When Jupiter Aligns With Mars

 Yesterday was just one of those days.

No, no, not a bad day,

but a day where things went perfectly.

One of my favorite songs in 1969

was by the 5th Dimension,

Aquarius, Let the Sunshine In.

Anyone remember that?

 "When the moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
And peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars"

It was a rockin' good day.

Everything was perfectly aligned.

I had a beautiful start

Photo by Jessica Redente Wolfe

when one of my favorite helpers came to play.

Then in the afternoon I simply

seemed to flow from one project to another

in a perfect rhythm.

I finished hand quilting

Mountmellick.

I had already made the binding and

decided there was no reason to wait sewing it on.

Oh, my gosh.

I'm so close to being done with this

mystery quilt designed by Di Ford 

that started in 2014.

The planets stayed aligned

and I knew there was no better time

to start the free embroidery pattern, "3 Cheers", that

 Crabapple Hill had published last week.

I decided to enlarge the pattern and 

will probably make it into a pillow.

It's a sweet design that reminds me of

simpler times of decorating our bikes and riding them

in the 4th of July parades back home

in Michigan where I grew up.

Meg's pattern shares

a successful way of using crayons

with your embroidery.

First, heavily color the areas 

that you're going to color with white crayon

and then add the colored crayons on top.  It makes the 

wax and colors smoother when

you use the iron to melt it into the fabric.

Also a reminder 

you have today and tomorrow 

to leave a comment in my post

"Happy Birthday to You!" 

Why?

Because you could win

one of these awesome fabric baskets

to help me celebrate.

 

 Everyone needs a basket

and one of these could be yours.

The day ended with a summer music concert

over at Colorado State University.

 It was simply a day to 

"Let the Sunshine In."

Until Next Time-

Happy Birthday To You Too!

 I had a birthday last week.

It was one of those birthdays!

A big one.

It's the birthday where the government sends 

you a red, white and blue card.

And now you're

in the health care system along with

all the other baby boomers.

But who cares when you have
this kind of lovin'

In order to soften the blow

just have a party.

 Chantilly Cake from Whole Foods

I also need you to help me celebrate.

I have a couple of gifts I'd like 

to share with three of my fantastic blog readers.

Remember all those baskets I 

was sewing?

Well, one of them could be yours.

Happy Birthday #1

Happy Birthday #2

Happy Birthday #3

Just leave a comment 

sharing what's your favorite 

birthday dessert or favorite way to celebrate
and your name will go into the drawing.

Running Man will be randomly drawing three names,
#1 = basket #1
#2 = basket #2
#3 = basket #3

this coming Friday, June 26th at

the end of the day.

Make sure you leave an email

if you're a no reply blogger.

Nothing could be sweeter

than spending this special time

with those who love you the most.

Until Next Time-

Influnced by Linda Brannock

 Recently I became aware that 

quilt designer and Moda fabric designer,

 Linda Brannock,

had passed away.

Barbara Brackman had written a 

nice blog tribute to Linda and her

contributions to the quilting world.

I never had the opportunity to take a class

from Linda or meet her,

but her designs and fabrics

have influenced my quilts over the years

Snowbound, 1990

When she and Gerry Kimmel and Jan Patek

published their book, Snowbound, in 1989

I was hooked.

Snowbound was a class that I taught many

times at my local quilt shop.

 Everyone always enjoyed adding details to 

 the children to make the quilt their own.
 It was an incredibly fun quilt to make.

Her primitive look was so refreshing

and casual.
It was so new at the time.

 Stars Within Hearts
1991
 

The aged colors and fabric patterns gave a warmth

and mellowed look

to all her design.

Lone Cabin
1994

The puzzle type or asymmetrical composition of the blocks
almost seemed revolutionary for a sampler.

Scrappy was also a key component.  Old quilting 

rules were abandoned.  Matchy was not necessary.
The more fabrics, the merrier.

 Jonah
1993

Looking at these quilts today
the scrappiness is
pretty conservative in comparison to
what people do today.


Hand applique seemed to be her preferred method

to achieve the slightly

more primitive look.

Quilters were always encouraged in her books

to create our very own one-of-a-kind quilt.

My girls always thought Jonah resembled
Running Man and he did, kind of,
 minus the grey at the time.

 Pepper, Kitty
1995

Plaids, strips, and prints all got used together
with these friendly Halloween kitties.

I've always loved her folk art style and

it has and will continue to
be a special part of my quilting journey.

Thanks, Linda.

Until Next Time-

Babies At Our House

 We've become parents again.

What?#!

Take a look at this Smilebox

and see what we've been enjoying.

Some of the pictures are a bit fuzzy.

We tried to keep our distance.

Enjoy!

 

Make your own digital slideshow

 Until Next Time-

Sewing On the Move

 I discovered on our recent road trip

 that I was able to sew while riding in the car.

Now to many of you, you're thinking, what's the big deal,

but for me this is revolutionary.

I've never been able to do anything in the car

except look forward and
 try not to be a back seat driver.

For the past several years though, while flying,

I've been wearing these wrist sea-bands.

They work by applying pressure to the

acupuncture point on the wrists
that control motion sickness.

I've always been hesitant to try them
and then sew in the car.
I didn't want to ruin a good road trip,

but this time I thought, what the heck,

and Eureka!
  I could actually stitch while moving.

And look what I was able to finish.

I was able to applique all the leaves in the last
vine border to this quilt.

It's the quilt I made

 using the swapped nine patch blocks
that Barb had organize a while back.

 I couldn't believe what I was able to do.

Granted,
it was only when it was highway driving,
but it felt so good to be able to
use that time in a productive way.
I'm sure hoping that it will work again.
I feel so liberated!

Until Next Time-

Watch Out for the Snail

 When we lived in California

a long time ago,

we would sometimes find hundreds of snails

crossing our driveway in the evening.

It would be rather creepy.

So I don't have an enduring love affair with snails.

But over the weekend,

Running Man was practicing his welding skills and

made the cutest snail for the garden.

No slime left behind by this one.
Thank goodness.
This achatinoidea is about 2 feet tall.

 Quirky, for sure, but cute just the same.

Until Next time

Wonderul and Unique

 Oh, give me a home

where the buffalo roam

 And the geysers spout water all day,

Where Old Faithful displays

a consistent hot water spray

And the grizzles might frighten you away.

(sung to the tune of Home on the Range)

Running Man and I have been traveling again.

This time we headed north into Wyoming to

visit Teton National Park

 and, of course,

Yellowstone National Park

with beautiful 

gorgeous scenery everywhere.

Yellowstone was established in 1872

 

as America's first national park

Around each curve there is

scenery more breathtaking

 and more unusual

than before.

We stayed at the Snow Lodge which is next door 

to the 

 Grande Dame,

the Old Faithful Inn,
which opened in 1904.

 Here's the lobby, with its massive 4 sided fireplace

and if you look up

there's even a tree house.

We had a great time.

(note the winter coats)

Hope your travels take you someplace wonderful and unique.

Until Next Time-