IT HAS BEEN AWHILE

Can't believe it has been almost 3 months since I have posted. Been a busy, sorrow filled and painful time for me.

I belong to a group of quilt ladies that are absolutely my best friends. We were all at quilt camp together the first week in September and had a great time. A few weeks later we lost one of our group. She was one of the youngest of the group and we all thought of her as our "Mom" because she always looked after us and was the one to jump in and help without us even asking. She will be truly missed.

TABLE RUNNERS

Dawn at "Quilts & Pieces" taught us how to make these table runners. They are really addictive. Made from border print fabrics and are fast and easy. Thanks Dawn for giving us a great present to make for family and friends.

I have been suffering from some really bad pain in my right hip and leg now for a year. The day after I returned from camp I went in for a back injection and it worked for 4 weeks. It was wonderful to be without pain. Unfortunately it has returned and have been trying several things to relieve it. The only place I can sit and not be in really bad pain is my sewing chair. Lucky me!!! Trying to finish up some projects and starting new ones.

These are my 3 favorite ladies. My Mom (86) on back left, Aunt Dot (89) back right and Aunt Boo (84) in front.

A few weeks ago I took Mom and Aunt Dot to see Aunt Boo who is in a nursing home in Kerrville, TX. This was a 9 hour trip going and coming. It was a trip that needed to be made considering their ages and health. I am the only girl in this family and these ladies spoiled me rotten growing up. Wouldn't take anything for this picture.

Back to my sewing machine.

PICK A PECK

Our camp retreat in Indiana this year is titled "Patchwork Pantry". My DSIL sent me an email the other day asking me to bring the Pick a Peck potholders I had made. Returned an email telling her would be glad to and did that mean I needed to get them made? Well yeah!!! So made them up this weekend. Aren't they cute!!! The pumpkin is finished. So 1 down 4 to go. The eggplant looks more like a grape to me and I was informed by my 86 yr old Mother last night that tomatoes are round not square....Oh well, I like them.

If you are interested, the patterns are from Quiltmaker Sept/Oct '08.

Speaking of IN. retreat, my dining room table (which is very large) is now stacked with camp projects all in various stages of completion. Really need to pick and choose otherwise my shipping box will not hold all this. That is not even thinking about lifting it. Can't wait to get away.

NINE PATCHES

I have never made nine patches in my life and after making all of them for this quilt, I may never make any again. These have been the most time consuming things I have ever done. This is the start of Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Crossroads.

DD lost her position as Fine Arts teacher due to budget cuts. However, they offered her the position as Head Start Teacher for the next year. She is not the happiest camper about this but is determined to do a good job with 20 (3, 4 & 5 yr olds) kids. Found this I Spy panel in my stash to make her a wall hanging for the kids to learn alphabet, colors and objects.

Then found this alphabet fabric that I plan to cut and stuff each letter for them to be able to attach letter to picture.

Lots to do before school starts and I leave for quilt camp in Indiana.

GRANDSON, PUPPIES AND QUILT

What a wonderful weekend we had. We went to Kerrville, TX for our grandson's 8th B'Day. DD and family moved into their new home last weekend so along with B'day celebration we also did a lot of unpacking boxes.

The puppies are now 4 months old. They are so cute, loveable and fairly well behaved. Koda is on the left and Captain on the right. They are brothers and play like brothers. Koda was the runt of the litter and was plagued with illness when he came to live with DD but is now catching up with big brother and finally putting on weight. They are fun to watch.

DGS got his new quilt and we also gave him a free standing basketball goal (assembly required) That project took DH and DSIL all day on Saturday to assemble. But was worth it when GS immediately started throwing baskets. "Best Birthday ever" was the comment he made.

Check out the exotic (we think) goats. There are a lot of different animals on the land that is on the other side of the fence of DD's new back yard. Lots of deer, also. We enjoyed sitting on the patio in the mornings with our coffee and watching all the different animals crossing this clearing.

Fun weekend!!!!

ORPHANS

My good friend, Joyce, set out to develop a project at church to make play clothes for an orphanage (as usual volunteered my services). We had people who donated fabric for this project. Going through all that was donated, we discovered a lot of pieces which were not useable because of size. Her comment was "we will just have to get rid of this sack - not big enough". I was very nice and said I would take care of it.

YES!! Look what I got out of it. Started cutting it up into strips and was inspired to probably make Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Crossroads. These neutrals with pink and green. Not my favorite colors but as the saying goes "When life gives you scraps - make QUILTS" Will have to dig into my stash for additional pieces of fabrics and maybe into my DSIL stash as well (always a good source).

We hope to have these play clothes finished in the next couple of weeks and shipped off to an orphanage in Mexico. Slow go, because we haven't been able to recruit very many people who sew.

Off to Kerrville, TX to visit youngest daughter and family. It is GS B'day and he will be getting the Bluework quilt that was posted earlier. I also just went and picked up a free standing basketball goal for him (assembly required). The box takes up the whole back of the van with all seats stored.
Have a great weekend!

HAPPINESS IS A NEW QUILT

Our Michigan State Graduate showed up at our house on Sunday on his way to Austin, TX to pick up his sister who just finished her first year at UT.

I presented him with his graduation gift. A new quilt for his new condo in downtown Chicago where he will be working.

This of course is the Double Delight design by Bonnie Hunter that I named St. Patty's Double Delight. It was the perfect quilt for GS since it didn't have any flowers and green/white are Michigan State's colors. His comment was "thank goodness, Grandma, the other quilt you made me has about had it". I knew this because I had already repaired it twice.

CONGRATULATIONS to our graduate.

CHECK IT OUT!

Blog friend and machine quilter, Carol at http://www.cornfieldquilter-carol.blogspot.com/ has reached that magic number of 200 post. She is having a give a way of beautiful Moda "Fig & Plum" fat quater stack. Visit her blog and get your name in the pot.

You can also check out a snap of my DD quilt she just got finished quilting for me. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

HOOKED OR HEXED?

Carol at "Cornfield Quilter" has been posting her progress on hexagons lately. I have been so intrigued by them. While we were in Indiana last week, I got DSIL to get me started on them. I was so hooked that I worked on them all the way back to TX and still going strong. Have no idea what I am going to do with them when I finally say stop but that will come I guess. They are fun and mindless while you are sitting, watching TV or riding in the car. What fun.

The trip to IN was an emotional one. One of my husband's brothers passed away so it was an unexpected/quick trip. On Sunday, we decided to unwind a little bit before we headed back to TX and took a Sunday drive to see the WIND TURBINS. There is a field of them just outside of Lafayette, IN that covers an area as far as you can see and they are still putting them up. What an interesting site.

Also had the opportunity to see almost all my quilt buddies while we were there. A wonderful evening with husbands in tow. They just love the quilt talk.

SUMMER IS AROUND THE CORNER

What a job! I spent this morning bleaching the cushions on our outdoor furniture. Just about did myself in on this little project.

I think this will be the last year for these cushions. Hard to find someone to make these any more so will probably have to go to store bought and they don't last near as long.

Doesn't this just make you want to go sit outside and enjoy the quiet beauty of spring.

This weekend is going to be the trip to the nursery to purchase flowers for all the beds around the house. I think this year I am hiring someone to plant them. Just getting too much for my back and knees to handle.

Hope your springtime is as enjoyable as ours is here in the South right now.

ANOTHER UFO

TOP

DONE

I'm moving right along!

Isn't this just adorable? I made the bluework blocks about 6 years ago with the idea of putting them in a walll hanging for youngest grandson. Well.....as things go he will be 8 in a few months and the walls of his room are now taken up with action heros. Therefore, this is now a lap quilt to always remind him that he will always have a little boy in him somewhere. His B'day is June 19 so this is right on time.

Beautiful weather here in East Texas and everything is in bloom. Will have to get a picture of some beautiful landscape we have here for y'all to see.

Stay tuned for the next UFO project completion.

PROGRESS ON "FARMER'S MARKET"

At Old Tippecano Quilt Guild camp last September, we started a block of the month project to be completed by our camp in 2009. These are just a few of the blocks that will be in "Farmer's Market" by Pat Sloan (www.patsloan.com). I haven't done any applique in quite awhile and have really enjoyed doing it again. The strawberry block is not complete because it goes into a border at the top.

I am staying on tract about not starting any new big projects. I have a lot of things unfinished (UFO'S) that I am anxious to complete. Most of my quilt friends really get a kick out of this because up until the last few years, I would not start anything new until I had completed what I was working on. Over the years they have managed to corrupt me. So stay tuned for completed projects to be posted.

MY BELLY DANCING QUEEN

Took this picture at the Four Winds Renaissance Festival just south of town. This of course is, Abby, our 13 yr old GD. She did a good job and I am sure will improve a lot more since she will be doing this every weekend this month. This is a very interesting setting. A lot of strange looking people, all dressed in costume. LOL!!! It was a beautiful day but windy. I believe I am wind burned.

Abby and friends as they waited for their Henna Tattoos. All three got a rose in the center of their lower backs. (my first question was how long do these last - 3 weeks tops) Since this event last about 4 more weeks, I figure we will have to have one more, so we are looking at 6 weeks. I am shaking my head.

Did survive GS and buddies arriving at 3 a.m. on Friday morning. They slept till 9 a.m., fed them breakfast and they were on their way by 10:30. I must say it gives me a lot more confidence in the next generation after having these 4 guys here. Very well mannered, clean cut and considerate young men.

It has been a grandchild weekend, very enjoyable, but awfully glad I don't have to do this every day.

DOUBLE DELIGHT

This was a long time coming but I finally got the top finished. The pattern was a mystery by Bonnie Hunter and was originally suppose to be in double pinks thus the title Double Delight along with all the squares in a square and double nine patches. However, mine has so much green in it I have decided to call it St. Patty's Double Delight. I have a lot of the fabric I used in this left, so I need to come up with another quilt to make. Open to suggestions!

Spring has definitely come to East Texas. It is suppose to be in the 80's this weekend. This is a good thing because there is a Renaissance Festival (www.fourwindsfaire.com) going on every weekend this month in a little town about 15 miles south of here. I mention this because 13 year old GD is performing there. She has been taking Belly Dancing lessons and the troupe will be performing at various times all month long. I had the task today of taking her scarf skirt apart and shortening it about 5". Of course she is using my favorite color, Purple, with lots of bangles over the black scarf skirt. I will try to get a picture of her in costume to post.

Tomorrow night will be a long one. GS, Senior at Michigan State, called last night and informed us he will be arriving sometime between midnight and 8 a.m. Friday morning with 3 buddies. They will be crashing here for a few hours on their way to Austin to see GD at the University of Texas before they head to Panama City, FL to finish up their Spring Break. Told him there would be pallets on the floor, front porch light on and door unlocked and I would see them in the morning for breakfast. This will be an experience for me having never had boys to feed. Hope I survive this.

ANOTHER BABY QUILT!

Before anyone sends me an email about the spelling, I want you to know this is the correct spelling. This little girl is going to go through life with people misspelling her name. I was going to applique the letters on but was running out of time, so I called on my dear friend, Joyce, to monogram them for me. After she saw the completed quilt, she said "do you think we could make these to order for people?" I did not respond!

At the moment I don't think we have any more babies, in the family, on the horizon for awhile.

Thank Goodness!

I'm afraid to say anything about it, but I think Spring is here. Our trees have budded, Azaleas are budding and beginning to pop out, the Daffodils are up and beautiful in a sea of yellow, Tulip trees are full of blossoms and the garden centers are packed with people. Sure hope Mother Nature doesn't slip a freeze in on us.

Working on Double Delight. Have the center done and ready to start on the borders. As most of you know, I did not do mine in pink but in brown/blue/gold/green. There is so much green I've decided it needs a St. Patrick's day name. So I was thinking "St. Paddy's Double Delight". Will post a picture as soon as I get the borders on this weekend.

Until next time, happy quilting and stay warm.

OLD TOBACCO ROAD

is done

and on its way to Kerrville, TX

Once again a big thanks to Carol (www.cornfieldquilter-carol.blogspot.com) for the beautiful quilting job done. Finished putting on the binding today (even remembered to put a label on) and loaded it into DD's car this evening. She is headed down to San Antonio for a Music Convention for teachers and staying with her sister in Kerrville (65 miles from San Antonio). So the deadline was on to finish it in order to save on shipping.

I have made the resolution to not do any big projects after I finish Double Delight. I need to finish up some small ones and get things out of my sewing room. Of course, like most resolutions that will probably go by the wayside as soon as Bonnie (Quiltville.com) post another mystery or as she has renamed them - Challenges. Will keep you posted on my ability to stay on track.

COLD BUT FUN

What a wonderful 4 days I had with some of our fellow bloggers and some non-bloggers. If you can, you need to check out some of the other bloggers that were there, Dawn and Laura (http://www.pineridgequilter.blogspot.com/) . I am only listing these two right now, because I know they have posted pictures of our winter retreat.

I did not get as much accomplished as I would have liked to because I came down with a bad cold on the first day there. Riding in airplanes does it to me every time.

Carol (http://www.cornfieldquilter-carol.blogspot.com/) met us at Miss Mary's on Saturday during a very cold morning to bring me my OTR quilt. What a beautiful job she did on the quilting.

I added additional borders on both sides in order to get it to King Size. This one is going to daughter & husband in Kerrville, TX. She just loves scrappy quilts and I know this one will please her and get a lot of use.

I also finished all my blocks for Double Delight but with 12 of us in that little house with sewing machines going, there was not enough room to lay them all out. So I packed them away to finish here at home. I had started some Pineapple blocks at Camp in IN last Sept., so I went back to work on those for the remainder of my stay at Miss Mary's.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!

DD, Tammy, sent me this Edible Bouquet. It was almost too pretty to eat. However, DH and I have made short work of it this weekend.

We escaped yesterday and went to Shreveport, LA to the casino for a day of fun and to celebrate my B'day. We had a great time and I can really tell I'm getting older because we were back home by 9:30 last night and I was in bed by 10:30.

OUR WINTER RETREAT

This is Miss Mary's in Indiana. Will be leaving for this retreat on the 21st and will have 5 glorious days of fellowship, laughter and lots of quilting activity.

Isn't this a neat place? We have enough room for about 12 sewing machines (cramped but adequate). We occasionally blow a few fuses. We sleep 6 upstairs and 3 downstairs. There is a kitchen and we all take turns preparing a meal. The day campers come and go at all times of the day. It is a blast.

Convenient quilt store next door. This old church has been turned into a quilt store and is right next door. How neat is that!!!! The same people own both places and really cater to us quilters.

I am counting the hours till I get on that plane and head to a wonderful retreat with my good friends. The only thing that will make it extra special is if we have a nice snow while I am there - not a lot, just enough to make it beautiful for a few days and satisfy my snow fix for the year.

BITS AND PIECES OF DOUBLE DELIGHT

Bonnie's NYE mystery is coming along. A lot of cutting and trimming but it is going to be great. All of Step 1 done, Step 2 half way there, Step 3 cut out. That is as far as I have gotten. Hopefully, I am going to have all pieces cut out and assembled by the time I leave for a mini retreat in Indiana on the 21st. Plan to assemble all the blocks and quilt top while I am there. I have to ship all this by the end of next week, so I best stay busy.

While we are at our retreat we hope to get Laura (http://www.pineridgequilter.blogspot.com/) to give us lessons on Tonya's letters so will be taking some fabric to do that. I have an attic windows wall hanging that I want to put words on for my 7 yr old grandson. Looking forward to that project.