Pretty Project Bags

It's another late night/early morning post from me...I haven't been sleeping well for the last few weeks, so I have been keeping busy stitching/sewing/quilting into the wee hours each morning. I finished a couple large orders for my zippered project bags this past week..it is always enjoyable to work with the fabulous fabrics my clients supply for their custom bags...even when they send directional prints and prints with straight lines, it is still fun to play with all the different patterns and styles. This batch includes a few With Thy Needle and Thread "Stitcher's Rule" project bags that are created from a printed panel...but in true Belinda fashion, I made changes to the instructions to make them with the zipper across the top...and I've made several with a boxed bottom. Here are a few photos of my most recent custom project bags...

Tomorrow, I start some HUGE needlework finishing orders. My holiday deadline for needlework finishing was September 30th...and sure enough, the last week of September, packages started arriving. I always work in the order received and now it is time to steadily start working through those finishing projects. I'm thinking there are somewhere around 100 pieces in total, so I am going to be 'burning the midnight oil' to get them complete! These client orders contain some gorgeous needlework and I can't wait to share some of the finishes with you...

Wishing you a happy and productive week!

Halloween Highlights

It’s almost October 31st, so today I have a little video treat for you...it features all sorts of Blue Ribbon Designs (some you may have forgotten, some may be new to you). May your Halloween day be haunty, witchy, spooky, scaredy, and frighty...

Happy Halloween from Blue Ribbon Designs! 

To find more information on these BRD Halloween designs, visit the following resources:
https://blueribbondesigns.com
https://blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com
https://etsy.com/shop/BlueRibbonDesigns

Lake Geneva Shore Path

This past weekend, I was blessed to walk the Shore Path around Lake Geneva with my mom and Dan and extended family. It was a super special occasion, as it was Dan's 50th (yes, I said 50th!) time to complete the yearly hike - an incredible accomplishment. Dan's son Shawn (who was walking for a notable 34th time), along with his wife Erin and their four daughters were also present...plus Erin's mother and a member of the local hiking club. All in all, seven of us made the entire 22-mile hike around the lake, with the others taking turns running the support car. It was a gorgeous autumn day and while many of the boats and docks were removed for winter storage and some of the houses were closed up and winterized, there was still an abundance of beauty...and the trail was still crowded in spots with everyone trying to take in the last sunny days of the season.

The Shore Path around Geneva Lake features many historic estates with well kept lawns and gardens...and the lake itself is crystal clear. According to the website, the shore line of Geneva Lake is about 20+ miles, but the path reaches up to almost 26 miles with it weaving in and out of the woods along the shoreline. At the end of our full day, my Apple watch read 27.21 miles (nearly 60,000 steps). One of the things I found most interesting - home owners are responsible to maintain their own section of the path throughout their property, which makes the trail extremely unique. Each property owner puts their own spin on their segment of the shore path - we came across paths made from stone, brick, wood, clay, metal, grass, cement, rock, sand, gravel...you name it...and some have placed benches to rest, artwork and statues - some even have bridges over streams and creeks...and the gardening found along the path was spectacular. This remarkable trail gives the walker an up-close view of many of the mansions and homes and visitors are asked to stay on the path. Dogs are welcome on the trail (and we saw quite a few), but bicycles, scooters and strollers are not - the path is specifically for walkers and hikers. The footpath is divided into sections with only several public access points - we were lucky to have a support car, so no need to carry gear. We stopped for lunch at Popeye's on Lake Geneva (not the fast food chain) after completing the first 11 miles - then finished the walk at dusk. It was a wonderful day and a big accomplishment (especially for Maya, Dan's 6-year-old granddaughter who finished the entire hike! - she's standing in front of me in the family photo below - in fact, three of the four girls made it all the way around...and one had a leg injury but still managed 12 miles!). Here are some of my favorite sights, shown in the order taken...click on photos to enlarge...

It was an incredible journey with loved ones and I was so blessed to be a part of this special day and tradition. I truly hope I have the chance to visit Lake Geneva again in the future, because I know there is so much more to see!

For now, I am back in the studio - energized and full of inspiration...up to my eyeballs in sewing and needlework finishing - the holiday rush is here! I am steadily working through the stacks of client orders and enjoying the time in my happy place...

Take a little time to enjoy the beauty that surrounds you!

Autumn Adventure

I had a wonderful whirlwind trip to northern Illinois over the weekend. It was the first time since moving to Kansas that I was able to make a trip up to Lake Summerset to visit my mom and Dan...and this time I took the train. Amtrak runs from Union Station in Kansas City to the tiny town of Mendota, IL, so I thought I would try it out - overall, it was a good experience, minus the four hour delay of my departing train (Amtrak was kind enough to call the day before, so I could adjust my schedule). It was a short visit, but I was able to complete the 22-mile walk around Lake Geneva, WI on Sunday (it was an incredible milestone event for Dan, marking his 50th yearly hike around the lake) and I was able to spend some quality time with my mom. Saturday morning, we had breakfast at Lakeside Inn, which we try to do each time I come for a visit...and Dan had the Alaskan waffle (a waffle topped with strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream), which always makes me smile. Later, we walked my mom's beautiful gardens and talked about her gardening plans for the future...and I even picked a handful of delicious fresh red raspberries (my favorite!). Even with the gardens settling down for winter, butterflies were prevalent and a few colorful blooms still added a pop of color. Dan was kind enough to take me on a tour around the lake, before the boat goes into winter storage this week...and, as always, the dogs came along for the ride...

 

It was difficult to  leave their lakeside paradise on Monday afternoon...it is such a calming and charming place, filled with creative inspiration....and spending time with my mom brings me joy. Monday afternoon, it was time to make the trip back to quaint small town of Mendota, IL where the train would return me to Kansas...it was a great trip!

I took a TON of photos on the lake shore path when we hiked around Lake Geneva and will be back to tell you all about that journey tomorrow...