Never To Early

I've started thinking about this year's Church Bazaar. It never seems to early to start making quilts for a cause. I have a couple of ideas in the works for this year. The message mats and quilts in a jar I made last year were a big hit, so I'm expanding on those ideas again. I've made a couple of message mats and have some smaller quilts in a jar under construction. I'm thinking of a wall hanging with a message and some Art Jars for the creative kiddo. I'll be posting more photos later.

This message mat has a vintage 9-patch block, that I picked up at a country auction, embellished with buttons, ribbon and Comfort in Psalms fabric. I also used dryer sheets, feed sack and red, white & blue vintage fabric as a base.

Wordless Wednesday

New Link

I've been working on the blog this morning and decided to add another link to the sidebar. My hubby and I have been eBay members since 1998 and for years have operated an eBay Store called Walnut Forest Collectibles. It has many collectibles, including quilts, fabrics, notions etc. We both participate in stocking the store and running auctions, so both of our interests are represented in the store. The little pup peeking through the bushes is now a 3 year old, 100 pound big boy named BO. He still thinks he's that pup. Stop by sometime and browse---things are always changing.

Baseball Card Weekend

This weekend belongs to my hubby. I have my quilting hobby, that my hubby totally supports and he has baseball---that I totally support. For 35 years we have been involved with baseball and sport memorabilia collecting. Thirty-five years ago he found and attended his first Baseball Card Collectors Club meeting in St. Louis, Missouri. He was hooked. He had collected baseball cards when he was a kid, but that club meeting was a second starting point ---he has been adding to his collection through buying, trading and selling every since. I'm a firm believer that anything that big becomes a joint project---so I participate in his hobby, too. Not so much as a collector, but as the vendor/table tender and sales manager. We set up the collectibles that he has for sale at various Sports Collectors Shows through out the country. He uses the sale of his duplicate items to buy the items he wants for his personal collection. This weekend there is a show in St. Louis. We'll be selling---he may be buying---from Friday to Sunday. I won't be quilting this weekend, but I will have a few magazines along and a sketch pad. Happy weekend!

Nursery Rhyme Poem to Quilt

Starlight star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish, I wish tonight.


The little Starlight poem was the inspiration for this mini quilt I call First Star. The quilt has a vintage star block against a sky of changing colors and is hand quilted.

Thoughts

Ever have a time when everything around you seemed overwhelming? A time of a sadness, confusion or maybe just a day of the "blahs"? Then a single thought, a bright spot of remembrances rushes into your mind --- so clear and refreshing that it will make you smile and even shoo those blues away. Well, that is the theme of my latest AAQI quilt. As I was creating this little quilt, I also thought --- you and I can shoo those blues and confusion away, but a person with Alzheimer's may have only single thoughts that are fleeting thoughts and the confusion returns to quickly. My wish is that my mini quilt Single Thoughts will earn monies to help find a cure so all of the single thoughts that Alzheimer's may have will stay longer and brighten their future with a cure. To check out all the quilts offered for sale or auction, just click on the link.

Mother Nature's Valentine

Besides more snow, Mother Nature gave us a Valentine's Day treat this morning. Our backyard habitat was visited by a group of bachelors. Five of the biggest Tom turkeys I've ever seen came by for breakfast. They spent almost an hour eating at three of our feeding stations. My hubby believes them to be about 25 pounds each.

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

Happy Heart Day

I made this little sampler a few weeks ago to donate to AAQI, but thought today was the day for its posting. All of the materials for this mini quilt came from a tag sale and auction I attended over the summer. The tatting and lace was in a box of wonderful embellishment finds at an auction. The hearts are from various fabric finds, and the patchwork hearts are reworked from one quilt block that featured heart fabrics. Heart Sampler is only 6 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches. This was a fun mini to make, I love the way the little patchwork hearts emerged from the larger block. Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day.

The Herd Arrived

My hubby and I live in the middle of 3 acres in a Missouri woodland west of St. Louis. This home site has given us a great opportunity to observe many of the areas critters. Our backyard is always hopping with activity all year long. We provide feeding stations and water, the natural woodland provides shelter for our backyard habitat. Our feeding stations cater to the bird population from the smallest finch to the turkey. We have one feeding station that now is drawing a big crowd. We ground feed with cracked corn in the winter months. This attracts the Cardinals, Blue jays, Doves, Squirrels and Turkey to name a few. But the main attraction arrives in the late afternoon/early evening when a group of 1 to 3 deer arrive. There is usually 2 large deer and 1 smaller. They will enjoy the corn undisturbed for quite a while. The snows have made them stay longer at the diner, but we can count on "the girls" arriving every evening. Last night was an exception. As usual "the girls" showed up at the usual time and we are able to watch them as we prepare our own evening meal. But, as night was falling and the "the girls" were becoming shadows, my hubby calls out that more were coming out of the woods. We had so many it was hard to count, at our best we could see 9 deer showing up at the diner for a meal. There were 6 eating at one time. This is the first time we have had so many at one time in the yard. I'm sure the snows are bringing them out or maybe they hear there was good eating at the diner. Today we are going to create a few more feeding stations for the corn---so everyone one can have a spot. I just looked outside and the corn is gone--I have a feeling we also had night visitors.

Restocking My Etsy Shop

After a few months of having an empty Etsy Shop, I've started to restock. I've relisted a few of my vintage quilt items and added some projects in different stages of completion. In my search for interesting things to put in the shop, I found a couple of treasures for the creative mind.

Speaking of the creative mind, have you read "Thinking Outside of the Block" by Sandi Cummings? Great read and a new way of thinking about quilting in a different way. It really gets thinking and a different way and I found in quite refreshing. I have made one small quilt top using her techinque (it is offered for sale in the etsy shop) and I plan to make another one for AAQI.

Food Pantry Monday

Twice a month my hubby and I pick up food from local grocery stores and deliver it to the local food pantry. Today was pantry day. We woke to light snow and the promise of more this afternoon, so not only were we supplying the human food pantry, but the backyard pantry as well. We had some early customers in the yard---I guess getting ready for the big snow's arrival.

Dots win

I did more searching the net last night and found a different background for the blog. The polka dots seem calmer than my previous choice----so dots it is. I'm hoping to get some quilting in today---while the hubby watches the "big game". I'm only there for the commericals.

The third Sue Bonnet Sue I've completed I just call Sun Bonnet Sue Harvest. The Sue was completed like the others with little embellishments and raw edge applique. This Sue reminds me of Harvest Time in Missouri.

Two More Sues

I've been playing with a new look for my blog and with the snow falling outside, today was a perfect morning to search the net. I've settled on this Funfetti by Daisy Gray Design. I was amazed the options out there to perk up your blog. I'm new at this blogging and layout thing so this was a treat to learn all that is available. Besides, blog remodeling I've completed two more Sun Bonnet Sue quilts for AAQI. This one is called Sun Bonnet Sue Laughs. I embellished the Sue with ric-rack, ribbon and beads. The print on the Sue's dress looked so happy to me that it inspired me to embroider the word "laugh" on the teal and peach background. We all need reminders to look to the happy times now and then.

Why AAQI

As I was organizing my thoughts about this morning post, I realized I have not told the story of why I'm making miniature quilts for Altzheimer's research. Besides enjoying the handwork and creativity the miniature quilts allow me to experience and the fact it is a wonderful cause, I make the quilts and contribute them to remember and honor my Mom, Helen Hoevel.

My mother lost her battle with Altzheimer's in 1995, after many years of slipping away. In '95 she didn't talk much and couldn't remember who I was, she was a shadow of herself. But, she left with me wonderful memories of a perfect childhood, loving family, and the privilege of being her daughter. She also left me with a love of sewing. Mom was a very good seamstress. Not only did she make my clothes and special occasion dresses, but she made some beautiful applique quilts. When I was surfing the net about 4 years ago I discovered Ami Simms' site and her AAQI project. I immediately thought what a wonderful cause and what a great way remember and to use the skills that my mother taught me. So I became involved and all my quilts are dedicated to Mom.

Monday Morning Discovery

This little Sun Bonnet Sue miniature quilt is the first in a series of six that I plan to complete for AAQI. The quilt blocks were purchased as a lot at a tag sale, they were originally in a larger quilt and someone cut them into individual squares and sold them together. I was thrilled to find them as they are well done and had mini quilt potential. In keeping with my recycle/reuse philosophy, I added some beads, embroidery and a star charm. I then raw edge appliqued the Sue on to a background to accent her colors and appliqued the sandwich to the patchwork background. Added the word "discover". This little Sue quilt, which I call, Sun Bonnet Sue Discovers is made with the hope that a cure for Alzheimer's is in the near future.