My daughter: DesertSpring Vintage

When I was in Spokane last week I got to visit my daughter's booth in a vintage mall for the first time. It is so cute! She mainly sells vintage items through Etsy under DesertSpring Vintage, but in addition she recently started renting booth space at Chosen Vintage, 7 W. Main downtown. If you visit, her shop is upstairs. (But she doesn't staff the space. There's one checkout for all the vendors.)

As a mother of three bunnies, she has a fabulous collection of white rabbit figurines for sale even though the live ones are not white.

She also has a large selection of brass figurines, wicker, embroidered clothing, Mexican pottery, macrame plant hangers, pretty glassware and much more.

Her online shop, which I'm shamelessly promoting, is at: 

DesertSpringVintage

 (More on the Spokane trip later.)

Have a colorful day

Wool sewing roll finished

I finally finished my sewing roll, which will hold all of my embroidery/applique/beading supplies when I'm stitching away from the sewing room.

Here's the outside when it's open ...

note the pocket's bunny trim!

And here's the inside, with two zippered pouches, a pocket, and a needle book. I used text fabric because I've been a writer of one sort or the other most of my life.

When it's rolled up and buttoned closed, 

the front looks like this:

 ... and here is the back. 

It's soft and cushy and pretty and I love it!

 Have a colorful day

Quilt shops in Spokane

Rickrack and Grunge dots from Quilt Patch Lane.

I visited my daughter in Spokane over the weekend and we hit up four quilt shops in town! What a treat to have so many in one city.

As you can see, I found rickrack for embellishing my wool applique at every store! (My favorite shop  near home has stopped carrying trims.) I was also pleased to see that almost everyone out there carries the Grunge fabric line, one of my favorites.

Sew E-Z Too has tons of trim, fabric, beads, buttons and yarn.

Regal Fabrics has a great trim selection.

In the mornings at my hotel, I embellished my wool vase and flowers. It's going to be the front of a sewing roll (like a jewelry roll except for sewing supplies). It's a Sue Spargo pattern.

More later this week on color in Spokane!

 Have a colorful day

Yoga party!

I gathered my yoga friends (and hubbies) for a potluck party last weekend. Here we are in all our glory after eating and drinking for about two hours. I think we were too full at that point to do down dogs.

I whipped up some coasters the night before after I realized that most of my coasters are still packed away from the last move. Nothing complicated or perfect, just colorful.

This first napkin is almost perfect, the only problem being that what she's doing isn't a yoga pose!

But the pink napkin was just right for dessert.

And look at those desserts. There was also a big pan of brownies that didn't fit in the picture.

Our dining room table was loaded to the max with other food. 

Can we say, "Yumaste"?

Jane's polenta, sweet potato, tomato and basil stacks.

Pam's crustless quiches.

My go-to rainbow fruit kebabs.

That's Dave in the middle.
He made chicken and pork satay.

I bought some mums for the back deck because I was hoping to have the party outside, but it was a chilly, drizzly day so we stayed indoors. But they certainly brighten up the deck.

Namaste

Have a colorful day

Reflections

Our friends who live on a lake took us for a late summer cruise earlier this month on a day that looked more like winter. My camera's eye turned the grey reflections into some interesting pictures, many of them looking quite abstract.

But all things considered, I'd rather have sunshine.

Have a colorful day

Woolies color

Monday was our September Woolies meeting, and as usual it was very colorful and inspiring.

I'm leading off with some pincushions that we've been making to donate for sale at the Gig Harbor Quilters show next month. Pam has been collecting little containers for years, and she let us choose some as the bases for our pin cushions. Pam did the wonderful pink elephant in the top photo -- love it!

Here are some of the containers she has collected.

The next two photos are two versions of the same pattern. Carolynn changed her car into a red Volkswagon to honor the red bug that has been in and out of her husband's life for decades.

Linda's version used the car in the pattern, so you can see the difference. The red and grey wool she found for her car is perfect!

Here is Donna's fall block, in the early stages. She is designing a wool applique block for every season this year and I can't wait to see them all together.

Mary has almost completed the blocks 

for her next fabulous quilt.

She does meticulous work.

Here is the pattern: 

"Lotus Joy" by Gretchen Gibbons.

From left: Pam, Mary, Victoria and Linda. 

Besides the inspiration, our meetings are about stitching with friends and indulging in sweet treats, like this end of the season berry buckle made by Victoria. She said it's between a crumble and a cake. Hope you are inspired!

 Have a colorful day

STITCH field trip to Quilted Strait

Five fearless STITCH ladies hit the road yesterday for Port Gamble, about an hour north of Gig Harbor. We were on a mission to shop at the Quilted Strait -- as if we needed more fabric. Mission accomplished!

Linda found a book called, "Art Quilt Collage," and I can't wait to browse through her copy to see if I should get one. Isn't that a cool shopping bag that she made?

Karen and I went straight for the wool corner, because we're both into wool applique. She made the blue jacket that she's wearing.

I bought purple, green and turquoise wool, but it was hard to limit myself.

And look at the oh, shiny, sparkly threads! I had to buy lime green and purple spools for my wool embroidery. This is Sue Spargo's Razzle Dazzle collection.

Anne snapped up this snappy yellow polka dot fabric, along with a mountain of black and white prints. She rarely uses black and white but said she feels like she should give it a try in a future quilt.

I missed getting a picture of Carol shopping -- I think she was outside. 

 The shop is in an old stable and has soaring ceilings that make a great space for quilt display.

On our way to lunch at Scratch, we wandered through the dahlia gardens, which I've featured many times on the blog. They are always spectacular.

Near the dahlias is a luscious purple lacecap hydrangea bush. It was indeed a colorful day.

Have a colorful day