RVW Country Fair

Our RVing group had a Country Fair theme last week-end, at our last event of the year.  It was great, great fun to see what people do in their "other" time when they are not out in their RV's.  So here are some photos from that,

Stashbusters raffle quilt

Baseball card collection

Lego VW

Animal masks

Gourds

Carpentry and Wood Burning

What an amazingly talented bunch of women.  Everyone enjoyed both the 'showing' and the looking.  It was a fun time, despite the perpetual rains.  Now to pack those beasts away until we head out again in March (at least that is the next organized event).  Boo Hoo.

Wednesday, already

This will be mostly photos.  As I have been collecting things to take to our "Show and Tell" event this week-end, I did borrow back (just for the week-end) what is probably my favorite quilt.  You may remember it - it was for my DD's birthday in 2010.  The pattern and some of the fabrics were from Shipshewana.  I just love it.  In all candor, it is NOT my very best work (there are many mistakes) but I still love it.  Perhaps I should make another one?????

We have been enjoying 3 days of very nice autumn weather - due to end tonight with rain for the next 4+ days.  (Oh yuk)  So in case I forget what it can look like,

We even got in some needed pruning yesterday, but now all the cans and bags are full.  Was this the last time to mow the lawn?  Oh my - not my favorite time of the year.  Alas!

A little tasty treat to take this week-end: Krispie treats with candy corn.  YUM!

Binding finished

The orange binding is complete on the raffle quilt.  It is quite large so I don't have any good photos of the whole things, but here are a few more - so you can get the general idea.

Isn't she just such a happy little chicken (even if she is pink)

This is a VERY happy quilt.  Even Caro wants me to buy her some tickets - you never know who will win.

My RV group has its last function of the year next week and one of the activities is for each of us to bring along samples of what we "do".  Obviously for me that means quilting and stitching.  So I'm "auditioning" a number of things I have here at home, plus a couple of previous 'give aways' that I have borrowed back.  I tend to give most of the things I make away, but I have a few.  It will be a fun week-end and when we last did this Show and Tell event, it was a great hit.

No, I didn't fall off the turnip truck

I really have been busy, so it isn't for want to something to say (do I ever have that challenge?) but just life is happening.  So, most of my time has been spent working on a little Christmas stitchery.  It is now ready for borders, but I cannot show you just yet as it will likely be a Christmas gift and one of my readers might just receive it.  So shhhhhhh!

Stashbusters (my smaller quilting group) each year makes a quilt to be raffled.  This is in lieu of paying rent for the space where we meet.  If you have read this blog for more than a year, you already know this - sorry.  Because we were out of the country I didn't make a block for the quilt, so am the official binder.  Here are 3 photos of part of the quilt.  It is all applique -but because some of us don't do much applique it is an interesting assortment of needle turn, freezer paper, turn and glue, etc. etc. as well as "steam a seam". 

The original pattern called for all tans and browns and we decided something distinctly wilder would be better.  The binding is bright orange.  Great fun.  More photos to follow.

Moving into Autumn

I really enjoy the arrival of fall and being able to do cooking.  So this week it has been,

Butternut squash and apple soup and this pear nut bread.  It's fun to think about what sort of tasty tidbits we can whip up.  Yum.  Tomorrow my friend Alayne and I will be doing some cooking to put in the freezer.  I'll keep you posted.

I have also been working on some very small quilts.  One of the newest projects that my CTA group is working on are quilts for the NICU at Providence Hospital - for the baby's who are very sick and do not survive.  As our coordinator said, this is very "tender" work and we do it with love and concern.

I'm putting the finishing touches on the quilt for my brother and SIL's expected granddaughter.  I will show you soon.

Something to Consider

If you are a blog writer, you might consider having your blog, or parts thereof, printed in a book format.  As this really was our trip journal, we had the blog printed from mid May until the first of August.  It is really very nice and includes all the color photos from the blog itself.  Nanas Quilts and More, Adventures in the Netherlands, dedicated to Adventurers Everywhere,

Front Cover

Back cover (with you know who)

Really very nice and a wonderful momento.

What's Going on?

Wowzer - it's October already.  Seems that we were just planning our big jaunt to the Netherlands and now where are we?  [I got the blog of our trip printed - I'll show you photos next time]

These past few days I finished up the quilt (top) for my brother's up-coming Granddaughter.  I think she is due in November.

His wife assures me that her DIL is not real "girly" -so this will be girl enough for this new little one.  I think it is rather sophisticated.

Autumn is here.  But Elaine got a 3rd coat on the garage door and it looks really good (before the rains really came down)

Yesterday the Grands had no school, but the two girls weren't feeling well.  So GS and his Nana had a day together.  We had great fun and he always is on his very best behavior when he is here (as opposed to what his mother says happens at home - isn't it always that way?).  We taught him to play Five Crowns - our latest new (to us) card game.  He loves to play Peggle on the computer and then we did a bit of sewing.  He is really quite good at using the machine and it was fun for both of us.  Nana cut out the fabric and he stitched the pieces together to make burp cloths for his new cousin.  And viola!  Christmas gifts already to go and hand-made by him.

He is quite good at stitching straight seam lines but this is a great aid - just run your fabric along the edge and you get very straight seams. 

Good, huh?  I'm also working on a little quilt for the NICU at Providence Hospital - I'll show you that too.