My first quilt retreat

 This week I went on my first quilting retreat with my quilting group that meets every week.
We were there from Monday to Wednesday.
It was a wonderful experience and we are planning another retreat next year.
I finished this Christmas mug rug today.   I started it at the retreat on my old sewing machine and the walking foot was not behaving so I had to finish this at home on my other Bernina.

 Here are just a few of the things I was working on at the retreat.  I started a small little book that has memories from the retreat.  All of my friends decorated a page and I am adding their photos and other things to the book now.  I used some sewing and Christmas stamps, markers, stencils, etc to make it fun!  AND some of them added little pieces of fabric to the book........so fun!!

 I took some of my journals and did doodles, lettering, etc.  I ordered the 72 Inktense pencils and I added the number and name and color of each in one of my journals.  I will be doing this same thing on fabric too.

 We were at Vina de Lestonnac Retreat Cener in Temecula.  It has a very quiet and relaxed atmosphere with lots of space and great light.  We each worked on our own projects from morning till bedtime!  AND the food was exceptional.  Photos of one breakfast and one evening meal.

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Weight Watcher Lifestyle

The new WW program started this week while I was on the retreat.  I wasn't worried about following the program because the app on my phone tells me the changes in points.  It was easy to fall right into the new program and I love it so far.  I lose weight very...very slowly and I am already losing weight this week after eating such wonderful delicious meals at a retreat!!

Anyone else on WW having any reactions to this new plan??

Linking to finish it up Friday and Linky Tuesday

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Online Creative Christmas Journaling class

There is a new online class about ----  Christmas Journaling/Planning/ Scripture Writing 

It is called The Peppermint Express  at ruzuku............

It is by John'aLee at The Scrappy Appleyard and her blog post is here

For those who like to do creative journaling, scrapbooking and being creative...this is a class for you.  AND there is a FB group to go along with the class.

She also does You Tube videos.

Several years ago I did the Rancher's Daughter quilt along with her blog.

Let me know if you sign up.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving blessings to all.  Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.
I was searching through my old photos for some Thanksgiving related photos and am sharing some here. 

 My decorative paintings I many years ago and usually display this time of year.

The last photo of the tablerunner I made 2 years ago and just love it.  I blogged about it then and is a pattern from Sarah at sewjoycreations.com. 

We have our house upside down and I am not decorating or hosting anything for awhile!  We have been waiting all year for remodeling to be done.....bathroom shower and floor finished yesterday!  Now the carpet is coming out next on most of the house and vinyl plank flooring will be installed.  Not much sewing going on here!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Scrappy picnic quilt

Yesterday I finished this perfectly imperfect scrappy picnic quilt and it is just as I like it!!

The story about this quilt starts in 2014 when I started making 1½" strips from older fabrics and then I used them to make 16 patches.  I did a blog post November 7, 2014 of how I made them using the tutorial from red pepper quilts.  The blog post is here  

I did not have a plan for them I was just going to keep making them and maybe make another postage stamp quilt.
In March 2015 I researched mile a minute blocks and started making some of them.  I called them made up blocks!

May 24, 2015 on IG I posted about a Weekend Challenge by studiojujuquilts to do something with fabric scraps.   THAT is when I decided to combine my 16 patches and madeup blocks into a quilt!!
I started making 8½" blocks from my 4½" blocks.  Ar the time I was calling it a scrap quilt.  The photo is above.

After I got all the blocks sewn together I started calling it a picnic quilt and I did a blog post on June 24, 2015.  The blog post has a photo tute about my made up blocks, the backs of the 16 patch blocks to show how I presssed them, and a photo of the finished top ready to be quilted.  That blog post is here

I used this quilt to practice FMQ.  First I did the #4 stitch along each of the block seams all over and then and I used all different FMQ designs.  In May this year Vicky of Vicky's Crafts & Quilting posted about a FMQ pattern squiggles and wiggles.  I had to try it and it was fun!!  I took a close up of that pattern I stitched in May.

 Here are more photos I took yesterday after I finished the quilt.

The last photo shows where I stitched picnic quilt and my name.  The last two photos also show the hand quilting, which I did around all of the outside and scattered in places.  I used this as a project to work on when I met with my Tuesday quilting group.  I made a scrappy binding using some of the same fabrics I had in the quilt. 
As I was doing research for this blog post from my photos, blog posts, IG and my daily log of creative projects, I was surprised how long ago this was started.  It was soooo fun to go back and review all of this for this blog post.  😍

I am linking to finish it up Friday and Linky Tuesday.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Halloween mug rug

 Jenny at Missouri Star Quilt Company has a tutorial called periwinkle mug rug.
I used the Wacky Web template to cut out the shapes following her tutorial.
It is so much fun to make and I will be making more of these I am sure!

 Here is a photo before I quilted it.  I actually had the layout different but I didn't follow my rule of taking a photo of the way I wanted it before sewing!  SO....when I picked up the pieces in order I actually sewed them different than my plan!!

 Here is the fabric I ordered for a Halloween quilt....but the quilt won't be done before this Halloween!

Weight Watcher Lifestyle
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The following are from eating out over the past month.
Denny's tilapia dinner..............very delicious!

 Denny's select a burger...chicken...........very delicious!  Roast potatoes are a lot less points than fries.

 Lake Wohlford  breakfast.  Smokey's scramble and home fries with sourdough toast.  I have had this so many times and really love it!  I don't eat all of the potatoes and the scramble is two eggs instead of three.  No butter on the toast and I put a tiny amount of jam on the pieces.

 Lake Cuyamaca rheuben and the best fries that are coated to be so delicious!
I could only eat one of the sandwiches and took the rest home for later.

There are so many delicious things to order when we eat out....AND I do NOT have to feel deprived!  Checking the points ahead of time and sticking with my plan is the best way to enjoy eating out!!

Let me know any special meals you enjoy when eating out?
And also any low point foods/meals to make during the holidays?

Linking with finish it up Friday   
and Linky Tuesday

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Another charm box mini quilt

 I really like making this charm box quilt pattern and the first one I made was smaller.  I posted about it last year.  This one is 18" square.  I am hanging it in the kitchen where I had the smaller one.  I have been working on it for awhile and finally finished it today!!  It is a free pattern from Fat Quarter Shop and is Lori Holt fabric. 
It is so good to have a finish it up Friday to push me along!!

 Joanne Sharpe has a new class online Draw Your Awesome Letters.  SUCH FUN!!

 I got a new palette tray and it is easy to swipe the little distress ink pads and then using a wet brush and water do backgrounds for my creative journals.  I got the idea to get this from Kathy at The Daily Marker.  It is fun to add all kinds of things to my creative journals!

 We spent a great day walking around at the Safari Park.  It is nice for my hubs to be able to walk easily without pain in his knee now!  Before his knee replacement in April the pain was too much to walk for any distance. 

 Here is another scrappy rectangle block. 

And in September we celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary.  We went to the Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant and walked by the water.  We spent time in Julian and Pine Hills...........some of our favorite places to visit.

Linking to finish it up Friday crazy mom quilts   and Linky Tuesday.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Strip Maze and eating out

 I finished the Strip Maze quilt..................so next is to quilt it!
I will blog more about it when it is finished!
It is a pattern by Gudrun of GEDesigns.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Weight Watcher lifestyle~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peaceful area to walk close to Denny's Restaurant and lots of ducks and birds.
I like to walk in the late afternoon or sunset/twilight time to get my steps for the day!

 Denny's has on their menu....Build Your Own Burger.
I chose grilled chicken breast, whole wheat bun, cheddar cheese, carmelized onions and the fruit for a total of 14 smart points!  Very tasty meal.  The hubs got something with a lot more points...but then he isn't counting points!!

On the WW online site I am in a journaling group and one of the recent prompts was our relationship with food.  My first thought was....I would like to not have to think about food and only want to eat healthy foods.  Realistically I do enjoy planning meals and researching healthy choices to cook and eat and also when we eat out.  Being mindful of my eating and journaling have helped sooo much.  I do not feel deprived and I do not have to fight the urge to eat!!  This is a lifestyle and not a "diet".  I lose extremely slowly and I have developed the patience finally to not worry how long it takes to get back to goal again!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Boden table mat finish

 This is a pattern from Pat Sloan's book "Teach Me to Sew Triangles"  And I used fabrics from three different lines of her fabrics.

 I like to take a photo of the layout before sewing to see if I need to make changes.
Sorry for all the photos........but I like to document the process on my projects!

 When I first got this book I wanted to make this pattern because I wanted to do the quilting around the center!!

I used varigated thread at first and the next photo I was stumped what I wanted to do next!!

 I used gray thread to finish the quilting.  The center was done all at once without stopping.
I like to figure a way to keep on quilting and not stop and start!

 This is the back....an old Susan Winget panel from years ago!

I am so glad to finish a project this week!!

Linking to crazy mom quilts  finish it up Friday
and Freemotion by the River  Linky Tuesday

smiles and hugs....Caryl

projects and food photos

 The time is flying and here it is September already!
I worked on 8 different quilty projects in August but no finishes.  The top photo shows some of the Strip Maze blocks. I have 30 blocks done and squared and ready to lay out and sew together.
The next photo was a mystery that I have to this point....and it is ready to quilt.  I just have to decide on how to quilt the star centers.  More photos when I actually finish some projects!!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~Weight Watchers lifestyle~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 WW is unique...not a diet but a lifestyle...a method to  choose foods that are smart.  They call it smart points!
Denny's Wild Alaska salmon skillet is very delicious and is one of my choices when we eat there.

 This is my English muffin egg breakfast that I have twice a week.  It is 5 smart points.  I use 1/4 cup of Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles, ReddiEgg 1/2 cup, and fat free cheese on a Thomas Light multigrain English muffin.

 El Pollo double chicken avocado salad 9 sp with light creamy cilantro dressing 3 sp.

This is a really filling lunch that is really good.  Papa Pita with pb fit and banana and broccoli and balsalmic.  Also apple pieces.  All for 7 smart points.  I usually just have 1/2 banana and pbfit on a light piece of toast with apple slices for lunch most days. AND that is only 2 smart points.

The most important thing when going out to eat is to have a PLAN.  Know what you are going to order before you get there.  AND if you don't know the menu before you get there....be sure to check the points BEFORE ordering!  The WW app on my iPhone is great and has helped me so much.

There are so many good ideas for delicious low point foods and so many websites with recipes.  Another day I will add some links.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

More Sunkissed placemats

 This week I finished two more Sunkissed placemats.  All four of them are different patterns.
This one I did the serpenine stitch to quilt through the front and back after sewing front and back right sides and turning.  I also used a 4.0 stitch to topstitch around the edge.

 This one is a quilt as you go design.  I quilted the top and batting and no quilting on the back.

 Photo of the beginning of quilting.  This is really fun to do!!

 Gudrun Erla of GE Designs is doing a sew along in her FB group.  I started this pattern in 2009 and put it away and just got it out this week to work on it.  I am using the Memento fabric.

 The last photo is the three fabrics I have chosen for another sew along I am doing.

I am happy to have finishes this week even though they are small projects.  I got out my peg stamps and did some stamping this week also as well as other quilty projects.  CREATE EVERY DAY.....that is what I strive to do.  I have a lot of choices of projects layed out and ready to go....and that makes it fun every day!!
Linking to crazymomquilts   finish it up Friday
and Freemotion by the River    Linky Tuesday

Smiles and hugs....Caryl