Felix Frogbottom

Occasionally, stuff I bring home is just too cute to wait its turn in the project queue. Like Mr. Frogbottom, for example. 

We got home from Cambria on Sunday, 

Sew a rectangle from scraps, cut it corner-to-corner, flip and stitch it together again before quilting.

and by Tuesday evening Jac and I had picked through the scrap bin to make our fabric,

cut the pattern pieces,

then pinned, stitched and stuffed it all together.

By Wednesday, Felix (sans eyes) was ready for pictures with his adoring fans. 

Today, Lily and I agreed that the first set of eyeballs were a really big “NO”, 

 
no matter how cute they were.

Take 2 is soooooo much better.

And if you’re curious, Felix has no purpose other than to be cute. He’s stuffed with poly-pellets, so not good for a pincushion (plus the baby grands want to play with him, making pins a big no-no). He weighs enough to be useable as a pattern weight but his size makes that unlikely. 

I think he’s just going to be my studio pal.

Pattern is “Frog Patch” by Me And My Sister Designs. Easy, well-written and fun.

Note to self: sew eyes on before stitching front and back pieces together.

It’s Jackie Day

It’s Jackie Day (her turn to spend the night*) so we made fabric,

 Jac picked the colors and order for our secret project 

chopped mushrooms, 

 
painted, read books, watched movies,

and played her favorite game of “take my picture, grandma!!”

* Tuesday is Jac’s night, Wednesday is Leanne’s and Thursday is Leia’s (the weeks she is at her dad’s.) We’re working on getting Donovan a spot in the rotation . . .

Pretty Pretties

When we’re traveling, Hubby is patient (resigned?) with my quilt shop stops, especially if he has a book to read or a good place to eat nearby.

We stopped in Orcutt on the way north but I didn’t get much since I was in there a couple weeks ago and placed an internet order last week. Hey, I like their stuff! (I highly recommend both Old Town Quilt Shop and hubby-approved The Homestead sandwich shop. Ham and cheese sandwich with apple butter? Oh yes, please!!)

 Trying to figure out the light-medium-dark fabric thing

We also took a short drive to Morro Bay to visit the Cotton Ball and an antique store hubby likes.

It took me awhile (he had a book) but I found both a Thanksgiving and Christmas project I want to make, and picked up some of the Cotton Ball’s custom batik featuring Morro Rock, sand dollars and more. 

 Bought the book and the ornament fabric. Love this!

So much fun stuff. Almost makes me wish I’d brought my sewing machine on vacation too. 

Scenes From Vacation

We took a drive up the coast to look for zebras near Hearst Castle, but turned up zip.

 Hearst pier

We had more luck with the elephant seals, 

although construction on the pathway 

(and heavy crowds in the nearest parking lot) 

kept us from getting very close. 

In all the years we’ve been coming to Cambria/San Simeon, the Piedras Blancas Light Station has never been open - but we keep hoping. Some day we’ll get closer than this. 

We finished dinner at Moonstone Bar & Grill

just in time to get sunset pics on Moonstone Beach.

Gorgeous!

Harmony was udderly charming, as always. 

A few of our neighbors. Haven’t been able to get pics of the wild turkey flock yet. Watching two turkeys running away from us, down the middle of the street, made me literally laugh out loud. 

My favorite from Cambria’s current scarecrow festival. 

Tried out a free, new-to-me app called Seek 

that identifies plants and animals from photos. 

It’s been a bit hit-and-miss on id’s but it’s fun!

And finally, presents for the grand-girls.

Skool Pix

The California girls’ school pics arrived this week. 

 Leia, 8th grade

I’m guessing the restrictions on parental school volunteers contributed to the not-so-great results - 

 Leanne, 5th grade

I think, in pre-covid times, a lot of moms would straighten hair and collars, and clean faces, before the shutter snapped. 

 Jaclyn, kindergarten 

But I’m thrilled to have these - there’s so much personality in each one.

ESPECIALLY this one. It is so Jac*!!

* Jac’s eyes are super sensitive to sunlight and she has worn sunglasses outdoors since she was an infant. She switches up which glasses she wears to school each day but that hat goes with her everywhere. I talked her into wearing a new hat one day and everyone, from teachers to playground supervisors to Jac’s friends, commented on it. So funny!

Home Away

We’re in Cambria for a week, 

celebrating our anniversary (#47) and hubby’s birthday (more than 47).

 Entryway

The house we rented last time wasn’t available - 

 Downstairs bedroom - fisheye lens makes it look bigger than it is.

we kinda waited till the last minute to decide where we were going - 

 Upstairs living room

so we’re in a different, older place 

BUT it has a view of the ocean!

 Upstairs bedroom

It’s a limited view, granted, 

but we can see it clearly from our living room and balcony. 

 Upper balcony

We hoped to tour Hearst Castle, since it was closed due to COVID last time we were here, 

but apparently the road up to the main buildings is washed out. Bummer!

We’ve already had dinner at our favorite place (Linn’s pie is yummmmmmm),

 Fall decorations

and bought gifts for the little girls,

and maybe we’ll drive up to see the Hearst zebras and elephant seal beach. 

 Got back too late for tonight’s sunset

Other than that, our only plans are to read, eat and rest. Perfection.