Friday, September 28, 2012

Black Lotus Quilt (Somewhere in California)

We traveled 300 miles yesterday and we are going another 300 miles today.  Early start today so we can finish a little earlier.

Here's a couple of more photos from Sutherlin...
munching apples
This jack rabbit wasn't moving no matter how close I got for a better picture.  He was so still even his nose wasn't twitching.
I'm a statue..I'm a statue
 Meet Fang..a Burmese rescue cat.  I just love his eyes.  We met his owner taking him for a ride in her golf cart on one of our evening walks in Sutherlin.  He really enjoyed all the attention he was getting from the people.
He is also well trained.  She said "sit!" and he sat.  hmmm, I wonder if I can get our cats to sit like that.  shh! don't tell my furbabies that I was out with another cat!


On The Cutting Board
So, the customer decided not to buy this quilt.  I have made a few changes to it and I am posting it on Etsy.

Here are the specs:  A contemporary style lap quilt with abstract appliquéd flowers.   All appliqué is hand stitched(no machine was used).
  • Multi-colored top: pink, turquoise, lavender, and black
  • Backing & Binding:  black
  • Size:  37 inches x 45 inches  (94 cm  x 114.3 cm)
  • Batting: 100% polyester fiber filling
  • Quilting: free-form meandering
  • All applique is needle-turned under and hand-stitched. 
  • $75 + shipping
Happy Trails!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Deer Gardener (Sutherlin, OR)

We have been busy exploring and doing some research on Sutherlin's surrounding area on I-5.  We are staying in an Escapee's SKP Co-op within walking distance of Sutherlin's downtown area.  This park is another place where we can retire from our travels and become part of a community of full-timing RVers.  

This is the spot we are renting right now.  Most of the lots are the same except for different tastes in landscaping.
The lots are big. 
The people here have been very friendly and helpful, but I still have strong mixed feelings about making this our permanent park.
View down the street
So far, we love the location: close to the Oregon's coast and the mountains with plenty to do.  It is nice to be surrounded by hills covered in green trees instead of desert sand and brush.  Just two hours away and we can be back in one of the Thousand Trail parks along the coast.  But, we will be farther away from our kids and grandkids.  
What?! Eh?! Who?! Gobble?!
We also like all the critters.  It is a regular wildlife preserve inside the park with deer, wild turkey, quail, and big jack rabbits on steroids.  We were told that cougar, bobcat, bear, raccoon, and fox have also been sighted inside the RV park as well.

On our walk yesterday morning, we spotted quite a few deer hanging around the apple trees except for one deer.
He was busy munching on the greens inside someone's fenced garden.
Deer doing his own gardening.  Taking too much off the top.
Uh, oh!  Humans!
Once we were spotted, the deer moved off towards the apple trees.  This seems to be their favorite hangout.  
No worries of apples rotting on the ground here!
One of the downsides is the town of Sutherlin.  The bad economy leaves this town struggling to keep what little business they have open.  

The only major downside to the park is the sheds.  The sheds are all the same except for 3 different colors in similar tones.  No bright or bold colors.  No individual artistic imagination allowed and no Casitas or extra living space allowed in this park.  The sheds cannot be expanded so basically they are used for storage and a few have workbenches in them.  On the upside, I will probably save money from not spending money on upgrading the shed to keep up with the others.
I can probably use the center for any large quilting project as long as I'm willing to pack it up there and clean up when I'm done for the day.  No leaving projects sitting out over night.

There are several quilt shops and quilt shows within a radius of an hour's drive.  Sutherlin actually has a small quilt shop.  Sonja's Sewing Basket is more of a sewing machine and long-arm center, but she does have fabric and some supplies.  She also schedules a lot of classes since there doesn't seem to be a quilt group here in the park.  I can always join the quilters downtown.  I have my priorities to think about, right?
Another view down the street and the back side of this lot.
We plan to visit two more parks in California and go back to Benson for one more comparison between the parks.  We can add our names to as many park's waiting lists as we want if we have the money to add our name.  I have a feeling we will make our final decision by November.


On the Cutting Board
I have been spending a lot of time in Pinterest lately.  There are so many beautiful quilts and color inspirations posted that I started a new board for just creative ideas.  With many fresh ideas in mind, I bought these fat quarters for a new wall hanging.
Inspector Hitch approves
I picked up two pink fat quarters with chocolate dots.  I'm thinking they will make a cute little cow mug rug.
The material will have to wait.  We leave Oregon on Thursday.  Time to head back south to Arizona.  Dan plans to drive until he is tired, so we are in for long days on the road.  We are due back to Patagonia on 1 November, so I don't know where I'll be when I blog again...
Happy Trails!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

A Cat's Welcome (Sutherlin, OR)

Time got away from me this week.  I swear I just posted my blog yesterday.  Of course, since posting Wednesday's blog, we have moved to Sutherlin, visited Roseburg, caught up with old friends, and explored the surrounding area.  Oh, and a little quilt shopping....gee, I wonder where the time went....
Rochester Covered Bridge near Sutherlin, OR
Before we left Florence, we stopped by Darlingtonia State Park to see the carnivorous plant.  It is called Darlingtonia or a Cobra Lily.  You can see where it gets its second name.  It even looks like it has a split snake's tongue sticking out.

The park is small so it was a short walk to the sandy bog-like area.  The air had a heavy sweet smell - better to attract flies with, right?  I wish the flowers were blooming.  They are quite pretty.

On The Cutting Board
Ta-Da!  I finished A Cat's Welcome wall hanging.  I'm finding that I like adding the tabs instead of a sleeve for hanging.
I added two buttons to each tab..
I made a small hanger out of twine and glass beads for the Gift Shop.  I attached the autumn leaf to the hanger and to the sign.  I think using a twig from the preserve will finish it in a natural way.

And I'll finish this post with a couple of photos of our furbabies soaking up the sun.
Dusty
Hitch
Happy Quilting!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Not So Wordless Wednesday (Florence, OR)

We leave the coastal area tomorrow - Thursday.  We drove to Sutherlin for a quick visit to our next stop at the Escapees RV park.  


Driving back from Sutherlin on Umpqua Scenic Drive along the river, we saw a couple of herds of Elk in the Wildlife Viewing fields near Reedsport.  They were very close to the fence just grazing and totally ignoring all the people taking their pictures.

The males were in one field and the females were nearby in another field, but not close enough to see each other.

I'm so happy that I took along my 500mm lens and with some cropping, I got some great photos. 
Smile!
The best part was watching the young bucks practice fighting.  Even though, they were not fighting all that hard...no rearing or running, more "Push Me-Shove You".  We could still hear their antlers banging together once in a while.





Had enough?  Yea, me too.  Same time tomorrow?
And another photos from Shore Acres...

~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Trails!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Dog Day Afternoon (Florence, OR)

Okay, so it wasn't the hottest day, but there were dogs and it was a pleasantly warm afternoon.
Last weekend, we spent the afternoon in downtown Florence.  Our plan was to take a walk and do a little window shopping.  Florence was bustling with a small Farmer's Market and a car show.  We bought some fruit and Poblanos.  Then we saw the small pies...okay, I had to have the small peach/blueberry pie.  Such an unusual combination and yes, it was gooood!  Sorry, no photos of the pie, but here are some of the peaches that might end up in another pie....
The car show was fun and interesting.  I love the colors on the ones I posted here.  Very eye-catching, don't you think?


Even the dogs were having fun.  There were two of these gentle giants, but the other one was behind a car being petted by another admirer. 
We walked down to the bridge at the west end of town.  This is another of Conde McCullough's bridges except this is a draw bridge.   The two bigger obelisks on this side have control rooms for the draw bridge.
There is so much detail in each bridge and each one is very unique.  Even the under side that most travelers never see has a lot of thought put into the design.  I love this cathedral looking arches.
I thought you might like some more photos from the Shore Acres State Park.  Aren't they gorgeous?  I am amazed by the different Dahlias shapes and sizes!



On The Cutting Board
I finished the Open tag for the Gift Shop sign.  I was going to use ribbon to tie it to the acorn and it just did not look right.  I needed something that looked more natural...maybe something a squirrel might pick up...so I used a piece of twine.
I think that looks better than ribbon.
I found some green and blue buttons to add to the tabs.  I would have preferred wooden ones, but I don't have them so....    My SIL said people are layering the buttons for a different look and I think these look okay.

All Things Tangled does a Friday's Favorites. This time she did a treasury for babies and added my Pink Baby's Choice Quilt to her "Oh Baby!" collection.  I hope you will stop by her blog and say hello!

Here's one of her items for sale in Etsy.  Isn't it adorable?  I wonder if I can get one of our cats to wear a hoodie?  Riiiight, well I can dream, can't I?
White Dog Sweater Hood Brown Fur Trim Small Hoodie

White Dog Sweater Hood Brown Fur Trim Small Hoodie

Happy Quilting!

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