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

Graduation, Anniversary, Baby Gifts Given...Oh Yeah!

Maria and her flatmate Rose want to give their expecting friend a handmade gift and asked me if I would make them a baby quilt.....HECK YEAH I yelled across the Atlantic!! Their friend doesn't know what she having...other than it's a baby:) ....so I ran to my stash, fondled a bunch of fabric and sent them some photos. They pondered my wonders and picked their favs...elephants, owls, monkeys, camping critters, donkeys...and some Pips!:) This is what I did with them....

Gotta love simple squares in frames some blue fabric on one side and some mauve on the other!

Oh the wonders of the washer and dryer!! Crinkly goodness!

But my favs of what they picked were the farm animals...and castles!

Perfect for a wee babe born in the UK! Yes, the animals and castles are going in different directions but I didn't want to cut up the fabric so I took some artistic license and just went with it!:)

I used some of a tapestry I bought from Urban Outfitters for the binding and

in the bottom corner I embroidered "From Maria & Rose 2011"

Hope you girls like it...I'm sure the baby won't mind what he/she is snuggled in as long as it is warm!!:)

My pal Sandie's youngest graduated from high school this June. I wanted to make her a little something to remember it all...something she could put her pins and stuff on....this is her growth from elementary school to high school and the seed that has been planted as she begins her new adventure at Temple! Congrats Court....Do Everything!!!:)
It's my folks 57th anniversary tomorrow....they love the beach, especially the Outer Banks. I was inspired by this quilt by Kelsey Creates I saw on the Fat Quarterly blog of four lighthouses (BTW...on that blog post my little quilt is #7!:). The folks don't need another quilt...but I think a little wall hanging might just do the trick!:) You can't tell from the photo but the black stripes are 4 different black batiks and the whites are tone on tones....looks better in person!:)
Now I finish up a few more projects that need to head over the ocean and then it will be time to start working on Christmas projects. In the mean time we are still enjoying the yard...finally got some much needed rain last week....and look what bloomed in the crack! Gotta love freebies!!:)

~d

Exclamation Day!!!!!

WhooooHOooooo....it's been a great day! First of all I finished a few things today one being this mini made out of the last scraps of Kaffe...
....it's wonky on purpose and I think it looks like an exclamation point so that's what I am going to call it. I think I want to give it to Maria's friend Beth...don't know why....I just think of Beth when I see it. Do you want it Beth?:)

Second....PIPS are in the house...well...in the store!! We received a shipment of Sherbet Pips jelly rolls and charm packs by Aneela Hoey. This is Aneela's first fabric line and from all the buzz online I don't think it will be her last!:) Bolts won't come in until next month. I guess Moda just wants to get us excited so that's why we have to wait....teases! Decisions, decisions!

Third....my lovely online pals over at Mini QT received their minis today so I can reveal them to you all. This "Dotty " themed mini went to Laney....she's new in the swapping game and I was tickled to be her partner this round! I think we are all ready to see some fireflies!:)

The other mini I had to make this round was 3D for my bud Amy. The felt birds hang off of the jinglebell apples which are also tumbling out of the basket while bead butterflies flit over beaded flowers. These were so much fun to make....thanks ladies for being such great partners.

Lastly, it was a great soft mail day too....my pal Mandy sent me an extra 3.5" block for this round of bitty blocks....she said she was going to scrap it but remembered our sweetie Slate and thought maybe I could find a use for it.....You betcha Mandy!! I added some Max & Whiskers border and a leftover dotty star block on the back, ribbon drawstring and now I have a bag for the nano Don gave me for Christmas!:)

Like I said....Exclamation Day!!!

~d

Mile Post 9 Adventures

We were at the beach last week, Kill Devil Hill, NC. Don had to put a new kitchen in a condo....and we were able to stay a few more days.
Here's the kitchen he had to replace...some of the upper cabinets are already gone....the rest he tore out...and we schlepped down two flights of stairs....

...and then schlepped new cabinets up.....two...flights....of....stairs...ugh!

About 75 up and downs and a day later the kitchen was in....cardboard counter tops and all!;) A granite top is on order....so then the fun began!

This was the first day...before going up and down the stairs...when the sun was still shining...

Then the kids came and so did the rain. But everyone just went with it walking on the beach between rain showers.....going to see Ironman II and Robin Hood...having some so-so Chinese and some fabulous Mexican food....

Doing a little shopping at the local Wings where you can find everything beachy...

...including things nobody should be wearing even though she really liked it! On our last full day the sun finally came out...but it was only 67 degrees. We went to the beach anyway and it felt soooooo good....we stayed too long....not wearing suntan lotion. I'm a bad mom! We are now all pretty crispy and peeling.

On our last day we did just what Bob's sign implored us to do....
and we said good-bye to the beach.

Once home...nursing our burns...I made my STUD Swap mini. The theme for May was "Wish You Were Here" so we had to make a mini representing where we live....so mine starts in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and ends.....

....at the beaches!;)

~d

Another Fun Day at Work...

The first thing we do at work is fill orders. I love that job, it is so fun to see what everyone is buying around the world and I do mean around the world because Webfabrics ships everywhere!! Well, the first order I was given was a rainbow bundle of batiks. We didn't have any more so I had to make one....of course while making one I had to make five more so we would have them in the shop! Needless to say I worked on that one order all morning.....

....but it was sooooo much fun!

Happiness in a rainbow bundle

of batiks!!:)

Here's a look at my lastest mini...this one is 6"-11" made for my partner Naomi in the Mini QT Swap....that's a new name, it was called the 6"-12"mini quilt trading swap...a bit of a mouthful so they changed it....get it? "QT"....cutie!;)

But I think I'll be resting my sewing hands for a few days....did some pruning for the first time this year...didn't wear gloves.

~d

Pink Fairy Tale for Team Tiara

This is a masterpiece created by a group (Old Red Barn Co. Quilt-Along) created by....Dana!! Our faithful leader was asked by Team Tiara if she could make a quilt for their "Quilts for a Cure" project. Dana put the challenge up to us asking if we could donate squares for her to make a quilt or two...well...those donations swelled to SIX quilts! Dana is one smart lady and after piecing two of the quilts realized that she needed a little help from her new friends and I was one of the lucky people who received a "Quilt-in-a-Box" in the mail. Fifteen awesome squares, batting, backing and fabric for sashing/binding. The squares were joyfully donated by Heidi, Caron, Brittany, Donna, Tracy and Ms Stephens.

I had an odd number of squares to work with so I put one on the back and I also used part of a duvet cover I bought on sale from Urban Outfitters for the backing....I still have enough to make a couple more lap quilts from that duvet!:) Yes, we still have plenty of snow on the ground!

I did some wavy line quilting down the middle and on the sides but didn't want that on the awesome corners so I....I can't believe I did this...but I outline the corner squares! The binding is lovely white dots on black...perfect to frame this quilt.

Some of the donated quilts will be photographed for a Quilt Calendar and in October all of them will be auctioned off on ebay and all the proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Cancer Research. Now it is time for me to pack this quilt up and mail it to Texas.

I am honored to have been able to help out and I do so in honor of my mom and mom-in-law who are survivors and my new pal Lynne of Oz who is knocking that crap out of her system right now!! YeeeeHaaaaa!! And thanks to all my fellow quilters at ORBC....you all ROCK!!:)

They think they own our road...I think they are right!:)

~d

Happy Heart Day....One for Me...One for ?:)

Woke up to lovely sunshine, lovely cards from my sweeties and lovely chocolate chip pancakes!:) What more can one ask for....other than the snow to melt?

I know...I was feeling so great I made these little Valentine minis....all 11" of love, one for me and one for you!

Seems the hardest part of making anything is picking out the fabric and then laying it out....that took just as long as the actual sewing! But it was such fun...and would you believe once again I dreamed about making these?:)

If you would like one leave me a comment (making sure to leave contact info)by Friday, February 19th at 6pm EST. I'm not fussy...just say something to keep me smiling!;)

Now the perfect end to a perfect day...hubby and I are going to go see a movie...and buy Maria a Valentine's Day gift....a new baseboard heater for her room!;)

~d