Trippin’

Posted in Uncategorized by Zenia Rene

Habitat 67 Montreal Quebec Canada

Niagara Falls Ontario Canada

Manhattan NY

The Mile High City Denver, CO

I’ve gone on a few trips in the past couple of weeks. One trip was to Denver, where I was raised, for my niece’s graduation and another was to Canada and NY, something I’d been planning for almost a year.

The Denver trip was the 1st time back w/most of my family. All the trees and things were in bloom, and even though there were T-storms and tornado warnings the entire time we were there, we had a great time. My youngest son hadn’t been back in 7 years. He really loved it and said he wouldn’t mind moving back someday. I got back from Denver on a Sunday and on the following Friday was on my way to Canada and New York for a week w/some friends.

We originally planned 2 nights in Montreal ( for Corey Hart concert), 2 nights in Toronto ( to visit Niagara Falls) and 3 nights in NYC ( to visit Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Ground Zero and Central Park). Well, the hockey play offs threw a small wrench in our plans. The concert was moved from Saturday night to Tuesday night which meant more driving…. and less time in NY =(

We flew into Montreal on Friday and spent 2 nights there. Montreal is beautiful! I was totally hating the fact that I didn’t speak French because everyone speaks French there. We stayed in downtown Montreal and visited the Underground City (which is just really a mall), walked down to Old Montreal and took a boat tour. On Sunday we drove to Toronto (5.5hrs) and stayed in Mississauga. From there on Monday we drove the short hour drive and spent the day at Niagara Falls. The Falls are AMAZING!!! We took a mini cruise, did a little shopping and a lot of eating at Betty’s Restaurant. We stayed a 2nd night in Mississauga and on Tuesday drove back to Montreal for the Corey Hart Concert. We said our final farewell to Canada on Wednesday and drove to NY.

The drive from Montreal to New York should take about 6 hrs but it took us a lot longer because we made a few pit stops along the way. The Adirondack Mountains are absolutely gorgeous! A stunning drive. The first pit stop was at the Black Bear Restaurant in Pottersville NY. The next was at Country Girl Crafts and Quilting, where all I bought was a pair of embroidery scissors…careful not to fall off the fabric fast wagon. Last pit stop before NYC was at Martha’s Dandee Creme. So very thankful for this! YUM YUM YUM!!!!

NY is EVERYTHING you see in movies and on TV (not that I expected any different!) We finally made it to NY and it took us close to 2 hrs to actually get to our Hostel in Queens. Jackson Hole Diner is right down the street from where we stayed and they have the best sweet potato fries I’ve ever tasted! We rode the bus and took the subway to Manhattan. We visited Lady Liberty in the morning and spent the afternoon in Times Square. We didn’t make it to Ground Zero or Central Park, which means I definitely have to get back there someday. A few things that surprised me about NY are; they have great tasting tap water, there is no sales tax on items purchased at a grocery store or clothing/footwear purchases under $110 and lastly, the price of cigarettes!!! I’m no longer a smoker but I passed a sign advertising Newport cigarettes (the brand I used to smoke) and it said $11.90/pack (includes tax)!!!! NY is not a smoker friendly state!

When I got home I told my sons all about my trip. I pulled out The Map that I had looked at while I was in NY and saw this….

Although I was sorely disappointed I missed this Quilt Exhibit, I had a wonderful adventure and I recommend visiting any/all of the places I went!

Click on links below to see pics of my trips. =)

A Thread for Life
Lyrics from another one of my favorites.

Let Them See You

Take away the melodies

Take away the songs I sing

Take away all the lights

And all the songs You let me write

Does the man I am today

Say the words You need to say?

Let them see You in me

Let them hear You when I speak

Let them feel You when I sing

Let them see You

Just let them see You in me

Who am I without Your grace?

Another smile, another face

Another breath, a grain of sand

Passing quickly through Your hand

I give my life, an offering

Take it all, take everything

Let them see You in me

Let them hear You when I speak

Let them feel You when I sing

Let them see You

Just let them see You in me

With every breath I breathe

I sing a simple melody

But I pray they’ll hear more than a song

In me, in me

Let them see You in me

Let them hear You when I speak

Let them feel You when I sing

Let them see You

21May2014

Touching Base

Posted in Uncategorized by Zenia Rene

I planned to have 2 quilts completed for my Denver trip, which I leave for in 2 days, but life got in the way and I was only able to complete one. What was going to be my niece’s graduation quilt, is going to be her “off to college” quilt. I don’t feel too terrible about it though because I made her a quilt not quite 2 years ago and I bought her something for graduation.,

I did finish this scrappy log cabin lap quilt for a friend. I quilted it block by block to practice my FMQ. Up close it’s not very pretty, but from a distance it’s a true beauty.

If I would’ve known starting a fabric fast would get me free fabric, I would’ve done it a long time ago!! Remember back in March I wrote about my friend +Greta Anderson sending me a box of goodies? Well a few weeks ago, another friend gave me a ton of lovely batiks and just last weekend I got a bunch more fabric from another friend!! It may not be the latest and greatest lines, but I am so NOT picky. I love free! Honestly, I can probably go a year from today, without purchasing any new fabric!! And I just might do it!

I added a new machine to my family. I bought this Viking on Craigslist to be my traveling machine. I have yet to name it.

So, we leave in 2 days. Originally it was going to be ALL of us going, but one of my sons is in the hospital in Nebraska and won’t be able to go (please say a prayer for him), and my daughter and grand kids aren’t going either. We haven’t had a chance to all visit together since we left Denver in 2005. I’m bummed because my mom has never met her great-grand daughter who shares her birthday and is already 3 1/2 yrs old. We’ll have to have a reunion at some point. I am looking forward to seeing friends I haven’t seen in years and the cooler weather.

I finally reupholstered my dining chairs. It was on my fall/winter “To Do” list….so I was just a few months behind.

before

after

I know some of you aren’t going to like this…but I’m down to one cat. Sadly, a few months back I had to put Kiko down because he had blocked urethra. Sunday, I got rid of Roscoe. That morning, after not being able to sleep at all Saturday night, I was debating on whether or not to go to church. After talking w/my son about driving me, I walked back into my bedroom to find Roscoe looking crazy and my curtains and rod pulled out of the wall on one side. When I went to try and fix it, I noticed he had peed in the darn windowsill! Instead of going to church, I had my son drive me to the Humane Society, where I surrendered him. I was relieved to find he was micro chipped and that most likely he’d go back to the wherever he was registered. I won’t get any more pets. One cat at a time is plenty!

Lastly, I’d like to ask you to pray for me. Lately I feel calloused and empty. I’m in a funk. I haven’t been reading the bible or praying. I haven’t taken stock or given thanks for my many blessings and instead I’ve been complaining about what I still don’t have (namely a husband). The nerve of me! I just wrote about family and gifts and and friends and I have the nerve to feel ungrateful! I’m struggling… Lord forgive me.

A Thread for Life

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God! ~ Psalm 42:11

I’m linking up over at Val’s Quilting Studio.

7Dec2013

Long time, No blog

Posted in Uncategorized by Zenia Rene

It’s only been about 3 weeks since I last posted but it feels like 3 months! I’ve been so busy w/work since I returned from vacation I’ve had very little time to quilt and even less time to blog and oh how I’ve missed it! The Colorado trip was fantastic! It was my first real vacation in a long while. I spent the majority of the time sewing and made a lot of progress.

Finished appliqueing the wall hanging

Finished sewing the 1BW together and added a borders (pics w/borders coming soon)

Made 2 Origami bags (forgot to take a pic of the other)

Turned the Hopi Sun Quilt w/o Borders quilt into a tree skirt

Finished my 1st commissioned quilt

While in Granby, CO we stayed at the Inn at Silvercreek.

There were 3 of us on this trip and we transported all of this stuff AND brought it ALL up to our room in one trip…w/o the luggage cart! We definitely used the cart when we were leaving though!

The work area. Where there’s a will…

We three quilters sat around this small round table and sewed. Since the 1BW is so big, eventually I had to move to the cutting table.

During the Colorado trip we visited w/M’s Aunt in Parshall, CO, which is only about 16 miles from Granby. She owns this charming mountain retreat, Parshall Place, which is just perfect for a weekend getaway or extended stay. This comfy 3 bedroom home is open year round and has a great nightly rate w/no minimum stay required. It wasn’t until after we left I realized I hadn’t taken any pics of the inside =( The next time I travel to the mountains of Colorado it will be to stay at Parshall Place!