Back to work

It has been such a nice, normal week for a change—well, disregarding amazing news events, that is. We even had one gloriously sunny, spring-like day this week, though it is raining again. Last week when the group was at the beach we went to Center Diamond Quilt Shop in Cannon Beach. I really love that shop. I had nothing in mind when I walked in, but I started noticing the greatest bright stripes among the hundreds of bolts of fabrics. I always love stripes and I've had a yen to make a stripey quilt for my baby grandson. I made a quilt for Sofia's first birthday and Marco will be a year old in August. Time to get started. Before I knew it I was buying a bunch of striped fabrics and I could see the quilt in my head. I think it will take awhile to make. I am making a lot of little blocks.

 

These fabrics and colors really make me happy!

I am so looking forward to some nice weather and being outside. I wonder if it will ever happen. Sigh. Remember last spring I made some lanterns to hang outside using solar lights? They worked out so great and we really enjoyed them. Since then I have been quite in love with those little outdoor solar lights. Yesterday I was at Grocery Outlet, which is a wierd, funky store that seems to carry grocery items that are overstocks from other stores or maybe items that will be discontinued. I don't know where it comes from, but you often find really interesting wines, cheeses and other things. The thing is you usually will never see the same things again. It is always different. Yesterday they had the little outdoor solar lights for $1.99 each and I knew that I could do something with them for that price. I bought three. This is what they look like:

We have three candle holders outside that stake into the ground and hold a glass cup for a votive candle. I decided to figure out a way to use the solar lights in those. The post pops right off the light, leaving the solar collector and the light. The problem was how to get it to stand up inside the candle cup. There is a small appendage on the bottom of the light that fits inside the post. I searched around and found my container of glass pebbles that you use in vases of flowers. I held the light in place in the cup and distributed a handful around it and it holds it level pretty nicely. Ray had suggested I put a piece of foam in the bottom of the cup and push the light into that. That would have worked too, but the glass pebbles look much prettier in my opinion.

Here's how it looks outdoor. The stainless steel light even matches the holder.

Now, if it will ever stop raining I think three of these will look pretty great out front, along with the lanterns from last year. It was just starting to rain again when I took this picture. It's so dark (mid-afternoon) in my house right now that it lights inside. Pretty, huh?