Pacific Coast Highway

 

 

Scenery along the Pacific Coast Highway is breathtaking and at times a bit scary.  Oftentimes it is a very long way down ~ with no guardrail.

 

 

This is the Hearst Castle from a great distance.  Unfortunately we did not have time for a visit.  Maybe next time . . .

 

Here is a better picture of the penny mat I am offering in the give-away.  You can read about it here.  The penny in the middle row is NOT as gold as it looks here.

I also finished this little triangular one.  I am done stitching pennies for a while :) 

 

 

These pictures are for Gayle.  She asked if I would please show the back.  (Wow.  Looking at these pictures I sure notice that my penny placement is off, but from the front they look okay.)

 

 

Both Kim and I are finally hooking something  ~ YEAH.  She has a good excuse for not having hooked and of course I do not.  I will share my project soon.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Pennies from Heaven ~

. . . or how I stitched across country.  Before I left on vacation - I cut pennies.  Lots of pennies.  I needed something somewhat portable to work on while on the plane.  I figured sewing pennies would work, and it did (but I did get some very strange looks).  I was even able to take my little scissors with me.  Regulations say scissors with less than a four inch blade can be taken  aboard but it is also at the discretion of the TSA.  My carry on was pulled aside and I was asked if I had anything sharp in it.  Thankfully they let me keep them (and the pumpkin rolls). 

 

Of course I didn't get nearly as much done as I had hoped.  You'd think for all the time spent in airports and the thousands of miles in the air, I would have gotten so much more done.  I did finish about 75 pennies.

 

I had cut the backing and sewed these few pennies before leaving, figuring I would get them all done and start on the cross stitch sampler I had taken with me.  HA.  Not even close.

The only mat I finished was the one at the top.  Since returning home I have finished two more of those and the one on the bottom of the picture.

I am half done with this diamond shaped one.  I hope to finish soon because I am getting really sick of stitching pennies :)  I haven't picked up a hook in probably six weeks and am having withdrawal symptoms.   Hopefully this long weekend I will finally start a hooking project.  It's not like I don't have lots of patterns already on linen to choose from.

 

Finally the reason for all this "penny talk".  I promised a give-away when I wrote my 800th post, so it's finally time.  I will give away one of the little penny mats (third picture, top mat).  As always, my rules are simple.  Leave a comment on this post or send me an email with give-away in the subject line.  If you are not one of my "regulars", please know that YOU MUST CONTACT ME within three days or I will choose someone else.  A winner will be chosen on Monday or Tuesday.  Please do not share this on your blog or Facebook page. 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

More California ~

 

 My son Bill (the pumpkin roll lover) and his girlfriend Melisa (one s) on the Redondo Beach pier.

 

I love this.  It was hanging outside a restaurant.  A great re-purpose for a pallet.

???  I didn't get this.

Laurel and Hardy at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Muscle Beach.  Venice.  I had a hard time believing the scruffy young guys in green scrubs were really doctors.  Further down the beach, they only charged $30 . . . lol.  No, I did not get my card :)

 

Some people were so honest.  This sign said, "Spare change 4 weed".  

The Queen Mary in Long Beach.

 

A carpet aboard ship.  Even DSO asked if it was inspiration for a rug. 

 

 

 

Loocie this morning.  She is just too cute :)

 

I found this today working in the yard.  Please tell me it isn't so.  Pretty please.  Since returning from vacation, the crickets are loud every evening.  It is now dark when I walk Ellie in the morning and at night.  I am so not ready for fall ~ but I guess I have no choice in the matter . . . sigh.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Hooray for Hollywood ~

 

Back from vacation ~ back to reality.  It really is good to be home . . . not so great to be back at work but my desk wasn't as bad as I had envisioned.

 

We made it to Los Angeles without incident.  I was even able to get through security with my scissors (less than 4" blades) and two pumpkin rolls.  My son (fondly known as LA Bill) LOVES pumpkin roll, so I surprised him with two.  I think he was happier to have the pumpkin roll than to see me :)  He already has asked when I will be back because as of Tuesday night, it was almost gone. 

 

We were typical tourists in the LA area.  Our first excursion was to Hollywood.

 

What a gorgeous theater.

Outside TCL Chinese Theatre (fka Grauman's).

 We walked many blocks to find this star.

We were there the day after Robin Williams died.  It was a media frenzy.  One never knows what demons live in others.  So sad.

Our next stop was Griffith Observatory. 

 

 

The sundial was accurate
to the minute.

 
 Set high atop a hill, it afforded beautiful views of the surrounding area.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  In the coming days, I have much more to bore you with :)

 

Pug hugs,

Lauren