The Random Road

When you blog like some kind of maniac, it is really hard not to take pictures of every single thing you think is remotely interesting, odd, beautiful or just plain nuts. The problem with that is that then, you have to find a place to use all those wildcat photos that don’t really connect to anything—just to prove that there was a point to you taking the shot in the first place.

This is that post. Be brave.

We pulled into a gas station in a remote little place and right behind it was an old school–I couldn’t really tell if it is abandoned or still in use. To tell the truth–it was more the birds that caught my attention. It was a swarm I tell you and we were completely ready to barricade ourselves in the car if they changed directions. It was a bit Hitchcock-type creepy.

Sign on a gas station in the middle of nowhere. Makes you wonder if this is some kind of combo meal or something. I don’t want to know what the burger is made out of. Yikes.

 

Just thought this one was kinda cute.

Please, please will somebody explain this road sign to me? M-1/4 ? Are they kidding? Is it some kind of Algebra problem or what?

And here we have L-7/10 Road. Um, yeah. Stop the madness or get help.

Seriously.

Off to our left was a huge mountain that honestly looked like a big pencil sketch…or sand castle. Either one…or both.

While pulling into a quaint little quilt shop I spotted this teeny tiny man carrying a laundry basket down the street and it struck me as funny. Pretty sure he was a regular sized man, but what’s with the laundry basket? Just saying…

This is said “quaint little quilt shop.” Hen House Quilts and Gifts was a lovely break from that long old road.  One or two of us spend a ridiculous amount of money here. There’s no explanation for it other than craziness…or eccentricity. Likely both. Dang fun though.

Pretty little farm house with a pretty little porch that I wanted to pick up and fly to my town. If only those trees weren’t in the way–we could actually see it.

Not such good news–but luckily, we had no intention of going that way anyhow. Take that–Berthoud Pass.

What? Really? Was someone playing a prank here?

I wasn’t fooled.

Then, from out of nowhere–buckets of snow came dumping down on us…with no warning.

Wellllll…maybe a little warning.

Dicey driving for the next 30 miles, but then, just as quickly as the storm came on…

it shut back down and we rode off serenely into the sunset…and our place.

Home again, home again,

jiggity jog.

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::Quilts For Japan:: With Love

Ahhhh….the piles are getting higher and higher–thank you everyone–and there’s still a lot going on around here to help our sweet friends in Japan.

We are still designing…

measuring…

(aren’t those painter’s tape measuring lines brilliant?!–wow April!)

cutting…

piecing…

sewing…

and making it all come together.

We’ll be sending the quilts out —hopefully early next week–to Dana at Quilter’s Newsletter, in Colorado, where they will be shipped to Japan and distributed to those who are cold and suffering. We need to hurry.   :]

We have 34 finished, 7 that need binding or tying, about 12 farmed out to friends, and 24 kits that are bagged and tagged and waiting for some loving souls to take them home and complete them–quickly, quickly. If you’d like to help–please email me at Launi@GraciousRain.com–and we will hook you up!

Check out Sachiko’s  at Tea Rose Home’s post about April’s Quilts For Japan event–with some great pictures–as well as April’s Quilt’s For Japan Update.

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What a Feeling…

Positively nuts–that’s what I kept saying over and over again—all weekend long…

at the response to daughter April’s “Quilts For Japan” post. Wonderful people just kept coming.

We don’t have all the stats yet on how many quilts we have yet–quite a few people took some home to finish–but this I know…the stack you are looking at right now is about a foot and a half from the ceiling! Thank you soooo much everyone who came. You are all so amazing and generous. We had a fabulous time and are still getting quilts left on the porch by night~thank you, thank you little quilting elves. :}

We’ll get back to everyone with the numbers in a few days–with pictures too, but in the meantime we are still very busy putting together quilt packets with all the fabric and batting we have left. If anyone would like to take a pre-cut quilt packet to make at home, it would be so appreciated.

Just email AprilRosenthal@gmail.com for the details.

And again–thank you all so much for your kindness and support. Sisters helping sisters.

What a feeling.

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Moda Fabric Winners!!

Beth!

Beth says:

Love love love the Prep School Knockout! I’m a sucker for argyle!
Good luck with your quilt, my biggest downfall when it comes to quilting is keeping my seams accurate!

and…

Molly!

Molly says:

I am also a professional seam ripper, amateur sewer/quilter. :) I like grammy’s scrap basket. Good Luck on your quilting….I am continually impressed with you Anderson girls and mama!! Way to go!

Congratulations ladies!! Thanks everyone for entering the giveaway. Stay tuned. Another giveaway of magnamonious proportions coming up. Yes, I did make up that word. :}

Newbie Quilting and Giveaway

Day 1

Yes-sir-ee~I promised to try my shaky hand at making my very first quilted table runner for Valentine’s Day and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.  This beautiful pattern comes from the “21st Century Charm School” blog, and it’s called All Boxed Up.

Oh, and I am very brave–just so you know.

Felt pretty confident with this actually, I mean, after all–I’ve been sewing since I was a kid.  So what’s the big deal?

“Sew the squares together…” yeah, yeah.

Not so tough…

but wait!

What the HECK?! Why are my edges not matching up?!

The pattern says, “be sure to pin you pieces together as you sew, so that your edges don’t turn out uneven.”

Oh, surrrre. NOW you tell me. I’ve discovered that even if you read the instructions ahead of time, it’s very important that you then follow them.

Rats.

Meet my little friend Jack…the seam ripper. We’re very close.

So by the light of the moon, we ripped…Jackie and I…and …

this is what straight edges look like. This girl can be taught.

Now I bet you’re thinking to yourself,  “Launi, what is your problem?! Why I could whip up one of these lovelies in twenty minutes.”

Well, here’s your chance to show me.

21st Century Charm School and Prairie Grass Patterns are giving away not one—but two– Table runner gift packs to two lucky readers! All the amazing MODA fabric you need to create your own beautiful-beyond-belief table runner!

To enter, click on either of the links above and go to the shop. Come back here and tell me which is your favorite pattern.  Then I hope you’ll wish me luck with my first quilting project. I’m gonna need it!

I’ll announce the winners on Friday morning, February 4th at 10:00 am.

Run, run. Fly, fly. Tweet. Facebook. Tell your friends. Enter. Enter.

:}

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