Less of a Mystery and More Scavenger Hunt Photos

Hello friends and family!

Lots of fun (and some not-so-fun, but I won't go into that!) happenings this month so far. Some good stuff for July's Month in Numbers!

In the meantime, I wanted to talk a little about my latest creative pursuit (actually, back at it in January of this year) - quilting! Oh yes, I know there are many of you out there who are quilters extraordinaire and my feeble attempts pale in comparison . . . but who's comparing when the process is so fun?! Yes, back in the day (80's and 90's and early 2000's) I stitched my own clothes, clothes and fun things for the grandchildren, and then started quilting. Well,  I  joined the Tooele County Quilters, served as group president one year and really "got into" collecting fabric and even making a few quilts (and finishing them!). I had retired from my job as a civil servant in 1995 and until October 2004 played at stitching, scrapbooking, working parttime at a garden center, scrapbook store, even a month at an insurance company (yech!). In 2004 I went back to work fulltime at the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), University of Utah Chemistry department. Although I still did the occasional crafty project, those pursuits began to wane and I was mostly spending off-the-job hours going to grandkid's activities, reading, and gardening. So, okay, to make what is beginning to look like a very long story shorter!. . . This last January I rejoined the Tooele County Quilters and caught the quilting bug. I have vowed - and my husband reminds me - to not let myself get caught up in any leadership/chairman/spokesperson roles but rather to just enjoy the meetings, the camaraderie of fellow fabric-holics, and making beautiful things!

One of the fun challenges each year is the Mystery Quilt, wherein those wishing to participate are given a new instruction each month to complete - I think by August - a full size quilt top. So, this year's Mystery Quilt started with the following formula:

Fabric Requirements:     Three fabrics as follows:
Fabric #1 - 2-1/2 yards (background)
Fabric #2 - 1-1/2 yards (focus)
Fabric #3 - 2 yards (accent)

Since I didn't have a decent "stash," I of course had to go to the store and chose a yellow/multi floral for the focus, gray on gray print for the background, and black with white dots for the accent. We have had mysterious instructions for the past five months and finally, in June, it is becoming less of a mystery and more like a possible quilt pattern! Here you go then:

 

Step #5 - Using the four patch blocks from step #3, sew together following diagram making 34 units. Following the next diagram use two of these units and make 17, 10-1/2" squares. 

You can see the colors and I'm liking how this looks! Now, what will we be doing with the 72 half square triangles from Step #4?!

Of course, Chester the cat had to get into the action:

:

Oh yes, here is a cute picture of BC resting on the charm quilt I made back in the 90's:

She is so darn cute!

On to three new finds for Rinda's 2015 Photo Scavenger Hunt. 

#5 - Architectural columns

This one had me stumped (not any outstanding architecture in this cow town) until I got to thinking that columns could be anything that is architecturally holding up something, yes?! So with that thought I took a photo of one of the older homes in town that sports four columns holding up the front porch overhang. Here you go:

This house has been painted pink and then purple until recently when new owners went for this mustard color - much more subdued. Also, where the rail fence is there used to be very overgrown lilac bushes which in the Spring were very pretty but obscured the charming architecture!

Then, #17 - At least two people wearing matching outfits or uniforms. My sweet girls down at the locally-owned coffee shop obliged me by posing in their matching aprons - and I must say, matching smiles too!

Then, #18 - An overloaded truck, car, bicycle or other vehicle. This photo may not cut the mustard but I thought it was funny. The cowboy started to head into the drive-up ATM but thought better of it and parked his horse and walked up! 

Actually, this truck is plenty heavy enough to handle the horse . . . if there were more than one horse in the back, then, yeah, it'd be considered overloaded. I will continue to look for a REAL #18 photo opportunity!

One last thing before I sign off here; if you happened to miss my Instagram photo of receipt of  a copy of Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee that I pre-ordered from Amazon back in February, here 'tis:

I started reading yesterday after I took it out of the box and am loving it. Every bit as wonderful as Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird!

Bye for now.