There Is No Place Like Home July 30, 2009

We didn’t drive all the way to Sonora on Tuesday. Ft. Stockton ended up being home for the evening and yesterday we made it the rest of the way. It is really good to be home!

On our drive out, Mary Ellen had to find herself some Banana Laffy Taffy. She looked at EVERY gas station we stopped at. She finally broke down and got a variety bag at Wal-mart, once we finally made it to California. While that was enough to hold her over for a little while, it wasn’t enough to tide her over for the rest of the trip. She lucked out at a bulk candy store on the Long Beach pier. Let’s just say, they don’t have any more banana Laffy Taffy.

She didn’t even make a dent in the bag on the return trip.

I am happy to be home. 6 days out of 10 in a car is a long time!

On our way home July 28, 2009

We are on our way back from Long Beach, CA. And the drive back seems longer than the drive here. Strange how that works. To break up our day we usually try and stop somewhere for at least a little while to stretch.

We hadn’t been on the road long but we stopped anyway. Well it wasn’t so much along the way, but since it wasn’t too far off the beaten path we stopped at Quilter’s Coop in Temecula first. Very nice shop. They had some wonderful displays and some great ideas. Here is a photo of their 30′s fabric.

Then we stopped at one of my favorite LA places, Pinkberry.

And our last stop was The Temecula Quilt Co.

This is the quilt that will be featured in the Fall 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Quilt Sampler magazine. It was fun to see the quilt before seeing it in the magazine.

Then we hit the road.

There were some pretty views along the way.

Tomorrow we are hoping to make the drive from Phoenix to Sonora, TX. 11 hours and 800 miles. We’ll see how far we get.

Road Trip, Part II July 22, 2009

Yesterday I woke up in Texas, saw Mexico, New Mexico and Arizona and finally ended up in California. It was a long day. But it started off right…

Just makes me smile. It was tasty too.

Today we don’t have as far to travel. Only 3 1/2 hours or so. Luckely, there is shopping along the way!

Road Trip July 19, 2009

Tomorrow I head for Los Angeles, by car, 22 hour drive. Makes me slightly tired thinking about it but I am looking forward to it all the same. I am going with work. We are headed to Long Beach Quilt Festival. For you quilters, this is the place to be. Well that or Fall Festival right here in Houston in October.

The owners of the company I work for offered to take me a long since LA is my hometown. I am happy for the opportunity and looking forward to seeing a few friends and family. We leave tomorrow bright and early! aka Butt crack of dawn! *ahem*

The only thing I was asked to bring on this trip was “baked items”. So to prepare I made a few things.

Toasted pecans…

To be added to…

Then scooped and bake…

and ready to eat.

I also made rice crispy treats, but they didn’t look as good in the photos.

Our plans are to make it to El Paso tomorrow. That is a lot of car time for one day. This cruise director has some entertainment up her sleeve. Just hope they don’t throw me overboard!

Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel July 18, 2009

Not sure where my love for baking comes from. My dad was never big on the store bought treats, so maybe that is where it started for me. I remember making birthday cakes for family members and helping my grandmother make pies and fresh bread (known as “clouds” in our family) for holiday meals. There is just something about all the measuring and scooping and finding a great recipe that people are going to enjoy that keeps me going back to bake up something scrumptious.

Today, while scrolling through some of the blogs I have listed on my google reader I came across this recipe. I happened to have a few pints of blueberries that were going to be past their prime in a few days, so I thought I’d give this a try. I used vanilla sugar that I made a few months back in place of the white sugar. To my delight they were delicious. Mine spilled over the edges a bit – I think I filled the cups a little too full. But not to worry. None will be wasted!

Last Day. July 16, 2009

Today is the last day of our Retreat. I am so happy with all that I got completeled these last few days.

I completed the center of my 9 patch quilt. This was a block exchange I did with my sewing group back home. We had to make two hundred 3 inch 9 patch blocks. 20 different fabrics, 10 – 9 patch blocks of each fabric. Then we had to make our own hour glass blocks. So, today I had to make five 9 patches and a bunch of hour glass blocks. I thought I was done with this quilt a month or so ago and then when cleaning my studio I found a baggie of 9 patches. I just had to add them. (Believe me, I thought of leaving them out) And now, it just needs the border. I might even do the “A” word. (Applique)

My second project of the day didn’t get as far as I had hoped. The general consensus was to have colored setting triangles instead of white. I only brought the white, so it will have to wait till I get back and find some fabric (which shouldn’t be a problem!) to get sewn together.

We had a great time getting to know each other. Way too much sugar was consumed and we stayed up much too late. I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

Day Two July 15, 2009

Here is what I got done today. I made a few more blocks for this quilt and got them all put together. I don’t have enough fabric to add the borders. Of course, it’s at home. So this will have to do for now.

I have two more quilts I’d really like to get put together tomorrow. Not sure which one I will start with or if I will get both done. But if it is anything like today with all the laughter and fun, I’ll be happy.

High Ho. High Ho. It’s off to retreat I go. July 14, 2009

I left for retreat Sunday afternoon. A quilt retreat. And yes, all we are going to be doing is sewing. The whole time. It’s fabulous!

Six of us caravaned 3 hours north or so to a city outside of Waco, Texas. We got here, set up and started sewing.

We brought UFOs (Un-finished Objects) to work on. Not sure how much we will accomplish, but we have been laughing and having lots of fun.

Here is what I finished yesterday. I put the green border on.

Each month, I received in the mail fabric for one block. I didn’t know what the block would look like. I kept up with the blocks as I got them, which made finishing the quilt a little easier. I am so happy with my first Mystery Block of the Month, I signed up for this years quilt.

Today, I wasn’t as productive. We stayed up late last night. Like, 3am late. Got a slow start to the day and have been having fun doing other things. Tomorrow I am hoping to get more done.

Here is a block I did today for the new Mystery Block of the Month.

Tomorrow I hope to post a photo of the Pretzel Quilt blocks all sewn together.

My First Quilt July 11, 2009

It’s a Parade of quilts. Camille at Simplify and Carrie at La Vie en Rosie are hosting a challenge and posting photos of their first quilt and their most recent quilt or other project. And of course, I’m up to the challenge. Anything in the name of a hobby.

I have only been quilting two years. It is something I fought tooth and nail about getting into as a hobby. Why would anyone in their right mind buy fabric, cut it up, and sew it all back together? Such time. Such little pieces. Such craziness!

Wedding planning was over and I was just about ready to graduate college, (Finally! But that will be for another post.) and I was bit by the bug. The quilting bug. My poor husband. He didn’t even know what was coming.

When I expressed interest to my avid quilting mother, she couldn’t contain herself. She stopped everything. She quickly handed over a sewing machine, fabric (that we had picked out years before), a rotary cutter, mat and any other supplies I might need. She didn’t want me to lose interest before I had been completely sucked in. She too is a Hobbyist Hobbyholic.

Here is my first quilt.

I was lucky enough to have many seasoned quilters by my side for this quilt. If I hadn’t, I may not be a quilter today. It was a challenge to say the least.

And here is the most recently completed quilt.

This quilt was fun to make and went together easily. Pattern is Second Hand Clothes by Paula Barnes.

Things I have learned from the first quilt to this one…

• If it doesn’t bother you, don’t feel the need to do it again.
• All points and seams don’t have to match perfectly. Majority of people looking at it won’t know the difference.
• The more exact your cutting is in the beginning, the easier the pieces come together at the end.
• Not all people can fully appreciate what goes into making a quilt from start to finish.
• When you gift a quilt, you have to let go.
• If you start to despise your current project, set it aside and come back to it later.
• Being the youngest in a quilting group is okay, they seem to like youth.
• Be open to new ideas.
• Never say never.

“My Husband Rocks” Friday July 11, 2009

On Fridays I will be posting reasons why “My Husband Rocks.” I got the idea from a friend who started a blog and she got the idea from one of her friends. It is just a great way to praise and affirm our husbands.

My husband rocks. Paul has started a new business venture of Foreign Exchange Trading. It is kind of like trading stocks but with foreign currency. He didn’t get much sleep last night as he was waiting for some trading to occur. He went to bed after me and was up before me. He even slept on the couch so he wouldn’t wake me up. As I was turning the water on for a shower I noticed a spider, in the shower, that I wasn’t awake enough to kill. I mean awake enough to deal with myself. He came to my rescue. Now killing a spider doesn’t seem like much, but 5 min after waking up, he might as well have been on a white horse. To top it off, he cooked me breakfast. My husband rocks!