Bright & Cheery

These are the fabric color choices for two quilts that I am working on for a client. The weather has been dreary, cold and the forecast calls for two more inches of snow. Not a worry... I have bright and cheery spread out all over my design wall and in my studio! Oh, how this selection makes me love what I do even more!

It feels good to finally get back into the studio and just practice and work on some older projects. I could use a bit of organization in here as well as some new fabric to begin the many to choose from ideas swimming around in my head. It seems the weeks are already flying by and before long I will be wanting to be outside in the garden! Oh, the thought of warm sunshine on my face and the smell of well conditioned garden soil is a wonderful thought. Thankful to be a semi-patient person, but I get all dreamy-like when it comes to gardening.

Here is a small clip of some practicing of background fill that I wanted to play with on a table runner that I started last fall. This weeks plan was to make up a sample book of some fillers and design work, so now that I got that UFO finished, I can start on the samples.

Have a wonderful Wednesday

A Drawing of Caleb

This is a drawing of my youngest Grandson, Caleb. I wish I could have captured his true sweetness but I am also my own worst critic. All I can say is that I did my best before I finally settled and decided that it was finished.

I love this little guy!

Quilt for Christmas

This quilt was designed by Christopher Florence. My husband and I went to a show in Springfield, IL where one like this had been entered and was getting a lot of notice. My husband seemed to find it most memorable of all the selections that I drug him to see over and over again while there. (I can never get enough quilt eye candy). I bought the pattern from my favorite quilt shop, The Hickory Stick Quilt Shop in Hannibal, Mo. with the intention of secretly making it for my husband. As it turned out, I decided that like another quilt that I made that still hangs over the banister because it's just too neat to use, Labyrinth Walk would also likely just hang over the banister instead of getting used. We knew that the adult kids in our family needed quilts this year for Christmas gifts, so this quilt was needing the daughter who is a senior interior designer in a major city. We were excited to give it to her when she was here and we hope that it warms her and her home.

Little Montage

I love doing little montage collections with a vintage flair and this is one that I had done one rainy day.The Christmas card is tucked behind netting and trimmed with embroidery, pieces of trim and tiny pearl beads. The piece just evokes that old fashioned feel with a combination of vintage lace, even a corner of an old hanky. Adding buttons and beads to finish the embellishments.

Finished the Modern Quilt

This is a quilt that I just finished quilting yesterday. When I bought the fabric I knew whatever design I went with would have to be "modern". I started out with a theme in mind which did consist of wonky squares, but really didn't have a "plan" per-say. After playing around with various layouts, I finally settled on these designs. Once I began quilting it, I felt that it was all coming together nicely! I chose the name; "No rhyme, No Reason" for this one. It is to be given to a daughter for Christmas and we hope she like it!

Lady Liberty

QOV longarm quilting pleasures

Quilts of Valor. I was not the one who did the piece work on this quilt and I don't have the first name to offer the credits to. Thank you who ever you may be and keep up the great work! 

Rain, Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day!

It's been raining for almost forty-eight hours here. Everything is saturated and although I'm certain that it will make for a beautiful fall scenery whenever the sun does come back, right now it's sort of dreadful!

HOWEVER: on the upside of things, I have two large bowels sitting on my counter top full of sourdough bread batter on the rise! One I am going to roll out super thin and brush butter and sprinkle seasoning on top before baking to try my hand at home made crackers. The other will become pita bread and flat bread!

I am a fanatic about saving every dime where ever I am able and one of our biggest dependencies on store-bought snack foods is crackers. I don't know why I haven't tried making them before now. The pita and flat breads are just what we like in a bread because of their sizes but I never took the time to make them; just always the large regular loaves that are still so delicious but not as much "fun".

So while the rain comes down, I will be in my kitchen all warm and cozy, counting my Blessings and smelling that enticing aroma of freshness seeping from the oven!

HAPPY AUTUMN!!

Wow, I can't believe that it is Fall already. The temperature here has been absolutely fabulous; mid to upper 70's and lows in the 50's. Doesn't the sky seem bluer in the fall than any other time of the year? I think so!

Today was a day spent in the kitchen. We had an annual Beekeepers meeting this p.m. and I needed to bring some carry-in dishes. I opted for a jello and carrot with peaches salad as well as a pumpkin bunt cake with cream cheese frosting. Both were a hit at the meeting! I also had set my sour dough starter out last night so needed to get some yummy bread made today, too. It is scrumptious!

It's definitely "nesting" time for me. I find myself doing some of the chores that sneak up on me so rapidly. Like painting the laundry room after nine years. Then once that got started, it's funny how I noticed that the bedroom needed some lifting as well, so did some major re-organizing there too. Of course this involved painting shutters for a headboard and moving furniture and stuff. Hmmm, side tracked... just a little.

I always feel better when I get things accomplished and as always, a woman's work is never EVER done.

Good to be back!!