Tuesday, July 15, 2008

A FINE TIME WITH GREAT FRIENDS


Can you feel the danger I had to face when I went to sew with six of my closest friends? It was scary but I faced the terror (of this sign) anyway with sewing, chit chat, story quilts, new quilts made of my new fabrics from "HAPPINESS IS" (Benartex) shhhhh IT's a secret, gourmet cooking, learning to make notebook covers, trying out new gadgets, praying for friends with cancer who we love, fairy gifts and alot of laughter.

Our house on the ocean we lived in...

The scene out our window...the sunsets were beautiful and watching eagles fish, ospray and herons go for food each day was so fun to watch. The man next door to us took his Mother out in a row boat to get crab out of a crab pot and the Mother stood up and we watched the rescue...don't stand up in a row boat in the ocean :0) That's my advice....

This was part of our lesson (above) of how to make book covers and glitz them-they are cool!

Here is a finished quilt out of my new fabrics that will eventually go to a nice child. Love those plaids which you do NOT have to match. :0) My girlfriends had this put together in NO time.
THIS FABRIC IS NOT ON THE MARKET YET AND WON'T BE SHOWN SO IT IS A SECRET UNTIL THEY OFFER IT, FOR ONLY MY BEST FRIENDS-SHHHHHHHH

This is an adorable "Happiness Is" quilt that I am hoping that benartex will offer as a pattern to those who buy the fabrics for their shops. This photo does not do justice to this quilt. It will be doubly as delightful once it is quilted.
NO ONE HAS SEEN THIS QUILT OF THIS FABRIC BEFORE-IT IS NOT ON THE MARKET YET BUT SHOULD BE THIS FALL AROUND MARKET TIME-WHY AM I SHOWING IT TO YOU? BECAUSE I AM ONLY SHOWING IT TO MY BEST FRIENDS TO SHOW HOW WONDERFUL IT IS. I ADORE THE MANY COLORS IN THE LINE AND THE POSITIVE MESSAGES TOO-


Part of the sheer joy of traveling with girlfriends is the things you see. We stopped for lunch at this cute town and I took this photo of the ocean through the doorway with the eye of my friend helping me get it just right. :0)

If you come to Washington State on the west side you will see the wonderful artwork done by the Indians that live here. Their art is wonderful and many quilters take their designs for inspiration.

This sign was on the building we ate lunch in........

I am proud of the beauty of Washington State and when I was little my Father took us to the ocean each summer while he salmon fished...I will always have the ocean in my heart.


I bought earrings in this shop for my daughters and Granddaughter and Daughterinlaw. It is where the movie Practical Magic was filmed...I never saw the movie but there was a sign there.

This is a peek of a quilt that is going to be in my story quilt book I am working on. It is spectacular and I can't wait to see it quilted.
There were so many many beautiful poppies and flowers on the western coast of Washington. I took dozens of photos of just flowers to enjoy. Hope you enjoy this also.
Perhaps you cannot afford to do something like this for a week but if you and some dear friends wanted to get together to sew perhaps you could find a friend's house, a hotel room, a church that would allow you to use for sewing and fun. The point isn't so much where you stay but that you are with true, loyal and dear friends who laugh with you and care about you and that you can love back. This is the beauty of quilting. You meet friends and your friendship grows if you nurture it. I have become good friends with many of you and I hope for a good summer for you and for the gift of true happiness and beautiful flowers, good vegetables and fruits, great friends, fresh air and water, something good to put on your hands to make them soft and smell good, great fabrics to work with, inspiration, something good to read (including the Bible), cold lemonade, good pasta, great bread, enough walking to keep your weight in check (my battle), and something funny that makes you laugh several times a day.

7 comments:

Tammy Gilley said...

Oh my gosh, what a wonderful retreat!

Dixie said...

Hi, I will be looking for your "Happiness Is" collection...for sale in a shop....
I can't remember the shop I ordered your last collection?...Love your photos...Always so interesting and colorful...Summer is busy for me...Lots of company..Lake is sunny and beautiful...Luv it...Hugs, Dixie Minor - MO

Reena said...

Jeez the poppy foto is so fabulous. Is there any way you could email me a copy? That would be perfect for a project I am working on.
Those plaids- which I do not like plaid thanks to catholic school uniforms etc- but those plaids I gotta have! Will they have them at the Long Beach do you think???
And who else would take a photo of the 1st condemned building in North America! And don't stand up in a rowboat- you are hysterical!!!
Reena SD CA

Sandi said...

What wonderful photos of your quilts and flowers Mary Lou, very inspirational once again.

I love poppies, my cousin grows some that go into pink shades, I'm hoping she will send me some seeds from my garden.

Your retreat house looks fun as do the shops. Practical Magic is a fun movie, try and get a copy to watch.

Sandi in New Westminster B.C.

Anonymous said...

Mary Lou,
Glad your home was safe from the fires. Love your new fabric, am looking forward to it in the stores. Get a chuckle everytime I see Jack in the pool. Today I was thinking he may have been taking a nap in his tube.
Joyce in OR

sharon CA said...

I see what I missed!!! Thinking happy thoughts about you all.

Fran from Iowa said...

Hi Mary Lou - Have been busy and haven't looked at your blog much this month. You outdid yourself this month. What a wonderful way to spend my morning - reading and looking at your special blog. Thanks. Fran from Iowa