Secret Pal Strikes Again

Look what was in my mailbox! This time it was mailed from Stanwood. Usually it is mailed from Everett. Hmmmmm, I wonder who it is? And look what was inside! Nice patriotic dish towels & a beautiful Janet Fogg card. I have to make that quilt someday!

I think I forgot to thank Secret Pal for the Cold Stone Creamery gift card. It was a "belated" Easter gift. Too busy helping the Easter Bunny hide eggs is what the card said.

I hope Secret Pal knows that it always seems that I get these surprises when I need them most. I seem to be on life's roller coaster with no chance of getting off & onto the merry-go-round. So thank you, thank you, thank you for all the wonderful surprises!

A Little Mister post is coming soon.

Have a nice 4th everyone!...................Nana Sharon

Yankee Doodle Rooster

Cindy,one of the Hero Quilters, made this quilt for herself. Here's a closeup of the rooster. Blocks & border.Inner borders. Are you busy getting ready for the 4th? I went to Costco & the Commissary yesterday. Almost had to take a Xanax! It was wall to wall people! Of course it was the 1st & everyone shops on the 1st in the military. I think what did it on Costco was the couple with the 3 rambunctious boys that seemed to be on the same shopping "route" as me. It didn't matter which way I went, they were always there. Oh well, I survived.

Now I'm down to hours until Little Mister & family get here. 7 hours, if the traffic is good. I better get in gear here so the house doesn't look like a bomb went off when the inspector(Miss Joanna) gets here!
One happy Nana Sharon

How can it be July already?

Seriously, where does the time go? And who ordered this weather? I'm ready for some sun! It's a step up from busy here. Little Mister & family will be here tomorrow night! I still have cleaning, grocery shopping(Commissary & Costco) & also I need to pick up a potty chair for him. can't believe he's into this already, but hey, gotta love it! Also Mr S left for Alaska last night to visit his cousin from NC who's there for a Forestry Conference. They are starting off in Denali & then maybe going to Seward. No definite plans, just flying by the seat of their pants. A real "guy" vacation. He'll be home late Sunday.

On to quilts. This beauty was made by Sharon H. It's a Judy Neimyer pattern. She joined the local quilt guild Applique group to learn how to applique the flowers on the border. Amazing work on a beautiful quilt.

This is one of Mary C's quilts using a Roxanne Carter pattern. I used the Popcorn panto & black thread. This is one of Roxanne's patterns also. Crazy Eights. You can click on the picture to get a closer look at the quilting. I have more quilt pictures to post,maybe later today when I need a break. Time to get to work here. Also have my Honda listed on Craig's List & have someone coming tomorrow to look. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Our driveway looks like a car lot!

1 day & counting.............................Nana Sharon

Hero Quilt Sew Day

Yesterday the Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters had their monthly sew day. These are blocks that the Snohomish Senior Center(affectionately known as the "Strippers") gals & Bud made for American Hero Quilts. We put them together on Saturday for the center of a quilt. Here we all are posing with some of the finished quilts that came in. On the right , bottom row is another one of the Seniors creations!

This was a pattern I fell in love with. I used tons of scraps from the fabric tubs, anything from bright red to burgundy to navy went into this quilt top. Can't wait to see it after it's quilted. The point squares of the stars blocks are all paper pieced.
Hope you are having a good weekend. Heading off to niece McKenna's dance recital soon.

5 days & counting...............................Nana Sharon

Weekend Plans

This weekend I will be Hero Quilting on Saturday & going to my niece's Dance Recital on Sunday. Oh, and quilting like crazy. These geraniums are by our front door. They are a new variety I found at Jordan Nursery called Graffiti Double Salmon from the Exotic Geranium family. I promise I didn't make that up either! They have the best prices on geraniums. There are several garden tours this weekend. Camano Island's Backyard Wildlife Habitat Garden Tour is this Saturday. It's FREE! The Mabana Flames (one of the Island Fire Station women's auxiliaries) will have box lunches you can buy. The Flames buy any needed equipment for the Mabana Fire fireman. Go here for a glimpse of what you will see.

In Everett you can go on the Garden's of Merit tour. Six gardens will be on the tour benefiting the Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens in Everett. The cost is $10. I've never been, but must add this one to my bucket list!

Music in the garden: The Skagit Symphony’s third-annual Gardens of Note garden tour will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.Tour seven residential gardens, all on Samish Island, all featuring live classical, pop and jazz music.Tickets for $25 are available at Christianson’s Nursery & Greenhouse, Summersun Nursery & Landscaping and Skagit Valley Gardens, all in Mount Vernon. See www.skagitsymphony.com for garden descriptions.

Luckily my SIL will not be here for this(he keeps telling Joanna he's going to get some chickens)!
Tour the chicken coops of EverettCoop of Dreams: Everett is getting its very own chicken coop tour. Everett residents may explore 10 residential properties with chicken coops to learn about coop construction, hen care and local chicken laws. The Riverside Neighborhood Association is hosting the inaugural event — the Everett Chicken Coop of Dreams Tour — from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 24. Though maps and tickets will be available for free starting July 17 at Zippy’s Java Lounge, Sno-Isle Food Co-op and Cenex Co-op Supply, all in Everett, starting July 17, organizers are suggest visitors make a $10 donation to the Riverside Neighborhood Association at any of the tour sites. Check www.riversideneighborhood.org

Go have some fun & take some pictures for me! Little Mister is coming to Nana's house this time, 7 days to go. Nana better go get busy...................................Sharon

Piece O' Cake

I quilted this new Piece O' Cake quilt for Carrol over at Aunt Mary's. She has kits available at the shop. Love how the echo borders turned out. Her fabric selections are always so fun!Mr S held it up for me to photograph. There is a better picture on Aunt Mary's blog. I had so much fun with the quilting. Bugs, snails & butterflies everywhere!

It's going to be a quilty week here. I'll try & post again soon. Tired of the drizzly yuck outside. How about you?.....................Sharon

Still Quilting

I had these quilts finished before we went to CA, but no time to post. This is a cute Buggy Barn quilt that Jonne made for one of her grandsons. You can't go wrong with Buggy Barn!

Miss Jennifer also made a Buggy Barn quilt using these lovely fabrics. This picture doesn't do the quilt justice. A lucky teacher was getting this quilt. This block was Patrick & Sponge Bob. Kids are great!
It's been a busy week here. Lots of quilts coming & going. Catching up from being gone. You know laundry, Dad, all the good stuff.

We did have a little excitement in our neighborhood last week. Someone got into every unlocked car & took things. Mr S gets home at 11:30 pm & is usually in bed by 1:30, so there are a lot of lights on in our house until then. Luckily we didn't loose anything(I left my car unlocked, won't be doing that again). One neighbor lost a car radio & another big loss, a purse. They didn't take garage door openers or tools. Just looking for quick money I guess. We feel lucky not to have lost anything.

Cleaning up my Honda today so it can find a new home. Maybe quilt a small quilt. And Mr S is taking me to dinner at Blackbird Cafe & Bakery in Stanwood. If you join their mailing list they send you a $10 gift certificate. I'll let you know how it goes.

Have great weekend! I'll be back soon...............Sharon