So I've been traveling! I spent a couple weeks away from the homestead trying to squeeze in the last little bit of summer after the lame August we had down here due to the fires. The weekend of August 15th found me and the fam in Portland for the PNWMQG MEETUP! In short, it was a blast!

The sad thing about camping is that it's hard to quilt. I was able to finish some hand sewing projects though. These cute little tobacco pouches I translated from German (and metric) directions I scrounged on Pinterest. Those Pendleton remnants sure did make them look real cute. The vintage fabric was also quite fitting.

On our way out to Missoula Montana, we had a couple of sidetracks. Thanks to a wildland fire at Lolo Pass in Idaho blocking our way on Highway 12 (the most scenic drive ever apparently) and then a chance encounter between a Montana rat (deer) and the front of our covered wagon (Subaru forester), we had to make out journey count.

More car trouble when we got a ride from "refugee camp" in Missoula. A non-paleo date with Ben & Jerry helped. As annoying and trying as the journey out was, I think it made the ceremony all the more sweet.

And then we had this thunderstorm and the forest lit on fire and all of a sudden we were the number one priority fire in the nation. I haven't had to evacuate - I'm about 10-15 miles from the nearest blaze - but my friends have. That and the entire Rogue Valley, because of this inversion layer, was filled with smoke that got up to nearly 290 ppm with particulates. It was pea soup!

So I'm stuck inside for two weeks with some amazing "refugees" or "evacuees" and we got to crafting. I made some cute quilt tops and started some other projects because when it's winter in July ya gotta get crafting! what do you do when you're house bound? does a stay-cation sound like an ideal vacation to you?