Alpine Hiking and Accomplishments!

The big accomplishment this week is I got Le Jardin into flimsy form

 and ready to send to my favorite longarm quilter. 

Botanical Sketchbook also got all the stitching done on it!

Waiting for the postman to deliver the border fabric 

and then I will have completed 2 of my summer goals.

Yesterday, we hiked the Continental Divide trail at Wolf Creek Pass.

 It was good to see so many of the dead trees had fallen over during the winter 

and that new growth is starting to predominate.

 Perhaps in another 3-5 years, my favorite forest will no longer look like a war zone.

 FYI, our forests suffered severely from a bark beetle attack 

and present a horrendous fire danger.

 A fire is currently burning 20 miles north of us

 and our small town is full of 'Hot Shots' from all over the country. 

We are so thankful for the risks they take and the sacrifice they make to protect us.

The forest floor was full of my favorite wildflowers and I even identified a 'new to me' one.

Pygmy Bitterroot. 

And for your enjoyment, a few of the others I love.

 Colorado Columbine

 Alpine Viola

 Purple Fringe

Scarlet Paintbrush.

Green-flowered Wintergreen,

also new to me.

I think I will use my new found embroidery skills

 and do a piece with all my favorite wildflowers on it. 

Speaking of embroidery,

A Hollyhock inspired by Beth Upstill.

I still have 3 circles to fill. 

Believe it or not, I actually tore out one I had done to put this one in it's place.

One of the benefits of high altitude living and exercising

 is that my Vacay/CoVid-12 (pounds that is) has turned into CoVid-1. 

It has also helped that my beautiful daughter and WW teammate has been cooking delicious, low point meals for both of us and encouraging me to stay on track.

I am only 6 pounds away from my goal,

but I know they will be the hardest ones.

I need to lose these pounds to help lower my blood pressure.

I don't want to take medications!!!!

So wish me luck.

What is on my plate next....

Hocus Pocus by the Pattern Basket.

My Fig Tree All Hallows Eve fabrics are on their way.

Stress Free Sewing in Colorful Colorado

After a week of house cleaning and gardening,

I think we are finally settled into the cabin for the summer. 

Usually, it takes 9 hours to drive to the cabin, 

but a wildfire in Mancos created a backtracking detour.

Nothing like a 12 hour car trip to get some stitching done!

 Finished the last block for Le Jardin. 

My goal is to get into flimsy form next week.

Then Crimson Tweed got it's binding sewn down.

Now, each afternoon, I spend a few hours working on WIPs and UFOs.

My current WIP is Botanical Sketchbook

by Dawn Heese.

I only have the last block to stitch. 

I have this horrible habit of getting a project to the last block

and then it becomes a UFO. 

I brought 4 or 5 of these projects with me to finish this summer.

Of course, I continue to stitch on my Sue Spargo Toned Down Circle Sampler.

Here are a few of the latest ones.

 This one is not her design.

 I stitched it after seeing a similar one on Pinterest.

Wanted to experiment with ribbon embroidery.

 Of course, I loved doing the Octopus.

He looks so cute in my under-the-sea section.

Being at the cabin sure has reduced my stress level.

There is no TV,

so no repetitious news broadcasts full of doom and gloom.

Tomorrow, we will hike my favorite mountain trail!

Cannot wait.

Thanks for stopping by.

Be healthy, be safe and hug your love ones often!!! 

Bee's a Buzzing!

A real finish that was started in this calendar year!

Buzzing by Heart to Hand.

I love the messages in the 4 corners of the quilt. 

The other corners say bee happy, bee sweet and bee strong.

Sue Spargo did a bee skep circle this week too.

Then my focus shifted to the undersea world. 

 My pufferfish/blowfish.

Looks like me since I cannot seem to stay out of the refrigerator.

And then a sea anemone.

Followed by a kelp forest with sea urchin and sea star.

Here is my sampler so far.

Progress on Le Jardin.

Just one more block!
I will prep it this week in preparation for the drive to Colorado.

Something to listen to on Audible and
something to stitch makes the trip bearable.

Monday Musings

With all that is happening in our country,

I hesitated to post.

But then, I need to have a place to escape to 

and pretend things are normal.

Besides, hobbies have a positive effect on our mental health.

'When you participate in a hobby,

you'll stay present,

 which helps create a sense of well-being and calm your nerves,' 

according to the experts.

So I will post about my hobby and ignore the world outside for the moment.

Progress on Le Jardin.

I am overjoyed that my DIL wants this for my granddaughter's room.

I will prep the 8th block today.

7 are now complete except for embroidery accents, 

which used to scare me.

But with my new found interest in embroidery stitches, 

I am looking forward to adding them.

Here are some of my latest toned down sampler circles.

Oh, this crab is my favorite.

It is heating up here in the desert 

and my children have been escaping to the Mogollon Rim on the weekends to cool off.

This weekend, my husband and I joined them.

My sweeties

and me on the kid's quad...LOL.

Stay safe and sane!