Toys and bikes!

ser·en·dip·i·ty  (srn-dp-t)

n. pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties

1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.

3. An instance of making such a discovery.

I am not sure if serendipity is the right word, but for lack of a better word - I'm sticking with serendipity. 

Yesterday I mentioned the Farm Toy Museum. Then last night I decided to read the Quilt Sampler Magazine (Fall/Winter 2011). The first store they feature is called Vintage Threads Quilt Shoppe in Dyersville, Iowa. Besides being famous for the setting of the movie Field of Dreams (from 1989 - can you believe that???), but can you guess what other attraction is in this town??????   Guess?????   

Did you guess a toy museum????   You are right!!!!!

The National Farm Toy Museum (which hosts a semiannual show) is also located in Dyersville!!!!!   How bizarre is that. 

National Farm Toy Museum   (in case you are into that kind of thing!!!)

And I found a link to an article about the Canadian Farm Toy Museum......

Canadian Farm Toy Museum - article

I hope I haven't lost you yet. Yes - this is supposed to be about quilts and bikes, but there is a reason for this. 

A while back, I was doing some research on Barbie and in my quest for things Barbie - I found this......

Barbie's plastic bike!!!

Then when in Amsterdam checking out the tourist shops, I came across this. I did NOT buy it right away for two reasons. One - how to get it home and second the cost. After much debate with myself - I decided to go back and get it. After all the stuff about the toy museums - I finally unpacked it yesterday. It is not the BEST!!!!!!!

Hand made CITY BIKE!!!!!!   (you could get the girl bike or the boy bike!!!)

Cool kickstand and everything

The bike really works - I mean that is a REAL bike chain!!!!!  

We found the same bike in another store for about 16 E MORE than what I paid so I was a happy camper. They put it in a box and I carried it home in a plastic bag with my GIANT letter E and everything worked out just fine!!!!!!

Maybe when I go to the toy museum, I will take my bike to show him. I LOVE the bike. The seat is a very pliable rubber. I have no idea where it was made although it says Made in INA - did they misspell CHINA?????   Probably!!!!

Now to keep some quilting aspect to this blog - I did manage to get the quilt trimmed that needed trimming and now there is a HUGE stack of quilts in the living room that are destined for delivery/pickup!!!!   Some of them are samples for upcoming classes but all has to go!!!!

Quilts ready for pickup/delivery!!!!

I did get the binding on It's a Bling Thing.....

Binding on It's a Bling Thing

And even my current novel has a quilt theme - The Sugar Camp Quilts by Jennifer Chiaviarini. I think I prefer the ones deal with the "regular" cast of characters rather than the historic ones, but it is interesting. And no bad dreams like when I was reading Dean Koontz. I don't think I will read any more of his books. I used to like books on paranormal, but I'm too boring for that now!!!!

When I was looking through my pictures yesterday trying to find the farm toys that we had as kids growing up, I came across this.....

Center block for my round robin

Yes - it is my center block for the round robin project. I wonder what they (my friends) did to it??????    I notice I didn't put a lot of orange in this block. Well - regardless I am sure I will like it. I am getting excited and I want to see it NOW!!!!!

Yesterday afternoon when I SHOULD have been in the house writing my article that is DUE NOW, I decided that it was too nice to sit in the house. The girls and I sat out on the deck and it was gorgeous. I am VERY HAPPY to report that I even ventured to get some gardening done. I couldn't really bend to get the weeds with this stupid leg. Guess what - I think it is actually better because I pulled two buckets of weeds pretty much pain free!!!!!!    While Kaylee had fun in the waterfall which is now working since they installed a new pump!!!!!      And the fish like it to - I was worried they had all died (AGAIN!!), but no - once the water got going  - they were backing swimming around. (Too many plants in there to see them properly, but they love the moving water)

Well - it is a sit n sew day. I had better get the last of the tidying done before they descend. 

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Road Trip!!!

It is amazing how different you can feel from one day to the next. Honestly I feel like a truck hit me today. And I am going to blame it all on Alwin!!!!  I never feel like I am working out that intense at the gym, but was VERY tired Thursday afternoon. That feeling of fatigue just hasn't left. Did I not eat enough protein after the workout? Should I have succumbed to a nap? I really feel like I am coming down with something - my throat has been scratchy the last couple of days and my butt just doesn't want to get out of bed!!!!  

Since I have things to do today - I MUST get moving, but here it is 10 AM and I'm barely awake!!!!  Yep - must be sick!

After a couple of phone calls yesterday - I did manage to snag some needles in the TWO larger sizes that I wanted, never mind that I could find one of the larger sizes close by - NO - I had to go to the farther location!!!!  Ronda offered to come with me.

I did  manage to get my butt in gear and ride my bike to do my errands in the morning. All the way to Canadian Tire to get a basket and a cup holder for M's bike. Found the basket, but no cup holder. Then stopped at the grocery store (yes on my bike!!!!), the library, then Tim's (got to love that cup holder!!!) and back home.

Before we could leave on the road trip, I had to wait for someone to drop off a much loved quilt that I am going to evaluate for repair.

Quilt to be repaired

This quilt was given to the couple as a wedding present 29 years ago. They have used it continually on their bed for 29 years!!!!   It is much loved as you can tell from the split seams. The batting and hand quilting is pretty much shot and is in much need of a good cleaning. The backing is also the binding. Hmmmmm - what to do - what to do?????   My first concern is the fragile state of the fabrics. I don't know if it really can be repaired or should be repaired and if so - what about the quilting?????   Going to have to chat to a few people about this before I make an estimate of the work.

Hopefully one of my quilts will be in this state one day and not from abuse, but from much love!!!!!!

Anyway the husband is in the book business and brought me a couple of books.....

Books - I love books!!!!!!

Once he left (and he was late!!!!! -  Oh well), Ronda and I loaded all the stuff (remember I had removed all the stuff from my previous car, but not reloaded into the new one). Anyway - just threw it into the back seat (in a bucket no less) and away we went. I was very tired though so good thing Ronda was there to keep me awake!!!!

Of course - we could not make a trek down this way without hitting a couple of quilt stores. Without Marian's trusty directions - we muddled our way to both stores and because of the directions - I came to both stores from a completely different direction which threw me off, but we got there!!!!!

Always so many ideas at the stores. I want to sign up for all of them. Cute Blocks of the Months - cute patterns. My biggest problem is - if it was cute - I might already have the pattern!!!!!   Got to get everything cataloged to avoid duplication!!!

Backing fabric for a new project. A new group project - my theme is "WORDS" and this will be the back. It was 50% off - perfect for a backing. 

 One of my biggest problems with any new project these days is what COLOUR SCHEME to use. Honestly - I have done so many quilts - I am running out of ideas. I know - there is inspiration everywhere,  and I will have to start saving new colour schemes. However this lime green backing made me think that I DO NOT have a citrus coloured quilt (OK - I do have several - rats - there goes that idea!), But I was thinking of making this WORD themed quilt in citrus colours. Naw - maybe not. The words on the back will tie to the theme on the front - don't need to worry about colour, however.........

FQ of Halloween fabric - got to get started on that Halloween quilt and  I could not resist this - just ONE FQ

Cute pattern for table runner

And that was it. See how good I am. I am thinking that it is Marian's fault I buy so much. She teases me - she taunts me with stuff and then I have to have it. She is like the SIRENS on the Rhine River!!!!!   Hmmmm - maybe I won't allow her to shop with me any more.

Despite the fact that we were going to stick to big roads yesterday - we manged to hit all sorts of little country back road - including driving through Effingham. What a name for a town!!!!   Sorry - didn't get a picture of that, nor did we get a picture of the helicopter spraying the grape vines. Ronda wasn't quick with the camera!!!!

Country roads - and the car loved it

|The car is also able to turn on a dime - well not quite, but we had to back track to get this picture.

OK - I grew up on a farm. As kids we had a number of neat "real" farm tractors and other equipment. I will try to unearth the photos. My uncle has taken to refurbishing tractors and has started a collection of farm toys. I must get a picture of that - I did not.

Anyway - I think it would be fun to go back and visit this museum.

While we were in Brugges - there was a flea market and we saw these metal toys. I was tempted to buy the tractor for my uncle, but the paint job did not seem well done so I did not.

Toy tractors in Brugges flea market

Toy tractors in Brugges flea market

Other metal toys in Brugges flea market

Metal toys at Brugges flea market

Then we hit the serious country roads!!!   Actually just a lane way to get the needles!!!!

There was even MUD on this laneway!!!!

However we picked up the needles and were on our way home.

See how much room there is in the cargo area!!!!!!

Yes - all that way for those little needles!!!!!   I am NOT sure that there is room in this car for THREE people with all their luggage?????????


We were not quite ready to leave the area yet. First we had to find a geocache. Ronda had the trusty iPad in her hands and found a cache that was very close.

The Big Red Box Cache - let's just say it wasn't a traditional!!!!!

Then since the day before I had a craving for a McDonald's strawberry shake. I haven't had a shake in YEARS and when we were in Europe - I had one and ever since - well - I've cravings for the stupid things.

The trusty GPS (OH yeah - we had technology in that car up the ying yang!!!!) - led us to a McDonald's very close to the place we picked up the needles. Only to discover the McDonald's was closed due to renovations. CRAP!!!!!!!

Well we headed to the next closest and HEY - there is a Canadian Tire right beside. Made a quick stop and yes - there were the cup holders for M's bike!!!!!!   Then across the parking lot to get the shake!!!!   YUM!!!!!!!   And no spills in the car!!!!!!  

Once we arrived home (it was late by now), Ronda had some family business to attend to and honestly - I had a nap!!!!!!  

And since nothing normal ever seems to happen - I am walking the dogs this morning and can you imagine what I find hanging in the trees??????   A budgie in its cage. The door had been left open - in hopes it would fly away???????

Budgie in its cage

Kaylee was VERY excited when I took the cage down from the tree. Of course - she is NOT allowed to play with the bird. And she is NOT happy.

Off to call animal services to see if they take birds - otherwise - anyone want a budgie?????????


|Have a great day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!


(oh yes - did the needles work?????   I was too tired to try them and I have some paper work to get done this AM - hopefully this afternoon we can figure it out!!!)