All My Bags are Packed (and my quilting too)

Last week the Cupcakers, including Mary, got together for a little sew party and luncheon on Jill's porch.

When I return I'll tell you how this:

Became this:

After four years of saving, and many months of planning, we are finally on our way tomorrow!

We're flying off to Rome tomorrow then boarding a cruise ship and heading for:  Croatia, Curfu, Santorini, (Greece), Turkey, Athens, and Messina (Italy).

I'll be taking my tumbler doll quilt to hand piece on the plane and on sea days when I'm not playing Bingo (obsession on cruises).

I must be strong today and drop coco off at a boarding facility in upstate New York.  They have dog pools and open play and frozen yogurt.  I must be strong.....

See you again in a couple of weeks!  Until then, I hope you have fun!

Dog Day Afternoon

Sorry, quilters, this one is all about my puppy; coco.

On the spur of the moment, we decided to visit the family farm in Illinois for the 3-day weekend of the Fourth of July.  Quite a radical decision, since it's 850 miles away and takes 14 hours by car.

Three us drove and Two of us flew.

My FIL was an "Ad Man" in Chicago and purchased Illinois farm land about 35 years ago.  It really has become his legacy. We are so grateful to have Pioneer Farm in our lives.   Here are the living areas, which were built over many years.

Pioneer Farm -Main House

Loft House

Annex (garage with apartment)

It is a dog's heaven~  no leash, a pool, and lots of room to roam.

Here is coco's visit:

She learned to swim in the deep end

She learned to float

She learned to wait for us on walks

She inspected the tractor

She wandered through my MIL's prairie

She inspected the corn fields

She did an in-depth inspection of the flooded areas of the soy beans

She helped do the dishes

She enjoyed a bone in the front yard

She contemplated life on the front porch

 Then she slept all the way home

I wonder if she thinks it was all a dream.

Good girl coco!

Catching Up

Happy Friday!

Just catching up on some of the things I've been up to while away for the Fourth of July.

Before I left, I won a great antique button give away from Sandra of Cumberland Island.  She put the buttons in a stationery box.  How cute is this?  And it's one of my favorite subjects; birds :)

I love that it looks like a book!

It's magnetized, so it makes an excellent sewing project box.  I love using stationery boxes this way.

I brought this little hand piecing project with me.  I started it about 10 years ago.  It was before I did paper piecing, which would be way, way easier.

It will be for my little antique dolly bed.  I'm about half way there.

So it's back to marking and cutting new pieces.  I'll be taking this on our cruise in about a week.

Yea, I finished the little baby quilt for my friend.   I like the way it turned out.  I like to do minimal quilting so it feels soft.

I just have my name on the label and my friend will fill in the baby info.

We had a great trip to our family farm in Illinois.  Coco in particular had a great time being a country dog.  I'll be back with photos next time.

Hope you are having a great summer and finding time for a little stitching!