A little sewing today…

I think I’m finally unpacked from my retreat and laundry is done as well—bonus!

I did do some sewing over the weekend. Here’s my 2 birthday blocks for a swap I’m in:

And then I did my block to learn the Tucker Trimmer by Deb Tucker. We did the Oak Ridge Star pattern (which is funny being my husband grew up in Oak Ridge, TN). I pulled out my second block for it and started piecing it today. I’m going to make a tote with these two blocks. Not too crazy about the contrast of the fabrics, but I do love the technique:

And I also started making a table topper from the newest Atkinson’s Book, Let’s Do Lunch, Taco Salad. I finished the mini topper this afternoon. I will be making this one again!

What did you do today?

Ok, finding time is harder than I expected…

got home Sunday hoping to read emails only to arrive at a dark house. The storms in the area cut out our power for a few hours…so I went directly to bed….apparently I needed it.

Let’s see where to start on this 5 day trip…..let me start with my travel buddies. First there’s Jackie (my boss, friend), Jackie II (my co-worker, friend), and Ollie (customer, friend). Ollie was the one who invited the rest of us and offered to drive all of us and her sister up to the retreat. Her sister lives in PA, so we road up on Wednesday stayed the night and left from her place to MA.

We (I) decided at 1:00 am on Thursday morning I needed to go to the ER because I was in a lot of pain. I have a very high tolerance to pain and so this was/is highly unusual for me, but I was kinda scared. At least it wasn’t a kidney stone and the doctor gave me some serious pain drug! I’m ok right now, but making a follow up with my local doctor. I’m still in pain, but not like it was. So, that is how we started off the trip, stealing Ollie’s car (who was sleeping in a different area from Jackie, Jackie II and me) finding the hospital in a strange town and getting about 3 hours of sleep.

What a beautiful drive through Pennsylania though. Just breath taking, made the long ride so pleasant. I ended up taking 2 quilts I needed to finish the binding on (Irish Flip Flops & my Halloweenie one) during the long road trips with the help of Jackie II.

I don’t think I got as much sewing done as I had hoped or expected. I did get 3 QOV tops done (minus the borders), 2 birthday blocks (that will go into the mail today), and one block from the class. It was hard to sew when my machine was set up in another room and couldn’t take advantage of sewing all night long So, I still have a lot of UFO’s to finish–LOL, but I did finish 3 projects and did something for charity!

I actually got into the hot tub and pool, the area was just beautiful. And of course a local visit to the cute little quilt shop that we spent lots of time in.

I have lots of pictures (of course), if you wish to see them, click here.

All in all it was a nice weekend, meeting some fun new faces and hope I get re-invited next year.

Now to get back to my own reality here. Just don’t know where to start! LOL

Award time….

I’m in the process of writing out my retreat review, but had to do some items of interest.

I was presented by two of my favorite blog friends, Kristie & Paula, an award:

Now it’s my turn to pass this award on (I’m sorry if you have been given the award already, being I haven’t caught up on blogs in a week).

It’s hard being Paula and Kristie would have been 2 of my choices as well, but here are few more well deserving in my book:

Sew much fabric, Sew little time (Karol-Ann) - My dear friend over the pond! Mom of two wonderful little boys, but finds time to do lots of online swaps and beautiful projects!

Quilted Epee (Anjea) - Dear friend I met online and finally in person in Houston last year. Highly talented with hand quilting!

Quilted Fiesta (Betsy) - I never seen such a busy quilter! Her blog is filled with lots of pictures and techniques and such beautiful work!

Mundane Matters in the life of Lynn (Lynn) - Not a quilter, but she shares her newest art form of Bento making, as well as her life style choices of vegan and going green.

jovaliquilts (Cheri) - Busy lady with normal life things, very creative and always a great interactive blogger whom I call a friend.

Quilting Power (Cheryl) - My local sewing/quilting/dear friend. She is still learning her way around blog land, but has done some beautiful work with postcards!

I’m HOME!

And I slept like a rock!!!  Almost didn’t get up this morning.

It was a good time with a trip to the ER, which I still can’t explain.  Lots of pictures and over 20 bug bites (from mosquitoes–I think, hope).

I plan to share all the details later today, once I catch on some other things first…need to get ready for work right now.

It’s been revealed…

my quiltlet arrived safe and sound in Oregon (though the new owner lives in Ireland ) to its new owner, Cathi.  So now I can show you what I did:

All the blocks were from the book Civil War Diaries.  Cathi’s preferences were civil war prints, neutruals, and hand quilting……I think I accomplished that (though I think the hand quilting part was less than perfect!).

Went to Guild last night and ended up being presented a box to host next year’s christmas in july…….unsure how that happened, but I have 12 months to plan and have a small committee already (I twisted all my friends arms).  I’m thinking a multi-culture theme though, we’ll see how that works out.

This morning I’ve been packing for the retreat….it’s so hard to remember everything sometimes.  Even with lists, it’s craziness.  Here’s my packing (minus the computer case):

I visited the shop earlier, hit Walmarts and even spent a few hours visiting Eva and hanging out with friends and now I’m about to load the car and head out…still deciding on if I’m bringing my laptop or not….it’s less to worry about.  Ok….so no computer….I’m going computerless for 4 days…EPPS!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

I’m a nut….

go on and just say it…..

I purchased fabric yesterday of a new Halloween line.  I used the pattern from Clothworks (who makes the line, Midnight Mischief) and got enough fabric to “whip” up a top.

Got home yesterday from work and errands around 6:15, made dinner, ate, played on the computer then proceeded to cut out fabric….by 9:15 I have 50% of the top done.  Started sewing again at 7:00 am and just finished it:

Needless to say, I’m tickled!!  I’m going to bring it to work for a shop sample and quilt it later, but it’s done and too cute.  It’s about 48″ x 50″.  Here’s a close up:

I guess I can shower now and get ready for work, huh??

I also hung up my Verry Purple Little Quilt (it’s new name) on my wire of quilts (please ignore the cobwebs–I’m short and they don’t get cleared out but once a year):

Have a good day!

OOoo I’m “Verry” Excited and “Verry” Happy!!!

I got mail!! WOOO HOOO!!!  And it’s my ALQS package…..ooooo ahhhhh….it came all the way from Ireland (how COOL is that–verry cool in my book!)…..and the best part of it, it’s from Verry Sherry!!!

I LOVE IT….it is SOOoo me!

ugh…the color doesn’t look right, I’ll retake that picture…it’s a LOT brighter in person, but the coolest piece it the label:

Sherry is SOOOO talented, isn’t she!  I’m verry impressed with her free motioning on the quiltlet and just soo in love with it.  As if the quiltlet wasn’t enough, she sent the next best thing for a quilter……Irish Chocolate:

Oops….I had already opened the Irish Beanie Bar…mmmmm…yumminess:

Thank you again, Verry Sherry–this is one HAPPY PIRATE

What did you do this weekend?

Share me some pictures!!!  I want to know what you did!

I spent yesterday, buckling down and making my Four Season Summer Swap project.  I have racked my brain for weeks on what to make.  Let me say it’s hard when you have a partner who puts no preferences (no favorite colors, no favorite styles, techniques, no theme) and then you read their blog going months back and you can’t figure out what their style or color choices are…..le sigh.  So, I’m biting the bullet and designing something that fits their blog header a little and using bright summery colors.  I pulled out a book I had purchased for a row swap over a year ago and made a TINY flower block:

The flower on the left is 2″ blocks the one on the right is 1″….yes, 1″ half square triangles….oh fun!  Unfortunately I can’t show the entire quiltlet right now, but I plan to finish quilting it tonite and putting in the mail on it’s long journey by Wednesday!

Next I’ll be working on my Booty Swap, but at least I have 2 months to complete it.

I also did more cutting yesterday for UFO’s to take with me to the retreat….you want to see where we are going?   Check out Bentley Brook, in Massachusetts.

Well, time to go to work.

Do you want pictures….

or ramblings from me? I can do both, but it would boring in the end. We all enjoy looking at pretties!

I’ve been preparing for next weekend’s quilting retreat. Pulling projects outs, making sure all parts are cut and making 9 patch blocks for the charity project we are doing for Quilts of Valor. Well, what an appropiate way to spend part of my 4th of July by making 9 patch blocks. I have 7 done and I hope to get at least 3 more.

And here’s the 10 blocks I have done of the Pink & Green Monster….it’s soo hard to do these blocks, and I have 10 more to put together:

I was at work for a few hours today to instruct someone on threading their serger….well I learned a few new things after an hour of trying to figure it out….seriously it’s not the difficult, but one little thing messes up everything else. Mental note, if machine was set up for a cover stitch previously, in order to use a 4 thread overlock stitch, you must remove the proper hardware and flip over the proper switch.

The rest of the day involved an afternoon visit to hubby’s friends house (he does have his own friends) and a long nap.

Feel like sewing but don’t know what to start with….I’m sure something will come to me.

Happy Birthday America!

I hope you enjoy your 4th (where ever you are :)) We’ll be spending it with family, friends and fireworks.