My bags are packed...

... and I am ready to go.

 

... but I still have to wait until tomorrow morning.

 

I've packed projects to finish, and a couple to start if the mood strikes.

 

 

I've packed my sewing gear.

 

The snacks are in the kitchen and my clothes are awaiting the last few items for my toiletry.

 

Quilt retreat here I come!!

 

Hmmmm...

 

I think it may be time for a nap...storing up energy for the weekend!

 

Have a good one.



February in my rearview mirror

I can't believe the month is already drawing to a close.  2013 is 1/6th finished, and Spring is knocking on my door.  Tomorrow I am packing for a quilting retreat and doubt I will get a chance to sit and reflect, so you are getting my monthly review a day early.  I hope you are as delighted and surprised by these few accomplishments as I am. 

I got caught up with some of my bee blocks - these were for Star of Africa.

Tacky the Penguin went to NickyShe for her international children's book quilt;

the Rainbow Hare  is making a butterfly quilt;

and Sana is making a "Home is Where the Heart is" quilt.

Now I am only a month and a half behind.  LOL

It was a good month for swapping too.  I finished three, all of them via Flickr.

"Playing with Posey" went to Angela Nussbaum in DSQ13.
 

"Birds on a Vine" went to xxxxx, well I can't tell you who it went to because she hasn't gotten it yet, but she will soon.  It was my make for FLiRTS.

"Drifting Dresden's" was my contribution to Little Quilts - Sew, Vote, Swap

I received three amazing packages in return.

"Amazing Aspens" collection of goodies came to me from Dorylu via DSQ13.
 

This stunning pillow and pouches came from BeachGirl Sews via FLiRTs

"Dresden Rising" came to me from Jyllybean via Little Quilts - Sew, Vote, Swap.

And then there was work to be done...

 

And a little play

 

 



 

It started out painfully...

I got a new perminant crown yesterday.

It shouldn't have been a big deal, and I guess it really wasn't; however as the dentist reached in my mouth to pull out the temporary one all I could think of was the scene from Les Miserable's where they steel the poor girls teeth.  It went down hill from there.

Every time he put the perminant one in and took it out electric tingles worked their way into my sinus cavity.  It was like chewing on aluminum foil...by the time I got done my mouth was one big mass of sensitivity. 

I was assured that it looked pretty - but I wasn't sure that it was worth the effort.

I spent the rest of the day doing laudry (so that I wouldn't feel guilty when I go on a quilting retreat at the end of the week) and cleaning out 15 years of accumulation from my middle son's room.  (He didn't really need all of those old clothes and shoes.

I finally ate lunch at 3:00.

THEN THE MAIL CAME!!!!

Received from Jyllybean via Little Quilt - Sew, Vote, Swap on Flickr

Funny thing is she made it after seeing my entry that also had drifting Dresdon plates on it.

Isn't the little pin cushion cute.  LOVE IT!!

 

Goodies received from Beachgirl Sews via Fab Little Random Treasures Swap (FLiRTS) on Flickr. Yes, the pillow is that gorgeous.  The two little pouches are too

She made the back of the pillow more "boy friendly" - although they are NOT going to get this one. 

The pouches close up.   The quilting on these is awesome.



AND

I got a check in the mail from one of my customers.  I agreed to do a bunch of work for her with the understanding that she would pay me when she could.  The check was $114 more than she owed me.  I guess she is paying me in advance now.  (I did check with her about that and it is her intention.  Can't wait to see the wonderful quilts she brings to me.)

The day wasn't so bad after all.

On the road again...

...not really, but that was all I could think of.

Remember these?
 

 

I found the picture on Pinterest several months ago and have been looking for a suitable truck ever since.  Finding the perfect vehicle to carry your pins is harder than I thought it would be.

 

Last month, when we were celebrating my husbands 50th birthday, we went to McKinney Trade Days.  (Gilbert likes all of the food vendors.  You should have seen my boys when they figured out that Dad was going to stop at every one!)

 

He found this!

 

 

  

It is a beautiful to scale model of an actual toy wagon.   There was a little card inside....let's see...

 

1935 American Airflow Coaster 

This streamlined design was much more than a wagon!  The original 1935 American Airflow Coaster was made of heavy sheet-style reinforced steel with a streamlined front and two electric headlights.  With its large tires and sturdy construction, it was laded with play value!  Just like the original, this Kiddie Car Classics accurate scale model includes rubber tires and a handle that turns the front wheels.

 

Yup, those head lights work...well, they are are supposed to.  I don't actually have a battery to check it out. 

The bed measures 5" x 2 1/8" x 1/2".  All I need now is the cushion!! 

My Baby is at Quiltcon!

 

How cool is that?!

 

"'nough Said" is the big quilt in the middle.  I designed it for my son's coach but wasn't able to make it the way I wanted to at the time.  He got a quilt, but not with the same scrappy look.  I think I would have liked it better if that dark grey were lighter...but coach liked it.

 

Then I found Sweetwater's "Reunion" and made it a second time.  I loved the results. 

And shared the pattern with Moda Bake Shop last November.

 

Now my baby is at Quiltcon without me. 

 

Thank you Sarah for taking it's picture for me.

I said, "Boom chicka pop!"

Not much is going on in my corner of the world at the moment.  The sky is dull, grey, forbidding, and brings with it a chilly wind and nasty drizzly rain.  It would be easy to sleep the day away.

However, sitting in front of me, nestled safely between my arms as I type is a over sized coffee cup laden with snacking goodness.  Crisp golden kernels of pop corn with just the right touch of sweet and salty.  Hmmmm.  I have to say DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT.  You read this right.  Do not buy it...else I will not have enough of it for ME!!

 

 

Delicious I tell you...and it comes in an amazing evaporating bag.  Product seems to fly out of it way faster than you could possibly be eating it.  Maybe my cats have discovered it.

 

On other fronts....

 

I finished my FLiRTS gift.

 



 

I went back and reexamined my partner's mosaic and decided that the more subtle border was called for. 

 

This puppy is in the mail headed for it's new home.  It should be there by the end of the week.



I received a package from my DQS13 partner...
 

One mailing cube of happiness!

I love the potential that is in a sealed box.  Until it is opened it could be anything.

 

 

This is what I found when I opened it.

 



 

Oh yeah!  SCORE!! 

 

 I love this little quilt.  It was made for me by Phuong, aka Dorrylu.  She didn't know it when she made it, but it looks like the aspen trees I remember from my college days.  She took me back 30 years.  THANK YOU Phuong!!  I love it.

 

 

 

for now....

 



Busy, busy, busy

Playing with Posey by Me

I got to be a Mama for the latest round of the Doll Quilt Swap on Flickr.  Pretty cool to read about all of the wonderful quilters that want to participate.  There were nearly 100 this time.

As a Mama you get to keep track of a small group of quilters, assign their partners, coach their choices, encourage them to the finish line.  I had wonderful Bebe's.  Look what they made....
 

Around the World mini by Betsylynn50

Tiny Hexies by MayChappell

Fractured Mini by Silort

Bright Butterflies by Bethadeezoo

Kaleidoscope Collage by Simple Girl, Simple Life

Owls in the Cupboard by Davenjilly

Star burst Top by Petit Design Co

And that is only half of my Bebe's.  Amazing work.  Well done all!

I've also been working on my local guild's web page.  Don't tell people you have a blog (s).  They will think you know what you are doing and ask you to do more of it.  (No, I really don't mind, but I really don't know what I am doing any more than they do.)  Tell me what you think.  How can I make it better?!

 

"Oops!"

Many of you know that I write more than one blog.  (Call me crazy.)   There is this one...a general diary of my life and business...and there is Quilty Friends.

Quilty Friends is a site dedicated to blocks of the month patterns that I design for my quilty friends.  The patterns are free and meant to go together is sets of 12. 

After a very scientific survey   asking my followers to pick from two ideas I've developed "Oops".  This series will feature a classic quilt block every month from July 2013 until June 2014.  However, these classic blocks will also have classic mistakes in them....on purpose.  As each month unfolds you will see patterns for the blocks as well as what might happen if you made a quilt from 36 blocks all featuring the same mistake.  I can't wait to show you the awesome quilts waiting in the wings.

Hop over and become a follower.  You don't want to miss out on any of the fun.

I need some help Flirting!

I thought that would get your attention.

No, I didn't mean that kind of flirting.

I am participating in a Flickr swap with a group called FLiRTS.  It stands for Fabulous Little Random Thing Swap.  Each participant got to pick a difficulty level - easy, medium, or hard - and pick 5 items that they would like to have made for them.  They were then paired with a secret partner who is to make one of the 5 things.

 

I've been working on my partner's random little thing.  It is going to be a table runner, for which she gave very specific dimensions.

I've been hand working this puppy since last Thursday.  I took it on our outing to visit my college boy.  (His team was playing 2 hours south of us.  We drove 2 hours down; sat and watched 6 hours of baseball; visited for about 20 minutes; then drove 2 hours back.  Those 20 minutes and 2 hugs were worth the rest!!)

 

 

I spent yesterday appliqueing on the birds and embroidering stems.

  

Today I am trying to get the borders on...but am having a little difficulty.

 

All the while I was doing the hand work I was thinking that this fabric would look fabulous.  I even made a special trip this morning to pick up the yardage I needed.  Then I got out my rulers and did a little arithmetic.  Turns out, if I use this wonderful stripe it will make the runner just enough bigger than it's intended perch to be really annoying.  It wouldn't hang over, nor would it stay centered on the table.  (Grrrr)

So, I auditioned two other options.

This option above looks more like my original plan....it would come out being perfectly shaped...but I think it is a tad boring....especially after the stunning leafy stripe.

 

 

 

Idea number 2 is more colorful.  I think if I do this one I will add a skinny dark border between the center and the colorful stripe and then use the same dark fabric for the binding.

 

 

Soooo, what do you think?  Which border should I do?