Just in case you were wondering - Yes, we did it.

We got married!

We had only family at the wedding which worked out wonderfully.
I had one sister to the photography, another do the flowers, and had my little 
granddaughter, Lily as the flower girl.  She was SO EXCITED to have such a fun and important job.  She danced all the way back to her seat. 

I loved the way our wedding cake turned out.  (I saw something similar on Pinterest and did hire someone to make it.)
My daughters and I did the arbor and I think it turned out nicely.

It was Bruce's desire to have a big BBQ after our ceremony.  My backyard was the perfect place.  (Now it's "our" backyard.)  Bruce knew that I wouldn't want to leave that pool in the summer time and stay in his house. So his is up for sale

We had a wonderful honeymoon at the beach. 

We went back to the place that Bruce proposed to me.

Walked along the wooden pier - I just love wooden piers. 

 
 There's just something about sitting, soaking up the warmth and watching the waves.

We also spent some of our honeymoon time doing this

I had an over crowded house.  My garage was stuffed with furniture, boxes, tools anything and everything you could think of.  Then Bruce had his three bedroom house to combine with mine. 

The only answer..

We had the BIGGEST sale. My three car garage was PACKED!

Sold tons of stuff, gave away tons of stuff and then called out Salvation Army to take the rest.

Now my garage is almost empty.

Most of the house had been reorganized. 
It feels so good to not have that burden of "stuff" anymore.

By the way Bruce is the real organizer.  I used to be pretty good, but over the years have lost the ability.  Although I never would have held a candle to him.

Our plan is to continue working on it Saturday.

So no sewing for me for a while,

In the meanwhile, I'll just enjoy the projects I see you working on.

Linda

Doodling for Freemotion Quilting

I was quite taken with Lori Kennedy of The Inbox Jaunt's

 post about quilted scenes from a story book. 

She challenged her self to quilt one each day.

Check out her post here - she is so good.

I thought that was a great idea - but since I have this wedding coming up soon, I thought I would practice with doodling with a pen and paper first.

Now I know this is not a great drawing - but I'm so surprised that at my first attempt to draw without lifting my pen (as it would be if I was stitching on my sewing machine) that the rooster looks like a rooster!  And that the body and the head are on the same page!

I also wanted to practice doing the date without lifting my pen, as I often quilt the date on my quilts 

I hope to challenge myself to draw (doodle each day) until I get back from my honeymoon and I start quilting again.  

Only nine more days until the wedding - and the forecast is rain. 

I'm not going to worry about that just yet.

Linda - the Bride to Be

More this and that

In Marzipan news. 

Apparently, she had been watching The Grinch that stole Christmas.

She ran in the house the other day looking like this. 

Yes - Sweetie, you do look like a reindeer.

When we were in China, of course we went to the Great Wall.

It was beautiful in person.  Since it was off season & school is in session, there were not many people.  It was wonderful.  There were about sixteen of us there at the wall.

I walked (I mean climbed those stairs) all the way from the bottom where those people are teeny - tiny dots.  I was breathing hard too!  Hahaha

I did it with just my daughter Serena - and will always be super special for us. 

Here's Serena posing at a Look-Out. As we were climbing the steps, they were all different heights. Some steps were 8 inches and some were 24 inches tall.  So maybe three short 8 inch steps, then two 24 inch steps, then a 10 inch.  It was so steep going up.  

On the tour we took in China - they took us to places and then would charge American prices for things.  Like a boat trip around the lake for $65 American dollars each! It was a big boat/ship, and two-story. Well, we all know everything in China is actually cheaper. I thought it was a rip-off.  We declined.  They must have asked us 5 times!  We kept saying no.

Well, when we got to the lake we saw these little 4 man boats.  Oh my gosh so cute! And for only $6.00 for an hour! We went out in the lake with it.  Serena was driving it, Angela was rocking the boat, Rosanna and I were just laughing!  

And the lake was so beautiful and peaceful.

It was a blast just being the 4 of us.  

When it came time to disembark - we couldn't get out!  We had to (embarrassingly and literally) roll out of the boat!  We laughed so hard and the boatman laughed most of all watching us roll onto the deck.  

China had some interesting things for sale.  

Like these Baby Buddha fruit.  Just so shocking.  LOL

I did not try one -  just wasn't in the mood to eat someone's face.

Well, enough for now - maybe I'll have more later.

Linda

Valentine's Day - This and That

First I want to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day.

As you know I have not been doing ANY sewing.  Nope - not one little bit.

So this post is going to be about just bits and pieces of what's been going on.

We have been doing puzzles.  Most of my family loves doing puzzles. 

 But there are a few that do not.

And for them - I leave the last few pieces.

Come to find out Bruce is great at puzzles. YAY!!  Big plus there.  I told you he was a keeper. He did most of the puzzle.  I don't think he understood my method of letting someone do the easy - satisfying part so that I can get them interested.

Serena and I just had to do this Harley-Davidson one. (I think we were missing Mark.) Mark had helped us before, and doing it a second time made it was much easier. 

This morning I found this picture of Serena and her Dad. So Cute!

My Love Mark with our little girl, Serena

Okay - back to the present. 

Everyday I do something on that wedding and let me tell you, I'm sick of it.

I do have most of it together. (Sort of)

I have my veil hanging in the bathroom to steam it out.

See that cute pink hand towel.  It's really a dish towel that I received from Marilyn of Mountain Top Spice during the Teacup Exchange.

The part of the wedding I do like is the flowers - that part I love.

Quite a few years ago Mark and I drove to Mexico - we bought this arbor.

Well....before Bruce asked me to marry him, he asked if Mark and I had gotten married under it.  I said no.  See, he was already thinking of asking me and planning the wedding, but I was clueless. 

This is the arbor as I was trying different elements on it.

Bruce had wanted ivy.  Oh my gosh - I tried that and it screamed 70's CHEAP VEGAS WEDDING. I didn't think to take a picture - but it was bad.

Back to the store I went and picked up some hanging white flowers. (Do I need to tell you I have never put together flowers before?  Yeah - I thought you could tell.)

Much better.  This is just the idea of what it will be.

 My idea was to  put it in the garage and decorate it in case of rain.

Only it didn't fit.  It was taller than the garage ceiling!! Wah, wah, waaah.

I guess I'll be doing that later.

 I put some of those fake flowers in the basket of the bicycle.

Test run of a fake flowers

And once the yard is cleaned up - mulch put around, I'll add some real and fake flowers to the yard.

The picture above is going to make a great "before" picture.

I took this picture while at the zoo.  Such lovely black neck swans. (Making a heart!)

So that's it for today.

Happy Valentines Day,

Linda

Word Up 2018

I do like doing Word Up,  

where one choses a word to focus on for the year.

I haven't noticed that many people doing it this year.  Maybe the fad is waning.  I promised myself I would get this post written in January - so seeing that this is the last day of January....I better get this post done.

My word for this year is:

Drum roll please.

  (Oh Word up is not that exciting?  Okay cancel the drum roll.)

 Surrender

This has been something that I try to do - give God my life and do his will. There have been a lot of changes these past two years - I've grown used to the way things are.  After Bruce asked me to marry him, and I said I would, I started thinking about what a great change this would make in my life. (Change can be scary.)

Right then the DJ said something about "Surrender to God".  I knew right then this is my Word for the year. 

I'm going to surrender to God this new adventure in life.  And each aspect of this adventure - from preparing for the wedding, dealing with relatives, to adjusting to another person's ways, finances, chores etc. etc. 

Of course when you surrender to God - you are trusting God to take care of you, and that He will work all things together for good.    

A final thought on Surrender

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Well Life Has Been Quite Something Lately

I know I haven't been blogging, it's because I've been working overtime and trying my best to get caught up at work.  I've been behind for over a year and just recently I've gotten a new boss.  He made some big changes and now my work load has decreased.  

I used to have 20 stacks of papers - each 8 to 10 inches high. 

I've been so overworked that I have no energy for sewing at night, even looking at blogs is too overwhelming.  

And I decided that I should make room for the new man in my life.  Actually I should make room for him in my house! (hahaha)  Once we are married he will move in with me.  He has a house, but I have a house with a nice backyard and a pool.  Hmmm....do you think he's marrying me for my pool?  

So - I did a lot of clearing out after Mark passed but I still had tons of his stuff in the closets, the drawers, under the bed.  Actually everywhere.  I would like Bruce to be comfortable so I've been cleaning all that out.  Imagine moving in and there were still the husband's shoes on the bed. (Yikes!)

And that dear friends is why no sewing has taken place over here. 

I do want to point out that even though I have met Bruce and yes I love being with him, I still greatly miss Mark.  It's possible to still love Mark and still grieve and also love Bruce. Things didn't magically turn to rainbows and sunshine and my grief end when I met Bruce.  I have my moments of crying as well as my moments of joy.  

One of the hardest recently, was packing Mark's things that meant the most to me.  Like the shirt he wore to Sturgis

and we shared a bottle of KICKASS Wine.

With a name and picture like that we had to try it.

  We were talking to some people and he kept pouring a little more and a little more into my glass while I wasn't looking.  I didn't notice until I was a tipsy - and then I confronted him.  They all got a good laugh out of that. (Me too.) Sealing all of Mark stuff into that box was like sealing him up.  I was reduced to sobbing.  

It's hard to switch gears - I had a life all planned out with Mark.  That plan was just to spend time with him.  (Granted it was not a complex plan  - but still "The Plan".)  Now the plan is to spend time with someone else.  Sometimes it boggles my mind.  

Now about that wedding.  No - I'm not looking forward to it.  I want to marry Bruce - but not have a wedding.  I don't really like to being the center of attention.  I don't like planning parties.  

So far all I have is a dress. It's a backyard wedding with only family.  So it shouldn't be too hard.  I better get busy!

Here's my funny for the day.

Linda

My very BIG News!

I have some happy news.

Bruce asked me to take a day trip to the beach with him. Oh it was so beautiful!

We enjoyed the pier and the waves.

And then he wrote in the sand - I wasn't paying much attention (it was windy and my hair was whipping in my face.  Note to self: bring ponytail holders to the beach) - and THEN he got down on one knee and PROPOSED!

He had written Will you marry me?  I only saw the one word - marry.  

 I was in total shock and couldn't even think for a few minutes.  I couldn't even understand that word "marry".  When I finally processed it - and I said yes.

 (Yeah - because I'm totally in love with this guy.  He has so much fun in life - just joking and getting others to laugh.  It shows that he loves God by his words and actions. That is super important to me.  And of course there are a hundred other things - and I rather like that bod of his.  Wink, Wink.)  

So - next up is a wedding.  

Linda