Friday, September 23, 2011

Happy Dance!

The day started out pretty good!

Got out of bed...
Woke up the boys...
Got them ready and drove them to school...
Checked blogs...
Did the happy dance!


I had visited Gail Pan's blog at gailpandesigns.typepad.com and found out that I had just won her latest giveaway!!

Go ahead and visit her blog and you will see just how talented she is.  I think I've fallen in love with every quilt patern she's came out with.  And I love to do handwork, so all the embroidery that her work includes makes me want to purchase everyone!  But now she has given me that opportunity to work on her petite projects!

I can't wait until it arrives!

Jane   <3

Monday, September 12, 2011

Tedium is My Medium

 I've going through my unfinished projects.  Some of them have been so long ago that I don't remember precisely how I was going to finish them. 


This is my sunflower sampler quilt that I think I'll call Sunflower Daze. I have appliqued 52 sunflowers on it.  At the time, I had given myself a headache and was so relieved when I stitched that last sunflower.  And guess what?!  After looking at it again, about 4 months later, I have decided to add about 50 more sunflower!


I don't know why I do this to myself!  I guess it's just the quilt addict in me.  I just can't help myself!  I have cut so many flower petals and centers and now the tedious chore of appliqueing them to the quilt top!!

I'm still working on the Henrietta Whiskers applique.  It is taking me a little longer than I wanted because I am also cutting out the borders.  It's close to being done so it should happen soon.

Now back to more appliqueing!

Jane   <3

Friday, September 9, 2011

Quilt Reteat Fantasy

To start with, I want to let everyone know that this is only a FANTASY.  I don't ever see this ever becoming reality, but it's fun to daydream, right?! 

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Over this last Labor Day weekend, we had visited the mother-in-law's new house.  It is located in a small community in Kentucky so it was very peaceful and relaxing.

I wanted to give a small tour:

Outside view  
(photo from my niece)

Just inside the front door

The living room

Kitchen and dining area

View of loft on second floor

Due to my job as a stay-at-home-mom, I'm too busy to attend a quilt class or to join a quilt guild.  And I have never participated in a quilt retreat (though I hope to some day).  I could envision my mother-in-law's log home as perfect location for a quilt retreat.   

There are three very large bedrooms, one downstairs and two upstairs, large enough to fit three twin beds or two full\queen size beds.  Each bedroom is accompanied with it's own full bathroom.  And there is a loft area upstairs where there is some cozy seating for some hand-work can be done.

Downstairs, there is plenty of room to set up some tables for sewing machines and still have room for a couch to relax on.  There was even electrical outlets in the floor, so it was as if the room was made for this!

View from back porch

View of the back of the house
(photo from my niece)

Although I have no idea about running a retreat, I could envision 6 quilters staying for a weekend.  Just need a couple of people to take care of the meals and a couple of people for housekeeping.  The only downfall is that there is not a local quilt shop nearby.

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Now back to reality!

Trust me, I will be returning.  My husband and boys will be anticipating the next opportunity to ride the ATVs, but for me, I'll be packing as many of my UFOs as I can and I'll take advantage of the peace and quiet of the country-side and tackle a lot of my quilting projects!  Or, if I'm lucky, I might be able to get away by myself for my own private quilting paradise!

Jane   <3

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Holiday Weekend Yo-yos

We had great Labor Day weekend!  We visited my mother-in-law's new log home in Kentucky (which was fabulous) and all three of my boys (my husband and two sons) had a phenomenal time riding around on ATVs on their property.

(I will have photos of the new log home and some ideas I have in a future post).

Since I had most of the applique work done on my two quilts, I needed a project to take with me on this trip (it was a 4 hour drive!).  I decided to make yo-yos for a quilt that was on the cover a past issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.


I'd gotten a lot of yo-yos made but it is still only a fourth of what I need to make for the whole quilt.

Another item I took was another new read, The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  I had finished the book today and I'm looking forward to see the motion picture at the movie theater (although I think I waited too long, the movie is no longer at our local theater).


I loved the story.  Athough it had a happy ending, I had expected some twist and turns in the storyline that didn't happen. And every time I think about Mae Mobley saying "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." to Aibileen, it brings tears to my eyes.  I hope the movie will be just as moving as the book was.

The last block of Henrietta Whiskers had just come out, so I'll be anxiously finishing Block Nine and I hope to get the rest of the quilt put together by this weekend (I'll keep my fingers crossed!).

More to come later.

Jane   <3