And...we're back.

It's been a crazy busy summer during my bloggy break. I managed to overextend myself (my normal) and did way too much. Did I quilt? A little bit.


We headed up the road to Memphis and had the big Independence Day weekend at my sister's. We had lots of rain for two full days leading right up to the time of the fireworks, and a 25-minute show turned into about 1-1/2 hours because the fuses were wet. The Hubster and I spent the entire weekend cooking for 20+ people and were exhausted. We sat the family down following the final meal and said, "Uncle! We need help next year."

One of many meals prepared by the Hubster and me

My sister and I playing with a selfie stick (not ours)

While we were there, we got to witness Ben proposing marriage to Shawn. I was in the middle of cleaning up after dinner Friday night when I saw Ben pull a ring out of his pocket to show it to my sister. We both gasped and when Steph took him out to the garage to ask him about it, he said he wanted to propose surrounded by his family. Warmed mine and the Hubster's cockles to no end.

So, there's a couple of weddings in the future, but we'll only be going to the receptions, because the two couples want to have destination weddings by themselves. The other couple are my sister and her partner. As much as I want to be a witness to these unions, I have to respect that they want to do their own thing. But we can party upon their return.

Our youngest son's girlfriend, the lovely Emma, bought a house. First-time home buyer with all the drama. The Hubster and I hosted a Paint-a-palooza right before they moved in. The week before was spent prepping and cutting in, and the day of the party I made breakfast and lunch while everyone painted. It's a cute little house and I think they'll be very happy there. It's a little over a mile from our house which makes it very convenient to go back and forth. I noticed this lovely sentiment on their refrigerator:

Truman Capote quote

I think this quote needs to be stitched on something.

Katrina, LeiLani, Cindy and I attended the NQA quilt show in June. It will be here in 2016 and 2017, but I hope attendance is better at the future shows. I don't know if having it during Father's Day weekend hurt attendance or if it was something else, but the quilts were fabulous. I took a class with Jodi Robinson (Less-Stress Feathers) and had a great time.

After Aunt Bettye passed away in October of 2013 my uncle, cousins, and my sister and I made the decision to sell my grandmother's home. It was put on the market in March and much to our surprise, an offer was made and accepted in June. Hubster and I raced down to her home to dig up irises. I say we dug up over 200; Hubster says it's more like 500+. I gave about 50 to Katrina and my sister and I have split the rest. I still need to plant them.

Katrina and Cindy were lucky enough to get tickets to the Antiques Road Show when the show was here in late July. Katrina asked me to come along and another friend, Susan, came with Cindy. I took my yo-yo quilt. Mom purchased it at a thrift shop in Massachusetts called "Jesus Saves" way back in 1970. I also brought a salt glaze pitcher that my aunt purchased years ago. Jack, our oldest, scored a VIP ticket and was able to go behind the scenes to watch what happens, and caught up with us in time to be in on the appraisals for my items. I was the winner out of our group; the pitcher was worth $50-$400 (depending on whom it was sold to) and the yo-yo quilt was worth $400-$500. The appraiser dated it to 1910-1920 and was pleasantly surprised by its color and layout.

Left to right: Jack, Susan, Cindy, me, Katrina

My hipster kid with his VIP pass

Other than the quilting class at NQA, next to no quilting happened...but I did sew. I made the Hubster a batik fireworks shirt and an apron for myself for the Independence Day party weekend. The shirt turned out great.

The apron....well, in a weak moment, I purchased some $4/yard patriotic fabric at JoAnn's. NEVER AGAIN. I wore the apron while prepping two meals. The last meal I prepped I had melted some butter for waffles and knocked the bowl it was in and some of the butter splashed onto the apron. But that fabric was so flimsy that butter went right through it and soaked into my shirt. There's no sign of the butter on the apron....sigh. I'll make a heftier one for next year.

I'll have some detailed posts later on about some of the summer happenings. I'm finally back in the Bottoms Up! Studio working on a project. Until then...

Stay cool and go quilt!