Merry Christmas!

From my remote corner of the planet, the DillyDally family wishes you a holiday filled with peace and the Light this Holiday season represents. Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! Do dillydally!

Road Trip Revisited!

Mums ... I miss them.  They don't do well here in my remote corner of the planet ... it is too wet.

While in Missouri, Mary Ellen took me through Amish communities on our way back to Iowa.  These Mums were on display and for sale in front of an Amish mercantile.  I love the fall color palette Mums create ...

... colors that are reflected in fall themed dillydally projects!

Before we began our drive through Amish country, we stopped at a wonderful quilt shop, Crossroads Quilting in Cameron.  Every once in a while, I come across a shop that seems to cater to everything I love!  I plan to return in 2018!

What beautiful country ... the backroads of rural Missouri are inspiring.  The farms are gorgeous ... it was wonderful.

We visited two quilt stores ... this one is authentically used by the Amish community.  It was such fun to see and touch the fabrics used for their traditional clothes.  It also carried fabrics for the general public.

Parking spaces were provided for both cars and buggies ... love it!

Our second Amish shop catered to tourists, it was certainly different, but enjoyable!

We eventually made our way to Des Moines for the American Quilter's Society show!  Wowser!  This was my first AQS experience!

Isn't Mary Ellen just the cutest?  I was so excited ... she did an amazing job of assisting this "country mouse" in the big world of quilting!  The show was amazing ... we saw every quilt ... inspiration overload!

And then the vendors ... omgosh good golly ... shopping overload!

While in the vendor mall, both Mary Ellen and I signed up for a Online Mystery event!  We purchased the same kit ... the fun began last week ... and here we are sewing together while 4,000 miles apart!

I look back on these experiences ... and part of it feels like a fantasy!  I am so grateful for the trip and my ability to revisit and relive it!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

My Auction Items!

Long time readers know that a vital part of my dillydally lifestyle revolves around our local quilt guild!  The guild sponsors up to $2500 in scholarships each year ... our primary fundraiser is our annual Tea & Auction.  You can learn and see more about this event here on our guild blog.

Each year members volunteer to decorate a table. I usually go with a Thanksgiving theme because I love using my Pumpkin Party table topper by This n' That patterns.

The guild did something new this year ... we added a silent auction table!  I made this Bubbly Bag by Terry Atkinson.  I came across this new pattern and fabric while traveling in Minnesota last month!  It is such fun to make ... I see myself making many more!  For the auction, I added a bottle of sparkling cider ... too fun!

This table runner all started with a charm pack.  It was one of those packs that had very little color range ... white and a very light tint of both blue and grey.  Every print in the collection had a light silver glitter coating ... very pretty ... I do love glitter!

I found just the pattern from Heather Mulder Peterson's book, The Trendy Table.  I chose a dark grey, linen-look background and silver metallic thread to quilt it.

I was happy with the results!  Somewhat contemporary looking.  I liked that it didn't feel limited to use only during the holiday season, it was more of a winter theme.

Peek-a-boo ... look at who sees you! ;-)  Many quilters are fans of Tula Pink!  Her designs and color palette are inspiring and always unusual!

One of my favorite places in Minnesota is Millie P's Quilt Shop!  They had a sample of this bag made with Tula Pink's fabric ... sew ... I made one!  It is a Sandra Workman pattern called the Improv Bag.  It is fairly large ... about 15 inches high and 16 inches wide.

I broke into a Kim Diehl fat quarter pack and pieced this star struck tree!  Little pieces, but oh sew much fun to make!

This block is part of a table topper in her new book, Simple Christmas Tidings.  I took the block and made into a small wall quilt.  I like the results so much ... would like to make another one for myself!

How fun is this Holiday fabric?!  I love it!  It makes me giggle!  I found this print during my recent travels as well!

It came with a couple of coordinating prints and I turned all three into a reversible apron!  I didn't use a purchased pattern as I used my own custom-fit apron design.

Here are pics of my items on display at the auction.

I forgot to get a good picture of the apron.  But more importantly, I neglected to get a good picture of the library book bag in the right hand corner of this picture!  The Cat in the Hat bag was made and donated by my friend Mary Ellen!  It was so generous of her ... plus it went for a very good price and will be used and enjoyed by a child here in Cordova!

This event is always a pleasure to be involved in!  The guild was successful in reaching their financial goals!  I am so grateful to those who organize this event ... friends and members who make and donate beautiful items ... and a community that attends and supports our scholarship efforts.

Loving life in my remote corner of the planet!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Halloween & Road Trip - Day 2!

Welcome November!  It seems that the arrival of November surprises me every year!  My list of traditional "must do activities" are filling my calendar! And those traditions began yesterday ...

 ... Halloween in DillyDallydom means a Popcorn Ball Marathon!  Even though I no longer have little hands to help out, I enjoy making them!  They are a tradition from my own childhood ... and I carried it over into my classroom!  Many found memories surround this simple treat!

Now ... about my visit to Disneyland Hamilton, Missouri!  Honestly ... this place really is an amusement park for quilters!

Mary Ellen had been here before, and she knew how to organize our day!

Yep ... a strategy is necessary to maximize a visit to this remarkable place!

This is first half of a full block ...

... (second half) of 9 quilt shops!  OMGOSH GOOD GOLLY! Thus far there are a total of 11 quilt stores and more in progress!  Heaven ... absolutely heaven!

We began with the old J.C. Penney store!  Mr. Penney grew up here in Hamilton and there is a wonderful museum about his life.

There is inspiration ... of every kind ... in every corner ... of every store!  Even in the elevator, the bathrooms, and the stairs!

This building is their retreat center.  We toured the classroom and kitchen on the first floor.  The second floor is where retreaters are housed ... beautiful accommodations!

Two of the three restaurants in town ... the burgers are delicious!  I took this photo at 9:00 am ... before the shops were open!  By 10:00 am the town was filled with quilters and parking would have been difficult!  We were there on a Monday (October 3rd) ... just an average day without any special events ... and the town was packed!

They accommodate non-quilters with a Man Cave space!  It is a beautiful facility ... and well used!  Just cracks me up!  Yep ... I spied several nappers during the day!

What a wonderful day!  Filled with tons of quilting fun!  Mary Ellen and I left with a trunk full of fabric ... sore feet ... and happy hearts!  I will be returning ... plans are for October 2018!  Stay tuned!

Do what you love.  Play with friends!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Rescue Road Trip - Day 1

In my dillydally life, my experiences tend to be how I define time periods.  2015 was all about the Oregon Trail adventure.  It appeared that my knee replacement was destined to define 2016 ... the entire year had been consumed with knee pain, surgery and recovery.  In all honesty ... it had been difficult to maintain my dillydally optimism through it all!  My knee issues seemed to have overshadowed everything ...

... that was until Mary Ellen came to the rescue with her super powers!  She knows and understands the desires of my dillydally heart!  I love road trips!  It was in the midst of knee pain and while plans for surgery were in the works that she suggested rewarding myself with a road trip once I had recovered enough.  While I was wallowing in pain and self pity, she kept it positive.  She made plans even when I couldn't commit ... she believed in the possibilities when I couldn't see them!  So you see ... I was serious when I said this woman has super powers!

We left the Twin Cities early Sunday morning.  Before long we were at the Iowa State border!  Be. Still. My. Heart!  What a beautiful rest stop, compliments of Iowa!

I love a red barn!  I love cow spots!

Next stop was the lovely town of Winterset!  This shop used to be the original home of Fons & Porter!

It is still a quilt shop ... a terrific one!  Just no longer owned by Fons & Porter.

The shop was fantastic ... and these wine labels won our hearts!  Too fun!  The Iowa Quilt Museum was on the same street, while there we enjoyed a wonderful conversation with Marianne Fons!

Winterset and St. Charles are both communities found in the infamous Madison County!  Yep ... the county made famous by the book and movie, The Bridges of Madison County!

The windows of this old church were so beautiful, we had to stop!  The building has been saved by the community and transformed into a Antique Shop!  I had to post the window that showcases one of the areas covered bridges!

Before long, we found ourselves at the Missouri State border!  My first visit to this beautiful state!

The rest area here had an amazing mosaic ...

... that captured the history and commerce of this state!  It covered a wall the entire width of the building!

Above the office doors ... the artist captured the covered wagons of the Oregon Trail that actually began in Missouri.  I love when things relate directly to other events in my life.

And of course, we can't forget that Missouri is the home of Mark Twain!  A favorite author and Mississippi River enthusiast ... both of which are very dear to my heart!

As the sun began to set over the prairie ... I could feel the shadows of 2016 begin to lift!  Exploring new places ... learning new things ... on the road with a kindred spirit.  I could feel my dillydally wings begin to take flight!

Do what you love.  Find friends with super powers!  Do dillydally! 

Mrs. DillyDally