The other wall..

This is the wall opposite our bed in the master bedroom.  When I started to make changes, this wall remained pretty blank.  This weekend I made some headway in that department.

I found the sunburst thingy at Hobby Lobby.  The pictures are of the lily pond in Amana.  Bob and I went to the Thieves Market at the Memorial Union on Saturday and found these.  The artist is from Amana and takes these fabulous photos on her way to work in Iowa City,Wildoak Art.
I also found my yarn bowl!  It holds a ball of yarn so it is contained and not rolling all over the floor.

I also couldn't resist these baskets.  The supplier is a Fair Trade Federation supporter.  The large one comes from Ghana and the smaller one is from Swaisiland in South Africa.  There were so many beautiful choices, it was hard to choose. (For some reason I can't download the small one, you'll just have to take my word for it).

Back To Decorating...

Here is the cream coverlet, I got from Crate and Barrel in KC, at the foot of the bed.  I want to get some more pillows with teal or yellow (or both).

There were so many fabrics at Nell Hill's that would have worked but I couldn't decide!! The teal is in the lamp shade and in the pictures of the hummingbirds.

I got the 2 artichoke finials at Nell Hill's  I rearranged the items and added some plates. I like it!  This is the baker's rack that we painted.

Peeking over the greenery is a blue jar I got from Nell Hill's.  Should have gotten another one in creamy white and taller.  Oh well, next time.

ROAD TRIP!!

Last Friday my brother David and sister-in-law, Marcia arrived.  They wanted to visit Beloit College and see where Lauren was doing all her 'book-learnin'.  So David, Marcia and I left Coralville Saturday morning for Beloit, WI.

Lauren gave them a little walking tour.  Here they are in front of Middle College.

Above, is the house that Lauren and, her next year roommate, Julia will be in next year.  They are pretty happy about the location.
We had a very nice visit with Lauren.  We spent most of Saturday in Janesville.  Had lunch at a Ground Round (not bad!), wandered through a consignment shop for an hour or so, wandered through the countryside and even stopped at a garage sale in the dinky town of Plymouth.
That evening, we took Lauren and her friend Zoe To a very nice restaurant in Beloit called Little Bistro.  It was quite good. We bid them farewell after supper.  They both had plans for the evening.  We headed back to our hotel in Janesville (for some reason, there were no rooms available in Beloit!).
The next morning we left for Coralville, after breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  Lauren chose to sleep-in instead of joining us.  She'll be done May 7!!!  Won't be long!!!
We took Wisconsin 11 home instead of the interstates.  So much more to see! The highlight had to be Gravity Hill in Shellsburg!.. We stopped  at the cheese shop in Shellsburg.  That's where they make Shellsburg Cheese.  The lady behind the counter asked us if we had been to Gravity Hill, we said 'no'.  She told us how to get there...drive down County Road U till you get between 2 hills.  Put the car in neutral and a magnetic force will pull the car backwards (there is a lead and zinc mine there)!  So we did, and it did!!! Highlight of the day!
We ate lunch in Coralville and then Dave and Marcia went home.  I got a few things done and packed and then left for Des Moines.   I spent the night with Dave and Marcia.  At 7 the next morning, their friend Kay arrived and we all piled in her Highlander and Dave drove  to Kansas City.  There, we did some major power shopping!
First stop was Nell Hill's in Briarwood. It is a fabulous shop of gee- gaws and knick- knacks, furniture and fabric.  All with a country French twist to it..fabulous and affordable.  Next, we went to Ja'Dore.  This also had a French feel to it, but smaller and lots more plants. Very nice. Next stop was Crate and Barrel! Got a fabulous quilted coverlet for my bed.  Last was Dean and Deluca  (fun to shop in but terribly expensive).
We were back in Des Moines in time for supper at Cool Basil, a great Asian restaurant.
I'll  post pictures tomorrow of my 'purchases'...

Quilt Retreat in Dubuque

This last weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)I spent in Dubuque at Shalom Center for a quilt retreat. Friends Jackie and Jeannie D traveled from Iowa City and College Community on Friday morning.  We first had to stop at  Cooking Something Up a great kitchen shop in Dubuque!  Jackie and Jeannie purchased some of their wonderful oils and vinegars and I purchased a new non-stick pan by Le Crueset (and I love it). Next, we had to stop at Yarn Soup to check out the latest yarns available (and I managed to purchase a few..).  Then down a few doors to the quilt shop Cotton Cabin Quilts for a couple of more purchases.

Finally, we arrived at Shalom, a retreat center that is run by Catholic nuns.  It used to be a catholic high school for girls and then a convent. Everyone gets their own room for sleeping and we gather in a large room for some serious quilting and knitting.  It is great fun and I always enjoy seeing old friends. A big Thank You to Dayna and Jeannie A for organizing this fun event!!

Jackie and Jeannie were into their fiber work!  Jeannie was spinning and Jackie was knitting.  They both had been quilting earlier.  Very productive weekend!

Dayna was working hard on her quilt.  She also managed to pull the whole weekend together...Thanks, Dayna!!

Here's the rest of the gang.  Busy, Busy, Busy.  Danica, Jeannie, Eileen and Leanne.


















Here's some of the quilts that people were working on:

Can't wait till Fall for the next retreat!!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all!  Lauren came home this weekend with three friends from Beloit. Julia, Zoe and Alex lived too far from home to make it for the weekend so they came home with Lauren. They arrived Friday evening and stayed till about 5pm on Sunday evening.

Here is Alex, Zoe and Julia on Saturday evening. I believe we were watching Lauren and Bob making funny faces....

 It was great seeing Lauren, but too short!!   Hard to believe she will be finished with her first year of college in 3 weeks!!  Can't wait!!

I Did It!!

I did it!  I made the table cover from a sheet!  Since it was directional, I had to make a circle top and add the skirt.  I think I was 1/4" short all around the circle, but thanks to the topper, you'll never know...ssh!

I found the sheet,and matching bedskirt at Dillards at 60% a couple of weeks ago.  There was also a little pillow.  It all looks great with the new duvet.

Also, Yesterday I received my Rockin' Sock Club yarn..yay!!
it is very spring-like. The package included two patterns: one sock and one shawl.  Decisions, decisions!