Dress Up as a Girl?

Here kitty kitty!

Pumpkins?

BOO!

A tisket a tasket . . . some brown & pink baskets

If you are still reading after my lengthy absence - thank you for stopping by . . . and thank you to those of you who have left comments - I really appreciate them. I LOVE knowing that you are reading my blog!

Seven Days of Tricks or Treats starts here tomorrow . . . I hope you will enjoy my Halloween vignettes!
xoxx, Renée

Baby Steps . . . a little bit of progress on this new quilt

In August here in AZ any rational quiltmaker would be sitting at her sewing machine piecing a quilt in air conditioned comfort but this horse riding has turned me into a crazy person - out in the 110 degree temperatures . . . but having soooo much fun! Giddy Up!
xoxx, Renée

Wirework

I made this little "easy link" bracelet a few days ago while I was contemplating my new pattern designs. It is ready to add some charms - some more jewelry play . . . perhaps I am my own worst enemy - venturing off to play with every possible distraction! Fall Quilt Market is only 8 1/2 weeks away and even though there IS a plan - actual progress is less than a snail's pace! It has been sooooo hot here lately that an afternoon siesta is quite inviting though I have resisted MOST of the time. Hoping to post a little peek at some blocks soon for one of the two new quilts. The strips are cut and ready for the EZ Angle ruler to slice them into half square triangles - ready, set, SEW!
xoxx, Renée

New Fabrics from Marcus Brothers Textiles

Civil War Classics

Charleston IV 1850-1865

Civil War Dressing Gowns

. . . and these earrings (Nina style) are a little birthday gift I made for my friend, Joan . . . she is quite the cowgirl - even team ropes - she is a heeler for those of you in the know. Very impressive I think since just getting on and staying on the horse is enough of a challenge for me.
xoxx, Renée

Adorable Nieces

My brother, his wife and three daughters stopped for a quick visit on their way from CA back home to OH. This is a picture of those cute girls - such nice young ladies as well! It was good to see them all even though it was very brief.

An update on my recent health issues . . . close your eyes or change bloglines if perhaps this is TOO much information - . . . it seems that my new diagnosis and treatment is in direct conflict to the previous overzealous one. Thankfully my volatile blood pressure (a blessing in disguise) put brakes on the impending surgery and with further investigation (a second opinion) it appears that I only need a minor little procedure. THANK YOU TAMMY for your VERY wise thoughts.

xoxx, Renée

The Country Loft

Is this the sweetest house? It is the home of The Country Loft in La Mesa, CA - if you love primitives, antiques and plaids then you won't want to miss visiting this shop. All of the darling girls who make this shop special will welcome you and make you feel right at home. There is a new photo album of my visit this weekend on the sidebar. Thank you to Kathy for being such a wonderful hostess - her home is sooooooo wonderful & she is a DOLL! Sweet JoAnn, the other shop manager (and Kathy's sister), went on a camping trip with her husband and grandchildren so I missed visiting with her. Sharon, the shop owner-antique buyer extraordinaire, and Kathy kept everything in order including me for another fun workshop weekend. I drove over on Friday and made it in record time - that even included a quick stop and visit with an Arizona Highway Patrol Officer to let me know I was going a "little bit too fast" - he was kind enough to give me a "warning" rather than a ticket. Three cheers for Officer Holstman - the rest of the trip I used the cruise control to ward off any additional unscheduled stops. Singing along with some new tunes from Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Sara Evans made the road trip fly by. Back home again and ready to get started on Fall pattern projects - maybe I can be a "little bit too fast" on that! What a GRAND idea!
xoxx, Renée

Still HOT outside and still doing a little riding!

Our riding friends, Steve and Joan, are recuperating from shoulder surgery (Steve) and a broken foot (Joan) so Bob and I have had to forge our own trail . . . check out that cowgirl hat - from Target! Bob is perplexed at my renewed interest (28 year interval) in the horses, in fact I am a bit surprised myself. There isn't any real explanation for it - just a little fun for a girl in Scottsdale, AZ - "The West's Most Western Town."

xoxx, Renée

Precious Metal Clay

a necklace started ala Nina Bagley style

earrings . . . with the Nina knot

The charms on the left are stamped little nests with eggs . . . this is my first PMC clay attempt - just what I need another creative outlet - HA! Thanks Lisa - you know it's your fault!

Bob is off on a fly fishing trip to Lee's Ferry, so yesterday I went to the first showing of Hairspray with a friend. The music was great - it was very entertaining - always my idea of a good movie. Bob and I saw Live Free, Die Hard on Saturday before he left . . . also enjoyable if you think of it as a comedy. LOL Caution: use my reviews if you are the sort that likes mindless entertainment! My theory is if I want to think or be depressed I will read the newspaper. I just added Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts to my iPod . . . she rocks! LOVE "Before He Cheats on ME" the lyrics make me laugh EVERY time! A perfect work out tune!
xoxx, Renée

Bessie

shhhh . . . this is obsessive Bessie - she is my contribution for a mail swap and I sent them today to the others that are participating. The only parameter was to use fabric - she was fun to create - it was nice to play with fabric and paper.

My house looks like we had a tornado - while the thermometer is topping out around 110 degrees every day this week I decided to sort all the mountains of stuff that have crept in to every nook and cranny. WHAT A MESS! What in the world was I thinking!
xoxx, Renée

Paris to the Moon
Costa Mesa, CA

Darren & Kerri

Last weekend I was in Southern CA with my friend Lisa for some journaling workshops with Teesha Moore. Before the Sat. & Sun workshops got underway we went on a shopping adventure Friday. We stayed at the Residence Inn in Manhattan Beach and headed south to Costa Mesa. The first stop was at a fun shop . . . Paris to the Moon . . . an eclectic mix of jewelry, glitter, aprons & art. Darren & Kerri are the shop keepers of this very cool store. Watch for Kerri's new book, Crowns & Tiaras, release date in August. Lisa and I found a few treasures here first then we went to Orange for some antiquing. My favorites in Orange are Country Roads Antiques and Down Home American Country. Don't miss these shops if you are vacationing in Orange County . . . treasures are just waiting for your arrival!
xoxx, Renée

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you all a happy and safe 4th of July . . . summer is in full warmth (113 degrees today) here in the Southwest . . .

Our website is back in service and there are even a few new photos of workshops coming up in August at the Country Loft (La Mesa, CA) and in Oct for Boxwood & Berries at the Country Sampler (Spring Green, WI) - I hope some of you can join me.
xoxx, Renée

Primitives of the Midwest Day 2

Pat Sloan, Me, Lynda Hall & Sue Spargo

. . .ready for a little dinner after another full day of fun! Is it my imagination or do we all look a little tired? A little food and perhaps a Culver's custard will certainly revive us!

Lovely Shopkeeper Ms. Rita & Me - Quilter's Station is such a great SHOP! Don't miss visiting this shop if you are in the Kansas City area!

Jane, Mary, Susie, Rita & Karen

Nancy & Lori working hard on Picking Cherries

Nancy, Judy & Lori

Off to pack so I will be ready to catch my plane back to AZ as soon as class is over tomorrow. It will be sad to say good- bye to all my new & old friends here in MO.
xoxx, Renée

Primitives of the Midwest
Lee's Summit, MO - Day 1
put on by Rita Briner's fabulous shop Quilter's Station

This is Clara's class! What a fun day . . . these are some of the most delightful girls you could ever spend a day with. We stitched and laughed and had a wonderful time . . . (from the left Denise, Laura, Nancy J, Marie, Susan, Me, Ellen, Lori & Nancy C). That was the morning of fun then I met my darling friend, Jo Morton, (yes THE Jo Morton) for a little antiquing fun in Greenwood, MO. (yes, yes Nancy from Thousand Oaks, CA I know "darling" is a bit overused in my vocabulary tsk tsk but they/you are ALL DARLINGS!) Then it was dinner with Sue Spargo, Cherie Ralston and Pat Sloan - (yes, yes THE Sue Spargo, THE Cherie Ralston and THE Pat Sloan) - DARLING girls! okay okay I can't help it they are DARLING! Then there was stitching and visiting in the lobby of the Hampton Inn. Can you think of a better time? Sweet dreams . . . night night!
xoxx, Renée

. . . and yes dear I know we are going to be downsizing so I passed up all the primitive treasures EXCEPT the ones that were almost FREE!

Window Dressing at Zoe's Trunk

Too bad I don't know how to take a photo through glass but maybe you can still get the idea of how the windows look.

xoxx, Renée

More from Cotton & Chocolate

Stacy, Marilyn & Jerry - Cotton and Chocolate Quilt Shop is a family affair!

Precious Camryn and her adoring grandmother, Mary!

Margie and her wonderful Strippy Quilt from last year! These darling ladies brought lots of their wonderful projects from last year to share. I LOVE THAT! Thank you girls! There will be a new Cotton & Chocolate photo album with all their projects here on the side bar very soon. Somehow I can't seem to get the link correct - !!??!?!!
Sally's darling husband, Dan stopped by for a quick visit with us after golfing! What a cutie and such a nice fellow too!

I spent this morning setting up a window display at Zoe's Trunk quilt shop in Chandler, AZ. The photos weren't very good because of the glass reflection - I will work on the glare and hopefully post those tomorrow!
xoxx, Renée

A Day at Cotton & Chocolate

Here we are at the end of the first workshop . . . these Sweet Emma dolls still need their clothes but they are close to being finished. We ate and stitched and laughed and played all day long - we had a purely delightful day together! What more could a girl ask for? Most of us went for a delicious early dinner at Cisco's . . . . right across the parking lot - mmmmm Mexican cuisine! These girls really know how to have fun!

Sally, Debbi and Mary - darling ladies!Sweet Emma with her kits and that cute little box filled with tiny spools of thread was a gift from sweet Debbi - WHAT a LUCKY Girl I AM! Thank you Ms. Debbi!

Cindy, Fran, Cheri and Margie - adorable ladies! Sleep is calling - better get some rest for another fun day tomorrow filled with laughter.

xoxx, Renée