PICTURES, VACATION

Puddle DuckVest/Dress.

 

KEEPING IT SIMPLE while THE WORLD IS ON FIRE

The kiddos were here on the weekend and I came up with an art project that, 1) they loved and 2) lasted most of the morning....BINGO that's a win! I had used up some fabric on a few bolts and hated to just toss the cardboard , so I decided to put them on the table with a bunch of art supplies and said 'go for it'. 'Go for it' they did, what started as making -'people board's' went to pure unrestricted artistic expression. I love that kind of kid art! Let them run with imagination.

We have a GIANT fire burning about 50 miles up the canyon from us and the smoke is awful! It has been blocking out the sun for days, some days worse than others. So besides for COVID reasons, we are locked inside our homes due to the thick smoke. Oy Vey, what else is 2020 going to throw at us?

A few projects that I have completed are:

--sweater for Gus

---rainbow socks that I am keeping for me

---the disaster quilt for Gus

I call it the disaster quilt because of all the mistakes in the quilt. One would think- this is the first quilt I have ever made and I have close to about 150 under my sewing belt. One thing that I finally cried "uncle" on -is my straight edge ruler. It must be 15-20 years old and has few markings  left on it that I can read and the edge is all gouged and nicked. I ordered a new one! If Disaster quilt was not going to little Gus I would of thrown it out. It almost landed in the trash several times but I thought, Gus is just going to drag it through the dirt, stomp on it and use in fort building....well now, it may just be perfect for him. Betty saw it and thought it was so "beautiful" and asked if it was for her?

Me: no Honey this is for Gus.

Betty: But Mimi, Gus does not SHARE! 

Betty:  I know, You can make me one too!

Me: Of course I will!

The quilt is made from scraps and I mean true scraps. I have buckets of small scrappy quilt fabrics. I can't bear to throw out fabric, it's expensive and I can always make something from the scraps. 

I'm anxiously awaiting a Di Ford -BOM quilt and book to arrive, it will be the first Di Ford quilt for me. Lots of piecing, (so glad I ordered that new ruler), and some appliquéing, best of both worlds. 

Also on the agenda is a Hexie Quilt that will be done by hand! Hope I live long enough to complete this beautiful quilt, another quilt inspired by Di Ford.

Presently, I am machine quilting the Brown and Pink Reproduction Quilt. 

Reading:

The Good Lord Bird by James Mc Bride

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton

Joining Kat - Unraveled Wednesday

TWIRLING

We spent last week in the mountains and as my 2 yr. old grandson says,'in grandpa's camping house'. It was hot here down under the Rockies so we went up into the Rockies, where it was 10-20 degrees cooler, cloudy most of the week with just the right amount of sunshine.

I spent the first 3 days sitting by the river knitting, reading and just plain listening...heaven!

Eric spent his time fishing and was honored to bring in several fish a day, all released back to the wild river of course. The last 2 days the littles came up and Betty declared at dinner, "I love camping, it is just so much fun." 

This little girl is at that wonderful stage where 'twirly' dresses are the end all. And I have material and time ! 

The magic of twirling!

WHAT A MONTH!

                                                                        

WOW, this month sure is working itself into the pages of history and rightly so! I am optimistic once again with this country, seeing all the people, of all races out marching for change, and the majority are young! This is how real change happens! 

I am amazed that their is still a conversation around the confederate flag, a lost cause flag! A flag that symbolizes slavery and continued racism in America. I am so ready to move on, to look at my own biases, to help change policies across the landscape, to change! It is long past time! Remember to VOTE in November so we can start some real change in this country.

I finished NOTICE and wore it. Though I like the fit and the yarn I used, it is hot to wear! Of course, it is a wool and cotton blend. 'Notice' may, I hope, work for evening wear,( hahaha, like I have anywhere to go for evening wear and in a pandemic). Oh this summer will surely be one the memory books.

Have been getting some very interesting weather, rain, snow and high winds, (40-100mph winds) and of course hail. Thought my windows were going to explode during the last hail storm. The garden, if one can call my small box a garden did survive, though some of the flowers looking sad.

Soon, very soon hope to be camping and watching wild life. Always calming for me, being outside, under the sky and in the trees.

INTO THE WOODS----MOUNTAINS

 Shawl is knitted with Percussion Rock Alpaca Yarn!

Antarktis Shawl

( shawls not been blocked yet), out in middle of no where.

3 JULY 2017 CAMPING

 

We went high in the Colorado Mountains over the weekend. It was kinda a test run for the wee one, getting kinks worked out for the BIG Yellowstone trip later in the summer. The results were kinda a mix bag, B loved playing outside ALL day, getting dirty, looking at every flower and rock, watching the sky with beautiful white clouds and that helicopter was great fun! Slept the first night like the dead! Day 2 all was well until the kid chair was open and B climbed up looking so big and proud! The climbing out part didn't go as well, she was so close to mastering the chair thing but...hence, the strawberry scuffed up right side of the face-oh, did that hurt...all of us! Second night, low and behold a tooth decides it is time to bust through, causing a very sleepless night. Yet, all in all, I think it went well. Can't help the teething process and can't stop all falls that a one year will take!

The best part of the trip was B is an apprentice knitter! See , she insists on caring the knitting bag-EVERYWHERE,  I need to make one just for her.

I had brought up three projects to work on, only a few rows of Eric's sock were completed. So many more important things to explore with a new set of one year old eyes!

The high country is beautiful this time of year. Really wish we could have gone hiking, but I am still in an aircast for several more weeks. Nothing like having a cement block on my dominant foot in the summer to beat all.

Happy 4th to all.May it be fun but most of all shared with loved ones and PEACEFUL!