Greetings!

Hubby and I are back on dry land, although we're not home yet--not until Monday evening. I just wanted to say "hi" and remind everyone it's Scrap Basket Sunday! Are Hubby and I "cruise people"? I'm not really sure. Except for the awful cold I came down with on the third day of the cruise, we had a good time, but I think we would have liked to spend more time exploring the places we visited. Still it was a good chance to get a feel for the areas we saw. I should have a few photos to share when we get home--"see" you soon!

Scrap Basket Sunday

Thanks for all the good wishes for our trip.  We're just about ready--all but the last minute stuff that needs to be packed in the morning.  Here's your Scrap Basket Sunday Mister Linky--please sign up when you have a scrappy project to show us!



See you when I get home!

None Too Soon!

I know I've talked about my vacation, but now I need to tell you that we're leaving on Saturday and I won't be able to blog for about ten days.  Well, maybe eight days, depending on whether our hotel in the Seattle area has public computers.  So other than the Scrap Basket Sunday sign-ups I'll be posting tomorrow, this will be my last post for a little bit.

As I was getting on the computer tonight, I saw that our temperatures here in Sacramento are expected to rise above 100 degrees tomorrow and continue rising through Saturday at least.  If that's the coming trend, we're getting out of Sacramento just in time!  A check of the weather forecast for our various ports in Alaska shows we'll have highs around 70 degrees with a chance of showers on several of the days; the exception is our visit to Glacier Bay when temperatures will be about 10 or 15 degrees higher and the sun will come out.  Needless to say, we'll be bringing our umbrellas on the cruise but at least we shouldn't need serious winter clothing.

I'm up WAAAAAY too late tonight yet again, but I wanted to finish prepping the second block I'll take with me from the Sew Spooky BOM.

When I come back from vacation, I'll have about a million bats to applique for the border, but at least I'll have the center blocks done.

Tomorrow night after work--and I sure hope I'm able to leave work at a decent time--Hubby and I will have a casual dinner out followed by an evening of packing.  Otherwise, I think I'm pretty much ready for the trip.

Don't forget me while I'm gone!  I should be back right here by the Tuesday after next.  "See" you then!

Keep Calm, and Carry On

It feels as though I have a million things to do to get ready for vacation, as well as taking care of all the normal things that need routine attention.  I spent much of the evening after work doing some house cleaning so it wouldn't be too horrible for our housesitters.  And as I'm typing this, I have two trays of tomatoes roasting in the oven for some future batch of spaghetti sauce--they had to be cooked before we left or they'd just rot on the vines.  I'll let them cool overnight and then package them for the freezer tomorrow morning--they can stay there until I can make the rest of the sauce some other time.

I thought I'd take a couple applique pieces on vacation with me, which means prepping the blocks before I go.  After some thought, I decided to get the last two Sew Spooky BOM blocks ready, and I finished prepping the first of the two blocks tonight.

I'll try to finish the second one in the next couple evenings along with my other projects.  Besides these projects, I have some embroidery blocks to take and a wool project or two, so there's probably more than enough to keep me busy--I always worry I'll run out of stuff to do though.  Silly, I know!

Since I planned to clean tonight and didn't want to make a mess of the kitchen, Hubby very kindly ran out for some Chinese fast food.  We both had a good laugh at my fortune.

Appropriate, isn't it?!  By the way, thank you all for suggesting a few Seattle-area quilt shops.  I'm going to mark them on the shop hop brochure to take with me.

Last night I unearthed my dressy tops from the bag they were stored away in and found a couple that will be suitable for the more formal dinners on our cruise.  We've decided to compromise with a dressy top for me and a sports jacket and tie for Hubby.  Luckily, I had a couple that are washable, because there's really not much time for dry cleaning.  So I also did laundry tonight too.  I'm kind of surprised it's not later than it is considering how much I've gotten done tonight, but it's still late and I have to get up and go to work tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Your Turn, Again

I'd like to hear from any of you who have lived in and/or traveled around the northwestern part of Washington state and visited quilt shops.  I need to know what shop(s) I absolutely need to visit while I'm there.  Hubby and I will only have about two days in the area so I want to make my time count, because sadly, I doubt Hubby--as nice as he is--will want to spend the entire time in quilt shops.

I thought I'd download the Western Washington Quilt Shop Hop brochure--surely that would be the place to find a few good shops, right?  Well, no doubt!  But the problem is that the shop hop brochure has 52 quilt shops!  Yikes!  Even if Hubby DID want to spend all our time in quilt shops, I don't think we could cover 52 of them in the time we have.

So if you have any knowledge of the area, I'm looking for shops that have a good selection of fabrics.  I love going to shops that carry a lot of wool and homespun fabrics and primitive patterns because we don't have much of that here.  Also, I'd like to find a couple shops that are open on Sundays, because we'll be in the area on a Saturday afternoon and Sunday.  For the most part, we'll be in the Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia area.  What do you suggest?

Preoccupied

Why does getting ready for vacation take so much time?

Hubby and I will be cruising off toward Alaska soon, and not long after that, we'll be traveling to central California for a niece's wedding.  I ended up spending most of Sunday working out the various travel arrangements, reservations, excursions, etc.  Isn't that crazy?  I've also been making lists and doing a little shopping here and there, with more to follow in the coming days.  Hubby's also been pressed into action with his own list of tasks to take care of.  By the time vacation comes along, we'll be so worn out from making our vacation plans, we'll seriously need a vacation!

I think we were both a little panicked on Sunday when we read the on-line cruise brochure about appropriate attire and the fact that we'd have two FORMAL evenings to dress for.  I work with people who will jump at the opportunity to dress up, but Hubby and I aren't those people.  Happily, I learned from friends who cruise that we aren't REQUIRED to participate--despite the fact that the cruise brochures make it sound mandatory.  Whew!  I was trying to figure out how we could possibly bring that much more luggage to hold dress up clothing and all that goes with it--that's probably a whole suitcase on its own!

And speaking of luggage, that's another quest I've been on.  Years ago, we purchased a set of luggage--or, now that I think about it, I believe it was a gift to us.  Anyway, a couple of the pieces have worn out, so Hubby and I are looking for a new piece or two.  I stopped at a discount department store tonight and found a nice carry-on size piece, but ideally I'd like to get another large-ish piece, so the quest continues.

I think one of the difficulties in packing for a cruise to Alaska is figuring out what to pack for summer time in a normally freezing climate.  Yes, as with most things, layers are a good idea, and luckily, I think, I tend to gravitate toward a lot of black in my wardrobe anyway, so I probably have a little easier time throwing together layers that don't clash.  Normally I pack too much though, and that could be a problem since we'll be gone nine days and airlines can be so darn picky about piles of luggage.  Or I pack too much of one type of thing and not enough of another.  And I think I need to purchase a few things, so I'll be busy with that too in the next day or so.

There's also the "Christmas Effect" to guard against.  That's where you go shopping because you need a lightweight sweater and a couple pairs of socks, for instance.  You don't find the sweater or the socks you need, but you DO find three really cute tops for work.  At that rate, if you shop much more, you won't be able to afford the vacation anyway.

So I don't know what I'll find to blog about in the next several days since I'm anticipating only very limited time in the Sweat Shop, but I'll try to find something to say.  But if I miss a post, just know that I'm shopping or making lists or doing something else really boring, okay?

A Little Something For a Friend

A few months ago, I found some vintage embroidered blocks at a quilt show and purchased a couple.  One of them was of a dog holding a basket, and I thought it would make the basis of a nice gift for a friend who loves animals.  On Saturday, I took the block with me when I got together with my stitchery friends and asked them for suggestions about what I could make.  The friend I was making it for appreciates vintage things but I didn't think she'd want a wall hanging or a table topper, so I wasn't sure what to do.  When Sandy suggested a pillow, I knew that was the perfect idea!  So that's what I made, using some of the leftover French General fabric from Merry Merry Snowmen; the prairie points were made from charm squares from the same line.

There are a few slightly discolored spots on the embroidered block, but I was afraid that if I tried to get them out, the red embroidery thread might bleed, so I left it as is.  I think she'll like it; at least I hope so!

Pie in the Sky Blocks

Okay, here are what I think are my last set of four blocks for the Pie in the Sky quilt by Kim Diehl:

I still need to do a final count to make sure, but I think this is it--wooo-hooo!  My basket is still pretty full, but I also need to cut a bunch of plain squares that are used as sashing, so by the time I get that done, I think it will make a pretty good dent in my scrap basket.

Several of you were interested in the Autumn House pattern, and I ended up drawing Laura K's name.  Laura K said "Anne over at Bunny Hill is my absolute favorite quilt pattern designer! Not only are her designs exquisite but she is an absolutely wonderful person as well. I would love to give your pattern a new home. Autumn is my very favorite time of year so I am always looking for new things!"  Laura, it sounds like the pattern will go to a good home.  Please email me your mailing address and I'll get the pattern in the mail to you this week.

Remember, if you post a scrappy project on your blog today, add yourself to the Mister Linky list below.  I'm glad you could stop by!

Behind the 8-Ball, Again!

Heck!  I'm behind again on my scrap blocks--I should have had them made by now and I haven't even started.  Now I'll be scrambling to get them done.  I know--there's really no pressure and the world won't end if I don't make my four blocks, BUT I think these are the last four I need to make!  So I'd better get busy and do that so I'll have something to show tomorrow night.  (Normally a day would be enough time to make blocks, but I'll be spending this Saturday with my stitchery friends, and not much machine work will get done.)

Hopefully YOU'RE doing better than I am.  If you have a scrappy project to show this week, please sign up so we can stop by to visit you.

What Was I Thinking?

That's what I spent a chunk of the evening wondering as I dug through patterns, fabrics, books, buttons, this and that, and all the general detritus of the sewing room.  What was I thinking several months ago when I tucked away a packet of buttons and embellishments for the Bunny Hill Pumpkinville quilt?  Because if I could just remember my thought process at that time, maybe I could recall where I put it.

The Sweat Shop is starting to look like it might explode again.  Although I don't feel I've been buying very much lately to add to the clutter, I must be buying more than I'm using because I suddenly don't seem to have room for what I have.  Or maybe it's just that I haven't really kept up with organizing things as I should; I think it's just about time for another serious clean out.  And I started that a bit tonight, just because I didn't really have any other options.

Here's the first little thing I thought I could do.  Are any of you interested in the Bunny Hill Autumn House pattern?  It's not exactly in pristine condition since it was used when it came to me and then I've made the quilt too, but I'd be happy to pass it on to someone who's interested in making it.  Just as a reminder, here's what my quilt looks like--keep in mind it still needs to be quilted:

The quilt finishes at 49" x 57", so it's a nice medium large wall hanging size.  If you're industrious and start right away, you might have it done by THIS autumn; if you're a little slower, you still have NEXT autumn to shoot for.  If more than one person wants the pattern, I'll have a drawing on Saturday night and post the identity of the victor on Sunday's blog post.

Since I've finished this one and I'm nearly done with Merry, Merry Snowmen, I thought I'd get out the pattern for Pumpkinville and start making plans.  That's when I started wondering where the embellishment kit was.  And after looking in every logical place I thought it could be, I finally decided I'd never purchased it in the first place.  Thinking back, I remembered I bought the pattern hot off the press, and I don't think there WAS an embellishment kit yet.  So I guess I'd better buy that before I forget and go through all of this again.  And as crazy full as the Sweat Shop seems right now, I'm pretty sure I still have room for one little embellishment kit.  All is not lost.  It just seems that way sometimes.