning and preparing for company.
We just spent a wonderful weekend in Grand Marais. It was time to take our motor home for a drive and do a little camping. What a nice spot to camp- my sister's driveway! Great hospitality and meals and entertainment. Thanks!

Early Spring

April 17th!

Last year this weekend was Easter - we thought it great to be able to hike along the lake shore with a just a little snow and ice and out to lighthouse even through the snow. My flowers were still in frozen ground and a blanket of snow.

In a post last fall I included a picture of April 16th, 1995 - Marie, Kelly, and Cocoa were walking on crusted snow almost as high as our boat.

This year I can't stop the perennials from coming out of the ground. It's so dry they need to be watered and for sure there will still be frosty nights.

Reach for the Sun!

Cilantro, oregano, basil; I just couldnt wait to see something come out of the ground.

Go Twins!

Maybe someday I'll get to go through the gates into the new stadium - *sigh* - not for $200 tickets selling on the street though.

the dinosour in my yard

Many people have never seen a clothesline. This one, in my yard, is probably nearly 50 years old. It spans more than 20 feet and has 6 lines. I dont have enough clothes in my closet to fill it up. At times, I would like to be rid of it, but I do use it. Not the way we did when I was young, but I do hang jeans, rugs, blankets out. It comes in handy for drying out a tent and airing out sleeping bags.
I dreaded wash day as a kid. We had a wringer wash machine and this was the dryer. The wash machine was filled with hot water, and we had 2 big tubs of water for rinsing. There was a definate order to washing the family clothes. First, the dishtowels, then white clothes, sheets, towels, underwear,socks, colored shirts,etc. Last were the jeans, and then the smelly barn clothes.
All the weeks dirty clothes done in one day. We didnt have as many clothes and wore them several times before they were considered dirty.
There were rules about hanging clothes too, mostly having to do with saving space and utilization of the clothes pins. Todays clothes pins are "cheap" and break easily.
A small garden would be nice in this spot, but then I would have to fight the deer and rabbits, so I guess I will try to be a little "greener" and commit to drying more of my laundry; underwear and bras in the middle, so the neighbors cant see them.

yum

I can't wait to see my family for the Easter weekend that is coming up. Generally I like Easter as a holiday. It's not on my top holiday list - I think it started to decline when I was in architecture school and there were always projects due, so no traveling home for a weekend for me - but I do like an excuse to see family.

I do have one big issue with this holiday. HAM. I don't like it one bit (maybe in butter bun sandwiches, but only on occasion).

Dare I suggest breaking tradition and borrowing some Passover Brisket? Now there's a meat I can get behind.

This looks yummy:













Recipe at Pioneer Woman

Happy Birthday Marie

Happy Birthday Marie - you have given us 30 years of joy as your parents.

We love you - Mom & Dad

PS - Sorry we can't be there to share the birthday party.

"You are my sunshine"

One of my favorite nieces turns 30 this week. She has always been a special person. When she was little, I loved sewing dresses for her and shopping for birthday gifts for her. The one gift that stands out in my mine is the tape recorder that I bought for her when she was very young. She recorded her favorite song, "You are my sunshine", and played it over and over.
She is still a walking sunbeam, always able to brighten a room with her enthusiasm, and her zest for life.
Happy birthday Marie.

This is getting pathetic

 Ladies - this blog is getting sad. Sad with neglect, with lack of r-e-s-p-e-c-t. In the order of TLC, RSVP and CPR, I'm starting a list of 5 things. You continue with your answers!

5 Things I am looking forward to:

-MY BIRTHDAY

-delivering my newest quilt to miss Ella, seeing her mom, meeting her, and getting to post pictures of the whole quilt tomorrow!

-the newest Modern Quilt Guild - I'm running the first meeting of the Minneapolis/St. Paul chapter on Tuesday

-eating a girl scout cookie...they are in the freezer for safe keeping

-learning more in my indie biz class

5 Things I did yesterday:

-took a photo of these growing in my garden:

-ate lots of girl scout cookies...which is why they are in the freezer

-ran outside (brrr)

-watched the movie "Bright Star" - slow plot, but beautiful imagery (now I want a butterfly farm)

-slept in

5 Things I wish I could do:

-be in Florida drinking bloody marys

-have a BIG veggie garden

-can the veggies in the garden

-have a pantry big enough to hold the canned goods

-find a solution for my dining storage

5 Places I'd like to travel:

-italy & greece

-east coast beach houses...those dreamy ones that are in the movies and books (hamptons?, south carolina?)

-alaska

-london

-california vineyards...lets go soon ladies!

Ok - now it's your turn!

Yes - vacation time

No time to post new pictures of the bathroom - it's really nice!

We are leaving tomorrow for a St. Patrick's Day flight to Florida. Today it's 55+, no snow, flies and it smells like spring. I do hope it snows while we are gone.

JP

We can flush

It's as good as done - big day today - we can flush.

Will blog pictures as soon as pictures and cabinet doors are hung.

JP