Looking Back

Hello Everyone,

Forty-nine years ago today, I said "Yes" to this man, Mr. Joe. They were the most intelligent words that I ever said.  We were just kids back then.  

I made my wedding dress from a Vogue pattern.  The entire dress cost me $35.00, a fortune back in the day.  I stitched hundreds of fake pearls on the collar and cuffs. Our entire wedding cost under $200.00.  

We had $200 in our pocket when we left on our Honeymoon to Carmel, Monterey, and then Lake Tahoe.  Credit cards......none.  We had no credit.  Basically all we had was a 1967 Mustang Fastback and a motorcycle.  I can still envision my Dad rolling his eyes when Joe asked for my hand in marriage.  My Dad went along with the program, and he lived long enough to watch our marriage blossom and thrive.

Click HERE if you want to read the story of how we met.  It's pretty funny!

Here we are, still just a couple of kids who built a good life together.  Three children and six grandchildren later, we are still rather fond of each other.  

Soon,

Lynn

 

Pattern Stuffing

 Hello Everyone,

This is what old retired people do during the day......they fold, spindle, and stuff hundreds of patterns into plastics bags to get ready for shipping to quilt shops who signed up for the Marcus Fabrics BOM - A Ribbon Runs Through It.

I failed miserably at my retirement in 2008 from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.  I'm making up for lost time while working three times as hard running my own little company.  I love the challenge and the rewards.

Our dining room has been transformed into a pattern collating and stuffing center.  Mr. Joe and I sit here by the hour listening to music, and each other while we stuff.

We unloaded the big boxes on the front porch.

Then we went to work pattern stuffing.

The finished product is then put back into the boxes to await shipment.  There are quite a few pattern orders, and I have to spread out the cost over several weeks.  As soon as one shipment comes in from the printer, I place another order.  It's a real juggling act.

On another note, we are heading out to visit our daughter today.  Last week she was dancing at a Guns N' Roses concert celebrating her anniversary.  While she was dancing, she did something to her ankle.  That was on Wednesday.  Over the next few days she kept up her normal work schedule, and then over the weekend she helped her daughter set up a pen for a new steer.  Her ankle and calf became very uncomfortable, swollen and black and blue, so she headed to urgent care on Sunday. They put on a temporary cast, and then referred her to a specialist yesterday.  Come to find out, she totally ruptured her Achilles tendon.  It rolled up like a window shade into her calf.  It's going to be a loooong 12 week recovery.  We have now suggested she only attend Yanni concerts.

So this "Sweet Child o' Mine" is "One in a Million" and was "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" for the past few days.....just to name a few Guns N' Roses hits. 

Soon,

Lynn

Summer Endings

 Hello Everyone,

Now that my first retreat is over, I'm getting back to a little quilting for a few weeks before the second retreat begins at the end of the month.  I resurrected Lovey Dovey, and sewed on the Churn Dash block borders.  I may put a solid border on it too.....the verdict is still out.  I'm also finishing up the pattern.  I love this happy little wall hanging.

We went over to Sonora to Quail's Nest Quilt Company to deliver patterns and visit my Crossing the Pond quilt.  Susan, the owner, is in the process of making kits for this quilt.  Click HERE if you are interested in purchasing a complete kit for this quilt.  You will need to call the shop and talk with Susan to get on this list for this one.  All of the fabrics are identical to the original.

This is where I've been every morning Monday thru Friday throughout the entire summer.  Today is the last day of our organized water aerobics class.  Several of us will be meeting on our own, without the instructor, beginning tomorrow morning.  I absolutely LOVE water aerobics.  It's the least painful way to exercise, and is so beneficial.  I've suffered from sciatica for several years, and I'm so happy to say all of my symptoms have vanished, and I'm pain free.  I think I'm going to have to start a Polar Bear club to extend the benefits of water aerobics throughout the winter.  I'll get back to you on that one when we have several feet of snow on the ground!

I've been busy putting a tutorial together for A Ribbon Runs Through It HERE.  The tutorial will always be accessible at the top of my blog.  The shop kits will be shipping out by the 13th of September to the quilt shops around the world who've requested them, and want to make a shop sample prior to the release of the BOM in January.  

This has been a good way for me to re-test the pattern instructions.  I finished the first section yesterday, and I'll keep adding to it throughout the next few weeks to complete all of the blocks and the sashing.  I want this program to be successful, and this is one of the ways to help quilters put this heirloom quilt together.

I hope you all have a great Labor Day.  I'm getting ready to head to the pool, then my quilt guild has a meeting this morning at 10am.  I guess it would be a good idea to dry off first, and change my clothes before heading to the meeting.  I don't want to smell like chlorine all day!

Soon,

Lynn