A couple of finishes at the retreat

I've been working on this for ......well let's just say I've been working on this a while.  But I finished the top at the recent retreat.  It's 108" x 96" and will be the bedspread for our king sized bed.  It's currently at the Long Arm Quilter.

This one was also finished at the retreat.  It will go to a veteran on Veteran's day in November.  Also currently being quilted.  My own design.

Another retreat!

It seems like I'm retreating a lot these days!  But I get SO MUCH done when I attend these 3 day retreats.  This one has become a bi-annual (that means twice a year, right?).  Or maybe that's semi-annual.  I can never remember which is which.  Anyway, the Bluebird Lane Retreat Center is not far from home.  They provide all the food.  It's set up so nicely with tables, comfy chairs and Ott lamps for each person!  The beds and bathrooms are wonderful!

My beautiful daughter got to join me this time and she finished this quilt she's been working on for quite a while.  It's a little hard for her to get time to work on quilts while she's raising 3 boys (on of them is a teenager!)

I helped her cut out this one with my AccuQuilt cutter and she pieced it quick as a bunny!

And here we are enjoying the beautiful sunset.  More later on what I got done.

Bahama Mama T

I finished this little wallhanging that I started at the Laura Wasilowski workshop sponsored by my guild in July. Laura was a great teacher/speaker and was very entertaining.

I don't always give my quilts names but I decided to name this one "Bahama Mama T".  (Mama T is what my grands call me).  Bahama comes from the trip I took to the Bahamas in January.  During that trip I made my first (and probably my last) attempt at snorkeling.  It ended rather badly with me having a panic attack as soon as I saw the reef.  So this quilt is my rendition of what I think it probably looked like.....more or less.

Everything in this quilt is fused and then hand embroidery stitches are added.  I quilted it with rayon thread.  I especially love my little dolphin.  I saw him in The Bahamas and he didn't cause me to have a panic attack!

Sad

I've been gone for a while. Twice.  My father-in-law was in the hospital in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago so Tim and I went to see what we could do to help.  We soon realized that the situation was not good.  We spent about four days there and came home a couple of weeks ago.  I think that's right,  I barely know what day it is. Two days later he passed away.  So the last week has been filled with funeral plans, funeral home visitation and a funeral.  Bud will be very much missed by all of us.  He was my husband's stepfather, but Tim has known him for nearly 50 years and I've known him for 40.  He was a wonderful "Paw Paw" to our kids and grand kids.  May he rest in peace.

Here we are in one of his boats back in the 90's.

And here are he and Carol at my son's high school graduation in 2003.

With my older daughter:

And with my younger daughter when she was about 13.

And here's the last picture I took of him when we were with him in July.