A Lizard, then a Spider, now a Snake...

Well, not really a snake, just his skin.  Andy called me into our bathroom this morning...he met me at the door and said "Something just caught my eye"...I followed him into the bathroom and he pointed out the window over the tub...YIKES! 

Yes I screamed...scared the dogs...they came running in barking.  If they could talk I'm sure they would have been saying "What the heck is going on?  Why are you screaming?  You woke us up!"  Once I caught my breath again, I had to run outside and take pictures.  We took a stool out so I could stand on it since I couldn't get a shot of it on top of the hedge...the neighbors probably think I'm nuts...but you know we bloggers do what we have to do.  I loved this one...you can see right where his eyes were...

he slid right out of his skin...another one of nature's amazements.

I did do a little sewing this weekend...more Farmer's Wife blocks...These are just so darn much fun to do.  I was planning on doing 2 and just couldn't quit so I ended up with 3.  #15 Buzzards Roost...

and # 29 Economy and # 108 Windmill...

I wonder what excitement I'll have this week?

I'm Just Not Like Other Bloggers :-)

...I can't figure it out...other bloggers write wonderful blogposts with titles...they have a title that refers to exactly what is in their post...then there's me...I'm like a pinball, I write a post about this and that and something else...how in the world do I come up with a title?  I'm going to have to give this some thought...how do I revamp my blog and the way my little brain works...well, I'm not doing it today...I'll think about it tomorrow!

Today I want to share the most awesome spider web that I think I've ever seen...we saw this yesterday morning between our 2 neighbor's houses across the street...

...the houses are probably 30 feet apart....there was a bit of dew on it and the sun was coming up behind it...suspended right in the middle between the two houses each end attached to the hedge right up against the house...that was a very industrious spider...the glory of nature...truly amazing!

Now on a totally different subject...I've put binding on loads of quilts in my 30+ years of quilting...I've fought with the binding  every time...it gets wrapped around, it gets hooked on the table or the chair or anyplace it can get caught..I lose it amongst the quilt...well this morning I was putting binding on this quilt, I had made it last week and rolled it up, I had the binding roll in my lap and unrolling it as I went along and all of a sudden the light bulb went off...I slid it on my lamp,

it was out of the way and it worked perfectly.  I came running downstairs to share my new learning with Mr. Quilt Holder...he was happy for me...but not as excited as I had anticipated...certainly not as excited as I was.  Oh I just love anything that makes life easier!  Do you have a tip to make things easier?  Share them with us please...leave your tips in your comment...oh this will be fun!

OK...I'll try to make my next post at least have related topics so that I can have a title...no promises...LOL!
ENJOY your evening!

Color My World  BLUE!!!!

Josh called to share the doctor appointment news with us...He started out by asking if we wanted to know...LOL!  Well, yes...if you know we want to know.  They were thinking they weren't going to find out and keep it a surprise, but then they decided that it would still be a surprise just at a different time...so...

and more importantly everything is perfect...he's just the right size and growing.  Hampton is very excited...as a matter of fact he's already given him a name...Buster...oh my, I laughed and laughed...don't think it's going to stick though.  I always need a name to call the babies before they arrive...Camden was Little Miss...I'm guessing this little guy will be Buster...what a hoot!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend...I'm heading upstairs to think about a baby boy quilt!

This, That, Something Else...Oh and One Other Thing

The weather here was so darn hot this weekend...heat index temperature was 107...YUCK!  So I took full advantage of my "inside time"...I sewed and sewed and sewed.

I did This...

my Designer BOM block from the Fat Quarter Shop arrived and Friday so I started with that on Saturday...these blocks are so darn cute...this is going to be a very FUN quilt!

I did That...3 more Farmer's Wife blocks...#54 Kitchen Woodblock   #98 Water wheel   #109  Windows

I'm sure having fun doing these...If you haven't used Lori Holt's tutorials over at Bee in my Bonnet you're missing out ...she has a great tutorial for #54 Kitchen Woodblock ...Lori has such an eye for these blocks...she sees alternate ways of putting these little blocks together.  I had this one on my template list and then I saw Lori's post and loved it...she made it so simple...no templates...Thanks Lori!

Then I did Something Else...I started on Camden's Big Sister Quilt...she and Hampton will each be getting new quilts when their new baby brother/sister gets his/her first quilt.  Don't want the big kids to feel left out...so I'm doing a Twister quilt for her using an Amelia layer cake...Andy came upstairs when I had this much done...

he knew immediately that it was a Camden quilt!  Not my usual fabric...Then I used the large Twister ruler and got all these wonderful blocks,

 laid out ready to sew...and I was left with this...

Oh and One Other  Thing...and this has absolutely nothing to do with sewing. This little lizard has decided that he lives on our family room window

...he has been on this window all week long...he spends the whole morning right there looking in the window.  I tried to take the picture from the inside of the house so you could see him looking in but the light just didn't work...it will be fun to see how long he decides to stay here...of course if Zack goes out on the back deck and sees him, I'm thinking he'll probably be moving out pretty quickly.

So that was my weekend...and our little visitor...hope you all have a great week!

Off to the Quilter

Just a quick post...I finished the Stargazer quilt

on Thursday...I'm really pleased with it...I loved the pattern...what a joy it was to work with...everything went together perfectly...the directions were outstanding...thank you Kelly for all of your attention to detail.  Wonderful pattern, wonderful design.  So it's off to the quilter for her to work her magic, then I'll get the binding on and deliver it to Hospice of the Comforter for the silent auction. 

I also wanted to share a little trick that I use quite often...sometimes those seams just need to be pressed  the way they want to go...for example, the flying geese blocks...you sew 4 geese together and then add the sashing pieces on either side...

...I loved doing it that way rather than a big long sashing strip...it was really easy to work with, but when you press, the seams really want to be pressed toward the sashing.  That's fine, but when you sew the blocks together they don't nest nicely, because they're all going the same way.  No problem...

...I just clip them and press every other one the opposite way.  I've never seen this in the quilting books...I have seen the clipping tricks for where a bunch of seams come together...lots of the pros recommend doing this so my little trick can't be to far off base.  Sure makes those seams go together perfectly...hmmm, maybe I should hide from the quilt police...LOL!  My philosophy is...do whatever works for you and have FUN!

An Update on Jami

First, thank you all so much for all the fabulous pillowcases...our count as of today is 329...I've delivered to Jami three times and each time I wish you all could be with me...the joy in Jami's face is beyond description...her eyes just light up and then she cries...the last time before I gave her the 100+ that I had I said, "we will have no tears today"...she said "OK" and then she saw the bags and bags and boxes and she started to cry....she said "These are HAPPY tears"...and then of course I'm right there with her...the tears start.  Her poor husband just shakes his head...poor thing, he knows what's coming each time.  So again, THANK YOU!  I wish there were more words that I could use to express our gratitude...you all are amazing!

Jami went last Friday for her last chemo treatment...she had 3 treatments...she would go on a Friday and then off for 3 weeks...back on that Friday...she went in for a scan last Wednesday and the doctor was very pleased...he said things were looking great and that for now, her treatment Friday would be the last and then when she got stronger again, they would do 12 radiation treatments and then she should be good.  So please, please, please keep those prayers and good thoughts coming, she knows that's what has made the difference.  The doctors are pleased.  She also has to go back over to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa on the 24th for them to reevaluate her hip...they're talking about replacing it now that the radiation treatments got rid of the cancer in there...they are afraid that it's been weakened and that it could break...she really doesn't want to have the surgery, she's really hoping that when they check it that it will all be good.  So that's what my prayers are for her...

So based on this schedule, she is tentatively planning on going to Fort Gordon toward the end of September to make the delivery...so we can push the date for pillowcases to the beginning of September...so if you were thinking you wanted to make one or two or...and just ran out of time this summer...you still have time...

Again...THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!!!

And the Winner Is....

I called upon my personal random number generator this morning...and the number he generated was 33...which belongs to jirons42 ...please send me your mailing address and I'll get your box out to you just as soon as I'm sure that I don't need else to finish this project...I'd hate to have to borrow some back...LOL!  And you know the way this is going I'd probably end up with 10 more yards!  I should be done this weekend, so I'll get it out to you the beginning of the week.

Thank you all so much for playing along...I'll be doing this again...PROMISE!

Let's Have a Parade

Before I start my half of the parade...Kelly has the other half on her blog...I want to thank all of you that played along with us on this Quilt Along.  You made it so much fun for us...you all made it such a pleasant time for us.  We enjoyed every minute of it...from picking your fabrics to seeing them finished.  I've seen several comments from people that didn't make the quilt, that have said that they really wish that they had done it...no worries...Kelly has a button over on her blog, scroll down a bit and you'll see it...Simple Things 2011 Quilt Along...just click on that button and it will take you to all the posts for the quilt.

OK...on with the parade...these are in no particular order...I'm just numbering them so I can put them in the random number generator...check the end of the post to see who won the 2 Ruby Charm packs from my parade...here we go...

1. Dawn from Quilting with Dawn
















2. Anita from Margaret Mary's Place

3. Carol A from Cornfield Quilter did a small one

4.  And Carol A also did a large one

5. Anne Heidi from Piece by Piece

6. Sharon from Vrooman's Quilts

7.Joanna from Needle, Thread & Happiness

8. Gretchen from Stella Bella Quilts

9. Wendy doesn't have a blog...it was fun to have her along...maybe she'll play with us again sometime!

10. Carol L from Carol's Crafty Creations

These quilts are all just amazing...I love the fabrics...what a wonderful parade.

If I missed anyone I am so sorry, I'm pretty sure that all the pictures that I've gotten are either shown here or on Kelly's blog, but if I somehow missed anyone please let me know and I'll add your picture to the parade.

Again, thank you all so very, very much!  It was a blast!  And the winner from my parade of the 2 Ruby Charm packs is...#7...Joanna from Needle, Thread & Happiness...you're going to have to trust me here on this one...Blogger wouldn't let me add on more picture...LOL!  Joanna, please send me an e-mail with your mailing address and we'll get your charm packs out to you.  So I'm going to quit while I'm ahead here...before it decides to eat my whole post.  Thank you all so much!  You truly made it fun for us!

I'm Stargazing!

While I was at the beach I got an e-mail from the lady that is in charge of auction items for the big Hospice fundraiser in October. I had done a quilt for them 2 years ago for the fundraiser and they made a good bit of money from it. So she said it would be so wonderful if I could do another quilt for this year's event. Well, I couldn't say No...Hospice is very near and dear to us. They took such wonderful care of both of Andy's parents in their last weeks. So I decided on a pattern when I got home...Stargazer by Kelly Guy and Cotton Charm Quilts...I loved this pattern the very first time I saw it so it was easy to choose.  Well, then I decided that I was going to use a bundle of fabric that I've had for over four years...Shangri La by 3 Sisters for MODA...this was the last bundle I had in the shop before I closed.  I knew the fabric would be perfect for this quilt, but I had a little problem...I didn't have enough background.  What were my chances of finding any fabric from this old group?  I did a search on Quiltshops.com and one shop popped up...Quilt Patch Lane...I jumped up and down for 10 minutes...she had the exact background that I wanted, she had a perfect piece for the sashing, and she had enough fabric for the back.  She actually had more than I needed, but she was selling the whole pieces of what was left on the bolt...the price was great...I was in heaven.  When the box arrived there was no sashing fabric...she apologized.  Off I went and did a Google search, after searching for a while I found a piece on Quilter's Warehouse that would work just as well as my original piece...I quickly ordered it.  Problem solved...the next day I got shipping notification from Quilt Patch Lane...she had gone to her other shop and there was the sashing piece...so she sent it to me, no shipping.  So now I had a choice for the sashing.  Then I had to just sit down and laugh...my original plan was to use up this bundle that I'd had for years...make some space on the shelf...now with my second piece of sashing, more background and backing than I really need, I'll end up with more fabric when I'm done than I did when I started.  I tried...LOL!

So here's what I did today...lots of chain piecing... ...turned into 16 stars... ...this is half the stars that I need...my plan is to finish the stars tomorrow.  Then I'll be on to the flying geese and getting this one together.  I'm really enjoying it...Thank you Kelly!

When I get all done with this I'll pack all my leftovers in a box and send them to someone who really wants them...so if you want them...leave me a comment and I'll draw a name on Saturday morning to see who they'll go live with...then I will have space on my shelf!