Another Little Quilt Swap and other stuff

How is it possible that I have not posted in 3 weeks??!! I have been quilting which is a good thing but life in general has kept me from the computer. Oh, and my son and hubby, who are always on line!! You have to make an appointment lately to get near the computer!

Well, first off, I have been around blogland visiting and noticed that some of you had posted pics of your gardens. So here are pictures of my humble veggie garden.. I have a lovely yard with a pond and lots of flowers but really never did any vegetable gardening. But with the prices the way they are and the tomato scare, I decided this year to do some container gardening. Here are my lettuce plants in an old tub. I have since eaten this lettuce and planted more!! Doesn't look like much but it was good!!!


The tomato containers are courtesy of my hubby. He had these old speakers (circa 1980) which have been in the closet for about 15 years! He finally decided they were not repairable so I ripped out the guts and used the boxes for my tomatoes.

And the flower box is full of basil. We have eaten a wonderful pesto a couple of times in the past couple of weeks.

And in the midst of my pruning and weeding in the Garden of Eden last week, I somehow sat on an ant hill. Needless to say, they were not happy with my behind on their front porch and I ended up with about 20 bites which swelled up and were soooo itchy! I will spare you the picture. Definitely not pretty!!

And in quilting news, I have finished my ALQS piece and it will go in the mail to my partner tomorrow.. I'm one of those "down to the wire" people. It's a bit larger than the perimeters laid out for the swap, but I couldn't hold myself back and had to add the striped border.. My partner likes purple which is not a color I work with often but I liked this enuf to make one for myself. I hope she likes it!!

With any luck in the next couple of weeks, I will start my 3 day work week. I've been negotiating this with my boss for over a year and we have finally added another paralegal to our firm so I can work a bit less and enjoy life a bit more. Seww keep your fingers crossed! That's it from here in Connecticut. Summer is in full swing and I LOVE SUMMER, so I may be a bit scarce til the cold weather returns, but I am visiting everyone and hope to post some finished projects over the next few weeks. Quilt til you wilt!!

No quilting going on here!

Monday I worked late,

Tuesday was our guild picnic,

and Wednesday,


THIS AMERICAN GIRL HAD A DATE WITH MR. PETTY!

I'm still recuperating from the late night! He didn't come on stage til 9:45. Steve Winwood from Traffic was the opener. I felt like I was 18 again. He and the band still sound great. The average age of the audience was surprisingly mid-20's. It was sort of cool to see Tom cast his spell over a new generation. The audience knew the hits, but the deep cuts were for the Baby Boomers in the crowd! At one point, Tom said he was playing a song from 1979 (Damn the Torpedoes) and I looked at my hubby and said "Half this crowd wasn't even born in 1979!!"

So, summer is really here with my first outdoor concert under my belt. Got my Petty fix for the summer! Next up, Toby Keith, then Tina Turner!

Now back to my regular programmed life.

Surprise package

This enormous box was waiting on my doorstep last week. HMMM...... what could be inside??

Mr. B is my homeland security, checking for anything suspicious. Once he was done with his inspection, I opened it up to find what Amy (Calico Cat) calls UFOs. If only my UFOs were this complete!!! One is a beautiful flimsy in pinks and greens, the other is already sandwiched and partly tied with cute little white buttons. I absolutely love the fabrics and the design. They remind me of several Amy has made from " The Modern Quilt". I have the book and have yet to make one. I've already told Calico Cat that these are in the queue to be finished. In fact, they have bumped several of my own to the back of the line. In addition, Amy sent me a pile of books to peruse for more inspiration. Thanks so much, Dandylion~~

Once the box was empty, Mr. B spent a good amount of time IN the box. He loves a good box and apparently, according to Amy, this had been RB's box. I think they both knew that as much sniffing and smelling was done.
I saw this little group of fabric on a fellow quilter's blog and immediately knew I had to make a quilt for my new little great-niece, Isabella. I emailed Dawn and she told me the name of the fabric line., Baby Bella by Marcus (how perfect!!!). I was lucky to find some online and ordered it. I have already got the blocks done and the rows together. I ran short (what else is new!??) on the brown dot for the borders so I have to reorder. But once that arrives, it will be done and quilted. I'll share photos of the flimsy later this week.I was very productive this weekend, despite the 90 degree weather, but short of time right now~Photos of this weekend's projects tomorrow~ HAPPY MONDAY!!!!

Monday musings

I spent most of this weekend doing errands, cleaning, and gardening but did find some time on Sunday to work on my Round Robin. I was given the 12 inch center medallion and the first round is to add a border with points. I knew what I wanted to do, thanks to Anne at Quilting Bebbs. In fact, I emailed her to ask if it was ok to copy her and she was very gracious! I had saved the picture she had on her blog from her Spring RR because I absolutely loved it. Seww, I just had to execute it. I pulled out my Thangles and made my 1/2 square triangles and then had to attack the flying geese units. I hate the maths of quilting but pulled out a trusty old book and figured out the numbers. BUT, unfortunately, forgot the seam allowance for the points, which I didn't realize until the borders were ON and I was adding the little outer border. That's when ( to use a Massachusetts expression), "light dawned on Marblehead"! Doh! Well, at least I was consistent and all four points were chopped off. I still think it is effective. Thanks Anne for your super border idea. I just love it!

I know I have praised the internet in the past for linking all of us quilters together but I didn't realize how much so until yesterday when I was working on this border and I started thinking about some of the people who have touched my life..

First, from Anne in England, I got a great border idea!

From Debra in Texas, I got a link from her blog for a Youtube presentation by Sharon Schamer for executing the perfect binding. And I mean perfect! you have to check it out! Just go on Youtube and put in Sharon's name. I emailed Debra after I watched it and told her it was the best thing I had seen on the internet in a loonnng time.

From Life is a Stitch's Nancy, I am finishing a super mystery quilt. (and I swore after my first one, remember Mystery Quilt from Hell, I would never do another).

From England and France, I received my beautiful postcards from Christine, Annette, Brigitte, Jennifer and Cindy, which brighten my day every month. And it goes beyond quilting....

Vicki's (field trips in Fiber) birdie updates...

Pictures from the proms, the new babies, the dogs and cats...

I chat now and again with Libby in California, Joanne at Rocking on the Porch, Patti (go Mariners!) Amy at the Calico Cat and not just about quilting but about life,kids,family, music, and baseball.

Woww! I'm getting a little teary here. Well that's my Monday Musings! Thanks to all of you out there who have touched my life... and it all started with quilting.

May Flowers

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Despite being a long weekend, it was not long enough to get everything done. However, I did get my summer quilt bound and on the bed. I still have to make the shams. These pictures are my postcards for the May theme- Art Deco Flowers which will go out in the mail today. These are made from wool felt and I used my Baby Lock Embellisher! Loads of fun! I really need to pull it out more often and start playing around with it!


I spent time in the garden and planted my tomatoes, lettuce and basil in containers. I still need to relocate a few things and put my soaker hoses in a couple of the flower beds but there is only so much time in a day.

My next quilting project is my Round Robin due on June 10th and the ALQS quilt swap organized by Kate North. I also hope to get my new valances done this weekend!OHHH,
a quilter's work is never done!

In non-quilting news, I became a Great Auntie this weekend. My nephew and his wife who were married last June just welcomed Isabella Grace into our family on Sunday. I guess that honeymoon was a great one! She looks just like her dad did when he was born. Well, enjoy the rest of this short week!

Hump Day Giveaway #3

It's Wednesday again and sewww I have a couple of patterns to give away. I received these as raffle prizes and they are really not my style. I'm really having fun sharing some of the things that were just hanging around the sewing room! Just let me know if you are interested and I will draw a name on Friday morning.

Zig Zag is 9 inch finished blocks and the quilt finishes 52 x 64.



The Bear quilt is actually two quilts. The one shown is blue work blocks and there is also a wall hanging quilt included that is 19 x 28 inches>

It's been really hard getting anything quilty done lately!! Last night I finished Step # 4 of my Mystery Quilt. Tonight I am determined to get the binding cut and ready to be put on my Summer quilt. Here are a couple of pictures as promised!

This quilt is soo big it's hard to get a good picture. here is a close up of the quilting. I think it looks fabulous. I also have fabric to make a couple of shams.

With the long weekend coming, I have BIG plans! Here's the list:

1. put the binding on my Summer quilt and make the shams

2. make my May postcards

3. finish a couple of Nellie's birds (I'm still working on them!)

4. make a purse for me ( I just got some awesome Michael Miller fabric)

5. make my new valances

6. work on my round robin (it's due 6/10)!

Of course, some yard work will need to be done also but sewing is really primary for me this weekend.

If I don't get back here before the weekend, everyone enjoy!

The Graduate

We had a wonderful weekend in Vermont. Although the forecast called for showers, Saturday and Sunday were beautiful sunny days! The graduation went off without a hitch. It wasn't too crowded as there were only 200 graduates in Alex's class. We were surprised when they announced that Alex had graduated Cum Laude. He now has a B.S. in Ski Resort Management with a minor in Marketing. Here are some pictures!

The proud parents and the Graduate

Nana (my Mom, can you see the resemblance??) and Alex

Alex and Bob's parents

We all stayed at a lovely B&B and had a nice dinner at a local restaurant.

We got back late Sunday nite and Alex is now firmly ensconced in our guest room for the summer. He returned to work today after a week of partying with his friends. He is planning on working and saving his money to head out to Colorado, Utah or Northern California in the fall to work at one of the ski resorts.

I got my quilt back from the longarmer and it is fabulous!! I am soooo pleased. The binding still needs to be put on but I hope to get to that this weekend. I will try to have pics for you tomorrow for Hump Day Giveaway.

By the way, last week's winner was Elaine Moore! Your books will be going out in the mail in the next couple of days!

Hump Day Giveaway - Piece by Piece

Here it is Wednesday again! This week will probably not result in much quilting. On Monday I spent a bit of time downloading some podcasts to my new little Nano. I have a sampling of five different podcasts, including Alex Anderson to preview. I spent a bit of time piecing the remaining 4 patches and cutting the remainder of my nickel squares for the next step of my mystery quilt while I listened to Alex Anderson talk about her trip to Paducah.


Last night I was at my guild meeting. I don't know how it happened but when I finally left the meeting I had promised to make friendship blocks for July, log cabin blocks for a charity quilt for the local Lupus organization, signed up for a class with Karen Eckmeier ( she is doing the Happy Villages workshop), promised to buy paper plates and napkins for our picnic in June plus make a salad and I became co-chair of the Program committee. Whewww~ Although this was supposed to be my "year off" ( I've been secretary for 2 years, then VP for 2 years), I just couldn't let the other gal try to handle it alone. The upside is I can pick the programs and classes that I LIKE ! Yipee!!



The rest of the week will be spent getting ready to head to Vermont for graduation on Sunday morning! My inlaws are driving up with us and we will be leaving early Saturday morning, having our graduation dinner on Saturday night at a lovely local restaurant and staying overnight. I still have to locate some appropriate clothes for Alex to wear under his cap and gown. When I mentioned it, he had a blank look so that meant he didn't have anything decent or he was planning on going Nekkid! He's already headed back to school to tie up loose ends, give his final presentation and clean out his apartment so I am in charge of wardrobe.



Sewww, here is the giveaway for this week! Lately(since I started my Mystery Quilt) I've been more conscious of the fact that quilts go together piece by piece. I know, pretty deep huh?? So with that in mind, I am offering this little book on paper pieced quilt labels. I'll also be including some preprinted paper foundations for star blocks and flower blocks that I found. If you are a paper piecer, leave me a comment and a way to reach you by email and I'll draw a name Friday morning!


I shouldn't say that there was NO quilting completed (just not by me personally)since I did get a call from Butch the longarmer and my summer quilt is done!! I'll call tomorrow and make arrangements to pick it up! I'll have pictures next week. If I don't get back before next week, have a wonderful weekend and try to do something quilty!

Happy belated Mom's Day

I hope all the moms out there had a great Mother's Day! I had a super Mother's Day weekend. Bob and I went to New Jersey to visit with friends that we had not seen since September when we all spent the week at Cape May. Mother's Day was the only weekend we were all available so off we went. We took our bikes and got to do some bike riding on Saturday in a fabulous state park near our friends' house. Saturday night we had a belated Cinco de Mayo celebration complete with Mexican music, mexican hats, margueritas and sangria. It was really fun.

On Sunday, we took our bikes to Sandy Hook and rode the new bike path along the shore, about 10 miles back and forth. It was really great. On our way back to CT, we stopped to see hubby's mom. And when we got home, my one and only baby was waiting for us. And this is what he got me for Mom's Day!! A pink nano!

I was sooo surprised! I had been blabbing how I thought it would be great to have so I could listen to quilt podcasts, downloaded books, etc. I never thought he would actually buy it for me! He has just been home a week and has been working every day but Sundays at his new landscaping job. I was really touched that he spent his first paycheck on dear old mom!! Thanks, Alex!! You are the best son a Mom could ever wish for!!

Now I have to figure out how it works! It's soo little! Of course, the first thing I thought of was what fabric I would use to make a little case for my new pink baby! LOL
Any of you who can direct me to some good ebooks or podcasts, let me know!!

Oh, and the winner of the Humpday giveaway was Sunbonnet Sue of NY! Sue, your birdies are on their way to you!!

Check back later this week for another giveaway!! Until then, quilt til you wilt!!

Hump Day Giveaway - Birdies

Well ,Wednesday is over!! I thought since this was the middle of the week, also known as HUMP DAY for many of us, it would be nice to offer a giveaway. I tried to post this morning but no matter how sweetly I talked to Blogger -NO LUCK! Bad Blogger!!


Seww, here it is Wednesday evening and finally Blogger seems to be ready to work. I guess it will be a Thursday giveaway! I have been cleaning and sorting in my sewing room and have a pile of things to offer~ Sewww, since it is spring and the birdies are returning and nesting and hatching eggs, I thought I would offer these two patterns.


GOLDFINCH is an applique pattern. And for you CW Repro gals, I have ROSIE FINCH. I have made both of these little quilts so thought someone else might like them.



Leave me a comment and be sure I can reach you by email for your addy. I will pick a winner Friday morning and put these little birds into the mail!

And speaking of birds, I spent part of last night prepping my patterns to make these little cuties. Nellie Durand of Nellie's Needles has generously posted the pattern and instructions for any one who is interested! I have a shelf with birdhouses on it and these little birdies will be a welcome addition. I hope to have a few birdies sewn and ready for stuffing and beading so I can take them on the road with me this weekend. Thanks, Nellie! You are super!


In other quilting news...., I finished the 4 patches, there were only 70 not 7 million! :)
I will be sewing those together tonight which will complete clue #3 of the mystery quilt and I will be up to date! Yea!! I think the 4 patches are for borders. This has been a really fun quilt to put together. I also hope to get my binding made and ready for my summer quilt.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday!!

FiberArt for a Cause- Collage Mania

I subscribe to the e-zine Fiber & Stitch and the editor and founder, Virginia Spiegel, a fabulous fiber artist, is running Collage Mania. There are (were, they are going FAST!) collages offered by many different artists and available for a donation to the American Cancer Society. This was a two day event, yesterday and today. Luckily, I was in time to purchase this beauty by Lenna Andrews called "Cherish"

Check out this very worthy cause and pick up some eye candy of your own. My little treasure will be hanging in my office very soon. Also, check out the free projects at the Fiber and Stitch website. Once I tasted one of those little treats, I had to have a subscription to the magazine!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. My weekend was a four day event. And I sure did need it as the soon to be College Graduate has returned to the nest for the summer. In addition to his adorable self, he brought 4 snowboards, snowboard boots, a computer, 4 boxes of clothes, backpacks, a sleeping bag, a refrigerator and that's just the first load! He is in town for about a week and then he will return to Vermont to make a final presentation and walk the stage on May 18th. He has already got a job for the summer and is hard at work at this moment! We are all making some adjustments to this new living arrangement. Mr. B is clearly unhappy that he has to share his bed with Alex! LOL

In quilting news, my summer quilt is finally in the hands of Butch, the longarmer! Yeah!! That is one quilt that just did not want to be finished! It finally ended up being 85 x 92 inches. Can't wait to get it back and put it on my bed! I was in such a rush to get it out that I didn't take a picture with the borders on!

I also finished Clue #2 ( 20 spool blocks) for the mystery quilt I'm doing and I am well on my way with Clue #3 (7 million four patches, at least it seems like that many), which is a good thing as Clue #4 may be available now.

I have also made a decision on my May postcards, which is half the battle for me. This month's theme is Art Deco flowers. I am going to do them in wool and will be using my embellisher which I've haven't played with in some time. Hope to have some pictures later in the week.

Spring has finally sprung here with temps in the low 70's. It ain't summer but I'll take it!