Sweet Persimmons

I have never had a persimmon 

and maybe I should try 

one now that I have named 

a quilt after them:)

New in the November

issue of AQ Magazine

meet Sweet Persimmons.

This sweet design started 

out in a 30s rendition.

Once I started thinking in Autumn

colors, I came up with this palette.

Still really like it and may have

to put this grouping to work

in another project!

Looks great, right?

Sometimes I can't see past my 

own vision but I also had 

this Sandy Gervais print sitting

around that I had been wanting 

to use in something....

Voila'! 

Pull some colors right out of 

the print and it is the perfect

assembly of color for this project!

When I started this, I was preparing

to help my daughter after the birth

of our first grand child so travel

hand work was appropriate.

The pic above shows alignment

for needle turn curves.

The pic below shows turning under

my edges to assemble the berries

before applying to the background. 

Here I stitch on a leaf.

Wow, my lighting was 

all over the place.

IF you own a rotating mat, 

it is the perfect way to trim

4 half-square triangles blocks

at one time by cutting 2 sides, 

rotate, cut 2 sides, etc. 

until finished.

Time to quilt.

I free motion quilted this 

sample myself...WHAT??!!

I used my freezer paper leaf

templates to create more

leaves that I could add 

swirls into the center

(bottom of pic).

When done quilting, 

you need a label:) 

I really like using a square 

of fabric folded in half 

and sewn into a bottom 

corner seam allowance.

The size of the square

depends on how much

you want to write.

This was 2 scraps of fabric

sewn together for an 

approximate 4-1/2" square. 

Thank You again, AQ for an

amazing layout!

It is Awesome!

25 Years of Wedded Bliss.....

Yesterday's post showed our new Anniversary Quilt and today's post is about our fabulous Anniversary trip to Puerto Rico.

Since Jim is in the Coast Guard, we were stationed here from '98-2000 and had a wonderful time once we acclimated to the culture.

 

This time we decided to fly in and stay in Old San Juan without a car because they drive soooo crazy there....Good choice:)

So Jim noted when he made the reservation that it was our 25th Anniversary and booked a romance pkg.  He chose the El Convento knowing that CG Admirals and other dignitaries used this hotel when on island.

We arrived too early to check in so they checked our baggage for us and off we went...

 





This is a gorgeous old tapestry in the hallway leading to the restaurant located in a lovely courtyard.  The first time I had ever seen courtyards like this was when we lived here and I was hooked!  If I could ever find a way to live like this, I would!

So we started with a couple of rum drinks and an assortment of delicious fried treats that we remembered: Bacalaitos, Alcapurrias, sorullitos, and Tostones (cod fritters, sweet plantains stuffed with beef, sweet corn fritters, smashed and fried plantain slices).  SOO Good!!

Then we went to check into our room....In honor of us celebrating 25 years, they upgraded us to the Vanderbilt Suite (where heads of state stay).  To say we were stunned is an absolute understatement and prompted much reflection on where we started in this marriage to where we are now. The photo was taken using my panoramic mode and that is the dining/sitting rooms....bigger than my own kitchen/living room.  There was also a bar area, master suite including a huge bathroom, and a second bathroom...crazy:)

Here is the photo of Gloria herself posing in that exact room circa 1970 something??

The views from our room were the Oldest Cathedral in San Juan, La Fortaleza (Governor's mansion), and the bay leading into the port.  From this window, I could actually see the town where we used to live.

Here is another cute little courtyard in the middle of a home that is now an art gallery.  A street view leading down to the bay.

When we lived here I was also completely charmed by the doorways and the beautiful wrought iron designs that adorned  doors and windows.

We spent some time at the museums too.  We took our kids to plenty of historical sites (less boring) while we were here but not the actual museums.  There was a fiber exhibit .....Not exactly  my taste but interesting when you see how much depth he could attain with basic yarn pom poms .

We had so much fun just wandering the streets without the girls in tow this time and remembering our time together here. We tried to eat as much of the food we remembered as possible.  I found my little Helado cart with the Parcha flavor...DELICIOUS!!  All over there are these little ice cream carts but it is more a sherbet than ice cream and Parcha is the passionfruit flavor that I loved!  You could also get coco, pina, or mango.
And, of course, I am with Jim who always lucks into festivals or something similar, so one evening we came across a birthday celebration for someone...Time to dance:)

 

No life is completely blissful but I know that my knight found me and gave me a life full of love and happiness that I never imagined possible and I am forever grateful!