Merry Christmas!

I hope all my friends have a wonderful, blessed Christmas! We are going to be with family and that makes it all wonderful! We are all praying especially fervently for several dear friends who are scheduled for surgery in the upcoming weeks. May God be with them and the people who will be caring for them before, during and after the procedure.



We have had some excitement with our new doggie, Sawyer...the little rascal got into a bag in Katherine's room and ate quite a lot of very expensive chocolate. Now he seems to be OK but he has vomited all over my couch...and I anticipate some other eruptions later...what a little rascal. Good thing we all love him.



We have had a few more inches of snow. The snow is so high in the back yard that Sawyer could just walk over the fence. We have to tie him up which is what we were trying to avoid. Poor guy!



I made him a stocking so he is official! This is supposed to look like a dog bone...I hope he likes it! Jett's is very cute too. Midnight has one that is shaped like a fish....and of course, Evil puss that he is, he sticks his nose up at it. He likes the goodies we have it in, but the stocking is not something he gets excited about...
Sigh....

Oh well....

Merry Christmas! God Bless us, every one!

Catching up!

I hope everyone is having a great time getting ready for the holidays! I have been doing the gift thing but no decorating has been done yet. I had better get on the stick!

It is here!

My reely lime reel quilt top is done....this is a subset of the blocks from Heart and Hand applique (with a few from the Dear Jane Applique Society for good measure). Diane Schneck is going to be publishing these patterns in a book some time next year. This is going to her as a possible sample for the book. My friend Kari Schell is going to quilt it for me. Isn't this fun? Certainly not colors I normally use. I am thinking of calling it "No, reely! Lime IS a neutral!" It is a little hard to see what color the setting / border fabric is...it is a dark blue with grayish patterns...JoAnn helped me pick it out. She is VERY good at this!

Oh man! Busy, busy, busy!

Poor excuse for not keeping up! So very sorry.

We have a new doggie...Sawyer. Isn't he cute? He is a miniature pinscher / sheltie mix that was a rescue...very smart doggie but he hates men. My brother is patiently trying to work through the fear that Sawyer has. He sees our new fence as a challenge, whereas Jett, my baby, sees it as a barrier...

Everyone in my house is doing fine. We had our first snow last night and it was a doozy...about a foot of very wet snow. Sawyer wasn't fazed a bit. He is from Kansas according to what we were told by the rescue organization. Katherine and I are going to make him some boots. He is her dog.

Well...have to get to work, I am finishing the last borders on something. I promise to share it later today. You will be shocked and amazed!

Back to work!

Oh now, quilting isn't work, is it? I am busy making some album blocks for an exchange in our Heritage Club next month. JoAnn and I are exchanging with all three groups so we have about 40 blocks to make. Phew! I have 10 made, another 10 cut out and 20 more prepped and ready to cut out...I had better get to work!

I hope everyone is having a great summer!

Busy, busy, busy!

Here is the Gettysburg Sun quilt I finished in July at the Dear Jane MN retreat. Isn't it cute?

The fabrics are Jo Morton's Toast and Indigo Berries. I think it turned out very cute. It is hanging in the quilt shop for now.

I hope everyone is having a great summer! We are busy as can be....but doing well. I hate this horrible heat wave we are experiencing! I can't wait for Fall.

Oooftah...what a weekend!

This has been an exhausting weekend...storms Friday and Saturday night have scared my poor little puppy something fierce. He shook so hard we could hear his little bones knocking against the floor in the kitchen. We took turns holding him and that seemed to help a bit.

Then, to complicate things, Katherine and her friend Chris had a car accident. An inattentive driver ran a red light and they collided almost head on. Katherine and Chris seem to be OK but Chris' car is undrivable....leaving him in a difficult situation. We are arranging schedules and working to free up Katherine's car for Chris until he has the insurance assessment and knows how to move forward. What a hassle for Chris. I hope this gets resolved soon.

I am making progress on my Gettysburg Stars (?) quilt...putting the top together tonight. I will add a picture soon.

Friday!

I am hoping to get some quilting done this weekend...it has been very busy lately. I have a small quilt that I am making for a shop sample and want to have it done for Monday night. The Dear Jane guild is meeting and it would be fun to have something for show and tell.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Fun Day!

I spent the day at an IT seminar...learned a lot...and saw some old buddies from the company I worked at 1 1/2 years ago. Nice people. Tonight I am going to work on my applique for the Lime Reels quilt I am making...lots to do! I hope everyone has a nice evening!

Lovely Day!

This was a beautiful day! Katherine is home, I had a productive day at work and now I have the whole weekend to look forward to.


I am working on a little quilt...and will share one block with you. I am using Jo Morton fabrics from my stash. It will be all blue with shirtings. I have a nice stripe to use for sashing strips. I will post a picture of the final project.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Memorial Day!

What a great week! I really enjoy my new job and the people that I work with. I am such a lucky kid!

I have a big day tomorrow. Breakfast with my friends and my Mom...then my Dear Jane guild is getting together for a work day...but then, I was supposed to pick up my niece Katherine at the airport, returning from Guatemala...now the flight is cancelled due to the volcano. I have my fingers crossed that they will be able to come home on Sunday.

She starts her job on Tuesday. It would be a bad deal if she was delayed. I have my fingers crossed that she is home yet this weekend. We all miss her.

Anticipation!

New job starts tomorrow. I am excited and nervous. I hope everything works out perfectly and we are all happy.

I went to Quilt Market yesterday. So much to see! JoAnn picked up some wonderful patterns. One very interesting Civil War star patterns. There were some basket quilts that just knocked my socks off...I love basket quilts for some reason.

Owls were the big "thing" this time...lots of owls in booths. It was a fun experience. I am glad I got to go.

WooHoo!

I finished up my job at my current employer today and start my new job on Monday. I am so excited! I am going to be getting back into the Disaster Recovery business and I just can't wait!

To celebrate my temporary freedom, I am going out to lunch with friends...I have a date for Wednesday and one for Thursday. I am looking forward to seeing and spending time with my buddies.

One more exciting thing! I get to go to Quilt Market! That will be on Saturday. I will post about that...Market is very interesting. I love to see all the new stuff.

Lots to show and tell

Here is a picture of my niece as she takes her seat at graduation. She is in the middle with a black top on. Smiling! Good job Katherine!

And here is the Tulip Reel I finished this weekend. It is from the Heart and Hand Applique quilt. I am making a small quilt out of the reel blocks, using lime batiks. A bit out of my comfort zone. Fun!

A BIG day at my house!

My niece Katherine is graduating from MCAD today. I am so excited! I will post a picture or two later. We are leaving shortly so she can have pictures taken with her class before the ceremony.

Oh what a wonderful sound!

That concert last night was wonderful. I am still singing "I'll Fly Away" much to my niece's annoyance. Good thing Mom is mostly deaf or she would be trying to trade me off for someone that can carry a tune....and keep her in the manner in which she would like to become accustomed. Harumph!

Today is big stuff at our house. Grandma has been taken to brunch by my older sister. My brother and his wife stopped by and my younger sister is here to "hang" with her daughter. Puppy and I are going walkies in a bit, Katie is going to grill some tuna steaks and we will have a lovely meal. Sigh...

Right now I am going to finish the last two Dear Jane swap blocks. That will be a good thing.

Happy Mother's Day!

Boy, I have some exciting days coming up. We have my sister-in-law's concert tonight. She is a member of the Twin Cities Women's Choir (www.twincitieswomenschoir.org). Wonderful music...I love their concerts. Tonight is my favorite "Divas and Desserts"...of course you KNOW why I love it. I am a Diva and I love dessert. They sing to me, they feed me dessert...I may never leave. Check it out. Tonight's concert is sold out but there is always the next one. Definitely worth going to see.

Oh but I have next weekend to look forward to even more. My niece Katherine graduates from college. She already has a job and benefits, the whole bit. She is so smart and so good at what she does...great work ethic and deserves all the best the world can offer. I am so happy for her!

Then...even more better...oh, but that will have to come later...

We are starting a signature swap at the Heritage Club. JoAnn and I have signed up for all three groups. We will be making blocks like crazy people! This is going to be a blast!

An update on the Chicken Quilt contest

I have to show you the four quilts that resulted from the Chicken Challenge. They are incredible! From right to left, Connie Makl, Jeanne Meddaugh, JoAnn Atkins and me. Aren't these quilts incredible? We are going to send Brenda a challenge in return. We all had a blast making these fun quilts.

The pattern for my chickens came from a free to use pattern on the internet from Sindy Rodenmayer of FatCat patterns. She has the most wonderful designs...please visit her site at www.fatcatpatterns.com. You will be inspired.

EQ7 has arrived! It will be shipping in mid-June but can be ordered in advance for a reduced price. I ordered my upgrade already and am looking forward to checking it out. I love EQ6 and use it all the time. Go to www.electricquilt.com/shop/eq7/eq7.asp to see what EQ has in store for you!

Happy May Day!

I have a picture of the tulip block I made for Brenda (who is doing this for Susan Powell). Isn't it wild? I would never choose these fabrics to use, let alone use together. However, I bet this quilt, when completed, will be breathtaking. I enjoy working outside of my comfort zone once in awhile.

Today is a catch-up day. I still have some swap blocks to complete before the May Dear Jane meeting and my sewing room is an absolute disaster. How appropriate for me. I should have plans written up on how to address this issue....starting with "DON'T BE SUCH A MESS" in the first place! I wonder if that would work for me? Probably not. Oh well...I do enjoy my hobby!

Working hard on Dear Jane...

Our Dear Jane group is swapping blocks again this year. We are supposed to swap in May and have the quilt done for our show in September. I will post a picture of what I have so far. No idea what I will do with them.

Cleaning and organizing....

Oh man I have a mess in my sewing room. We have switched out my old computer for a new one and have the old PC still up here taking up precious space. I have bunches of fabric not put away...bad Diva! I have too many PIGS and too many UFOs and a HUGE mess!

I am going to spend the next couple of days working away at clearing it. If you don't hear from me, please send help.

Getting back to normal...

...whatever THAT means! I have most of my mess unpacked. I have been so busy at work that I am exhausted every night. It feels good to get it all done but I don't have anything left for home stuff. Sigh.

I am going to be concentrating on finishing the Lime Reels Quilt I am making from the Heart and Hand applique patterns. Diane is looking for samples for her book and the Lime Reels has to be done by December for photography. I am excited for Diane! I will add some pictures when I finish some blocks.

Packing up....

Boy did I have fun in Shipshe! We sat with the chicken sisters, Cindy, Val and Hanne. When we weren't eating or shopping, we laughed a lot! Susan Kraftcheck joined us for a few days as well. What talented people these all are! I will be uploading pictures later. We had a great time!

Oh dearie me....look what I did!

Guess who fell in love at the antique shop? This is a hearts and gizzards quilt made during the 1920s in Rochester, Indiana. Isn't it just gorgeous? I am bringing her home with me. Two little spots, a bit of loose quilting but other then that, pristine! What a beautiful, graphic quilt. Definitely a work of art.

We have done a little sewing, I have done some sleeping and we are having a great time. I will put more pictures up and let you know where they are.

New toys!

You won't believe the technology fun I have been having! New PC at home...my last one was 7 years old so way past the point of replacement...new smart phone, the Eris Droid, I love it! And, more fun...new software.

Free picture collage personalized with Smilebox

Isn't that cute! I got to make something fun!

Has it been that long?

Holey Moley! The year is 1/4 over almost and I haven't written once! I guess I am a busy girl. Today Katie and I are going to see Iron Ring at the Children's Theater. Can't wait, I just read a really great review of it. First we are going to take Jett for walkies. He is resting up for that monumentous event right now. He is such a lucky guy!

I hope all my friends are doing well. I am working on some exchange blocks for my Dear Jane group. I hope to get them mostly finished by the end of this week. Here are some chicken blocks
I am making as part of a challenge from Brenda Papadakis..aren't they goofy?