Today is a Really BIG Day! Seriously...It is HUGE!

Easter Sunday, here in my remote corner of the planet, was beautiful.

Yesterday was sunny, and look at those calm seas.  Today ... well it is a whole different story ... I am feeling anything but calm! ;-)

OMGosh Good Golly!  Holy Moly Hot Bologna!  I am so overwhelmed that I can barely breathe!

Me ... little ole Mrs. Nobody who lives and quilts in the middle of nowhere ...

 ... is going to be on APQ Radio with Quilt Rock Star Pat Sloan!  Crazy ... I know!

Taken April 1st by Mr. DillyDally  Sheridan Glacier

Pat Sloan is such an amazing person and quilt professional.  She does and accomplishes so much that benefits quilters worldwide ... even those of us who live in remote places!  I have been listening to her show for nearly two years now.  It is such a great way for quilters to stay informed and entertained!

3.31.12 QBees and I attempting a photo shoot! ;-)  Too fun!

Those of you who read my blog regularly know that designer and quilt rock star Roseann Kermes and I met a few years back during the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop.  Roseann is the one who introduced my blog to Pat ... and the rest is history!

If you would like to listen to the APQuilt Radio show live ... go to this site.  The show begins at 4 pm eastern, 3 pm central, 2 pm mountain, 1 pm pacific, and noon Alaska time.  The best place to get information on listening to the podcast after the broadcast is from Pat's blog.  She really does make it sew easy to access the program.

I am always so touched that anyone bothers with all my nonsense funsense here in dillydallydom!  So having a Quilt Rock Star show an interest just blows my socks off!  My fear is that I'll panic and stop breathing during the interview!  Is it possible to hold your breath for 13 minutes and answer questions?  I shared my fears with Pat and she said that breathing is mandatory! ;-)  Pat is extremely personable and knowledgeable ... I will be in good hands.  She is an amazing professional!

I am gratefully accepting all prayers and positive energy you can send my way today!  Yep...there is no false confidence going on! ;-) The dillydally lifestyle is all about being myself ... under all circumstances!

Do what you love.  Did you notice the reveal?  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally 

I know!  I can't believe it either!

Happy Easter!

May the blessings and promises of Easter be with you and your loved ones!

Preparing for Spring!

Yep ... this photo ...

... was taken on Sunday, April 1st.  Proof that we are no where near spring here in my remote corner of the planet! ;-)

But that doesn't mean that we don't dream about spring arriving!  Eventually things will turn green and the wildflowers will bloom!

A few posts back, I shared with you a new hand bag that I was making ... yep, I am preparing for the spring and summer season that will eventually arrive!  I hope. ;-)  The fabric I used for the bottom of the bag and accent color is from the Secret Garden collection by Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller Fabrics.  The top of the bag and lining are from Moda Fabrics and is from the Ruby collection by Bonnie and Camille.  I am very happy with how the fabrics work together!

I am tickled pink with how this batting performs!  I highly recommend it!  It is easy to work with and the results are wonderful!  It gave the purse just the right amount of structure ... no more slouchy hand bags! QBee Valerie has used it for placemats, and also gives it rave reviews!  My advice?  Do Not make another hand bag without this product or one like it!  Gosh ... our time and talents are valuable!  It is sew worth quality materials that will give us the result we want!

Here it is ... finished and just waiting for warm temperatures and adventures with me this spring and summer!  Yep ... I'm preparing for spring!

Do what you love.  Be prepared.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

P.S.  I would like to make a bag for my laptop.  Please share pattern recommendations!  Thanks!

A QBee Birthday & Big News!

The last day of March was a day to celebrate here in my remote corner of the planet ...

...even the weather cooperated!  This was the view Saturday morning from my front deck!

March is the month of QBee Lila's birthday!

Several of the QBee crew were out of town, but the size of the crowd has never impacted our ability to party!

We showered her with gifts ....

...and oodles of affection!  That is how QBees roll ... we serve as cheerleaders for one another!

Nearly two years ago ... Lila shared with me a life long dream she's had ... I immediately appointed myself "head cheerleader"!  I kept it confidential ... but remember ... living the dream and promoting the dreams of others is all part of the dillydally lifestyle!  I don't take dreams lightly and am a very proactive person.

As long-time readers may recall, Lila traveled with us last summer on our quilt vacation ...

...and participated in the Minnesota Statewide Shop Hop ... sew, of course ...

... I used the Minnesota Shop Hop fabric for her "Cup Cozy"!  Everyday when she uses it I hope it brings back memories of our trip!

What no one else realized about this trip was ... that for Lila, it was a working vacation!

We visited 24 quilt shops while in Minnesota last summer ... and Lila was busy doing research and taking notes about every shop we traveled to!

Yep ... this month we celebrated Lila's 50th birthday ... and she is living her dream!  Soon she will be opening her own quilt shop, the Cordova Quilters' Hideout!  We just couldn't be happier for her!  Sew much to celebrate!  After lunch, we went to her home to see and touch her new fabrics!  And we began sewing samples for the shop!  We are all going to be busy QBees ... helping in multiple ways ... and it is 007 work ... she wants her customers all surprised when her doors open!  What fun for quilters in our remote corner of the planet!

It is such an honor ... and privilege to participate in the dreams and success of a friend.  Support your friends and celebrate their success!  Be a cheerleader!

Do what you love!  Live your dreams! Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally    

  

Making Progress!

Spring?  Progress is Steady, but Slow
As friends and family welcome spring in the Lower 48, Old Man Winter remains cool and comfortable here in this remote corner of the planet.

Truth be told, our trees and bushes usually leaf out around the third week in May, so as much as we are complaining about our winter, spring will still arrive on schedule here!  Eventually the snow will melt and those long summer days will embrace us!

Knee?  Good Progress
This past week I worked full days!  Yeah!  It got easier as each day passed!

 Being back on a normal schedule was good medicine...both physically and psychologically!  Getting a bit more of my groove back every day!

Wool Applique'?  Good Progress
After working all day on my knee, I have noticed that I am more exhausted in the evenings.

Normally, this would have taken less time to finish, but I'm still happy with my progress!  It has been fun to work on, and puts the spirit of spring in my heart!  Now...the question is ... will I finish it in time for Easter?  Who knows!  No promises!  It's the dillydally way!  Stay tuned!

Do what you love!  Make progress!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A Snip-It of Normal!

Thursday meant that it had been 3 weeks since my knee surgery.  I wanted to celebrate by doing something that would prove that I am getting my life back!  You know ... a person sure misses "normal" when they lose it!

Here she is ... Her Majesty!  "Normal" for me means spending some time nearly everyday with this dear friend.  Yes, I worship her ... after all, she is the only one in the house that has a room of her own! ;-)  Before surgery, as my knee became worse, it became very painful for us to spend time together.  Gosh ... how I missed her!  So on Thursday ... I decided to fire her up!  Yep ... she was very happy to see me!

 Organized my "Leaders & Enders" so that they were ready.  It is amazing how many materialize while working on another project!

Because "Her Majesty" and I were celebrating ... we had to work on a new project!  One that oozes with fun, spring and moving forward!  Plus, I need a new purse ... one with fun new fabrics!  We can never have too many handbags! ;-)

I love making handbags, but am always disappointed with the properties of the filling.  I have tried every trick I've found ... using every type of batting and interfacing available ... they never held up like the Vera Bradley bags I love ... and buy.  When I discovered this new alternative ... I got excited and have been waiting to give it a try!

A bit of piecing and then a chance to do some machine quilting!  Yep ... it felt so good to be doing something normal!

One of the features I love most about Her Majesty ... her dual feed or walking foot ability!  We had so much fun together!

Well ... my knee held up for about an hour.  That hour of sewing felt like a little slice of heaven here on earth to me!  I also went back to work for half days this week ... another step that means I'm returning to my normal lifestyle!  It felt so good to be surrounded by my students ... their energy is very healing!

 Yep ... as snip-its of normal return, it feels like the clouds of grey are parting and glimpses of sunshine are breaking through!

Do what you love!  Celebrate normal!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally 

Celebrating Spring? Umm...not yet!

Soooo ... all over the Lower 48 everyone is celebrating the first day of spring!  And rightly so, spring has arrived early in most places.  Here in my remote corner of the planet ... Old Man Winter and his sidekick, Jack Frost, are holding on tight.

I spoke to a Cordovan yesterday, older than myself, who was born and raised here.  He remembers having this much snowfall before, but not having it accumulate like it has this year.  You see, normally our coastal living puts us on a "snow, rain, thaw" cycle.  Yep ... that is what it was like for the first 26 years I've lived here. ;-)

Because so many family and friends (especially the DillyDally children) have asked to see pictures of the snow and our home ... Mr. DillyDally carefully climbed around the glacier that surrounds our humble abode.  Here's a tour...

...this is from the landing on the top our first set of stairs, facing the road.  Our Explorer is under that pile of snow on the right.  Uff da is an understatement!

This is taken from the same location, looking down the bank at the back porch.  Do you see Kysa on the side deck?  It looks like she is standing on the deck railing, but actually she is on the snow next to it.

Here we are on the side deck.  You can see how the snow has edged itself down the slope and unto the back of the deck.  Mr. DillyDally is always removing it ... more creeps forward ... now you understand why we call it a glacial field. ;-)

This is the view from the side deck ... looking back up to the top of the stairs.  You can see how it is sliding towards the back porch.

Here you have a view of our humble home from the beach.  Mr. DillyDally navigated that snow pile you can see descending from the side deck.  We gave up trying to keep the stairs from the side deck to the beach clear.  And there is the infamous front deck from which I take all those photos of our view.  As you can see, the tide was low when we took this photo.

Remember our home is at sea level ... so we have far less snow than many of our friends and neighbors who live at elevations only a few or more feet higher.  

One thing that Old Man Winter can not control is how quickly we are gaining daylight!  Our days are getting longer at a fast rate this time of the year ... unfortunately daylight does not always equal warmth ... so even though we are enjoying more sun it has not helped melt much snow.

Yep ... the first day of spring will pass unnoticed in my remote corner of the planet...

... but I can still celebrate spring in my heart and in my dillydallying!

Do what you love.  Celebrate where you are.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally