Company Came...and went

I had so much fun with Kristina and Shannon that I still haven't caught up!  They arrived on Thursday afternoon...both looking exactly as their pictures. (No Shannon didn't wear this hat all the way from Reno!) Although we'd never met each other in person, it was as if we'd known each other forever!

Thursday we hung out and sweltered in the yurt for a bit; then it was off to my Guild meeting.  I drug them along since I was both dropping off and picking up quilts.  Kristina is actually a member; she wanted to go to the retreat...(note to self: remind her to sign up if she's coming.)




Friday the real fun began!  We played in the yurt in the morning with Shannon showing us tricks and tips and then Kristina did some playing and demonstrating of her Quiltazoid.  I even talked her into leaving it so that I could play with it after she'd gone.  The pictures are of a couple designs we did and then filled in--Shannon even tried some thread painting.

While she was here, Shannon taught me how to needle-turn applique (yuk--not my cup of tea) and how to English Paper Piece (much more my style).  Friday night Dennis and I went to bed around 11; at 2:30 he woke up and noticed lights on.  Then he woke me up...those girls were still up playing!!  I think that was when Kristina painted Shannon's toe nails that lovely shade of green!!

The girls got to meet the ponies and Shannon insisted on playing with them as if they were dogs.  They weren't sure what to make of her, but I do think Emma enjoyed it.  She is so spoiled, she loves any attention.

And, of course, I got special presents while Shannon was here too!  First, she brought me this lovely little "train case," which now houses my English Paper Piecing supplies.

Then she made me a cover for my sketch book from my very most favorite fabric in the whole world.  It was so painful watching her cut it; but I'm so happy she did.  Isn't it beautiful??First she had to quilt it...

   

Then she put it all together. The pocket on the inside holds all my colored pens.  We bought the sketchbooks in Reno, so Kristina will have her very own too!!

For those of you not from this planet that don't recognize the fabric, it's Laurel Burch's Mythical Horses.  She came out with this design shortly before she died and I've collected yards of every design and colorway I can find.  Until my sketch book, I've never cut it up...I do, however, take it out and pet if often!!

The three of us went to a quilt show in Reno where not only did we spend too much money, but Shannon bought a basket like mine and then had to figure out how to get it home. Did you know you can get them wet, squish them for shipping, then get them wet again and reshape them? No?? Me neither.  That's what she did though, and it worked.

Those of you that follow Shannon's blog know that not only is she a fabulous quilter, but she also hunts...with a gun *yikes!* Before she got here, we'd had a visit from a bear (he left a large deposit by the barn)and a mountain lion was in the valley (he'd attacked a dog). She was really hoping to see the bear; knowing  that seeing the cat was pretty much impossible.  I was unable to provide a bear sighting, but one evening as I want to the yurt, I heard a rattle--just like what you hear on tv in the old westerns.  A snake was right by our back door.  Shannon and Dennis dispatched him to the other side rather quickly.  Shannon really wanted to remove the rattles, but figured getting them through security at the airport could be an issue.

Shannon's last day here we spent shop-hopping in Gardnerville and Reno. It was so much fun to have her here.  Now it's my and Kristina's turn to go to Georgia...but NOT in the summer!! I'll leave you with one last shot of our play time in the yurt.  We had such a good time!!