Catching Up!

Tuesday, July 28th
I turned 52 yesterday...yes I believe in being honest about my age...and I wanted to celebrate in a very low-key manner this year. Last year was an over the top celebration...let me explain...the above book, Every Month by Jeri Kelly includes a tablerunner pattern for every month of the year. Great book with great designs!

August Tablerunner

Last year, a dear friend from Ketchikan, Dena was in town visiting. She insisted that we visit one of our local quilt shops, The Alaska Fabric Camp. When we arrived, I was shocked to see many of my friends there...it was a surprise "Quilting Birthday Party"!

January, March and February Tablerunners

Quilting Buddy, Diane, had created a kit for each months tablerunner from her stash! Can you believe it?

April Tablerunner

She had us each draw a month out of a hat, and that was the kit we received. What fun!

May and June Tablerunner

At that point, I was so overwhelmed...we have soooo much fun when we get together and sew. But the biggest surprise was yet to come...

July and September Tablerunner

We had had similar parties in the past...such fun...and everyone went home with a project.

October Tablerunner - This is the one I made.

The twist Diane created was...I received every one...YES...all twelve!!!!

November & December Tablerunner

I still am completely overwhelmed with emotion when I think about it...it was such a special gesture of kindness from everyone involved...I am so blessed to be surrounded by friends like this...it renders me speechless...

While we were happily sewing that day...we had a brainstorm...to display the tablerunners in the shop for the next year, create kits available for sale, then everyone can complete the entire set.

Caught Barb in this photo, too cute!

We ladies sure know how to capitalize on a great thing! Valerie and I have been given the task of creating the kits each month...what a year of fun!
Without a doubt...I have the greatest friends imaginable...I am overcome with gratitude!

This year was nice as well...I went low-key...quilt buddy Julie stopped by...lunch with Nebbie...started a new novel...Mr. DillyDally made dinner...and I got a new computer! Life is good!

July 27th --Another perfect Dilly-Dally Day!

Here in Cordova, we are huge Bonnie Hunter fans! In fact she is coming to visit us in Fall of 2011! Valerie subscribes to Quiltmaker magazine and in the July/August issue they introduced a three-part mystery by Bonnie!

That Valerie...here she goes...forcing me to start another project! I love this kind of peer pressure! Valerie arrived by 8:30 am with her scraps in tow. We raided my stash...a favorite Peep, Sara, arrived about 9:00...by noon we had the pieces for each of us cut out! The three of us, standing at my kitchen counter...cutting...counting pieces...and sharing our lives...what a perfect way to spend the morning!

We went to lunch...the quilt store...the yarn store...planned future projects...around 4:00 pm we shared a chocolate. I came home and finished a novel I was reading. Mr. DillyDally and I made dinner...organized a new knitting project for traveling this week...another perfect DillyDally day!

The Weekend, July 25-26

We attended the memorial service for a beloved woman from our community on Saturday. She and her husband arrived in Cordova in 1959, the year Alaska became the 49th State. They raised their family here and helped Cordova grow into the community it is today. Attending this memorial reminded me that in the end...all that really matters is love...the love we share with family, friends, strangers...that is what survives long after we are gone.

We were invited to a lovely dinner at Valerie's home to celebrate my birthday. Mr. Valerie helped her make a wonderful authentic Italian dinner. Not only are Mr. and Mrs. Valerie outstanding cooks, but are gracious hosts in every way. In attendance were 16 year old Daughter Valerie, quilt buddy Lila with Mr. Lila, and friends Cathy, Mr. Cathy and their infant grandson. It was so fun to have a multi-generational birthday party. It reminded me of my childhood, when all parties were multi-generational...we ate...laughed...talked college plans...played pass the baby...it was wonderful in every way...I am so grateful.

Above is a photo of the UFO I've been working on. It is complete except for the hand sewn embellishments. Will complete that when I return from my travels.
I still am not completely satisfied with my machine quilting, but practice, practice ...

Go out there and do dillydally...