Exploring downtown Chicago!

This past weekend I explored an area in Chicago known as the Gold Coast. This adventure included my group of amazing friends that also happen to enjoy looking at historical homes,  reading about "old" Chicago and unearthing fascinating details of the places we discover. We basically love anything vintage!

Our tour guide (group member) sets up our itinerary and plots out all the good places to go.  She always finds hidden gems - like the last patch of wooden road in Chicago - so we knew we're in for an exciting jaunt. This time she led us to  The Driehaus Museum ...... You could spend hours there because the house is filled with so many interesting objects and informative facts. I'm going to let the pictures coax you into your own visit .......

Can you see it's cute little address sign?

Entry way!

 

We also spotted quite a few of the Lighthouses that were along Michigan Avenue.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton!

Here's just ONE picture of our view!

I hope I've convinced you to go!

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Sadness has come over my little village!  Parting is such sweet sorrow ...... as they say!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring from NASCAR at the end of this season!!!!!!!!  Do you know how many times I've screamed, "Come on, Junior!  You can do it!" over the past few years? ...... THOUSANDS!  He's my favorite!!!!!!! 

The NASCAR community is feeling the sadness.  How can they fill this void?

See this great pic?  

Three drivers ......

 one is retired (Smoke, Tony Stewart! My dog is even named after him!!!!); one, Jimmy Johnson, might be thinking about it  and the third one (Dale) has made it official. This season will be his last!  

I must admit that I was worried when Dale sat out last year due to concussion issues.  This year, during each race, I hold my breath as I anticipate every bump he hits.  Really, I'm happy that he's getting out on his terms.  

Take care, Dale! God bless you!

Frigid Friday? January 13, 2017

It's the first - Friday the Thirteenth of the year!  How will you celebrate? I want to celebrate by sewing!  But right now I'm at work!  That's okay - I can dream and plan for my QuiltIra account, LOL!!!!!!

Here's a deposit into that account - a book from Kathy Schmitz.

I want to make this from the book. 

Oh wait!  I want to make this too!

If you don't know who she is just go to her link above and you will want everything!

Thankful Thursday! January 12, 2017

Happy New Year to one and all!

My vacation is complete but I try and enjoy each day!

Weather at my place is bad - freezing rain overnight made for treacherous driving this morning.  It doesn't look like we will get much sun today to warm up the icy roads so the travel home maybe bad too!

But quilts make me happy!  Here's another project in my Quilt-IRA.

I have parts completed but I lost one of the two jelly rolls that I had so I can't go any further.  The pattern is called Merry-Go-Round by American Jane (I thought) although it is a project listed in McCall's Quilting and here's the project link: Merry-Go-Round.  I think the difference between the two is that the McCall's pattern does 2 go rounds and American Jane does 3.  Also my quilt started in one of the early American Jane fabrics. 
 

December 26 - 31, 2016

I love the Christmas vacation!  

Good food, visiting with family and friends! 

Going to all types of new adventures!

Looking for those great after Christmas shopping bargains!

This vacation has been especially nice because I am retired from one of my jobs so this has become my first true "vacation" in 20 years!

My plan was to do a lot of sewing instead I sewed a little bit but ate out alot!  

I did plan to continue the blogging but eating got in the way

I bought the templates for Linda Collins' Panama Pyramids Quilt!

Here's the quilt! 

I'd really like to hand piece this but I am working on a mini tumbler quilt so the Pyramids could turn into a great couch project!

Here's the mini tumbler but my goal (using the Bonnie Hunter Leaders and Enders technique) is to make a mini tumbler with 10,000 pieces!  So far I have 2 rows done.  I love Bonnie Hunter!  Her site is amazing - go to it right now!  Thanks to her technique my 4 little tumblers grew into 2 rows.

Christmas Day - December 25, 2916

Christmas with Family!

talking, catching up

eating, sharing

remembering family members that have gone to heaven!

Special Saturday - December 24, 2016

Christmas Eve!  Always so special!

I'm preppping the Spaghetti Casserole!

  

I'm not really the cook that most of my friends/family seem to be.  I just recently retired from a second job that I had for over 16 years.  This job involved working every Wednesday night and Friday night along with every other Saturday and one Sunday out of the month.  So there wasn't a lot of time for cooking.  Actually not a lot of time for very much except working!  I'm learning to explore and enjoy some of the things that always fell to the wayside. (Blogging is one of them!)

This past week I made cookies and now I'm browning ground beef (haven't done that for over 20 years). This probably seems silly but I'm really enjoying losing myself in some of these tasks.  Being able to take time and not worry about where I've got to go next is such a relief and blessing!

Friendship Friday - December 23, 2016pics of some of her !

Why Friendship?

Today I travel about 75 miles to share Christmas goodies with my Quilter family.  I know there will be laughing, yakking/blabbing, lots of yummy food, gift exchanging and just a little bit of show and telling!  

The hostess of the party is a professional long arm quilter.  She's sent pics of her recent creations - amazing!  Can't wait to see the quilts in person!  I'll try to share pics but sometimes things get a little hectic!

Tinsel Thursday - December 22, 2916

Thursday and I'm off! I'm doing running around doing lots of little last minute activities.  Grocery shopping for last minute items.  

I'm making a spaghetti casserole to the family Christmas dinner. Never made this before for a family party so I'll see if it goes over with the crowd.

Wonderful Wednesday - December 21, 2016

Wonderful Wednesday!  

My holiday vacation begins today at 2:00! 

Tinsel Tuesday - December 20, 2016

Tinsel?  

Did someone mention Tinsel?  

Not the kind that's sold today but the old fashioned kind that dripped off the family Christmas tree!

We would save our tinsel from year to year! Did anyone else do that too? We would carefully wrap it around the cardboard holder and then placed it in the original box for safe keeping till next year!

Merry Monday - December 19, 2016

Count down to Christmas!  It's getting close!!!

Last night I went to the show to see "It's a Wonderful Life".  This has never been a favorite of mine I think because I remember the December  (in my youth) where this movie was shown EVERY DAY on TV. I learned to HATE the movie!   However watching it on the big screen has redeemed it for me!  Jimmy Stewart was fantastic! His acting talent just illuminates every scene he is in!

And the writing!  What talent!

Silent Snow Sunday - December 18, 2016

Wow it's snowy and cold!

Tonight we are supposed to be in the negative double digits!  I don't like the sound of that because my dogs really don't like the COLD.  Getting around is so complicated for them!  No walks because their feet can't stand the extreme cold. The patio is the only place they can walk and that's really not much fun!  They go out to the patio on many little trips instead of 3 or 4 big trips through the day.

This is so pretty!

 

Still working on the binding!

Super Saturday - December 17, 2016

Here's a quilting tease!

I will be working on the binding of this quilt all weekend!

Can you see my Stella light shining brightly on my work?  Stella lights are the best!  I also have a Beam and Read, which I love but Stella does the job when I need her all over glow! Here's Stella's website so check it out.

It's beginning to look a lot like .....

Fabulous Friday - December 16, 2016

Friday, lovely Friday!

After work I stopped at my local Comcast store to drop off my old equipment and ask a few questions about the new service.  I love Comcast!  Anytime I go to the store they are always very helpful and knowledgeable.  I was in and then out in a jiffy!

Next stop Marriano's - for shrimp and cookies - always a good combo!

Back home to prepare for the frigid weather!