Watercolor Quilt

Today’s quilt workshop was great - I learned so much and feel a lot more comfortable working with curves. 

I love how Zoom makes these classes possible - the instructor was in Kentucky, I’m in California  and my 16 classmates were located all across the US and Canada. 

Colors are waaaaay off 

The only down side? 

The 7 am start time (10 am East coast). I am sooooo not a morning person.  

Lily helped me finish my homework last night -

cutting out pattern pieces,

cleaning my sewing machine -

and also attended class 

My teacher’s view during class

to make sure I paid attention.

See the red arrow? That’s the pattern and fabric I’m trying to cut in class. Not going to get as much done as I’d hoped. 😂

Also used my new iPad tripod for today’s class. So awesome. Told hubby I bought it so we could use it with the treadmill. Wonder if he believed me . . . (Hahahahahahahaha)

Flyin’ and Quiltin’

These two cuties flew out to visit Addy in Colorado this morning,

so I got to spend the day taping a giant pattern together

and prepping fabric in advance of Saturday’s zoom workshop. 

Not sure how awake I’ll be at 7 am (!!) 

but I’m soooooo looking forward to this!

Just a tad excited on her first plane ride

Taming The Jungle

Things had gotten out of hand with the water garden

so this weekend I took everything out

and transplanted them into pots with soil. 

Poor thing looks sad because Jac and I have been picking and eating the leaves as they get big enough.

We had only one surviving spinach plant (out of 6)

but all the cherry tomato plants did well turned into giants. 

According to the Google, it’s very difficult to grow spinach hydroponically, so I’m happy we got even one to grow. And I’m thrilled that Jac loves her “cabbage” sandwiches, eating it every time we have leaves big enough to harvest. 

I replanted the water garden with just 4 spinach pods - turns out planting in every opening is considered a “rookie mistake” since at least half the plants will die from lack of light. Gee, I wonder why they don’t mention that when they’re selling it?? 

And as a surprise for Jac, I planted all the remaining spinach seeds in one pot.

By the time she saw it this morning, we had the beginnings of lots and lots of cabbage sandwiches. Hooray!

 

Boom Booms

We passed on going out to watch fireworks,  

choosing instead to have dinner

and sparklers with Donovan 

and enjoy the boom boom pictures from Marie. 

I love watching fireworks but  . . . maybe next year they’ll be back where we can see them from our house. 

Happy 4th, y’all!

Firecrackers

The local fireworks we can see from our house aren’t happening again this year (I’m bummed)

so we decided to set up our own celebration-

a little early since Leia is at her mom’s this weekend -

with our own little firecrackers.

Aren’t they cute??

I thought our biggest challenge was going to be getting Donovan and Jac focused and smiling at the same time,

but noooooo . . . 

It was the tallest pre-teen making faces in every.photo. once she figured out I wasn’t paying attention to her. 

Little stinker.

We ended up taking 185 photos in the first session, 

with about 18 that were useable. (I’m looking at you, Leia! 😜)

Donovan’s patience ran out before we got to his individual shots

so we did another session with him a few days later,

getting another 86 shots, with 11 we liked.

And the bribe that finally got him to cooperate?

Not candy, not cookies,

but the promise to let him play in the bathtub with Jac and all the bath toys. Yay!

Happy Independence Day, America!

Quilt Delivery

This one reached its new home at Rachel’s today so I can finally show it off.

This is the 3rd (4th?? I’ve lost count) quilt I’ve made with the National Parks panel and I’ve got at least one more in the works (for me!!) I seriously love this print. 

With the added borders, this one is a bit bigger, 61 x 81” as opposed to 54 x 72”. It’s surprising how much difference those few inches make - this one is much more snuggly and comfortable.  Just right for Rachel and Addy’s annual girls camping trip. 

Leia helped me with the pre-shipping beauty shots,

using the awesome new “clip sticks” hubby made me.

Wood-working clamps attached to  sticks

They make it sew much easier for my shorter helpers to hold oversize quilts.

Tula Pink’s “Mineral” in aquamarine for the backing

Which they are always soooooooo happy to do. With the proper bribe payment, of course. 

Cover Up

Leanne ended up with a slight sunburn from yesterday’s *hours* in the pool,

so today we added hats - whoohoo for 1-day delivery! -

t-shirts and a time limit. 

The new salt filter should be here tomorrow, which means a full pool and real swimming by Monday-ish. 

So exciting!