Remembering one of my favorites.

I'm one of those people who cannot identify any of the young actors today.....they all have odd names, and they all look alike!

I much prefer the old movies, and old tv shows.....and all the actors that had class, and could actually act!

My hubby just told me that Peter Falk passed away.

He was truly one of my favorite actors.  I loved everything he was in.  He had such an amazing talent!

I have dozens of his Columbo tv series on dvd, and that's what I pop in when I'm quilting.....I've watched them all 100's and 100's of times, I know every line......so I can just hear it while I'm sewing away, and look up every now and then, when I know his sneaky little 'I'm playing the dumb cop' gag is about to come on.  I love that!  I still giggle when he does it.....and I've seen it so many times!

I love that he had so much class.....he had a hit series, and he was such a friend to so many of his fellow actors, ones that were aging, or not acting much....he would give them guest parts on his show.....some of them over and over again!  (Angela Lansbury would do the same thing on her Murder, She Wrote series.....I love her, too!  Again.....total class!)

I always get so much pleasure watching his movies and shows......he was one of a kind!

I read that he had dementia and Alzheimer's toward the end.  He was 83.

Home Sweet Home!

We arrived back from our vacation on Monday......we drove a total of 1,968 miles!  And my hubby stayed awake and kept me company the entire drive!  I love him!

Let me just say that I am the worst picture taker ever!  And the whole vacation I kept thinking I was getting really great shots!  Sheesh!  Out of 80+ pics, I have just a handful that are not blurry!  I'm really hoping that the other people that were clicking away will email me some of their shots!  I don't have a single one of our grandson at his graduation!  I barely have any from Colonial Williamsburg, none from Kitty Hawk, a few from DC, and nothing at Maureen's (although, those two her son took.....so it's really not just me!  HA!)

Our first day in North Carolina was hot hot hot!  We had just come from Maine, where it was in the low 60's!    And what did we do in that heat.....headed for an outdoor festival!  Crazy!  But it was fun, and it was on the harbor, so there was a slight breeze (very slight!).

We had a ball at Colonial Williamsburg.....none of us had ever been!  I had expected it to be a little corny, with the actors getting way too 'into' their roles......but that was not the case!  It was really done well, and all the 'in period' people were amazing!  They really knew what they were talking about, and were actually 'doing' what their profession was.  We watched the shoemaker for a good half hour.....and he was actually amazed at how into it I was.  But heres the thing......the amazing thing......he split a boar's hair to use as a needle to sew the leather......a real boar's hair!  Not any bigger than a cat's whisker.  And I watched him split the hair down, then shave off the end of a strand of flax for the thread.....take this ultra fine thread of flax and splice it onto this boar's hair.....cuz there is no eye on a boar's hair needle!  You have to splice the flax thread onto it so there's no bump when pulling it through either!  Ok......if you aren't amazed by this.....then I'm not explaining right!......Because it was AMAZING!   AND.....the whole time he's doing this.....he's talking away, in period mind you, and giving all sorts of info and little tidbits!  WOW!  I was thoroughly impressed with this guy, and the whole day was just as impressive!  The wig maker lady was making wigs, and talking away about all sorts of fun stuff, as was the basket maker, paper maker, printing press guys.....everyone!  They were all so good!  Then we went to the Courthouse building, and the woman there gave the most amazing tour.....complete with history lesson, and doing 'in period' and about that day's date back then.....fabulous!  I would go back in a minute!

Of course, my only picture is of a gigantic magnolia tree (at least 80' tall) blossom on the grounds.  These magnolias are all over the place in this region......and they look so much different to the magnolias I'm familiar with.  Gorgeous!

I also got a couple of pics of the quilts that were in the Museum there.  Gorgeous quilts, but the lighting was so dark, it was really hard to get pics.

Here's a pic of something I'll never see in Maine.....blechk!

People actually order that!?!  I just can't imagine!

We also went to Kitty Hawk and I got to fly my kite on Kill Devil Hill, where the Wright Brothers first flew!  So cool!  Do I have any pics?......no.  Our son got some, and I'm hoping he will email me one!

Then we went to DC and had a great time!  I got to spend the first day meeting a blogging friend, Maureen from Pursuit of Quilts.  She is just as wonderful as her blog!  And her quilts are to die for!  I got to see so many beautiful quilts and her current projects, and her sewing room.  She made a lovely lunch, and then we popped on over to the local quilt shop, and I bought a pair of Machingers gloves for free-motion quilting.    We exchanged some canned goods that we've put up.....I had made salsa and sweet pickle relish, and she presented me with her homemade tomato sauce and a copy of the Ball Canning Recipes Book.  Sweet!  Thank you so much, Maureen.....I had such a great time!

While in DC, we also went to the Smithsonian, and several of the monuments.  The reflecting pool is under renovation.....it was so odd to see it like that!

I didn't take any pics in the different museums.....to busy seeing all the amazing art.....but I did get a pic of this really unusual plant along one of the walkways......I've never seen it before; the blossoms create a kind of tower with 4 sides.....just like the Washington Monument, come to think of it......and then these wispy, feathery petal pop out here and there.  Does anyone know what this is?

When we got home, I was so happy to see that I hadn't missed my peonies blooming.....almost, but there was one bloom still at prime time!

And my Sum and Substance Hosta had totally popped out while we were gone.....it's about 5 feet across!

And the iris were in full bloom......yay!

We love to go on vacation, but we definitely love returning home again!

Have a wonderful day!

regan

Shopping!!! Woohoo!!!

Well, the guys had their golf weekend, and managed to get in 101 holes!  It's a lot, considering we had a gorgeous weekend, and the course was full the whole time!  They had a great time, and so did the girls!  lol

Kimberly (my DIL) said on Thursday night....."Don't you have a casino around here somewhere?".......Yes we do!  So we immediately made plans to head out on Friday morning (right after the guys left for golf), and planned to spend the night up in Bangor (where the casino is), and shop the inland route on the way there, and the coastal route on the return on Saturday.  Oh boy....did we shop!  And only at antique shops, thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales!  Yippee!  Bargains galore!

We hit a wholesale jewelry shop and just look at the haul I took!

Six necklaces and 7 headbands.....under $50!  Whoohoo!

We went to a thrift store......

and the gal said everything was 1/2 off.......this set was marked $14......Yay!  Can you believe it.....$7....and not a chip or mark on them!

We had tons of fun at the casino.....I didn't win anything, but that's ok......it's entertainment value that I'm paying for, right!?!

Headed out Saturday morning, and found a little shop with this sweet organza apron in it!  $6!  Woohoo!  And it's perfect.....never used!

When I redo my kitchen, this will be on display somewhere.....can't wait!

Found a great little yard sale.....and these 3 little pieces.  I think they are going to be so sweet in a window with flowers in them.  And the 3 together were $1.60 total!  Yay!

Then we found this cute little antique shop on the road.....didn't look like much.....we almost didn't stop.....but figured, why not!  Oh......I'm so glad we did.  For about 15 years now, I'm been wanting to make a collection of the 'yardlong' photos......I just love them!  I have 2 that are military companies from WWI......but in the last 7 or 8 years.....you can't touch 'em.  They have totally gone out of price range for me......usually upwards of $150 or more, and they don't even have to be in great condition at that price, either!  Dang!  So, I've kindof put them out of my mind, and haven't really pursued them.  WELL.......this shop had 2 of them, and I took 'em both!

The shorter one, approximately 2 feet long, was $20!  The longer one, almost 4 feet long, was $40!  SQUEALING IN DELIGHT!  I played it very cool, and was happy to get them while in the shop.  Of course, when I got inside the car.....I told Kimberly......"Oh my god.....I'm shaking, I can't believe what a deal these were......I can't stop shaking!  I'm so happy!"   And 20 minutes later, I was still shaking!

Ok......you're probably saying "What?  These are something special?  Really?"......but yeah, they are!  Really! Just look at the faces on these folks!

There's a really happy fellow 6th from the left, top row!  Sweet!  And what a sly devil 3rd from the right on the bottom row.....I just love these!

And check out the bad hair day on the gal in this one.....

You know the gal I'm talking about!  lol

Anyway.....we had a great time shopping, and eating......I took a pic of Kimberly's stuffed lobster at the restaurant on the way down Saturday, but it was way to blurry to post.  But it was beautiful!  And no, I didn't have lobster.....I live here.....and if I was caught paying those tourist prices for lobster.....well, they just might kick me out of the state!  lol

I had a crab roll instead!  yum!

And Cliff and Kimberly are back in CA now.....and we are getting ready for our trip to VA.  We leave on Friday!  Yikes!  I have so much to do!

One last thought......if you go to Suebee Sew's blog, she is having a great giveaway.  It's one of Bonnie Hunter's books!  Sweet!  We love Bonnie!  Sue is having the giveaway, cuz she made the 200 follower mark!  Yay, Sue!  And check out her awesome quilts she's made while you're there......she does beautiful work!

Hoping you are having a great day!

regan  :o)

Finished and Delivered!

I finished up the wall hanging for Betty this morning!  I wrapped it all up and took it over to the town office where she works.  Did I remember to get a pic before I wrapped it......no!  Sheesh!  So here's a pic with Betty!

 

When the wall hanging is against the wall, the seams won't show.....there was lots of light behind it in the pic!

Now I'm off to clean up the house, cuz our oldest son, Cliff and DIL Kimberly are arriving here tomorrow morning from CA.  For the past 10 years, my husband John has been doing this 'crazy golf' weekend with his friend Gil from MA.  And 4 years ago, they invited the sons to join them.  It's Friday mid-morning to Sunday mid-afternoon.....and all the golf they can get in!  They stay at the Poland Spring Resort, which is only about 45 minutes from us.....it's beautiful and the course is fabulous!  Each year they try and top the last year's total number of holes......last year was 108, and only because it was pouring rain for most of the weekend!  Their top total was 121 two years ago!  Sheesh!  My arms hurt just thinking about it!  We've been having unusually hot hot hot weather these last few days......in the 80's and humid......so we'll see what happens to the record number of holes!

So, while the guys kill themselves on the golfcourse, Kimberly and I are going to have fun shopping, eating, and seeing movies (have you seen 'Bridemaids' yet.....it's a riot!  Go with several girlfriends.....you'll all be laughing hysterically the whole time!).

Ok.....the vacuuming isn't going to magically happen!  Gotta go!

Have a great day!

regan  :o)

Gonna be a busy weekend!

I started yesterday with the garden......we bought the seedlings on Wednesday, and I wanted to wait to make sure the ground was warm enough!  Those of you in the New England area know that we have not had any sun since.....well......last September!  And this whole Spring has been nothing but rain and cold......anyone who planted anything two weeks ago has probably had everything rot!  We usually wait until Memorial Day weekend anyway.....just to be safe!  And here it is already.....sheesh.....I can't believe it's the end of May!  But it's gorgeous out.....sunny and beautiful!  Yay!

Here's a pic of the garden from the second floor bedroom.  John put the fencing up (those dang critters just love tender little seedlings!, and the electric wire will go around shortly!)....so I put in 12 tomatoes, 6 zucchini, 6 pickling cukes, 6 jalepeno and 6 green pepper.  I screened two wheelbarrows of compost for the little guys, so they should have a really good start!  I'll be setting seed with the green beans and corn tomorrow AFTER I get one of those screen hats.....because I have at least 20 blackfly bites on my head!  And they are all welting up, and hurt!  Sheesh!  I'm like a magnet for bugs that bite!  And it wouldn't be so bad, except they seem to go for my eyes!  So I have a big old welt right next to my left eye, and I'm looking a bit like Quasimodo!  Fun times!

Hubby has gone to the Jersey Shore for a huge kite festival.  For those of you in that area, it's going on Fri-Sat-Sun at Wildwood.  It's really fun, but I bowed out this year, cuz I'm taking a lot of time off for my other trips, and as it is, I have almost all of June off, so he went alone.  So I'm taking advantage of being home alone, and quilting my brains out!

I finished making all 480 flying geese for Jeanne's quilt.  And got them sewn in strips of 4, too!  Sweet!  It's now on the wall, and I started to sew strips together.....got the top left corner row done, then realized I had something else I needed to do first!  Eek!

My friend Betty at the town office is having a birthday on June 2!  Yikes!  And I've been talking about making her a wall hanging for over a month now!  Have I started it!?!  No!  So I got busy on it last night!  It's the same technique I blogged about on my October 30, 2010 post, an idea from Jenny Bowker at Postcards from Cairo.

 

I got brave this time and used the contrasting thread for part of the design!  I'm loving it!  I borrowed a piece of the pinecone fabric from my friend Brenda, who made Betty a quilt last year using some of this.....so the wall hanging will match perfectly!  Yay!  I'll finish the quilting up within the weekend, and have it ready for Thursday delivery!

And am I worried Betty might see this ahead of time.....No!  Cuz NONE of my friends here ever read my blog!  What's up with that!?!  They always ask what I've been working on, and the first thing I say is, "Have you read my blog?".....and they always say no!  Sheesh!  I have pics of my projects and everything!  Oh well.....maybe one day, right!?!

I can't believe I have to work this weekend.....I have so much quilting and gardening to do!  lol

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

regan

I'm not THAT busy!

I can't believe I haven't posted on my blog since April!  What the heck have I been doing???  Not much in the way of quilting.....and I guess that's when I really feel like posting.

I finally got back into the sewing room.....and did the quilting on a table runner that my friend Donna made.  I did an all over running vine, stitched in the ditch on the outside border of piecing, then did a tiny stipple for the background.  I will give it back to her for binding on Wednesday night at our quilt group.  I hope she likes what I did on it.....she had no input to what she wanted....she said 'anything'!

It took me just under 3 hours to quilt it.  That seems long, considering it's just a table runner.....but that stitch in the ditch is what slowed me right down to nothing!  It takes ALL my concentration to do that.....the very second I blink, look away, or think of anything else but the line.....I waiver off!  Of course, that makes me crazy, and I have to pick it out!  I did that twice!  So yeah, I guess 3 hours sounds ok!  lol

Now that I've finished Donna's runner, I can concentrate on my next quilty project.  When we found out the daughter of our good friend's from kiting was getting married in November, my hubby immediately thought.....oh.....maybe you could make a quilt?  Ok.....sure!  November is a long way off.....so there is no pressure, right?  Well.....then I made the huge mistake of asking hubby, what do you think for a design?.....and as I'm clicking through all the pics I have of quilts on the computer.....he starts saying "that one, or that one, or that one."  Well, of course the ones he was picking out were pics of quilts I would never ever want to make.....I just had pics of them for color options, or good border usage, or whatever.  But never to make that quilt!  Sheesh!

So, I narrowed it down to one......it was going to be crazy complicated......but I would started drafting it up.  Well, I spent the better part of 2 days drafting it, and realized there is just no way I want to do it!  No way!  So I got back on the computer, and started looking at pics again, this time WITHOUT hubby watching.  I finally chose a pattern I liked, and it would work with the fabrics I had planned, and I got busy cutting away!  Yay!

Jeanne (the bride) showed me her dress (she works at David's Bridal, so we stopped in there one day, and she put on her dress.....gorgeous!).  Of course, I was trying really sneaky to find out her wedding colors, or favorite color.....so I could plan the quilt.  She showed me her bridesmaids dresses....they are a beautiful wine color, but she had wanted purple, cuz that's her FAV color, but hubby-to-be talked her out of that (smart man!).  So there it was.....colors for the quilt......I pulled all the fabrics I had in the wine/maroon range and the purple/lavender range, and all the white on white's that I had.....and this is the quilt I'm doing.

It will be about queen sized.  The flying geese blocks are a finished size of 3x1.5.  I'm really loving the two color ranges together.....who knew!?!  (It just occurred to me that this pic looks like everything is sewn.....it's not.  Just the individual flying geese blocks are.....nothing else!  I would never cut off the tops of geese like that!  I'm just sayin!)

And I had a scratch off coupon from Joann's for 60% off  (woohoo), so I got one of these!

And let me tell you, it's the best dang thing I've bought for quilting in a very long time!  And this project was the perfect one for it!  I had so many 3.5 x 2 inch rectangles to cut for the flying geese.....like over 400!  And this ruler made it so easy!  I zipped right through the 6.5 and 3.5 inch squares, too!  I love it!

I cut out all of the flying geese rectangles and big squares in just a couple of hours!  Yay!  I'm not one for many gadgets or fancy extras, but this ruler ROCKS!  I'm so glad I got it (and for 60% off, too!)

Ok, enough yacking about it.....I'm off to start sewing more flying geese!

Have a wonderful day!

regan

While I was organizing.....

It's amazing what you come across when you start to really organize!

I decided I wanted ALL of my quilting fabric in my sewing room.  I had all my fat quarter tubs, and all of my strip and scrap tubs in there, but all of my more-than-one-yard pieces were still on the third floor.  And that made it really hard to see what I had when trying to pull fabrics for a quilt.  So, about 400 trips back and forth, up and down the stairs with armloads of fabric.....and it was all together!

I pulled the two big bookcases down to my room, and refolded everything, and put it back on the shelves, all color coordinated!  Yikes!  It looks fabulous!  And I can see EVERYTHING!

Funny how you don't think you like blue very much, but then you look at your stash.....and well.....3 stacks of blue!  Sheesh!  Who knew!?!

So, as I'm pulling all this fabric out of the 3rd floor room.....I came across 3 projects that I had totally lost track of!  And I'm so glad I found them, because one of them is nearly done!

This baby quilt, shown on a queen bed, is nearly done with the hand quilting!  It's all hand pieced, as well.  And I'm keeping this one for a wall hanging when it's finished, because there is no way any baby is going to spit up on this!  lol

This Ohio Star was started when I lived in Massachusetts, about 13 years ago!  It has about 25 of the 63 stars hand quilted (machine pieced).  This was my first try at hand quilting, and someone should have told me that you shouldn't start on such a damned big quilt!  Sheesh!  I was so sick of black and red, I just couldn't look at it anymore, much less work on it!  I do like it, but it's going to be a slow process of finishing it.  We'll see what happens!

This Drunkard's Path is near and dear to my heart, because this was the one I mentioned a few blogs back, that my dear friend Rita helped with a little hand piecing on it.  It's got a little bit of her in it, so I will never part with it!  It had about 3 hours of hand quilting on it at one time, but I took that out a few years ago, because I would much rather machine quilt it, and get it on a bed!  It's a monster size....oversized queen!  There's just no way I would ever get the hand quilting done!

Isn't it fun to find things that you had totally lost track of!?!  There's a whole lot of memories connected to these 3 quilts, as well.  I loved finding them.....now I just need to get busy on them!  lol

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

regan