First Day of Summer

(photo borrowed from Back Porch Musings)

I love Dogwood Trees. The flowers are so sweet!

They bloom here mid May until now, when it starts getting warm.

And first day of Summer marks the time when the temps start to go up!

Some other flower info:

One of the blogs I first started reading was the Red Geranium Cottage. She is always a lot of fun and now she is starting a new adventure! If you get a chance, check out her cute little store she opened. Her store link, Daisy Cottage Quilting, is on my sidebar.

OH, ...and get over there today for a giveaway!

I Heart Hexagons

Before the weekend starts I thought I would share these photos with you, although they aren't the best shots... sorry about that!

I had a few photos of a class I had taught on a Hexagon pattern.

I don't have my sample for the class unfortunately but I thought I would share these since a lot of people are participating in Julie aka Jaybird Quilts, Hexagon Quilt-A-long.

I love these and was really surprised by the batik one with the dark background.

Here is one in progress...

And here is another one with the rows sewn together.

I made mine out of Fig Tree fabrics... and I love it!

Note to self: ask son #1 to bring that one back!

Anyway, it pretty much looks like this one:

This is the pattern cover from Laundry Basket Quilts. The designer is Edyta Star... love her patterns!

This one is called Twist and Turn. I really love the border on this one too!

Here is one I did from an American Jane pattern... and this one just calls for a jelly roll.

I have sewn all of these guys together now... for the Hexagon A-long... but they seem to have taken

 a back seat for now to other things.

Can you believe that it's Father's Day weekend and Summer Solstice is on Monday?

I'm thinking there is going to be a BBQ going on... a sure sign of Summer!

One of the other things I plan on doing this weekend

is practicing walking in these:

Wish me luck!

Seems Like Something Is Missing...

I am officially in the wedding countdown mode. 9 days to go!

Yesterday it dawned on me that I was forgetting something....

you have seen these quilts before....

and this one too....

but did you know that these were suppose to be quilted and bound so that they could be used at the wedding? In all my cleaning and such these quilts got folded (as is) and put in the closet! I forgot all about getting them quilted to go along with the other ones that will be used as backdrops. So, last night I went home and did a quick quilting job on the one just above because it was already all pinned and ready to go. I made the binding this morning... so that will be ready to go tonight. I'm kind of sad about the simple, in the ditch, quilting. I think it would have been so nice to do something a little more with this quilt. The other two are small projects... I plan on pinning them this afternoon during my lunch hour.

I just had been thinking of how my various check lists have been coming along.

The book above has been my Bible. It has a list of what to do the month before, 2 weeks before and days before the wedding.  I have the cake layers all baked and in the freezer. I have gathered what I need for the rehearsal  picnic luncheon and just need to make the labels for the boxes now. My dress, after going to Plan B and then back to Plan A, just needs a zipper now! (Thanks to my friend Patty, who keeps me on track and keeps me believing that this will get done).

My good friend Rhonda has set up a pedicure for us during our lunch hour on Friday! And my friend Kathy dropped off a gift certificate for me, for a facial, to be used either prior to the wedding or after, depending on my melt-down factor!

Quilting, which we all know is really good therapy-  is on the back burner for now... but I have plans!

Kelly, at Charming Chatter, is having a Between Charming Friends Quilt Along!

I have my little, not so neatly stacked, strips cut and ready to go along with the background fabric and border strip fabric picked out here!

Here is my mini BOM from Temecula Quilt Co.

I will just be looking at this for a while.

And although I am super excited about the FQS Designer Mystery BOM that came in the mail this week...

I think it will have to stay on the back burner also for the time being! But aren't those Kate Spain fabrics so cute? I'm telling you, this is going to be a fun one!

Don't ask me know my Hexagon A-long is doing right now! I do have some pictures from a hexagon class I gave though... I'll show you those next time!

A Welcome Surprise

My surprise package from my swap partner came last week...

 

It occurred to me that I never showed my potholders from the Potholder Swap we did! I received these adorable potholders and matching dish towel from my swap partner Amy B., who doesn't have a blog... but I know she's out there!!! Isn't the Dresden especially sweet? And they go nicely in my kitchen!
I have a huge red rooster weather vain on the wall in my farmhouse kitchen! Perfect!

Thank you Amy!!!

Another surprise was my friend  who came to visit...

She lives in Oregon and happened to be doing some work down here in California... and decided she had time to look up an old friend before heading back up north!

We haven't seen each other in something like 8 years! (Back when Hannah was a puppy) So now Hannah is allowing Lynne to make up for lost time and give her lots of attention! We had a wonderful time catching up... and the weekend was over in a heartbeat!

 

Something else I haven't seen in a long time were these shop samples I made for Cottage Quilts!

My friend Virginia ran into my office yesterday and dropped these off for me on her way to work... at Cottage Quilts. This was a Fig Tree Club project called Cobblestone.

This was another Fig Tree Club project.

A table runner out of Whimsy!

Here is my little wall hanging that gets to come home now and live in my sewing room!

And yet another Quilt Along that is to cute to pass up!

Kelly from Charming Chatter is teaming up with Darlene from Quiting Daze for a mini version of her
original pattern. I loved her original pattern and have that on my "I'm Going to Make That Someday" list.

So, a mini version... I say why not!

 I think I can squeeze this little cutie in between Schnibbles...

don't you?

Pass, Swap & Give

Okay, here I am... all signed up for a very fun Pincushion Pass! I've got my wonderful partner and I've got my wheels spinning! I just finished the Potholder Swap and now Amy from During Quiet Time blog is hosting a pincushion pass. Now how could I pass that up? Fortunately I have until the end of July to complete my little project! I am so excited about my partner too!

When I first started exploring blogland I had joined a swap... and lo and behold, I was the person who was left out in the cold with an absentee swap partner! Not a good first experience... but since then I have enjoyed these opportunities to make/pass/swap little gifties with wonderful blogettes! I think the second swap I participated in was actually with Miss Punkie Pie, Jen! I adore her... and she has helped me a lot, when I have questions! So from her blog I saw....

 

that Dandelion Quilts was having a Summer Tote Swap...

and I couldn't resist this one either! Fortunately, again, I have some time to buy here.

But it is fun that in this one and the pincushion pass we get to meet our partners ahead of time!

My partner for the Tote swap is great, so this is going to be a fun project to make especially for her!

Here is a giveaway- Jane is having!

we both have weddings coming up... so I have had fun seeing on her blog what she has been up to!

I have my sons wedding quilt done and ready to send to off to the quilter now to!

 

Please go check it out- you won't want to miss Jane's Fabrics giveaway!

It's A Win-Win!

Our Year of Schnibbles parade was so fun! I see a lot of the Schnibbles as they are coming in, but some of them get emailed directly to Sherri at A Quilting Life and stay on her blog... so I even get surprised when I go see her parade post! Everybody is so creative with their quilts! It just makes it so fun! So I want to be sure to thank everyone for participating in our Year of Schnibbles! Kudos to you!

Once again it is time to announce our randomly picked prize winners....

The Fat Quarter Shop, who we all love, is offering a $50 gift certificate to

one of our winners of this month's Schnibbles Parade...

and the gift certificate goes to:

Cindy who made Dulcinea

Carolyn, the owner of Cottage Quilts (where I get to teach at sometimes) is donating a $25 gift certificate this month to one of our wonderful Year of Schnibbles participants!

And the winner is:

Bea

Quilters Paradise, has a wonderful store in Clovis CA and also a great web store too.

QP is giving a $25 gift certificate as a prize to one of our winners:

and the winner is: 

Regena

I love this picture. I wish I would have consulted with Corrie over at Quilt Taffy when I was going to show my State Fair Schnibble and had her give me tips on taking adorable photos!

Corrie is giving away a $10 Gift Certificate to be used at her on-line store! She always has great kits put together... including Schnibbles kits!

The winner of the gift certificate is:

Thelma

Bear Paw Quilts and More, my LQS, is offering one of our Schnibblers

Two Charm Packs from the new Basic Grey group "Fruitcake"!

and the winner is:

Mary of Quilt Hollow!

We have a surprise for you here...

Kari Ramsay, of Fresh Cut Quilts,

is offering a copy of her book and a layer cake as a prize to two of our parade participants!

Please hop on over to her blog to see pictures of the quilts that are featured in her book!

The winner of the layer cake from A Quilting Life parade is:

Lindz

The winner of Kari's Tidbits from Triangles (click here for pics inside)

 book from  my Parade of Schnibbles is:

Sasha

Our wonderful Miss Carrie will be assisted by Miss Rosie in picking a winner from each of the parades.

Each winner will receive a layer cake of Garden Party by Blackbird Designs!

From Sherri's parade the winner is:

~ Edith from Red Door Quilting

From my Schnibbles parade the winner is:

 ~ Simone of Quilting and Stitchery

Thank you for stopping by to see our Year of Schnibbles winners.

And a big thanks to all of our Schnibblers out there... 

it was fun to see the variety of Schnibbles you picked! 

Here is Your Free Choice Schnibbles Parade

I hope you had an enjoyable weekend. I always enjoy the Memorial weekend. Three days off!!!

We start off with putting out the buntings and other decorating in red, white and blue. I love the family get together and BBQ's. Nothing better than the smell of a Barbeque! And laughter!

I think you are really going to enjoy A Year of Schnibbles parade of quilts for this month! May's Schnibble was a free choice... so everyone got to pick a Schnibble that they had been wanting to do that we hadn't picked before. So we have a big variety to show you and of course over at Sherri's blog, A Quilting Life is another half of the parade that you won't want to miss!

But before we begin, I thought you would like to see what the

 Schnibbles pattern is going to be for this month...

We were thinking that  this pattern reminded us of Summer and what do you do in Summer?

Maybe go to the State Fair!

Finished size: 31" x 31"  Fabric requirements:

50 charm squares for blocks     19 charm squares for outer border

5/8 yard background & inner border    1/3 yard binding

(I actually used a Jelly Roll for mine, I only had a little bit of fabric left over)

So now let's see the parade while you are thinking about what fabrics to use for State Fair!

To start with we have Betsy made out of Cherish by Andee from the Modern Day Diary blog.

She also made a coordingating little topper!

This is the Embroidery Lady's, Gran, Bow Tie

This is Scratch made by Simone of Quilting and Stitchery blog.

This Schnibbles is Gentle Art. Made by Mary of the Needled Mom blog.

Here is Karen's Gentle Act using her fabric of choice, a medley of fabrics by 3 Sisters.

Trish of Quilt Tales and Cat Tails  made Decoy for her free choice Schnibbles this month.. .in patriotic colors and topped with as nice little vintage sewing machine!

Thelma od Cupcakes and Daisies did a unique twist and combined 2 Schnibbles patterns, Madeline and Good Fortune and made this beautiful quilt that she has renamed Madeline's Good Fortune!

Here is Hot Cross Schnibbles by Suzie.

This one was made by Stina, it's her sweet version of Hot Cross.

Sasha made this one, it's Houseboat!

This is McGuffey by Sandy at Sandy Loves to Quilt.

Here we have-- Cheap Trick-- by Sandy F!

This Schnibble was made by Robin at R SIS LAND CRAFTS blog. It's McGuffey.

Here is Oso made by Mary F. of Quilt Hollow!

This Schnibble was made by Marianne at D is for Dovy. This is Marianne's version of Ballet Slippers!

And here is McGuffey by Lisa B the Candle Lite Quilter

Here we have a Schnibbles is made by  Suzanne!

From Sandy's Show and Tell... This is Sandy's Schnibble "McGuffey!

This one is X-Rated by Megan of Crooked Seams

This is Reveille by Kim of Kim's Big Quilting Adventure. Love that mitered border!

Here is Nice Day by Sandy of  Crazy Bout Quilts. Sweet!

This is a very fun version of Houseboat by Polly of Aunt Polly's Porch.

This colorful version of Scratch is made by Regena of Quilt N Quilt Things

Here is Lincoln made by the wonderful Paulette! I love how the stars pop in this one! (Sorry, no blog.)

...and one more to add is from Trish at TLC Stitches!

This is her version of Two Bits! The back looks just as good too!

So if you haven't been there already, go over to A Quilting Life and see the rest of the parade!

I hope you enjoyed this month's parade of Schnibbles as much as I did!

Check back tomorrow to see our winners!