Went to a quilt show...

 I was lucky enough to go to The Road to California Quilt Show last weekend...I went two different days...Thursday and Saturday! I went with my two sisters...both days...and had a wonderful time...

 I wanted to show you some of my favorite quilts...these are SO much better in person...but you get the idea...this one touched my heart...

 Loved the simplicity of this...but it made a bold statement...

 This was great...I could feel that little guy shivering...

 I really love the Modern Quilts...the colors were soothing...and then the pops of color...wonderful!

 This was so darn cute!

 Who wouldn't love this!

 And my favorite...oh yes! If you know me very well...this is a no brainer! I love everything about this quilt...what talented quilters all these guys and gals were...there were many, many more...but these were my favorites...There were lots more vendors this year too...they added a third area...a huge tent added on to one of the ballrooms. I chose carefully what I bought...some new patterns...lots of wool and a cute quilt kit...there were so many things to chose from...I always bring a certain amount of cash and when I have no more ...I quit! Luckily I didn't run out of money before I was done...there were many things I would have loved to get...but...well...you understand...

 I started making more of these ....

 I ran out in my Etsy shop!

 Here's a special order I made...Mom wanted her little one to have a matching bag...for bottles and clothes and such...she loved it...so happy about that!

Been eating LOTS of these...so yummy and sweet...we have been picking them everyday. I also found a great bread at the farmer's market we go to every Wednesday morning...Cranberry Walnut Wheat...oh my! I just finished my lunch...a avocado, tomato sandwich on this bread...wonderful! So if you see something like that in your area...buy it! Makes the best toast too! Lots of pieces of cranberries...and crunchy walnuts too...YUM!

School is going well...I am looking forward to finishing the Publisher part of my class and getting into photo shop...I could use it! 

The weather has cooled down a bit...last night I think we got a little rain! Not much...maybe it was just a heavy mist...but I'll take it...everything was wet this morning when I went to school...my driveway too. The paper says a chance of rain on Thursday and Friday...oh wouldn't tha be awesome!! Can't tell you how dry its been here...the whole West, actually...all the way to Colorado...so we need the moisture.

Not much else happening in my neck of the woods...today I going to attempt a Valentine table runner...I have gone through all the reds I have in my stash and hope to find enough that will look good together...it will certainly be scrappy...but the color is what I'm going to go for...not so much Valentine fabrics...I have a few Valentine charms squares left from another project...I'll throw them in and see what I come up with...not promising anything...just hoping I will like the results...sooo...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Finally...still air for a change...

 Well the wind is finally gone...for now...and I was able to garden a bit this past week...I had to do a lot of clean up first...that wind blew all sorts of items into the yard...my Camellias are blooming...  

The flowers on this one are so heavy...they sort of hang there...

 It got a little beat up by all the wind...but it will be fine...

 This is in my back yard looking South...its a partly cloudy day...cooler than days past...thank goodness! So many people are thrilled with Summer weather in January...but not me! I always look forward to cooler temps!

 If you look closely...you can see something blew into my tree...this was a paper lantern we couldn't reach...there were all sorts of items hanging in the trees...mostly plastic bags...which is one reason I wish people would use cloth bags...they get stuck everywhere!

 My lettuce is in a wind protected area of the yard...I have a ton of romaine and red leaf lettuce...we eat salads almost every day and its nice to just go out and pick what you need for your meal...

 Lots blooming in the yard too...

 Gerber daisies got really wind blown...but a few still look OK...

 They'll be fine...

 Primrose are so close to the ground that they seem to do fine...these are the first ones blooming...although I did notice a few purple ones on the side yard just coming back with one flower and tons of buds...they are such a cheery flower!

 Of course violas are growing everywhere...I scatter seeds I collect and then the wind blows seeds everywhere too!

 I have a lot of stock flowers too...

 And here's my fail for the season...isn't this the most pathetic broccoli ever! I think I have about 8 plants and maybe enough for one meal! Just sad...I don't know why they didn't grow...I have grown them in the past...maybe the weird weather...who knows? The onions I planted at the same time are doing fine...at least what I can see of them...hopefully I will have plenty of red onions this Summer...

 I made a couple little coin zipper bags...

These were from a little tiny charm pack of Sweetwater's Road 15...the squares are 2 inches...the fabric reminded me of our trip to the mid-west...all the farms with trees surrounding them...

This morning I had school...my keyboarding class...my attempt at gaining some speed...I never use my pinky fingers when I type...so its hard for me! 

I am back at making more doll carriers too...I can't seem to keep them in my shop...which is a good thing! I was going to concentrate on making some more doll clothes...those have nearly sold out too...so needless to say...I will be busy sewing all week...except for Thursday...then I am going to The Road to California Quilt Show! Can't wait! I love seeing all the beautiful quilts and dreaming of one day making something bigger than a table runner! I hope to find some patterns I can accomplish...

Until next time....enjoy your day!!!

My lilacs are blooming...

 I can't believe its January...ever so cold in so much of the country...and warmer than normal here...the winds have been beating me down though...wind and dust and dry...so I have had to water to keep my yard alive. My plants must be confused...because so many are blooming and growing way ahead of schedule....

 The wind has calmed a bit...and I took the opportunity to go out and check out this California lilac that usually blooms late February...and here she is...all in bloom...with friends visiting!

 Today is supposed to be 79...now this time of year we normally do get a warm spell...but we haven't gotten a COLD spell yet...oh...maybe a week or two back in  November... 

 Its the wind that has beaten me down though...it dries everything out...the yard...my skin...my hair...my throat...and the dust...even though I have double pane windows...the dust manages to get in under the tiny crevices at the bottom of the doors...

 But I have decided that I can't control the weather...so I'll enjoy it when the wind dies down a little...and be thankful for those times...I read that in some parts of Colorado...the gusts are over 100mph...here they are around 70-80mph...and a constant of around 30mph...

 I do feel for the poor bees and birds...they struggle in flight...these guys seemed so happy for the break in the wind. I keep water out for the birds...right now they sure need it...

 I've been sewing too...I gathered up some pretty reds and pinks...and a bit if red wool...and came up with this little zipper bag...

Here's the back...I thought a little wool heart would be nice too...Valentine's Day will be here soon...so I have been in a red mood...

School is moving along too...this morning I had my keyboarding class...I am getting better at not peeking at my fingers...my Desk Top Publishing class is fun...I can't wait until the Photo Shop part...I have never edited pictures before...you can probably tell...my photography isn't very good...so I think I will be happy to learn all about that. 

I've been thinking about getting a new camera too...not sure what to get...what do you use?? I need to research...they cost so much and I don't want to make a mistake with a large purchase...any help is much appreciated. I'd love to one day take a photography class...for now...I'll just keep pointing and shooting and hope some come out alright!

Better get back to my sewing...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

I love my Tangerine tree...

 If you live anywhere in Southern California...this is a common site...a citrus tree of some sort...this is our Mandarin Orange Tree...it is full of delicious fruit right now... 

 But in the local paper today...it talks of doom for the citrus industry in our area...which is all over...and this really scared me! The article said that half of the citrus in our area are grown in back yards...and I can tell you that here...that is so true! All of my neighbors have citrus tree...oranges, tangerines, lemon, lime, grapefruit...you name it...and apparently...

 There is a bug that's determined to kill off all the trees in the area! A tiny bug called a psyllid...about half the size of a grain of rice...only two of these bugs can destroy an orchard...in Florida...so many orchards were destroyed and many of the farmers gave up and either developed their property...or sold it off for pennies on the dollar...that's just sad!

 In Redlands...the next town over...oranges are grown in all the newer housing developments and on the city streets too...oranges make up a valuable part of a beer that is made in Redlands...Hanger 24's Orange Wheat Beer...

 This time of year I gorge on my fruit...many call them tangerines...but they are a little different...I eat them every day...in salads...they are awesome!

Most of the time...just like this! 

The article said that we may only have a few more years before so much of the trees are gone...there is already a quarantine in effect in every Southern California county and many in Central California...where most of the larger groves are...many farmers here have orchards that are less than 100 acres and work together to market them...most in my area going to schools...but most home owners are unaware of the problem...sure I had heard of the bug that devastated Florida...but here?? Not until I read the article did I really appreciate my ability to walk outside and pick fresh fruit every day...see citrus is special because it stays fresh on the trees for so long...months...and months...unlike other fruits...you pick it fresh...and enjoy! The article said there was a meeting for home owners on Friday...I think I better get over there and see how I can protect my trees...if I actually can...I am an organic gardener and wonder what all this is going to do to our health...the article said that they are releasing wasps that eat this bug...it is from Asia...the wasps from Pakistan...but they will only eat 60% of the larvae...and like the article said...only 2 are needed to destroy...so we'll see how this plays out.

Sorry for such a downer of a blog...but its important...so next time you go to the grocery store for an orange or some grapefruit...and the price is sky high...here's a reason...until then...I plan on eating as much as I can!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Another finish...

 Now for my next finish...which brings us to Valentines...

 I had most of this completed...I just had to sew on the squares and put on the back...

 I was able to use almost everything from my stash of Salvation Army wool clothing...

 except the green...I just didn't have the right one...I used all the buttons from my stash of old buttons a friend gave me...they came on handy!

 The black wool was a blazer I took apart and I was lucky it was big enough! I am always happy when I can find wool items in the plus sizes! I do have quite a bit of men's suits...but the ladies clothing is all the pretty colors! I used a solid black cotton for the back. The pattern calls for wool...but I don't like wasting my wool for a backing. This is the perfect size for a little table in my living room...I think my house will be festive for Valentine's Day once I finish a table runner I am in the middle of...do you decorate for Valentine's Day? I never used to...but the last couple of years I have. Our anniversary is February 2...so I might as well keep the love going all month!

Today I started back to school...I am taking Desk Top Publishing and a key boarding class. My goal is web design...and this is another step in my journey...the key boarding is to help me not hunt and peck quite so much! Don is finishing his Quick Books...it will come in handy for our little business. 

We are going to start the flea markets again in March...I just signed up this afternoon. We like doing those PCC flea market...its a great one...we always do well...and I can shop too! Its a win-win! I do need to get busy with the shop though...can't sell much if we don't have things made! So off to my cutting table...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

A fire and a finish...

 The other day when I was out gardening...I noticed this...

 And then I started hearing these show up...hmmm...I knew it was either a slow news day...or something big was burning nearby....

 So I walked the 5 houses to the end of my street...and I saw this...it looked like it was right next to the hospital...that wasn't good...so I zoomed in...

 Something big was burning...but I couldn't tell what it was...it was about 5 or so miles away from my street...so I went in the house and turned on the TV...it was an old bowling alley...fully engulfed. Sad...but it had been closed for a few years...I guess now they'll get around to doing something with it. That big building is the hospital I was worried about..the fire was actually about a half mile from the hospital...funny how everything looks so close when you're far away...no one was hurt...thank goodness...

 Now on to my finish...I know this is Christmas...but I finally got this table runner quilted. This is my first project this big. I have made smaller mats...but never tried my hand at anything this size...

 Is it perfect...heavens no!! But it is fairly straight...and I am proud of myself!

 I was able to machine quilt it too...all by myself...nothing grand...but I am happy...

 It is a pretty good size too...40 x 20...perfect for my kitchen table. I want to make one like this but about 14 inches longer for my bedroom dresser...maybe I'll look for another pattern...or try and just add another block to this one...not sure...

Here's the back...I had fun making this...a lot of learning along the way. It wasn't as scary as I thought...so I will be trying my hand at some bigger pieces now that I have some courage to move on! 

I am working on finishing some things that have been sitting around waiting...its hard sometimes...I get caught up sewing for my Etsy shop...gardening, school...and just life in general...but I decided I need to make time for more of these types of projects...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!