True Treasure!

We have lived in Cordova for nearly 33 years ... there is so much I love about our community!

Our  annual Iceworm Festival is one of them.  It is always held the first weekend in February!  A small town event that reflects everything that caused Mr. DD and I to choose this remote corner of the planet to be our permanent home.  Every event during the weekend is organized and implemented by many year round residents.  They dedicate their time and talents to creating fun for others!

They also do a great deal of fundraising ... many dollars are required to put on the events we enjoy every year.  One such activity is referred to as Cordova's Treasure Chest!  Committee members seek out donations from businesses and individuals throughout our community.  Those donations are then raffled off ... guess who won this year?  Yay!  It was me ... Mrs. DillyDally!  OMGosh Good Golly!  This is a pic of the window display with all the prizes available for everyone to see!  Yep!  Holy Moley Hot Bologna!  All of it was mine!  I was completely overwhelmed!

My favorite prize of all was the giant Wells Fargo pony!  I had a serious case of the giggles while we loaded all my "loot" in the car.  I laughed all the way to Mr. DD's office and delivered the pony personally!  Too much fun!

You see ... Mr DD's first career was with Wells Fargo and he managed the branch here in Cordova for 25 years before he retired from banking.  He has had a long love/dislike relationship with these ponies!  It was so fun to award him with one ... a giant one at that!  I chuckled over this for days ... yep, I am easily entertained! ;-)  He kept it in his office and then for Valentine's Day we gave it to one of his coworkers who has two young children!  

Here is a pic of all the loot on our dining room table ... and it doesn't reflect all the gift certificates we also received!  Talk about a windfall of goodness ... it was too much ... so, like with the pony, we have shared at least two-thirds of it with others.  It felt wonderful to receive this treasure, but even better to give much of it away to family and friends.

Photo from Google Images

 I am grateful for the values of our remote community ... in this case it was generosity.  Ice worm committee members give their time and talent + local businesses and individuals give contributions + community members purchase tickets + a lucky winner is randomly chosen + they share the loot = generosity.  I am so humbled and fortunate to find myself surrounded by such acts of generosity.  Generosity is the true treasure.  My hope is that everyone looks and finds ways to be generous ... it is a universal value and our world is in need.

Do what you love.  Be generous!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally   

A "Splendid" Beginning!

Many of you know what a great time I had during "The Vintage Farm Girl" online quilt-a-long last summer!  Since then I have considered jumping in and participating in others ... there are sew many to choose from!  Choices are always a good thing ... we dillydalliers like lots of choices!

It is a well known fact that I collect fabric ... have a very eclectic stash ... because I love it all!  There are certain designers that I particularly like and usually purchase a fat quarter bundle of their fabrics when released!  My Farm Girl was pieced with a personal collection of bright prints that I had collected and had in my stash.  Sew ... I decided to make the next one with a more traditional flavor.  I love Kim Diehl's color palette and prints.  So I pulled out a couple of fat quarter packs!  They are almost too pretty to open!  They are simply splendid.

The online quilt-a-long I chose to participate in is The Splendid Sampler!  I have always had enjoyable experiences with Pat Sloan's patterns and techniques.  Because she is one of the designers and is co-hosting this event, I knew it would be a gorgeous quilt and a positive experience!  All details can be found at the website, so anymore explanation here would be redundant!  Pat is an exceptional organizer, and the webpage is both helpful and useful!

Oh my ... such pretty fabric!  As hard as it is to untie the ribbon, the results always make me swoon!

I got busy and organized the fat quarters by color!

The first block was designed by Pat Sloan and released on Valentine's Day!  I chose to use her fusible applique' technique and am very happy with the results!

The second block was designed by Jane Davidson, who is co-hosting this year-long event with Pat.  Butterflies ... makes me long for summer!

Like the Farm Girl quilt, all blocks are 6.5 inches unfinished!  Pat and Jane have communicated clearly their philosophy about quilt-a-longs and have addressed all the concerns and worries quilters all over the world may have.  Last time I checked, over 15,000 quilters have signed on to participate! And yep ... they are from all over the world!  Wowser!  This is a global event!  I have already been so inspired by everyone's blocks ... and we have 98 to look forward too!  Holy Moley Hot Bologna!

8 am - 2.20.2016

My blocks are done ... and I'm looking forward to spending the day at my guild's Time to Sew event!  It is going to be an absolutely splendid day!

Do what you love.  Make it splendid!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A Dillydally Weekend!

Even though I am retired ... I still celebrated the three day weekend by filling it with dillydally fun!

Add two holidays into the mix ... Valentine's and President's Day ... and it is easy to create a dillydally party!

Friday was all about getting a manicure and working on a top secret 007 project!  This past fall, it became possible to get manicures and pedicures here in Cordova.  DillyDally fun fact:  I am unable to wear jewelry, as I am allergic to metals of all kinds.  Yep, I can't even wear my wedding ring without getting hives!  Because I cannot embellish myself with jewelry ... I choose to have pretty nails!  Love being able to do something girly!

On Saturday I continued making progress on the 007 project.  This is the last photo I can show and still keep this project classified.  I was able to finish all 18 blocks!  They are an odd size, 6 1/4 x 7 1/4 inches ... and I love the results!  The blocks are super cute!  I'll be adding sashing and borders soon!  Yay!

I was also able to spend time on this wool applique'  project!

All the handwork is finished!  Eventually I'll move on to the piecing that surrounds this medallion square.  No hurry and no worry on this project.

I am a participant of Roseann Kermes Wool Workers facebook page and she issued a finishing challenge.  I was so inspired by everyone's projects and decided to join in!  If you love working with wool, check out the page and join!

I started finishing this project yesterday while listening to Pat Sloan's Quilt Talk Radio program!  I really enjoy listening in every week, it helps to make me feel less isolated and remote!  Love technology for that reason!

Girlfriend DD celebrated President's Day by beginning a new project!  She will soon become an aunt for the second time!  After receiving the latest Block magazine from Missouri Quilt Co, she knew exactly what quilt she wanted to make for the new niece or nephew in her life!

She chose and ordered the charm packs, yardage and ruler that was required!  Love her choices ... perfect for a new baby!

Within a couple of hours, she had the cutting and piecing done!  It was such an enjoyable afternoon!  I love how she confidently approaches her projects and has developed her skills.  She totally "gets" the dillydally lifestyle!

That's it my darling dillydalliers!  I hope you enjoyed a three day weekend, mine was wonderful ... today's sunrise was beautiful ... life is good here in DillyDallydom!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally 

Celebrating Iceworm!

Our annual winter festival is a highlight for our community ... long time readers are very familiar with it ... because I post about it every year!  

After living in this community for 30+ years ... we have attended our favorite events in all possible weather conditions!  Mother Nature sent us an encouraging sunrise on Saturday!

One of my former students was in charge of the Arts and Crafts event and asked me to share a quilt for display.  It was the perfect excuse opportunity to put on the finishing touches!  I pieced this quilt a few years back and had it quilted by The Green Fairy.

This event offered me the deadline I needed to finish it ... finally!  All that was required was hand tacking down one side of the bindng.  Too funny ... life and other projects get in the way ... so nice to have this event come up to give me that final nudge!

It was crowded, so I was unable to take pics of all the quilts ...

... but here are a few ...

for you to enjoy!

Ya-Hoo!  It is completely finished!

An old event was reintroduced this year ... Iceworm Cake Decorating contest!  Love seeing new energy influence long standing traditions! 

Our State Champion High School Volleyball Team was invited to carry the community banner and lead the parade!  Mother Nature had changed her mood and was delivering very cold, wet and windy weather!  We are used to her fickle ways and her antics don't dampen our spirits!

Neither weather nor a broken leg prevents the Baby Iceworm  from appearing!  This year she rode a 4-Wheeler ... much safer than crutches!

Iceworm weekend never fails to fill our hearts with local pride!  I so appreciate all those who volunteer their time and talent to make this event possible!  A week of fun and play for all ages is just what is needed in the midst of winter!

Do what you love.  Play.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Local Fun!

This weekend is filled with activities that I look forward to all year!  O ... how I love life in my remote corner of the planet!

Do what you love.  Love your hometown!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Puppy Popsicles!

We enjoyed clear skies this weekend!  Such a relief after weeks of rain!

With clear skies come colder temperatures ... this former Minnesota girl welcomes that!

Nissa is always far ahead of me on our walks ... it is impossible to keep up with her.  I noticed that she kept stopping ... would bite off the tips of bushes ... and in true retriever fashion, gobble it up!

Upon closer observation I realized that she was eating "willow roses"!  Over the years ... in past posts ... I have shared their wonder here on the blog.  They really are one of Mother Nature's miracles!  You can discover the science behind their creation here.

Apparently they taste great!

Munch!  Crunch!  Another one in her gullet!

It must be understood that willow roses are abundant and easy to see ... in the summer and after the willow has lost its leaves ... and Nissa has never shown any interest in them until now!

Apparently they taste great frozen!

Yep ... that rose also found itself in the belly of a very silly 8 month old puppy!

There wasn't any way to keep Nissa from feasting on them ... she grazed the entire 2 mile walk!  I was worried about how they might effect her digestion, and kept a close eye on her.  My fears were unwarranted ... and we now refer to willow roses as puppy popsicles!  A gift for puppies from Mother Nature's freezer!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally