Upcoming Fun

In case you have been wondering.... I am still around... We have had such a busy summer with visitors for about two months straight and lots of outdoor time.  My quilting has suffered.  But September is coming, along with winter.  We have cool temperatures and the leaves are turning.  And quilting is ramping up.  Friday Night With Friends is on this Friday and I have a quilting weekend with in-person friends Friday through Sunday as well.  Then our big fall four day retreat happens at the end of September.

And I will be joining up with Ida and Irene's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade again at My Sister Made Me Do It.  It starts on September 4th, so get your pincushions ready to strut their stuff!  I have threatened to make a new pincushion for this year's parade and I even have my idea formulated!

I have managed to do a little bit of stitching over the summer - for instance keeping up with my sewing obligations for the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap.  Here are the hexies I made for Gail, my August swap partner.

And I finally blocked and hemmed the woven rag placemats that I made in a weaving course last fall.

And there have been some exciting times in our yard...

Aren't these guys cute!!  Here's a close up of the twins.

I passed my 10 year blogging anniversary in June and I have been meaning to do a giveaway to celebrate.  So stay tuned....

I hope you will join in some of the upcoming fun with Irene and Ida for the Pincushion Parade and with Cheryl for Friday Night with Friends.

Janet

Friday Night with Friends Report and Some Lovely Mail

I did not get anything done on Friday for Friday Night with Friends.  Friday nights after a week of work are hard, but I can usually rally myself to at least make a hexie flower.  But not last Friday.  I was tiiiirerd and I made dinner and went to bed.  But I did get a few things done earlier in the week.

A couple of hexie flowers for my July swap partner - Jane in the UK.  These were off to her in the mail on July 31st - squeaking under the wire!

And another hexie flower for my Grandmother's Flower Garden.  I was really obsessed with using the six pieces that make up the inner petals of the flower.  It turned out a bit odd looking but at least I have that obsession out of my brain now!

This weekend DD # 3 came out so I could help her sew.  She signed up to make a block for a baby quilt for a friend who is having a baby.  She has a sewing machine and says she wants to learn to sew, but pinning her down to actually do some sewing is often difficult.  And this block was to be made using fusible applique to make a picture - definitely not my favourite type of quilting.  But she got it done with her own design and a lot of instruction from me.  And it turned out quite cute!

We have had what for us is really hot weather for about a week now.  We have had lots of company with my granddaughter and her friend staying here for three nights of the week while they take their Bronze Medallion course, our friends from Nelson, B.C. visiting and of course DD # 3.  We have been enjoying getting out in the boat, splashing in the water and soaking up the sun!

And today I had a lovely surprise at the post office.  Quite a while ago I won a book from Raewyn at Stitching Farm Girl.  But it took her a while to get it in the mail and I had temporarily forgotten that it was coming.  But there in the mail today was a parcel pour moi!!

Along with the book Raewyn sent a lovely hand towel with an appliqued strip of Kowhai - a New Zealand flower.  The bird on the card is a fantail and the same bird appears on the pen.  Chocolate with plum and almond in it - yum!  And of course a quilting themed book for me to read. This was such a fantastic parcel to receive.  Thank-you so much Raewyn!

That's all for today.  I will be sure to check on at Cheryl's blog to see what everyone else got up to for Friday Night with Friends.

Janet