What Have I Been Doing Today?

I know that many of you are wondering about my Saturday beauty routine and are breathlessly awaiting word on whether I did, indeed, trim my toenails as I mentioned last Saturday. Well, no I didn't. As it turned out, my eyebrows needed more attention than my toenails, so I did a little plucking. Toenails next Saturday maybe--stay tuned!

And what else did I do today? Today's project was block two of the applique "BOM" that my friend Patty and I are designing. Although this quilt is, in theory, a block of the month, I've only managed to design and execute two blocks since sometime around April, I think. Or maybe it was March. Patty has also designed one or two blocks, but I'm not sure she's had a chance to make any of them yet. I think we're probably a well matched pair of designers, don't you think? Anyone else would have lost patience with either of us long ago! So, we'll continue on at a snail's pace. Maybe this will be a block of the quarter quilt! Here's what block two looks like, and just in case you don't have a memory like an elephant and remember block one (the pansies), that block is shown in the second photo. The general "theme" of this project is "Americana," which mainly comes through in the use of the red, white, and blue colors more than subject matter of the blocks--but that too, a bit.

My husband and I drove up to Auburn and stopped in at Cabin Fever, but we missed the owners, Patti and Don, by ten minutes. Don and my husband used to work together, which means Don provides a good distraction while I shop. Today, since Don wasn't there, I was happy to see a pre-teenaged girl latch onto my husband and chatter away, keeping him well occupied while I endulged in a little retail therapy. I think her mom was in the classroom, doing some sewing, and the girl seemed pretty bored. Anyway, here's what I bought--the fat quarter is "just because"; I liked the book and my husband pointed out the main quilt made up and hanging in the classroom, so I'm blaming him for that purchase; and the black with polka dot fabric is for a Halloween applique project that I didn't quite get around to making this year. Good thing fabric doesn't have an expiration date!

After we had a great late lunch at Awful Annie's in Auburn (excellent breakfasts and sandwiches--try it if you're in this part of the world), we stopped at the Salvation Army thrift store back in Sacramento. Neither of us had been there before, and my husband is always on the lookout for odds and ends to turn into garden art. I like to look for glassware (but didn't find anything) and old clothing I can make into something else. On this trip I found a green and cream plaid wool Pendleton shirt that I can cut up and felt, and this denim with embroidery jacket. I think it might make a good tote!

Now it's time to heat up some pizza and watch one of the many DVDs I rented the other day--and, of course, work on another project. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend too! See you tomorrow!