Another Sneak Peek of A Ribbon Runs Through It

 Hello Everyone,

Here's another sneak peek of my block of the month design for Marcus Fabrics. 

You can see why I named it A Ribbon Runs Through It. 

I can reveal the entire quilt on July 5th which coincides when the Marcus sales reps start marketing the BOM, and the quilt will be revealed on the Marcus website.

The fabric is called Return to Elegance by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.  It is very elegant!

Is the anticipation starting to build?

Soon,

Lynn

Summer Fun

Hello Everyone,

 Even though Summer has arrived, it's never too early to start planning projects for Fall.  I'm working on another Peek-A-Boo Pumkins tablerunner with a few changes from the first one.

Last year, when I was a Fabric Ambassador for Henry Glass Fabrics, I designed this table runner. Everything had to be done quickly, and finished before the next fabric shipment.  Because of the short turn around times, I never had a chance to write the pattern. Now this is becoming a pattern.

This is the one I finished last year.  The new one will be very similar but without the vine.  I love the little mice peeking out from behind their hiding spots.  This is going to be one of the projects during my three Sew'n Wild Oaks quilting retreats starting in August.  I'm making kits for this little cutie pie.

Our grandsons were with us for several days and spent a lot of time down at Snowflake Lake.  The weather has been so warm, and the water feels so refreshing.  We spent a wonderful 6 days with the boys, and I lost count of the many games we played.  The cabin is a "no phone zone" for the boys, much to the delight of their parents.  We played countless games of Monopoly, Parchessi, Sorry, and Fantan.  We taught the boys to play cards before their little hands could hold a full hand, so we bought them little card holders.  We treasure our time with the boys.  The oldest is headed to high school this year, and the youngest is going into 8th grade.  We know there will come a time, all too soon, when they will have so many other interest, that we won't see them as much.  The time to make memories is now.

Our collective Mother's/Father's Day gifts were a Blackstone Flat Top, and a smoker.  I fixed breakfast in our new outdoor kitchen yesterday.  We LOVE it!  We had friends over last night, and the flat top was the star of the show.  Mr. Joe smoked a pork shoulder all day yesterday.  We shredded the pork and made Cuban sandwiches for dinner on the flat top.  YUM!  Never in my life have I served sandwiches for dinner......but I would serve them again in a heartbeat.

Mazey has her new hair cut for Summer.  She looks like a different dog without all of her "feathers".  I'm sure she will be much more comfortable during our current heat wave.

 I began a new morning routine week.  I still get up at 5am and fill pattern orders, read and answer emails, and work on the accounting for the business.  Then at 8:15am I head out the door to a water aerobics class at Snowflake Lodge.  It is the best, and most refreshing way to start the day.  First I had to get over my anxiety of appearing in public in a swimming suit.  That is behind me now, and I totally enjoy myself, the other people in the class, the instructor, and I'm hooked!

When my grandsons were here, and riding up an down the hills on their scooters, they taught me a new phrase of scooter/skateboard lingo.  When they pick up too much speed going down a hill, their scooter gets "speed wobbles".  I get "speed wobbles" when I walk too briskly with Mazey!  I also experience "speed wobbles" when I'm doing the flutter kick in the pool.  I guess I could rename it speed jiggles.

So get out in nature today and experience a few "speed wobbles" and pick up the pace.

Soon,

Lynn

Late For A Funeral

Hello Everyone,

It's been a whirlwind of activity here at Wilder's Last Resort.  Last week, as we were heading out of the front door to attend a funeral, we saw this bear in our lot, enjoying the appetizers in the neighbor's non-bear-proof garbage cans. Needless to say, we were late for the funeral since we weren't taking one step outside the cabin.  Much to our chagrin, we learned that our air horn had absolutely no impact on this bear.  The horn from a car passing by didn't make an impression either. I guess the bear figured out we were all bark and no bite. I think it's time for a bear blaster, a non-lethal bear management tool.

I like this photo as it shows you the size of the bear compared to the propane tank.  It's a big bear folks.....maybe it's full of gas 😁.  I'm making light of this very serious situation.  The bears lived here first, and we have to learn to live with them, and always be on alert.  

My friend sent me this sort of tongue in cheek warning from the National Park Service.  Our bears are black bears, not Grizzly bears.  I have heard the bears huff and woof when I got too close, even when I didn't know they were there.  It's a bit disconcerting!  Luckily I was right by my own front door when this happened last year.

National Park Service 

June 13 at 2:37 PM  · 

If a bear clacks its teeth, sticks out its lips, huffs, woofs, or slaps the ground with its paws, it is warning you that you are too close and are making it nervous. The bear’s nervous? Heed this warning and slowly back away. ⁣What else should you do or not do if you come across a bear in Yellowstone?

⁣

Do not immediately drop to the ground and “play dead.” Bears can sense overacting.⁣

⁣

Do not run, shout, or make sudden movements. ⁣

⁣

Do not run up and push the bear and do not push a slower friend down…even if you feel the friendship has run its course.⁣

⁣

Running may trigger a chase response in the bear and you can't outrun a bear. Bears in Yellowstone chase down elk calves all the time. You do not want to look like a slow elk calf. (Apologies to the elk calf.)⁣

⁣

Slowly putting distance between yourself and the bear may defuse the situation. ⁣

⁣

Draw your bear spray from the holster, remove the safety tab, and prepare to use it if the bear charges.⁣

⁣

In most cases, climbing a tree is a poor decision. Bears can climb trees (especially if there is something up the tree that the bear wants). Also, when was the last time you climbed a tree?⁣

⁣

Running to a tree or frantically climbing a tree may provoke a bear to chase you. If the friend you pushed down somehow made it up a tree and is now extending you a hand, there’s a good chance you’re not getting up that tree. Karma’s a bear. ⁣

⁣

Learn more bear safety tips at https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/bearreact.htm

Here is a new sign I found last week on our way back from the funeral.  I would say it was perfect timing.

Soon,

Lynn

BOM Sneak Peeks

Hello Everyone,

Just a couple of sneak peeks of my new block of the month for Marcus Fabrics.  The program will roll out in January of 2022. I spent about 60 hours machine quilting her. Either I'm really slow, or the quilting is intense.

I LOVE this border fabric!  The fabric is called Return to Elegance by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.  Lucky me, to have the opportunity to work with this fabric line.

The quilt measure 99" x 99" and will be a 10-month program.  I named my quilt, A Ribbon Runs Through It.  So you know there's going to be a ribbon somewhere in the quilt.

More sneaks peaks to come.

Soon,

Lynn
 

Busy Days Past and Future

 Hello Everyone,

This post is totally rated family friendly.....all good times spent with family over the past week. This is our grandson Jess, a great kid, and baseball player.  He didn't know we were coming to town to watch him play.  It was so heartwarming to have him run out of the dugout to give us hugs.

We went to Livermore for the weekend and watched Jess' team play in the TOC finals.  They won the whole sheebang! He played catcher, and 3rd base.  The coach put him in as pitcher in the last inning of the first game.  Three up three down, and we were on our way to the finals.

Jess is in his red catchers gear, and our son, the assistant coach, is standing behind him.

That same weekend was senior prom for our two granddaughters.....the ladies in red.  I spent an hour and a half repairing one of the dresses.  One of the straps was falling off and the other was hanging by a thread.  The girls are pictured here with their friends from FFA.  (Future Farmers of America).

One of the FFA moms surprised the kids with their names on the marquee at the cinema downtown.  The FFA kids really do aspire to inspire.

And yes, we had another bear on our deck.  We were just getting ready to sit down for breakfast when this one came right up the stairs and left the same way.  The bird feeders have been gone for weeks, but they still have to check and see.  The neighbors had a big bear get into their garbage last week.  They soon learned their non-bear-proof receptacle is unacceptable. I never go out for a walk without the air horn in my pocket.  Over the weekend, we heard the siren go off at the lake to clear the bears, and warn the swimmers, and picnikers.  Several years ago during the drought, bears moved into our area and never left.  They multiplied like rabbits, and now we see have an over abundance of them. We are in a drought situation again this year.  Will this never end?

We have a busy week ahead with Jess' 8th grade graduation, and Emily and Kinsey's high school graduation.  The party is at our house in the Bay Area.  At least there, we don't have to worry about a bear crashing the party!

A Ribbon Runs Through It is on her way for a photoshoot at Marcus Fabric headquarters in New York City.  The label was the last thing that needed to be done.  I felt like I was sending my first born child off to summer camp.  I'm sure she will have a wonderful time at headquarters.  Maybe she can attend a Broadway show, see the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty in her travels.  I won't see her again for months, as she will most likely be in the Marcus booth at Quilt Market in Houston in October.

Soon,

Lynn

Return to Elegance

 Hello Everyone,

I've been waiting for this day to arrive for months.  I finally get to reveal the newest line designed by Judie Rothermel from Marcus Fabrics.  This is what filled my sewing room, and my thought process for the several months.

The name of the line is Return to Elegance.  And yes, it is very elegant.

This really is a tease since I can't show the entire quilt until July.  I'll shoot for a July 4th quilt posting of the whole quilt, and nothing but the quilt, complete with fireworks. The name of my quilt is, A Ribbon Runs Through It.  It will be a 10-month Block of the Month offered by quilt shops for Marcus Fabrics.

The program will roll out in January 2022.  Marcus Fabrics offer an excellent program with great attention to detail from their staff of BOM experts.  I've learned so much about the inner workings of a BOM program.  This process started months ago, and they've educated me to their process every step of the way.

Today I'm going to put on the quilt label, and then I'll pack up this beauty and ship it off to New York City for a photo shoot.  You know this always makes me a bit nervous when I put one of my quilts in the mail.  So far, I've shipped all of my quilts via FedEx, and they've arrived safely, and quickly to their destination.

I am so thankful, and appreciate the good people at Marcus Fabrics for trusting me with the task of designing a BOM for them.  It has been a wonderful experience working with them.

Soon,

Lynn