What To Do Next

It's time to reveal my "list".

Kelly at the Charming Chatter blog hosts the Charming Guys & Girls Quilt Club.

This starts a new "year" for the group and each month, well every two months,  has a theme.

For July and August the theme is Self-Care. So I will add a couple of things for "me" on the list besides sewing type projects.

I suppose shopping is not what she means by self-care... but don't you love this picnic tin?

It was in Coast Magazine! You can purchase it through a company out of England...

so, with shipping and all... well, let's just say that it will be staying on my list this time!

This is the start of the Fig Tree Club project. The group will meet on August 7th at Cottage Quilts... so I will need to have this sample done by then.

I have to (get to) make a tote bag for my swap partner for Dandelion Quilts' Summer Tote Swap!

I am anxious to get this done and in the mail. It's first on my list... along with the FT project!!

I have two months of these BOM's to make now... it just started and already I'm behind!

How does that happen?

I really need to make myself a new wallet... that is going on the list too!

I am also in a pincushion swap... and have a great partner that I get to send a special pincushion to!

(I have no idea where I got this picture from... but I'm looking at the pink machine and then over to my little white featherweight... the wheels are turning!

Of course, there is one of these to make too!

Now for the self-care list...

1. Start packing lunches for work. Not everyday... but a few times a week.

2. Put recipes IN recipe box. I got a new recipe box for Christmas from the hubs... and, well, you know!

I saw the idea on the Farm Chicks blog. And yes, I found that exact box...

but mine is red. (Jill got this color).

3. I also thought that I should start reading again. Exercise my mind a bit. There were a couple of great blog posts, one on Sister's Choice and the other at Pleasant Home about summer reading. I made a hugs list... that will take me well into next summer but to start with I have Wicked still waiting for me. So that is first.

I was thinking about The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. Has anybody read that one?

The Summer That Flew By

One of the great things about having company is being able to become the tourist yourself!

I love to show people around our area... and parts of California, nearby.

In the middle of all the wedding commotion we made plans to

take our visiting East Coast family to...

Yosemite.  Inspiration Point.

Yosemite Falls.

The Ahwahnee Hotel.

After the wedding we went towards the coast.

One favorite stop is Casa De Fruita.

Then on to Monterey.

We have the keys to a wonderful little home in Pacific Grove so we stayed overnight and

went into Carmel the next day after a little bit of kayaking.

'

Then back home...

to spend  day at the lake with the family.

But the fun keeps on coming...

last weekend we had more family come (my side)...

Thursday another round of family will be on the way(hubs side)...

and then a family BBQ is planned the week after that(extended family).

Now somewhere in there I am going to figure out how to fit some sewing time in.

After all... we have Schnibbles to do AND I have to get my list in order for the July- August

Charming Guys/Girls Club!

More on that tomorrow!

Elements of a Wedding

Have some lemonade and enjoy "the Wedding Part II"

 

There was dancing... and singing!

and a lot of laguhter going on!

The ceremony and the toasting...

 

                                                 

and lots of picture taking.

There was a backdrop made and props for guests to take photos at while the photographer was busy with the wedding party photos.

Bales of hay were brought in and quilt were placed about outside and in the lobby.

 I have no idea what this photo was about... but they are always up to something!

Tables, placecards and homemade jams.

.

There was a recipe box & recipe cards. Guests were asked to write their recipe for marriage. Pinwheels were made out of Amy Butler paper and used as decor for the tables and large pinwheels were made for down the isle's and around the grounds.

Then there were the flowers... and the napkins.

The cake, made by me...

there was a point when I was finishing putting it together where I could no longer breathe or talk for fear of crying or just losing it altogether from stress. 

Jill used her late grandmother's embroideries as table clothes and her

Hummel figures as a cake topper with the mail box of their last name added!

And of course, the kiss!

How I Spent My Holiday Weekend

I had to do some catching up on this quilt that Darlene designed!

Kelly at Charming Chatter and the group are already on to quilting this little guy.

I also whipped up this purse... and have another one started for my tote bag swap with Dandelion Quilts. I have a wonderful swap partner... I can't wait to finish hers. Oh, you need to check out her blog link... she has the cutest tote bag on there today and a link for directions to make it!

and I just had to share Joy Luck again, even though this one was a pre-holiday completion.

This week I have cut out this project and started on the blocks for the Fig Tree Club. Yes, I'm behind! The fabric got released late... and way to close to the wedding frenzy time, so we had to change the date for this project until the first weekend in August. The fun part is that I have already seen this one completed over at Sherri's, A Quilting Life blog.

These potholders are on my list also, for a family member. She saw those potholders made up in a shop... and guess who volunteered to make some?

Ouch, there's some glare! Why don't I learn to take patterns out of their cover package to photograph them?

And speaking of which... DIL teaches digital photography. Don't you think I should ask her for a few lessons? It's summer break... she has time, right? Well, maybe after the honeymoon!

As for the fireworks? I heard them going off in the distance, from my porch.