Don't Blink.....

Today is my son's birthday. Ben, the last of the sons of Gilbert, is an unexpected blessing. He is so different from the rest of us. God knew we needed some shaking up.

It sometimes seems like it was just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital.

Caralsbad, CA @ 2007

Frisco, TX @ 2007
Ben and his two best friends!

Clovis, CA @ 2009
Ben stole my camera and was having some fun.. 

"Finger Spelling" with Button

"Rib night!"

"Flour Fling" 2009"

6th Grade. Winter Band Concert

7th Grade....first day of school
Big brother  Noah is going to drive them for the first time.

Still Ben's best friends

What happened to my boy that hams it up for the camera?

Celebrating big brothers 19th birthday - Sept 2011

Just a couple of weeks ago.....I have to sneak pictures now.

Happy 14th Birthday Ben!

Kudos....

Good morning,

I've been trapped in the lazy days of summer this week.  I have no idea what I 've been up to.  I know it hasn't been quilting.

I want to share a few finds with you....

Ultra Pro Seam Ripper

This is one amazing ripper.  I pieced a bunch of blocks incorrectly and had to disassemble them completely.  This ripper was able to slip between the layers of fabric and slice through the seams in no time flat....like a warm knife through butter.  You need one.



A new on-line fabric shop....that is different.  This site offers several free tools that I've never seen before. 

I've copied this bit from Superior's news letter.....

EDUCATION: ARTISTIC TALENT MEETS TECHNOLOGY

For many years, our passion has been to teach the sewing world everything we know about thread, needles, tension and achieving the perfect stitch. We know excellence is possible if we have the proper knowledge and tools. We believe we have the knowledge, skills, and new technology that will be helpful to quilters and we share it free of charge to all as we do with our newsletters, educational pages, and online videos.   We are dedicated to quality and strive for excellence in everything we do. Up until now, all we could offer was the written word and video demonstrations, concentrating on knowledge and technique. We now have something beyond knowledge and technique which we think will raise the level of beauty and personal satisfaction in the quilting world. Below are three features which are part of the fabric section of our new website. Some are a result of artistic talent and some are a result of innovative computer programming.   1. Color match the best piecing and quilting thread to the fabric. Heather (Mother Superior) has amazing talent for color and she is providing her expertise to the quilting world.       a. Piecing thread. Piecing only with beige or gray thread is old school. To elevate the skill level of piecing, the pros and award winning quilters match the piecing thread color to the fabric’s dominant color. The seams look better and the possibility of a visible, contrasting piecing thread is eliminated. We wouldn’t use only one color of thread for all clothing construction or alterations so why do it for piecing? It takes no more effort or time to choose a perfectly matching color of piecing thread than to choose the old standby gray thread. b. Quilting thread. Selecting the perfect quilting thread for each quilt top is a little more difficult. Some prefer a blending solid color and some prefer a matching variegated color. Sometimes it is better to use more than one thread to quilt the top. For those who would like a professional recommendation for piecing thread and quilting thread, Heather offers her personally selected thread color for every fabric. You may be surprised to see how nicely a particular thread complements the fabric. Thread recommendations for fabric may be viewed with a simple mouse click during checkout.   2. Quilt Block Designer Use this website function to easily move selected fabrics into various block designs and see how they look together. It’s as simple as clicking and dragging. a. Select some fabrics you like and add them to the Shopping Cart. b. Go to View Cart, then click on Block Designer. c. Choose a block design from many popular options. d. Click and drag a fabric into the block. e. Mix and match until you find the perfect combination. You can see exactly how the block will look with the colors you selected. There are limitless possibilities. f. Delete unwanted items from the Shopping Cart. To view a 90-second demo, click here.   3. Mother Superior's Color Match Tool Introducing our new fabric color matching technology. Our new fabric website offers an amazing color-matching function. Select a fabric and click to enlarge the image. Underneath the enlarged image, you will see a row of boxes, each containing a solid color of one of the dominant colors contained in that fabric. Some fabrics may show only one or two boxes and some may show three or four color boxes. Click on one of the color boxes and the computer will show every other fabric in our inventory that shares that color shade. For example, if you need another dark mauve fabric to match a fabric, click on the dark mauve color box and within seconds, you’ll see many other fabrics that have the same color shade.   We are excited about these new functions and hope they will help you in your creations. See Specials section below for Grand Opening specials on fabric. Every fabric is on sale. All fabrics are top quality. Top brands only.

Amazing!  Check it out....I think you will be just as amazed as I was.

Now...I guess I need to get to work....


PS I have not been paid to promote these products.....they don't even know I'm mentioning them here....I just wanted to share the news....and let you know that I am not dead or otherwise MIA.

Nothin' to say.....

Days like this come around every once in a while.  I've got nothing.

I'm busy....working on quilts for customers....

"Sisters" by Mary Bianchi

Playing with my boys....

  Yes, the Lego Gimly needs a box to see over the walls.

...I spent yesterday afternoon helping to build Helm's Deep out of Lego's.  (There are 7 new Lego sets based on Lord of the Rings)  I got to build the people.  LOL  So glad my guys still love Legos.
Doing laundry.  Is it ever really finished?

What I really want is to sit down and have a nice cup of lemon-aide and a good conversation.

That is a lot of words to say I've got nothing to say.

Ta-done! & Welcome

Wahoo! 

About a week ago I showed you the parcel that was delivered to my door steps.  Remember this yummy fabric? 

Kapalua Batiks from Moda

Last night I finished putting my quilt....

"Jiggity"

Which means I can now play with a second parcel of fabric.

"Marmalade" by Bonnie & Camille for Moda

I have to figure out how to make this quilt.

"Marmalade Circle"

My house is one long frat party at the moment.  My three teen age boys are all home for the summer and doing the things that teen age boys do...nothing...err eat, sleep, play loud video games, and watch "My Little Pony."  (Really, they just finished a marathon of watching it and tell me that it is hysterical and not meant for little girls.)  I am in desperate need of a girly girl fix.  Marmalade is just the ticket!  I feel better just looking at the pictures of it.  Sigh.

Kill Mama's Overwhelming Stash - Linky Party

It has been one month since I told you about my Mom's crazy stash and invited you to join me as a Stash Warrior in doing something about it...not her stash, your own.

I started with three bundles of fabric, but decided to go with this one....

I love the woods and snow.  I created twelve blocks with the print on the left as the center piece, but I wanted MORE. 

That print, called "Baby It's Cold Outside" was produced in 1995.  There is pretty much no chance of getting any more of it.  Then I remembered....

...I had a dress made out of it!  What's more, I haven't worn a dress, any dress, in nearly 10 years.  What am I hanging on to it for?!  So I took it apart.

The skirt of the dress yielded about two yards of fabric!  SCORE!!

I decided to custom quilt it....I almost never do this...but the big squares seemed to want something different.

The back is pieced with what was left of my skirt and some yummy green corduroy.

Ta-done!  All crinkly and fresh after a quick wash and hanging in my tree.

At this very moment it is 92 degrees F with a heat index that makes it feel more like 98.  I don't think I will be using this scrumptious quilt any time soon.  I can't wait for the weather to turn cool (probably by next November) maybe I'll just crank down the AC and have a good snuggle.

Have you made any stash slaying projects this month?  I'd love to hear about them.

Link up here to join the fun...

Wow....

That is all I have to say....



"Marmalade" by Bonnie & Camille arrived this morning

Is going to become this

AND I just finished this...

....but it needs a better picture.  (Just wait....I have an ace up my sleeve.)

AND I am running out of excuses for putting off starting this....



Schools Out

The boys are all home....

Noah - the oldest and a Sophomore in College

John - my curly headed middle child and a Junior in high school

Ben - my "baby" and a Freshman in high school



This is how they "play together".  Each in a different room, all playing the same game and shouting through the house - cheering and jeering each other on.

The dogs are all sleeping....no pictures...don't want to wake them.  My dogs bark at rain drops.

The rain is coming down, down, down making the world outside my climate controlled home green and steamy.  It almost looks like some place where it rains....often.  I think God has lifted the ban on watering.

I've been working on some projects for Moda Bake Shop.  In fact, there should be a very silly one on Monday next (June 11). 

I hope all of you are enjoying days that are just as peaceful.

Yester-year Challenge Month #2

I'm linking up again with Quilt Monster in My Closet for the Yester-Year Challenge.  Time to pull the projects out from the back of the closet, knock off the dust and be done with the project.

I finished another block from the 2008 Patchwork Party...

....not huge progress...but it is progress.  I'm good with this.

I've also been working on an old knitting project.  I'm not sure when I started it...but I do know that I started it before I started quilting for people....probably about the time my youngest started kindergarten...that is at least 10 years ago...he will be a Freshman in high school in the fall.

This knit throw measures about 35X50 and is knit with a micro fiber from Lion Brand Yarns.  It is deliciously soft and snugly.

The pattern was very easy to follow...maybe not 10 years ago when I was chasing little boys, but it was when I picked it up again...and created a funny wavy edge at the top and bottom.

The gears are turning...

Oh, I love my mail man....or the UPS guy...

Look what came yesterday!

These yummies - Kapalua Batiks, to be released this August by Moda - are going to become this...

....it is a jiggity version of my twisted charm quilt modified for a charm pack with fewer pieces.

Next up, ABC 123 by American Jane - also due out in August for Moda....

Will be turned into.....

....just as soon as I finish this post.

Look for both quilts, and patterns for them sometime soon (after I make them) in Moda Bakeshop.

How awesome is that?!

June? Already?!

Time to step back and take account of the past month....what did I do in May....and join the gang at Lilly's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day to ogle the goods.

Tops to Treasures (my long arm quilting business...a.k.a quilt brothel) did great business.

And there are just as many on the shelf to do in June. (I think I need to quit advertising.)

I did some hand work and tiny projects....

Participated in two swaps...

And finished two quilts and a passel of pillows.

I also took a speedy trip to West Texas to bring my college boy home. (Next time I suggest that someone tie me to a post. My behind is just now fluffing out again.)

Thanks for stopping by....back to Lilly's for some more finishes