Beach Day

So Wednesday was Beach Day since we haven't been for quite a while - weirdly, it's way too hot during the summer months.  But it will be just right from now until May or June.  We usually go down to Fort DeSoto Park, about an hour and a quarter drive by the time we negotiate Tampa traffic and cross one of the bay bridges.  Beach attendance was sparse when we got there.

 So when I got bored taking pictures of wavelets and birds,

 I switched to secretive photos of beach walkers.  Here is the March of the Bronze Men:

 Tourists:

 Recently-arrived snowbirds, from Michigan is my guess:

Still too white-skinned to pack away the long-sleeves and jeans.  And full of motivation to walk the beach every day ("this winter, we'll get healthy!").  Actually this couple does look rather healthy.  Me and my Mom slouched in our beach chairs and ate cheese crackers.  --cds

Back To The Sewing Room.

And back to the drawing board, I guess.  I get these ideas that I want to make something, but then I'm too lazy to search for a proper pattern and I figure I can just make up my own as I go along.

Not having too much luck with that this time.

 I wanted a little quilted clutch purse with a zip closure.

It went together okay (with only a few false starts and stops and redos). 

But, in the end, the lining catches in the zip and the pocket divider (should have just left that idea out) is a little, well... limp.  More interfacing needed, I suppose. 

Sorry, bad photo.  As I said, back to the drawing board.  --cds

The Girlies

Granddaughter update - cutie-pie photos:

Isabella is our oldest, 8 1/2, loves art and swimming and knows more facts about jungle cats than you can shake a stick at. 

 Evie is the next in line, "I'm 4 now," knows all the poses of America's Top Model, loves to color and can sing "Castle on a Cloud."

Ruthanne, Ruthie, Roo-Roo, is 16 months, our little Irish baby with coppery hair and big blue eyes, also has a wee temper (stamps her foot) and stops what she is doing and runs excitedly to the tub when she hears the word bathtime.

Just thought I'd share some of the many pictures I took last week of the girlies.  Now it is Monday and I'm starting my massive clean-through, tipping over furniture to find all the game pieces, vacuuming up cookie crumbs and Windexing away sweet little hand smudges from my front door - maybe I'll keep those for a while longer.  --cds

Sunday Golf Outing.

No, no, not me, silly. 

But I do have to go to this pro tournament that is being held at Disney today because James got a couple free gallery passes.  I don't know anything about being a spectator at golf tournaments except how to clap politely and yell "GET IN THE HOLE."  Perhaps I'll be asked to leave if I get too rowdy -- darn.

Anyway, it's back to early morning swimming for me.  I took off 10 days (!) while the families were here (it's not like I didn't get my exercise in, tho).  The girlies kept us active and on the move.  So wonderful having them all here with us.

--cds

So, Here's What I've Been Up To

Vermont and Utah meet up in Florida.

All my children have been visiting, an overlapping visit that is stretching out until Saturday. We've been swimming and Disney-visiting and playing blocks and coloring and all sorts of cool stuff. I'll be back soon with more photos of the munchkins. --cds

Waiting for the Light

The morning light, that is - got the other kind of light covered. Sunrise is getting later and later and I am all ready to swim now, but really am not supposed to be in the pool until dawn. As long as it's light enough for me to check first for alligators, I'm all set.

So I worked on pillow covers last week - I needed some bright spots of color and I think these have done the trick. Fabric is mostly my hand-dyed stuff with some commercial batiks thrown in.

I concentrated on technique, making my own piping and putting in zippers, trying to make the insides neater so it would wash nicer, stuff like that. I think I might need a serger.

I think I may need a job. Stupid economy is ruining my retirement!

--cds

Sofa Quilts

Since even the weather in Florida has made a slight switch to the cooler side, I am reminded of the importance of sofa quilts. Truth to tell, even an overhead fan on a hot day forces me to cover my tootsies or shoulders if I'm just sofa-sitting for some reason (I'm such a grandma).

So the sofa quilts I make are about twin size, maybe a little larger, just big enough for a cuddle up on the couch when one is feeling nappish. The picture below is one of my favorites because I just loved the Michael Miller Hawaiian dancing girls print - so cute and colorful.
I had this Amish-style one hanging on my wall for a while, too, but it also makes a dramatic color splotch (decorator term) draped over the back of the sofa as well.

The cooler mornings mean I have a chilly ride to the pool, though. I've been swimming every single morning (minus two days for travel reasons) for four weeks now. I'm much less creaky when I roll out of bed and I'm getting some Popeye muscles in my arms. Think I'll have a spinach salad for lunch. --cds