Lunch with Mom

We are so fascinated with our home's woodsy setting that we are always taking peeks out our sun room windows to the feeding station at the edge of the woods. Yesterday was no exception. The feeding station was supplied with cracked corn and sun flower seeds. That menu must have been the blue plate special for deer. The large female that we usually see every day decided to bring the family. She brought her two fawns. They still have their spots and were so adorable. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures.

Later in the evening we noticed the Mom was eating alone and another large female approached the feeding station for a bite. That didn't go well---Mom chased her away---Reserved Table. Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Quilting!!

Wordless Wednesday

In My Garden

Crossroads Quilters, my quilt guild, has issued the summer challenge. The rules are few, just a theme---In My Garden. Members can make what ever we would like and we'll share our projects with everyone at our September meeting. I just finished my mini abstract design. Another AAQI quilt using batik fabrics, raw edge piecing and metallic threads. This is my first try at free motion quilting and using metallic threads in my machine. I had fun making this little quilt and I love how the colors "pop" against the black. The little quilt measures 7 1/2 x 9 3/4 inches.

???New Look???

I'm not sure what happened to my original template---but it is gone! So I'm exploring new looks. Your opinion would be greatly welcomed. I'm exploring the nature look right now---though I still like the dots.

The AAQI August auction begins on the 1st. My quilt Single Thought is in the August Auction check it out and all the others available.

Save the Rain Forest, Save Mankind

Long name for a mini quilt, but a message that needs remembering. After seeing a documentary on the Rain Forests and how they are being mismanaged, I decided to make a little quilt to keep the message alive. I started with a little tufted heart and added fabric that reminded of the living plants and animals in the forests that helps mankind survive. From medications to exotic animals the Rain Forests is important to our well being. Maybe even the cure for Altzheimer's is waiting to be found in the Rain Forests. Save the Rain Forest, Save Mankind measures approximately 7 3/4 x 11 inches. It has been machine pieced and machine quilted. The tufting and embroidery was completed with the use of "magic thread" --- a fun black and white thread from Jude. Happy Quilting!

Teach Old Hands New Tricks

You never think it will happen to you----but it does. Life is ever changing and the key word is adjust. Adjust is what I'm having to do. After years of doing what ever I wanted----something called arthritis is beginning to become a challange and making me reevaluate how I do things. For a couple of months now I have noticed pains in my hands---what could it be???? One trip to the doctor's office and I soon found out arthritis is setting in. Hand quilting is becoming more difficult. I still hand quilt, but only once a week instead of daily. I must adjust. I have decided to teach my self how to machine quilt---oh I can sew a straight stitch, but now I think it's time to learn something a little more fancy. This group of quilts is my first attempt with free motion quilting.

I'm finding it fun and I know things will get better the more I practice. The remainder of my 2010 donation of 25 AAQI quilts will all be machine quilted as I try my hand at more and more free motion quilting. Adjust and Grow That's my new motto.

Purple Safari

I did it!!! With the help of my collection of ideas and two days of a quiet household, I was able to design 25 miniature quilt tops for AAQI. Now, the tops are not ready to ship and some will get additional fabrics, embroidery, charms etc. But, for the most part the ideas are together and I'll be completing them throughout the remainder of the year.

Purple Safari is the first of the group to be finished. The patchwork was part of a fabric exchange at a recent quilting guild meeting. I belong to the Crossroad Quilters. We are a very casual group that meets once a month. We share projects, ideas and most importantly just enjoy each other company. Back to Purple Safari, I added a few additional fabrics and a raw edging with black embroidery floss to complete this little 7 x 7 3/4 inch quilt. I have discovered something with my marathon 2 days of quilt top making. I noticed that I had ideas popping in my head faster than I could sew. And, I now enjoy the fact that I can go to my sewing room, pick up a little quilt top and have fun just completing it. I'm going to remember this in the future. Have a great Monday and Happy Quilting.

Ideas

Ideas--Where do they come from? How do you collect them? I'm searching for ideas!!! I have just mailed my July AAQI quilts off to Ami Simms, I have 25 more quilts to make to complete my goal of 52 this year. I first said I would complete 52 quilts by September, but life interfered with my quilting and I had to take a step back and readjust my goal. Yesterday, I spent most of the day in my sewing room---searching my accumulation of ideas and fabrics for 25 more quilt top ideas. I was successful thanks to my idea collection. I was able to come up with 15 little quilt tops. I painted some, stamped some, fused some, and machine pieced some. My ideas are stored in a few different places, some day I should organize them into one place. But, for now it is working. My Idea Box is stocked full of vintage quilt blocks, sketches, magazine pages, fabric and laces.
My Journals---one of them is always with me. The little pink journal was the first and is about full, the tapestry was my journal I carried while I was working or traveling. The rust colored journal is my present day journal. All are stocked full of drawings and ideas as they come to me in my everyday activities. I've also added a camera to my purse---it's so easy to snap a quick photo of an idea and then I jot a line or two in my journal of my impressions.
Notice a napkin can even work in a pinch. Have a wonderful weekend and keep an open mind for new quilting ideas.

New York Beauty

Found this antique New York Beauty at a country auction near my home. The quilt is in near perfect condition and has been hand quilted. This is a keeper, perfect for Christmas display.

Mug Mat

I made this little Mug Mat for a friend's Birthday. They are fun to make and a good way to get started making miniature quilts. This one was simply a variety of laces, black fabric band to anchor the eye and an applique butterfly. Mug mats can also be used for treasures and trinkets.

Cheater Surprise

Simple, Colorful, and Easy!! Cheater Surprise is all that and a little more Surprising. I found this colorful Crazy Quilt Cheater fabric at a tag sale, as usual, and just added some hand quilting, buttons and charms. It has developed it to a bright mini quilt for AAQI. Cheater Surprise measures 8 1/4 x 9 1/4 inches. Shapes, Cheater Surprise, and Sun Bonnet Sue #6 will be my July contribution to the AAQI sales. Wishing you an enjoyable weekend and Happy Quilting.

Shapes

This little AAQI quilt is a study in Shapes (so named). I tried a new technique of circle making, I saw on Simply Quilts years ago. I had made my circle at that time and the little cut out circle just stayed in my Idea Box, until now. The circle is made on a square piece of fabric---the tan and green check. Cut out and pressed to the back, using wax paper---if I remember correctly?? then the center fabric is placed under and stitched. Very simple and easy. I've been thinking any shape difficult to applique could be cut from the upper fabric, pressed hand or machine stitched; then placed on top of the second fabric. The steps for this technique can be found on HGTV web site under Simply Quilts. I think they still have archives of old shows. Shapes is an 8 x 8 inch collection of different fabrics with interesting shapes. I just started adding strips to border the circle fabric, which is a vintage quilt block made from feed sack fabric.

Sun Bonnet Sue #6

The final Sun Bonnet Sue in the set of original six Sues is complete and ready to be mailed to AAQI. The little green mini quilt will join her sisters for an Alzheimer's sale or auction. She is like the others vintage applique quilt block, embellished with ribbon, charm and machine quilting. I'll be sending her off this week with the wish that she is successful earning monies for AAQI.

4th of July Visitor

We had a visitor this afternoon. This is unusual. Our visits from the local deer population is usually around 6:00pm. This little girl was here at noon. I'm sure the noise of celebration is making her and her friends stay low and quiet in the undergrowth. She is nibbling on sunflower seeds and a mineral block. Perfect 4th of July meal if you're a deer.

Happy Birthday America

Wishing You a Happy 4th of July

from Sea To Shining Sea

44 Years Ago

July 2, 1966 was one of the hottest days on record in St. Louis, Missouri. At 2:00pm in the church where I was raised Bill and I were getting married. Everything about the wedding was perfect---no wedding disasters. We were living in the moment, no thoughts about were we would be 44 years later.

Through the years we have changed---He has less hair, I have real gray, and we both have a few more pounds. Beyond the physical changes we have a deeper affection and appreciation for each other. We truly love each other more today that we did yesterday and less than we will tomorrow. That's what marriage is all about---something we didn't know in 1966, but so glad we stayed with it to find out.