Wednesday

Today's drive was from Grand Coulee to Coeur d'alene, Idaho.  We were not on the main interstate, so saw a number of much smaller towns along the way.  Truly unplanned we came upon the town of Reardon.  Wellllllllll - I stopped and ran into the bank and asked where (oh where) is Buggy Barn Quilts.  We were about a mile away and managed to find it down a rather washboard dirt road, but just as grand as anyone could imagine.  WOW!  Their own patterns and fabric are fabulous, but they have coordinated and "goes with" fabrics forever.  Lots and lots of others work, as well.  I managed to get out of the store for under $100 - I thought I showed rather remarkable restraint.  Ah my - what a treat.

By mid afternoon we arrived in Coeur d'alene, just for one night.

One of our favorite campgrounds. 

Journey to Wyoming

We are on our way to Gillette, WY.  I will try to keep you up-to-date on our adventures and include a few photos along the way.  Should there happen to be a fabric store (or such) along the way, well. . . . that will just have to be included as well. 

We started in Cle Elum at a campsite along the Yakima River.  Between rain showers it was really lovely.

After a stop for some fresh Washington cherries,

(bings and Rainiers) we continued east toward Grand Coulee.  This is the most unique landscape, literally carved eons ago during the last Ice Age.  There used to be grand rivers here,

but now it is dry and rocky and filled with sagebrush,

and it is most well-known for the dam along the Columbia River, the Grand Coulee Dam

Hoping for improving weather tomorrow when we head into Idaho.  [No sewing today.]

I love Spooner Farms

June is always such a joy when Spooner Farms (from Olympia) open their berry stand just a few blocks away.

They just always have wonderful berries and so you can figure out what that means:  Strawberry Jam.  [We'll have other choices later in the summer.  Yum!]

Aren't these gorgeous?  So it was a busy time in Nana's kitchen.

Freezer jam.  Managed to get 20 half-pints made (and froze enough berries for another 6-8 pints).  Come January I will be one happy girl.

Those oldies but goodies

Show-

It really is quite fun to finally finish up a few things that have been "percolating" for quite some time.  Perhaps quilt projects are like fine wine and they improve with being put away and just sitting for a while (?).  This particular one I really do love and don't know why I didn't get my act together before now, as it is more than 10 years old.  But finished at last - one early morning when I couldn't sleep.  Added the binding and viola - a Christmas skirt complete.

All paper pieced.  More tedious than hard.  And it sure took forever to get all the paper out - I remember that part.

Table runner with millenium fabric included.  [Ok, Ok, I know, long ago and far away, but finished now and ready for an up-coming birthday.

Another table runner with the paddle wheel pattern.  Easy, peasy, with all 2 1/2" strips.  I think I'll do another one, one of these days.

Sweet little piece, in honor of Jeanne, a former member of our Stashbusters group.  It is hand appliqued and hand quilted.  She used to do whole bed quilts like this - amazing work.  [hers, not mine].  But it makes me happy.  It is a Becky Goldsmith design.

Today's "tell" is about getting a ticket because my "tabs" were out of date.  They always send a reminder [except this year they didn't.  It's only a courtesy, I'm told.].  So I had to buzz pronto to the licensing office.  Except I was due for an emission test.  So, after paying $5 for a paper that said I had visited the licensing people, and intended to get new tabs, but had to get the emission test done - in case the police stopped me.  I got the test done and passed, so back to the licensing office for my new tabs.  No checkbook, but they have a large sign that says "we take credit cards, except VISA".  What do I have?  Yup.  But they say they will accept VISA debit cards, for a $2 fee, so I hand over my card.  Except there is one local credit union whose VISA debit won't work - mine!  So it's off to the cash machine to pay for the tabs.  I'm sure you will be reassured to know that I am now driving legally with up-to-date tabs on my car.  Yikes - what an adventure.

Tomorrow it's do the final packing, sorting, planning for our motorhome adventures which begin on Friday.  I will try to get some freezer jam made tomorrow, too, while there are local berries available.  I think just driving along will seem peaceful and relaxing after these past few weeks.  Phew!
 

Terrific Friday

Lovely spring/summer like weather.  Makes me so happy.  We even could have al fresco dining (for lunch) - so nice.

My morning began with making one of my favorite appetizers.  Tomorrow is friend Alayne's 70th (!) birthday, so these are to take to the party.  Use "Little Smokies" and crescent roll dough,

So simple.  Simply cut the dough in half, lengthwise and roll up one of the little sausages.  I have frozen mine and then will simply pop them into a bag until I'm ready to bake them.

They are always gone in moments when I serve them. And then should there be any roll dough left, you have to bake them and viola - ready for lunch,

Very tasty, indeed.  The yard is also so nicely blooming,

Getting ready for a jaunt in our RV, so I need a little project to work on.   I have been using the light box and transferring the design onto some pinky-beige 'dimples'.  This pattern calls to use a piece of muslin behind and worked with the top fabric as one.  So last night I ironed and basted it all together.  I have collected the floss and am about ready to go.

And then this afternoon, because I needed a short little project, I made the sandwich for another table runner.  It always makes me feel so good to use this batting - it's made from recycled plastic drink bottles.  (can to see that it is literally green?)  Got this quilted and will work on bindings tonight.

Happy week-end.

Got my borders on

My longarm quilter friend came over and we had some conversation about what sort (if any) of a border this quilt needed.  The consensus was that "yes", one was required.  So having auditioned several fabrics, decided to use the old-fashioned small floral that is in the quilt.  I also really liked the plain green, but didn't have enough, so just made a flange inside the border.

[sorry I don't have a better way to show you the quilts, but you get the idea this way, anyway]  This one I really want to get ready to go to the quilter before we head out in the RV.  The gal this is for will be working in Seattle this summer before she heads south for college in August.

I'm patching together some batting remnants to use inside some wall hangings that I'm finishing up.  Yeah!!!!!  And one table runner is ready for hand sewing the back side of the binding.  Things are buzzing here at Casa Nana.  [Hope you're having more spring weather than we are.  BLECH!!!!]

Some Progress

I am making some continuing progress on my block-a-month project and have completed two more blocks.  I realize that it doesn't seem so speedy, but was in part because I had to re-make the blue block.  I thought (perhaps) I knew better than the pattern and altered the size of a couple of the blocks - thinking to make them fit better.  Yes, well - it didn't go together correctly, in the end, so there was nothing but to do it over.  Note to self:  just like Ikea instructions (as my friend Caro says) you must follow them, as written.

These Aunt Gracie-like fabrics are fun and while busy, I really do like them. 

Also got the blocks together for the high school graduation quilt I started a while back. [3 blocks by 4] This gal is going to college in southern California, so no wool batting required.  Something pleasant but not too heavy.  I hope that friend Alayne will be able to fit this into her quilting schedule.

Tomorrow is the CTA fabric sale.  This will be the second sale - folks are asking if it is annual, but I'm not sure.  It is a lot of work, but we earned a fair amount of money last year.  So I'll let you know how it goes.  [When all was said and done the church rummage sale - which you read about here - earned over $34,000.  Incredible.  Today was the lunch to plan where the money will be donated.  Sure feels good.]

Sunday Sewing

This morning started with a very nice service at church, entirely done by the youth.  They really did a great job and were composed and very adult in their presentations.  I was impressed and hold out great hope with those folks taking over.

And after some left-over pizza for lunch, headed down to my little stitchery cave.  Such fun.  I was able to finish up some previously begun blocks - part of the block-a-month that's been on hold for several months.  I have shown you block one, here are 2 and 3-4,

And then because I have wanted to give this a try, made 3 blocks in a pattern called "Scrap Basket Paddle Wheel".  I really made mine scrappy, just digging into my darks box.  [The pattern called for a more controlled palate, but also said one could do this - totally random.]  Biggest challenge is all the bias edges.  Another friend made this and said she just used spray sizing and just sprayed the bejeepers out of the blocks.  I didn't do that, but was oh so careful ironing.  (please ignore the background - my closet doors are so multi-purpose)

I think they are pretty fun, don't you?  The sun has finally come out and it makes all the plants and flowers look so cheerful.  Happy Sunday!