A Great Day

Yesterday was a wonderful lecture at the Sassy Cat Quilt Shop. Mary W. from Vermillion spoke for two hours on her favorite subject--QUILTS!!!  She spoke on style, fabrics, dating quilts.  We were asked to bring our antique/vintage quilts and the stories behind them.  So much eye candy!  Here is Mary---

Her husband Steve helped hold quilts plus Mary brought more friends to help.  Mary, Lorrie2Rs, Me, and Dee from Nebraska--

Mary, Lorri2Rs, Me, and Dee from Nebraska

We had a wonderful time!  Dee brought the most wonderful quilt made for her husband by his mother--

The picture doesn't do it justice.   The pattern was by Rainbow Quilt Co.  This quilt was very heavy--Dee and Lorrie2Rs arms hurt after holding and waiting for me--

Mary brought me boy quilts, boy tops, and some fruit and veggie fabrics--

When I look at them I don't see the fruits and veggies (well, maybe the bananas), I see TOT fabrics.  51 pieces--I need to think of a pattern to use them.  I think I will sort them by value.  A good tool to sort is using a photo editing app and change your picture to black & white--

See how much easier it is to sort for value?  Mary also shared one of her patterns--it is exactly the type of pattern I like--

Mary writes great directions.  There are a lap, twin, double, queen and king size patterns in it.  

Still not much sewing.  Sigh  This is getting old.  

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

How does my garden grow?

I plant tomatoes, flowers etc in pots.  Laura Beth asked for zucchini plants.  I'd saved some old laundry baskets and used them for the zucchini seedlings--

I've been reading about "air pruning" and was excited to try it.  I lined the baskets with tulle fabric.  A few seedlings were planted in pots I had on hand.   Most my vegetable plants live on picnic tables, the wildlife often wants to investigate/eat/dig in them.  If they are on a picnic table they are less appealing.  There is a small flower bed next to my camper.  I planted it with flower seeds--

 

Morning glory, zinnia, and other flower seeds were sown.  They are happily growing and will need some sort of trellis.  I raised the wire panel and put long garden stakes in the corners and tied them together at the top.  Plastic plant tape was used to tie the wire to the stakes.  Eventually it will be a blooming flower volcano (I hope)!

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

Thursday Update

Its been busy.  Last week we had "Pie Day".  I made two pies--a pecan and a buttermilk.  These were the entries--

I didn't win, Andrew won with a Banana Cream pie and Ashley was 2nd with a Coconut Cream Cheesecake with her secret ingredient (a little lime juice).  They were both VERY GOOD!  ROFL--the buttermilk pie was eyed with trepidation, but I liked it.  The flavoring was nutmeg, and I adore nutmeg!  It was basically a custard pie with lots of cream, sugar and eggs--what's not to like about that??

Here are the winners--Ashley and Andrew. Next month we are having Ethnic Food Day.  I am making a Cajun dish, I like Cajun cuisine! 

We had a visitor to the VC--

Hannah modeled the Pioneer clothing Lorrie2Rs made (Hannah is a former Ranger at the VC).  The dress up clothing is a popular spot in the VC.  There is usually lots of laughter from that section of the building!  

I've done very little sewing.  My shoulder is unhappy and I will probably need to see the Dr. again.  So no goals this week.  We're still having lots of rain, this morning was 2-3" of rain north of me and it was still raining.  Here at the camper we got a sprinkle and lots of thunder and lightning. I was worried about wind/hail in the night so I moved a few favorite plants under the picnic table.  The big hibiscus sheltered under the front of the 5th wheel.  Summer has finally arrived, it will be in the 80's today and possible 90's this weekend.  

Have a great week!

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Yesterday I finished sewing the May Make It Modern project together.  The next time I am home I will quilt it.  

Pat helped me pull fabrics for my June Try A New Technique challenge.  There are very few techniques I haven't done, so I decided to do one I do not really like but produces beautiful results--Paper Piecing!

The Quilters World magazine is from June 2010.   I save old magazines and page through them for ideas all the time.  I'm linking with Oh Scrap, Love Laugh Quilt, Moving It Forward, and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Yesterday I practiced making cupcakes with my new oven.  

Banana Nut cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting.  Or you can say they are Banana Nut muffins with frosting.  More healthy to call them muffins!

Weekly Goals--

More binding

Start Paper Piecing project

That's all for this week, its a busy week.  

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

RSC--Blue

This week I made three blue 9" churn dash blocks--

I cut these from a box of pressed scraps I brought to the camper.  I had 11 blues, so far I have sewn three blocks.  The Accuquilt GO is so handy--I have the 9" churn dash die.  The blocks fit together so perfectly when I sew them.  I'm linking with SoScrappy.

I miss having an oven in our camper.  Recently I bought an Oster countertop Convection/Toaster oven.

I put it on bricks in case it gets hot underneath.  Does it work?  My brownies were a failure but that might have been "operator error".  But I was able to bake cupcakes--

Its big enough for a 13x9 cake pan or a whole chicken.  I'll keep practicing.

Piglet is back--

Grandma's "hog".  Last night I rode it down to the mailbox.  So far no road rash moments!

Not much sewing happening, a month ago I fell UP the steps to the camper and smashed my shoulder against the doorframe.  I rested it for a month, but it's still extremely sore.  Dr. appointment yesterday, Xrays, and a cortisone injection.  Oh well, so it goes!

Have a great week!

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what's wrong

The preceeding post has strange font and sizing--I can't seem to change it!  ~Lori1R~

Wednesday Update

June is here and we finally have had a few days of sun.  But we are quite soggy!  The bird feeders are up and I checked the birdhouses--

One nest has eight wren eggs in it.  The other house has bluebirds building a nest but no eggs yet.  The bluebirds are quite territorial, their nest is close to the feeders and they aggressively chase the other birds away--except the orioles--they are bigger and can only give them "stink eye"!  So far I've seen purple and yellow finches, warblers, hummingbirds, wrens, bluebirds, orioles, cardinals, catbirds, towhee, nuthatches, black capped chickadees, doves, woodpeckers, and several kinds of sparrows.  The turkeys wander through and clean up under the feeders.  Its relaxing to sit by the window and watch them.  

There's been no sewing.  😢  I was carrying a laundry basket of stuff up the camper steps and fell against the door frame with my right arm.  Of course its the arm I had surgery on and now the shoulder is sore too.  I have been resting it (really--that's what the Dr. would suggest) but its been 3 weeks, I may have to make an appointment.  I jammed it pretty hard and hope I haven't torn anything in the shoulder. 

Instead I will study patterns and do the math--I am ready to START SOMETHING NEW!!!  I packed 2.5" strips, 5" charms, 3.5x6.5" bricks, and bolts of neutral backgrounds. 

Remember the snowstorm in March that broke our power line?  It fried my favorite stove.  But recently I found a replacement for now on an online garage sale Facebook site--

Not the best picture--but the stove is a really nice Frigidaire, the oven HAD NEVER BEEN USED!  A good buy at $80.   

I did get my garden planted--

Tomatoes, a basil and a mint plant, cannas, dahlia, begonia, asian lillies, a few bedding annuals all in pots.  My small flower bed and around the flag post were planted with various seeds, morning glory and moonflowers.  I charged all the solar lights and they are now along the edges of my campsite.  This weekend I had help--

Asher (grandson #2) fertilized and watered all the pots and flower beds.  He and Mason spent the weekend with Ken and I.  We were pretty relaxed--hot dogs, cold cereal, and fudge sickles!  We ate breakfast at the VFW--the first Sunday of the month they serve big breakfast--all you can eat.

I hope you are enjoying nice weather and a great summer!

~Lori1R in Nebraska~