The Stars are Starting to Shine and Just a Little Giveaway

Before I start my little chat here I want to take just a minute to mention that everyone in the path of Gustav needs extra prayers and good thoughts. I can't even begin to imagine what must be going through the minds of all those people that lived through the Katrina catastrophe. Three years and here they are again...faced with another huge storm. Lots of prayers...lots of good thoughts.

I've been sewing away..The inside of the star quilt is all together...ready for the half square triangle border and final border...
This is so fun to do and I love the way it's turning out...the stars float and that makes me very happy. I'm going to get this done before I leave for Birmingham on Friday...how about that for a goal. I've been doing more Hopscotch blocks at the same time...but I'm not going to have that one done before I go.

Well, here's the little Labor Day Weekend Giveaway...3 charm packs (the 3 different colorways)...Thimbleberries newest 3's Company...the group that the newest Thimbleberries Club quilt will be done with.
So leave me a comment by midnight tomorrow night (Labor Day...my man will pick a number and I'll post the winner Tuesday morning early. Make sure you have an e-mail address included if your comment is "no reply"...otherwise I won't be able to contact you.

Off to sew a bit more before we join friends for dinner. Have a great evening!

Taking Time to Smell the Roses

Nothing new quilty going on here since yesterday...worked on some more stars and Hopscotch blocks. I got the most wonderful e-mail from Katie this afternoon and I just had to share a few new pictures of Hampton.

A visit to the zoo...OH MY!

This one's for Cheryl



I can't wait to get there and see him...I'll be taking mom up on the 5th. She is just beside herself with excitement.

You Can Tell We're From Florida...

Let me finish the sentence...You can tell we're from Florida by our webbed feet...LOL! This silly storm was just crazy...it would not go away...and we're still getting the effects of the feeder bands...don't I just sound like the weather girl. Yesterday and today were both very nice in the morning and early afternoon...we even saw the sun...YIPPEE! but then the afternoons have been raining, raining, raining. We really did fine here, no flooding, we are very grateful. There are many, many people...entire neighborhoods...that are completely flooded and have been for days. We just heard today that FEMA is coming tomorrow to those flooded areas...I'm not going there!

The boys have been very happy that we've gotten back on our walking schedule and our playing outside time is almost back to normal...the yard is still so wet that they don't get to stay out too long...don't want any accidents. That was truly the hardest part, getting them out. We had our slickers, umbrellas were no help at all, the boys would get soaked and with all their lab underhair it would be hours before they dried out and then it would be time again. Well, then we would run out with them in between the bands of rain......we had a little window of opportunity to get the dogs out Thursday afternoon. We were walking pretty fast and I hit a patch on the sidewalk that had a bunch of mold on it and I slipped and went right down on the sidewalk. Landed on my hip first and then my hand and elbow. Andy was walking in front of Howie and I...Howie kept walking and got next to Andy...no Carol...hmmm? He turned around and saw me on the sidewalk and the first words out of his mouth..."What are you doing down there?" Then he came rushing to me and I'm yelling at him not to run...I didn't want him fall on the sidewalk too...then we really would have been in a mess. I got myself together and figured out that I was OK and he got me up...we didn't get very far and it started raining again...added insult to injury. I was already starting to stiffen up by the time we got in the house, so we filled up my big tub, turned on the jets and got me in it. I think I sat in there for half an hour...I truly think that saved me. I wasn't moving too fast on Friday, but I was getting around and by Saturday I was good. My hip is pretty bruised and I know it's there everytime I sit down...but I'm FINE! Sure could have been a whole lot worse...again we were very fortunate.

I got some sewing done...I got lots of blocks done for my Hopscotch quilt...it is so darn much fun... Thanks Tammy for getting me going on this one...I LOVE it!

Then last week Doe had beautiful quilt on her blog that inspired me...she used Ava Rose fabric and I decided I had Roman Holiday fabric that I had planned something else for but I had what I need to do this one...so I started making stars...
These stars are so fun to do...I have lots more cut out so I'm going to keep making stars. Go by Doe's and see the whole quilt and she has a link for the free pattern from the MODA website.
Thanks Doe! I'm having fun!

Have a wonderful week everyone...I think we're going to be back to normal...YIPPEE!

Get out your sunglasses!

OK, you've been warned...you all know from over the past 2 years of blogging that my quilts are usually Civil War repros, darks and plaids, 30's...but never brights unless I'm doing something for Hampton. I did Hampton's 2nd birthday quilt...I am so excited...I cut it yesterday afternoon...got it all together today and the back sewn together and ready for the quilter. This was so easy and so fun...I used a pattern from Country Threads..."Couch Quilt" and a group of fabric from MODA (probably a year or so ago) "Wild Things". There's a story behind this whole thing. Josh's favorite book when he was 2 was Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. He got it from the library every time we went. Thankfully the library had several copies, so we could return one and check out another one, since we could only renew once. We read that book every night. He loved it. We left him with my mom and dad one evening and he took the book with him. He had Nana read it to him...mom said he was falling asleep in her lap as she was reading so she decided to turn 2 pages at a time...a little voice piped up...No Nana, and he got her on the right page. So Hampton will be getting his very own copy of the book, so they don't have to return it, and a quilt full of wild things. Sorry about the big wrinkle...I held this time and my man took the picture...my arms aren't as long so I was pulling it a bit I think. Here's a closeup of the funny monsters on the front And here's the back
It was a very fun day!

You know how I LOVE mail! Well, after a very dreary day today, tropical storm Fay made it a yucky day, I went to the mailbox and WOWSER...did I ever get a treat. I was expecting a charm pack in the mail from Tammy...I was a big copy catter and told her that I really wanted to make that fun quilt she showed last week with the Hopscotch fabric...being the sweetie that she is...she said she had an extra charm pack and a half and that she would be glad to send it to me....as you can guess I was thrilled. The mail came today and the priority envelope was FAT! Look at all the treasures...a wonderful 2009 calendar and matching notepad, the artwork on these is just outstanding...a bar of peach soap made with olive oil, oh my hands will be in heaven...a bar of lemongrass soap, it smells sooooooo good and a package of John James embroidery needles...I've seen many of you talk about these needles on your blogs, but there isn't anywhere around here that sells them...now I have my very own.

Thanks Tammy...you made my week.

I've gotten several e-mails today checking to make sure we're OK with this crazy storm...all is well...we've had rain most of the day and we're supposed to get more tonight with some wind...but surely not as bad as it could be. Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty yucky too...this storm is moving very slowly...just wants to hang around. Sounds like another sewing day...YIPPEE!

This, That and a Few Other Things

I was chatting with Tammy yesterday and she asked if I was getting reaqquainted with my sewing machine. Well, I'm very happy to say that finally yesterday we got back together...oh happy day. I finished the last of the pillowcases that I promised my friend Jami I'd do for her...she set a goal early this year to make 300 pillowcases for the wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. I saw Jami on Wednesday and she had 320 pillowcases...she met her goal and 20 more, but I told her I had five prepped and ready to sew, so she would have to take 325 with her.
Since she had met her goal earlier than she thought, she and her "bee" group decided to do some quilts for her to take. She's close to 20 and still sewing. WOW! She and her husband are driving up to Washington D.C. in September to make the delivery. When a quilter gets an idea...sets a goal...look out...nothing's going to stop her!

Well, I've worked all week at dropping a bit of the cruise weight gain...back to the gym, walking on all the other days and watching my eating...I sad to say I've lost 1/2 a pound...that's it! So Monday (that would be tomorrow) I'm going back on South Beach...I've done it twice before and was very successful...thankfully I don't have as much to lose so it should be just fine. I don't get it...it goes on exponentially and comes off incrementally...it's just not fair.

We have a tropical storm brewing south of us...supposed to come our way Tuesday...the good news about these things is that we can prepare...we'll be bringing in the pool furniture and the potted plants around the pool and then we should be just fine. Don't want that stuff blowing in the pool. I'm thinking we'll probably get some wind and a lot of rain...that's what I'm hoping anyway...don't want this storm to intensify! I told Andy this morning that I feel like I'm slacking here...the last time we had these darn storms I had the shop and that was always a worry. Covering the fabric with plastic, in case the flat roof on the shopping center didn't hold all the accumulated rain...boarding up the windows, in case something went flying through the air and into the windows...no more worries. You know I've said it a thousand times before...Life is GOOD! Hope everyone in the path of Tropical Storm Fay stays safe! Take care!

What a Trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That just about says it all...I've been lots of places in my life but I don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful as this! What a beautiful, beautiful part of our country. We had the most wonderful time...the ship was outstanding, we had sooooo much fun with our friends...Andy's really good friend from college and his girlfriend joined us. We had adjoining rooms and balconies...what a treat. We talked and laughed and ate and drank and laughed some more. Couldn't have been a better time. The weather was perfect everywhere we went...never a cloudy, rainy day. At each stop the locals kept saying that this was the best weather they had had since the beginning of July. The sun was out and the temperature was in the
60's...we were in heaven.
We left from Seattle on the Holland America Lines' ship The Westerdam Just as we got on board
Leaving the port in Seattle...from the deck of our ship as we pass the Space Needle.

First morning at sea brought us this beautiful sunrise... We knew it would be a perfect vacation!


We spent a day sailing in Glacier Bay...probably the most phenomenal sight ever...these glaciers are incredible...huge (getting smaller every day), beautiful sparkling white, with the most spectacular blue in the crevices and where the glacier has calved.


Our first stop was in Juneau...we went for a salmon bake (YUMMERS!)and then while exploring the area we came upon this beautiful double waterfall...

The absolute highlight of the trip for me was a helicopter trip, over the mountains and landing on a glacier, where there was a working dogsled camp. This was just amazing...many of the dogs in the camp have run and will be running in this year's Iditerod...it was amazing...I loved every second of it...but my poor man was petrified on the helicopter ride...he's afraid of heights and this was high...and then when he realized that all that was holding us up there was 1 propeller with 1 screw holding it on...well, he had very sweaty palms...but once we got on the ground he was as happy as I was
The camp is amazing...the people that take care of the dogs and do the training are mostly college kids from all over the country...our guide was a senior at Univ of Illinois getting ready to go to vet school. They stay on the glacier 6 days a week in those tents...amazing! They all said they loved working there...it was warm the day we were there...probably in the 40's but the sun was so bright and beautiful it felt like 60...until we started moving on that sled...my hands were mighty chilly.
Here are the dog houses...they're like little igloos
We got to drive the sled...look who I picked up
But the day came to an end and we had to say goodbye...

Our last stop, before sailing back to Seattle, was in Victoria, Canada...look what was waiting for us...a double rainbow...a perfect ending to a perfect trip!

The WINNER Is! And a Few More Things!

Thank you all so much for all your wonderful comments and e-mails...the past 2 years of blogging has been so special to me...I've met so many great people, been inspired and truly just had FUN! Who knew when I started this journey that it would bee this good...thank you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the winner is WINONA...my random number generator (My Man) picked the number 37 out of his head...he said "How many entries do you have? I hope it's more than 10 or 15 because my number is 37!" So Winona, it was you...number 37. Please e-mail your address to me at goodhomequiltco@aol.com and I'll send it to Deb at Fat Quarter Quilters and she'll be sending you your winning gift certificate. Thanks to all of you who entered...it was great fun...I'll have to do it again soon!

We're leaving in the morning for our Alaskan Cruise...we've dreamed about this for years and now that we're both retired and I don't have the responsibility of the shop anymore we're going. Our flight leaves here at 6 a.m. so we'll be up at 3...YIKES! Maybe I'll just stay up...LOL! Oh I'm usually up at 3 to go to the bathroom anyway so I'll just stay up. We're staying in Seattle tomorrow night and meeting a good friend for dinner...then we'll head to the ship Sunday afternoon for a 4 p.m. departure. We'll be travelling with another couple...Andy and John have been friends since college so it should be tons of fun. We're most excited about our excursions...we'll be taking a helicopter ride over the glaciers and then landing on a glacier at a dog sled camp...I'm actually going to get to ride on a dog sled. We're doing a sea plane trip into an area where they say we'll see lots of eagles, bears, moose and who knows what else and then a crab feast at the end of the day. An evening of whale watching...and whatever else comes up during the trip. We couldn't be more excited. I'm taking my gym clothes and shoes...I figure if I exercise every day I can eat all that good food on the ship and not gain any weight...here's hoping that works out. We'll be back August 11th so I'll have tons of pictures when I get back.
We're thrilled that Kelly will be staying here with the boys...Kelly has kept the boys for us several times before and the boys love her. She's getting married in October so we'll be looking for a new pet sitter, I'm sorry to say. She's been great. We're also thrilled that our neighbor Susan, who has a lab and a golden retreiver, will be coming down in the afternoon to pick up the boys and take them to her house for play time...it's great...we don't have to worry about our boys while we're gone...they'll be in great hands.

So "Bye" for 11 days have a wonderful time while I'm gone...do what makes you happy...I'll be here when we get back!