Bugs, Treasures and the Beauty of Family and Lopez Island-Being Thankful Always feels GOOD

I am always thankful for friends who become like family. Laura, my friend in Texas is this typoe of friend along with her sister Charlotte. They are story quilters that take my workshops and make me smile etc. They have good sentiments and are funny too.

Laura knows my five year old Granddaughter has LOVED bugs since she was two and she draws bugs, saves the ones floating in the swimming pool, holds bees in her hand and talks to them (has never ever been stung), and love creept beetles etc.

So, this week we got two wonderful pillowcases from Laura for her. Look at this delightful fabric! I took them over today and made one little five year old very very happy. You might think about this for someone you know. A pillowcase is a lovely gift and with the fabric out there look at the variety!

Isn't this fun to think a little girl who loves pink and fancy dresses would love bugs too-sahe is crazy about this fabric! Me too!

Below I took a photo of the ferry that came to take me, my daughter in law and two of my Grandchildren to Lopez Island for a nice vacation of five days with my son's family

Below is my lovely daughter in law with two of my Grandchildren

After gathering buckets of shells, we decided to switch it up. My husband and son brought over the bikes and other things and we all went down to another beach. This beach has the most beautiful rocks you have ever seen. You can cover a bird house with them, make a little pile on your coffee table in a pretty tray or put some in your garden as a memory of a lovely trip.

 I started collecting only flat round ones and then I started a collection of pretty green ones, kind of a jade color. I will spray them with varish so they keep their lovely color like they are wet.

Here is part of the family looking for their own treasures...this is agate beach so they are looking for those too

We searched for trasures in the daytime and each night we played games like Apples to Apples and trivial pursuit and we made up questions too. It was so much fun laughing together and discussing things we learned from the cards. Fresh air and time together. What could be nicer? Now I am home, and cutting out a story quilt and am anxious to get my fish from the fish swap in my chatroom on Yahoogroups.com

I think an ocean story quilt with free and easy pieced fish will be right up my alley.

Every day provides something fun for a story quilt.

I started with bug pillowcases and I am ending up with the t-shirt front I bought for my Grandson. I buy bug things knowing that even when they are outgrown, my Granddaughter can use the images for her drawings etc. Who knew that bugs would give me so many quilt ideas....stay tuned for an up coming BUG story quilt!

What did you do this week that you might want to do as a little diary quilt? So much to tell about our lives and such lovely fabric out there too!