{Colorado Rocky Mountain Fever}

Counting down to {Colorado}....in 39 days we'll be on our way. September 6th can't get here soon enough. In another week I'll bring out Lisa Foster's book and start planning our hiking days. There are some definite hikes on the list this year: Flattop/Hallett, Mt Ida and another turn at the Odessa Loop. (without missing Lake Helene again) The other days are up for grabs. These mountains are calling me.....

{Projects 365+1: Week 30}

{A Thought for Today}

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. ~ Audrey Hepburn

{Project 365+1: Week 29}

{ A Thought for Today}

Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city ~ George Burns

This quote is funny and I'm sure we've all felt this way at one time or another but I really do miss my family.  There are days when I wish I could call up Mom and my sister and say " there's great sale going on at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Want to come?"  I really miss my Steph the most. A twelve hour drive isn't so far away I guess. It's surely worth it though. I'm here with her now and plan on enjoying every moment.

{Spools & Flower Girl or Why Did I Buy More Quilt Patterns?}

I've found a lot of free quilt patterns online and have downloaded several that I like and plan to make...someday. There are other patterns that are so pretty that I can't help but purchase them with the hope that the perfect fabric will materialize {ha ha} and I'll create a beauty. 
I have been eyeballing two patterns from Camille at {Thimble Blossoms}. I've already purchased her {Swoon} pattern, which I'm making as a gift. I plan on a second {Swoon} quilt for ME from Bonnie & Camille's {Ruby} fabric line. I love their fabrics.


These are two of Camille's newest patterns:

Photo from Camille's blog {Simplify}

Photo from Camille's blog {Simplify}

This morning I caved and ordered them both. Why not? I'll just add them to my "to do" list, which is ever increasing. I'm hoping someday I'll have all the time I want for my crafty hobbies and these quilts, a drawer full of knit socks, and my stained glass Orca panel will get done. 

{Project 365+1: Week 28}

(A Thought for Today)

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human Spirit.~ Edward Abbey

   Grinnell Lake & Angel Wing-Glacier National Park

{Project 365+1:Week 27}

{We plan and the producers of 'The Walking Dead' laugh}

I had big plans for this past Saturday and Sunday. Since we would not be going out to Mattituck because Steph was home from Tennessee to attend a friend's wedding and the temps were expected to be in the high 90s {I'm m-e-l-t-i-n-g}, I'd be setting up the sewing machine and spend hours working on the blocks for {Doc}, the May Schnibbles. I know, it's July and I'm behind big time. 


Saturday at 11:30am the entire plan went awry. Seems this weekend, as in Saturday and Sunday, was {The Walking Dead} marathon, all 19 episodes. This was the lead up to a preview of Season 3 at 10pm on Sunday. So, other than cutting the fabric for another {Swoon} block no sewing got done. I spent a good part of the entire weekend on the couch watching all but 3 episodes.  I had to cook and do some laundry so I wouldn't feel completely useless.


I missed out on two days of being productive, at least as far as quilting goes. I never thought that I'd be able to say that I have four {WIP}, that's quilt-speak for 'works in progress'. I have to shift the quilt plans around again since I now have a 75th birthday for someone special coming up in September. It looks like {Swoon} will be going to a different home. I'm making this a priority so I'll have it done and quilted with time to spare. I hope I don't get distracted again.

{A Thought for Today}

The earth laughs in flowers ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

{Project 365+1: Week 26}

   June 27ths photo was chosen as a favorite of the week on CaptureYour365.

{Capture Your 365: The "Let's Celebrate " Blog Hop}

Welcome to the third {CaptureYour365} Blog Hop of 2012.  It's celebration time.  We've managed to document one half of 2012 through our daily photos. That's no small accomplishment. I know I'm feeling pretty good about it,  how about you?

I made the commitment to take one photo each day as so many of you have. Are we motivated? Yes. Do we sometimes lack inspiration? Yes. Do we enjoy torturing ourselves? Most definitely. I'm kidding about the torturing part.  For me, this is a labor of love.  I love my camera and using it everyday makes me happy. There are days when I get stuck but I find something to photograph and I look ahead towards tomorrow. I love my family and my life is a good one. I know that there are things I'm photographing today that I will be happy to look back on 10 or 15 years from now. 

I'm big on making photo books. I make one for each of our vacations and always do a "Year in Pictures" book that includes holidays and other special events. For me, taking photos and leaving them sit on my computer is a waste. I love being able to pull out a book and be reminded of a trip we've taken  or remind myself what went on in 2005. I turned my first P365 project into a Shutterfly photo book.  I digitally scrapped the pages for each week, using a template, but made the mistake of spending way too much time 'decorating'. This project should really be about the photos and the journaling, not so much about making fancy layouts. This year I decided to go simple. I purchased my template set from {Wild Blueberry Ink}, chose some basic papers and a color theme and got started. This is making it easy for me to keep current with my P365+1. I've decided to incorporate my "Year in Pictures" book into the P365+1 photo book. I still allow myself a little 'decorating' on the 'special event' pages so I can get the urge to digiscrap out of my system. Keeping it simple is working for me. I know I'm going to love getting my book in January 2013.

{Project 365+1: Week 25}

{A special event page}

Next stop on the Blog Hop is Katrina's blog, otherwise known as my second home on the 'net. If you started here with me, make sure to go back to the beginning. There's too much good stuff to miss. Here's the list:

Kathleen - Taking Pictures, Enjoying Life
Kelly - but for the Grace of God
Karen - Random Reflections
Me - The Sweetest Dreams
Katrina - Capture Your 365

Thank you Kathleen for doing the organizing again and a great BIG 'thank you' to Katrina for bringing us all together in the {CaptureYour 365} community. You ladies inspire me everyday.