I promised

I told you that I was going to work on this:



Remember that it was only 7 1/2 inches and needed to be at least 9 inches square?  Well, it took me awhile, but here it is, now 15 inches square, waiting for a new owner someday:



Then, I want to show you the mini I sent to my partner, Pam (uberstitch) for the QT Mini swap.  The theme this time was "true minis".  (I'm sure getting a lot of practice lately on all this true mini quilting stuff, let me tell you!!)  In reality I could have used this 9 x 11 inch quilt for all three swaps that I'm in.  Wouldn't that have been a hoot?



Don't tell anyone, but I think I'm going to make another one like this maybe for me.  I really like it!  OR....maybe for my DQS swap partner if she likes rainbows?  Who knows?  It's just "so" me and I had such fun matching those tiny seams.  Each little block is only 3/4 inch by 1 inch.  Eikes!

The trial....

Lately, I have been having a ball listening to the Casey Anthony trial and sewing my days away.  What a life, huh?  I'm hoping that they have a mistrial so I can continue my whole summer this way.  LOL  I am learning a lot about so much (not that I will ever have to use it, I'm sure).  I mean what do I need to know about botany, decomposition, and bugs?  Actually, I'm waiting for the good stuff.  I have read plenty of mystery/lawyery type novels in my life to know that it's coming if I just wait patiently and I'm ready!  LOL

I'm trying to catch up on doll quilts.  I know, I have made them forever, but this time the DQS rules are different and since I am mostly an applique artist/sewer type person, and they are not allowing any art type quilts and only needle turned applique, I have to build up my supply of pieced quilts since I am the designated "angel" mama and send quilts to those swappers who's partners have flaked or for those quilts that get lost in the mail.  Seems I have to send out about 4-5 for every round so I want to be prepared.  So far this week, I have made this 11x14 inch one:



And this 10 1/2 by 12 1/2 inch one:



Today I am going to see what I can do with these stars that I showed you once before:



Right now they measure only 7 1/2 square and the size for the swap is anywhere from 9 inches to 18 inches so I have a bit of sewing to make it bigger.  I got some ideas last night while I was looking at it, so we'll see what I can come up with today.  Wish me luck!  Hope you are spending your days doing pleasurable things too.  Life is too short to not have some fun!  Incidentally, thank you all soooo very much for all your kind and wonderful comments on my posts.  I try to answer all of you, but sometimes life gets in the way (or the trial...LOL).  Seriously, I really appreciate all of you and I hope you know it!

Surprise!

Sometimes life can be so full of surprises that it just shakes you to your core.  I had a day like that last week that completely blew me away.  Let me give you a little history.  During the last doll swap, there was a quilt that was being made by an awesome quilter who I have always admired.  Her things are colorful and so precise that I know I'll never live long enough to get to her level.  So, as the weeks went along, and the doll swap continued, she would show her progress and I would be more and more marveled at her skills and the beauty of the quilt.  (And wondering why I never got a partner who was that good.  LOL)  And that is no lie!!!  I was so envious of her partner until we started corresponding and she mentioned to me that her partner hadn't commented once on any of her pictures.  I was shocked, to say the least!  I knew how she felt after spending so much time and love on that project.  Shame on me, but I talked her into making a different quilt and keeping that beauty for herself, or gifting it to someone who would appreciate it.

So guess what?  I bet you guessed, huh?  Yup!  I got a surprise last week and it was MY quilt!  The one I coveted all along!  Helen wrote me a wonderfully sweet note and told me that halfway through the sewing process, she knew the quilt should be mine.  Look at how gorgeous it is:



 

Isn't it amazing?  I can hardly wait to hang it.  I've gotten so many beautiful quilts lately, I think it's time to "make a wall" and I'm thinking my guest room would be the perfect place.  It would be great to have them all in one spot.  I'm still smiling over that package though!  I love it, Helen...thank you soo much!

I have been sewing, but again, there is not much I can show you yet.  I sort of cheated and made an angel quilt for the next doll swap already.  I know that they are going back to their "roots" with pieced, smaller quilts for DQS11, so I had to practice.  Call me crazy!  I have a ton of ideas and I'm anxious to start.  Besides, it might be time to take a break from applique for a change.



I actually cheated and matched the solids to the binding fabric I had.  Looks like I was brilliant and did it the opposite way, huh?  Whatever!  After it's done, what's the difference?

So, that's about the news....except this:



Yup, that's me!  DH took that picture.  I needed a shot of myself for something else, so I thought I should show everyone what I really look like.  My daughter told me to re-take it and put my head higher to get rid of the double chin and open my eyes.  Kids!  It is what it is!  If I hadn't gained 60 lbs when I quilt smoking 6 years ago, I'd look much better too, but that's life!  I'm trying, but when you sit and sew all the time, how do you lose weight?  Got any ideas?

Were you wondering?

Do you remember a few weeks back when I was asking about dogs and which kind I should get?  Then, I sort of decided on a Maltese and searched and searched for a good breeder?  Well, I found a lady not too far from where I live who had two adults to visit...just to see if we liked the size and breed.  Well, she also had a 155 lb Great Dane and my husband was enamored instantly and looked at me with "puppy eyes" as if to say, "let's get one of these."  Needless to say, I was NOT in the market for a horse!  I poo-pooed that immediately and decided to continue my search.  Next, I ran across a breed I never heard of before called Bolognese.  They are from Italy and not even recognized by AKC here in America yet, although there are a few breeders.  They are a bit smaller than a Bichon Frise, not as tiny as a Maltese, and are non-allergic.

 And here's what they look like as adults:

Kinda like miniature white sheep dogs, don't ya think?  I guess the hair gets to a certain length and just stops growing.  But, you can cut them shorter for ease in grooming.  Cute!

My friend has a Havanese and told me to look into that breed:

 How can anyone resist those faces?  There was a black and white 9 week old puppy in our newspaper for sale last week, but when my hubby discovered that the cost was $1500, and we are in the process of replacing all 34 windows in our house, he put the kibash on that in record time.  I guess we're waiting now.......maybe forever?  I hate to admit it, but we are getting more and more used to being dog free.  Besides, how could I sew with a puppy around?  I'd have to take at least a year break.

Speaking of that, I have been sewing, but alas can not show you anything yet.  I am trying to catch up for upcoming swaps since l already know the themes.  I did sew some stars though.....but haven't a clue what I'm going to do with them.

Here's a better picture:



Got any ideas?

Sewing and Shopping both start with "S"

It's almost the middle of June and I JUST got my flowers in the ground this weekend.  Our weather has been so crazy that it's either raining, or freezing, or so hot, you could cook an egg on the concrete that I just let everything go.  Besides, I had some windows replaced so I didn't want my stuff to get trampled by the window guy (and then he did it from inside the house anyway.  Duh!)  

Don't you just love going to your local nursery in the spring though?  Everything smells so good and looks so gorgeous?  I just had to take some pics of mine to share with you:

And those don't even include all the gorgeous stuff they have outside.  I should have snapped pics of that too, but didn't 'cause I was too busy filling up my cart.  I usually only do simple things, like petunias, and tomatoes, and herbs, etc.  Nothing fancy!  I'm too busy sewing to prune, or water all the time, thank you!!

And then, guess what?  My LQS got in ALL the Kona solids.  Yup!  All 221 of them and I am happy, happy, happy!  I LOVE solids and you will be seeing more from me in the coming months using them.  right now, I should talk them into putting them all on one wall though.  Too hard to take all these pictures this way.  LOL

Yummy, huh?  It was so hard deciding which ones to buy first.......and now I'm thinking another trip is in order for this week.  I think I need some more!

Haunted......

On occasion, as I wake up in the morning, it seems as though I was haunted during the night by a quilt monster putting stuff in my head that MUST come out.  Funny thing is that sometimes, it's some of my best work!  LOL  I had a day like that this week, so I figured I should "go with the flow" and get it out of there as soon as possible so I could move on.  I started almost as soon as I woke up, and finished it in one day.  I must say, it's even a bit too modernistic for me, but it seems that others like it.  Now, I wish I had put on a black and white striped binding instead of the plain black...oh well!



It's even featured here today!  Imagine that?

I just gotta show you....

You know, (or maybe you don't) but in the swapping world, it's almost a requirement that you "gush" over what you receive from your partner no matter even if you hate it!  (Kinda goes against my "tell it like it is" theory in life, but what can I do?)  Everyone's gotta play nice, I suppose!  Problem with that is that when you do get something you absolutely REALLY love and adore, how do you express it?  You can go on and on, and hopefully express your true joy, but what else?  I wish I knew because last week was probably my BEST week of swapping yet!  I got two really awesome things and you MUST see them!  First off, I got a darling mini from "bouncypoodle" alias Patti for the STUD swap.  Remember, she was the one who decided on Disney songs for the theme rather than just plain Disney?  If you go back a few posts, you can see what I made her, but here is the marvelous beauty she made for me:

Check out that detail!  Did you see the tail feathers on the birds?  They are 3D!  It is so amazing in person, that I am overwhelmed!  This lady has only been mini quilting for a few months too.  I actually had her call me on the phone for some tips!  Too cool!  And the label?  Another piece of art, believe me! I usually just write something on the back.  No fancy stuff for me.......but look at this:

Now, that was perfection!  I should take lessons (although I probably won't!)  My feelings is that the label is against the wall anyway, so why jazz it up, and besides, by then, I want to move on to the next project anyway!  LOL

THEN, not only was that awesome, but I think I got the BEST mug rug in the whole swap this time on Saturday!  I'm thinking it's maybe the best mug rug I ever got?  I adore it and it's already hanging in my kitchen so I can see it everyday!  I gushed up and down (in truth) when I thanked her and I hope she really knows how much I cherish this piece of art!!  "Littleloops" alias Lynda, really went all out for me!  When I first saw it in the Flickr swap, I was so impressed, that I couldn't get over the work she put into this little 8 1/2 inch square beauty, but then when it arrived at my doorstep and I had a chance to see it in person, I was more awed!  True perfection!!

Check out the individual corners:

Did you see all the additional embroidery?  Tons of work!!  And what a beauty!  I am truly blessed and hurray for my swap mama who gave me such a great partner.  I wasn't too keen on what I had to make for my partner considering she wasn't nuts about raw edged applique, but I sure got a good one making for me!!  Sometimes that happens!  Now, I'm all raring to go again!  For awhile, I really had my doubts about swapping.........but these beauties restored my faith!  Thank you!  Both of you!  I LOVE them!

Gallery Showing??

Did you read that?  Gallery Showing from my Local Quilt Shop at the exclusive Watermark Condos?  

Featuring who?  Local Wisconsin artists?  Me?  An artist?  Guess so........see it in set up mode:

And here my stuff is in another view the night of the opening.  With wine and snacks too, l"ll have you know.....and a showing of their $500,000 condos.  Whew.....a bit beyond my blood, thank you, but beautiful!!!  Gorgeous high ceilings, windows galore, and amazing kitchens.

I suppose I should have taken pictures of that instead, huh?  After all, you've seen most of my stuff already anyway.  LOL  Next time, I will......promise!