Busy Bees

 I started this snap bag about four weeks ago.

 The paper piece foundation comes from Badskirt.
I printed it on vellum which tore easily as I sewed the tiny pieces together.

 The bee did not know what it was going to turn into at the beginning.
It was  organic sewing at it's best. Decide as you go (as it grows).

 The back side was a textured white fabric that I had in stash - well -- all the fabrics were in stash.

 
Here's my vellum starter piece.
Badskirt's tutorial has you sew the bee in three parts.
The body, the wings and the forehead.

 These next photos are of me deciding which fabrics to use,
- - - how my bee morphed into a snap bag.

 More black, anyone?

 Soft green textured stripe almost made it to the finish line.
But then I found a seersucker check in soft blue-green.

Finishing up some other UFO's.
Summer is nearly finished - Labor Day is Monday.

Oneonta Falls

We met up with my sis at Multnomah Falls.
Our plan was to have lunch here and then hike Oneonta Falls.

Don't go this way. You can -- but don't say I didn't warn you.


Staircase down to the creek. We hiked up Oneonta Gorge -- up the creek.
Literally.

This is the Best Hike Ever.
It's short (1.8 miles), level, easy but it has a few obstacles.
The first one is a giant logjam at the beginning.

Looking back - you're gonna come back to this one.


The gorge walls close you in - much cooler than the 92' out there.
There was very little dry land.

Wall-to-wall water.




The second obstacle? 3 feet of water to wade through.
HaHaHa!
It was more like 4 feet - nearly up to my neck.
Got your ziploc for your camera?

My turn.

And here we are a short time later.

The best hike ever.







This was the first photo I took at Multnomah Falls which I had assumed was a dud - glaring sunlight and all that.
When I got home - I decided it was pretty cool.

Sunflower Therapy

I work in a concrete bunker. Can you hear all the negative connotations? Add in a not-so-nice-boss and I needed Sunflower Therapy.


A wonderful guy by the name of Mike helped me. He heard my dream and helped make it possible by selling me the potting soil at his cost plus 10 cents.



The gravel parking lot runs right up to the building.
I laid the potting soil directly on the gravel.
I decided Sunflowers would best banish lingering poor feng shui.

I planted six different dwarf varieties.
I didn't think the tall varieties would hold tall in the 3" of soil on top of gravel.

They are just getting going.
I have a brigade of volunteer waterer's standing by as I take a two-week vacation.
I've had to deal with the roof overhang (Water everyday!)
Vigorous berry vines. (crossbow)
Stray Cat Neighbors who thought I'd gifted them with a brand new latrine.(free fertilizer)

And a big community thank-you for brightening up an eyesore.
Thank you!

I am happy to say the Sunflower Therapy has exceeded it's expectations.

County Fair Premiums

My fair premiums totaled $18.    yippee!!

You can only enter one item per category. I had two little coin purses. One could go under purses, the other under another category.

I won 2 Third premiums ($1 - one buck!!!), six 2nd premiums ($2 ), and one blue ribbon ($4 -woohoo!).
My friend won a third premium. I mailed her the dollar bill and the ribbon to take back to Japan when she leaves Oregon.
I can't quite believe they still pay out in cash.

Here's my first premium in the scarf category. I used my serger and woolly nylon in the upper looper to create the rolled hem edging. I also utilized elastic thread in the bobbin of my sewing machine to gather crosswise down the length of the scarf. 
Very interesting techniques.

This is for sale in my etsy store and whoever buys it will get the fair ribbon. Fun bonus!

I'm going to do this again next year.

Clackamas County Fair -- The Ribbons

Have to lead off with an Airplane!
My customer in Hubbard entered this and made sure to tell me about her Red Baron.
It appears the fuselage could be a tomato cage with raffia wrapped around the wire?
Plastic tubing or dowels for the wings?
I took a dozen photos. I hope to re-create this for my patio.

She entered this with the plants, herbs, cut flowers.

My friend from Japan was visiting Oregon to see her family and very nicely came to see me.
We started off our day with a trip to Fabric Depot before the county fair.
She and her daughter succumbed to the Red Velvet Funnel Cake.


Pioneer village. Hand-dipped candles, bead stringing, kettle korn.


My Herringbone won 2nd prize. In fact, that's what I won on most of my items. It's always a challenge to figure out what the judges are looking for. Of course, if you were to create something  with the fair theme... "Fun For The Whole Herd", you were practically guaranteed grand prize!

My hand-knitted, hand-felted purse - 2nd.

Teapot cozy - 2nd

What was winning the 1st premium's??? The hand-stitched cards. This gal won a bundle in premium's. She figured out what the judges wanted.

Wall hanging with Japanese theme and fabrics. Hand-beading.
These textiles are all up on the second floor of the Hobby Hall. We are an old-fashioned county fair which means -- no air conditioning   -- which can be toasty upstairs.
There is  limited 'good' lighting for photography.

Liked this red, black & white pinwheel strip quilt.

Intrigued by this skirt fashioned from pop can tabs.

Janine and I  liked this pinwheel quilt.

Good to see old-fashioned thread doilies. The judges liked these too.

Cutest little girls knitted jumper.
See that embroidered card on the left. --Another blue ribbon.

Cathedral Window pillow. Inset panel.

Hexi quilt.


Upstairs in the hot Hobby Hall, they have these air blowers that look rather robotic. If you stand in front of them, it's much cooler. Hannah was going for the rock star hair.

This is something Janine made for me - a mug rug. She pieced all the triangles and then free-motion quilted it. It was a  surprise for  me  when I opened a package from her to see it inside.
I entered it  hoping she would get to see the ribbon (she did!).  She won a Third premium.
It will be so much fun to send her back to Japan with a county fair ribbon!


County fairs across the nation are closing down. I remember when every display case was filled to the brim with entries. Judging was much more difficult.

Entries are fewer every year.
I love our old-fashioned family fair with a national-rated Rodeo thrown in for more fun.
All you sewing fanatics -- go be judged!