Celebrations and Lots of Blocks

Busy week around here.  I posted a week ago about it being our youngest Daughter's Birthday.  That was on 6/27,

 Then on 7/3 was my Dad's Birthday.

  I didn't get to celebrate with him yet, however we are going to see him in a couple of weeks. The picture above was from his Birthday last year when he turned 80.

Then of course yesterday was 4th of July.  We didn't do a lot, however did go over to our neighbors house and watch them set off some little fireworks.  This is Bev and her Daughter.

We did get to do a sparkler - :)

And then Today was my Grandma on my Mom's sides Birthday.   When I was a child we would always go camping at a place called Medicine Lake in Northern California with these Grandparents and we would always celebrate the two birthdays Her's and my Dad's.  And of course the 4th.

This side of their house here in this picture, was where I spent many hours playing while the adults conversed.  She would have been 104 today.  

So  what else have I been up to?  A lot of hand work.  I'm still working on my Block of the Weeks that I started on.  Saturday and Sunday I got the next two blocks for the Bee-Utiful QAL and got them prepped.  I am actually really close to having the cake done and should finish that up today and start on the cat in a hat.   :)  The next blocks come out on Sunday and Monday before we leave.  I will prep them to take with me to stitch.

And since I found out which UFO was selected for the month (Christmas Quilt by Cheri Payne) I worked on getting a lot of prepping of those blocks so that I could take them on the trip with me for hand work in the car.  I, like many others have substituted several of the blocks with other blocks she has done and some she has not.  

Here is the original picture as the pattern was written:

 Here is one of the variations that I'm gleaning ideas from:  

So I got stuff together to do the Mitten Tree on the left side of the quilt, and the row of snowmen at the top middle right.   Then on the original picture there is a snowman on the bottom off center to the right I got him ready. The blocks are part cotton and part wool.  I already had the crow and the large pear (bottom right) prepped so I will be taking them as well.

Mitten Tree fixings.  

 Top Snowmen row

 Bottom Snowman.  

Then Here is the next block in the Farmhouse Threads Harvest Mystery BOW. The next block is coming out on Friday and I'll try to prep it before we leave, but I think this one will take me a little while to stitch.  It is 12x24.  :)

 And along with all of that I went shopping and picked up a few items.  It has been a while since I've shopped and since I met up with some of my sewing friends it made it more fun.  Most of the ones in the top picture will be used in my primitive UFO's. 

Then the panel below was just too cute so I had to get it.  

 And we visited some friends, to pick up a picture that he had drawn for our great grandson.  

Carter loves the Ninja Turtles - Isn't this neat.   

Well today I'm going to lunch with a couple of my other sewing friends. Since the other quilt shop moved we haven't been going to our Tuesday sit and sew.  So we are getting together for lunch to catch up.  In the fall or maybe end of August we'll probably start back up at the new quilt store doing the sit n sew.  But it has been nice having the extra time to get stuff done at home.

Later I will work on finishing the Bee-Utiful block and starting the next ... And I do need to do the hand stitching on the train quilt binding if I want to give it to him while we are there.   Like I've said I've got lots of hand work going on.  I will post picture of my finished blocks as I get them done.
Hope you have a Blessed day!
Lynn