Lost My Mind, 2025 Edition

The CO grandchild plans to major in biology, with an emphasis on birds, at U of Wyoming, so how could I *not* make this for her??

The Birdwatchers Project (here) is 14 foundation paper-pieced patterns released one-ish a month over the next 12 months*. 

Looking at the pictures, I think this is going to be a challenging commitment… and I can’t wait.

 

Signed up, ordered a fabric kit and now we wait for the July 10 release day.

And, just to make it more challenging interesting, we leave for Alaska on July 19 and in August, TWO patterns are released just 4 days before our trip to Glacier National Park… I’m going to be soooo behind. 

One of my very favorite projects

* I’m thinking the individual birds would make amazing wall hangings too. If, you know, I run out of steam before I finish them all… not that that ever happens to me. 🙄  But I did finish the Botanical Beauties (here), so there’s hope. 

One Done

My plan today was to spray baste and quilt 

the main pieces for two Hemingway ipad bags

The interior. The bound edges are a nice touch - they’re invisible once the bag is turned right-side out. 

while I wait for an order of bag zippers and stripy fabric to arrive later this week. 

But it went so fast, and was so much fun, 

A peek at the pretty lining

that I kept going and actually finished this one for Cyrus. 

She loves yellow, the brighter the better, so I’m hoping this will be a hit. 

I’d like mine ⬇️ to be a bit more snug, so I’m going to try taking an inch off the bottom and side…. 

For me, if the zippers ever get here…

Hopefully it won’t turn out too small. But I think it’ll work…

Look Who’s 9!

We celebrated Jac’s birthday yesterday.. and the day before*… and today… and maybe again tomorrow. 

Who says birthdays have to be just one day a year??

Jac and I made a from-scratch chocolate cake on Thursday (so delicious) and decorated it with fresh strawberries at her request. 

It wasn’t especially pretty (I’m not a good ‘icer’) but it was deeeeeeeelicious. 

This year, Pop set up the back yard with a smaller pool and filled it with floaties, balls and water guns for Jac’s party.

Neither Jac nor Donovan are big water fans (they don’t like to get their faces wet) but both loved this shallow little wading pool. 

So much (crowded) fun!

As part of her birthday celebration, we measured Jac’s height - 50” - and weight - 55 pounds. She’ll always be my “Tiny Girl” but she’s not so tiny any more. (Donovan is 2 years younger but almost the same in both height and weight.)

* Thursday’s trampoline park adventures

photos by Leo.

Such sweaty fun!

Early 4th

We took advantage of all 4 CA grandkids being available (it’s a miracle!) to take early holiday photos.

Leia will be at her mom’s most of next week 

and I really, really wanted one last holiday photo shoot 

before Jac and Leo move mid-August.

And another miracle - 

all 4 were in a good mood 

and happy to humor grandma.

Happy almost Independence Day y’all!

Museum Day

Me: do y’all want to go to the trampoline park tomorrow?

Leo: I’d rather go to a museum….

So we did. 

Touching sharks and rays

First stop was the Sea Center on the Santa Barbara pier, 

always a favorite with its hands-on exhibits 

Exploring sediment from the ocean floor - Jac found a tiny live crab!

and friendly docents (mostly college age kids).

We thought about going to SB’s Natural History museum next … 

The octopus was the most active I’ve ever seen - fun to watch

before I remembered the Moxie kid’s museum (here) that we’d talked about visiting but never got around to.  

So fun! Another great place for hands-on exploration (the third floor roof top exhibits were especially fun.)

Me, Jac and Grape, the lavender octopus 

We let our membership to the SB Zoo lapse, thinking the kids were getting too old to enjoy it… guess where else Leo wants to go? 

Gotta re-visit all the fun places before the girls move in late August. 😭

Testing Hemingway

Fell in love with this pattern and it’s unusual construction - me and everyone else on the internet judging by all the social media pics (like these on Instagram). 

I’m planning to make 3 or 4 iPad pouches for our Alaska trip but thought maybe I should practice on something small first.

Zipper Jig is like having an extra set of hands.

Good idea!

It’s an easy to follow pattern and the techniques aren’t difficult but… my quilting isn’t going the direction I intended, 

I’ve never put in half a zipper before (so easy with the right tools!) 

and my fussy-cut narwhal ended up on the back rather than the front. Details, right??

Glasses? Pencils/pens? Very useful size 

But it’s functional and pretty and I can’t wait to make more - and bigger - bags. 

Finally Done

Don’t remember when I started this - maybe late June last year? -

but it went to my longarmer pal last August (here), and was included in my bind-arama goals in January (here)*.

I’m happy to say it is now finally absolutely completely done - and it’s not the day before the holiday! Hooray!

If you don’t look too closely at the binding, this backing could be a table runner in its own right. So pretty.

I think it’s an aboriginal print but I don’t remember the manufacturer. You can see on the right where the ombre continues into yellows and oranges - saving that piece for another project. 

* Only one project remains unbound. It’s sitting on a table in my craft room, where I have to work around it Every.Day. Sooooooon. I’ll get to it soooooooon.