A Quilt for Brooke Anne and Dolly

Brooke and Annie are coming to visit in California. The last time Brooke was there we made a sleeping nest on the floor, which worked well for a nine month old. Now that she's 17 months that wouldn't work for napping or night-time.  I'm buying a Pack N Play to keep for little people visits and need a quilt to go with it. 

My favorite online quilting store, Over The Rainbow,

(www.overrainbow.com) had a new line of fabric I thought would be fun to use. Red Rooster and Arlene Neely Nana's Garden was the line that caught my eye. After Googling Arlene Neely, I found her website, Rabbit's Haven, where she has patterns for sale. I printed a picture of the quilt and ordered fabric. 

Quilt top constructed ~ It was fun sewing on these pastel fabrics ~ love the little rosebuds. After chatting with the artists in the family about possible changes to the quilt (John wanted another flower added and less contrast in the leaves; Annie liked the contrast but toyed with adding another flower.) I decided to forge ahead and begin the quilting.

 

Using Minkee for the first time (as a backing) and a bamboo batting, I was quilting in softness...heavenly!

Now for the binding and this quilt is ready for Brooke's visit!

What should I do with the scraps....make a dolly quilt!

Deer Me

Looking out the back door on a dark rainy morning using John's little camera ~ wish I had brought mine with me. The three have been visiting daily...waiting for spring and my flowers!

John's Christmas Vacation

Poor John...his vacation in Cashmere was spent helping out at Caitlin's house. He had made shelves in her garage and wanted to add another set, so out came the tools and over to Home Depot he scurried. (He couldn't find much in the way of hardware in the local hardware store so he made numerous trips into Wenatchee~12 minutes one way!). He worked out in the cold for days~learning that you must wear warm clothes or you freeze. He spent the first evening shaking from the cold...he listened to me the next day and wore his down coat!

He added the upper shelf and the hanging 2X2 shelving from the rafters. Caitlin enjoyed shelving all of her treasures and organizing her tools.

Caitlin's new Honda fits in the garage with walking room around the entire car...this is a first.

The other side...

The new trash bin with wheels.

Pulling out... a view of the recycle material leaning on the side of the garage.

We had so much trash to get rid of that it was stacked inside her back fenced area for later disposal. 


John also did some work on the bathroom door. It was an original that had at least 8 coats of enamel keeping it from closing. John scraped, planed, and sanded and finally the door shut and latched! Now guests won't have to worry about leaving the door ajar... Two more over-painted doors are awaiting John on another visit.

Caitlin and I spotted this entertainment center, carted it home in her CRV, and put it together...late into the evening. John ran to Home Depot again picking up some bolts to attach the flat screen to the hanger. We think this was a great purchase for her downstairs play room. Annie and Ben were setting up the Wii. Cait's new Mario Game is ready to be mastered...and who better than Ben, Annie, Leah, Kent, and Caitlin!