Friday, January 27, 2017

Mud Pumpkins

I realize it's been awhile since fall now, but I really have to tell you about this pumpkin patch that we went to.

IMG_20161022_112658956_HDR

It had this corn maze that has to be the. most. elaborate corn maze ever to exist.

IMG_20161022_114158646_HDR

I mean, look at it! It's the shape of Charlie Brown and Snoopy! Also, they consider me tall at this particular pumpkin patch.

IMG_20161022_114503938_HDR

Or it was for kids or whatever.

Okay. So, this corn maze was in Portland. It rains here. So there was mud. But I mean, really. It was a crazy mess.

IMG_20161022_121353710

But they give you adorable clues and even after exploring both routes, I have to say:

IMG_20161022_130709738_HDR

WE DID IT! Really, it was so muddy that it did feel like quite a feat.

Like all good tourist traps, they had things for us to stick our heads through.

IMG_20161022_130822691

IMG_20161022_142334206_HDR

Also, I climbed this hay bale stack.

IMG_20161022_142423576_TOP

IMG_20161022_142505121

Just look how accomplished I felt.  I say again: WE DID IT!

Friday, January 20, 2017

Our New Beach

When we moved to Portland, we were delighted to learn that there's a company beach condo that just any old fool employee can sign up to use.  We heard it was fun in all weather, so Eddy was kind enough to book it for a long weekend to celebrate my birthday!

Perhaps the most important characteristic of the condo itself and the beach it sits on is that it is dog friendly. Here's Norman enjoying his first trip out on the patio.

IMG_20161026_121417629_HDR

IMG_20161026_140739592

Did I mention that Norman really loves the beach?

IMG_20161026_175509341

IMG_20161026_181134823

The thing to do in the area around the condo is definitely cheese tourism.

IMG_20161027_121809691

The Tillamook Factory is definitely a favorite.

They have fried cheese curds there. And non-fried cheese curds there. We ate so many cheese curds.

IMG_20161027_124022745

Aaaaaand some more cheese tourism.

IMG_20161027_130326489

Sticking our heads through stuff as usual.

IMG_20161027_134733580_HDR

IMG_20161027_134842493_HDR

Just so much fun at the freaking beach.

IMG_20161028_115153690

Friday, January 13, 2017

No-Name Bunny

I've been into paper piecing quilts for awhile now.  It's a method that allows you to make more intricate patterns than traditional quilting with easy Y-seams.

I recently tackled this rather intense pattern, which I sized up (you know, because it wasn't going to be a challenging enough project.)


Even printing and preparing the pattern was pretty intense.

IMG_20160927_161127.jpg

IMG_20160928_084911.jpg

IMG_20160928_123738758_HDR

IMG_20160928_124052693_HDR

IMG_20160928_143710976

IMG_20160928_140044118

These pictures are all to communicate that I was pretty much freaking out at this point, basically begging Eddy to save me from my own ambition.

I made the first piece and it wasn't so bad.

IMG_20160928_153222074

I made some really big pieces (with a little help, of course.)

IMG_20160929_085211565_HDR

Then it started to come together.

IMG_20160929_102234276

IMG_20160929_140834637

IMG_20160929_153952916

Once I made all the pieces it still looked a bit of a jumbled mess.

IMG_20160930_144255.jpg

Piecing was a *bit* of a challenge.

IMG_20161003_190318252

But I eventually got him together.

IMG_20161005_124207.jpg

Then it was time for quilting.

IMG_20161005_141348056_HDR

I made a special template for the background quilting. I sort of wanted it to remind me of the famed Sherlock wallpaper.

IMG_20161005_120445368_HDR

IMG_20161006_122707397

Here he is all framed up in his new home atop our living room mantle!

IMG_20161006_131254.jpg

We gave him a really cool name and then promptly forgot what we named him. Poor no-name bunny!

Friday, January 6, 2017

The Mom Visit

Over the summer in Portland, we also had a really fun visit from my mom.  Mostly we just did a bunch of fun summery Portland stuff.

One day we drove out to the Columbia River Gorge.

IMG_20160916_142819121

Best Multnomah Falls picture ever.

IMG_20160916_134142678

IMG_20160916_135755186

IMG_20160916_152923130

IMG_20160916_153359081

We also took a day and drove out to the ocean to a place where you can feed sea lions.

IMG_20160919_142742387_HDR

Look at those faces! How could you *not* throw them approximately 3,0000 dead fishes?!

IMG_20160919_143045401

IMG_20160919_142827864

IMG_20160919_143524732

We also went to the Goonies beach where I took some cranky pictures because I was hungry or something.

IMG_20160919_124449339_HDR

IMG_20160919_114515889_HDR

We also enjoyed the International Rose Test Garden back in Portland because the weather was just right for it.

IMG_20160918_125104886_HDR

IMG_20160918_123210595_HDR

Thanks for coming to visit, mom!  Can't wait to do it again soon!