Mt. Rushmore and more...

Well, folks, this last week quilting, sewing, or otherwise crafting has been the furthest thing from my mind. We were fortunate enough to have three of our amazing grandkids visit us for the last week. There were days at the pool, a children's museum, a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park, and a quick weekend trip to Mt. Rushmore and the surrounding area.

Mt. Rushmore was amazing. The Black Hills are beautiful and Mt. Rushmore is magical.

It's very kid-friendly, and the "Presidential Trail" around the base of Mt. Rushmore lets you get close to the magnificent carvings. One of my grandsons did a report on Gutson Borglum and Mt. Rushmore last year in school, so he filled us in on specifics as we traveled around the site.

We also took advantage of a water park in Rapid City and the next day went to Bear Country USA, which was really amazing. Bear Country is a park where you can observe black bears, grizzly bears, mountain lions, buffalo and more from the comfort of your car. In other words the animals roam free and the people are the ones that are caged. We literally had bears walk right next to our car. One even came up to the front of our car, sat down, and scratched his back on our front bumper. So funny. The kids loved it, and so did we!

They also have a well-kept, clean area where you can view park offspring -- particularly bear cubs.They entertain young and old alike!

I had no idea that the Rushmore area was so incredibly family-friendly and that it has sooo much to do. We could have easily spent four days there and left without seeing everything. So much fun!

Today the grandkids leave, and I'm left to my own devices. That is until another bunch of grandkids descend on us this Sunday for a week. Yay!

As for quilting, sewing, or crafting -- I could care less about that stuff when I've got family visiting!

Fabric choices...

Yesterday I featured some fabric choices for quilts with a more masculine bent. Today I'm showing you some beautiful fabrics from Hawthorne Threads that are definitely more feminine. I'm not sure I've ever met a collection from Hawthorn Threads that I didn't love. Here's a couple of collages from their Nectar collection, but check out Autumn Fawn, Thumbelina, Blackbird, and more. They are on the pricey side, but oh so worth it for their lusciousness...

Challenges...

All the grandchildren's quilt tops have been completed, so the last couple of weeks, I've begun to make my kid's quilts. This has proved to be a little more challenging -- especially for the men. As I was discussing with the ladies at the quilt store today, it's hard to find manly-man fabric. There are many options for children and women, but for men... not so much. Here's a sneak peek at some of the fabrics I've chosen for the men in my life.

The fabrics below have a coastal vibe. Lots of manly colors and an "anchors away" kind of feel with ships, anchors, and maps!

  {Hobby Lobby fabrics}

I've found "things that move" and "travel" can be a good themes for a man's lap quilt. I'm making one quilt out of this combination...

  {Theory of Aviation by Windham Fabrics}

And, I'm using one of those same fabrics, and building another one around these fabrics...

A couple of our boys have "desk jobs," so here's an option for them...

{Windham Fabrics Desk Job}

And there's always the "camping/wildlife/woodland" themes...

{Trail Mix & Foxtail Forest by Dear Stella}

{Woodie Winterland line by Stof Fabrics}

Hopefully these quilts will work up to be more masculine. That's the goal anyway.  I'm using a lot of gray and taupe in accent fabrics, so I think that will help. We will see!

Dallin's Quilt...

One more is finished.The other day someone at the quilt store where I buy some of my fabrics asked how many quilts I had completed. I still haven't bothered to count. All I know is that I'm making steady progress.

This particular quilt is for our second oldest grandson. He's nine years old. {I just had a "moment" when I realized if Dallin is 9, we have 16 more grandkids under nine. And, let's not forget the "one on the way." That's a lot of little ones -- whew. Sometimes it surprises even me.} Anyway, Dallin is growing up, so I wanted to make him a quilt that reflected his life right now and maybe a few years in the future.

Dallin started Cub Scouts last year, so I thought I'd make him a quilt about the great outdoors. I'm sure that will be a big part of his life in the years to come. I used some of the same fabrics on his brother's quilt, but changed out the predominant color in Dallin's to be navy blue.

The fabrics I used were primarily from Dear Stella and Riley Blake lines. They all have a woodsy vibe that I adore for little boys and the fabrics compliment each other beautifully...

I chose a swirly pattern for the quilting. Love it...

I'm finished with making all the quilt tops and backs for all the grandkids (that's 24 quilts), so I'm currently working on our kid's and kids-in-law's quilts now. I have to admit, I'm a little more anxious about their quilts. I find myself second-guessing fabric choices and designs. I have found some fabulous fabrics however, so I'm looking forward to putting them together!

Dallin's finished quilt measures 50" x 60". The half square triangle blocks are 9.5 inches (trimmed down from a 10.5" block)  and there is a 2.5" boarder around the quilt.

Hazel's Quilt...

I hope {those of you in the U.S.} had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. We certainly had a wonderful day celebrating with my niece and nephew's families!

I just finished a quilt that could only be described as "happy!" This is appropriate because it is for our one-year-old grandchild who has a perfectly sweet and happy disposition.

We met up with Hazel and her parents about a month ago. We hadn't seen Hazel since Thanksgiving, but we Facetime with her and her parents every week. When we walked in the room Hazel and my eyes met, and she immediately recognized me. While most little ones her age are a little cautious with "strangers," I put my arms out and she immediately lunged for me. {That makes a grandma's heart melt on the spot!} She is such a delightful and happy little girl, and I adore her.

This quilt has a lot of color and a lot of different fabric designs. Here's a photo of the fabrics, up close. We've got a floral, polka-dots, and other cute colors and designs...

For the back I used a coordinating polka-dot with a strip of fabrics used on the front of the quilt...

Again, I used a cute bee and flower design for the quilting...

I can picture our little Hazel snuggled up with this colorful quilt that matches her personality!