California Here I Come........

Whew what a whirlwind few weeks for me. I left for sunny southern California on Wednesday the 21st. Left BWI at 8:30ish AM and landed at LAX at 12:00 PM. First thing I noticed is that there was NO sun. From what I understand it is always sunny in CA except apparently when I go visit my cousin Cindy.

Our first adventure was to head up the PCH (local speak for the Pacific Coast Highway) to Santa Monica Pier. Which is the end of the famous Route 66.

After a walk on the pier we head back to PCH and found a place at the beach for a bite to eat. Had a wonderful lobster taco and headed off to find more fun stuff things to see. We headed towards Long Beach where Cindy lives. While driving on PCH we found The Adamson House museum.

This is an outside tub they used for dog washing. I bet a few human baths were taken there too!

The family had a tile factory during the early part of the depression BUT was never able to make it through. What beautiful tiles.

After leaving The Adamson House we headed towards Long Beach and Cindy's home. For a good nights sleep.

Day 2 we went looking for stars in Hollywood and oh still no sun......well at least for the first part of the day. We scheduled a tour at Paramount Studio for 1:00 so upon arriving in Hollywood around 10:30 we drove on Hollywood Blvd. for some star watching. None were found that we know of.

After rethinking Hollywood Blvd. and realizing that stars are not going to just be walking down that Blvd. we decided to head to Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This was a beautiful cemetery where all kinds of stars were buried. We saw the graves of Douglas Fairbanks, Hattie McDaniel, Cecil B. DeMill, Alfred Hitchcock and Don Adams. We know Marilyn Monroe was there but could not find her.

Tour time.

The tour of the studio was truly a highlight of my trip. We had a great tour guide that was fun and full of information. The tour actually took about 3 hours and was done but riding in a large golf cart and a bit of walking. We stopped to see the Lucy and Desi studios/complex. They had a entire section where their shows and movies were filmed. We were able to visit the actually set of the show "Community" staring Chevy Chase. The actors were not there but we did get to see them building this seasons set or adding to this set. Also learned a little secret for this season.......although I have not seen the show it was a lot of fun. Next we headed to the New York street set. It really did look like a New York street.......although not as large. There was one memorable picture I took on the New York street.

Marble Rye anyone?

This was one of the best tours of anything I have ever taken. I highly recommend if you get to Hollywood the Paramount studio tour.

Day 3 we were back in Hollywood for the bus tour. This is a great way to see any big city. I have taken these tours in Boston, New York and now Hollywood. You get to see so much on these tours and gives you a great overview of things to do it lasted 2 hours. We arrived back to the starting point and got off the bus and started walking down the walk of stars.

Heading towards Gruamen's Chinese Theater to see the foot and hand prints.

Then we wanted a little down time so we decided to hang with a few friends and relax.

Tired of hanging with our friends we headed to the hills to see the Hollywood sign. Cindy and a few friends had found a way to get close to the sign by going through a neighborhood.......NOT were tourist were supposed to be. But we found it again.

What a beautiful view of the sign.

We got a chance to visit Will Rogers home where a polo tournament was being played.

Polo on the Will Rogers estate

Will's home

On my last day we heading south on PCH going to San Juan Capistrano Mission. This was also a beautiful tour.

In 1812 during a mass there was an earthquake causing the mission to crumble and killing 40 people. The mission was never rebuilt in its original location but to the side leaving the crumbled church as a memorial.

We headed up the coast going towards LAX stopping along the way in a few towns Laguna Beach, Seal Beach and again in Long Beach. The vacation was was winding down and my flight was leaving on time at 11:59 PM. Good bye Cindy and California. This was a great fun trip.

As Always, Lori

New and Exciting

Short and Sweet.......

Finally got COMMENTS to work so you can now comment on the blog.

Hoooooray!!!! Well maybe some of them I might not like so much but we'll see.

As Always, Lori

2nd Place

I can hardly believe it.......I received a Red 2nd Place Ribbon and 15 bucks at the Maryland State Fair for the category my quilt was entered in. Along with the ribbon you receive a copy of the judging sheet and on the bottom of the sheet was a hand written comment. REMARKABLE REPRODUCTION QUILT!!!! The comment to me is worth MORE then the ribbon or the 15 bucks. My goal with this quilt was to create a quilt for my bed just like a quilt from the 1830 or 40's. I guess I did it.

I am so glad that it is not raining.......I AM SO OVER RAIN!!!! What a dreary 2 weeks we have had. I felt like I wanted to curl up on the sofa and sleep. But I have no time for that lots of things going on. Fall cleaning has begun and just general life. On top of all that on Wednesday my dryer decided to die on me.  Any other time this would not be a big deal because I usually hang my clothes out in the summer time BUT with all the rain that could not be done. So out comes the drying rack.......one was not enough so another was purchased......still not enough so out came the hangers. Good thing we have lots of doors to hang the hangers on the moulding. Finally today I have the last of the laundry out on the line......the repair man does not come till Tuesday and I sure help he can fix it that day and not have to order parts or something.

With this being the weekend of 9/11 my heart is heavy and goes out to all those who lost loved ones. I know even though I do not know anyone that was lost a piece of me was taken away.

Redskins opening weekend..........GO SKINS!!!!

As Always, Lori

Little Women a Quilt

Well in my opinion "Irene" was  a complete DUD in our area. Although it was great to get all that rain so we can have our yards back to nice plush green. I do feel and pray for all those along the coast who did have great losses.......hopefully they will be able get their lives back to normal quickly.

With Tim being gone for 4 days I was able to get a lot of "me" things done. As I showed you in my last post I am starting a Little Women quilt. After reading all the instructions it was time to gathering tools and start choosing my fabric. Now it is time to get sewing.

Selections for 1st block

All the fabrics in this quilt will be reproduction fabrics. The beautiful paisley fabric in the back will be the outside borders. I just love paisley. There will be lots of fabrics in this quilt there are so many fun things to needle turn applique in each block.

Step 1 was making the background. There is a desk and a wallpaper fabric. The 2 are sewn together then cut into an octagon then a boarder. With that being finished you are ready to lay out all the piece you have cut from templates.

I did get to purchase a new toy. A bias tape maker for my flower stems. I know I will get lots of use from this little toy.

Pieces have all been laid out and with a special applique glue they have been spot glued into place.

 Let the stitching begin. With many hours of stitching I will have a finished block.

This is my progress thus far. I am SO enjoying this project it is the first time in a long time that I have been this excited about a quilt.

When the block is complete you will be the first to see.

As Always, Lori

The Earthquake of 2011 or New Project Day

Summer life is finally slowing down. Seems I hardly did anything but I was sure busy. Not sure what I really did. Tuesday morning my quilt was delivered to the fair.....we'll see how it did when I go to see all the quilts. From what I saw I'm thinking I was sure out of my league. But it was sure fun to enter a quilt.

Got to experience my first EARTHQUAKE on Tuesday. I was sitting at my desk working. My black cat Boo just would not let me be.....he was all over me and my desk. Really being annoying. On the desk, on my lap, walking across the keyboard just causing me stress. Then he would go to every room where there were people and do the same to them. Then the quake came. I am SURE he knew it was coming. Afterwards the poor boy was again going from room to room checking on everyone. Eli was in the basement and Boo jumped over the half door we have to the basement and must have missed the steps and fell all the way down. We ended up taking him to the vet. Nothing broke just a bad sprain and he got a shot. He seems to be fine now. Guess we'll know if we will be getting another......I will pay attention to him from now on.

My cousin Cindy who lives part time in California and full time in Washington State called just after the quake to see how we were and kinda laugh at me. I am going to visit her in Long Beach in September and she told me that this was my practice run for coming to California. She is such a funny girl.

As you know I have become a part of a little hand sewing group that meets twice a month. This is great I am getting so many things finished that have started and I never seemed to make time for. Today I am starting a project that I have decided to show you my progress step by step. With being accountable to you and going to "Thursday Thimblers" this should be a finished project before you know it.

My new project is a tribute to Louisa May Alcott. Each block will depict an event of her life. There are nine needle turned blocks that will be fun for me to do.

The block that I am starting today

Can't wait to use up some of the fabric that I already have an yet another excuse to BUY more fabric. I know there will be a trip to Needle & Thread in Gettysburg in my near future because they have such a huge selection of reproduction fabrics which I will be needing for this project. I will be doing regular updates as things are progressing from start to finish. Hopefully by tomorrow I have something to report.

Due to my Thursday group I semi finished a project started over a year ago. A needle turned applique of an eagle. Tim and I was at a quilt show a few years back and he saw a few American Eagle quits that he commented on so I decided I would make him an eagle quilt. So I began the search for an eagle that I could do. I knew I couldn't do one of those artsy real looking eagles that are beautiful but I have no idea how to do. So I knew I wanted a primitive folksy eagle and with a little looking and tweaking I came up with this design. He is set on a 36X36" background.....no easy feat.

Now I just have to decide what I want to do around him. I have several things going in my head but nothing set in stone or should I say fabric yet. SSSSHHHHHH this is a surprise for Tim he has no idea I am making this for him. When this quilt is complete I will again show you the project.

As Always, Lori

Dinner and a Movie

One more week of summer down and it was a busy one filled with work, meetings and FUN. On Wednesday the B's {Barb, Beth & Beth} and I had a birthday celebration for Beth Rockwell. We went to see "The Help" and then to dinner. What a wonderful movie........Loved the book and the movie was great too. I highly recommend BOTH.

I was prompted by a friend to do something very scary.........enter a quilt in the Maryland State Fair. Today I finished sewing the hanging sleeve on the quilt I am going to enter. This is a quilt I made to fit my queen sized bed only for Tim to decide we needed a king sized bed a month after it was complete and on the bed. I'm sure I have had this on here before but here it is.

The fair runs August 26th - September 5th in Timonium. I was at the fair a few years ago and it is a really nice fair and worth the trip.

Well daylight is burning and more projects to do or start or read.......I have no idea what I am getting into next. Till next time.

As Always, Lori

From This to This

The past few weeks have been great.  I have gotten back in the grove of sewing and reading. Just finished "The Help"......what a good book. Can't wait to see the movie. I highly recomend this book to all I LOVED IT!

Also finished up Ring Bearer pillows that I made for my friend Karen's daughter Amanda's wedding. If I must say so myself they turned out better then I had ever thought. I don't believe I have even ever seen or held a ring bearers pillow in my hand. So I really pulled this one from the seat of my pants.

Today I am also excited to say that I finished my "Round Robin" block for February. It will be passed on to one of the 12 members in my round robin group.......hope she loves it as much as I do. Here it is from start to finish.

This was a fun and great learning experience for me. I learned a new technique and I  made what I think is a near perfect block. I am very pleased and wish I didn't have to give this one away. Oh well that is all of that fabric I had anyway........not enough to have made a quilt. But I can see a quilt like this in my future. Same block different fabric.

The baby swallows have all left the nest. I think it is sad when they do not come back to sleep on the porch BUT they do come for visits. They sit on the garage roof and spouting right outside my bedroom window. The cats LOVE their visits......it drives them crazy.

Mimi, Boo and Willis

Had to fight over who saw them first

Back to being Avid Bird Waters

I am really enjoying this weather.....windows are open and the breeze blowing all that fresh air in after having the house closed up so long. I could get used to this.

A few last fun photos.......Boo in a Bowl.........

I was standing by my island talking to a friend and he just jumped up and got in the bowl.....such a funny boy.

As Always, Lori