Progress, inside and out

Three things to be happy about:
(1) a good winter moisturizer
(2) red balloons
(3) invitations

First I want to say thanks to everyone for the invitations after viewing my globe trotting map!  Renea and I have talked about visiting the Sisters (Oregon) show for years.  I've wanted to visit the Vermont festival AND Keepsake Quilting for a long time, and I even have nieces and nephews in Wisconsin.  I visited the Grand Canyon in June 2014, and my sister talks about a trip to Yellowstone - sounds intriguing!  I'd like to see what your maps would look like   :o)

I'm making the red blocks now, Allietare-ing right along!

For these blocks I'm putting a slight twist to Bonnie's pattern - rather than using random scrappy reds, I'm matching my 4-1/2" centers to the outsides of the blocks.

Not all of the centers match though, maybe 3 or 4 will be odd ones.  While working on Part 2 of the mystery if I had a piece of that particular red left that wasn't worth putting back into the bin, I very efficiently cut it down into strips.  Oh well, it's a scrap quilt after all!

Looking at the reds together in a group, I like that little grey block that pops out - square in a square in a square!

I'll finish the rest of these red blocks, then start putting the top together some time this week - progress!


Now here's some progress on the outside:

They're repaving the alley behind my house, and this is how it looked Saturday morning.

I was a bit surprised they were working because it was a very drizzly day.

He's removing hunks and chunks of the old paving, down to the dirt base.

These pictures were taken yesterday, you can see the progress they made on Saturday. They've paved all the way to 10th Street on the east end...

and they're about ready to pour concrete at the west end where the alley bends at a right angle.

They started right in back of my house on Monday last week, and with any luck they should be done in 1 or 2 more days.

I hope.

Sew forth and sew on til later...