Merry Kissing Frog to You!

I didn't send any last year...and felt terrible...so I made amends and made some Christmas cards.  

Fabric scraps win the day again!!  I wish I had kept one for myself!

 A couple Humbug bags....helicopters for my brother and Hello Kitty for the boy's girlfriend!

 We did Secret Santa this year and I drew my niece.  After a little snooping I found a quote from Dinosaur Comics that she likes:

"The time for questions is over.

Now is the time for unbridled optimism."

I so agree!

 Embroidered it on some linen and made it into a pillow.  I also put a loop at the top in case she just wants to hang it.  Love that fabric!!

This year's tree is a two foot tall Cryptomeria  'Black Dragon' . Isn't it adorable? Several days after Christmas we will plant it near our front porch.  It only gets about ten feet tall and five feet wide. Perfect!

(Sketchbook Challenge December theme..."Gift")

Here's hoping your day has been Merry and Bright and that you have been smooched by your favorite frog!;) HaHa!!;)

xo

~d

We miss you girl! xoxo

On the Night Before Christmas....

....there was three inches of snow on the ground and i finished this little guy while waiting for the boy to get home!

Felt and floss and a wee bit of stuffing...

 ....cuteness!  Can't wait to open your presents girl!

 See our trees outside with lights and snow?

How about now?:)

The boy is now home....it has been Christmas for 36 minutes....all is right in our part of the  world....but we are missing our girl!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

xoxo

~d

Who's That Behind the Curtain?

Bwahahahahaaa!! I'm having tooooo much fun!

This past February the theme at the Bitty Block Committee was Bathroom and I couldn't pass that up...too funny!  Now many months and themes later the ladies are trying to encourage us to do something with our bitties....any of them...with a little contest.   I have made a lot of minis with my bitties but I think this one is my favorite. Take a peek behind the curtain!!!

 Bwhahahahaaaa!

See....too much fun!;)  

The bathroom is all decorated for Christmas and that's the girl and boy age three and one in the mini frames!;)  Beefcake is only staying in the tub til February....then it's anyone's guess as to who will be....cleaning up!:)

~~~~~

On a serious note...

....twenty-six of the over 300 quilts made and donated this year by our generous customers at Webfabrics went to Newtown, Conn....hugs from Virginia.

Peace

~d

Doodle Awesomeness Freebie!

You know you need them....you know you want them....and free is always fantastic so go visit my little sister's blog for some amazingly Sweeeeeeet gift tags designed by said sis!  Add a little cardstock... a little ribbon and you're in business!  Thanks Bella!!:)

I think that little ornament matches my hair don't you...light auburn brown my a**?:) Bwhahahahahaaaa!!

~d

Swaps, Finishes and Thank You Dad!

Starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.  I mean I'll never reach the end because there's always a new project being started but at least now there aren't sixteen of them waiting to be finished!;) Here are the latest completions with a little Flickr swapping thrown in for fun!

A couple months ago my pal Mandy from Australia had a great idea...she asked me...."How would you like to swap Holiday buntings?" Well yes,  I would like to swap with you pal and what fun I had picking out fabrics!;) I used Lynz's wonderful tutorial and it all went swimmingly.

 A while back at the Bitty Block Committee we swapped Crazy 3.5" blocks.  I finally did something with them...a little extra fabric, an old belt and a new tote for me! If you click here I labeled the maker of each block.  Thanks gang...this tote is going to work with me tomorrow!!

 Now for a few finishes from the stack of sixteen.  The one on the left...batik scraps, the one in the middle, a runner made out of the leftovers from my Grinch quilt....the one on the right...

 ...finally finished the quilt I made and gave the girl....two Christmases ago!! I hand quilted the center sections of each square.  LOVE how hand quilting washes up!

The backs of the bigger quilts have some of the fabric my SIL gave me from Africa.  I keep forgetting I have that stash so when I remember I'm thrilled all over again!:)  

Of the sixteen....two are waiting to be bound and two are waiting to be quilted...twelve done! Yeah!

But today I didn't sew at all...no...today we spread free mulch....out of the truck my dad just handed down to me!  Aren't you all jealous? Thanks bunches daddy!!xoxo

~d

Thankful

I have loads of reasons to be thankful....but I'll keep it simple.  Of course my incredible family but also this family....

(Hoots, me, Claudia and Kerry)

...my Webfabrics family!:)  These are just a few of my buds but I just want them ALL to know I totally appreciate every one of them!;)

Remember that stack of quilts on my bed....here are a couple of them.

 

 The one on top made out of snowman/winter gear fabric is for my sister...

 

 This one is for my parents.  Both of them was made out of fabric my pal Kerry (above photo) gave me with a little extra from my stash.  Thanks bunches Kerry!

I had some scraps left from both of them so I made them a couple of table toppers.  Now in the holiday spirit I decided I really wanted one for myself! I have tons of Holiday/Winter fabric and plans for it all but no time so I cheated and used some fabric that had a panel!:)

Who doesn't love The Grinch?:)  Paired him up with some green/blue snowflake fabric, a bit of machine stitching....

....some hand stitching around the rectangles and a great all over design for the backing and....

....Slate is happy!:)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone....even to those across ALL the ponds!:)

~d

A Virtual Hug

Gearing up for Thanksgiving...baking vegan pies and cookies, casseroles and crisps...there has still been time for some sewing.

 Here is a scrappy 58x46 lap quilt using all Kaffe and Company gibblets.  I love that teal Bella solid!

 I especially love that backing fabric....and using leftovers!  This was quilted by my co-worker Penny...I love that all over design...sort of like clouds but better!:)

 I haven't participated in the Bitty Block Committee for a while but this month's theme is Winter/Christmas and who can pass that up? Not me!!  So I made twelve little snow houses and twelve little snow-covered automobiles.  My sis found that little Alaska stamp and gave it to me as that's where I was born....maybe that's why I like Winter!;)

The November theme at The Sketchbook Challenge is Spice of Life....first thing I thought of was a photo I snapped the day hubby and I went to get our Fall pumpkins. No trip to Nalls Farm Market is complete without Route 11 Sweet Potato Chips and Stewart's soda!!

 There's the Kaffe quilt sitting on top of a couple things I can't show you right now and a new project behind the pile!  I'm still auditioning backgroud fabric for that quilt.

Did some non-quilt sewing too!  My wrapping paper organizer purchased 20 years ago at a school fundraiser finally fell apart....totally apart....bits and pieces apart....no saving apart.  So I pulled the hanger out, used what was left as a template and made another one....that will not fall apart!!  There are two pockets in the back and an opening all the way up the right side so I can put those decorative bags we all collect inside!

 Here is my virtual hug....from my online buddy Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts fame!  We have the truckshow in the shop for her new book Skip the Borders.  I wrapped myself in one of them....and sold three signed copies that day...not including the one I bought!:) Great book....great quilts....check it out!:)


~d

Pumpkins, Paper Piecing and Pirates....Arrrgghhh!

 Last week we finally got around to buying our Fall pumpkins....never been this late in October!  The one on the left is called a Cinderella Pumpkin.  It's supposed to be the best eating....but that had to wait...while we ate our Route 11 Sweet Potato Chips and Stewart's sodas!!

 Dana at Old Red Barn Co. had a quilt challenge for us. Find a color palette and interpret it any way you want....I found one called "Alone @ the Airport" and I knew that was the one...since that's been our girl....alone at many, many airports!

 Still having fun with English paper piecing....and buttons! 

 This month's theme at the Bitty Block Bee is Sewing.  I was a little stumped because I kept thinking of past sewing theme bitties.....then I looked at my jar of buttons...and made a jar of buttons!  The wee quilt was supposed to be on a clothesline...but it was too short so I made it a hitching post.

(Polly the Patchwork Pirate....arrgh matey!)

At work we have been busy cleaning the shop while Carly is at Quilt Festival in Houston....but we are still having fun!;)

~d

Guess Where I'll be next March?!!

Yep....the Sew South Retreat....gabbing and needle stabbing....into fabric!;)

Tickets are still available....come play!

Thanks Dana!!

~d

The Girl Reviews the Boy's LP!

(At the Tower of London in June) 

Here she is...wearing the latest Hold Tight! tee...it's a photo I took of the them walking through the aftermath of the Blizzard of '96!!:)

She's smiling and proud of him and the band's latest album and shared her thoughts in a review on her blog... I just had to share what she said with you! You can click on the above photo and get a free download....or like she said...buy it!;)

(Sorry...I don't know who to give credit to for this photo!)

The boy's are now getting ready for The Fest in Gainesville, FL the weekend of Oct 26, 27 and 28.   They are playing Saturday the 27th at The Laboratory at 6:20pm.

If you live nearby check them out!;)

~d

Sand, Sunsets, Selvedges, a Flower and a Shower!

 Ahhhh...Outer Banks of North Carolina in October.....Awesome!

While climbing the largest sand dune on the east coast at Jockey's Ridge State Park we watched all the varied looks of a sunset with the girl who is home for a visit from the UK.

 What could be better?

 I'm not the only one that was taking photographs.

 Looking over the Sound.

 Worked on a double Grandmother's Hexy Flower....we are making kits for these at work!

Speaking of work...that was the real reason we were at the beach, so Don could remodel a bathroom and do a few other things.

 He didn't get a lot of time to relax. Among the many things he worked on during our week at the beach this was the main change....from this tub/shower insert to this...

...lovely marble tiled shower!

 While there I finished my Round Robin quilt....is this staged nicely enough Lynz?:) I had to wait til we returned home so I could put the couch pillows on the bed!

Yesterday I did my first selvedge blocks for Hollie at our Sew Fun Bee.  I don't think I'll be making any more because I just don't remember to save my selvedges!

Hope you've had time to enjoy a great sunset!

~d