Serendipity at it's best

Don't you just love how some things just fall right in place? Not that it happens very often, but I love it. And my little adventure included NO NEW fabric buying, 1/2 my work done and about a 9 year old project being revitalized! It all started when our quilt group (who is ready to do another retreat) was discussing something we could do together. We normally do our own thing as of late, but thought it would be nice to learn something new together. All the rage around here is the One Block Wonder quilts by Maxine Rosenthal. We all agreed and I got the book. 1st panic attack--geez, I might have to actually break my no fabric buying (NONE for me since LAST July!). But as I was poking around some of my fabrics, I came across a beautiful Kaffe Fassett fabric and lo and behold, there was EXACTLY what I needed--4 yards. And that is unusual for me to buy that much fabric at full price with not a thing to do with it. I was set.
Then last week after perusing the book some more, I realized it is just like a Stack and Whack, only it's set together differently. She also uses fabrics that has fewer colors. My wheels started spinning again. Gee, I did 2 or 3 S & W quilts quite a few years ago (probably 8 or 9) and don't quite remember finishing all of them. So I went bin hunting and sure enough, there was a Stack and Whack and all the blocks were done! Perfect! Of course, I immediately took down what was on my design wall and had to start playing! I love it. I might not buy the same thing today to do it, but it certainly fulfills my love for brights! (fewer colors means more of the blocks will have the same colors, making it easier to make a "colorwash" look). The only thing is by interlocking the blocks, you need more of them to make a nice size quilt. BUT I had MORE of the same fabric. I vaguely remember thinking I was going to make a bunch of these baby quilts until I realized they take more work than usual, which is probably why I quit.
So there you have it: no new fabric purchased, 1/2 my work done (I'll make more to make the quilt bigger) AND an old UFO taken off the books.

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Gratitudes:
1. the unexpected treasures that can brighten a day
2. meeting deadlines and having time to spare
3. no-bake cookies

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Quilt me Pink

Yeah! the Quilt Pink quilt is done and sent off to the Quilt Pink foundation to be auctioned off as a fundraiser for the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The flowers in the center of the quilt represented those who have had breast cancer. I had a number of kind ladies help me make blocks ala "Tonya" style. It was a new method for most, let me tell you! And actually, most of the ladies that helped didn't even quilt. I was glad so many gave the effort for this great cause.
I don't know if you can see the quilting or not, but I quilted in words of encouragement, such as: hope, hugs, kisses, strength, faith, etc.
this is the back of the quilt. I used up ALL the extra squares and all the extra fabric. I had 3 full strips (2") left and that's it besides some odd and end scraps.

101st post

"L" is SOOOO big!!

Wow! I didn't realize that my last post was my 100th one. Hmm, should have made it special. Oh well. I have been SO busy. This is one of my husband's busiest times of the year, making it mine! He runs a big softball tournament indoors and I do the all the food for the staff of 60 and college coaches (300). And have no method of cooking since it's held indoors at an athletic fieldhouse. Which means I have to cook and prepare everything ahead of time and then figure out how to get it all warmed up and served with limited electric. I always make my fudgy brownies. It's funny, one of the umpires asked me when he first saw me if I brought my brownies. They are worth breaking your diet over! I can't brag too much, because they are from a mix, but a very special one. :) And then he takes a huge crew over to Europe for a big tournament there and my daughters and their husbands have to go and help and I stay home with the grandkids. My Mom flew up to help me this year. Last year, I did it by myself and got the flu. Not a good thing with (2) 2 year olds and a 5 year old! And this year there was a 9 month old baby. But we got along great and it was a huge help to have another adult to help. The picture is of the 9 month old--we taught him to do "SOOO BIG" and patty cake. What a cutie!

When everyone went home I received a package in the mail of a pattern and fabric. I'm sewing some blocks for a well known quilter for a new pattern. TINY---DOUBLE blanket stitch on lots of curves and circles. It's going to be a gorgeous quilt when it's done! I don't have permission to reveal it yet, but I figure it wouldn't hurt to show a teaser! So, my last 4 days have been hunched over a sewing machine! I'll share the full picture when I'm allowed. :) And now on to finish the Quilt Pink quilt. But first a little side trip to the quilt store. She is having a special where all machines brought in for cleaning, etc. are only $9.95! What a deal! I hope there's not a limit! heeheehee I have all those classroom machines that need done and $10 is a LOT cheaper than $60 each!

Quilt 24 Challenge

I am starting a new challenge for a new year! Like we don't have enough to do already, right? :) Remember my posts from April/May of last year where I had a challenge with a friend using 24 FQ's? I'm doing it again and opening the challenge up to anyone who would like to join in. I am not posting the official rules until Jan. 21 (you can come to the meeting, y'all are invited!--or check out the website the evening of the 21st). Details will be on my website under Quilt 24 Challenge.

A baby with no quilt!

Right before Christmas, like on the 21st, my 6 year old granddaughter was with me when I made a run to the quilt store to pick up a quilt. While I was talking with the owner, she perused all the fabrics. Of course, she found some that she just HAD to have--at home, no less! And then, she got really excited--"Nana--come here quick!" I ran over there and she stood in front of a baby quilt and had a bolt of fabric in her hand that was the backing fabric. She went on to tell me about her new little baby cousin (on the other side of the family) and she DIDN'T have a quilt! Can you imagine? She reminded me that she helped me make a quilt for her cousin earlier this year (my grandson) and that we really, really needed to make baby Meghan a quilt. What's a Nana to say? Of course we bought enough for a backing. I was sure that I had fabric somewhere to come up with a top! ;) Of course that meant she had to come home with me and help me put this quilt together. She was going to visit the baby on the 23rd and we had no time to spare!
She helped me choose a few embroidery designs and the colors she wanted to use. She laid out the quilt all by herself, as usual. I suggested that maybe she spread out her yellows a bit more and she looked at me and said, "Don't you see the pattern I made with the yellows?" Oh, okay! :) I love that independence in her! I hope she keeps it. Staying true to what you believe in.

We sewed much later than she should have been up, but we were pushing the clock! I got up at 3:30 AM because I couldn't sleep, and ended up getting it quilted. So when she woke up, all she had to do was make the label and snip the extra threads for me. It was cute, she made her name really big on her homemade label and wanted to put it right on front, because she wanted everyone to know who made it! Not a modest bone in her! And she made it home on time by 10 AM! Whew--and I thought I cut things close!

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Gratitudes:
1. a fun granddaughter that loves to quilt!
2. a new project in the making (shh, it's a secret still)
3. dinner from the freezer (yeah, no cooking tonight!)
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Miniature Quilt Store--in polymer clay!

Check out this miniature quilt store, all done in polymer clay..

For more pictures and information, check out this site: Creating a Miniature Quilt Storefront

What a neat thing to do--but my oh my, what patience they had!

I finally broke down and upgraded to the new blogger. I figured my days were numbered and I better do it before I was forced to and ran into problems. I like the new format, although in doing my template, I lost all my stuff in my sidebar, so I'm still working on those.

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Gratitudes:

1. beautiful sunny blue skies--in Ohio!!

2. email friends who share inspiring and uplifting stories

3. Market Spice Tea from Seattle

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I wish to each and every one of you a SAFE, healthy and joyful new year.

2006 is behind us, and I am so glad! There were a few bright spots, one was having another grandson. He is such a joy and delight and we are SO blessed with the most beautiful and wonderful grandkids! A couple of great trips thrown in and new blogger friends, which is such a delight to me. There were many other trials and rough spots last year, and I thank God for the opportunities to grow in my walk with Him.

I'm looking forward to a brand new year with some exciting possiblities in store for me. I just hope that I can keep my head on straight, my lists organized and my health and energy high enough to do all I want to do! I'm not setting any goals, per se, although my "Fabric Depression" has almost become a game. I STILL haven't purchased any fabric for me (I have purchased some for gifts), and I'm not counting the fabric Kirt bought me for my birthday. After all, I didn't ask for it! :)

I have taken down all the Christmas stuff and now is the time that I get out all the Snowman stuff. I think that my snowmen outnumber my Christmas things. At least it keeps it in a festive mood for a few more months. And it doesn't look like we are going to get any snow anytime soon-so I'll create my own. It's a lot warmer that way, and safer to drive!

Here is a new project I'm working on. A student showed me an embroidery CD that does the applique and stitching while in the hoop the entire time! Of course I had to have it myself. This is one of 12 snowmen--they are all so adorable. I also did purchase a redwork snowman CD to do too. I'm thinking since my living room is now kind of reddish--I should make that quilt soon! All my other snowman stuff was blue.

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Gratitudes:

1. A fresh start of a new year

2. 4 healthy and wonderful grandchildren

3. Homemade chicken noodle soup

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Thanks to Jeanne of Spiral for her inspiring gratitudes list. I decided that I needed to do the same.