Sunday, July 27, 2014

Playing CatchUp

Last week was a wonderful week.  The weather was uncharacteristically cool for July in the Ozarks.  Most evenings, I let the dogs out around 5 and then again just after 8 in the evening for final chores.  This is what I see from the deck door - several deer grazing in the north field, just beyond the reach of a territorial dog. They lift their heads to see what the noise is, and once they see that it's just those pesky dogs making the racket, they go back to munching grass.  


 I entered several items in the Webster County Fair last week.  One, a biscornu, took 1st place in the cross stitch division.
The biscornu is that oddly shaped pale green 'pincushion' thing in the center.  

I've recently gotten back into cross stitching and have discovered these biscornus.  Translated from the French, it means quirky...they are made from 2 pieces of cross stitch and, when put together, form a pincushion-like structure.  In the past, they were indeed used as pincushions, but nowadays, they are more a collectible item. 
I also entered a quilt, no picture available yet.  This quilt won First place AND Best of Show.  I was totally amazed.  Here is how I found out...
A bit misleading till it's turned over...will try to get things set up so I can take a picture of said stunner and upload is soon.

Last Monday was the 41st Anniversary of a wonderful lifelong journey. John and I were married 41 years ago in Phoenix, Arizona. It was close to 110 degrees that morning and my dress was de-lustered satin with 3/4 sleeves.  I didn't care....I was pledging my life to my prince!  It has been a roller-coaster life - as most marriages tend to be - and I would not trade it for anything.  John is my friend, my husband, my lover, my helpmate, and my hero!   He sent me the flowers below on Monday and the card made me cry - a good kind of crying, but crying, none-the-less.

Finally, I want to wish my good friend, Eve Goodship a most Happy Birthday.  I met Eve many years ago when I was working at a booth at the Paducah Quilt Show and Eve was on a tour with her own friend Anne. They are from the south of England, in Gosport.  In that brief 1/2 hour meeting we struck up a friendship that has lasted for over 10 years. She never forgets my birthday, or Christmas. And always sends me a postcard from wherever she travels - and boy, does she travel!  Here's to more birthdays and more emails and more giggles.

 

Next time I hope to fill you in on the Row by Row Experience Shop Hop that is going on this summer...I've gotten some great patterns, thanks to my own personal posse of Hoppers!  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Saturday, July 5, 2014

July 4th Weekend

Spent Thursday nite in the big city....our monthly quilting meeting, normally held on Friday, was moved to Thursday nite due to the holiday.  We had dinner and I came home.  Spent the rest of the evening binding off my Vertices Unite from the WestKnits Summer Knit-a-Long.  This looks like a hot mess right now - let's face it, over 800 stitches is always going to look like a mess until one gets them totally off the needles.  I need to soak and stretch this beauty out and then will post a picture.  I'm really liking this shawl.  Stephen West is an amazing designer and I love everything I've knit of his (so far, 3 shawls).  I have another one ready to start and several more in the planning stages.

Got up to feed the dogs at 5:30 this morning...the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon.  I couldn't resist taking this picture off the back deck.

The dogs get their final treats and go out to do last chores just about sunset each nite.  Last night this is what I saw on the other side of the dog run fence...these beauties are not afraid of my barking dogs...they know those silly canines can't get to them.   Notice they are not concerned at all...even if that human is standing on the deck taking their picture.
I spent the last two days working on the Block-of-the-Month from last year. I have now finished the top - it measures 92" by 92".  I had already purchased the backing fabric so this baby is ready for the quilter!  I've even made the binding and it's ready when Oliver gets the whole thing quilted and back to me.  One more thing off my To-Do List!  I finished the block from Thursday nite so it's ready when I go to the Block-of-the-Month meeting next month.  And now I've got all day tomorrow to work on something else!  I'm one happy girl!!!

Thanks for stopping by...I'll be back soon.