Camping and Cross Stitching

We are back on the road again. 

My Honey woke up one morning and said let’s go. When I answered yes I’m want to go on vacation, he told me. No we don’t vacation. We travel because you have to work to vacation. Hahaha Oooh. I see! That leaves me out! 

So we have traveled to the Grand Canyon 

It was not crowded in January! But it was cold.

It was great to hike the trails and just see the beauty there.

We are now in Arkansas. This is out motorhome window. 

 

We have been talking about moving out of California. And have been looking in different states. This place might be a contender. Bruce likes the fishing etc in this area. 

I’m not sure what I want yet. I’m just keeping in prayer about it. In the meanwhile we are looking at homes here with a realtor. Yikes...Things might just get real!  

 In sewing news: I really thought I would have this finished by Thanksgiving. Nope!  Then I thought I would have it finished by Christmas. Nope!  Well now I’ve had some time to work on it and maybe I’ll have it finished before we return home!  

No quilting has been done in months. I’ll get back to it when I return home.

Oh look at this sign I saw in a train museum, Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

Har-de-har-har!

Happy Stitching,

Linda 

New Adventures

All these states have great signs to welcome you to their states.

And then there is California!

What happened? This is sad considering the amount of taxes we pay. Hahaha

 We are home now. Okay so we didn’t make it as far as we wanted, but we are happy with how many states and family members we did see.

This was Mars on travel days. 

I’m having problems with blogger on my computer  so this is a test post from my phone.  I’ll post more later.

Happy Stitching,

Linda  

Hunkering Down Pillow

 Oh I'm so glad to see the weeks melting away.

So I have this many until retirement....

Only Nine days of work left.

Only One more Monday Morning to get up and go to work.

and only Two more billing days (We bill each Thursday morning)

 I'll train the new gal

Clean out my office  

Then it is ADIOS!

In the meanwhile, I've been working on my yellow 

 Hunkering Down pillow.

I got quite a few tips from Jordan Fabric's YouTube double ruffle pillow video.

I do not like gathering by hand.  Someday I will buy a gathering foot. (I've been saying this for years!  hahaha)

I thought the corner turned out nice. 

As I was sewing on the ruffle I saw the seam would be right there in the corner! Panic set in .... would I have to undo all that sewing?  But it barely shows.   

So - here the whole thing.  It really was fun to make a pillow. I LOVE this Hunkering Down block.  Thank you Podunk Pretties!  

I plan to put it on my bed - but Bruce took it out to the motor home for our trip. He wants the motor home to be a very "homey" place.  

I really love yellow.  

It is actually the first word I learned to read. But I loved even before then.

 Bruce said he really does too.  Really?   What are the chances of two yellow loving people finding each other?

So now onto the next project.

Happy Stitching,

Linda

   

Projects Galore! For the Motor Home Trip

I realized something about myself.  I LOVE to have lots of projects going.  That's how it is for me at work, lots of projects going on all at once.  Now that I won't be at work, I started a bunch of projects for when we take our motor home trip.

Two Cross Stitch projects.

Garden by Durene Jones

Camera from VladaXstitch Esty shop

Frame this one: 

Two embroidery projects.

and three pillow projects. 

Hunkering Down by Podunk Pretties

Colorado Bears (set of 4 pillows)

My Embroidered Flowers

Plus - (We all love a "plus" don't we?)

Sewcialites Quilt along.  I'm thinking of doing the cutting for the blocks at home and stitching on the road.  

I wanted to share with you what I found.

My little grand daughter plays with this miniature tea set. 

I just leave it on the floor in my dining room for her.

Well, the last time she was here I thought some of those pieces are missing.  I looked in the tea cup in the plant and look what I found!

Yep - a little surprise!

I do hope you have a little surprise in your life today.

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Colorado Pillow and Low Volume Flower Project

 

I've started working on my Colorado pillows again.  It's been so long since I've done machine applique that I had to get out the manual to find the correct stitch.  But once I found it, I had no problem getting everything stitched down.  

I had thought I could use the steam and seam to apply the applique and not stitch it, since it would just be on a pillow that I probably wouldn't have to wash. But I soon realized that wouldn't work.  The applique was already starting to lift off.

It does look a little "grandma -ish" but I like it.  I want to have some really cozy/homey things in the motor home. Bruce did not think I should use the deer fabric, but once he saw it together he agreed it looks good.

I'm hoping to get these pillows done before we leave for our trip. Bruce is so sweet. I told him I'll be bringing a hand stitching project. He says I'll miss my sewing machine and I must bring it, some fabric and a cutting mat. And my big iron! That we would make room for it.  I told him I would be fine - I can forgo sewing for a few weeks.  He just insists that I bring it. I think he knows me well.

One of my new hand projects is a low volume embroidery. I'm going to sew lace to the bottom of the fabric and add flowers and leaves and for some extra sparkle: beads! Won't that be beautiful?  Oh and the best part is the lace is from Serena's wedding dress.  I think she will love this when I'm done. 

 

This is the only part of the trip that we have planned so far. Not when we are leaving or exactly where we are going or how long.  Only that I'll be bringing some sewing items.  Hahaha 

 Well, that's all I have for now.

Have fun sewing today,

Linda

Hehehe - I think I need to learn to weld!

And lastly our verse for today. 

 

Happy News and Finishes

Well, I have some happy news.  I've put my paperwork in for retirement.

Gosh it was a hard decision.  I've had a lot of thinking to do about what I want out of life, about finances and lastly how to fill how that darn paperwork!

So - the plan will be do take off early November in the motorhome just me, Bruce and Marzipan aka Marizpants.

 Bruce has a lot of relatives he wants to visit.  At first I thought about having Christmas somewhere out on the road.  Then I realized, no I'm a baby! (hahaha) I would be crying for my kids and grandkids. 

Now for my finishes!

Nothing makes me happy like a finish!

Unless it's relaxing in the pool - that makes me even happier.

Do these girls know how to relax or what?

Although this guy has it down pretty well.

I've been so blessed to have family that comes over every Saturday for the summer months.  

My other finish are the design boards.  I knew my last one would look some much better than that first one!  

And yes it is.

Gotta love that nice crisp corner! 

I do really like having these.  I may make a bigger one later.  

Have a great week! 

Happy Stitching,

Linda

 

That Blue Pillow & That Messy Sewing Room

I decided to turn my wall hanging into pillows for the RV. 

Bruce came into my sewing room - oh he's not the reason this room is a mess.  That's ALL ME!  I don't know what happens.  But it does happen!

First thing he says is:  Don't be mad at me - but I don't like the fabric that you have chosen.  Me:  Well, it's the fabric that came with the kit.

So together we decided on the different fabrics. It was a lot of fun sitting on the floor with him choosing fabrics.

See that blue pillow?

I had taken the pillow form out of it to do some measuring.

It came from Bruce's house.  I have no idea who made it.  I keep it in the closet.  (hidden in the closet.)

 

Bruce: I love that pillow! I have no idea why you don't.

Me: Because I don't like the patchwork on it.

Because I don't like the quilting on it.

Because I don't like edging on it.

Because I don't like the colors. 

Bruce: okay, okay!

Hey, if I had needed more excuses I would have continued listing them! LOL

The real reason is because it is blue. But when I say that people don't believe me! Everyone loves blue.  But for 50 odd years - my sister has claimed that color as hers. Her whole house is blue!  So when I see blue - well it belongs in my sister's house.  That sounds nuts to a guy.  So I use other excuses.

But I'm am starting to like blue a bit.  Unbelievably I even bought blue for the backing of my frolic quilt.  

Shhh...don't tell anyone - cuz then they will know I'm nuts.

Interestingly, my blue sister is starting to like red and using it in her home.  Which is so strange, that's the color I have decorated my house in (along with yellow and green).  So we are starting to switch colors in our old age.  

Last weekend was another beach weekend. It was lovely.

Here's Marzi-pants - she thinks I hauled that chair to the beach for her. 

I do enjoy having a good dog I can take places.