It's snowing!

OK, I know what you Northerners are thinking! I'm excited to see it! Good thing it will only last a day or two though because I need to go to the quilt shop for some 30's repros for a swap (of blocks, I still have to make). My little group is swaping 6" churn dash blocks. I have to do 50! But wait there is more...I have to do my daughter's 50 too! Talk about waiting until the last minute!

I'll leave you with these beautiful pictures I took from my back door.

WIP Wednesday

This is the quilt from the last post. I have finished the blocks and have it together with two borders. Right now I'm adding the circles. I think when I'm done I'll add another border. When I was squaring up the blocks I cut one side of one block 1/2" to small. So, I had to cut the rest of them down and that has caused a problem with spacing for the circles. You might be able to see on the border area where I couldn't put a dot because the applique got in the way! I don't know whether to not put a dot in those spots (I don't really like this option), put a partial dot there or remodel some of the pieces that are in the way. Any opinions? I'd love to hear them.

It's in the 70's right now. Warm and muggy. Tonight a cold front is coming through and will lower the temps to freezing! We'll probably have ice in the morning. The roads and the ground will be warm enough to melt whatever comes down. Oh, how I love a Texas ice storm! NOT!

I'll tell you a little tale about my first ice storm in Texas...you have to remember that I had been living in Florida for 12 years before we moved here. There was definitely ice on the ground especially the pool deck. I let the dogs out to do their business first thing in the morning. They were little old Shih-Tsus. As soon as the oldest one jumped up on the deck of the pool to get to the yard he slipped and slid right into the pool! I go running after him and slipped myself (causing me to land on my knees). So, I crawled to the edge of the pool (in my pj's no less) and started calling him to come to the edge. He was going around in circles and was going under. I had to jump into the pool to retrieve him! BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! We got inside and dried off to the best of our abilities and called the vet. She said to come in so she could check his lungs and ears. So we did. It took me several hours to warm up after my swim! We bought a pool cover the next week and had it installed!

We've had several ice events since 2000 but since that experience I just don't go outside! Looks like we are in for another one...I'll be quilting, nice and warm and dry!

One more thing about the dogs...Max lived to be 18 and died in 2001, Dillon lived to be 15 and he passed away earlier this year. We had some good times in all those years!

This is my spot!

If I'm not in my quilt room upstairs I'm usually here (or at Walmart!). This spot is in my great room. I do my applique and bindings right in that chair. I can keep an eye on whatever I'm cooking and watch TV at the same time. The table next to my chair is usually a mess. I tried to get organized with that turntable thing but it's not working!

I know some of you will want to know what that quilt is. It's Cinnamon Stitches from Piece o Cake. I have it all put together and now I am appliqueing 150 circles between the blocks and some on the edge of the border. I'm going to hand quilt it.

We've had a heck of a long weekend going on around here. Lots of company and eating and drinking! Yesterday we put the tree up in the den. I tried to get my DH to put up the tree in the entryway but he is watching football. Today, all of the company is going down to Ft. Worth to Joe T. Garcia's, a Mexican restaurant famous in this area. I'm not going...I'm too tired. I'll be sitting in my chair most of the night sewing down little circles!

A little bit of everything.

My DD's in-laws, Kurt and Rita, brought this with them yesterday when they came over for dinner. It is so beautiful and smells so good. The lilies don't really smell but the apples in the water do. Every time I walk by it I get a whiff of apple. Just delicious!




The pictures of the quilt are what I promised I would show you a few posts ago. When we got back from our trip to NC I drug this out and finished it. I had taken a picture of it earlier but somehow I clicked on the ceiling! (I don't even want to know how that happened.) This quilt was a kit I bought at Houston Street Mercantile in Granbury, TX. I love that little shop. It is cram packed with everything I love. I can't get out of there without spending big bucks! The quilt shop has a little house used for retreats. We went there last year for our retreat. We had so much fun! Teresa and Mary came from SC to visit with us. They got stuck here a couple of extra days because of a hurricane!


Anyway, back to the quilt...I named it The Heart Garden. I fused everything and buttonhole stitched around all the raw edges. Of course, it was a UFO. Now it's off to Ty next week to machine quilt. I have collected a bunch of tiny buttons shaped like hearts and stars to add after the quilting has been done. I can hardly wait to get it done and hang it up.

My first Work In Progress Wednesday!

This is Vintage Valentine. I did the first one last week and then took a break and cut all the pieces for the WHOLE quilt from freezer paper. I just started the second block a couple of days ago.

I've been busy cleaning my house! We're having company for Thanksgiving. My daughter's in-laws and sister-in-law are coming over with my daughter and her husband. My son is still in NC and won't be home until early January. I've gotten some cooking done today. I made a pecan pie, sweet potato casserole, a cheese ball and the dressing.

I'm wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! Don't eat too much!

Character quilts and some applique.

I finally got the roll of film developed that had my nephew's and my sister's quilts on it. Those are the quilts packaged and ready to go. You can read about these quilts earlier in my blog.





I've been busy cutting out freezer paper templates for Vintage Valentine. I collected this BOM last year from Cotton Patch. Last week I finsihed appliqueing the first block. Then, I decided to trace (onto freezer paper) and cut out all the pieces for the quilt. Normally I baste each piece of freezer paper to the fabric before adding it to the applique piece but this time I just put the freezer paper backed piece of fabric right on the background and started needle turning. It worked like a charm! I think now I can eliminate the basting part and start right in with the applique. That is going to save time!

Lori Smith BOM

This is the first installment of a BOM by Lori Smith. I am getting the blocks from Cotton Patch.

I received the 2nd block the other day. So, I've still got to put it together.

This is not the picture I promised in my last post. I'll try to get around to that tomorrow!

And finally...

On our trip to NC we drove three days there and three days back. Since my husband enjoys driving he drove all the way. So, I had some time on my hands. First, I made the mini yo-yo quilt. I had a kit of 100 squares of 30's reproduction fabric. I can't remember what the pattern was but I wanted a little yo-yo quilt. Next I did some stitcherys. One of them is The Pledge of Allegience and the other two are Texas related. The last one is called Ripping 101. I hope you can read it because it is really cute. I don't like the white thread I used I might have to redo those. I did one more than those shown but my picture didn't turn out so I'll have to retake it and show you later.

Tomorrow I will take a picture of what I've been working on since I got home. It's too cute! Tonight I made 4 bindings and 1 label. I've got a stack of quilts ready to be quilted all I need to do is call Ty. Maybe this weekend...

A little bit more.

While we were in NC I visited two quilt shops, Cotton Patch and All About Quilting. I found a few patterns, a little bottle of Roxanne's glue baste and some tatoos!

I had to have the jacket pattern. When I saw a model of it in the store it looked so good (and easy...it's made on a sweatshirt). Another patritic stitchery and a baseball saying for my son-in-law who loves baseball. Also a Cheri Saffiote pattern called The Widows Garden, very prim.

In the next picture there are two Santa patterns, an old dress pattern, a Jan Patek pumpkin pattern and a Country Threads pattern called Liberty Basket. One of the patterns has a Santa with buttons for his beard. Really cute!

He's home!!!

The day I'd been waiting for was here! We were told 1/9 would arrive around 4:00-4:30 so we were there waiting at about 3:45. Well, they didn't come in until about 7:30! I had struck up a conversation with another family that was waiting and the wife turned out to be a quilter! That really helped to pass the time! There were hundreds of people waiting for their Marine to come home. Lots of little babies waiting to see their fathers for the first time and plenty of young wives ready to hug their husbands.

First the big trucks came in with all the guys stuff and unloaded hundreds of packs and tons of gear. Then the Marines came marching in! The crowd was cheering and the music was playing real loud. The song was Welcome To The Jungle by Guns and Roses. The guys loved it. You can see me giving a big hug (one of many)to my Marine.

After he gathered up his things and took them to his barracks room we ran to Taco Bell and then to the room where we were staying to talk for half the night.

The last picture is of the guys outside of Outback where we all had dinner the following night. It was so nice to meet them and put faces to names. We had a great time laughing and listening to stories. Bobby even joined them for two shots of Tequila!

I have a few more photos to share with you but I'll save them for tomorrow.