TRIP TO LORI'S & WISONSIN!!

What a wonderful week! My husband & I took a little vacation and went everywhere from Shipshawana IN, St. Joseph's MI, Spring Green, WI and then up to the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. We had a family reunion on Saturday in Iron Mountain, but I was also able to visit and go traveling with my friend, Lori Rippey. We stayed at a wonderful hotel in Iron River not far from Lori's and was able to visit with her and her husband on Thursday afternoon. I just love Lori's house!!! It is so inspiring...her quilts, her rugs, her dolls, not to mention the way she has everything to tastefully arranged. It is a feast for the eyes! Most of you have been on her picturetrail..but the pictures really do not do it justice..it is wonderful!! On Friday, Lori and I drove to Appleton WI to the home of Tina from Early America 1815 and met up with some other ladies for a day of shopping and fun.

Tina's home is so beautiful. Warm and inviting. We traveled in two cars, there were 6 of us in the first car and then 2 other ladies followed. I don't think we ever stopped chatting..sometimes there were at least 3 different conversations going at once!! I have posted lots of pictures below..so I hope everyone enjoys!!



This is a beautiful pinkeep that Lori gave me..I just love the way it looks in my wooden bowls.



This a my collection of birds and pinkeeps. The blue cloth bird in the foreground, was handstitched by Tina. I just love it and the blue is perfect. She gave us each a little gift for coming to her home on Friday. Believe me..just seeing her home in person was gift enough!! The brown fabric sewing box, with the little bird on top was also made by Tina. I purchased it from her picturetrail a couple of months ago..then, the pinkeep on top on the hog scraper was made by Lori..it was a gift from her last fall on a visit to her home. I think I should just move up there!! So beautiful!


This was one of my finds in Florence WI, at a little corner antique shop. It is a very early, cobbler's bench. I love the color and pantina of the wood and it fits quite nicely on my fireplace.

This is a goose feather tree that I found rummaging in the basement of the same little shop. I couldn't believe it! The base is split and somebody painted it an awful metallic gold, but the red is showing through in spots. I don't know how old it is, but from the looks of it, it has been around quite a while. The feathers are really faded in some areas. I have lots more pictures..but not enough time to post everything this evening. That little shop was quite a treasure trove!

HAPPY 4TH!

I feel like an idiot! I posted a whole darn paragraph under the picture...but it didn't show up..I'm so sorry! I must have hit the wrong button. Anyway...the beautiful flag was made from my AAPG friend, Joanne, who is always so thoughtful and sending RAK's throughout the year to all the members. Thank you Joanne...I love it and it does look lovely with my daisies! I am so excited..usually on the 4th, we usually have cookout over here, but this year, my son, Nathan, and his wife invited us over for a cookout...YIPPEE!! The only thing I have to make is an artichoke-cheese dip.

I hope everyone has safe and enjoyable 4th! The weather in Michigan promises to be a HOT one with lots of sun. Take care!!

WEEDING, PLANTING, AND ACHING BONES

Geez....two days ago it sounded so great to get out in the yard and start planting and rearranging some perrenials. While treating myself to a trip to the nursery on Friday afternoon...I couldn't seem to fill my shopping cart up fast enough with perrenials, annuals, herbs, and even...gulp...a couple of vegetable plants. In my overactive imagination I had visions of beautiful gardens....herb gardens, vegetable gardens, butterfly gardens..and on and on. When I unloaded some of my earthly treasures on the backporch..I took a good look around my yard and holy smokes.....I couldn't believe how much work I had to do before I could even think of planting...was I CRAZY?? I wanted to load everything back in the car and ask for a refund! But...as things settled, and my heart stopped racing...my husband reminded me that this is what we wait for all winter long. Well..maybe he does..because afteer 6 hours of bending, lifting, stooping, and yanking..my whole body is aching! we were only able to get about 1/3 of the yard done this afternoon..so I guess there is always tomorrow...Better get a really big bottle of Motrin!

I had to take a picture of this sweet little pansy that must have reseeded itself last fall. It is the prettiest little flower and growing in between the bricks right off of my back porch step. I think I'll leave it there for a while..it seems to have found a happy home!

This week, I started my little grand daughter, Olivia's, birth sampler. Now don't laugh...Olivia is going to be three years old, so to say I am a little behind is an understatement! But Olivia has a little sister, Isabel, who was born last July...haven't started that sampler and then we had a another baby girl, Charlotte, who was born last month...haven't started that one either...so I figured I had better get on the ball. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day..I try to get in about an hour of stitching or rug hooking every evening..but I am so tired after work, I usually fall asleep in my stitching chair around 8 pm. Boy am I getting old!

I am using motif's from the new booklet by Blackbird Designs, "Honeysuckle Manor". I love the colors in the sampler and I thought it would be a nice one for the girls. As you can see...I have the dreaded "hoop" marks on my fabric, but I have to use a hoop..can't help it! I am also using 14 count aida....which is so much easier on my eyes..and I find I can stitch a heck of a lot faster. I only wish I had purchased all of the hand-dyed floss that was listed. I used mostly DMC floss with the color conversion...but I did purchase 3 Gentle Arts skeins and the colors are so soft and the variations in the thread is just beautiful. Well...I'd better get back to the sampler...I've got lots of stitchin' to do!

A TOWNSEND...IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING!

I know, I know it's been like forever since I last posted...almost three weeks to be exact! I have had a rough couple of weeks...busy at work, busy at home, yard work, inside work, then to top it off, I experienced a horrible case of "viral gastroenteritis" last week..in other words...I ate something that was contaminated by someone not washing their hands properly or at all or the food, itself, was contaminated. Either way...it cost me a trip to the emergency room last Tuesday morning and then three days of misery! Yuck...I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy! All this while my new Townsend sat in my hooking room....UNTOUCHED! I finally was able to use it this past weekend and what a joy it was! I think my hooking even looks better...my strips are even, no fraying, and it cuts like butter!! I purchased it from Ault's Rug Hooking Store while they were up here at the hook-in in Saline. Larry gave me a trade in allowance for my Fraser so the decision was easy..especially since all my hooking friends think this machine is the best invention since sliced bread!