B-day from Gal Pal Jenn!!!!!

Gosh, how I love my buddy and NOT just because we exchange simply faboo gifts!!!!! I had NO idea this collection even existed - Pine Needle Sewing Center Scottie Dog Banner & Gift Tag Kit (includes fabric to make 1 banner and 8 gift tags)........ It's the most wonderful collection of four fabrics, perfect for a banner or the beginning of a Scottie throw and won't the tags make THE best quilt labels????? And they came in the most dear gossamer snowflake sprinkled basket, perfect for a wintery delivery of gifted Scottie keepsakes, thank you baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Tale of Two Bags Part Deux

Sooooooooooooooooo in love with my curved log cabin blocks from the February Country Piecemaker's class with Augusta Cole!!!!!!!!!!! While contrast made for the most effective curves, with most members using scrappy or planned mediums and darks and then a white, off white contrasting, that didn't make me hesitate a bit in using my beloved darks Batiks and a lovely, tranquil Caribbean blue green - OMG, OMG, Oh My Gosh, it is BEYOND lovely!!!!!!!!!!! So Augusta advised us to create the first block, to assure exactness and then I just totally rocked out string piecing, never even counting the number of blocks till I completed the string the next Thursday..... Well, I ended up with 15 simply gorgeous blocks and I decided these treasures would be best profiled as a tote!!!!!! So a pleasing 3 over 4 pattern on one side and the remaining three blocks for the reverse, with log cabin like strips surrounding them. Then attaching the two panels together, laying atop a pieced segment of batting and decorative stitching at Scrapper's on Saturday to complete the outside. Lining and assorted interior pockets from Debbie's stash reduction sale, a trip to the hardware store for oversized plastic tubing which I filled with crushed shell, a not so easy assembly process, box pleated bottom, pinch pleated opening, gathered ruffle and specialty ribbon handle accent and VOILA' - a tote bag extraordinaire!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is SUCH a keeper, WOO-HOO, picture perfect, LOVE IT when it works, actually, I just love it anyway................ (not the best pictures as it's raining and I had planned on taking the pics outside, guess you'll just have to bask in it's glory in person, too funny!!!!!)

A Tale of Two Bags..............

How very Dickens of me, right? A Couple of weeks ago, I began weaving a small bag to carry my essentials at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival. Some of my favorite colors and bits o' fibers, including specialty yarns, ultra suede, fabric and ribbon and wouldn't you know it, I had kept putting it on the back burner as to finishing it but seeing as how I wanted to include it in this quarter's offerings at Quilting Adventures and I was meeting with Joyce last Sunday AND the festival is tomorrow, well, I just needed to get 'er dun!!!!!!!! Uber happy with the way it turned out, from the multi-strand woven strap, to the gorgeous heavy metal linked chain accent I had been saving for just such an occasion, to the ever so lovely Batik lining!!!!!!!!! I dun' good!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and BTW, Joyce was over the moon about adding it to the schedule, May 5th, 6-8 pm - YEAH ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over the Moon!!!!!!!!!

This is me, bustin' out the biggest ol' smile you have ever seen................ Look what buddy Shirley shared with me, bless Janet Lee's heart, whata' birthday gift!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Hi SAO,

I love your blog and it is always a treat when it comes. I usually go over it a few times!! You make beautiful quilts!

I must tell you though, your friend Catherine steals the show with me. I wish she had a blog as well!! She is always smiling and having a happy time. I wish she was close to my area!!! You are blessed and so is she!"

Take Care,

God Bless,

Janet Lee Monnett

I wish I could put Janet Lee in my pocket!!!!!!!!! WOO-HOO, talk about makin' my day................

Yet another action packed weekend............

I'm a bit pooped but elated by all the activities and outcome from this past weekend!!! Friday night, you could find Shirley and me at the Memories Galore crop from 6:00 p.m. to midnight and as always, had a bunch o' fun!!! Then, bright and early to the Country Piecemaker's quilt guild meeting with Augusta Cole's curved log cabin class following from 1:00 - 7:00. Have I mentioned how much I adore Augusta????And I am in serious love with my calming, oceanic blocks, can't wait till I get back to them. And what occasion would be complete without dearheart Shirley clothed with her shirt wrong-side out????? And THE most glorious of sunsets, OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!! Perfect finish to a perfect day.... Then Saturday was Valentine's Day with John gifting me the most dear little Scottie purse that's ever been created, love that he loves me so......... Breakfast at Cracker Barrel, then a few errands and back in time for a little nap......

Next came a play date on Monday with Ellen and Margaret at Ellen's house and Ellen opened up her lovely home and studio to us and WOW, does she have the treasures or what????? We all created so many lovelies, so varied, so interesting, in the fervent hope that we will be able to incorporate these luscious bits into Margo's classes........... They were all created with our embellisher machines and Margaret gave us each THE most glorious piece of diaper lining, dyed with printer ink - see, it's not just for poop anymore!!! Beware the artist, nothing is sacred or off limits from becoming an art implement, tutu funny!!!!!!!

Does it get any cuter than this??????

In need of a potholder for an exchange challenge, I returned to the humble origins of the loomed potholders we all made as children. Surprisingly, or NOT, these bits o' childhood entertainment aren't all that easy to find. Everything now has either a motor or computer connection............ But I found many a delightful moment in creating patterned potholders, who gnu, and then I simply HAD to alter their usage and enhance their appeal............. More to come but for now, just enjoy this cutie pincushion............

I fell for it, again......................

Thankfully, it was figuratively, not physically............ Took even more pics of Monday's snowfall and yes, it's taken me this long to post as I thought perhaps, if I ignored it long enough, it would ALL simply go away. Just FYI, didn't work.......... Yesterday, they presented this treasured bit o' info - we've already had more snowfall this season than the last FIVE winters COMBINED - DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They're forecasting a 70% chance for Monday - better not, I have an extremely necessary play date with Ellen and Margaret, mad scientists alike, love their faces!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No mo' sno!!! No mo' sno!!! Come on, all together now, No mo' snow!!!