Up North ~

The last few days of our California trip were spent to the north in Sebastopol, visiting with Matt (DSO's younger son) and fiancée Danielle.

 

They live on an acre in the country where they garden and just got four baby chicks.  Danielle has promised Matt three years of eggs for breakfast. 

 

Meet Jack, one of their neighbors.

 

 

Northern California was much calmer than the LA area.  We took a trip here . . .

 

 

. . . and sampled some of this.

 

 

Beautiful succulents on the grounds. 

 

 

This was the coolest thing.  It is called something like a kinetic wind spinner.  I wish I could figure out where the video is I took of it moving, but I am technologically challenged.  They can be found on Amazon and I sure hope I get one for Christmas . . . HINT, HINT.

 

We also passed through Bodega on the way to the ocean.  Bodega's claim to fame is that scenes from Hitchcock's The Birds was filmed there.

 

 

 

 

Charles Schulz lived and is buried in the area, and the airport in Santa Rosa is named in his honor.  A very small airport . . . but one that made you smile.  I wouldn't say that about many other airports.  Air travel is definitely not glamorous.

 



Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Finally ~

 

I finally have a little rug on the frame.  It feels good to have hook in hand.  This is a Heavens to Betsy pattern measuring only 10 1/2" x 15".

 

 

Thanks to all who entered my penny mat give-away.  I always pick my winner the old-fashioned way.  I write all the names on a slip of paper and throw them in a bowl.  Congrats to Sweet Sue.  Please send me you snail mail address.

 

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend.  I, for one, refuse to believe it is September.  I think I will be like the ostrich and bury my head in the sand.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

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