Squirreling Up Stash for Winter

Between the mailbox and a trip with one of my new neighbors (who happens to be a quilter!) to Marquette, I managed to get some real cool stuff !! I have been wanting to try some different types of floss including the Caron silk. It is gorgeous! We found it at a store called Knit & Purl. I also got some silk ribbon from the Quilters Garden in Michigamme and some more beads and buttons from Michaels. Off Ebay I picked up a Qsnap frame and an adjustable wooden lap hoop that I know I am going to LOVE. The latest Quilting Arts Mag came on Wednesday, lots of inspiration there. I also picked up an embroidery pattern book from a used book sale last weekend. It has some beautiful antique patterns in it and it was only.25. There is a group I joined on Yahoo, Sewitsforsale, that has lots of used items at reasonable prices. I got "Natures Studio" by Joan Colvin from one of the posts. I feel just like a kid in a candy store!!!!

Dan is also "squirreling" up a stash of a different kind. Firewood! He chops every morning as part of his workout and he is getting lots of cords put up for the coming winter. His goal is to not have the furnace come on and I think he just may pull it off. I've told him that I draw the line at a cold bathroom, we will see.......

I am organizing today and making a list of some more plastic tubs and drawers I need. That should help with some of the issues I have with my space. I am finding that I am a visual person that likes to see my goodies & obviously that can't be the case here so the next best thing is to store it well and just keep out what really inspires me.

Dan is leaving in the morning to go downstate to get our travel trailer. We have had it stored for the past 10 months on some acreage my dad owns. I will be so relieved to get it home where it is safe and sound. The mice will have no doubt had a field day, so I will be giving it a deep clean to get it back into shape. Till then I am looking forward to having some uninterupted time alone; I can keep my own schedule for a couple days and stitch all night if I want. Yee Hah !!!!!

Can't Believe August is Here !

I got Carrolls block finished for the CYOT RR. The photo is of it. I will be starting on Julies " Fishing Block" next. When I make her block I am going to make extra this time. I am going to accept the Personal Challenge of the "Season to Season" and "Your Favorite Song". I don't know what song yet as I love so many, but I will keep you posted. I figure I can do a little at a time and test some things that I am hesitant to try on blocks going to someone else.

Our house guests have come and gone... we had a great time laying on the beach, hunting waterfalls, and taking drives. We also went to the Keweenaw Bay Indian PowWow. Rane is Ojibwe but not of that tribe. The colors and costumes were phenomenal. Cathy enjoyed her first time in a kayak and the weather was perfect.

I like to put things away after I work on a something but this is getting ridiculus. I am finding that I am not liking the space that I have been allotted as I can't leave anything out. I am so cramped and space is so limited that it is a major production to do anything. I used to have a whole room & now I have an "alcove". The table that I used to use for sewing now holds the computer and I have no surface space. I am on the floor too much and my things are hard to get to. I am finding my creativity and motivation is affected by this. Well thay say necessity is the Mother of Invention. My hobbies should not be so grudging for something that I can remedy... we will see what I can come up with in the space that I am allowed.

Can't forget Captain Karl

How can I not post the photo of the ships captain? He is not only the Captain, he also built our house and has become a very dear friend to us up here!!!

Thanks for everything Karl !!!!

And how could a day be complete with out a "Tiki Bar" and a sunset ?? What a way to end a day !!!!!! Aaahhhhhhh...............

Weekend on the Water......

We spent the weekend out on the water. Saturday we went kayaking & the water was warm and the sky clear & beautiful. Kayaking is great fun, easy to do, and we can get through water that is only 2" deep so we can take them most anywhere. Dan brought them home for a surprise a couple of weeks ago and have went at least once a week since. (Yes the feet are mine)

Sunday we went out on the "Big Lake" and as always the enormity of it takes me back in a humbling way. The deepest depth of Lake Superior is 1330 feet and the water covers 31,800 square miles. I cannot site the history of the Huron Island Lighthouse now but it has been around for 100+ years. I try to imagine myself living there and wonder what kind of thoughts the people had who did !! What kind of woman did it take to be that "Keepers" wife 8 mos of the year ??? She had no conveniences at all !!

More friends are coming to stay this weekend. We are looking forward to their visit and are planning on going to the Ojibwa PowWow. The rest is all spontaneous. My favorite kind of plan.

I still intend to post some photos of the little quilt show and of my stash and sewing place. Please do not blame me for not wanting to be in the house this month... the woods & water have my name. For now I have been keeping my thoughts, visuals, and ideas in my creative journal of all the things I have seen this summer. I will draw on all of it when the snow flies and I am longing for one of these priceless summer days.

Whats up in Skanee ??

My husband has a friend up visiting this week so we have been enjoying the sights and relaxing some. We never get tired of the beach on Lake Superior !

Our Quilt Show at the Arvon Museum went well and we had a great time pulling off the whole thing. 86 quilts (more pics later) were draped over every door and piece of furniture in the museum, which is an old parsonage farmhouse. The ladies are Nancy, Kay, and Arlene. As all the visitors went through, they raved about the natural presence of the quilts and how personally they were shown. I love my new "town" and am getting involved with the local happenings.
I had to post a the pic of my husband, Dan, napping with the "kids". I have to do an "AAWWWWW" everytime I see them like this.