The Perfect Weekend

I had the perfect weekend.  The weather was "Colorado" perfect and I was with my wonderful family.  Can you guess where we were?

We had a family retreat at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado.  We planned this special time together before Kate begins her new job in Florida.  We needed to surround her with the beauty of the mountains, so she would always know where home is and just share all our love with her. 

So we went hiking, played games, ate great food, looked at the stars, and just had a great time.

 

 My Kids

Now comes the comes the hard part, the packing, the moving, and then letting her "fly".

Until next time-
Kyle

Recycle

I like to collect old things.  My friend, Liz, gives credence to collecting vintage items by calling it "recycling."  That's right!   We're helping the environment by bringing home items that have lost their usefulness with their old owners and now with me, are given a new life.   

I love going to flea markets, "good" garage sales or estate sales.  I don't get a chance to go very often, but it's fun looking for the perfect treasure to bring home.  My mom was good at it.  She would bring home unloved oak furniture and refinish the piece into something wonderful.  She was even known to go the local dump, pull a piece of furniture out and bring it home! 

My friends are a bad influence when we travel together to a flea market.  We are like lemmings heading for the sea. 

In my sewing room I have some fun things I have "recycled".  My treasures create a motivating and an "out of the ordinary" work space.

Old picnic baskets store fabric and projects

A glass rolling pin holds mother of pearl buttons

A wooden caddie is perfect for sewing notions

Why not a muffin tin?

This one may be weird...a eye cup washer with a pincushion

An old wooden bobbin to wind binding on

It's fasinating what  "recycled treasures" you can come up with.  I'll share more another time.  What ideas do you have?

Help out the environment, explore new use for a vintage piece, and recycle.

Until next time-Kyle

"Girlfriends"

I don't want to sound like a greeting card, but it is wonderful to have special friends. There are millions of people out there who do not have the connection of friendships.  I love being in the company of my friends.  My day is always a little brighter when I'm sharing time with them. Over the years we have discussed "deep" issues, quilted together, laughed, shopped, and even cried over each others sorrows.  We speak the same language, like the same movies, have similar dreams and goals and on occasion, eat more than we should.  Why are we friends, I can't really explain it.  We just are and I'm glad.

At the Breakfast Club in Fort Collin

Julie, Becky, Liz and Kyle

The best times in life are made a thousand times better when shared with dear friends. Remember: Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty. *  a Sicilian proverb

 Until next time- Kyle

A New Chapter

I had a great weekend, sewing and relaxing. Ed and Kate, on the other hand, were busy in Fort Lauderdale hunting for the perfect apartment.  Kate will be moving in October to begin her new job as the collection manager at the Ah-Tha-Thi-Ki Museum.

 

The museum is located on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation.  And where is that you ask?  It's in the middle of the Big Cypress Swamp!  The museum is dedicated to the understanding of Seminole culture and history.  It's a fairly new museum which opened in 1997.

Well, they were successful and found a cute townhouse in Tamerac, Florida, north west of Fort Lauderdale.

Notice the palm tree.

 

I guess it makes it official.   We want our kids to learn to use their wings and to fly, but do they really have to fly so far a way from the nest! 

I'll be able to check out everything myself in a couple of weeks.  I have been enlisted to be part of the move and will be driving to southern Florida to help get Kate settled. The drive itself is about 30 hours and over 2,000 miles.  It will be long adventure, hopefully, a non-adventure.

 I included a link to a puzzle.  Put it together and see what Kate will share the highway with on her way to work.
http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/DC055D4BE5EA

Until next time - Kyle

Perfecto

I finally found a couple of hours yesterday to do some sewing. It felt like heaven.  I want to show you my blocks.

Wait, let me get the perfect ones.

Let me look again....

I can't show that one.  How about this one?  Sorry.

I don't have a perfect block.  Really.

Each one has a flaw.  But I was having such a good time.  How could my blocks not be perfect?

I was listening to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on audio book, it was a beautiful day outside, the errands were done, and I had this nice block of time.  I wasn't stressed.  I was having fun!

I was truly enjoying the process of quiltimaking. I could go back and make a few changes here and there and maybe I will.  I do strive to make my sewing as perfect as I can.  But I wasn't in the mood to sweat the small stuff.

I found this picture on Mary Englebreit's blog the other day.  I just love it.  I made me smile and I knew whatever I attempted today would be PERFECTO! 

It was a great day. Hope yours was too.

Until next time - Kyle

Fashion Faux Pau

Today is Labor Day.  It is the signal for fall, time for school to start and for new school supplies, and time to can tomatoes.  But more importantly, it is the time to be aware of one of the greatest Fashion Faux Paus of the year.  Our mothers taught us and their mothers taught them, so too, we must also teach our daughters.  We don't want them to be caught by the fashion police or to be featured on " What Not to Wear".

According to the Etiquette Grrls:

"Can I wear White Shoes / Linen / Sandals / Straw Handbags / Seersucker / Other Warm Weather Clothing before Memorial Day or after labor Day?"

The answer is: "Nope. Unless want to look like a Fashion Victim, that is   We'll make an exception for Brides and Nurses on the White Shoes, and for Monks on the Sandals, but in all other cases, the answer is a firm no."

So there you have it.  Before the end of the day, go to your closet, and do a bit of rearranging.  There's no way you want to commit a Fashion Faux Pau.

Labor Day 09

Or.....Better yet.  Go out and have some fun today and wear whatever you want tomorrow!
Until the next time - Kyle

A Connection to the Past

I'm done! I'm finished! I finally completed my quilt "Sunburst".  It took me about a year to complete.  Of course, it was not the only project I was working on.  I truly love how it turned out.

I love to feel a connection to women who quilted in the past.  My quilt was patterned after a quilt I saw in the book Quilts from the Henry Ford by Fons and Porter.  The original quilt is part of the collection from the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.  The quilt was probably made in New England in the 1840's.  I chose the same bright blues, browns, and double pinks that were popular during that time.

The quilting was done by a local machine quilter, K. Azevedo. She is magnificent.

 

Recreating a quilt from the past helps me to appreciate the resourcefulness and innovation of the American quilter.  I love being part of this American art form.

Until next time - Kyle

If you are not sure where Dearborn is located, please consult your convenient hand map! Those of us from Michigan we always know where places are located.

Happy Birthday, Pepper

September 1, has been a special day for our family.  Why? Because it is our dear kitty's birthday.  Pepper has been part of our family for a very long time, 17 years to be exact.  He has made us laugh,  loved us unconditionally, and on occassion he has even snuggled.  He loves olives and bacon, sleeping under the Christmas tree, and when he was younger chasing my girls, and playing handball.  Now that he is an elder, he prefers a more sedated life of sleeping in the closet, finding a warm sunny spot in a room, sleeping on quilts and being brushed each night before bed.  He's had a wonderful life.  Happy Birthday, Pepper!