HI, I am back...

Well, it has been a while, I have been working much more that I am used to so my time in the studio has become less and less. My blogging has suffered too. I have decided it is time to either not have a blog or make a commitment to it. I am going to start slowly. At a minimum I am going to post weekly to start. Since it has been over a month since I posted I figure that is a reasonable goal.
Life has been busy but good. I have been taking photos and walking on the beach when time allows. The above photo was taken a few weeks ago on an early morning walk at low tide. It was an incredible day and incredible place.
Now, I am going to share with you my first ribbon. I entered a few pieces in our local County Fair and got several blue ribbons on my pieces but got this fancy Judges Choice on my Calla Lilly. The ribbon is just about as big as my piece. It is nice to have this little bit of recognition. I tend to go off in my own direction and not everyone likes or understands my work, so this bit of recognition feels good. I like to think this is not very important but I guess it is.

Have a great day!!!

More of Sweden

This is our chief tour guide, our son Rick. He did a great job. It was fun to have this time with him!
This is the view of Stockholm from the Tower in City Hall. It was a long climb up stairs which the stairwell got smaller and smaller but the view of the City was incredible.


This was our Home away from Home. It was the cutest little summer home in a very beautiful area west of Stockholm.

Sweden

We had an incredible trip to Stockholm, Sweden and Iceland. Here are a few photos. I was fascinated and loved this country and especially the people!!! We were able to see Sweden with our Son who has spent a year here, and our exchange student Kristina and her family from 7 years ago. They all took such good care of us. The provided a place to stay, included us in their Mid-summer celebration and the list goes on and on! I have posted only a few photos at this point and took 1500 photos...
This was our view for Mid-Summer...

Sweden here I come!

I hope all is well with all of you and I hope you will excuse my absence. I have been preparing for a big trip. My husband and I are heading to Sweden to visit out son. He has been going to school over there this last year. I am so excited to see him and excited to see Sweden. I made myself a new carry on for the trip. This bag was made from an Amy Butler pattern and Ikea fabric. I am very happy with it. I scotch guarded it today so it will be ready for the trip.

While I was making my carry on bag, I decided I did not have a messenger bag that would hold my camera. So with the same fabric I made this. I will be quite the wild one. I am quite happy with it.
I also wanted to share this photo. I got it today, it is our son and daughter. She flew over to spend a bit of time with her brother and the two of them are running around Seville Spain. I was so happy to get a photo of the two of them having such a great time.

Now, this is my tinny weenie which is complete. I have finished the quilting and I am quite happy with the way it turned out. I did several new to me quilting. If you click on the photo you can see the stitching.

Well, I will be leaving in a couple of days, so this will be my last post until I return in July. I hope all of you are enjoying your summer so far and have some great adventures planned. ENJOY!!!

Design Wall ?

So, most quilters have a design wall, mine is a garage door.... I have figured out how to make it work but I see these great work areas others have and I am envious. Now saying that I also feel very fortunate to have a space I can call my own and make a mess and play.

As you can see I am still contemplating the teeny weenie's quilting... I am also working on a thread painted fish and a quilt for my guest room. This is the beginning of the blocks then they will be cut in quarters and re assembled.

Here is the progression of the colorful quilt also. I am working on so many thing but I am loving being able switch between projects!!!

I hope all is well with all of you.

Teeny Weenie Quilt Challenge

First I want to apologize for this terrible photo. The cell phone just does not do a great job but I wanted to get something posted today.

Here is the progress on my Teeny Weenie Quilt Challenge. This is a challenge from the Port Orford Quilt Guild. Those who wish to participate were told to bring one yard of summer fabric and it was then divided between the participants. The instructions were to create a small quilt no larger than a fat quarter with the fabrics provided. We could eliminate one fabric and add one. I received 17 fabrics. I was not sure at the beginning what in the world I had gotten myself in to. When I initially looked at these fabrics I could not imagine what I was going to do with them. So I looked at them and rearranged them for about a week or more and finally decided they were best arranged in order of the colors on the color wheel. I was able to cut circles out and cover most of the colors (kind of). I added the background fabric. My inspiration for the design of this piece was a quilt by Carol Bryer Fallert.

I began quilting yesterday. I only have one section quilted but will continue on this path. I am still thinking about whether I will quilt all of the blank spaces with the same color or weather I will change colors. At this point I am thinking I will try and keep things in the same color family but vary it a bit. However by later that may change too. I just am not sure.

I have had a great time playing with this once I decided I could now I am thinking about doing another working with colors in order of the color wheel. I am going to try and focus on color for a while and see where it takes me.

I hope all of you are having a fabulous weekend. I hate to say this but as I look out the window the rain has begun again and that makes me happy, I think it is time to sew some more and not feel like I should be doing something else like work outside...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!! Mom, you set such a wonderful example for me!

This is a photo I received last week from my parents, they are in Stockholm, visiting my son. I have been having such fun hearing all about what they have been doing. In June, Mark and I are going to be visit. I am so very pleased that they are spending time together!

I apologize for my absence from writing in my blog. As many of you know I have been visiting and reading just not writing. I don't know what has come over me I have just not felt much like writing. Last weekend I even painted our master bath and have worked this week on doing all of the other little things that go along with painting. I even removed all the caulking around the tub and shower door and replaced it. :-) I am proud of myself!

I have been sewing and keeping myself busy. I am continuing to work on the colorful quilt which is a very slow process. I am doing a quilt challenge with the Port Orford quilt guild it is called the Tennie Weenie Quilt Challenge. They do a challenge every few months, this one has a summer theme. Everyone brings a yard of summer fabric and it is cut in strips and divided among the participants. I have 18 strips of fabric that the only thing they have in common is the fact they made the purchaser think of summer. I have started the design process so I will show you photos soon.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Mother's Day.