INSPIRATIONS AND FUN WITH SOME GOOD ADVICE TOO

 While at the CUPCAKES retreat on Whidbey Island I was amazed at how many selvage wedges Laurie got done for a full size quilt! I was happy that she got one with my name on it. She is going to do a bag for me with just my fabric selvages...pretty fun and am I lucky or what???

Each evening we started with something nice to drink and then COLOR on the table and little gifts...it was so very fun!

Those take out containers sure make a pretty presentaion and with a flower tucked in, even better-this was Molly's night....

 Laurie sent me some more Cupcake photos today...hooray. Here is Molly setting the table on her night....pin cushions were in the green boxes and other surprises and the dressed on the backs of chairs were clothespin holders...adorable!

 So, these two photos just sent to me by Laurie show the house we rented at Whidbey Island....Laurie's beautiful baby quilt is on the left (hanging)....I will post some block closeup's below....

 As Eilene hangs her beautiful stars she is making next to my bugs, Susan watches to critique her placement...the kitchen is where Susan is standing....

 Mel with her new sample of the lettering from Out of the Box with easy  blocks...she has instrutions in the book about how to do scrappy and then she put this with letters and used complimentary colors....She looks quite happy in her "cupcake" hat!

 This is the table that Eilene on the right, Mel and I in the corner sewed on...right next to the view...so wonderful! The yoyo quilt in front was a project Mel is working on-the backing is denim and it is heavy...and really cool....maybe you want to make some yoyo's now too!

Below is hoochy pieced letter and star which is in the Out of the Box with Easy Blocks book! Can you see why cheddar is my favorite color? This is part of Mel's new red, white and blue cow quilt....

Molly makes something quite refreshing to drink to go before her dinner.

Below, Susan gave each of us a cow print plastic lined tall glass for iced latte's etc and inside was this adorable cow fabric that we can't wait to make into a cow or something similar...we are hooked and cows and this fabric is adorable! She also gave us hats and Mel got brown...I got red (my favorite color! ...sometimes

Here is a pile of Susan's things...like her fabulous selvage striped purse! And the red dress Molly made her and the New York shopping bag Mel made for her....

This photo is fuzzy but Molly bought us each a pencil with a tiara on it from Harrod's in England...I LOVE this!

Here is a quilt that Susan started in my Asilomar class and it is going to have large sunflowers coming out of the vase...her cats name was "Margaret Thatcher" (she passed away and this is a story quilt about her and the vase and Susan didn't want to leave her dog out.

Here are Laurie's blocks done for her future Grandchild....aren't they something? Such perfection and such a lovely color combination for a sweet baby!

Sorry if I posted this table before but it is such a good idea...hats as a gift in the water glasses and see the cow cups I mentioned earlier??? Lovely colors and always good food

Looking out the window as I iron...

I wanted my photo taken here because the graphic was so cool..and I do like a cup of coffee now and again

Susan always has such great ideasand she made some fairly large blocks of many dresses for her Granddaughter...it is going to be a large quilt with a beautiful happy pink in between all of these darling blocks...everything she does is wonderful and you always smile at her work.

Salad and champagne plus cool stuff to take home....

Who is that behind those Foster Grants? OH I guess it's Susan....

Mel made another Cupcake sample to travel from the pattern in Out of the Box with Easy Blocks....isn't this adorable? Nice gift idea too!

 Susan ,Molly and Eilene wait at the restaurant for sweet potato fries and sandwiches to split in Forst Gamble....

I had to take a photo of this banana slug right outside the quilt shop in Port Orchard...we managed to buy plenty of fabric anyhow...watch where you walk I say-that is MY foot there

This is one of the quilt shops we visited (in Port Gamble) outside and inside...found lots of good fabrics there....

Eilene brought her Christmas Santa quilt to show us...adorable!

If you haven't gotten these crackers, I highly recommend them! Susan bought them at Costco and they are fabulous!

My things packed and ready to go home with Eilene until I get home-I flew and she drove...I had two suitcases full of fabric.....

Molly brings her things in to pack her bags and fly back to California until we meet next year for year number 14. It was another lovely time with lovely people who are thankful for their many blessings and the idea that we are all quilters who love to create and have fun! Hope this gave you some inspiration to try something fun, new, colorful, bright or maybe to cook for some friends or just get together to laugh and enjoy life. DON'T dwell on the unhappy events in the news...dwell on what is right and GOOD in the world....you will be healthier and happier!

Nest year we will be going to Sister's and Bend Oregon for our Cupcake get together...we plan to sew all week and go to the picnic and end with the quilt show before going home to sew like the wind after the inspiration....such fun. Hope it isn't too hot and that it doesn't rain like it did this year. We are all going to enter a quilt into their show....we'll see if they are hung where you can see them or high on some tall building where you need binoculers for a view.....