Long Beach Quilt Show...

Long Beach is a great city to hold a quilt show during the Summer...first of all...it's near the ocean, so it's a lot cooler ...it was about 74 degrees when we arrived...

There's also so many things to look at when you are down here...the convention center is just a walk away from the water and we could see the Queen Mary in the distance...

Isn't this a quaint looking fisherman's village...it's full of shops and eateries...we walked around for a bit before we went to eat...we got down here early...you never know if there will be traffic on the way...there wasn't...

Here's my two sisters...it's great to spend time out with your sisters...we had a nice time...there were lots of vendors at the show...some old ones that I love and a couple new ones...that I loved too! But I will tell you more about them in another post...otherwise you'll be reading all day! I was however ... a little disappointed in the policy of not letting us photograph all the quilts...I guess they were afraid someone would copy...I think not! If you could have seen those quilts...they were amazing...but wait I can't show them to you...anyway...here's some of the quilts I could take pictures of that I really liked...

This was amazing...it is all made of tiny yo-yo's...

I don't know what drew me to this one...it's different, but I like it...it reminds my of a fairy tale...

This won an award...it was very moving...it had alot of 3D in it...but you can't see it from my picture...

This one made me smile...

This quilt is peaceful to me...

And this one...well...too cute!! It doesn't even look like a quilt...it looks like a big huge photo!

I am amazed by the talent that's out there in the quilting world...I could never in my wildest dreams ever create some of the things I saw...I just wish I could have shown all of them to you!

Enjoy the rest of your day, my friends...I have a sweet dog here that needs some extra love until my son gets home...

A couple new bags and off to the quilt show I go...

I've been busy sewing the last few days...that is when I'm not gardening...the weather has been nice the last few days, so when I can tear myself away from the yard...I've been sewing...here are two finishes...this is the first one...a nice big tote bag...when I saw this printed fabric...I liked it...when I touched it...oh my...it is so soft! It kind of feels like really soft old corduroy...but it's not...

Two layered buttons for the front closure...I was tempted for a third...but let's not overdo a good thing...

Here's a closeup of the pieces where they meet...I don't know about you...but I'm a fool for rick rack! I don't know why...but I love it and this jumbo size is wonderful!

Here's a peek of the inside...butter yellow with circles with dots in them...

Here's the second bag...it's a hipster...I guess that's what you call it...It has a really long handle that can be adjusted...I love these two fabrics...

Here's a closeup of the top ruffle...aren't ruffles fun...they are so girly...but I must admit...I hate making them...I just love the look so much that I make them anyway!!

Another little ruffle on the pocket...

The inside...I fell in love with the lining fabric...I bought all that was left...I can't make a bag out of it...well...I could but it would get so dirty...so lining and ruffles it is! I love carrying this size bag...It fits everything I need in here...even some I don't...and the strap being very long can easily go across my chest... I made these bags to add to my Etsy shop...I need to put them in there...I have been trying to get inventory for the Piecemaker's Craft Fair in October...I am sharing a booth with my sister and her friend...I am looking forward to that show...I have only been in one other one...as you saw from my title...I'm off to the Long Beach Quilt Show with my two sisters...I am very excited!! We are going for the preview night tonight...all the vendors will sell...and you get another ticket for any other day this weekend too. We did this last year and it wasn't crowded on the Preview night, so it was easy to shop...and everything was still in stock!

Enjoy your day, my friends!!

I have a visitor...

Do you remember when you were young and it was the middle of Summer...well...if you were anything like me...you went to spend time with your Grandparents for a week or so...let the tradition continue...This is Lola...and if you've read my sidebar...you will see that she's our only Grand daughter...and she's here to spend a week at our house...

Now I don't know about you...but my Grandparents let us run through the sprinklers on a hot Summer day...Lola's more into the put your face in the sprinkler approach...

And then try and turn it all around with your feet...let's see what happens when I do that!

Isn't that refreshing...standing in front of the sprinkler feels so good!

A little break to play ball...

And a roll in the grass to dry off...

And time for a nap...boy...I sure get worn out when I visit my Grandma's house...

Enjoy your day, my friends...Lola and I will be outside in the garden...there are birds and lizards to chase...and more sprinkler time...

Time to say good-bye...

Our last day up in Northern California ended with a family barbecue and posing for a few family pictures...here's our wonderful hosts...Gerry and Chris and their son, James...in the middle and his partner, Mark...

Oh look...cousins Hank and Sally came to visit all the way from Minetonka,Minnesota...

I had to have a picture of all our nieces and nephews...aren't they cute!!

Here's what they're really like...well...we had to have a silly picture...this is James and Mark and Kelli and her kids, Emily, Jake and Christopher...Kelli is the daughter of one of Don's older brothers...she lives up in Northern California too!

Oh look...Hank wanted to say hello all by himself!!

We had a great trip and came back home to warmer temperatures and craziness...have you ever had one of those days where everything you touch breaks and you just want to go back to bed and start the day over...well...that was my day yesterday...after a busy weekend I had so much to do...but it seemed like I took one foot forward and two steps backward...to start...our car started acting up last week...we took it in and got it back and...guess what...the same thing happened again...so yesterday it spent the day in the shop...AGAIN! Ok...I'm not nearly done...my weed eater that I use as a lawn trimmer died...it just whines now...nothing moves...by now I am whining along with it! Ok...so I managed to get the front yard done...then I go to mow the back and the mower start taking huge chunks of grass out...hey...what's up with that! At least it St Augustine...so it will fill in...but then it had the nerve to stop and not start again...so by now...it's really getting hot...and I'm steaming...and the lawn is a third mowed...oh well...I just figured I'd wait until Don got home to fix it...I'm not a lawn mower repairman...so I went inside where I thought I'd finish things inside and the breaker on my A/C kept popping off...NO!! All of this can't be happening...well...the repairman's coming today...along with a friend who's an electrician...because...again... I'm not an A/C repairman...well...you say... things can't get worse...Oh yes they can...I was cleaning my glasses a bit later...after I finished whining some more...and discovered a small crack in the right lens...NO! Well this has happened to me before...which is really a weird thing because in 50 years wearing glasses this is the first pair that it has happened to and it's happened TWICE since I got this pair...this time makes THREE times...OK...by now I really should get back to bed...I called the eye doctor today and thankfully I am eligible for new everything...so I'm hoping that things are going to go better today...do you think the other shoe already dropped...or am I still in trouble...anyway...here's to me staying away from anything mechanical ...

Enjoy your day, my friends...I am going to count my blessing and try NOT to dwell on yesterday!!

Our adventure continues...with a boat ride...

Saturday was the day we were going to split our foursome into pairs...as Don and Gerry headed off to Oakland for a double header...Chris and I headed into Suisun for a boat ride...we stopped at Subway and picked up sandwiches for the cruise...it was to be a 2 1/2 cruise through the Suisun marshes. It looks like a big river to me...but I am not a water expert...hey...the only water we have here are lakes, the ocean and a few creeks and waterfalls when the snow melts...this could have been the Mississippi for all I knew...

We took out seat at the front of the boat...we were the first ones on board...so we got the best views I think...no having to get my neck all crazy to see...and I wanted to see everything...

So pretty and peaceful out here on the water...it was a cool day...it never went over 72 degrees...I wore my windbreaker for the whole time...have I told you how much I love the water...this was very thrilling for me...but then I excite pretty easily...

There was a flock of white pelicans...I have only seen gray ones before...they are quite common at the beach...but these white ones fascinated me.

The tour guide said that we were in an estuary... not a part of the delta... it can't be considered part of the Sacramento Delta because the water is brackish...I found out later that meant there was a lot of wood in the water...hey, what do I know...I thought it had something to do with the salt content...we are close to the ocean here...remember...not the water expert...

Not too many boats out on the water this day...not enough birds either...hey where did they all go?? I was told it's too late in the day for very many birds to be around...

Hey...here's one...a gray heron I was told...oh he's pretty!

Another one...yippee!!

Lots of tall grasses blowing in the breeze...

We went out for about 6 or so miles and learned all kinds of things about the history of the area...too much for me to retain...I should have taken notes...but anyway...it was a wonderful ride...I saw some birds...cattle and a jumping fish...all in all a fine trip. Thanks Chris, for such a nice day...

I have a busy weekend planned, so I will show you more on Monday...until then...

Enjoy your weekend, my friends!!

Like kids in a candy store...

Yes, it was finally time for our tour of the Jelly Belly Factory....yippee!!

Don't Gerry and Chris look excited!!

I know I couldn't wipe that grin off my face...now I know it isn't as exciting as say... the Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory...but let's face it...not much is!!

Right when you walk inside...there's a tribute to President Ronald Reagan...he loved his Jelly Bellies...now I know why he was so popular!! This picture is all made of jelly beans...pretty cool...

There was a display with all sorts of things, including thank you letters from the President for sending a monthly box of Jelly Bellies...oh I want a monthly box of Jelly Bellies...OK...enough of Willie Wonka references...

We went through the tasting line...this is like wine tasting from yesterday...only no glasses...

There were all sorts of different kinds of jelly beans...Harry Potter was quite popular...I'll pass on the dirt and ear wax Jelly Bellies...thank you very much...

How about your favorite soda in a neat little bean...

We settled for these...these are the Belly Flops...quite a reasonable price...the same great taste...just weird random shapes...seconds...but oh so delicious!

There was even a chocolate shop...OK...I'm feeling a bit faint now...

Chocolate in all sorts of shapes...dinosaurs...

Doggies...

And the newest creation...Chocolate Dips...Chris bought some of these...but I'm not too sure about my bean dipped in chocolate...I'm a purist!

This one had me staring...and if I could have found a sales person who wasn't busy...well...that wouldn't be pretty...me...these...lots of these...they were about the size of a cupcake...huge mounds of goodness...let's just say I made it out the door without consuming my weight in sugar...

Now for something completely different...and healthy...thank you very much...after that sugar rush...I could use this place...

This is an Olive oil store near by...this was an eye opening experience for me...after listening to the owners and makers of the oils and vinegars...I have a whole new respect for this oil...I also learned a new way to introduce this oil into my diet...drink it...yes...you heard me...you drink 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil twice a day...an hour before meals...it lowers your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides...and the couple who were the testers for the trial even lost about 20 pounds a piece! Yes...they lost weight! It has something to do with the way the olive oil is pressed and there is a number on the bottle you need to look for...we got the one with the highest health benefit and from now on...we drink our olive oil daily! I'll let you know how it works when I have my next blood work done...I can't wait!

We went back to the house and had a bit of a rest and then got changed for dinner and a concert with friends...We drove out to Winters where we went to the Buckhorn for delicious steaks. Then across the street to The Palms for a concert with the Kerrie Carr Band...she was really good...sort of country rock...I enjoyed it alot...Winters was a cute little town...I'd like to go back there on our next trip up north for a day trip...there was even a quilt shop, but it was closed by the time I noticed it...next time...tomorrow...I will show you more of our trip...

Until then...enjoy your day, my friends!!