One More Finish for August

I am really enjoying making samples for Sew Original. Here's the latest - a batik table runner. It went together very quickly.

I have three more samples underway - one which makes me laugh every time I look at it. I'm binding it so it'll be time for show and tell again soon!

Bee Buzz

For the 4th year, my "Raleigh Bee" got together for a retreat here in Salem. This year, we decided to celebrate the fact that our bee has existed for 20 years. 20 years! Members have come and gone but for the most part it has been the 5 of us.Everyone arrived at the Embassy Suites Friday afternoon and toted in enough stuff to sustain an sewing army for a month. After a little sewing time and partaking in the hotel happy hour, we had dinner at Salem Tavern, which is becoming a tradition. I surprised everyone with a little bird make-do.
When we got back to the hotel, I helped Cyndi decorate the room - bees of course!


She made this sweet beehive cake too...now everyone has to "google" to find this pan!
Another "tradition" is for my poor husband to smuggle Shelby in for a visit. They stuck around for cake and to watch the fun.


Back in May we decided we would celebrate with a pin cushion exchange. It was a blast. We drew numbers (a la Dirty Santa) and Cyndi got to go first. She picked the biggest box on the table which was my little crow sitting on top of three tomatoes. I was going for the prize of biggest pin cushion and won.


Tess was kind and didn't steal from Cyndi. She opened this unbelievable little mouse on a strawberry that Cyndi made...which Anne eventually stole from Tess.


Missy went next and stole my crow from Cyndi. So, Cyndi then opened this wonderful little rabbit that Missy made...which Tess stole when Anne stole the mouse from her. Well, Tess had to steal the rabbit since her quilting business is Gray Hare Quiltworks!


Next Cyndi opened this sweet little fleece sheep...which I promptly stole from her.


Finally, here's Cyndi with a beautiful needle felted sunflower Tess made. Cyndi actually got to keep this one!


Here's the collection of pin cushions. Aren't they all great!

Saturday, we did a little sewing then hit the local shops. First stop, Reynolda Village for Karen Gray Designs and lunch at Village Tavern. Then on to Sew Original and Knit One Smock Too. We then returned for a little afternoon sewing, dinner at Downtown Thai and sewing into the witching hour.

The Raleigh girls had to make a quick exit this morning but Cyndi and I sewed until noon check out. I got this little growth chart top finished and ready for basting.
When I got home, I finished six more bird make-dos. Then a nap. What a perfect weekend!

Women on a Mission

A few months ago kb's mom decided we needed to climb Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. So, Tuesday, we took off in an easterly direction, picked up Mrs. K and Aunt Sarah and kept on going east to the Outer Banks. The fact that these places even exist are pure miracle to me.

The past 48 hours have felt like a fantastic journey full of wondrous things.

We're first in line for the Cedar Island Ferry to Ocracoke.My three friends enjoying the comforts of the ferry (which really is quite comfortable).
Passing the incoming ferry.
A dredge up close.
The Ocracoke - Hatteras ferry almost all to ourselves (very odd and very cool).
The Bud Light truck riding on the ferry ahead of us (which just looked funny).
Hatteras Light from the front door.
The ocean from near the top.
The half-mile path Hatteras Light took to keep from falling into the ocean.
The amazing fact that this lat/long is no longer true.The light keeper's house which was also moved (and positioned in exactly the same spot relative to the lighthouse).
A beautiful sunset on Pamlico Sound.

Hatteras Light doing its job.


Ocracoke Light.

The ferry back home.

The not-so-wild anymore ponies.
But the best part - mission accomplished.

This and That

Things are busy!

On Friday, I met Mrs. G., Quiltkeemosabe, and Quilt Teacher at the Asheville Quilt Show at The NC Arboretum. The quilts were beautiful, of course. Here's a detail from one commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway...probably my favorite quilt there.

Walking though the gardens to another building, I became obsessed with these Concord grapes. They remind me of my grandfather. He had all kinds of grapes in his backyard but these were the best...and the hardest to get our hands on.

This weekend we got to go to Lake Lure. It was beautiful and very nice. We stayed at Rumbling Bald Resort because that was where Dave's meetings were. I would love to go back and stay at the old inn...you know the one from Dirty Dancing. One of the guys kept breaking into song all weekend - "Well, I Had the Time of My Life". It was hysterical. It felt very much like the hoidy-toidy feeling in the movie. I was a fish out of water - though I tried...Here's what Saturday was like for me - get up late - meet another surveyor's wife for breakfast at the clubhouse - have a facial at 11:00 - pick up lunch at the pro shop - have a massage at 1:00.

Oh yeah, I tried. I could live like that.

On Saturday afternoon, though, we hiked up Chimney Rock which wasn't as hard I thought it would be...but it was hot!

With help from my friends I've been cutting out a million Andinkra symbols for the 14 quilts we're doing for the DJembe Project. I had a cutting frenzy a few days ago and left the scraps by my chair. Shelby decided they looked like a good nest so now I can't bear to move them.

Work is nuts. I've got 2 grant proposals due tomorrow so it's been a few long days. Yesterday, though I got to visit Charlotte Hawkins Brown which is finally under construction!

I did get a quilt finished last night though! It's a sample for Sew Original and it was so fun to FINISH something!

The Tooth Fairy Lives in Amsterdam

Did you know that?




Did you also know that The Tooth Fairy has very good taste in fabric?

And is most generous?


Shelby decided she thought so too. (Can you tell her tail is wagging? If I could, I'd wag mine too.)




Thank you SO VERY MUCH, Tooth Fairy! You're the best!!

The Dedicated Quilter

According to the new Quilting in America survey, the Dedicated Quilter is defined as one who spends more than $600 per year on quilting-related purchases.

$600?

per YEAR?

Obviously, they haven't met me.

So, how would they define me?

Perhaps the Extreme Quilter?

Someone who can drop $600 in a couple of hours...

...which is why Mrs. G. will be holding my wallet at the Asheville Show this weekend.