Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The end of the holiday for me

Hi all! Exciting times at my house...Darcie sent back quilts, quilting and ready for binding! I will show pictures next time of these, but may I just say....Quilting by Darcie, Autumn's child is the best ever. I just love my quilts when I get them back! I just need to get busy on the binding. Above are my blocks; my Judy Laquidara's current bright beautiful quilt. I have no idea why, but each and every block is so crooked and wonky. I am going to hand quilt this one...have to! To work out all those little crooked parts. :) Wish I were a perfect piecer, but it is just not to be...and I am OK with that!! The lovely pattern that Judy came up with will make up for it.


See these pretty felted bowls? Darcie made them, by hand, and I was the lucky recipient of them. Perfect for earrings on the bed side table, and a million other uses. I just love them, the texture and look are wonderful. Thank you again, Darcie!


A close-up detail of one of the bowls.
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I have been thinking of where I want my quilting journey to head. I really think that although I just love quilts and want to keep them all, or give to family, that I would like to reach out to others and be of service and help to those who may need it. Sooooo, I will be working on what I call service quilts, either to raffle for worthy causes, or donate to people who need them. And, I really want to sell some of my little hand quilted ones I love so much, and donate the money to causes associated with neuro-muscular diseases. So, stay tuned! This is underway!! I just dread the thought of my little quilts getting tossed when I pass away, and no one getting any benefit of them. Thank you for listening to my thoughts.
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Gratitudes!
Health enough to work and meet my obligations.
Wonderful family and friends.
Quilts to share!!
Julie


Monday, May 25, 2009

A Sweet Friend!

I wanted to take a moment and tell you of a very dear lady, whom I would love to know better and have not even met in person yet. Her name is Debi, of www.debiquilts.blogspot.com. I have become acquainted with Debi through this blog, and follow hers as well. She lives quite near to me. Anyway, I saw a wonderful quilt on her blog, and asked her about the pattern, which is no longer available through any avenue I could find. She just offered to send it to me! NO questions asked, she just dropped everything and sent it, and this in the middle of planning a WEDDING! And she did this, the very next day. Debi, I am so excited about the quilt to be made from this pattern. Thank you for your generous heart.

Thank you!

I am so glad to say that all these things from my sewing room are claimed and heading out to new homes. I so appreciate each commenter's interest and comments. I just went with the first comment received about each item, and that is where each will go. I am going to do more of this, it was great fun, and I will get them into the mail ASAP! Hope each of you enjoys your gift from my sewing room, and that you all had a wonderful day today!!!

Julie

Giveaway on Memorial Day!

First of all: Happy Memorial Day! This is a day that I truly take a moment and thank all those brave men (and lots of women too) who fought and died so that my family and I can enjoy the freedoms we all have in this wonderful country! My Dad served in WW2, and many family members have served in all areas of the armed forces. I salute you all, for your tasks were not easy or ones you liked or really wanted to do, but you did it anyway, for the good of your country and your people. Thank you!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Now, here is a little something different. We did not go out of town for the holiday, instead, we took a chance to stay at home (not at work, wooohoooo!), and relax, and get a few things done. I am giving away quite a few things, that I like so much, but I feel that I need to bless someone else with. Above is a quilt kit, complete, never opened, from Joann a couple years ago. It is yours if you want it, just let me know! A word: Please think about these things and although I am so glad to give them to anyone, please make sure that you are really going to use them. I would not be really happy to find them on e-bay or something. I really want to give things to quilters who would find pleasure, purpose and joy from these things!! I would like the recipients to be quilters, bloggers, people who have commented on my blog in the last year or so. Thanks.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed, thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


These are pre-cut Hexagons. Yours if you are into them! A very few are gone, but over 750 left. Die cut. I think they may be poly-cotton. Don't know if they would be hard to do with the English paper piecing method.



I just stiched this last month, a small stitchery quilt. Yours if you will finish it, as I just do not have time for it right now! I love this pattern.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!STITCHERY ABOVE CLAIMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!



A series of patterns for a applique quilt. 1999 is the date. Someone could absolutely use these and enjoy, if they are into applique.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!! and going to a good home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yahoo!!!!!!!!!

I just bought this last month at my local quilt shop, why, I do not know, I have too many ideas! My loss is your gain! You reproduction gals would love this pattern, it is so cute.






!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone into bag patterns and bags? Yours for the taking!





!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you ladies!!!!!!!


Just bought this book, and realized I just do not have time to make each table runner, one for each month. So cute, though! Would you like it??








A quilting book on color. I like scrappy best with every color in the world, so just did not get into it, although it is a great book. Yours for the asking.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, this is a big one. I bought this at the Dallas Quilt Show, and thought I would make circle quilts like crazy. I opened it, looked at it, put in back in the package, and it has not been touched. $40.00 down the drain...but not if you like it! It is yours!!












Another picture of the circle cutter.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Claimed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!









He is not for sale at any price! This little squirrel has certainly befriended us...cute little bugger! He is watching from a branch in one of our trees...and waiting...











for dear husband to come and feed him!!



Just let me know if any of you would like any of the above items, and I will gladly send them to you. That is the sum total of my cleaning out of the sewing room, and there will be more to come, I am sure. I got a lot done, a lot organized, and I am so glad!!!


Gratitudes:


Able to bless others with some things I will not use in the near future, that maybe someone can use and enjoy.

A holiday off from work!

Our Veterans and soldiers who have died in defense of us and our country throughout the years.

Freedom!



Julie















Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Twilight Zone...

Greetings...from the Twilight Zone! Now, the quilt above is not from the Twilight Zone, I just wanted to show that I have been working on the hand quilting. Many of you will recognize the Gwen Marston design. I am so loving this quilt! It is square (mostly) and true, and the secret to the easy hand quilting? SILK batting! I have the worst habit of hanging on to "stuff", and hoarded that little piece of batting for years. Why? I so have enjoyed using it in this quilt! The needle goes through just like nothing is there, and I have been trying to make even tiny stitches, and sometimes even succeeding. Fun!!
Now, for the Twilight stuff. Above is a rock that was found in a canyon near our farm...and I am sure you can see the face. The stone that is the "eye" is a piece of quartz, I think, and the rest just plain granite rock. A little creepy...a little Halloweeny...neat rock, huh? We call him (definitely a male rock) the Spirit of the Canyon.

Now above is just plain weird. See the green on the edge of the grass, on the curb? I wondered...and then looked over and a guy had a big truck with spray paint and was painting the grass green. This is while we were traveling. No kidding! Twilight.....mmmmmmm........
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Pets:
Well, our goldfish has succombed. This AM, he was begging for food and ate well, and tonight alas he is gone to fishy heaven. I think he had a good run, over 4 years old.
Rusty our poodle is declining...I took him to the vet and he is totally blind and deaf, and has heart trouble, and has had a stroke recently and profound dementia. Generalized weakness...only thing is, he eats like a hungry trucker and still has some waggy tail moments. I will do my best for him, but will not allow him to hurt...that is just not fair. I got a couple kinds of pain meds from the vet. 16 years old is a pretty old little poodle!! He has been a wonderful friend for so many years to our whole family.
That's all from our house...worked today and came home, vacuumed out the cars, made guacomole for dinner, walked 1.5 miles, and and now writing to you all!!
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Gratitudes:
Yummy avocado!
A washer and dryer
Special friends.
Quilting and quilts and quilters.
Have a Wonderful Day!!
Julie



Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Bear Paw Progress...


Ok! This is far I have gotten on the Bear Paw, inspired by Judy Laquidara at Patchwork Times. Mine is not quite like any I have seen, but I used up what I had, and that is good. A few bright spots pop out at me, and I kind of like that. I am working on borders now. This has been such a fun project! Thanks Judy!! The blue was a yard given to me by my friend Sharon. The rest is all scraps. So nothing purchased for this quilt at all.
Have a marvelous day!!!
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Gratitudes:
A dear friend getting needed treatment today.
Off work today!
Crunchy yummy snacks.
Getting to pick the kids up from the airport...honeymoon is over!!!
Julie

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!!


Happy Mother's day to each and every mother out there, and to all those who nurture anyone (or anything)...you are mothering too! I was so fortunate to have the best mother in the world. She was an exceedingly strong woman, both physically and mentally. She could go out and toss haybales with the strongest of the men, even though she was not very big. But she could dress up and look like a million bucks too. She was a fiercely proud mother of her children, and would defend us to the end. She passed away when I was 12 years old, and all these years later, the loss is still fresh and in my mind. I am so glad she is in heaven, with no pain and no problems at all! She taught me how to quilt, and she was absolutely a wonder at putting scraps together to make a beautiful whole. She could make something lovely out of absolutely nothing!


Other news: I am now a mother-in-law! Our DS got married one week ago in a grand ceremony, and he is off on his dream honeymoon to the Caribbean. Fun! Hope they are having the time of their lives! Pictures to come...above is a picture of his groomsmen at the wedding rehearsal dinner.
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So....now I will hopefully have time to get back into some quilting fun. I have missed seeing your projects and lives, and can't wait to dive back in!! As soon as the real wedding pictures come in, I will post some.
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Gratitudes:
A wonderful church service, then special lunch out with dear husband.
New shoes!
A nap...mmmmm.....
Riding bikes: 10 miles today!
A day with nothing urgent to be done.
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Hugs from Julie


Hexies, rainbow quilts and plaids!

Good morning to all!!!  Above is a hexagon, for English paper piecing.  My kitten Lucky has discovered them, and decided that they are great...