Another finished quilt

Here's the quilt top I finished yesterday. The pattern is "Vintage Charm" from "Quilts and More" (Summer 2007) magazine. I love this fabric line (Roman Holiday by Moda), especially the "spa" blue color that was so "in" last year along with chocolate brown.
This is one of the UFOs I forgot I had.


Here's Stella inspecting the quilt. She is always the first cat to jump on a quilt, quilt blocks, or a piece of fabric. She rarely holds still so the photo is kind of blurry.

This quilt is what I call a "Melisa Special" (which I'm sure Karin has 2 to 20 of....). A Melisa Special is when a quilter goes to Sweet Home Quilt Co. not intending to buy anything and then sees all the fabulous new Moda fabric there and just *has* to figure out a project for the fabric. Be especially careful of the charm squares, jelly rolls, and layer cakes there, they will get you everytime....Ask me how I know--I have a basket full of them. Better be safe and stock up on charm square patterns...lots and lots of charm square patterns.

I was reading all my favorite blogs today and loved the photos on Michelle's blog . Check it out for a great photo of Mt. Rainier, a weather report from a heat wave in Washington State (I think I'd still rather be there in 90 degree weather than here....), and a really great quilt (made with charm squares).

I have another super-busy week this week but will try to fit in a post every other day or so.

A whole lot of the usual

I’m rather behind on blogging this week. I am trying to get back into the daily grind (pun intended) after my vacation and am wondering how I ever managed this schedule. It’s also been a yucky week weatherwise in the ATL resulting in this equation: 90s, high humidity, plus Code Orange or Code Red smog alerts = runny eyes, bad allergies, and grumpy me. And yes, I’ve been whining about moving to the Pacific NW where everything was much nicer.

Anyway—moving on. As I noted in my previous blog post, last Friday I received a “Bat Signal” from my sewing buddies to come sew with them. Well Kristie showed us the cutest tote bag and of course we all wanted one, so on Saturday I went to Sweet Home Quilt Co. to get the pattern and a few other things. I have some Moda jelly rolls (Hemming House and Prairie Paisley) and needed to get some project ideas before the fabric was gone for borders, etc. I know for a fact that some of my friends put a serious dent in the bolts of Prairie Paisley at Sweet Home (on quilter’s honor the guilty parties shall remain nameless). I found two patterns in the fabulous book “Jelly Roll Quilts” and made a list of exactly what I needed. I was relatively “good” and didn’t deviate too much from the list. I told Melisa that I was going to go straight home and whip up these two quilts but having second thoughts at the piles of projects on my sewing table, I was “good” again and worked on a UFO from last year before starting new projects. I hope to finish the top this coming weekend and I’ll post a photo. I am really hoping to get a lot of projects done the rest of this summer so I don’t have all these UFOs all over the place.

In cat news: Gomez is doing fine and back to his old self again. Morpheus has been a “velco kitty” since I got back from vacation. Edgar Poe and Stella are being their ever-cute and adorable selves and can be found either sprawled out on the floor or following me around.

A whole lot of the usual going on here.

We interrupt this post....

I am continuing my vacation from the day job today because well, I kinda need to ease into the real world from being on vacation and working tonight at SBux will be enough. Ten days was the longest vacation I have had since being an adult I think. Plus I get to spend some quality time with the cats, who have graced me with no ill will for leaving them for so long. Of course my dear friend KJ did a wonderful job catsitting and spoiled them in my absence.


I am also spending a lot of time catching up on blogs. Amanda left a great comment and said that I'll have to live on bread and jam due to Gomez Mega-Bux. You are so right, Amanda!!! I'm thinking some whole wheat bread and blackberry jam from Whole Foods.

LATER>>>> Well I was working on this post when my friend Becky called and said a bunch of my sewing buddies were up at the LQS sewing and they wanted me to come up and sew with them. It was like the Bat Signal (in the shape of a featherweight???), I dropped everything and grabbed my stuff and off I went. Aren't friends the best at getting you sidetracked? I was planning on cleaning house today but that can always wait until tomorrow. It was so great to see everyone and I worked on my Orange Crush quilt for a few hours. Well it's off to SBux. More later.

PS: THANKS BECKY for the Bat Signal!!!!!

Back in the ATL and Canada photos

Well I am back in Hot-lanta and trying to do the 50-11 things that you have to do when you get back from vacation (give the cats lots of attention, unpack, laundry, catch up on about a zillion emails, laundry, laundry, laundry, go through mail, oh yeah and do some laundry). It is nice to be home (although I do want to pick up my whole house and move to Seattle). I also am determined to organize and label all my digital photos from my trip before I forget where they were taken.

Big news: GOMEZ IS HOME!!! Picked up Gomez from the vet this morning. His new name is Gomez Mega-bux because of how expensive his vet bills were, but he is home and everyone is happy and healthy again (knock on wood!)

I promise I will get back to quilty posts soon as soon as I get settled from vacation. In the meantime here are more photos from my trip.

Arrived early in the AM in Victoria, British Columbia, and drove to Butchart Gardens. Wow! Everything that my quilt buddies Sue and Carla told me about the gardens is true--unbelievable! I took A LOT of photos for later quilt inspiration.

The Sunken Garden and here

Love the colors in this view with the purple and orange.

After the gardens, drove back to Victoria. Victoria is a beautiful city and perfect for pedestrians. Lots of fabulous shops, restaurants, harbor view, civic buildings, museums, and on and on. Walked everywhere all over town numerous times. This is the Parliament Building

This is the Empress Hotel. When planning for this trip last year, I was incredibly lucky and found an insanely great deal on rooms at the Empress since they are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the hotel--for one day only, you could get a basic room for $100 a night (they called it the "deal of the century"--no kidding). So yes, this is where I stayed for 3 nights in Victoria. It is a fabulous hotel and I hope to live for another 100 years so I can stay there again!

And while walking to Chinatown in Victoria I found this My own little piece of Quilter's Heaven--a Starbucks right next to a quilt shop!!!!!!! Satin Moon Quilt Shop was one of the 10 Best Quilt Shops in "Quilt Sampler" a while back and is a great shop! I didn't buy anything though because the US dollar is worth less than the Canadian dollar and the fabric was in meters and it was all too much math!!! It was also late in the day and I hadn't gone next door for a quad grande nonfat latte yet. Check out their website at the link above 'cause there are some great recipes as well as patterns by local designers.

Finally, check out my friend Becky's blog because she has a give-away for her B-day and check out my friend Pat's blog for info on a great upcoming retreat in FL where she will be teaching.

Lake Crescent and the NW corner of the U.S.

Hey everyone! Finally have time to post and catch up on my trip (yes I was out and about too much to post and much of the time away from WiFi). I am back in Seattle and have to go home soon :( I am going to miss the Pacific NW--I have had a great time and love it out here. Here's some more photos for my ATL friends (PS: Sue--I am glad you are reliving your trip!!!).

After Lake Quinault, drove back north to the Hoh Rainforest for hiking in the forest (click on the link for info on temperate rainforests). Had lunch in the town of Forks on the way (famous for being the site of some of my favorite books: the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. Did not see anyone resembling vampires but perhaps a possible werewolf or two and the very retro diner in town)

After lots of hiking in the forest, decided that while I was here, might as well drive to Cape Flattery, which is the uppermost northwest corner of the continental U.S. Lots of driving but it was worth it for the view!!!! It was a beautiful day for being at the end of the country. Wow! More driving back south to Lake Crescent Lodge in the national park. Had a great dinner overlooking the lake

and spent the night at the lodge. Up early, early, early, to catch the ferry to Victoria, British Columbia. Stay tuned for views of Canada tomorrow :)

Quinault

Am staying at the Lake Quinault Lodge for a couple of days. The lodge was built in 1926 and Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed here.

Look blue skies and warmer weather. First, an awesome breakfast of sweet potato pancakes and coffee and then a 5-mile hike in the Quinault area. Is is possible to have this many shades of green?

I wish I could express how amazing it is out here. Everything is so green and the air is so crisp and clear and I have no allergies--I can breathe for a change --hooray! Trees that are so tall and are hundreds of years old, make you feel very small.

For all my friends in the ATL who are sweltering, here are some cooling photos for you

So this is the forest, minus the banana slugs (I saw two! They are huge!!!!) and the skunk cabbage (yes it smells like a skunk).

This is the view from my blogging spot. I don't think I want to leave!!!!

To the Pacific

Left Whidbey Island to catch the ferry boat to Port Townsend. Ferry boats = lots of waiting so worked on some stitchery while waiting & ferrying. Port Townsend is an absolutely fabulous historic town filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants.

This is the most amazing building!

Most stuff was closed so grabbed coffee, hit a couple of antique shops and headed to Port Angeles. Port Angeles was not so charming but had a quilt shop called The Quilted Strait. Loved the quilt shop! Bought some fat quarters and a pattern and saw some beautiful quilts on loan from a local designer. Back in car and headed west to the Pacific Ocean.

The weather stayed like this all day and it was chilly. And I loved it! It is just so beautiful out here.

Actually it reminded me of when my dad used to take us to Sault Ste. Marie (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) in May (to beat all the tourists) and everything would be closed and it would be freezing and we would sit and watch boats go through the Soo Locks. (Mom, the temperature was exactly like that).

No swimming or even toe dipping in this water. The black sand and smooth rocks on the beach were incredible.