Saturday, January 28, 2012

Walking around and around and around

I challenged myself to walk...yeah that's it just to walk...didn't matter where, how long, how far, but just to walk.  
My journey begins...........
I take my fat dog Winston with me on almost all my walks.  Sometimes we'd walk for 20 minutes, 25 minutes, maybe 30 minutes.  Now it's 45 to 60 minutes.  We'd walk 1/2 mile, 3/4 mile, 1 mile now it's 2 to 2.5 miles.  We walked the neighborhood streets.  We start by heading north, heading south, heading west... we never head east???

We, well I decided Winston and I need a change of scenery.  We head to a city "desert" park which is north.  We hike a easy enough trail but ....
but...
I took a fall and hurt my knee a couple of weeks ago,  it's healing fine but still tender especially when I step down.  Going up the trail, no problem, coming down the trail, big problem!
It doesn't help when Winston is sure footed and ready to go.
He looked back at me as to say "get a move on lady".  I like this park a lot, it is the furthest park to drive to. though.
Hills and a  very nice place to hike

Winston, ready to keep going

Another park we tried has nice wide paved paths which I thought would be nice and also some gradual climbs nothing big....well what I didn't count on was all the bicyclist traveling or more like speeding past us apparently yelling "on your left"...meaning move to our right.   
Two problems for me..
#1. I don't easily, if ever know my lefts or rights
#2. I was wearing headphones LOUD
This place turned out to be somewhat deadly for both Winston and me. 

 Another park had paved wide paths easy to walk...but boring & too far to drive to walk.

Yet, another place we went really wasn't too bad, wide gravel path, no bikes, no joggers, no dogs.  Yeah, one park a guy had to big dogs and in this really wide park decided to walk right at us.  Winston was good, his dogs not so good, enough said. 
We may go back to this place since it was quiet and short drive.  Only thing was it was maybe a 2 miles walk total in the direction we headed.

Honestly, I don't think Winston cares where and when we walk,   just that he gets to go.  I'm still on the hunt for our perfect walking place and this is a huge city!  The walking adventure continues................

Headboard ... wood? fabric?

We don't have a headboard on our king size bed!  Haven't ever... 
I loved the idea of a wooden wall
kinda like this .....

image from internet

  or this.....

image from internet

Then I saw THIS....

image from internet

and this... 
image from internet

and this... 
image from internet
 I'm thinking a wingback style headboard
Too easy,
Now to decide the fabric!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Quilting Bug

A number of years ago I began this quilt.  I designed, cut it, sewed it and quilting was the only thing left to do.  It's a Irish chain - nine square pattern (2" squares)  I remember when I set the blocks and thought this is gonna be big project.  It was!  My father-in-law, Irvin made the quilting frame for me when I was working on a quilt for Grandpa John.  We've been cleaning the storage shed and garage and came across the quilting frame which then reminded me of my unfinished quilt.  I hand quilted about 1/3 of it so far.  It was stored in my craft studio behind the door, still on the frame poles!  Too easy I said to myself...
I set it all up yesterday and ready to get my supplies.... ruler "check",  pencil "check", thimble "check", quilting needles "check", and quilting thread...darn it no quilting thread!  Today I have thread...
I sat down for two hours today and noticed my stitches need practice.  But it did feel good to quilt.
 
Winston dog found his place under the frame
Stitches I did today....practice practice practice

Earrings

While in San Diego we came across the cutest shop. 
Noon Design Shop
They had such neat store displays and props. 
 They had some very nice earrings and after looking at them
I thought why not try and make a pair or two. 
Their earrings were made of high quality metals and stones.
But I used what I had and they turned out fine.
I ended up making 8 pairs! 
Love them...what do you think?

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Holiday decorating

My friend, Michele, called and asked about stopping over to visit.  I said of course and let her know I was in the middle of holiday decorating.  Then the fun begins.  Her daughter, Miranda and son, Kurt also got involved in decorating. 

Michele, me, Miranda & Kurt
Miranda tossing snow on the snowman display

Nutcrackers on my dresser

Santa on the picture shelf