Retreating

My quilting group is retreating in Homer--and I'm not there due to a scheduling misunderstanding with my DH.  So.....here's what I'm up to by myself.  Am planning on getting the blocks, rows and inset edges on this weekend so I can show it off to Barb, the designer and teacher of the class I took for this quilt. (She is at the retreat.)
That said, I'd better fill my water bottle and get out to the studio!

Sunflowers

Ginger Salmon--YUM!!!

This is one of DH's recipes for salmon--works great on fresh or frozen fillets.  This is using silver--red is best.  Right now the last batch of reds are in the brine--they will go in the smoker tomorrow; then this year's smoked salmon will be done--hooray!

Quilt class completion

I finally broke down and took a Cotton Theory class--the bath mat.  No way am I doing a quilt in this method!! (I DO have a longarm!!)  But I've wanted to try one, so this tiny project was perfect. (And it only took two classes plus a LOT of time at home to finish)  If curious, check it out at the website---very interesting!
By the way, it looks wonky in the photos cuz it's been washed and dried in the machines--after all, it IS for use, not decoration!!

Flamingos

were carefully transported in my purse.  These beauties were spotted by my sister in an antique shop and had to come home with me.  They reminded me of knick knacks either my mom or my neighbor had when I was 4 (that fact explains why I can't remember whose they were as I spent a lot of time at Mrs. Maltby's house!!) Does that make me an antique, too?!  Don't answer that--I prefer to think of myself as a "collectible"!

Baby quilt finished

Just put the last stitch in this last night.  DH came home from work 2 weeks ago and asked me if I had a baby quilt ready to give away . He wanted one for the grandson of a coworker .  I didn't--I know, I should, and I will be working on that!

Also spent a delightful day on Monday with Ron Paul and his wife, Laura Lee Fritz.  Ron did some maintainence work on Gertrude while giving me lessons on what he was doing, and Laura lee and I visited while she played in my threads, wrote down thread info for me, and hand stitched on a couple of her creations.  She is a quilting design author, so of course I bought her newest book!!

Dinner plate dahlia

DH just cut this beauty which measures 9 inches in diameter.  I floated it in this crystal bowl, which you can't see cuz the flower hogs the whole thing!!