A small finish for a busy time

Thursday, before setting off for choir practice, I made a pineapple upside-down cake to take to Friday's sewing group gathering.

Since my house is way to small to host the group, I volunteered to bring a dessert. The hardest part was not making the cake, but getting it to the meeting in one piece. Even in the cake carrier, it was bulky to tote.

The gathering was probably the last one before a summer break. There were former members visiting and, though I spent the time stitching, there was lots of friendly chatting.

I returned home in time to welcome Norie and Leia for dinner. We had planned an early start on Saturday to visit the "Ajisai Matsuri" or hydrangea festival at Toshimaen amusement park near our home. We have gone the past three years and the selections of hydrangeas are just amazing. It is hard to believe the number of varieties.

I should learn how to assemble all the pictures into a collage.  Of course we had to stop for some ice cream ....

and how could one pass up a ride or two.

There must be a picture somewhere of Leia's mommy riding on this same vintage carousel.

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This little sparrow was competing with pigeons for crumbs under the tables.

Equally amusing were the numbers of young girls all dressed up in costumes and posing for pictures.

There were also costumed animal characters and parents were lining up with their kids to have the pictures taken with those animal types.







We returned home for a late lunch and the cookie factory. I can't believe we didn't get pictures this time. There was a rice planting event scheduled for Sunday and Leia wanted to take cookies to share with the gathering. We selected cutters, limiting the topic to leaves, flowers, and butterflies. I rolled out and cut the cookies and Leia painted them and decorated them with assorted sprinkles. They were baked and after cooling, packed in two boxes and put in a bag for the trip home.
I can see we are going to need a new selection of decorations before another similar event. I think some of those sprinkles came from the states a long time ago. I have no idea what kind of decorations are sold these days.

As a small project, I made this place mat for the rice store lady to thank her for so kindly letting me use her tatami room for basting my bed quilt.

I finished it up today and took it to her along with a picture of the finished quilt.

The size is about 11" x 15".
The batting I used was thinsulate #60 that was left from the quilt but after beginning the quilting I thought #40 might have been a bit better,

This is made of yukata and tenugui scraps and just quilted in the ditch.

And the cacti are beginning to compete with each other for my attention.

This one may be blooming for some time because the flowers are hiding more buds on the back side.

I have this week to figure out a border plan for Ben's quilt, but mostly I will be getting ready for my pack meeting on Friday and next weeks Scout camp.

The silkworms are now in their second instar and munching mulberry leaves.
They are now big enough to see and Leia spent some time feeding them fresh leaves. I am glad that the camp has a good supply of mulberry trees and I will not have to run all over hunting up food.

Have a good week!