Catching Up .... again

it is so easy to loose the habit and then you end up always blogging about stuff that happened ages ago.
So here is my catch up and I will try and update it more often. Lets finish off the Baltimore trip, lots of good food and fun mixed in with the work and I sense a theme with the restaurants there. Here is a picture from the outside of Cafe Hon yet another Elvis.




This weekend I finished hand knotting the afghan I embroidered for a friends wedding, I used designs from Janet Sansom they stitch out so well, I love them.








Saturday morning I went to Quilters Attic, I spent the morning in a 5D software training class and the afternoon in a class making the Suzi purse insert, I finished a large and a medium.








Very cute. I will use them to store quilting supplies in my basket. I was able to finish 2 more blocks for my PB & J quilting Bee.









I went running with Gil twice this weekend, 4 miles on Friday and 3 on Sunday morning and then last but not least I stitched out another Janet Sansom design as a centre for a decorative pillow





Looking forward to this week, couple of dinners with friends and wedding on Friday.

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Warwick Winery and Baltimore

Saturday started with some very British weather, overcast and dreary, wet without actually raining. We decided to take our quarterly hike to Sams club and bought huge packs of household "stuff" . The rest of the day I spent working on a flannel disappearing nine patch quilt. I used huge squares 6 X 6 the idea is you make a standard nine patch then cut it into quarters and twist them around and sew them back together. I really like the effect it gives.






It looks very different from the standard 9 patch. Sunday we went off to Warwick Winery in Pine Island for live music, great food and for DH and friends some good wine ( i am driving to Baltimore so no alcohol for me)

If you live in this area I strongly urge you to check it out - it is such a fun day. Of course it was made even better for us as we were enjoying the company of very good friends.

So 3.30 I left everyone still having fun at the winery and started by drive to Baltimore, arrived there about 8.30 after a stop at the dairy queen :-) The drive was pretty good and seems I was lucky as there had been a massive storm in Baltimore only a few hours earlier. Hotel is fine and I brought my new Babylock light weight machine in the hope that I get to do some piecing.

Monday arrived at the office bright and breezy and had a really productive day, went out to dinner in the evening with Gale and she took me to a very good Mexican in the Canton area of Baltimore. Its looks quite an artsy area





The restaurant was very good although I was surprised that their theme would be Elvis - I guess there is a good back story there? Any way great company, good food and a very nice house margarita.



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Oh Gourd!

We are preparing for very high temperatures today and keeping indoors as much as possible.

This time last year we were on our road trip, part of which was a one week visit to Lancaster PA. We were camped right in the middle of the Amish community and one of our purchases was a hand painted gourd which we have hung in the garden. Obviously we are not the only ones to like the gourd as we have a pair of birds that have taken up residence. We are hoping they will lay eggs and we can watch the babies grow.






This morning one of the many deer was feeling braver than normal and came really close looking for something to eat. The dogs were so surprised they just sat and stared out of the window while the deer took its time.





The past two evenings I have been trying to catch up on my BOM Patriots in Petticoats. I am off to Baltimore next week with work so I thought I could cut them ready then sew next week while at the hotel. They are very complex blocks though and I have spent hours cutting pieces that are small and measured in eighths. Tomorrow is forecast to hit the high 90"s


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Small Projects and Samples

Arrived back in the US a week ago last Sunday, nice to see DH and the dogs again. The weather is also a nice surprise really sunny. I hear ware going to hit the high 90's this week but this will also be very muggy as we are forecast to have high humidity. Anyway enough of me proving how British I am by discussing the weather !

I have been out running a few times last week and thanks to some of the residual jet lag, I have been able to go early in the morning. Friday I met Sara for lunch in the town, we had a very nice time and really must do it again soon. Friday night I decided to try out one on my new John Deer embroidery designs. It is a fringed flower, very pretty and stitched out nicely. What do you think?





Saturday morning I went down to Quilters Attic for a class on 5D software, very good but I really need to keep working with it as I am not really using it enough to get the full benefit of its features. So with that in mind I went off to Homegoods and bought some nice towels and then designed an embroidery to go across the band - I am pleased with the results.




His and Hers towels for the hot tub. Buoyed by my new renewed enthusiasm for smaller projects and made myself a shop card holder with my serger









Quickly followed by a quick serger case to hold my mouse and 5D dongle





I was now on a roll so next decided to tackle some of my orphan blocks and turn them into cushion covers.











Then I rounded the afternoon off with trying out another of the John Deer designs, I think I will turn this into a small wall hanger.




Phew !! that was fun. This week I get to work from home and then next week I am off to Baltimore.




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