Love in Seattle

Have a Wonderful Day!

The Big Move

Well, it's not really that big. We didn't move to another state. We didn't move out of the country. In fact, we moved back to the home we've lived in for the last 22 years, minus the last three years while we were housesitting. About 12 minutes from our house.

Close to home, but another world! We live in a neighborhood with lots of trees- someone once said it's like living where you'd want to go camping. Where we  housesat, we looked out over open fields and beautiful sunsets. We'll miss those sunsets a lot!

But even though it wasn't a BIG move, it's been a ton of work, and many of the repairs, etc. that we've been getting taken care of after having our house rented aren't quite done. So our furniture's in the garage and my sewing machine's still packed up.

So until I give up teaching art and making stuff, and get rid of all the things I might NEED someday, I'm not moving. I'm staying put. (Unless we find the PERFECT house. With a view of a lake.

Then MAYBE.)

Make it... a Wonderful Day!

The State Flower...

Have a Wonderful Day!

School's Out!

My friend Karen stopped by the other day to show me this cute quilt she just finished.

She made it for a teacher friend who is retired after 30 years of teaching.

Thanks Karen  for sharing, and thank you to all the teachers who work so hard in such an important job!

(Bus drivers, aids, principals, secretaries, custodians, counselors, and crossing guards too!)

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Show Dogs

I love old embroidery designs. So sweet- and these pups seen at a quilt show are no exception.

Make it a Wonderful Day!

One Fish, Two Fish...

It's amazing what visual effects quilt designers  can come up with.

This fishy fabric works beautifully when used in a One Block Wonder pattern.

One fabric, one block, and wow!

Janet made this, and said she's not that fond of fish any more!

But isn't it amazing?

Dawn made this from Aunt Gracie fabrics...

Love the cheery feel!

And here are some pinwheels by Claudia...Sweet!

And this 9-patch is by Denise. She made this cute quilt from our 9-patch exchange. I love how these look without sashing or borders.

Claudia made this fun two-fabric polka dot quilt. I didnt' get a good photo of her machine quilting- she's become quite the expert with her long arm machine!

 (Note to self, two of the same fabrics in two colorways is a quick design idea...)

(Another note to self- you need to get working on that polka dot quilt you've been stash-building for! Nevermind that all your sewing stuff is packed for the move and that you have a TON of other quilts in the queue...)

Okay, enough talking to myself!!

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Helen's Soft Books and Barbara's Circles

These soft books were made by Helen, and she shared them with us at our last quilt group meeting.

She started with a pattern, but I didn't get the information... will try to do that!

I think she'll have to host a sew day so we can all make some of these!

Barbara made this sweet circle quilt, and added a wonderful label too.

Make it... A Wonderful Day!

Lilacs

Have a Wonderful Day!

A Bob and a Buck...

This is who we saw when we looked out the window the other evening...

I grabbed my camera, and quietly opened the front door,

And then followed him a bit down the drive way...

...and watched as he headed up to the field off to the side of the barn.

This morning, we had a another visitor.

(There's also a rabbit among the roses.)

Now Buck's headed off to the orchard...

We move back home soon. We'll miss our visitors!

Make it a Wonderful Day! 

Center Trunk Show

Our little quilt group is famous.

Well, there was a little article about us in the local paper a little over a year ago, and someone cut it out and saved it.

She works at a rehabilitation/convelesent center, and she asked us to come share our quilts.

Six of us were able participate, talking a bit about quilting in general, and then sharing some of the details about the quilts we brought with us.  And we had some time to answer questions and visit.

I think they enjoyed it, and I know we were glad we could bring a small quilt show to them!

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Still Counting... a Few More

I've made a few more squares for the And Still Counting Project. Check out the display of over 2000 of these to get an idea of how these will be part of something very meaningful. http://andstillcounting.blogspot.com/

You can help too! 212 French knots sewn in the pattern of your choice.

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Just Looking...

Have a Wonderful Day!

May Quilt Group

Here are a few beauties shared this past month at our quilt group...Nan could have had the whole show and tell herself!!  Love the French fabrics in this first one...

This sweet cross-stitched one is a yard sale find. Nan may take it apart and rework it, but we all were sad to think of the work that went into this and that it was no longer wanted, but we're glad it found a new home!

Every meeting of our group MUST include some circles. I think it's written in our "rules".

Nan loved Helen't circle bag so much, she made her own version in orange and lime. I love the little ruffle.

Nan's been finishing up a few projects that have been hanging around for a while...

This table runner is now complete, well in advance of Christmas this year!!

Nan bought this at a yard sale, then decided it wasn't going to find a place at her house...

It's an unframed needlepoint with a Chinese theme..

If you'd like it, it's yours!!

Oh, and these are some of the blocks for Dawn's Play for Pink Quilt. Each year, our group helps Dawn by making blocks for a Breast Cancer Quilt to be auctioned. This year, the block is a log cabin, and as we say, all pinks go together....

Make it a Wonderful Day!

Art Party

Art Club has ended for the year at all three of my schools. So it was time to PARTY!

That means cookie decorating (one cookie per artist) , art games, foil sculptures, and finishing up odds and ends. This year it meant oil pastels,  phrase illustrations, and for a few, painting details on their paper mache pieces.

I always bring a ton of stuff- all the cookie fixings, along with fruit, carrots, chips and salsa, etc. The set up includes a colorful thrifted table cloth.

Games include geometric shapes to arrange in pictures, visual thinking puzzles, and close-up photo identification cards. The kids have fun with those- they can play as teams trying to guess what each photo close up is. The name is on each card as a word scrambled clue. 

And we had rolls of foil for sculpting.

I make all the cookies and the frosting. Why? Because I'm nutty. And I love an excuse to bake.

These are the BEST Sugar Cookies.

And the BEST Buttercream Frosting. 

YUM.

Char's Sugar Cookies 

COMBINE in a bowl:

                    5 Cups Flour

                   1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

                   1 tsp. Baking Soda
                   1 tsp. Salt
CREAM with electric mixer: 
                   1 Pound Salted Butter

                   1 Cup Sugar

                   1 Cup Powdered Sugar

ADD to creamed mixture:
                   2 Eggs

                   1 Tablespoon Vanilla

NOW slowly add dry ingredients.

ROLL to 1/4 inch thickness on floured surface, and cut out.

 (If dough is sticky, refrigerate to firm, then reroll and cut.

BAKE cookies at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes.

Number of cookies will depend on size.. And how much of the dough you eat. (Not that I ever do that....) Can be made ahead and frozen. I think I got about 60 (3- inch ) cookies from each batch...Note to self: 3 batches is more than enough for 8 classes..

My Best Buttercream

(adapted from Billy's Bakery Vanilla Buttercream)

1 Cup salted Butter

6-8 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 tsp. Vanilla

In electric mixer, cream  room temperature butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 Cups of the sugar, alternating with whipping cream and vanilla. Gradually add more powdered sugar to desired consistency.

Make it a Wonderful Day!