dyefest :-)

Gave my firtst dye class on Thursday, June 26th and was very successful and everbody had a great time! Here are Carol and Linda showing off a few first pieces. Mark custom fitted out part of my basement for a dedicated dye area and it worked out great!

Karen is back at the sink lightly rinsing the fabric, this is the first time I let the washer do the bulk of the rinsing before washing. What a huge difference. Carol is on her way to go hang the fabric on the line. I taught "tube dyeing".

Another shot of Karen at the sink...but look at all the fabric in the buckets just waiting to be washed...5 gals dyed 100 yards. I only dyed a few...mainly as demo...I spend the rest of the time teaching and helping out and keeping the dye and soda ash solution flowing.

I love these type of shots, the lines filled with lots of color. We filled the lines twice and dried the rest in the dryer. Everyone left with washed, dried and folded fabric. We had a potluck with grilled hot dogs and brats for lunch and then they went out and got two big pizzas for dinner. It was a great day. I cannot wait to see what they do with the fabric.

Tomarrow I am going to do a bit of dyeing for myself plus finish up a sample I am working on to take to Quilts 'n Stuff in Escanaba on Tuesday. I did a Wheels of Wonder tablerunner/wall hanging. Will take photo when it is done and post. Well, I better get back upstairs and back to work.

Doreen's Quilts at Off Center Studios

Just got a message from Megan inviting me to the opening of a show of Doreen's quilts. I am stoked! Megan and Matti will be flying in from San Franciso too. I am happy to be able to see Megan again and excited about finally meeting Matti. It's a four and half hour drive but should be well worth it, plus we can go the distance to Stevensville on Saturday and pick up my gammill. Yipee! I havent discussed this with Mark yet, but I think it is a go! If any of you can rally and go, it should be a wonderful event. Boy! Do I miss Doreen!

YIKES!!!!!!

I was happily making my way down to the basement, which is now part dye studio. As I grabbed the 2 x 4 for support I heard this "hissing". I looked up from a few steps below and HOLLY GUACAMOLE!!!! it's a freaken snake. I called for Mark, who was in kitchen...Mark, there is a snake. Yeah right! No really, please come look and make it go away...pleaseeeeeeee

Access panel removed so you can get better look of what I had just brushed past.

Here, Mark is preparing to remove this beastie with my kitchen tongs...yuk...he has already pried him out of his snug little space. Be gone snake!

My hero! Destroyer of all things creepy and crawlie. Normally I don't mind snakes...but not on the way to my dye studio! Alas, this snake is now in snake heaven...don't want a pine snake making its home in yours or else you get lots and lots of baby pine snakes who, in turn will make more baby snakes.......

You can bet the ladies who will be arriving at around 9 a.m. tomarrow will be very, very glad this dude (or dudette) is gone! :-)

from my sweetie

Mark got home a little early today and when he pushed the door open, he was carrying these. I have heard about Lupine for years but have never seen them. Aren't they gorgeous?!! and don't you just love the impromtu vase he made out of an empty 40 he had in his car? He says there is a huge field of these growing wild along the back parking lot where he works. I want to dig a bunch up this fall and plant in my yard. I have to go to Iron River on Thursday for my physical therapy evalutation, so I will bring my camera and take a few photos. He told me to put in a "real" vase but I like this one better. :-)

Fence and Flowers

This is the other fence Mark built this weekend...one more 2x4 to be added underneath the panel closest to house. I am going to buy some lilac bushes Wednesday at HomeDepot...I will keep them smaller bushes to hide gap. I will now have to access the garage via back door but worth keep nosey old guy out of yard...I think he has even been in our house when we are gone, now we lock the door now matter how soon will be back. Plus, I like the idea of a litte privacy from the road and yep...keep them pesky deer out. The weekend was beautiful and warm and today cloudy and down to 50 again...oh well...Oh! I finished these really darling pin cushions Saturday night, I will take photos of them and post them next time. :-)

This is a very cool wreath I got from a friend on Kauai. Carolyn built a house on the lot next door to us years ago. When she got married, she sold it so, if she and her husband got in a fight there wasnt a convient place to run "home" to...big mistake on her part...anyway. This hung on the inside of her kitchen door, I loved it and the bell sound it made whenever you came in. When she was moving I commented once again how much I liked it. She smiled at me and handed it to me and said take it...someone gave to me, now I am giving to you. For years it just hung on the wall in my studio and then here it was in a box. I had Mark hang it on the inside of our gate...I love it!

Another photo from when Max was in Mexico...I think he is so cute!!! Aimee called this "chillin"

I call this my "fairy circle". I thought they were they glads I planted last year, I guess they died but these iris sure did a number underground this past winter. I also love how they multiply in a circle...the circle is complete this year. Last year they were a bit patchy. I planted the marigolds and there are also asiatic lilies plus some other stuff I have no idea what they are until they bloom...always a surprise. In the background, you can see where Mark pulled the fence to the house. You cannot even tell this is not the way the fence was installed. That should keep the deer out!:-)

Talk about cute!!!!

I just couldnt help myself here...tell, me you could! I was going to buy this other fabric and when I saw this stuff...well, my boat was sunk. The look on Mark's face was precious when I put this in the back of the car..."more fabric?!!" he asks...yes dear. The sample of the front of the pattern is the original fabrics and I will add this stuff, not this first big one though unless I buy more for one of the borders or something. It is a little too big to go with the rest of fit the pattern pieces. I just love it!

I am still hoping I will get to see Victoria this summer. Maybe I will fl...fl...fl...fly to San Diego to see her. Bet that would surprise everybody. I just cannot wait until next December. I wish they would let her come here. It is so beautiful in the summer and Mark had some really fun things planned. We will see, by the end of the visit her mother may agree to a little visit with nana...one can only hope!

Kool

You have to admit, Max IS pretty KOOL! I just love the hair! He went to Mexico in May with his mommy, Aimee, and family. He really had a good time but he did not like the "sand" at all. Today was the first day that was nice, was humid but around 80. It is still light out, about quarter to nine and the temp has dropped 20 degrees. We are having lots and lots of wind and major thunderstorms...they say we may get big hail...i hope not. Most of the apple blossoms have been blown off the trees and I don't want my raspberries to get pummeled. It sure has been a wierd year weather wise folks say around here. I've heard we are going form winter to fall...ha ha ha.
We are hoping to get a little gardening in tomarrow. Plant the onion sets, "hot" peppers, and tomatoes. I am awaiting more blueberry plants and garlic from Gurneys. Can't wait!
I went to Jeri's Patchwork today and bought more fqs for a quilt I want to do. She puts together the most amazing 18 fq bundles...they are to dye for :-) Now, they are always on sale for $26, I was just going to buy another bundle of the same but she had packaged up 18 fqs with the pattern stuffed in the cutest felt basket wrapped in cellophane with a pink bow, all for just $30, how could i not get it!...the new fqs will go great with the ones I originally bought for this project. I cannot wait to start, but Mark gives me a rash since I already have a bunch of unfinished projects in various stages in my sewing room...if he only knew the true extent of my ufos.....We have decided I should just go ahead and buy the new metal frame/stand for my gammil. It is more than I can spend at the moment but I am going to the bank on Monday and see what we can do. I will also get the big castors for an additional fee but will make moving it around in the basement way more easy. Well, I gotta go, catch ya later.......