camp

right on time . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

You would not think that I'd have much to share, seeing as I just posted four days ago ... but, surprise! I have another photo-laden post, with a variety of content!

Thursday evening was our guild's last meeting of the guild year ... our birthday party, so to speak. It was decorated beautifully!

There's always a shot of the outgoing board. You'll notice me at the very top, right. I won't be on the 2023-24 board; my plate is rather full right now.

The quilt behind us is our 2024 Fanfare Quilt Show opportunity (raffle) quilt. Isn ...

added by Denise :) 1 year, 4 months ago. under camp , cheesecake , cross stitch , granddaughter , guild , photo , sleepover , stitchery

half gone or half full . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Rabbit, rabbit! It's hard to believe it's July 1st and we're halfway through the year already!

June was busy, but good. We got the very good news that the PET scan images were good, so Todd was cleared for surgery. That will happen on July 5th ... in four days. It's a major surgery. They'll remove the right lobe of his liver, his gallbladder, and ablate any mets they find on the left lobe. They think there might be one, but they've never been able to get a good look at it, so that's ...

added by Denise :) 1 year, 5 months ago. under applique , camp , cancer , grandchildren , lake , photo , slow stitching , surgery , vacation , wool

back in my world . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

I think I posted in February that life had been crazy and the Valentine blog hop post was just the thing I needed to get me going again. Only I didn’t, and life—got crazier. And even a little scary. And again, I’m not going to tell the tale here (though if you know me IRL or we're friends on facebook, you have some ideas), but I will go back and write posts for my lost weeks, because it's cathartic and also helps me track when what happened (and what projects I worked on) down the ...

added by Denise :) 2 years, 7 months ago. under camp , grandchildren , lake , photo , rv living , slow stitching

whirlwind . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Well, all I can think of to say is that it's been a wild ride, this past week or so (and I'm not talking about the tornado watch we're currently under)!

We had a lovely Christmas . . . but there were some sad things, too. Most notably, my dad went to the hospital by ambulance on Monday, December 20, with an exacerbated COPD episode. We (and the doctors) had hoped he would be home by Christmas, but complications arose and that was not to be. He came home late this afternoon, by the same method he went. Hospice has ...

added by Denise :) 2 years, 12 months ago. under baking , boat , camp , christmas , family , friends , grandchildren , photos

all the things . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

What a great weekend! Thursday evening kicked it off (I am so grateful that our office is closed on Fridays) with our monthly guild meeting. We had a good turnout.

Our program featured our Comfy Quilts Committee, along with one of the services that receives our quilts. There was also a nicely stocked free to a good home table. I dropped off a stack of magazines and grabbed some pretty fabrics that caught my eye!

Speaking of fabric, Diann of Little Penguin Quilts had shared a cute stitchery she was working on, and it was framed with the cutest pumpkin ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 1 month ago. under camp , camp macoba , fabric , football , grandson , guild , photos , pumpkins , stitchery , wool

california travels to alabama . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

I'm just going to warn you right now . . . this post is going to be super SUPER photo heavy. And not a single quilty, stitchy thing. All grands. :)

As I teased in my last post, James, Kim, Sawyer, June and Olivia made the trip from California. They came the last few days in June and stayed through the first week of July. It was so spectacular to see them all!! I've just uploaded pics. Enjoy!

My folks with six of their greats!

There always has to be the funny face photo!

Edith thought she'd sleep on the top ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 2 months ago. under cabins , camp , family , fireworks , grandchildren , independence day , photo , sleepover , video

summertime shenanigans . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

It has been a whirlwind of a month! June is a month when thoughts turn to . . .

Pumpkins. I mean, right?! Doesn't everyone's mind work this way?! Haha! You know, I rarely buy wool kits because I enjoy picking my own wool for a project. When I found this darling pattern, I knew I'd definitely want to kit it from my own stash!

I had just the perfect combinations to work with! Does anyone else work out colors/fabrics this way? I do love the end game . . .

Of course it still needs to be blanket stitched down, but ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 2 months ago. under birthday , camp , family , graduation , guild , photos , picnic quilt , pumpkin , wool

wedding, reunions, and anniversaries . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

I said May's a wrap in my last post . . . but I forgot to take into account our day on the lake with our favorite local grands!

Before we headed out, we stopped to put gas in the boat. We were docked behind a sweet cabin cruiser that was sweetly named!

So we celebrated Memorial Day in the water. It was still a little cool, but all the girls wanted to swim and splash, so we did. Purple lips and all! Seriously, once I got in, I knew I had to stay in, or I'd never take the plunge ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 2 months ago. under anniversary , camp , family , flag day , photos , pig roast , reunion , wedding

april showers . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Bring May flowers . . .

My newest addition to my teacup collection. Rather appropriate for May, don't you think? I saw it in a spread in the current issue of TeaTime Magazine. They kill me. LOL! :)

Our rhododendrons and our water lilies are both blooming out!

I love all the color this season brings with it!

This last weekend was a weekend of tiny dancers. The girls had their spring ballet recital; it was Edith's first! They all did a marvelous job and it was a weekend well spent!

Aren't they darling? They're signed up for next year ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 7 months ago. under ballet , camp , family , grandgirls , photo , teacup

bits and pieces . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Right off the bat, let me put your minds to rest . . .

This got finished, so this could happen . . .

Whew! All is right with the (her) world again!

It's been a busy week, at work and home. For the last eight years, we've gone to see The Nutcracker ballet every Christmas season. This year they didn't do the ballet (go figure). So instead, I've been putting together something fun to take its place . . .

We'll have a full-blown tea party with all the trimmings, and then watch the ballet on DVD!! (I've got several versions, of ...

added by Denise :) 4 years ago. under baking , camp , camp macoba , christmas , christmas ornaments , gifts , grandgirls , hand-quilt , photos , scarf , wool

random bits . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Can I tell you something? Since I changed my comments to 'comment moderation, always' I sometimes forget to publish them to my blog. Am I the only one?!? Please tell me I'm not! LOL!

My son sent me this photo on Monday evening . . .

Frightening, no? The tallest building (the Mazda Building) is where his company's suite of offices is. He's been working remotely since March, so he's not there. But they did have a group that was working onsite, and they were evacuated. I'm so glad they moved to Murrieta; before they made the move ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 1 month ago. under baking , camp , christmas , family , mushroom , photo , random , tea , yarn

slipping away . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

This is the last slow stitching Sunday in October . . . and there are only nine left in 2020. How's that for an opening line?!

Between the birthday weekend and getting ready for the Blog Hop, by this past week I was ready to just chill. LOL! But I pretty much had something every night last week, so not a lot to show. I will share this darling photo of my niece, Liesl . . .

October is Down Syndrome month and the colors of solidarity are blue and yellow. My sister had the yard signs made this year. So sweet! If you're ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 2 months ago. under autumn , camp , down syndrome , embroidery , football , granddaughters , photos , slow stitching , stitchery

time out . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Hey, hey! What a glorious, long weekend for me! Our big meeting was Tuesday, and then the office was closed through Monday! The weather's been just glorious for a five-day weekend!

Tuesday evening, Evey came home with me and had a sleepover. We had lots of fun exploring, watching movies, and making cookies!!

She was very serious about her sprinkling duties!

While Evey and I were checking out the turtle sanctuary, I noticed a couple of water lily buds. Sure enough, when I came out on Thursday to look, we had one in full bloom . . .

Isn't it beautiful ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 2 months ago. under baking , camp , crochet , embroidery , granddaughter , halloween hoppin blog hop , photo , pumpkins , slow stitching , stitchery , wool felt

quilts, kids, and critters . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Still slogging away in the new un-normal. I don't know about anyone else, but it all still feels so surreal. Work is normal (hours), so there's that, but nothing else feels the same. Strange.

I've been working off and on in the Nook. Our stitcher's group collaborated on a quilt for one of our ladies who's been diagnosed with breast cancer. Everyone contributed blocks (á la Lori Holt), one of our very talented ladies (and one of my affirmation group besties -- Sarah) did the layout and made it into a marvelous flimsy, and another of ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 5 months ago. under binding , camp , camp macoba , eq , grandchildren , hearts , petit fours , photos , quilt , sassy , sheep , stitcher's group , wildlife

pandemic pass . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Evidently, that's just what I did. Took a pass on blogging during the height of the pandemic. I have no good excuse for it, either! Except how you know when you miss something one week ... and it makes it a little easier to miss it the next week ... until the week comes and it's hard to do it because you've missed so much?

Yeah. That.

I *have* been busy (for the last seven plus weeks). Lemme 'splain . . .

I made some masks (click here for the tutorial):

I made quilt tops and finished quilts:

(Temecula mini is finished ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 7 months ago. under baking , boat , books , camp , pandemic , photos , quilt , tea

girls, girls, girls . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

This was another of those weeks in which I had something after work every night. Ten hour work days with an activity after work makes for LONG days! But that's okay. My reward came Friday in the form of a visit from these cuties . . .

Yesterday was their mama's birthday, and I kept the through the day Friday and overnight. While these visits are generally about movies and popcorn, Friday was a lovely, sunny day and we did go exploring! Everyone found a different daffodil to sniff . . .

We took time to smell whatever this was that was flowering . . .

And ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 9 months ago. under binding , camp , camp macoba , dst , fabric , granddaughters , photos , repair , slow stitching , utility sewing

a little remiss . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

What can I say that I've not said before?! Life is BUSY! But that's okay; I'm in the here and now!

This past weekend I hosted (?!?!?) the first ever Camp MACOBA Stitcher's Retreat! It was such a cozy, fun weekend! I hashtagged it #rustricretreat. There's a reason! LOL!

We made use of both bunkhouses. We slept in the one . . .

(Can you tell it was a quilter's retreat?!)

And we stitched in the other . . .

(And we trekked to the 'outhouse'. Really it's not that primitive -- it was a bathhouse. But still it was a ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 9 months ago. under camp , camp macoba , embroidery , handwork , photos , quilt , retreat , slow stitching , wool

all the hearts . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Finally got myself over to Hobby Lobby (I had a gift card) to pick out a frame for my Snow Sampler. Bonus -- all the frames were 50% off! So this is the one I picked out . . .

Isn't it sweet?! Joc has a silver and blue snowman that's so cute and would look perfect in this vignette. But for now, I'm pleased with my jar of melted snowman, my snowman book, and the little blue and white heart, which help me feel like at least we're transitioning. LOL!

I got a few more hearts free handed to ...

added by Denise :) 4 years, 10 months ago. under camp , camp tv , embroidery , free hand , handwork , hearts , love sampler , photo , slow stitching , snow sampler , stitchery

swap happy . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

It's said that it's better to give than to receive, and believe me, I'm all about that. But if you've ever been in a swap with Janet of Rogue Quilter fame, you know it's awesome to receive, too! Janet and I did a little swap between our birthdays (mine is early in October and hers is later in November). I stitched up a mug rug for her and she stitched up one of her marvelous pin cushions for me. We both stayed in our comfort zones!

Along with this beautiful pin cushion (which reminds me ...

added by Denise :) 5 years, 1 month ago. under acorns , camp , cream cheese mints , embroidery , happy mail , hiking , kathy schmitz , mug rug , photos , pin cushion , swap , veteran's day , wool acorn

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