Much time was spent the last few months completing this quilt for my son and daughter-in-law. It is a belated wedding gift. Mike is a mountain climbing, fly fising, outdoors man. Michelle is very much an outdoors woman. Her hobby is photographing wildflowers. They both love Colorado. So in the quilt I included a little bit of everything for each of them. The pattern is a McKenna Ryan pattern (At Home in the Woods), but I took liberties and changed a couple of the blocks and made other modifications to suit me. In the lower center of the quilt I used photo images on fabric and included Mike and Michelle hiking, giving Michelle a sunflower in her hand, then added Mike’s precious dog, Birdy, and Mike with his Land Rover.
Three years ago at their wedding, I asked all of the guests to write a short note on 10 inch square batik pieces of fabric. I saved them and configured them into sixteen squares, bordered with another printed batik and used it for the back of the quilt. I didn’t get a really good picture of the back, but if you look closely you can see there is writing on it. Mike and Michelle were thrilled.
Actually used a teeny tiny real fishing fly for the large mountain/fly fisherman block.
There are mountains, fly fishing, streams with fish, deer, elk, moose, mountain flowers and an Aspen tree….all the things that Mike and Michelle love about Colorado.
Free motion quilted (top stitched) every single tiny little piece on this quilt. It took hours and hours and hours. But Mike and Michelle really love it. They have already hung it in their office at home and intend to decorate the room around the quilt. I guess it was worth all the agonizing and loving hours that went into it.
Til next time…hopefully not two months…..Amities, Averyclaire
It was a long week, but the news is good. They have removed all of the cancer present at this time. Perhaps there were angels watching over us. My DH will begin chemotherapy in September. It will last for seven weeks and then once a month for a year. It is a long road to complete recovery. And always looming over one’s head is the possibility of a reoccurence. But we are grateful for today and are hopeful for the future.
Friday evening I said yes to babysitting two of my grandchildren and the dog. It’s always a delight and an adventure. They were playing out in the yard when I arrived, as they have a big wooden fort built at the back of the acre property. When I didn’t see them anymore, I went out back to be sure they were safe. I found them all playing in the forest behind the property…building a fort of big fallen branches, etc…..every little boys’ dream. However, it had rained for two weeks straight here. My grandson, his friends, and the DOG were covered with MUD!!! Of course, I was wearing a “white” sweatshirt and a “white” jacket. I brought them all up to the house and my grandson said, don’t worry Nana, I know how to clean “Ollie” (the dog). We got the hose out and Noah proceeded to hose down the dog and ME as well….while I wiped all the MUD from Ollie’s paws and underside. By the time we were finished, I was splattered with MUD and my trousers, socks and shoes were soaked clear through! Oh I should have had my camera!! Ah, the price of saying yes to babysitting!
On another note…this weekend I did make excellent progress toward cleaning up my art room and finishing up some mending projects that were waiting for me. I also cut my very first photo mat, and, with my DH’s help, he taught me to cut some wooden framing pieces. I stained the pieces and it all awaits assembly.
My French sampler will soon look beautiful! So all in all, it was a great weekend! Amities, Averyclaire
Happy Spring…Happy Easter to all. On Sunday, my daughter, son-in-law and their two children, and my son and his wife and their two children will be coming for dinner. I am happy to have them and have been already preparing for the day. It is good to be busy with things I love. 
My two days off were most enjoyable. I spent the first day with my two good friends, Joan and Pat. They are the kind of friends that support you…no matter what! We attended a workshop given by 
Just wanted to share with you a surprise gift from my friend Yvette, who lives in Switzerland. It came in the mail totally unexpected. She is such a lovely artist. She painted the beautiful handmade card and knit the lovely socks for me. She included a box of special sharp pins and a pretty calendar of gorgeous mountains. There were also two DELICIOUS chocolate bars (they were gone before I could take a photo.) Thank you again Yvette. What a delight!
My stay at my daughter’s is finished and I am home. While I came home completely exhausted, it was a lovely stay. But I confess to missing the children terribly! I was actually depressed for a day or so. I guess I was so busy that coming home to my own laundry, cleaning, etc., seemed boring next to my chores with the children. They actually surprised me and brought dinner over last evening and visited for a while. The dinner was delicious and it was delightful to have more hugs!! Hopefully life will allow more needlearts again. Averyclaire
No photos still…but I am at my daughter’s home for 12 days taking caring of my grandson and granddaughter and their enormous dog while they are away for a much needed vacation. It is a delight to be with them. I confess to being tired, but I manage a few moments at the computer late at night after the children are in bed. I prefer to be surfing all of your blogs to writing my own, as I haven’t much to say. The routine here is typical of a household with small children…getting them up and ready for school, dropping them off and racing to my own office. Luckily my DH is retired and can be here to look after them when they arrive home from school. Then it’s dinner, homework, baths and bed, with some laundry thrown in for good measure. See didn’t I tell you it was typical? 
Averyclaire 