What Happened To March Anyway?

It's that time already!!!

I am getting in just under the wire... so this will be quick.

And a bit disorganized but

I wanted to show my "finishes" for March for the Charming Guys & Girls Club that's hosted by Kelly over at Charming Chatter.
First up is my finished quilt for my son, Teague. Done in time for his birthday that was on the 22nd!

Remember this photo? I showed these fabrics that were going to be for the Fig Tree Club special project. I did it, taught the class and left it at the quilt shop as a sample ... and never took a photo! You are just going to have to trust me on this and I will owe you a photo from the next time I go into the quilt shop.

Okay, intermission... speaking of finishes...

did you see this at the grocery store?

I use Ellen's Best Press and love it. But I say this on the shelf and thought I would give it a try. It comes in a linen scent and non-scented also. It was 2.99. I thought it would be worth a try... so I will let you know how it is!
Now, another finish... a Schnibbles. This was my Roundabout that never got quilted. So here it is, quilted and trimmed with ric rac.

My other table runner got quilted also and is
currently in use in the dinning room.

Jelly Roll Sampler Block #2:

On the top of the post is Jelly Roll Sampler #1.

I got the puckered borders off my Pink and White Snowball quilt... and guess what. They are staying off! I figure it's okay because that is how it is in the pattern and I'm ready to be finished with it too!
I have others that I actually started and finished during the month... but I guess those don't count. The only thing I didn't do off my list is my snowbound blocks from Ann Sutton. I did do the 3 blocks to catch up but didn't get the little embroidery parts finished... so that goes on next months list, right?

Sewing & Still Time To Play

I was able to get a few things done over the weekend and still have time to play.

I cut out & pasted my words "Quilt & Sew". I haven't gotten them hung up on the wall in my sewing room yet - I think it's a two person job... I will have to enlist help.

On Sunday we did make it over to the lake for lunch. Now, it really isn't about the food so much as the nostalgia and the fact that it's your duty as a local to go! Simple as that.

Yes the food is good to, but how often do you get excited about ordering a hamburger?

It's really like stepping back in time to the late 50's or early 60's and being a part of something simple and part of a small community. Does that make any sense?

The lake is really quite still and the water level isn't very high... (the picture in the last post was from last year). The boats aren't even allowed in their mooring spot until April 1st. So the docks are empty. Of course we don't get ours because of the dam work (hehe) they are doing... the water level will be kept lower and our spot was nixed for a couple years. I wrote about it last year. In a nutshell... we were on the wait list for 13 years. Got a spot for our little boat. The next year California decides it needs to do dam work and we're back out again!

Now what I am really excited about is to tell you that I spent Saturday with Camille from Thimble Blossoms... well, OK, I'm fabricating a bit... what I mean is that I spent Saturday making this Jelly Filled pattern by Thimble Blossoms.

What a fun pattern- a no stress project! I enjoyed the process and the

instant gratification! Now I still have to add the borders to it, but then it's done/ready to quilt!

How was your weekend? Don't they go by so fast?

Today, just as I was feeling like I was making good progress at work my computer crashed.

The ripple effect started. (is it effect or affect?)

My iTunes were on there and photos yada yada yada...

I ordered a new computer... and we'll see what can be salvaged. Keep your fingers crossed!

I can't believe that the weekend is here already!

I hope the weather will be nice where you are at.

This weekend, the weekend before Easter, marks opening day at Bass Lake

and the little food places open up again! Like Millers Landing. I think the camp grounds are open too. We are always faithful to go and enjoy a burger at the lake when they open and also have to be there at the end of the season, on closing day... and well, several times in between as well!

Aside from that I have something else on my mind...

I have BIG plans for this weekend and I think you can guess

what it might include!

I have had these letters in my sewing room but I thought they needed a fresh Spring look.

I found all this fun paper and thought I could do a little cut and paste with them. The paper they make now for scrapbookers are so cute. Luckily I already have a huge obsession with fabric!

I can't be diverted.

Which brings me to something else I want to do over the weekend.

I have this jelly roll of Blush that I have been wanting to play with.

And while I was blog surfing today I found these beautiful quilts over at Simplify. Today was Two-fer Friday. She is having a special on her featured patterns over the next 5 days her Jelly Filled and Pint Sized Jelly Filled patterns are just $5.

They are really cute aren't they? Thanks for the weekend inspiration Camille!

Shh, Apparently This Is A Secret...

You need to meet Cyndi, she is an addict. Not just any addict... a fabric addict and a bag addict. She can be found at Bluebirdswing blog & guess what? She is having a giveaway... of patterns... purse patterns... a bunch of them!

Ok, I don't really want you to go over there and see her cute blog and enter into her generous giveaway... because I wanna win! Amazingly,

I don't have any of those patterns that she is giving away! But if you do go over there and you do win... remember who sent you!

And here is another giveaway that I didn't know about... are you guys keeping the good stuff to yourself?

You know what these are?

They are Abbey Bags. You know, scrap catchers.

Abbey Lane Quilts is having a National Quilt Day giveaway...

and these 5 pincushion/scrap bags are going to be in the giveaway...

you just have to pick your favorite! It's not to late! go go go!

One Project Down, Two More Started

Some time ago, I learned about this little amazing thing and every Spring Equinox I share it with whoever I can share this with. Unfortunately I forgot to post about it before the weekend so you could go try it yourself but want to share with you the wonderful thing that happens during the equinox. The day before, day of, and the day after, you can stand an egg on its end and it will stay there through the equinox.

It's true, it's a fact. Something about the gravitational pull, the earth is in perfect alignment...

and the result is this...

This is just one of those things! But for those of you who doubt me... I'm sorry to say that you will have to wait until next year!

To add to my accomplishments for the month...
I finished this "bad boy", the one that has given me headaches... but it's all quilted and bound now and done in time for my son's birthday, which was on Monday. Happy 28th birthday to my first favorite son!

So innocently enough on Saturday morning, which by the way was a spectacular day, I decided to play in my sewing room and took a group of fabrics that the kids had given to me last year, for my birthday, and thought I would just make some flying geese. I have this great ruler that makes it simple and the units turn out perfect.


I picked a random size to make the geese into. I wanted to make the best use of the fat quarters and some fat eights that were in the little bundle.

I made up a few units and repeated with a few different fabrics. I was enjoying the process... but then decided I needed to finish up my Schnibbles that was also right next to the sewing machine.

But while I switched gears and worked dutifully on my project for April... I started thinking about a pattern I had by Miss Rosie that was called Due South. I diverted my attention from my project to find this pattern... that had to be somewhere close at hand! Because I started wondering what size were the flying geese in that pattern??? It's been on that mental list since last summer.

Here is my assortment of flying geese. The fabrics were all hand-picked by Jillian.

Here is that pattern I was looking for...

and what size were those geese? Well, I think it was because of the Spring Equinox and how the universe was in perfect alignment that the geese I made were exactly, EXACTLY, the size I would need for this pattern. How many geese did I make? 200. How many did the pattern call for? 174 plus 38 for the border. I think I officially started a new project here!

And this one too! I had wanted to make a special wedding quilt for my other favorite son and DIL to be. After much decision it has become a Kaffe Fasset influenced Dresden Plate quilt.

I had already made a bunch, like a couple hundred Dresdens but seem to have misplaced them.

(That was before the Spring Equinox!) So, I started again with the leftovers from that group. I have no idea how one group got separated from the other... but I'm sure they will turn up at some point and if nothing else could become a part of the border.

Right now my count is at 435 of these guys. I have a good start.
But if there is a Saint to pray to for lost fabric... please let me know.

Sunday we had prepaid for tickets to go see this movie with my sister and BIL. My husband wasn't feeling well and so I ended up meeting up going without the hubs (even though I had a migraine starting) I didn't want to bail on them... or loose the money for the tickets, so off I went.

I love Alice in Wonderland and have a little collection of paper dolls, tea pots etc of Alice things. I did like the movie... although it was a pretty loose adaptation, it was still lots of fun!

But I have to say that watching a movie in 3-D when you have a migraine is not wise. By the time I got back home I couldn't cope... I was out, down for the count, finished!

But I'm fine now. 48 hours later!

Spring Fever Has Set In

Giveaway Alert!

Spring Activity Giveaway!!!

It's not to late to enter the giveaway over at Kari's blog Fresh Cut Quilts!

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell her what your favorite Spring activity is!

She is giving away a layer cake of Fresh Cotton and not one, but two of her cute patterns.

Run, run, run... you only have until tomorrow!

My favorite Spring activity is planting flowers and getting things "ready" for outside living.

I am ready for nice weather and being able to sit out on the porch. Lawn games. Hammock.

You get the picture!

But I am also ready for some Spring quilting projects.

These are a few of the ones over at Moda Bake Shop that are on my "mental list" of fun projects for Spring...

Hushabye Tote bag by Jodi Nelson

Candy Buttons Quilt by Vicki E

A Sweet Baby Quilt by Amandajean

I'm Blushing by Natalia at Piece N Quilt.

Oh Cherry Oh table topper by Sheri Howard.

Pinwheel Baby Quilt by Jodi Nelson

and if that wasn't enough... everything they have posted in the last couple of weeks are adorable!

Vicki E has another great one posted and Cindy from Hyacinth blog has a real cute project on there last month and Pam Kitty Morning's Bow Tie quilt is really sweet too! So much talent and amazingly creative people!

I think I am just going to have to take a leave of absence from work, due to Spring Fever,

and go play for the next month!

Irish Blessings!

Have you seen this guy?

If you do, tell him that his mother says to stay out of trouble!

Did I mention that this son is in Ireland right now?

How fun is that? What a beautiful country that is.

I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories.

I have a small show of inspiration and tribute to share with you today.

Doll Quilts

Two sided quilt.



Winter

White
Beautiful Blue Zig Zag with red binding!

Cindy Lou Who

Tuffets

Picnic

These inspirations are from Lynda.

I want to share something with all of you about one of our fellow Schnibblers. Lynda Green.

Her blog is From My Farmhouse Window.

Lynda has been participating in A Year of Schnibbles since we started and although at first she didn't have her blog set up, but she soon got it started and I was enjoying reading it.

I had noticed that she didn't submit a Schnibbles for February and was very taken back by visit to her blog. The post was written by her adoring daughter.

She wrote that Lynda suddenly passed away. I was sad to know that I wasn't going to get to know her better. She was a new blog friend and as you know, we have a special community here in blogland. But as you can see from her quilts, she is an inspiration

and leaves a legacy to her family.

Courtney, Lynda's daughter wrote that Lynda loved children and promoting reading and she also suggested donating a book in her name to a local library in her honor. I plan on doing this and hope that the suggestion is something you might consider doing also. Please take a moment to read the last posts from Lynda and her daughter. I am sure your comments will be appreciated.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields

and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

traditional gaelic blessing

Spring Has Sprung

It happened! The invitations to the wedding for Todd & Jill have officially been sent! This marks the start of looking at that check list and making sure everything is in order and organized as the days get closer to the wedding.

It's June 26th. Which might seem like a long time in the future... but I'm not going to kid myself.

I thought I would share the invitation with you because they are so cute and Jill lined the envelopes with Amy Butler paper. The whole theme is "retro" and I think it's going to be sweet. I can't wait to share more as it gets closer to the date! They do have a blog for their wedding called Delightful Daisies. The pictures of her save the date cards were really adorable. I showed them here, way back when, but if you hop over to their blog you will see them there.

So now that I have my camera I can show you that my weekend adventures looked like this:

That little mess above represents my Schnibble for April.

Here are my houses for Yoyoville. Now to get them on the borders!

Some Easter decorating!

I finally finished, as in quilted and embellished my Roundabout.

More decorating.

I made these little eggs also. I had been saving the pattern from last year from Retro Mama blog. I made 10 using a half package of charms... all 40 but 1/2 of the square.

It feels so good to give the house a mini makeover after the dull after Christmas bla look.

But you know what's missing... my Spring quilts! I didn't take any photos of them!

I also finished the binding on my table runner. Another one checked off the list for Charming Guys & Girls Club!
Spring is here? ... I say bring-it-on!