Week 15 - April 12 - 18

Saturday - at the Tied House (with Grandpa) in Mountain View

Sunday???

Monday - cleaning out my desk (Christmas card ideas) 

Tuesday - California rolls !!

Wednesday - Elephants on Parade!!

 Thursday - Heinz advertisement

Friday - Coconut Rum from Saint Martin

New Beginnings ... April

If you have started a new project or if you are thinking about starting one, link up and share what you're up to ...

So, this month I started on a baby girl quilt for my YD's boyfriend's brother's baby.  Okay, the truth be told, I started the quilt on March 31st, but I decided that I would still call it my April quilt.

Here is the layout.  (Yes, you recognize the fabric from the Pink Elephants quilt made last year.)  This one will be called Elephants on Parade.

I purchased the backing, border and binding fabric last week.

And because of the need for a quick turn around (they are going to visit the baby next weekend), I finished the quilting on Sunday and the binding last night.

Now to work on my March quilt ...

Week 14: April 5 - 11

 

Saturday - Bird of Paradise

 Sunday - the other cat

 Monday - Baseball

No Tuesday picture :(.

 Wednesday - Monsters - backing??

 Thursday - monkey bars

 

Friday - something fishy

Improv Quilt

So, yesterday I got home from work and there was a package on the bed.

I knew I hadn't ordered anything so I ignored it (I figured my YD had gotten something).  As I was going to bed, I moved the package and realized that it hadn't been opened -- I then looked and saw my name on it!! A package from Katie (my niece).  A squishy package!!

After pulling all the goodies out of the package, I found the card with instructions. Basically we will be making two improv quilts, one for her and one for me.  She sent the starter fabrics and I'll make a couple of blocks for her quilt and a couple for mine and then send them back to her and she'll make a couple and so on and so on.

I didn't take the fabrics out and photograph them, nor did I wait for decent lighting so that you (and I) can see what beautiful and fun fabrics they are, but here's my bag...

and here's Katie's.

Not sure if this quilt will be my April start or the baby quilt that I have to start and finish in the next couple of weeks .. which I actually started on 3/31 but I'm going to call it my April start.  (Please don't send the quilt police out after me -- they'll find so many other violations as well.)

Week 13 - March 29 - April 4

Saturday -- blue heron?

Sunday - nada

Monday - Singer & buttons & Judy Bolton

 Tuesday - Bo in the house

 Wednesday - Me & Cooper

Thursday - Mark's Birthday

Friday - the bottle we didn't open

Wine Tasting - Livermore Edition

After our walk at Shoreline last weekend, we drove up to Livermore to do some wine tasting.  Not quite the same as Napa, but interesting just the same.  I confess that I continue to be surprised at the differences between wineries.

Our first stop was Nottingham Cellars to pick up a few bottles.  I didn't get any good pictures inside the tasting room -- except for the one with the barrels in the back.  We weren't invited back to the barrels.  *sigh*

Next up was 3 Steves.  Great name, and a great location. 

You can't really see the vines yet .. they're just starting to grow for the season (is that the right terminology -- probably not). 

Next was Boa Ventura.  A rather interesting place, in a barn, with a chocolate lab running around greeting people.  Lots of wines to taste here.  A family business, with the kids drawing pictures on the bags.

Last up for the day was Cuda Ridge.  "cuda" stands for Barracuda -- the car I think.  Apparently, the owner has a purple 'cuda. 

I found it interesting that at three of the wineries we went to, the owners were behind the counter pouring the wine and talking to the customers.  Much more personal than Napa.  I guess that's because it's a smaller community.

And our final stop was for a snack before heading home...

Weekend Update

I've been so busy, what with going to wineries and playing candy crush that I haven't taken the time to post about all the goings on.

Last Saturday (March 22) our walk took us to Shoreline .. I'm not sure of the official name of the trail.  It was a decent walk, but not particularly interesting and probably not worth repeating.

This past Wednesday's cocktail was a Raspberry Mojito.

Another good one.  I think this is my husband's favorite, so far. The ingredients were:

Black raspberry chambord
Lime
Mint leaves
Sugar
Rum
Soda water

I think that's right.  The recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, but according to my expert tasters, we needed more (so I upped it to 2 teaspoons).

Week 12 - March 22 - 28

Saturday - Biker??

 Sunday - Aunt Sarah's Quilt

Monday - oops  

 Tuesday - clouds

Wednesday - Happy Birthday Robin!!

Thursday - Flowers
 

Friday - Run or Dye packet pickup