Happy 40th Anniversary!

I'll start with my projects and progress:

First, here is the challenge ornament from my wool group. 

We received the circle shape and a tiny bell and were told to make it into an ornament.

As I missed our initial meeting (pre COVID era), this is what I came up with.

I will have to add the ribbon and bell and back it still. It is a  2 3/4 inch circle.

But I do love the challenge and creativity of this group. We always learn so much from each other.

Second, I made these 2 stitcheries into mini pillows with patriotic fabrics.

I really like how they turned out and have one more to complete.

Then, I thought I would show my purchases. My husband allowed me to stop at Going to Pieces in Appleton, WI. They are a shop that had been featured in Quilt Sampler about 2 years or so ago.

I love their fabric assortment and kits. Each time I go, I find more and more things.

So these are the Kim Diehl fabrics I acquired to add to my collection.

I like her new October something line and the teals, limes and autumn colors are a great add to my assortment.

 

Here is my spouse and I at an inside restaurant celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary.

We have been very careful to either eat outside or take out food.

But this was a special occasion at our favorite restaurant. 

It was handled well with masks on serving staff and tables very sparsely spaced.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

And a special cake had been arranged by my spouse as a surprise.

He even tried to match the original cake. What a sweetie.

We had gone up to Door County the thumb of Wisconsin into Lake Michigan.

It was "pre season" and limited openings.

Our favorite bed and breakfast has totally increased their cleaning regimens without losing their quality breakfasts and ambiance. They only have 6 rooms.

This is one county that has had very very small numbers for COVID.  ( only 40 with 3 deaths total)

We were glad there were limited amounts of people as we walked about outside enjoying the gorgeous lake. Masks were essential to any indoor location as was social distancing.

We had perfect weather in the 70 s and for meals we ate outside or had take out.

No outdoor music venues or events are planned for the summer. 

Many of the marinas were not full, which was surprising.

We went across on a ferry with our car to Washington Island.

Here is Schoolhouse beach, one of 5 limestone beaches anywhere.

The rocks are all very smooth and you are not permitted to remove any ($ 250 fine)

The picture distorts the distance. All the families were sparsely spaced. 

But lots of big and little boys throwing rocks in the water

We also visited a lavender farm. 

The plants do not bloom until late July.

But it was very pretty.

Truly a gorgeous getaway! Certainly not the celebration we had hoped to have, but still very special.

More catching up

Gooseberry Patch

I haven't worked on this in a year, I think.

But I got things to work on this weekend.

The cool weather was perfect for sewing inside. 

This block is the center of the quilt and 30 inches in size, which is hard to see from the photo.

There are 5 different Kansas Troubles greens of the 60 leaves which were cut out and as many red berries for the 50 little berries. 

Then I cut 2 of the other blocks adding the very same holly leaves to  6 by 30 inch pieces. 

To finish these pieces, I just ran a small single seam around the edges using my free motion foot.

I really felt that I could not do a successful solid tight zigzag on these weird shapes.

It feels so good to get some things done and make progress on old projects,

Next, I worked with my wool applique and got the last 2 blocks ready of Henrietta's Fall.

This is such an old project. The original pattern was a free block of the month from Bunny Hill.

The date on it is 2011. 

So now I have some hand sewing for car travel over the next weeks.

And in the evenings I have been doing some outline stitches for some bowl fillers.

This is my 2nd one. 

Summer: what a feeling!   

And it's summer! Time to quilt!

Over the weekend, Buttermilk Basin had a free 3 part quilt to make: 

This is my step one and two.

The stars are 3 inches each. I really liked the scrappy stripes.

You can buy the pattern and kit on their website.

Additionally, there is a wool applique for it.

Then I finally put my sparkly hearts together. 

This will be donation quilt for Healing Hearts raffle in September here in Waukesha.

Each heart is 10 by 12 inches.

Found this great backing fabric for it: also in the cornerstones. 

It is from Connecting Threads and is extra wide. 

They have it in black, too

Lastly, another Blockheads 3 block: paper pieced.

RE-tirement

First let me start with some projects completed:

Another Moda Blockheads 3 block.  Mine are 6 inch size

And yes, the half square triangles are 3/4 inch size.

Then I have become entranced with bowl fillers and embroidery.

Here is my first one, about 3 1/2 inches. I think I can get these done for the 4th of July.

 And for my slow stitching Sunday, I finished the binding on this beauty.

I did something different and rolled it from the back. 

The mitered corners took a little adjustment.

 Another 4th of July project from Buttermilk Basin. It was free online over the weekend.

They have so many neat wool projects. I just might need to get some.

I have step 2 done and the stars cut out for step 1.

As for home projects, I made the topiary from a demo on YouTube. 

And the sign using paper mache letters.

While our school has not canceled graduation and is planned for the end of July, 

we had a drive by pick up of diplomas followed by the teachers cheering them on.

This was normally a tradition for the seniors of having breakfast, getting graduation tickets, 

and then busing to their elementary schools to parade down the halls in cap and gown.

Here the principal is handing out the diploma to a student in a car.

Many were decorated brightly with banners and balloons.

It was super hot outside, and we had to still wear masks for COVID. 

This was the beginning of a block long wave of teachers.

Afterward, my daughter took me out to celebrate my retirement with a mango margarita and dinner

outside. To many wonderful years of students who have tugged at my heart!