Grassy Creek Mystery, Part Four!

Happy Friday, Quiltvillians!

Another week has flown by, and it is time again for another Grassy Creek Mystery clue!

I took this photo of one of my favorite scenes, just down the road from the cabin, on my way to Quiltville Inn and the QPO.

I love passing by this house in all seasons, but by far - fall is the most glorious.

ALL of our Grassy Creek colors are represented in this one favorite photo - even the grey of the storm clouds moving in don't take away from the brilliance of the autumn color palette.

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The Snow Day that Wasn't...

The white winter wonderland didn't really happen.

I had envisioned inches of white and fluffy wonderfulness - and what we got was freezing rain and a build up of treacherous ice that had tree limbs cracking under the weight.

I did make the right decision to stay home and not go anywhere - Rain on top of ice is nothing to take lightly when it comes to mountain road driving.  Or driving ANYWHERE for that matter.

No, it was best for everyone to just stay put at the cabin and work from home.

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Quilting Before the Storm!

There was a flurry of activity at the QPO yesterday.

The big news has been looming for days - that Wednesday/Thursday could provide us with 3 to 5 inches of ice and snow and other "wintery mix" weather.

For the first time in years - with no travel ahead that weather could impede - I'm actually giddy about the first real dumping of the year.

Earlier in the month we had just a skiff - just enough to make things pretty around here. But it didn't stay long, no more than 24 hours, unless you were standing "where the sun don't shine."

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That Little Road Trip - (And TWO Gift-Aways!)

On Friday I took a little getaway.

Sometimes you just have to!

Part Three of our Grassy Creek Mystery had just gone live -

All of the mail that I could get out was out.

(And yes, the Simple Folded Corners rulers arrived YESTERDAY so I'll be caught up on all outgoing orders by closing time today. Hooray!)

And I just needed a long drive in the abundant sunshine.

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In the Finishing Line Up!

I spent my weekend doing this!

It didn't take long really - the main little string block centers are the "middle" cut-outs from behind my recent hexie star applique finished a couple of months back.

It was only September.  It feels much farther back than that.

Does your year feel twice as long, too?

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Quiltmaker Bundle Gift-Away!

I think it's time for another fun Gift-Away!

I hope to keep the fun rolling through the month of December - bring on the holiday quilting spirit!

And though the two fabulous magazines shown here are full of holiday cheer - it's all about Valentines Day and spring projects (OH YES, can we get there please?!) but this will give you time to MAKE those projects over the long winter months ahead.

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Grassy Creek Mystery, Part 3!

Welcome Back, Quiltvillians!

I am hearing from many of you that you are enjoying a much more relaxed pace this mystery go-round.

I am so glad you think so.

There have been many realizations during this whole year.  The biggest one for me was that I have been running at break-neck speed for the entirety that this blog has been running. 15 1/2 years now.  Good gracious - who would think it would take something like a global Covid pandemic to make me finally realize that the go go go I had been going on was just not sustainable long term.

I have discovered that I like life in the "normal" lane, instead of always in the "fast" lane. We'll leave the "slow" lane for when I am MUCH older! LOL!

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Road Trippin' for Books!

This is Ivy giving me "The Look" as I hauled in heavy box after heavy box full of my personal book library.

I've been wanting to do this for quite a while, but it needed to wait - previous 200 mile round trip jaunts to Wallburg NC from here have dealt with the moving of the stash and studio items.

THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE TO GO! (Is there a stronger word than daunting?)

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In a Pressing Conundrum.

Sometimes pressing doesn't go the way our brains think it should!

Things like "Always press to the dark."  "Always spin the centers of four-patches and hourglass units" may give a false sense of security that any project is going to fit together well - 

It's one of those things that sometimes stops me in my tracks as I go merrily along with a stack of blocks that I haven't yet decided how I'm going to set -

Such was the case this morning!

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Ring in the Red!

Oh, how I love red!

From pinky red to fire engine and tomato orangey red - all the way to burgundy.

I just love the punch that red brings to the table!  

Is there anything that doesn't go with just a bit of red?

My friend Saska swears that "Red is a Neutral!"  I think she may be right.

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A Sew & Sew Weekend!

Pardon the slightly blurry photo-

I arrived back to the cabin at "evening dark time" on Saturday evening to find that SOMEONE had strung Christmas lights all over the place!

It made me as excited as a little kid - I swear.

The must wonderful thing is - we are remote on our side of the mountain ridge.  You can't see the cabin from the road below - 

This is for us. Just for us.  

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Well Dang, Skippy!

Sometimes days just get derailed!

I could jump right in with the problem - but that would make the problem take up the main focus for my day - and here I am one day later and looking back on it.

The problem that "ruined" my day - really wasn't as bad as it could have been, and as I look back - there was SO MUCH GOOD that this little minor set back does not need to be given that much credit for "ruining" my day.

Mountains out of molehills, as they say?

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Grassy Creek Mystery, Part Two!

Welcome back for Part Two of our Grassy Creek mystery!

I have to tell you - I was watching my newsfeeds over last weekend and I couldn't believe the fast and furious sewing going on, people were finishing the same day we released the clue!

And I know that isn't everyone - and truly, this is NOT a race. It needs to fit your life and what is going on with in it.  So if you are feeling behind - please don't.  The clues will be waiting for you when you have time.

The one thing that has been helpful to many in the past is to set the previous clue aside, and give the new one a start.  Even a dozen units will teach you what you need to know so you can come back to them later.  Use the time on clues that are not so intensive to catch up on those you left behind.

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Fun Finishes (& an IronEZ Gift-Away!)

Well, I COULD get the borders on, if Lola wasn't laying on them!

You know the whole "Her name was Lola, she was a Show Girl" lyric - and the show girl decided she had to be the center of attention yesterday while I was cramming my best to get these borders on before going home time.

It's not like she just lays on top of everything I am doing - it's that she rolls around in her own kind of "cat on quilt" lap dance.

It's hysterical!

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Open Minds and Changing Opinions

This morning, about 7:45am.

We opted for the "up and over" route to get me to the QPO this morning - adding a couple of extra miles, but the scenery is worth the time that it adds to the trip!

This is the "high spot" on Grassy Creek, and I love this view of the little valley below.  A community church is flanked by a well manicured cemetery.  Fields and farms and plots of Christmas trees are everywhere you look.  

And even in these cold temps of about 21f degrees it is idyllic.

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First Snow of Winter 2020

This was my world this morning!

I awoke to a world of winter white - the trees and ground looking like frosting on ginger cookies. (Which are my favorite for the holidays - and snow puts me in a baking mood!)

Snow for me is like Christmas music and Christmas decorations - it can all happen as soon as Thanksgiving is over!

In other words - you can't stop it so bring it on!

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Cyber Monday Sulky Mystery Box Gift-Away!

Good Monday Morning, everyone!

I'm a bit delayed in blog posting today.  I could call it a typical Monday, but it is anything but typical.

Remember the attack deer that hit my van a few weeks back?  This morning is the morning we needed to drive out and drop the van off to be repaired.

We had to be there by 9am, and I was dropped back off at the QPO - carless for the day (Or for the next 2 weeks) and will be picked back up by The Hubster when he finishes HIS work for the day -

So while it's been quiet here on the blog front, there has been much paddling behind-the-scenes, including my lovely #mediafreesunday that happened yesterday!

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The Saturday After -

This is where we spent our Thanksgiving afternoon!

It has become kind of a tradition - going up to the Appalachian Trail that crosses through Grayson Highlands state part if the holiday weather is fair enough to do so.

I would say that 63 degrees on Thanksgiving Day is a rarity for these parts.  Of all of the years I wished that my dad could be with us, this would have been the one.

One year ago he was helping Dave to load fire wood onto the side porch at Quiltville Inn in anticipation of our first beta test retreat that was in full swing at this time.

It makes this weekend kind of a weird first anniversary, doesn't it?  I think the only word that I can use to describe how this year was derailed is WEIRD.

But this warm 2020 Thanksgiving? Weirdly wonderful!

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Grassy Creek Mystery! Part 1!

Good Morning, Quiltvillians!

Let the Black Friday mystery sewing commence! 

You know, as I sat here the past 30 minutes before hitting PUBLISH on this post - I realized that though so much has changed this year during the Covid Pandemic of 2020 - that this ONE THING - Our ability to join together to participate in this global quilting mystery fun has not changed!

And I am so grateful for that.  For the sewing behind the scenes, for the watching of everyone pulling their fabrics and deciding on color changes and all of the happy hubbub that comes with that - this is our crazy normal behind the crazy.

So before I go any further, I want to thank you for once again participating in our yearly reader appreciation mystery, and for your sticking with me through the past year of just plain weird.

And if you are new here, I want to welcome you too - and I hope you will have a great time and stick around for the things that happen throughout the year - and join us again when next winter's mystery rolls around.

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Thanksgiving Wishes!

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible so I can enjoy our little Thanksgiving on the mountain as much as possible, with as little computer work as possible!

Our plan this year - so different than most - is to focus on SIMPLICITY.

We are planning Japanese hibachi on the Blackstone grill with steak, shrimp, veggies and fried rice.

I am excited.  Preparation is nearly nothing - the rice was made yesterday.  The remaining prep work is just slicing and dicing.

And yes, there will be pumpkin pie - 

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