Gone and Back`

This was Spring Break week for my hubby.  So what did I plan for us?  To take a trip to Lakeland, FL to visit my mother.

When I got sick last year I requested no visitors.  I was too weak to entertain and I didn't want people to come just to stare at the hollow shell I had become (some exaggeration there).  My mother, who is now 93, really wanted to come but with Eric being my primary care giver, as well as teaching 2 days a week, and everyone else working, and no guest room, I didn't have anyone available to provide transportation or to help with any problems she might have.  So with Eric available to travel with me I suggested that we go to see her so she could see how well I have become.

We had a very nice visit and lunch at Longhorn but by the end of the day all were tired so it was a good time for a night's rest and a day's travel home.

Over the years we have traveled several times to Lakeland, Kissimmee, and Orlando so we know I 10 and I 75 quite well.  And our primary travel interests have been antique malls.  We have seen several come and go but two have remained constant and we time our travels to be able to visit them both.  This year Eric was concerned that I wouldn't be able to walk long enough to really enjoy the experience so he rented a wheelchair that he could push me around in.  It folded up and fix nicely in the car so off we went to renew our enjoyment of travel.

When we got to the first mall there was a sign on the door that stated that we could bring a dog inside so it wouldn't be left in a hot car.  Well, we just happened to have a dog with us, our 17 year old, blind Shih Tzu that Eric knew no one could care for except him (probably right, I can't).  So we bundled her up and brought her with us.  

This is Buffy and me at Webbs.  As you can see in this blurry picture, we used the wheelchair to push the dog around.  But I found it so easy to push that I used it more as a walker than a wheelchair and I was very grateful to have it.  Walking or standing makes my back hurt and having this to balance me and to take some of the pressure off was wonderful.  We didn't buy much but as soon as I am fully unpacked I will show the one thing I got.

 Here is the finished mug rug I completed prior to our trip.  I gifted it to my sister-in-law for her birthday, today.  She is quite crafty herself so it took me a long time to be willing to share what I make but for the last several years we have become a mutual admiration society, of two.

 And today I started working on making another one for myself.  Please note that I wrote "petal" on each of the petal pieces so I wouldn't think they were leaves this time.  Although I really like the first one and would have kept it and used it if Cera hadn't had a birthday right as I was finishing it.  Oh well, I guess I will just have a boring regular flower. 

Have a great weekend everyone........ Gari

Sewing, Piecing, and Antiques

This is my Design Wall today.  Looks a lot like my last two design walls, doesn’t it?  However, now each of the rows are sewn.  The center will be 60x84.  I think I know what I am going to do for an outer border but I think I need an inner border first so that may take some time to figure out.

 

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This was when I was just getting started putting the rows together but I wanted to be able to show the true colors.

 

 I also got the first border on Snowbound.  One more and this one will be ready for quilting.

And over the weekend I drew all the pieces for several applique BOMs (I really went overboard this year).  I plan on this being an applique week to see if I can get caught up on all of them.

 

 

Unfortunately we went antiquing again.  This was my prize, a cast iron cradle.  When I got it I was thinking of using it to store fabric.  But once it was set up in the family room, I could see a quilt an a baby doll in there.  We’ll see what finally it gets used for.

 

 

 

Of course Ms. Murphy had to check it out but interestingly, she hasn’t jumped into it, yet.

 

 

 

 

And then all the investigating had her all tuckered out.

 

 

 

 

It seemed to even tire Abby, who never paid any attention to the cradle.

 

 

 

 

Well, I better get off this computer, put a load of laundry in the washer, and get into the studio and get that applique stuff going.  Be sure you check out all the creativity at Patchwork Times.

What A Week

Our week started with a visit from our DS#2, DDIL, and DGS#6 (now that took some thinking). Anyway, they live in CO so we don’t see them often and they are currently on a three week tour of family and friends. Only one week out and they look exhausted and it didn’t help that she came down with bronchitis right after leaving home.

Monday saw our SIL coming over to start cooking on his beautiful homemade grill.

Here you see him waiting to turn the chicken and burgers, our DGS#2 wrapping corn for grilling and DH cheering them on. I’ll bet everyone for a mile around was wishing they had an invite to the feast.

Eventually we had two rooms full of family plus DGS#2 brought a friend who is a girl (???). There was lots of laughing and no picture taking cuz I was having a really good time and forgot.

Tuesday morning I got a little sewing done, getting the binding ready for Going Dotty.

I decided to make it a scrappy binding (something new to me) using the quilt fabrics.

Then in the afternoon I went to the school with DH, reading blogs while he taught, and then we went to a little town in AL that boasts being Alabama’s Antique City. Well, not so much but we did find this.

But what happened this afternoon was the best. I had checked for Dotty’s backing fabric at a quilt shop yesterday and found nothing I wanted, well not for the backing. ;-) So I made a plan to tour 3-4 shops in NWFL, looking for backing. However, before making that trip I went to the LQS and look what I found.

Isn’t this just perfect?