birthday quilting . . .

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that yesterday was Joc's birthday. We celebrated last night in high style with Chinese take out, carrot birthday cake, lots of children antics, and a board game.  It was a LOT of fun! How could it not be, especially with two sassy cuties like these two??

Right?!?

Joc wanted gift cards, but gosh, I hate to just give a gift card!  So I grabbed some Nook time over all the snowy days we had last week and got this pretty little topper finished up for her . . .

It's in the same prints as her Wedding Quilt, so I thought it would be a happy little reminder of it and her wedding day. Ellie, upon seeing it, immediately scooped it up and exclaimed, "Oh it's just my right size! 

Thank you SO much, Neesey!"  And Joc wanted me to tell her it wasn't for her?! Gracious. How do you deny such precious, darling gratitude??!

That and the commemorative block constitute my usage this week.

Nothing in. I'm getting really good at this.  LOL!

And speaking of the comm block, it's also my hand work for the day.

I do love hand quilting . . . it's so . . . steady. Linking up to Patchwork Times and Kathy's Quilts!

Have a fabulous Sunday -- and hopefully I'm not the only one enjoying a sunny, gorgeous day!

:)

design wall dilemma . . .

I'm not sure what to put on my design wall.  I've got a lot of finished tops that need to be turned into finished whole projects.  And I've got the mug rug that lacks just a few embellishments before it's ready to be finished . . . 

Haha!  Don't study the back too closely -- I *definitely* did not do a great job of making my back look as neat as my front.  I guess since I knew it would be covered with batting and backing, I didn't sweat it too much.  LOL!

I had a run of new things in February (it always pleasantly surprises me to see what new things I tried during the past month):

My little heart spool quilt for my stand.

The mug rug, of course.

My Celtic Garden Hexie piece (which should be finished this week).

And the wedding quilt scraps topper I whipped up over retreat.

So . . . design wall . . . maybe back to Grandmother's Choice blocks this week?  I also have a baby quilt (Olivia Mae's!!!) I need to be thinking about.  Whoa!  

Photo Credit:  Moda Bake Shop

Kim loved this heart quilt "Candy Hearts" by Gigi's Thimble, found over at Moda Bake Shop.  Isn't that a sweet one?  We were both intrigued by the ruffle around the edge. The hearts are made from a charm pack of Plume.  I adore it!  :)

All right then . . . maybe I just needed to write it out to determine where I needed to go from here.  A sounding board, so to speak!  What are y'all working on this week??!

Linking up with the Design Wall Monday on Patchwork Times and the NewFO challenge linky party at Cat Patches!

:)

where i've been . . .

So, evidently not only did I leave my voice at Grand Oak Retreat, but I brought home a case of walking pneumonia, as well.  Which, in a weird way, makes me feel a little better about my lackluster performance (what I worked on) while I was there.  I was so tired the entire time . . . now I know why!

I also realized I hadn't shared hardly any fun pics from my time with Ellie, the three days prior to retreat! We had such fun together!  She was very intrigued with my bin of *embellishments* . . .

So much so that I had to pull some BIG buttons together for her to play with while I stitched with bitty beads. It was so darling to watch/listen to her play with them.  

She'd pour them on the table and say, "Clean up, clean up!" Scoop them back into her cup and pour them out again.  I got a good sixty minutes of stitching in while she played the button game!

We also made teacup cupcakes!  Oh my gosh, these silicone teacup holders are so precious.  Kim had gotten them for me for my birthday . . .

Ellie enjoyed helping make them, but she *really* enjoyed eating them!  They were a big hit -- I need to get another set of four, I think!

We also spent some time on the playground . . . girlfriend can swing all day!

I loved the way she'd throw her little head back and shout, "Wheeeeeeeeee!!!"

And we watched a movie together . . .

This was during a particularly suspenseful part of the Little Mermaid.  Look how grown up she looks!

I did get a few things put together on retreat, but not nearly as much as I'd wanted or hoped to.  First thing out of the box, I did up the two starstruck blocks for our guild swap . . .

The theme for this month was red and white.  Sweet!

Then I stitched up this little table topper . . .

Recognize the fabrics?  I wanted to get it sandwiched and quilted, too . . . I'll save that for another day.

I did get a Grandmother's Choice block pieced . . .

I like the "T's" in this one!

And I did a lot of handwork, both on my Celtic Garden and on my secret little project (of which I'll share just a tiny corner):

Actually, I spent a LOT of time on the little mug rug project.  Hand work was my favorite!  I've spent a lot of time this week working on my Celtic Garden.  The Colonial knots are finished and I'm almost finished knotting the light green French knots in the center hedges.  Then on to the flower gardens!

And of course, what's a retreat without a tee-shirt?!  

This year's offering -- great colors!

And I enjoyed some spectacular sunrises.  I took one panorama photo.  Simply stunning!

It's not compressed, so when you click on it, it'll be full sized.

We had a total of fifteen women . . . all chit-chatting and oooohing and aaaahing over each other's work.  I love this group of gals . . . 

And of course, the "can't-do-without" gag shot.  Some of us are better at this than others!

I hope to be back in full swing by next week, but I admit, I'm still dragging a bit.  I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!!  I'm ready to usher in health *and* Spring!!

Happy Friday!!

:)

newfo's for august . . .

When I first thought about what I might post for NewFO's for August, I drew a blank . . . then I remembered . . . I actually had quite a few new starts for August!

First I had the two wedding quilt scrap toppers that I've been playing with . . . 

Then I had the mini-rail topper . . . 

And how could I have forgotten my sweet little Mr. Owlie?!?

I also have a finish . . . 

Yup!!  I'm pleased to introduce Lemonade on the Rails!

I'm so in love with this piece!

I quilted it very simply, but with metallic gold thread.  Just to give it a little *bling*!  I can't wait to put this out!

Wondering about the name?  Especially since there's absolutely NO yellow anywhere in it?  Crazy, but *definitely* appropriate!  It's explained HERE.

Linking up to Cat Patches and her August NewFO linky party!!  Head over there and check out what other great projects were started this past month!!

And me?  I've already got a GREAT idea for a new project for September!!  I'm off to play in EQ and make it concrete ... or, errr ... cloth?!

Don't miss the once in a "blue moon" tonight!

:)