Thursday, June 5, 2014

A Perfect Picnic with Friends.....

Welcome to our Perfect Picnic!
and our picnic perfect cheerleader
Mary of IPiece2-Mary.

I'm a little sad, this being the last hop of the season
hosted by dear Madame
but I'm sure there will be plenty more to enjoy when the new season starts.
(don't ask me when that is...I haven't a clue)

First of all...our goal for this hop was to present to you
"A Perfect Picnic"
with a perfect picnic quilt...picnic basket...picnic games...picnic food.

I started one quilt with Star Spangled Cottons from Riley Blake...
then decided I'd save that for the 4th of July.

I started another with some great Hawaiian print 4patch kaleidoscope blocks...
they were framed with white...
there would be lots of pieces...
and then I thought...
white...
ground...
dirty...
all those pieces...
to sit on....
hmmm....
so saving that quilt for another day.

We are huge Jacksonville Jaguar fans...
the obvious choice was to make a picnic blankie for tailgating....
But really, truly....
sometimes a mouse just wants to play with fabrics that have been calling to her.
So I did!

Here is our Perfect Picnic Blog Hop offering...
Our picnic started first thing this morning....
oops...just a peek now...

I'll bet nobody else had 'oatmeal' for their picnic fare...
or a basket full of yummy Riley Blake buttons...
(not to worry...that's not our picnic basket)

This was truly one of those days...
the kind you plan...
but go completely off kilter from the beginning!

In a perfect world...there would be 72 hours in every day...
with plenty of time to work and play...
ahhh....
Not today!

From the time our shop opened at 10am...
until 45 minutes before we closed at 5...
we were constantly busy with wonderful customers....
Since our shop is our bread and butter...
no complaints here...but...

Yes...
can you imagine me explaining when customers came thru the door...
just WHY Bob was sitting on a quilt...
eating oatmeal on the floor?

During a 5 minute lull...
I quickly snapped this picture of the full quilt
not knowing if I'd have another chance...
(I didn't).

This has been my all time favorite fabric line from Riley Blake!
I originally planned to make a disappearing 9-patch...
but once I made the huge 9-patch blocks...
I just could not cut them up!
(again thinking...picnic quilt..to rest our booty...keep it simple)

I LOVE OUR PICNIC QUILT!

In a perfect world I would tell you I wrote a tutorial.
Not today.
However...there will be one before this hop is over...
it's ready to be written...
I'll have to write it after hours...
after all...sleep is so overrated!

My idea of a perfect picnic...
is inviting friends who will bring the food!

We invited them...
they didn't come.

I did make a cute little basket though...
In case I happened upon any cute little food I suppose.


I found this red basket at the $1 store...
I cut 8 strips of fabric - 2" wide x wof
(4 pink...4 aqua)
I paired like fabs together...
wrong sides together...
and quickly stitched them together along the long sides
making 4 two sided strips.

Then I pinked the edges...
(you will see better below what I'm talking about
when I show you what I did with the leftovers)

I wove the strips thru the basket holes..
hand tacking the ends (inside so they wouldn't show)

There was about 8" of each strip left over...
so I zigged them together....
and sewed a hand gathered stitch with #8 perle cotton.


Pull the gathers tight to form a flower...
Use a cute red flower button for the center..
(from Riley Blake of course)
I tied the flower to the basket handle.

I set the table in the classroom for a picnic lunch....
setting two extra plates in case we had company...

Dontcha Love my little red dishes...
yes...I'm a $1 store junkie! haha

Lunch - Our perfect food?
(I sit here laughing...what was I thinking...signing up for a blog hop
that required me to have food?...ok...here it is)


Crackers...dried fruit...apples...
yep...
that's it...
Betty Crocker I am SO not! 
It's probably a good thing I didn't slave over a meal...
we would have never had a chance to eat it...
Not today.

Here's a quick peek at the back of the picnic quilt
Don't you love those trucks????

I love the pantograph Bob used...
he picked it out himself!
 
"Bollywood" from Urban Elementz!


I did not make this for the hop...
but in my perfect picnic world...
where OTHERS brought real food...
I could just lay back on my little quilt
and listen to a book....

I made this a couple months ago...
playing with selvages...
doesn't the fab look familiar?
Didn't I tell you how much I LOVE this fabric?

Here's the back...
One day I'll make another and take pictures
as I go...for a tutorial...
but...
you guessed it...
Not Today.

Now it's time to go home...
but the Perfect Picnic isn't over yet...
oh my no...
we've planned a little picnic at home tonight...
with a very special guest.

I used my favorite Jaguars tote
it holds the picnic quilt so perfectly...
and slipped it all into my basket
(who says the basket must be for food?)
  
hmmm...who could be holding that Jaguar bag?

It's a Perfect Picnic Mystery!
?
?
?
Oh wait...I think he just got into the car....

Who oh who could it be?
?
?
?
A back seat driver no less....

You see...
I originally planned a 
Teddy Bear Picnic....

But my bear friends skipped town!

To the rescue...
my Awesome Friend...

Well wouldn't you just know...
Mary Pat told her special friend
we needed some love...
and Mary Pat's equally awesome hubby
gave BEAUREGARD
a ride to the shop where he spent the day....
Thank goodness for that...
or we wouldn't have had a picnic game to play....

Aren't they so cute?

Once home this evening...
with our Perfect Picnic Quilt spread out...
I offered BEAU' some honey...
but he preferred something a little more...

ahh..

robust, you could say...
and  then we discovered...

that even the Perfect Picnic should
come with a few rules....

like...


hmmmm....
I wonder if Mary Pat is aware our friend has a wee problem....

which of course leads us to Rule #2

For the record...
the Spouse drank what is missing...
really!
Imagine that...
BEARLY left any for Me!

We did snap one more pic...
thinking that Ms Mary Pat might want to show
her kids at school...
what Beauregard did during his summer vacation...
(which starts in a few short days)
we thought it might not be very proper
to show a bear with his bottle....
so...

I didn't have to worry about feeding Beauregard...
because...

wait for it...

He was STUFFED anyways!
My idea of the Perfect Picnic Guest!
You don't have to feed them!

We're almost done...
and THANK YOU if you're still with me here...

Because....

Now I can show you...
we really did start the Perfect Picnic on Tuesday night
June 3rd.

It was our 36th Anniversary...
the Spouse and I celebrated the evening at Everbank Field...
Home of the Jacksonville Jaguars...
(that is our NFL team here in Jax...football for you non-sports types)

It was also the annual business meeting of our
Jaguars Booster Club...
(wasn't that sweet...how they coincided their event with ours? lol)

They even had
Real Food!


And believe it or not...
I brought my Perfect Picnic Quilt...
and grabbed the first guy I found...

Lookie Look!
My Purrrrfect Picnic Partner (sorry Bob)
-another guest I didn't have to feed-

Bob was going to snap our pic...but he was off buying 50/50 tickets...(we didn't win)...
meanwhile...
Jaxson our teams mascot...
 is just the Cats PJ's...
he asked professional photographer Bobby King
to take our picture...
wasn't that sweet?
Now that my friends...
is the 
Perfect Picnic!
June 5th-7pm - Late breaking Update - - - 
Photographer Bobby King just alerted me that this
picture was published today in one of our local papers.
Page 3 - Click here...how fun!

Be sure to take a looksie at my fellow picnickers today...
I'll bet they have food...
real food...
and it probably won't be oatmeal...
LOL!

TODAY - THURSDAY JUNE 5
Thimblemouse and Spouse - thanks for being here!

Thanks for the Visit...
The Mouse & Spouse

45 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary! I absolutely love the pic of Bob eating oatmeal on the floor, and I'm so happy your store is staying busy, even if it cut in on your picnic time. I wish I could've had a picnic with our football mascot, we're about 5 hours from Seattle though, not really a quick jaunt, and lord knows if Blitz (I actually did not know his name until just now, thanks for the learning opportunity lol) would even be in town! I totally understand not wanting to cut up the nine patch, these RBD fabrics don't need the extra fanciful piecing and your quilt is fabulous Lynn. Thank you for sharing your picnic adventures, I hope you and Bob actually get a few minutes to have a relaxing picnic soon.
    ~Brandy

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  2. Your quilt is darling and it really got around town. Cute little bag. Looks like you guys had so much fun. Happy Anniversary!

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  3. Happy Anniversary! You had a very busy day, and I'm sure no one else has oatmeal for picnic food! Love the bear! Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Thanks for this wonderful picnic post. Your quilt is darling and I love the fabric woven through the dollar store basket. Way to dress it up. I need to hop on over to Mary Pat's picnic ... but since it is one in the morning and I am falling asleep this is going to have to be after my teddy bear and I get a few winks ... I shall wait for it ... I shall also be back tomorrow morning to read your post again so I start my day with as big a smile as the one I am heading off to sleep with tonight ... :) Pat

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  5. Congratulations on your anniversary. Sounds like you had a time fitting a picnic in with all the excitement. Good Job! Love the quilt. I wouldn't cut them either. Love the fabric too. So glad you could join us on the Perfect Picnic.

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  6. Hi I love the quilt and all the friends who came to visit. Love that fabric so summery thanks for sharing. Susie x

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  7. I enjoyed every minute of your Perfect Picnic Day!! Your Quilt is Gorgeous with all it's Yummy Colors!! I 'll keep checking back for the Instructions!
    Huggs, Nancy

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  8. You guys crack me up. You have such fun, even on a crazy day. Thanks for the laughs, Lynn. Your quilt is very cute. I love the colors and the trucks are great. Nice quilting job too, Bob.

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  9. You always have super posts and super quilts! Love that nine patch picnic quilt!

    Happy Anniversary!

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  10. Oh my goodness Lynn....I kept reading with a smile that just did not stop till I last your last word...YOU soooo make me laugh....your enjoyment from life is sooooo darn infectious like your sweet anniversary btw many more....quilt, oatmeal...ok, that is most certainly a first for me....on a picnic no less...you sooooo crack me up...everything is scrumptious...love that bear too...

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  11. Love it and love your tale more. You and Bob take care. See you soon.

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  12. Your quilt is beautiful and your post is SO much fun!

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  13. Well I'm totally in love with this quilt and that fabric so yes, I need a tutorial! And the little IPod holder - perfect. I need to make one for my IPhone and one for my IPad and one for my mini IPad. :) Yes, I'm a gadget junkie! Happy, happy anniversary - I know I'm late now but with this happy post I'm sure you are still celebrating! Thank goodness I'm going to be driving right by the dollar store today; I have to try that! blessings, marlene

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  14. I'm pretty speechless right about now! Love the fabric, the quilt, the photos, the Bear. Happy perfect picnic (oatmeal is good Anytime!), Happy Anniversary...awesome post!

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  15. Telling ya'll happy anniversary is late...but I'm betting you and Bob celebrate each other everyday. The two of you are so cute and your Bob's participation in the blog tales is so cute. Your fabric is perfect for that awesome picnic quilt!

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  16. oh I laughed so hard!!! You have the best posts....loved it.

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  17. You are hilarious! I love your blog. Thanks!

    Please click on delaineelliott above for email link.

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  18. What a very adorable presentation of your quilt. I loved reading it.

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  19. Well, you are just too creative with your post and having so much fun! I love it all! Very cute quilt!!!

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  20. What a gorgeous quilt! It doesn't have to be complicated to be beautiful! it looks like you had a lot of fun!!

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  21. Happy Anniversary! Love your quilt and the basket is such a brilliant idea. I have to try it! Lot's of fun and cuddly friends on your picnics! Food for the soul!

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  22. You have made my day! Such a great read! Happy Anniversary. What a bright and cheery picnic quilt, and I LOVE how you dressed up your dollar store basket! You guys have just too darn much fun!

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  23. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love the picnic quilt Lynn and your stuffed picnic pals and what a great idea for one of those dollar store totes too!

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  24. What a gorgeous picnic quilt and funny journey through your picnic...loved it! Cute, cute basket, too! Happy Anniversary!

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  25. Happy anniversary! What a great picnic quilt and so many photo ops...glad your store is so busy!!

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  26. My first visit here...highly entertaining...I need to come back and explore!
    Happy Anniversary! My husband and I are 25 years in August.....

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  27. You are so funny, Lynn. Loved your post and everything you shared. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

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  28. What a wonderful picnic! I feel quite refreshed just from reading about it! pbstrand@msn.com aka Beth @ Words & Stitches

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  29. Happy Anniversary, Lynn and Bob! I think you two had the perfect picnic in light of what a crazy day you had. Personally I think the quilt looks just fine as larger 9 patches and I don't know that you would have been able to showcase that gorgeous fabric near as well whacking it up into D9P. Besides, that has been pretty much been done to death. Yours is uniquely yours. Picnic guests that you didn't have to feed were a good option this time around!

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  30. Fun post...lots of giggles. Love the pic of you on the quilt with the team mascot! :) Looks like fun was had and that's all that matters. Perfect is different to each of us. Thanks for sharing.

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  31. What a fun day, even though you had to work, lol! Lovely quilt. Thank you for sharing your anniversary.

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  32. what a fun looking day! And found all these creative ways to have a picnic. pretty quilt!

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  33. My dear friend and mentor, you NEVER FAIL to meet the deadline and make us all laugh. Your joyous love of life makes us all happier, as well as the super cuteness of the two of you. Thanks for always being my sounding board and mentor!

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  34. Well, I fully agree with Mary Pat, "you never fail and make us all laugh".... Also in Switzerland, my dear mouse, I just love your posts, really, I have to re-read them several times, because I love the emotion which is behind all the words! Hubby did a great job, would he also quilt for me from Switzerland? Would be a nice trial, what do you think?
    Hugs to both of you

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  35. Now that was fun. Thank you for the post of the day. You always make me smile, but wow, getting the Jacksonville mascot to pose with you on your quilt. OVER THE TOP. Well, if your a Jacksonville fan, that is...lol Love it. Thanks for the smiles. I'm off to check the newspaper link.

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  36. Just too cute! Thanks for sharing.

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  37. Your quilt is sweet. You did a beautiful job making it. I just love your bear. Oh he looks so soft and cuddly.

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  38. Happy Anniversary! Your quilt looks wonderful and I like how you dressed up the basket.

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  39. You have got to be a kick to meet. I wish you lived closer so I could stop in to say hello and pick up some fabric. Your quilt is lovely and I enjoyed reading about all your picnic pals. Thanks for always leaving me with a smile and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

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  40. What a fun picnic! Your picnic quilt is beautiful, and so is your happiness. :) Happy anniversary!

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  41. You sure know how to have a fun picnic... love the friends you invited to share in the fun!

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  42. Cute...great picnic! No need to fret over 'no food'. Next time, just buy it at the local deli and put it in your own containers! If someone asks for the recipe, you just tell them "It's a family secret!"

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  43. Love your picnic quilt. That is one of my favorite lines of fabric. Adore the old truck and the colors are so sweet.

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  44. Your picnic quilt is very pretty. Sure looks like ya had a great time.

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I just love to hear from you and I truly do read every comment. Sometimes life gets a wee bit crazy and I'm not always able to reply to them all...but I'll keep trying! If you are Anonymous or a no-reply blogger, leave your email with your comment, otherwise there's no way I can reply to you - and maybe you're okay with that - but if there's a give-away and you win...you'll never know!

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