Vintage

Thing 2 and I took a much needed break this weekend.  I think we hit every antique shop between home and Port Huron....plus the beach and riverwalk.

Love the old buildings in Port Huron.  

Love the beach more.  They had really upgraded this park - this is Lakeport - lots of streetlights, park benches, bathrooms and new play areas.  We've been coming here since the boys were little.  We had a nice break on Saturday, just sitting on the benches, watching the waves, swimmers, sailboats and freighters.

Made me happy.  Sam got a little too happy with the camera though.

We also spent time on the Thomas Edison Parkway.  That's the bridge to Canada, and you can see a warehouse across the river.  The ship was carrying wind turbines, we think.  

Our favorite diner, Powers, was open again.

Sam, dreaming of cheeseburgers.

We hit so many antique shops.  Sam is always looking for vintage fountain pens - there were none, until we got to the very last one, right before we decided to call it a weekend and go home!  And it was a good one - rare, and only $9.  This was all I got - 

Another vintage laundry bag to hang in my laundry room.  LOVE it.

It was so relaxing to get away, stay in a lovely hotel, and eat out.  Although I couldn't eat much, due to my jaw - still, scrambled eggs taste better when someone else makes them!  

Back home now, and the first project for the October Applique Club is complete.

Hm, that's too bright - I'll have to get some better pics.  Quilting up another today.

One final pic.....

I hope you're all having a great week!  See you soon!

Love,
Allie

Cats And Other Things

Good morning friends!  It may be after noon, but I'm still on my second cup of coffee - they're very large - so morning it is.

My son and his girl went away this weekend, so I had to run over on Sunday to check on his kitty.  Mum went with me.  He has a tri-level home, which means lots of stairs, and mum doesn't do well with stairs - 

She went in on the ground floor level, walked over to the stairs going up, sat down, bumped her way to the floor, and we scooted her over to the stairs going down - she bumped her way down those, then we placed her walker so she could pull herself up.  There's no bathroom on the ground floor level so this was totally necessary, lol.  We laughed so hard!!!!  She's a trooper, always.  Sophie was so very glad to see us, I don't think she stopped purring the whole time!

I wanted to give you an explanation why I haven't been around to your blogs.  I've had a great deal of trouble lately with my right shoulder, so computer time is very limited.  I think it's my pillow (that I've been using for years without issue) and am on the hunt for a new one.  Now my jaw is giving me fits - I have serious TMJ issues - can hardly open my mouth to eat.  I did buy a new pillow yesterday, and while it's better today, I'm still hunting for the perfect pillow.  Behave yourselves until I'm better, ok?

I've also been working very hard on October's issue of the Applique Club.  

October's Calendar Bird is ready for applique, and some detailed stitching!  Needs his hat brim, pumpkins need detail, and all that....

Before fusing

So you see, I haven't just been sitting around!  I've been watching the news coming out of the Bahamas while I work, and praying for all I'm worth.  Please, please keep those folks in your prayers.

Now some news.  In 2016, I participated in The Road Home Row-Along with Marian at Seams To Be Sew.  Every year she hosts one and they are fantastic!!  Well, Marian has set up a gallery of each row-along, you can click here: Row-Along Gallery to see each year and find the patterns.  Some are still free, some are not - mine is, and Marian is hosting it on her blog in the gallery.  The pictures of each year are at the bottom of the post, click on a picture to be taken to that year's gallery.

Note: you can also find my pattern in my facebook group files, link on sidebar.

Marian is hosting another row-along this year, it just started, 

how fun!  She has some great sponsors and giveaways as well!  Click here:  Once Upon A Story Row Along to see the posts and collect the patterns!

That's all from me today, I hope you all have a wonderful day spending time doing what you love best - I'll be doing laundry and dishes in between sewing!  Not that laundry and dishes are what I love, but I do love having clean dishes to eat on and clothes fresh from the dryer.....

See you soon!

Love,

Allie

Happy Little Things Block 2!

Block two of Happy Little Things is here!

For the life of me I can't get a good picture - you'll have to trust me that the fabrics go together a lot better in real life, lol!

I will admit that this block almost did me in.  Keep in mind, I am NOT a piecer - most of my stuff is either embroidery or applique.  When I piece, everything is wonky, and that's usually the look I'm going for.  Having said that, here we go - 

I followed Jacquelynne's tutorial for making hst's, I normally make them differently.  This was fine, although I had trouble marking on darker fabrics - I ended up using a regular pencil instead of all of my specialty markers, it just worked better.

So far so good.  However, trimming the hourglass hst's was beyond me.  I ended up just shaving off wherever - the bottom and one side.  I did follow Jacquelynne's tutorial, but I'm piecing challenged, lol!  Making the block wasn't hard, but the trimming was.  It's quite possible there was insufficient coffee.

And you know what?  I'm fine with it.  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out - 

No, it's not perfect, but I don't do perfect.  I finished the block with strips around it in a log cabin style, as I'm making a table runner instead of a wall hanging.

The embroidery was done with two strands of floss and backstitch and French knots.  Nothing fancy here.

And now - on to the giveaway!  The prize this month is an Aurifil Designer Thread Box, value $50!

This giveaway is open to all.  You have until September 8th, Sunday, to leave me a comment on this post to be entered.  PLEASE leave your email address!  I had so many folks who didn't last time, and I couldn't enter you in the giveaway, nor get in touch with you to let you know.

Now - you have more than one way to enter - there's other blogs to visit!  Leave a comment on each one for extra entries!

• A Quilting Life  https://www.aquiltinglife.com/
• Podunk Pretties http://podunkpretties.blogspot.com/
• The Crafty Quilter   https://thecraftyquilter.com/ 
• Flamingo Toes   https://flamingotoes.com/
• Happy Quilting Melissa http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/
• The Quilting Nook https://thequiltingnook.wordpress.com/
• Kathy’s Quilts  https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Also, if you haven't already, you can join Jacquelynne's facebook group to show off your blocks and enjoy the companionship of really wonderful quilters!

SewQuiltyFriends

Good luck in the giveaways, I'll see you soon - 

Love,

Allie