Quilt shop hop...

...finds. 

First confession:  I only went to four shops out of a possible 22.  But that is better than none! and my husband took me to the last shop located in Oakdale California.  Oakdale, cowboy capital of the world...don't tell that to Wyoming or Texas or Oklahoma or Montana or...  The shop is called Quilter's Cabin and it is located in a log cabin and the mistress of the shop is just lovely as was her hubby who kindly talked to my hubby and then I could shop and talk about quilting without feeling guilty!  This darling store is a must see. 

But back to the above goods~All purchased from a variety of the shops on the shop hop.  Buttons are for my newly knitted shawl that is supposed to have buttons around the entire shoulder/neckline area.  Perfect!  Photo opp once completed.  Two new patterns, both so cute.  Nana's Flower Patch by Mountain Patchwork~a combination of old fashioned flower garden and embroidery.  The three fabric pieces in the front; the pink, yellow and brown are my chosen fabrics for that little project.  The pink and yellows are just beautiful.  They have this tiny dot of sparkle that reminds me of a polished cotton from a distance, almost.  Very neat.  (Holly Holderman "Itty Bitty Rose" by Lakehouse Dry Goods and the dark brown by Nancy Davis "Butterfly Kisses".)  I am majorly into embroidery right now and have a bunch of patterns that combine quilting and embroidery. 

The other pattern is Butterflies in the Garden by Seams Like Olde Thymes Designs.  Although I understand that thirties' era fabrics are not the "in" thing right now I still love them and I love the old patterns I have seen my grandmother make.  The butterflies are one of those.  I bought a moda layer cake ("Snippets" by American Jane) and will use other fabrics I have, too.  I will probably bold it up a bit with black butterfly bodies and more yellow!  We must have honey, more is better. 

The green strips of fabric are because of St. Patrick's Day this coming week - a remembrance.  The last three fabrics are for my yellows:  "Gramercy Park" by Janet Orfini for P&B Textiles - (that is the beautiful warm honey- light backrgound with darker honey flowers).  The last two swatches were just quick grabs that I will acknowledge when I use them.  I would have like to have purchased more honey colors-my personal postage stamp.  Next time!

Hope there are some vestiges of spring wherever you are - perhaps not outside yet, but in your heart and home!  God bless and talk to you later on the air waves!

Just in case you thought I was stretching things!

Snow and...

...more snow?  Not here, just fog, rain and more grey...oh well. California needs any moisture it can get, especially with all of us millions of folks using it faster than Mother Nature can provide...My garden is saturated and that is very good.  Yesterday I fertilized and there is evidence of new growth just starting to show.  Most of the flowers are 'coastal' so for them 50 degrees or below is so 'not ideal'.  Some things look quite awful in fact.  Lemon verbena, just on the edge of being an out of door plant here...struggling...

I know, it looks pathetic but it is so wonderful in the summer.  Just a quick brush of your hand and the lemon smell almost beats the real thing.  And take this little close up look...

Is this sweet or what? (the base of the lemon verbena)

But look at this lavender.  In two years it has become a wonderful giant! It is already on the way to wonderfulness in the plant world ~

it, too, will smell great as soon as these little beginnings of a flower decide to explode.

But saving the best for last.  Last week at work a co-worker announced her retirement.  We share a background/interest in Native American heritage. On Tuesday I found these on my chair in my little cubicle ~

Lakota Sioux.  I just love them...exactly what the old people did - took new objects and made them their own.  AND they fit - they are now my forever good luck shoes.

So here is wishing you a good week and God Bless!

Blog is such a strange word...

... I suppose I should query and find out how did it start?...or is it an acronym?  I am sure many of you out there in blog land already know the answer! 

Today was a very wet and rainy day on the coastside*.  Great for all the birds and ducks.  They don't seem to mind a bit.  But Madge hates the rain!  Who is Madge?  Here she is just moments ago feeling bored and hating the rain...(do you see her little tennis ball peaking out from under her head..just in case that rain stops?!)

Now here she is on MLK Day feeling very perky and cute -- ready to go!

I do believe she is a barometer of sorts!  We have several pets and they will adorn my pages, a compliment to life. 

Madge is a McNab/Border Collie cross and she is a little "stock" dog but since we don't have sheep she "stalks" the cat and is a crazed frisbee and tennis ball chaser.  She is very FAST!  People at the beach stop and watch her just fly after her tennis ball.  They often say, "He's fast!"  So sometimes we call her "ol' he's fast".  She is actually named for my Aunt Madge, a character, and my Madge takes right after her namesake!

I promise not to talk just about the weather and pets but really want to focus on creative efforts and things that others would enjoy seeing and doing.  But these first days will be a bit of introduction...God bless and I'll be talking to you on the airwaves!...yum...take a sniff...