Wonky Angles

I finished my 6th round quilt for the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt-Along....Hexagons...so much freakin' fun!!

I decided to make this one a wall hanging and didn't really have enough to make it big enough so I thought I would have fun with empty spaces....and wonky angles.

I say wonky angles because this was the first time I ever did inner angles. Those came out great...it was the outer corners that are a wee bit pointer than they should be but Nancy at work told me what to do the next time I attempt obtuse angles...follow that angle...so you don't get too much fabric to tuck under.
I really wanted that fabric with the black dots for the binding but it was one of the outer hexies....so I used the feather fabric to bind around that one while using the one I wanted for all the rest. I love how it came out. I think this is going over our couch.

I also finished a Crazy Nine Patch top using a Frolic bundle that Maria gave me for my birthday. She went shopping at the shop and the ladies helped her out...thanks! I used some brown Dimples for that dark frame and I plan on using the same thing for the binding.

This is going on the back. I got it from Urban Outfitters....the background is a little lighter than it should be but who cares...it's the back... you won't see it with the front and the rest of the colors match perfectly...I like it!;)

I did a little shopping at work today...all from the sale section....but I really need to stop!:)

~d

We are Just Plain Proud....

I told Maria how her brother had a bad day yesterday.
Maria loves her brother....

...and vice versa....

....so she was none too happy to hear about his day...

....where he was treated badly at work....

....so she blogged her feelings....

Maria love her brother....and vice versa....

and we are so proud!

~d

Christmas in June

I haven't really felt like working out in the yard....my sewing machine is keeping me occupied. But the other day I realized that one reason is our yard has finally reached what could be called the Mature stage...only needing a bit of mulching and weeding.
I mean there is still a lot we can do to make it look better but nothing is pressing and there is so much happening out there that I don't feel the need to get many more annuals. There are a couple of pots and a hanging basket that could use a few more things but that's it.
There is this mystery plant growing all over the place. I love it but can't remember what it is called. That's santolina in the pots and lamb's ear in the foreground but for the life of me I can't remember what that variegated leaf plant is there on the left....it is a great self-seeder ...any guesses?


Before I forget, see my great new flickr button up there on the right...cool isn't it? That's my handwriting!!:) My little Sis made it for me and if anyone is interested in having a cool button like that you can contact her (Foobella) using the link on the right under "Mia Famiglia"....which is "My Family" in Italian. Thanks bunches Sis! I love it and you!! xoxo
Back to the yard....see all those piles of grass clippings....and there were more not in the photo....

10,000 steps later they were in and around the garden and other places around the house. Grass clippings are such a great weed suppressor and FREE!:) Hubby made that great new compost bin on the right using old pallets. Our tomato plants are soooooo tiny you can't even see them, but they are there. That's what we get for starting them from seed...in May!:)

Took this photo at 6pm and the shade is just starting, this spot starts getting full sun at 8:30am....over nine hours....yeeehaaa...hopefully that will jump start those tomato plants, that and yummy compost!:)

See these two trees, two of about ten on our three acres...

...they are Mulberry trees and they are covered in fruit!

Yum! Too bad it is raining today!

Christmas Cactus blooming in June.....Thanks boy!

There is great happiness in not wanting,

in not being something,

in not going somewhere.

J.Krishnamurti

(1895-1986)

~d

Three Days of Fun....and it's not Done!

Yesterday was my birthday but the fun started the day before....
While bundling up this new collection Wintergraphix III (I'm in love!!) my coworkers at Webfabrics called me into the back to see someone's quilt. Now this isn't unusual...luckily it happens everyday someone bringing some fabulous piece of fabric art to Show and Tell...so I rushed back to see. They got me, there on the table was a lovely chocolate cake and a card...informing me they didn't get a funny card because -quote the card..."We know how easily people your age pee their pants."!!:) Man I'm lucky to be working here. These peeps are the best. And to top it off Carly posted a picture on the Webfabrics Facebook page and I got lots of love!! Thanks online peeps!! xoxo
The next morning I got the love from my family....Don bought me these amazing petunias and impatiens....in pink....just what I asked for! I need to make some cushion covers for my black chairs...I'm thinking pink and ORANGE! I also notice my Christmas cactus from my boy is getting ready to bloom again! Bonus!! After spending a great morning with my pal Sandie...she gave me my fabulous lunch bag last month...she couldn't wait and I'm glad...I came home to birthday banners all over the living room/kitchen and presents on the table and a card from Dena...

with a clown face down on the street...
my friends really love me!;)

It was also Dena's daugther #1's bday...

we are birthday twins!

Happy Bday Queen 1!! xoxo
After going through all my many email bday greetings...thanks Petrina....quilt book has been ordered from Amazon...and listening to my parents and my in-laws sing Happy Birthday on the phone and enjoying a bday phone call from my boy, Maria and I ran a few errands and rented a movie for our evening's entertainment.....Zombieland! Guess Dena's card was quite appropriate!

When Don got home from work I opened my other gifts....a fold-up pruner from Don, wickedly sharp, a bundle of Frolic, an ice cream cake and a homemade card from Maria!! Then Zombieland!

The fun didn't stop there....this morning my pal Sally gave me this wonderful book "....And Wisdom Comes Quietly" a collection of sayings to quiet the soul and appreciate the simple things. I'm not really a poem/sayings book person but I did sit down and start reading it and I have to say it spoke to me...so I'll be sharing some nuggets of peace with you all now and then....here is my first pick...

"We need time to dream,

time to remember,

and time to reach the infinite.

Time to be.

Gladys Taber

(1899-1980)

Tomorrow, birthday dinner with my in-laws.

This weekend, birthday visiting with my family down south.

I am blest!

~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

With New Eyes-Blogger's Quilt Fest Spring 2010

Seven months....that's how long it has been since the last Blogger's Quilt Fest and that's how long I have been blogging....so I'll blame...uhum....thank Amy for that!;) Thanks Amy!! I will also thank Lynz for this quilt....With New Eyes....she is the one that told us about the tutorial at Sew Mama Sew for a supersized Shoo-Fly quilt. Each individual square on mine is 25" and that is a perfect size for showcasing a large print....which I realized in the above photo is upside down!
Ah, this is better. Once I saw this pattern I really couldn't think of what fabric to use...then I had a dream and actually remembered it when I woke up. In my dream I was recommending Jane Sassaman's Sunshine and Shadows to a customer because of the big print....duh! Big and bold Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Coleus in amazing colors...perfect! This is the first quilt I have sewn that I have used fabrics totally from a collection...sometimes you just have to go with it! Speaking of going....go check out the Blogger's Quilt Fest Flickr pool too....amazing things going on out there!!

With the leftovers I started to sew something for the backing but decided it needed to be it's own quilt...so now it is a work in progress.
So once again I took what was now leftover and found a mauvy purple solid Kona and a few wavy quilting lines later With News Eyes was done....and named after a band my son used to be in....now his band is Hold Tight!

Green, purple and fushia....I think these are my favorite colors...how lucky was I to find these two chairs while at the beach this week...they go pretty good with our door!

I think those are Slates favorite colors too!

~d

"Originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes."

Thomas W. Higginson

Happiness on a Clothesline

This clothesline of cuties was great fun to make...the one on the right is blue batiks and the one on the left is Moda Whimsy. They are a little wobbly looking because they are fresh out of the dryer...yeah...I like to get them crinkly!!;)

The rest are scraps from my scrap pile....which is really stacking up!

Speaking of stacks check this out...stacks of Moda Puzzle Pieces, a great new basic we have at work...there are 100 different fabrics in this line in 12 different patterns...Wowser! I'm going to get some of the variegated Rainbow to put on the back of my Black and White Plus one Color mini I am making this month from the Mini QT Swap 3.5"s....as soon as I get them all!
One more thing about work, Carly started a Facebook page for Webfabrics, and we sure are having fun with it. If you scroll down to May 4th you will see someone familiar in an apron you have seen before!;) Come visit!:) Not only are we making B&W+1color 3.5"s squares this month (and our group is 16 strong!) that is also the theme for the Mini QT quilt and to make it a bit more challenging it can't be square nor rectangular....I'm starting to miss right angles! Above is a sneak peek.

This is a photo of mini quilt central! Several of the minis are those I received in swaps and two of them, the tall Xmas one on the left and the flying geese you can just see over my stack of WIPs (there are over 27 of them!) were pieced by some online pals and I finally quilted them....see Anna and Karen...

I finally finished them!!:)
Another wee bit of news, there's a new blog called Quiltporn....I know...some may be offended...I thought it was funny...pretty catchy too. Just thought I would tell you about it because I had a couple minis featured there...check out days three and four!;) Thanks for asking Wendy!! xo

And finally....here's a something else small that I hope will grow into some large gloriously colored coleus....and here's wishing all the MOMs in our lives a most gloriously colored Mother's Day and know you are loved!;)

xo

~d