A cloudy spring Sunday

The sky is overcast today, gray and cool, another April like spring day.  Here in western Wisconsin we continue to be about 3 weeks behind as far as spring showers an May flowers.  At my daughter's home the daffodils are still slow to awaken, the bleeding heart finally has come up to bloom & her red Lilies are just peeking up from under the ground.  (I thought they might not make it this year.)  Yesterday I went over to the RV campgrounds in Woodbury, MN to visit my Son and his girls.  They were camping out for this memorial day weekend.  It was a cool morning, cloudy with a threat of rain.  The sun peeked out from the clouds occasionally. 

Friends
 

after adding air to the tires and
off with the training wheels off they go!

Echo deep in thought
 

It was nice to be out under the trees with the birds singing and the children playing.  My granddaughter's even went swimming in the heated pool.  I felt quite relaxed there.  I liked the cabins on the perimeter - I am considering renting one for a few days during the summer.  would be nice.  very close to home yet a world away.  I took some fun pictures while there. 

Today is Sunday I feel very lazy and slow today.  That's OK! I didn't get anything finished for Friday's Finishes but I plan to spend time in my sewing studio today working on some projects in the works.  I am making a case for my 17" computer and I want to work on the Hobo Tote,  , (I bought the template at Nancy's Notions warehouse on retreat early may.)  I also want to work on some of my drawings for my daughter Nan's book. 

My Friday Finish!

My wing it block for my Civil War Quilt :}

  It's a Sunny May Day.  It is a little cool out today but quite sunny.  I find myself recouping from my hectic past 2 weeks.   The last week in April was filled daily with things to do, get- together's, Saying goodbyes to friends, Grandparents day, IV Therapy and a bus trip to Beaver Dam.  Followed this week by family time, spending time helping a friend with her quilting.  yesterday I went downtown to my local quilt shop to My Civil War Club.  I wanted to work on my Civil War Quilt.  I had started a block 3 weeks ago and forgot to mark which block it was to be and totally forgot.  I decided to wing it and it turned out to be a very nice block with the help of Kathy Lee.  She helped me pick out some fabric that would go with it...I did like the way it turned out.  I will wait to resize this one when I place it in the quilt top.  Now I have several more quilt blocks done and I am glad.  I have learned my lessen tho - to mark the pattern or block I am currently working on.  I will use some of the great suggestions from the ladies of my group.   I also finished my spring wall quilt.  I did some FMQ on this and I do like how it looks. all I need is a label and it is ready to be hanged.


My Spring wall hanging is finished and ready to hang.

What Notions did I buy at Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend



Hobo Tote Templates
 

5-way Seam Gauge

Point Turner

Point Turner and seam Creaser



Magic Bobbin Washers

505 Basting Spray and temporary fabric adhesive

Majic Bobbin Gene Clover Seam RipperAfter walking thru Nancy's Notions warehouse I choose some great things to buy - notions from her catalog - it was a sewer's/quilters dream to be among so many notions at one time.  I could browse and pick them up, examine each - eye candy - for the sewer & quilter. LOL.  I bought a 5 - in One seam gauge, I like the lock in feature of this one, a seam ripper to replace my old one; both by clover.  I also bought a package of little magic bobbin genies to use when I am FMQ - Clear bobbins  & sewing needles for my sewing machine. I also got some heavy pellon for purse facings and a Hobo Tote pattern template, (which is on back order).  I got some great prices on them buy buying them at the warehouse on the weekend.  I also bought a UBS 1gb and a USB power strip for my computer, a collapsible water bottle to use for bringing water for my Iron when going to classes some double face basting tape for zippers and Zippers on a roll. 

Back from my Bus Trip to Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend in Beaver Dam WI

Wow I had a great trip, met some very nice ladies from my ST Paul/Minneapolis ASG Guild.  I roomed with 3 of the nicest ladies.  Olga, Joyce & Edith  The trip started out a little treacherous.  We were in the Middle of a May Snow Storm.  Imagine that! On the morning we were to leave for Beaver Dam I woke@ 5:30am to 7+ inches of white wet heavy snow covering my driveway.  I knew that the fellow that does our plowing would not be here before I needed to leave at 7:15am.  I packed the car and opened my garage door and backed out with as much force as I could plowing out the snow with my car.  and made my way up the slight hill to the city street which wasn't even plowed yet; slipping & slidding all the way.  Once I got to the highway the drive was much better.  I was 20 min. late but the bus came 45min later.  So I guess I was really early.  :}.  I was so thankful that I was not driving all the way to Beaver Dam.  Above is a picture of how the trees along 94 looked as we drove thru Wisconsin towards our destination. The poor trees were so stressed with the heavy snow that they bent to the ground, some breaking with all the weight.   The Snow cleared after the Dells and the skies were gray and rainy.  I could see that the grass was starting to turn green and as we got closer to Beaver Dam I even saw some spring Tulips.  Spring was definitely here in this part of the country although it was very rainy and cool while we were there.  The Sun finally came out on Saturday, of course it was the day we left to return home. 
We arrived at Nancy's Notions Ware house about 2:30pm that afternoon. It was raining but we didn't care, we all were so excited to be here.  Once inside we got to roam around the store & warehouse.  I even met Nancy Zieman herself and had my picture taken with her.  I had watched her on Public TV for 35+ years.  I was so excited and she was very sweet.  I learned much of my sewing techniques from watching here and reading her books over the years.  My youngest daughter said "OMG how strange to see you standing next to her."  (She had grown up watching Sewing with Nancy along with me,)  Yes you do hear some Awe in that statement don't you.  It is so interesting to hear her viewpoint.  I know I've sewn for all my kids over the years and wondered how they felt about it. 

ASG Minneapolis/St Paul Ladies on the Bus Trip to Nancy's Notions in Beaver Dam WI May 2013

Above is the group of us & our bus driver, of course, taken on Saturday May 4th when it was sunny out.   I loved looking around the store and ware house.   one wall in the hallway between the retail store and the ware house was covered with a bulletin board telling the story of  Nancy's Notion's. 

I do apologize for the fuzziness of the last one but did not want to leave it out.

She also had Quilts along the walls.  They all were beautiful.  Here are just a few of them.  

I loved the color and symmetry of this small quilt & the beadwork was exquisite



I could see my Grandparents in this Quilt.

The Handwork and Beading was just beautiful. 

Another Bus Trip!

I had a long day today and despite the funky weather it was a good one. Started the morning off celebrating grandparents day at my Granddaughter's school, Echo & Ruthie, along with Their other Grandma Deb. It was enjoyable. then with a few hours to spend before my Iv Therapy,(for my Rheumatoid Arthritis), I had my hair done, shopped for some tops and then after my Therapy drove home in the rainy, snow mix. Travel was ok. Got back home about 4:30 just in time to stop at my community CTr were I played cards with my friends and had Pizza. that was fun. It was a nice way to say goodbye to a friend who will be moving to Ohio soon. after all the fun and laughter I got home about 7:30 - watched a little TV - Ate supper and am now getting ready for another trip in the morning. A bus trip to Beaver Dam with my Sewing Guild friends to "Nancy's Notions - weekend to see Nancy Zieman - who hosts channel 2's Sewing with Nancy. I have been watching that show for almost 40 yrs and am so excited to finally meeting her. I have a class at her shop on Friday and can hardly wait. Will let you all know how it went when I get Home.