I Only Have Eyes For You

Everyone has probably had a favorite

toy that was loved unconditionally.

You slept with it,

took in the car,

it was with you throughout the day.

My little guy, Sanford, 

is in love with

Stanley, 

a bear,

 that was given to him that

was a promotion for Habitat for Humanity.

 

 

To lure Sanford into his bed for a nap,

we take a moment to search for Stanley,

and then, lo  and behold,  

there he is,

 already in bed waiting to snuggle.

It's a great game that continues to work.

 

 

Sanford's newest greeting 

is to chew on Stanley's face.

Must be a special guy kind of greeting.

So it became necessary 

 

 

 

to change 

Stanley's eyes.

 

 

 

But neither the bear nor the boy,

seemed to notice or care.

They're still the best of friends.

Until Next Time-

The Project Process Plan

Way back in January 

the Quilty Buddies 

embarked on a wonder plan,

The 11 Project Process Plan.

 

 

The idea was to choose 11 projects

that had been looming in the depths of each of

our quilting studios and progress them forward.

 

We each made a list and numbered each project.

Each month a number was drawn and 

that was the item we were suppose to

work on.

 

 

 

It didn't mean you had to finish it,

although, many of us did,

but do  just enough to see that it 

wasn't in the same spot as before.  

Maybe that literally meant moving it from one shelf to another!

 

 

Well, out of the eleven things on my list 

I worked on and finished seven.

 

 

I liked how this plan worked for me.

It was my own self motivation plan.

 

 

I love lists and 

I love crossing things off lists.

 

 

So what about the 4 that were left?

I'm not sure if I can rally the Q. Buddies 

to do it again, but I think I will

revisit the list, 

adding and subtracting items

and start again in January. 

Until Next Time-

The Summer Olympics Are Offically Over

Just because the Summer Olympics
ended in  August doesn't mean that
the whole thing has been over.

I've been stitching along with
 other sporting events
and have finally
completed my
tribute to the 2012 Summer Olympics.

"Triumphal Journey"

72" x 72"

The quilt was also part of my 

11 Project Progress Plan,

which was part of the Quilty Buddies plan

to move 11 older project forward.

It's a great pattern from 

Minick and Simpson

called, " Lizzy's Big Flowers".

I machine appliqued the stems,

but hand appliqued the other pieces.

It was machine quilted with  whimsical
loops and stars
while the border has a funky feather design.

I found some white 50's style summer buttons that
set the center of the stars off.

My dilemma  had been what to do with the

28,  one inch berries per block.

I didn't want to applique all of those, otherwise,

I might be working on it when the next summer

Olympics rolled around.

A friend suggested the perfect solution, wool.

I fused on the berries and

attached a button in the center of each

for extra good measure.

I didn't even buttonhole stitch 

around the edges.

Finishing it was my triumphal journey.
Another quilt completed and
crossed off my never ending list.
I loved working on it and
loved how turned out.

Hurray!
I crossed the finish line!

 Until Next Time-

More Celebrations

The day after Thanksgiving

could have you feeling like this..

 or like this...

 but,

we have more birthdays to celebrate.

 May, 2012

Happy Birthday, Kate and Jessica!

What a year you've had!

Until Next Time-

A Milestone Birthday

All birthdays are special but 

there are certain birthdays that

have come to be known as

milestones.

Yesterday was a very special day.

It was Sanford's first birthday celebration.

It was a simple family celebration,

with a Curious George theme.

It's all about the theme.

Of course,

cupcakes are the dessert of choice.

Monkey cupcakes.

Sanford's own cupcake was a 

snow monkey, no chocolate yet.

We even had the Florida kids here visiting.

It was a special birthday.

Maybe mostly for Nana.

 Until Next Time-

I Went Fabric Shopping

 I had an extra day at home this weekend.

And decided I needed to clear off my cutting

table to make room for other things.

On the top of the pile was my

second Mountain Trail quilt.

Again it was a "scrap attack" project

but this time it's with brighter more

contemporary colors and designs.

 You might recognize some of the designers.

This is not my usual color palette,

but through the years of making things for kiddos

or for store samples, I had enough scraps to make this mini.

The issue was I didn't have enough

for any kind of border, 2 sided or more.

Oh, no.

I had to go fabric shopping!

I headed to the shop in town called,

Mama Said Sew,

after which Moda's designers, Sweetwater,

 named one of their current line.

 This shop caters to the younger crowd and

carries a more contemporary style of fabric.

I auditioned fabric

and auditioned more.

I couldn't get a sense of what to do.

 Larger bold print?

Warm or cool?

Some made the raspberry color trail too dominate,

a light fabric was washed out,

others were just yuk.

Maybe it was just one of those day where

nothing seemed right.

But  finally  I found a piece, Freshcut,

by Heather Bailey

 Jelly Beans

 I think it works.

"Let's Climb The Big Rock Candy Mountain"

22.5" X 27.5"

***

Look how the pink is less dominate

and how it takes on a warmer orange color.

This is not my trick photography.

Fabric will do that.

It's just what I wanted it to do.

Maybe I'll have time to quilt it soon.

But for now it's done.

Until Next Time-

Turkey Jack

 It's been many many Thanksgivings ago,

that Turkey Jack came to be

a special part of my Thanksgiving decorations.

"Turkey Jack"

30" tall

I don't remember the pattern designer

or exactly when he was made.

But I do remember the fun 

my friends and I had making Turkey Jacks.

The instructions were long and involved.

And included sewing, painting, stuffing,

making clothes, and all 

the other details that makes Jack so great.

Rather than each of us work on our own,

we assembly lined production.

Each person had a portion to do

and then we put all the parts together

and 

all the Turkey Jack came into existence.

He's my Thanksgiving decorations for this year.

And seeing I don't cook a turkey for the holiday,

he loves to stay around and just hang out with the family.

Until Next Time-

I Finished the Trail

 At the end of September

Lori, at Humble Quilts,

began a quilt along

with a quilt she was calling Mountain Trails.

I'm a slow hiker, I know.

But I've finished one of the quilts that

I had started.

I challenged myself to a "scrap attack" and
 to use only the fabrics

that were in my scrap bag and here's

one of the quilts. 

 21.5" x 22.5"

"Follow the Cheez-It Trail"

 Remember I had help

choosing just the right fabrics.

With the trail done in a cheddar color,

and the shape a small square,

all I could see were Cheez-It crackers

making a trail.

I found a great fabric in my stash

to use on the back.

Can you tell how old this fabric is?

Good Grief,

it's 20 years old already.

Time to use some it, 

don't you think!

 Other quilters who are faster

hikers than I am,

have posted their quilts here.

I have one more quilt partly sewn.

I'll let you know when I finally get to 

the end of that trail.

But until then,

"Happy Trails to you

'till we meet again."

Until Next Time-

Send A Little Warmth

 I know many quilters have

already seen 

Victoria Findlay Wolfe's,

of Bumble Bean Inc., appeal and drive

 for quilts and blankets for those

who were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

I've donated to this group before.

It was easy.

And it made me feel like I was making

a difference in someone's life

with a token of warmth and friendship.

I'm sending this quilt.

54" X 72"

Yes, it is Halloween motif.

But I figure, some kiddo will think that it's fun.

It's was a pattern that was available from Maywood Fabrics

and the fabrics were designed by Bonnie Sullivan.

I made it in 2007 as a store sample and 

it's never been used.

It needed a home.

Check out the information HERE 

if you would like to contribute.

It's a small way to help.

Quilter's have such big hearts.

 Until Next Time-
 

Howling Coyotes

 One thing I was looking forward

to on our mini retreat was

a full night's sleep.

But it was not to be.

What do crying babies

have in common 

with

 howling coyotes?

They both think

3:00 am

 is a good time to start.

They are both very good at a long

continuous howl.

And they both seem to do it

for no apparent reason.

 As I laid in bed listening

to the coyotes,

I smiled and knew the same thing

was probably happening in

Denver.

 Until Next Time-