wrapping it up . . .

The month, that is . . . wrapping up August!  It was a good week.  The Merkel girls went back to school this week!

I love Edith's face in this one . . .

They won't be able to call it the 'School for Girls' in a couple of years!  

Thursday I left work for a moment and skipped next door to Barb's Sewing.  Social media really does work for advertising.  They had posted some cute new fabrics on the Instagram, and don't you know I came back with yardage from several of those they advertised and some from those they didn't!

But check out those Halloween prints!  Aren't they darling??  Those two and the three on the bottom, right, were advertised.  It obviously, in my case, pays off. ;)

Friday we hit the lake.  Again, the forecast held rain, but it's so hit or miss in the summer, we hate to scrap a whole day because of it.

This time we did run into a little shower.  You know, just enough to make everything wet and have it feel more humid and stickier!  LOL!

But afternoon storms often bring . . .

Rainbows!  First we could only see half of it.  But then the clouds shifted and we got to see the whole glorious thing!

I mean — there's no other word for it — just glorious!!  Plus the stormy clouds heading out made for a most fantastic sunset:

I can't ever get enough of that sight, even though it's bittersweet (because it means we're headed back to the marina).  Todd and I talk about getting a houseboat some day.  Not sure what I'd do with my fabric stash, but otherwise, I can imagine it!

Saturday was a stitch-in with my stitcher's group.  We had a good turn out.  

I brought my machine (I brought it to retreat and to a stitch-in ... the gals thought the world was ending) and worked on the top-stitching of Ezra's pillow sham.

Today is our last day of service at Essential Church.  We've been there for a while; nearly three years.  I will miss worshiping and serving with this group.  We will take a furlough through the end of the year.  With Ezra on the way and both Todd's dad and my folks struggling health-wise, we need to have a little more flexibility.  It's all in God's perfect timing!

:)

what a win-dfall . . .

Winner, winner! 

I know a lot of folks like to say, "winner, winner, chicken dinner!"  I just cannot bring myself to do that.  I served as a legalman in the USNavy.  Big Chicken Dinner was our euphemism for a BCD or Bad Conduct Discharge.  There's *nothing* winning about that in my book!  But I digress.

I won a lovely package from The Teacher's Pet!  This is the same shop from which I got the free patterns to make "Ewenice" (which I blogged about here)!  Anyway, let's check out this loot, because you know it's going to be good, when the sender labels the outside packaging this way . . .

Right away, I saw that beautiful bundle of wool—especially that multi-colored herringbone—and thought it was delicious!  And then I thought PUMPKINS!  

But there was so much more!  A sweet bundle of flannels, a cute bag, other fabrics, tea . . .

And a panel. This panel is SO cute!!  Check this out . . .

Right??  I see a quilted baby alphabet book for Ezra!!!  It was a fun win—the box really was stuffed—and opening it made my day!

Sometimes, when I can't (or don't want to) get into the Nook or into handwork, I like to pull up EQ and be fanciful.  Last October, Moda a block a day quilt for breast cancer awareness.  It was in their pink grunge line, and I downloaded the blocks.  But October is also down syndrome awareness month, and since I have a darling niece, Liesl, who rocks that 23rd chromosome, I wanted to do something using those blocks, but supporting her. I quickly decided that I did not want to make thirty blocks.  

I wanted something a little simpler.  So I picked two blocks that looked fun, found a way to put them together, and here we go . . . 

I do love getting lost in EQ! I could play with colorways forever. Probably won't have this together for this year, but looking ahead to October, 2022!!

:)

guildy pleasures . . .

Do you struggle to come up with clever (or at least somewhat clever) post titles?  I do.  I'm pretty sure I've used this one before, but I couldn't find it after 2016, so it can be recycled.  LOL!

Thursday's guild meeting was our big end-of-year party.  It's also the guild's birthday, hence the theme:

We had a nice crowd for the evening, which was happy to see!

I think I shared this quilt back in April (after I completed the binding) . . . 

Here it is being presented to our outgoing president!  I think that's one of the coolest thing our guild does, honoring the outgoing president with a quilt created by her board members and sometimes other guild members.  This one was a fun, quirky quilt, that matched the personality of its new owner!

Here's the outgoing board.  I'm towards the back on the far left.  (I have a thing for the back row!)

I have to admit, as much as I enjoy serving on our guild's board, these last two years have been tough and I'm glad it's over!

I also have to show you this . . .

Isn't it just PRECIOUS??!

One of the gals in my stitcher's group did the monogramming for me (aka, for Jocelyn).  She did a fabulous job!  I still need to re-top stitch the case, but I think Jocelyn will be so pleased!!

:)

august showers . . .

Bring September BABIES!

Well, not really. Or at least, not necessarily! 

Jocelyn's baby shower for Ezra was Sunday.  It was so sweet! The hostesses did a lovely job decorating and making everything so special.

       

Joc's best friend co-hosted.  ♥

A cookie cake, from The Moon Bakeshop.  YUM!

It really was all so pretty! I gifted Joc with Ezra's pinwheel quilt.  She was thrilled!

A very sweet afternoon, anticipating Ezra.  

:)

lake day . . .

After that burst of creativity . . . I had a really non-productive week.  And when we hit the lake on Friday, I didn't even take a stitching project with me. 

I feel the need for speeeeeed!!! (Name that movie!)

I took my (boat) kindle . . .

And my new TeaTime Magazine (and a thermos of tea . . . with a teacup, of course)!

The forecast for the day had been iffy, with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, but we made it to sunset without a drop.

I'm always tickled when I can capture a good shot of a blue heron!

Of course, this was on our heels as we bee-lined to the marina . . .

We made it JUST in time! Y'all, we sat on the boat (in our slip, under the cover of the marina) for about 15 minutes, and then it let up just enough for us to make it to the truck. Whew!  Totally worth it!

:)

all the grands . . .

The Panter crew headed back to school this week . . .

I cannot believe how quickly they're growing!  And I absolutely canNOT believe that my Sawyer is in middle school.  Say it ain't so!! It's just been a month since we saw them last ... and it still feels like way too long.  

I took the Merkel girls the picnic quilt.  We wanted to take it out for a test run, but settled for a living room test run . . .

I'd say it was a hit!  We'll look forward to picnicking on it sometime soon (maybe when the weather cools a little and it's not so RAINY!

Burrito quilt!

Peek-a-boo!!

We also played upstairs in the playroom.  The girls insisted on pulling out their princess tent and decorating it lights . . .

They were pretty proud of their setting up.

Everyone in their crowns!  They have the sweetest smiles!

These girls ... they also know how to make a face!

Leia joined in ... well, she hung out on the outskirts and made it look like she wanted to be sociable.  She didn't, trust me.  ;)

And now, finally, we've got a NAME!! And I was entrusted to do some special stitching on a special little cap . . .

Ezra Paul, we can't wait to meet you!!

:)