Thursday, October 31, 2013

Candy Dish (Blogger's Quilt Festival)



This is my 2nd entry in the Blogger's Quilt Festival, a scrap quilt that I made in a class from Heidi Kaisand over at Hen & Chicks Studio.  I finished the top last November (see my post "Election Day") and did the machine quilting to meet the Festival deadline...yes that's the only way I get 'em done....with a deadline. This measures 45" x 61" and I plan to wrap it around the bottom of the Christmas tree.

Doesn't Santa look relaxed and ready for Christmas as he snuggles snuggles up to the quilt?




 Hope you enjoy all your Christmas stitching.

Nana

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Welcome Winter (Blogger's Quilt Festival)

"Welcome Winter" 17" x 19"

This is my entry into the Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.  Redwork is my favorite form of relaxation as it's so portable and fun to do.  I stitched this piece outdoors this summer on the porch or the lake and now I'm trying to ease into the coming winter with a positive attitude...  I machine quilted it on my home sewing machine.  The pattern is a block from "Winter Wonderland" by Crabapple Hill

Hop over to Amy's Creative Side to see all the entries.

Nana
"Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless. "
~Terri Guillemets



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Catching Up


VIP tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery with Kathy & Darryl





In the event you're wondering where I've been, here is a short synopsis.....

In April, looking for spring after a long Minnesota winter, we headed to St. Louis to visit friends. 
  






We took a morning stroll through the historical Soulard Farmers' Market. I think the big attraction for me at farmer's markets is the colorful fruits, veggies and flowers.  They had the biggest carrots I've ever seen! It was a a fun place to enjoy a bloody Mary and some good eats or just people watch.

















Summer officially begins at the lake with the opener or opening walleye season, a father /son affair every May.

    The dock is in, the fish are in the pond and we have a May snow storm???
Deep Valley Quilters' Biannual Show.







There's nothing like a quilt show to inspire me to stitch as well as shop.










A quick trip to the Minnesota Quilters' Show in Duluth before we headed back up north for the annual week at the lake with the family.











Great weather, lots of fish fries and fun in the sun at Lake Vermillion.








July 4th 2013













           Suddenly summer was half over!




















Katy, my "fashionista" models my 44 year old wedding shoes at grandkids camp.












We had fun playing euchre on the porch every night.










Just as the garden was in full bloom and producing lots of veggies, we loaded up for a long anticipated trip to Idaho.

















On the way we stopped at Wheat Montana for flour, bread and good eats.








There was great entertainment and food at the Sand Point farmers market.








"Huckleberry friends" hubby and cousin Pete at Priest Lake.








Pete in the Ancient Grove of Cedars.  We were cautiously trying to avoid the bears who were looking for the huckleberries just like we were. 


















September brought a visit from Wisconsin friends....Audrey and her 105 year old mother.  We sat by the pond and watched the frogs jump wildly trying to catch bugs!







Later we had tea, cookies and Czech style sandwiches with fresh produce from the garden.














Good things from the garden!














Mussels with good things from the garden




















We had lots of squash, tomatoes, cucumbers and flowers from the garden as well as veggies from a local CSA.
AQS Show.







Traveled to Des Moines for the AQS show and a reunion with former neighborhood friends.








Tapas and wine at Trostel's Dish in Clive, IA
































Evenings on the lake stitching, reading or just enjoying the view.......

















October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in the aftermaths. Anne reveled in the world of color about her.... "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?..." ~Lucy Maud Montgomery




Hope you are enjoying these beautiful days of autumn as much as I am!


Nana