Gone To The Beach

Friday, February 10, 2017

Old Man Winter is Laughing at Us!

Hi! It's been rollercoaster weather here at the beach [and I think in many places in the US?]. I went out with my friend Elle {L}, on Wednesday. We often run errands together, something we've enjoyed for years. We visit and catch up as we make the rounds---drycleaner, pet store, grocery store, and so on. This week we went to a different market. You know you have a tinge of cabin fever when your big treat/ outing is to go to a different store! This is an all organic market. Very pretty but $$$.

Blog friend Mel's market in Kansas had this sweet display. So creative!

We were so enjoying the springtime warmth. It's especially warm on spring days when you get away from the ocean.We said we felt like running home and dying Easter eggs. There was really the feeling of April in the air, or even May!

Mo and I made sure to have a good walk.

The dunes were full of snow buntings. You can't really see them but they are chubby pretty birds with pale tan and pink feathers.

But look what was on its way!

This storm evoked much debate, because we were pretty sure it was too warm for snow. And actually much of the storm [luckily] was indeed rain.

I made Mel's potato/ cabbage/ kielbasa soup. It was so hot and yummy!

But the cold came, what a change in temps!

And there it was, beautiful snow. Maybe 10 - 12 inches?

You can see the blowing snow or ''snow devils'' along the beach. Huge clouds of wind-driven snow.

Clearing by sunset.

My friend sent pictures of snowy Manhattan. I always love the city in the snow. So timeless and quiet. Did you too love Time and Again by Jack Finney?

Mo went to stay with my friend who is more able to shovel a space for Mo to do his business, so he went for a sleepover with her.

Today they came by to say hello...look at Mo's face. He enjoys snow but finds it a puzzling thing.

Do you enjoy a good snow day? How about your pets?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Full moon tonight, appropriately named the Snow Moon. And partial eclipse. Try to get out to see it.

PS I must show you my in full bloom paperwhite narcissus. The ten bulbs have produced these glorious heads of tiny white daffs. There are about 25 stems of blooms, each with a dozen flowers. Wow. Big result for 9.00!

They became so big and top heavy I had to transplant them into my large glass bell jar. It's very heavy plus I used maybe 3 pounds of beach pebbles to anchor the plants. I'm not fond of using my treasured beach pebbles in flower displays but I can wash and Clorox them after the flowers fade.

The bell jar is one of my very very best beach finds! Imagine finding that in the sand. I lugged it home.

This blue pot has just one bulb. One of the scentless daffs. The bulb cost $1.49. See how pretty? So if you're inclined to try forcing bulbs you can be very successful and happy with such a tiny purchase. I'll remind you [as always!] next Fall. :-)........

Monday, February 6, 2017

New Project 2017: Fall Festival

Hi! Here it is, our Humble Quilts project for this year! The
name of the design is Fall Festival. I'm not sure if I'll call it that [FF] or Harvest, or Pumpkin Patch?

I'm quite excited. I've resisted all the other tempting sewalongs online but as soon as I saw these pumpkins, way last summer, I knew I'd be making this quilt, which is featured on Lori's blog, here, and on her FB group. This quilt is designed by Jan Patek [again], and while there are some, many, repeats from our other quilts I think in this instance everything works wonderfully and the Pumpkins are a bit of a change. Though I kind of miss having a Harvest Moon?

The color combination is unusual too, brighter than some of Patek's designs and instead of brown and orange for Fall she has done an interesting palette of tomato red, brown bag brown, lime green, and soft aqua blue. This isn't a color combination I'd chose on my own but I love it. Unlike Summertime and P2, I decided to do my version in this colorway.

I had read on FB a post from Bonnie Hunter [famous and respected quilter/ teacher/ designer] her suggestion to use paint chips to organize one's color scheme. I felt a little bad at the hardware store , taking the chips, even though I was also getting chips for some redo in my house. But --well, the guy said, Sure, they're free! so here I go. I chose these without looking at the pattern. Darn close!

And of course went to Joann's [all I have for fabric shopping here] without the chips or my colorboard I made.

Again, really close!

Here is my not-fancy colorboard, plus I used the extra bits to make a key ring of color swatches for my purse, or pocket since I don't use a purse, lol. Fabric colors are off in the photo.

I was fed up while making P2 with never having enough of any fabric, always piecing and making do, and decided I'd get some yardage instead of only using stash. Mostly for backgrounds. And sashing.

This olive brown is a vintage-ish piece [below, at bottom] I've had for years, I think I brought it home from work. It says "Peter Pan" which is/ was Henry Glass, I think. It's three yards but someone cut big chunks out of the center, so half is gone. I cut ahead to be sure I had enough for the inside sashings and the Geese sashing blocks. Yes!

And I reordered from Fat Quarter Shop yardage in the soft duck egg blues for outer sashing and moons and baskets and so on. [my favorite color!]

Of course by the time I played with all these ideas, Month One was almost gone! Last week Mo and I worked hard to get the Pumpkin and Crow sections done.

Mostly needle turned /freezer papered applique with some wool.

I'm not sure what this is, a flower?, but in my world its an acorn!

The wool will be hand stitched and or machine stitched as I did on the crescent Moon spacers, also part of Month One. My wools are from Quilting Acres/ etsy. Both QA and FQS have wonderful customer service, so very friendly and helpful. I try to buy from resources who try so hard and do so well.

Got the moons done today [Sunday] just in time to take their picture in the daylight.

I can't wait to see everyone else's blocks! And I'm looking forward to Month Two~ Whichever will Lori choose?

PS While hunting for beautiful duck egg blue fabrics I've been keeping an eye open for subs for this seaweed blue fabric from my stash. I only had a fat eighth, have had it maybe 15 years? I like the new versions, but am still looking, if anyone has a hint. [Mel and I have looked everywhere online!].