simple pleasures

We took a quick trip north on Tuesday and passed by a personal favorite site of two cows (painted on board) that I fondly view from our highway.


Our return trip included a long visit to the Sleep Number bed store to try out a new mattress idea for us. DH has a chronically sore back and has found our pricey 'new' mattress from a few years ago to be already sorely lacking in support. So with what seemed akin to shopping for a car...we put in our order for one. The deal was sealed when they gave me 35% off the mattress because I am an RN! That was quite a pleasant and rewarding surprize!

We rarely find ourselves at a mall but that was where this store was and it turned out to have some other rather fun vendors in it as well. We ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (for a first), got free ice cream from the Haagen Das as they were celebrating the 50th year for their company, and enjoyed the smells from a Yankee Candle store. We also visited the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for some dog bones dipped in something creamy looking (not chocolate!) for our brittany friend in Arizona and some popcorn treat drizzled in chocolate and marshmallow for our neighbor who was spending time with our pups while we were gone for the day.

Late yesterday, Polywood adirondack chairs arrived via UPS. We did the last bit of assembly and put them out on our front porch (right about midnight). This morning we enjoyed some tea out front while the girls did some sunbathing. Mosley was busy in the shade chewing on pine cone bits.


This is some of our view from the porch.

On my birthday last month, we were over in Atascadero to visit Quilter's Cupboard and then north to the sushi restaurant where we can sit outside with all three dogs at our feet while we dine ...and yes, share bits with them :-)

On the way up the highway, we passed a garden/nursery that was selling items of rusted metal and I found a great Texas Star that I have wanted for awhile.

I brought it home to decorate our back patio above Mosley's food bowls. We both like it :-)

Second to last thing...here is how my giraffe remains for the moment. So little sewing going on here but I am working on putting the background together so I a can sew her on. Hopefully, tomorrow...

And in todays mail :-) I received 5 gift card packs from The Vintage Workshop

Very cool! Most of these are from Sarah Sporrer and include actual patterns to make the appliques shown. These are great gift ideas...especially to me! I think the Gold Finch is my favorite. Indygo Junction sells a huge variety of these.

giveaway contest

The Vintage Workshop is hosting a contest with 2 gift sets of some rather nice items...especially the notecards seen at the bottom of this photo. Go check them out and read the blog post about the contest. This is from a company that also has patterns, etc from Sarah Sporrer who is an absolute favorite of mine.
Check them and Indygo Junction out. They are inspiring!

I have been on the 'blink' this week and am getting well enough hopefully to feel good at work the next 2 days. Nothing quilt worthy going on around here but I read a good book by Jennie Nash, The Last Beach Bungalow. I really enjoyed it. The library is holding copy of The Aloha Quilt... new by Jennifer Chiaverini...so I'm looking forward to reading that next.
I bought a Bendable Bright Light (after seeing it on Carrie Nelson's blog) and think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread :-) One for my Bernina and one for my longarm. With aging....more light really helps those eyes function better!

Monday morning and some time to sew

Marianne was nice enough to pose for me this morning :-)

And here is my giraffe in progress. Today I hope to get the horns sewn on and then I make the background. The process of making this face has seemed so difficult as my marking technique has not been very exact. I sewed in one of the eyes rather crooked and the forehead isn't very centered. But somehow it is turning how fairly reasonable...to my surprise. Which is a good thing because some of these stitches can never be undone to correct it!