- red, white & bLue -

The sunset reflecting on the mountains to the east, the wintry blue sky, and the pretty red flowers on my window sill all came together for a scene that stopped me in my tracks. I yelled at Scott to come quick! (The sunsets fade so quickly that I've learned not to delay when a photo is needed.) Scott, or course, shot some gorgeous photos and I'm happy! 

 

- heard on Sunday -

"Many of us are willing to carry the stool, when it's the piano that needs moving."

empTy nesters

and that's OK!

- Happy Heart Day -

For Valentine's Day, I made the "Be Mine" Table Runner from Kimberbell Designs (that's where I work). It was a fun quilt  from beginning to end. For me, the beginning was when Kim first showed me her new Valentine project - way before Christmas. I loved it and couldn't wait to get ahold of the pattern. That meant we (Kim and I) had to write the pattern. Sewing it for myself was a great way to test our directions.  

It came together beautifully and was also a successful mystery quilt for My Girlfriend's Quilt Shop. I love the little pinwheel and felt heart arrow. The quilt shop's resident quilter, Mary, machine quilted it for me. I watched several episodes of Doc Martin as I hemmed the binding. Very relaxing.

The tumbler blocks were new to me, but really fun to make. I like how Kim includes piecing techniques that are a bit unusual and something new to learn. Have a Happy Valentine's Day.


And here's "the other version" that Kim made. She usually makes a more traditional and a more bright and trendy version of her runners. 

[ suNspots ]

I crave light and sunshine right now. When there are patches of sunlight around my house on cold February afternoons, I take pictures of them. The little square above is the one I sit on...just sit there in the sun with the Friday edition of the Wall Street Journal in my lap to read. There are two WSJ sections I like: Review and Off Duty. Today I enjoyed the 'Valentine Gift Guide,' a review of a biography of Calvin Coolidge (have to admit, I knew nothing about him), an essay on polar bears, and an article called Family Inc. If you have kids, don't miss this well-written and informative article. A link to the complete article is here. After reading the article, I want to learn more about agile development. I don't want to start over raising kids. 

 

 

 

 

- Sierra's QuiLt -

It was a labor of love, this quilt that Becky, Suzie and I made for our new daughter-in-law/sister-in-law Sierra. Making the quilt was a team effort and a joy for me to work with my daughters.

Mike and Sierra were so happy to get the quilt that they spread it out and posed with it right in my kitchen.

NO PIC, SORRY!


This is the "inspiration quilt" that Sierra loved when she and Mike were engaged. (Sorry, I can't make the image appear.) When I told her we wanted to make her a quilt, she showed me this photo that she had pinned (from the tumbler feed of "a well-traveled woman"). Sierra was drawn to the modern feel and the simple design. I knew it was going to be a fun project and sent the picture on to Becky and Suzie. 

They both went to work on the quilt. Suzie started finding fabrics - both online and at stores where she lives. She came to Logan for Sierra's shower and brought a stack of fabrics for the quilt. We also pulled some pieces from my stash. Suzie even talked Mike into weighing in on fabrics he liked. 

Brookelyn also got in on the decision making and had some good suggestions. The large-print florals and gingham checks were important to achieve the right 'look.' Suzie had a good eye and did some patient sleuthing through internet fabric shops to put together the perfect yardage. 

Meanwhile, Becky was figuring out the quilt pattern. The blocks had to be varying widths and yet the strips had to end up the same length. That took some good math skills. She came up with a cutting guide which Suzie used as she marathoned a couple of late nights to cut the blocks. Then Becky and I sewed the strip sets and Becky sewed the quilt together. 

 

 Lizzie loved playing with the fabrics. 

 
My friend Carol Armstrong graciously consented to machine quilt the quilt - in the midst of her Christmas preparations and getting ready for family to visit. I appreciated her so much. Her quilting is beautiful.
 

I was looking at the quilt and loving how Carol added some hearts into the design. Suddenly I saw another little extra...Mike and Sierra's initials quilted into a block on the lower edge. So special...thanks Carol! 

I kept the quilt for awhile...yes, it took me some time to get the binding sewed on...and it looked so awesome hanging from our balcony that I just had to enjoy it for a few days weeks. Now it's at home in Sierra and Mike's cute little apartment where it belongs.  

 

{ road trip }

Scott and I just returned from a little road trip to Las Vegas and St. George to visit our daughter (with her husband and baby daughter) and my parents. It's great that they live on the same route, so to speak. We drove straight to Las Vegas, stayed two days, then drove to St. George for two more days, then home. Smooth sailing.

EXCEPT...on the way home it was nearly painful to watch the outside temperature drop every hour. We left
St. George today in sunshine and 60 degrees, and as we traveled north we four ourselves gritting our teeth as we encountered continuously worsening drizzle, fog, and snow. The thermometer said 18 as we rolled into our home town. Brrrr.

We used to dread long drives until we decided to alternate driving every 1 1/2 hours. Scott makes us stick to the schedule and it really works for us. We also allow the driver to choose the music. Scott listens to words not music...either from a company called The Great Courses or podcasts from This American Life. Both are very entertaining and make the miles fly by.

Meantime while one drives the other reads, sleeps, stitches (me) or sketches (Scott). Today I enjoyed surfing on my iPad and fell in love with everything on the Cath Kidston website.

 I already have an address book from this wonderful UK designer, but I'm very tempted to order this bag,

...or this notebook,

...or this scrapbook,

...or this flour shaker,

...or this travel bag. 

Everything is so charming at Cath Kidston, and the flower patterns remind me of the two years we lived in Germany so many years ago.