Shirley Anne’s Heart

Posted By drsao on March 17, 2009

The regularly scheduled Thimbleberries Club meeting was pre-empted by the great Midlothian, Virginia SNOW OF March, 2009.  It is called a BONUS…..SNOW FUN AND THIMBLEBERRIES FUN!   I missed the snow – I flew to California just HOURS before it started to snow, but I made it home in time for the THUMBLELINA CLUB (my daughter’s pet name for us!)

Susan announced that a new BIRTH OF A SAMPLER Class is starting soon – it is a 9-month class taught by Sherry Whitford.  I LOVED this class and learned SO MUCH.  I recommend it!    You can call Quilter’s Corner to reserve your place in the class.   Here is Susan’s BIRTH OF A SAMPLER….I love her fabrics.

Susan's BIRTH OF A SAMPLER

I made one too!  There are many choices at each round – so everyone’s quilt looks a little bit different.  By the way, Susan chose my fabrics too.  She is good, isn’t she?!

Sao's BIRTH OF A SAMPLER

I loved the show and tell this month – WE HAD LOTS TOO……I think those Thimbleberrie Bucks are a GOOD THING!

Carolyn did a great and inspiring demo on how to make a SPLIT-NINE-PATCH quilt.  And we ALL KNOW that that is exactly what a quilt enthusiast loves is MORE INSPIRATION.  🙂  This looks like a lot of fun – I can’t wait to make one!

Not only was the meeting a lot of fun but the desserts were great too – I especially loved the whipped cream on the strawberries.  YUM!

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Category: Future Quilt Inspiration, Quilt Shops, Quilter's Corner, Thimbleberries Club | No Comments »
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Posted By drsao on March 15, 2009

We had a great time at our Country Peicemaker’s March Quilt Guild  meeting in Powhatan, VA on Saturday .  I REALLY enjoyed the show and tell section this month – and I think Colleen may have finished the most projects – recovering from knee surgery gave her a forced sitting down vacation.  A few happy pills may have contributed to the successful outcome too.  🙂

Sara and Heidi are inspiring me  – check out their quilt labels in the pictures – they just look so nice.  I think I will turn over a new leaf and see what I can create from now on – I hereby pledge  (from this day forward)  to  make ONLY quilts with labels!

I didn’t  get one of the BEST PICTURES of all from Saturday – the table laden with green food.  I thought of it after I got home – how beautiful the food was.  If you USE your imagination you can “see” how wonderful and creative our St. Patrick’s Day celebration was.  Kudos to the creators of the pretty and tasy food.

Enjoy the pictures and take special note of the raffle quilt that Donna made – it is amazing.   I am impressed that she made a STAR with a log cabin pattern.   I also really love Sara’s ORANGE CRUSH QUILT designed by our friend, Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville!  🙂  Heidi’s baby quilt ON THE GO – is delightful.   You know what – they were ALL GOOD!   Remember to click twice to see the pictures in large screen size.

Next month we are looking forward to a TRUNK SHOW LECTURE by Mary Kerr on “Motherless Quilts.”  Maybe I will take TWO cameras with me in April!

Category: Country Piecemakers, March 09, Sewing Machines | No Comments »
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Posted By drsao on March 15, 2009

WARNING WARNING – this is a family blog report – so if you aren’t family you may want to skip this one!

With the Starks I had some GREAT BEACH TIME.  We went to both Balboa Island and Laguna Beach……..and I loved loved loved the walks with my DD, Jan, in Corona Del Mar…..I just happened to have my cameras (yes I took three cameras – can you BELIEVE IT)  to take pictures of the sunset on our walk.  I love to be with Jan – we have so much in common and laugh a lot.  We both oooh and aaah at the beautiful things that we see – even if we have seen them a million times before.  Our time ended too soon!

I missed seeing Grandangel Brennan – busy with his activities at USC and Grandangel Lacy who is entertaining everyone at Berkeley (she is my LACY LUCY!) – but I got to celebrate with my grandangel Chase as he got his acceptance letter to USC next year.  I don’t know if this will be his choice – but it was ever so much fun to be there when the mail came!

Caden – who I BELIEVE is now a tad bit taller than my DSIL, Gary, is working hard in Track at Mater Dei High School.  Caden is a VERY sweet boy….just love being around him.

A big highlight of my trip was getting to go to Collin’s (6th grade grandangel) costume parade at school.  He is playing the part of the father in THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!  The costumes were great and I had so much fun.  I will miss the performance at the end of this month – but oh would I have LOVED to have heard Collin sing his solo and his duet!!!

I got to read to Jannae’s preschool class (I didn’t take pictures of this) but it was WACKY WEDNESDAY and I should have taken pictures.  The kids were ever so cute – and I read THE HIPPOPOTAMUS WHO ATE THE TEACHER.  All I can say is that it is a GOOD THING that I exercise or I never would have gotten up from the stack of pillows on the floor in the reading corner.  :):)

Enjoy my pictures and click on them to see the enlarged version.

Category: SAO's Family, SAO's Grandangels, Starks CA 03 09 | No Comments »
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Posted By drsao on March 15, 2009

If you aren’t family – THIS IS A WARNING – skip this blog entry!

Have you heard the expression – HAVING MORE FUN THAN A BARREL FULL OF MONKEYS?  Been there – done that.  I had many LOVELY moments while visiting my kids and grandangels in California the first half of March.  I took HUNDREDS OF PICTURES…..anyone surprised?  First we will visit the Johnsons in Lake Forest, CA.

My, oh my, it is always AMAZING all over again for me to venture out onto the CA freeways – 8 lanes going QUICKLY in both directions – and CA drivers honk too!  Don’t ask!  But the beauty makes up for it…..I took lots of pictures but will only show a few.  First the mountains and the palm trees.

NO SMOG - mountains can be seen everywhere in Lake Forest, CA

Lake Forest Palm Trees

Aren’t they magestic!? 

OK – so enough of the SCENERY – now for the family news.

Harry 14 had changed the most – OH MY – he is taller than I am!  He recently got glasses and so when I saw him at the airport I could NOT believe my eyes.  My mouth was open all the way down the escalator!  Just LOOK AT THOSE LONG LEGS!

Harry 14 Playing the Guitar

It turns out that Harry has become a BABE MAGNET (I learned all the kolio lingo on this trip too) – he was in a drama program at his intermediate school – a series of skits and he sang, danced and RECEIVED A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL all in one night……NO KIDDING!

Harry Dances

Harry the Babe Magnet

Yes – he got a marriage proposal – I just could not believe my 8th grade grandangel being a babe magnet – the girls literally SCREAMED his name  when he went on stage  (I had to laugh, Rob – my son – said, “Harry is LIVING MY LIFE!!”)

Marriage Proposal

William turned 11 while I was there – and that was my reason for going to CA in March.  Here he is – the future famous chef…..William.

Here he is 10 years old

William turned 11 March 4

Rob Watches Will Slice the Tomatos

My Pasta and Tomato Casserole

William liked his LOST ON THE ROAD AGAIN QUILT!

William with LOST ON THE ROAD AGAIN QUILT

Vincent – my 8 year old 3rd grader grandangel has a HUGE IMAGINATION and never ending spirit – he  entertained me nonstop!  He has loved dinosaurs forever.

Vincent at the Park

Vincent and the LIFESIZED DINOSAUR that I knitted

He and James (6 year old first grader) enjoyed the breakfast fairy’s visit….and I taught them to eat cereal the “FUN WAY” – out of a glass with a straw.   Yes, try it, it REALLY IS MORE FUN!

The Breakfast Fairy Came

Shirley Anne learned to eat Cereal in a Glass

It was fun to be there and watch James choose prized possessions to share at school each day – he was Star Student of the week!

James was Student of the Week

We played on the WII FIT, rode the merry-go-round, played in the water fountains at Irvine Spectrum,  and played ball in the house! 

Oh the places you go and the people that you meet! 

My time in California was EVER SO SWEET!

Rob and James on the REINDEER (Merry Go Round)

One of the funniest things was having 4 year old Shirley Anne TAKE ME ON A WALK TO GO SHOPPING.  She promised me that she knew the way but I was WORRIED because my kids had moved and I was not familiar with their geographical location (I didn’t take my GPS to CA with me and so I knew that I would be FOREVER LOST if Shirley Anne REALLY DID NOT KNOW how to go shopping AND get us back home again.)  SO….I took my camera and took pictures along the way (my version of dropping bread crumbs.)  She took me on a TWO MILE WALK to shop and then eat ice cream…..did I mention that the walk was TWO MILES EACH WAY.  Yes, I took lots of pictures and I was wearing flip flops.  Oh, and by the way, we did make it back!!!

Here are the highlights of our WALKING ADVENTURE!

Shirley Anne's Walk Dropping Breadcrumbs...Still Walking......

Are we There Yet?

Someone was ready for ice cream!

My DIL, Lil,  treated us to a pedicure – not mentioning any names – but one of us had blisters between her toes.  LOL!

sao, Lil, and Shirley Anne Getting Pedicures

And TA DA – here is the Daddy of these five grandangels wearing what I call his SIGNATURE “GRANDPA SWEATERS.”

Rob in his Signature Sweater Look!

Category: Johnsons CA 3 09, SAO's Family, SAO's Grandangels | No Comments »
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Posted By drsao on February 28, 2009

WOW…there were cars and QC fans everywhere this morning as Quilter’s Corner in Midlothian, VA opened its doors at 10 AM….the official GRAND OPENING.

I just had to go back and help celebrate!!!!!  The shop is really wonderful – lots of new fabrics, beautiful quilts hanging on the wall – and kits available!  It just makes me FEEL GOOD to go inside this quilt shop…..it is spacious, light and cheery – you know, the kind of place that you can’t go into and leave again without a smile on your face.   I had a BIG SMILE on my face as I left today with my DOOR PRIZE.  :):)

Enjoy the pictures….and remember to click twice for a larger view of each picture!

Category: Quilt Shops, Quilter's Corner | 1 Comment »
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