July in my rearview

After the fireworks fade there is still a lot of summer to be packed into the 31 days that are July.

Most summers we are roasting by this point and have begun our annual summer hibernation.  Not so this year.  As I write, it is overcast and raining.  The temperature is a mere 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Compared to a norm of  highs in the 90s, and our recent past summers of day after day of unrelenting 100s with little to no rain. This feels like the end of the world. In which case, I totally vote for the end of the world as I know it. Bring it on!  I've got places to be.  (Thank you God for the rain and the cool temps.  They are awesome.)

This month I got to go on a retreat with my Mom.  We joined the gang at Happiness is Quilting in McKinney, TX for a four day quilting vacation at Greenbriar Retreats.  All I can say is if you ever get a chance to go visit Judy, do it.  Don't think twice.  You will have a wonderful time.

While I was gone my boys painted my studio for me.  They erased all traces of their old game room and replaced it with a cheery place for me to sit and work.



I had another pattern published on Moda Bake Shop this month!  Meet Summer Sun & Stars - pieced by my awesome Mom.

I don't know what is up next for me and the Bake Shop, but I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Tops to Treasures quilted 13 quilts this month....one of them my own.

And I've managed, I hope, to get my two oldest sons ready to head back to college.  I am going to miss my boys, but am excited for them and their new adventures.  It will be odd to only have one boy at the dinner table...but maybe he will be able to get a word in edgewise without the competition.

John has declared his graduation quilt a success....he helped me take pictures of it in the yard (note how green the yard is.  This is not normal for this time of year.)  Then walked away with it....





I hope all of your quilting endeavors this past month have been received with equal enthusiasm.

Summer Sun & Stars

Summer holds a lot of happy memories for me.  I always loved school, but I also loved adventuring and hanging out with my family.  That is what summer is for.  It is for staying up late, playing outside under the stars, and relaxing on sandy beaches.

Catalina Batiks by Moda brings all of those happy memories tumbling back to me.  The only thing that would make them do it more would be if they smelled like coconut oil and salt air.

Add to the beautiful fabric my mother's beautiful piecing - check out those wonderfully pointy points - 

and Anne Bright's "Paisley Sun" and you get one wonderful quilt!!  AND the pattern for the quilt is now available for free on Moda Bake Shop.

It is a great way to celebrate summer...piece it while you are hiding from the heat...finish it to make a wonderful beach throw...or a place to rekindle that summer time warmth during the cold months of winter.

June 2014 in my rear-view...

What a wild ride this month has been.

We had a graduation - my second son, John, graduated from high school.  He is on the left in the photo.  The boy on the right is my nephew...who also graduated this month.

We had camp - my youngest went to camp for a week in Colorado while the rest of us stayed home and entertained my inlaws...and helped my oldest get over Mono.



My two oldest then helped out at our church's vacation bible school.



This was the first time that John helped...after years of his oldest brother telling him that it was fun...John placed in a crew of all girls.  LOL   As you can see they warmed up to each other by the end of the week.



The next week Noah went to camp with the pre-teen ministry.  He had a crew of 5th and 6th grade boys to coral.  Don't tell them, but his threat of making a 5th & 6th grade head shish-ka-bob on that stake was just a trick to get them to behave.  He would never have done it.

In and out, and in and out, we could have installed a revolving door.  All the while I was busy quilting.

Tops to Treasures quilted 15 quilts this month.

One of those is my own...and it will be featured on Moda Bake Shop sometime in the next two months. I'll let you know when.

I also received a sweet thank you from our friend Chad.  

Remember this quilt?  My husband and I made it for him.  He was so thrilled that he turned around and painted me a priceless heirloom.  A Benjamin Satchell original!!  (Chad is his middle name)



I laughed until there were tears in my eyes.  My Minion-kitty now hangs proudly with the mini collection in my studio.

I hope July is just as sweet....but a little more restful.