Come visit...The Finch...

...Finch Sewing Studio!!!

One week ago email received from the boy "Mom....Kelsey thinks you might be interested in this place opening up in Leesburg...here's the link."

So I investigate....YES...I am VERY interested!!

(photos taken with my phone....ugh!)

Two days later I am at a Friday Night Sew-cial with several other like-minded peeps and the very lovely and talented Nicole of said Finch Sewing Studio!!

Nicole has taken the huge open and airy, bright and cheery bottom floor of the above building and made it into a place for gathering, learning, creating, shopping and general merry making!:)

There is a huge bay window filled with inpiration....and goodies on plates....

(Nicole's head is just over the flowers!)

...a really big cutting table, sewing machines and sergers, ironing board and wheelie chairs, shelves full of fun and of course...awesome lighting!:)

This is where I sat sewing the binding on a quilt for my pal Sally's daughter who just graduated from college...You Go Emily!!:)

I can't do the place justice...go visit Nicole's website and see all the wonderful classes and camps that are being offered. If you live nearby go visit...if you don't....you are missing out!!;)

~d

When He was eleven or twelve....

...our nephew drew this picture so he and his Granddaddy could make a box to keep his stuff contained.  Fast forward six years I found the picture while looking for a legal pad to draw an idea...and I had a different idea!!

 I made a quilt!

 I took the dimensions on the drawing and doubled them then added a border.

 My friend Linda quilted it for me then I did a little embroidery stitching his exact specifications on the box.

 Our nephew...he's a smart one.  He came in 3rd place in his catagory at the Intel World Science Fair and graduated this past Sunday...4th in his class of 409 students...

 ...going to Johns Hopkins University this Fall....on a FULL scholarship...we are very proud of him!!! Love you boy!!

On the homefront we've been having some fun too.

 Hubby installed some kitchen cabinets he took out of someone's house and put them down in a corner of our basement. We used to have a huge stack of boxes in that corner...now they have been emptied...only to be replaced by another stack of boxes awaiting the same treatment!;)

 In the opposite corner of the basement is what we call the Boy Cave!  Lumber sorted, old rugs put down, backseat bench of the old van in a corner as a couch, drumset is happy...so is the boy! 

 Look what hubby did with seven free pallets....new compost bins!  Now if it would stop raining and warm up so we could get seeds in the ground! I feel like we are in the UK!;)

Time Lord

 Since it's been so rainy I've been doing some other sewing...these are blocks 2 and 3 of the Dr. Who. Along. 

K-9

I can't wait to see what is next!

~d

Nancy is now a Grandma....

....to TWINS!:)

 Yep, our birthing instructor, family friend, Godmother to our boy and former neighbor now has two more people in her life to love!:)  Ava and Ian were born to her boy Freddie and his wife Elizabeth and of course that gave me an excuse to play!:)

A few fun strips of animals, bugs and dragons, a charm pack and some yardage of Sherbet Pips, 80 different charm squares for an I Spy and three baby quilts were born!

 But didn't they just have twins? Yep...but the I Spy stays home with Grandma Nancy!!  Can you see the Star Wars charm?  There are a few Marvel characters in there too!

 Little look at the backs.

 My favorite...I can just see Grandma Nancy and her grandbabies looking at all the cool stuff around the world...and beyond!:)

I can't say No....I mean I can but this time I couldn't! This Tardis is the first of twenty blocks being designed for the Dr. Who. Along. I think you should join us!

Visited my folks last weekend...did a lot of planting and eating good food...really good food!

 Then came home and extended a bed to include this Chicago Hardy Fig tree that my parents gave me....too cute!:) We planted some basil and lemon verbena along with more lamb's ear....hopefully the powerful smells will keep the deer away!

Now I need to plant these....maybe tomorrow!

From Virginia...With Love....To Boston!

My little bit of love going to Boston.

Great comforting things are afoot in the crafty world and you can be a part of it! Want to send Boston some LOVE....go here and check it out!

Peace

xo ~d

Over 200 Posts and Peeps!:) Let's Celebrate!!

These three celebrated last week...yep...four birthdays in four days the fourth

being my Mother-in-law's! Phew!!

1994 the girl is seven, the boy is five

But there were only two around to celebrate cause the boy is waiting til he comes home next week (Yeah!) and of course...the girl in in the UK!  Her present was too big to mail so we sent her a card with a photo of her present on the cover.

This is what she'll get...one day!  Every square a story...the story of the girl...that flag twirling, tuba playing, story writing, BS and MA earning, traveling all over the world girl!

 But for now I can enjoy it!

My in-law's neighbors are celebrating too...the birth of their second grandkid.  Since Granddad is a large animal Vet and they raise sheep and cattle, I used Locally Grown on the front and backed it with this fabulous farm print! I love it!  They have strict instructions this quilt is to stay at their house for when the grandkids visit!;)

Ok....now to the BIG 200!!! I recently noticed that I have past my 200th blog post and have over 200 followers!  I'm just so thrilled about it I thought I would share....

 ...share some of the bounty I received at the Sew South Retreat!!:)

As a little thank you I pulled a few things out of that pile of goodness and added a few scraps of fabric. I'll add a couple other surprises. Leave me a comment and let me know...when you finish all your WIPs...what will be your next project?Heheheh..."when you finish all your WIPS" Bwhahahaaa!:)

I'll pick a winner next Saturday the 20th and of course...international peeps are more than welcomed to enter!!

I have quite a few WIPs of my own including this behemoth...that's 15 yards of scrappy binding laying on top...I need about nine of it for that monster!

Thanks for visiting everyone...really...thanks!!

~d

The FIRST Sew South Retreat was....

... in Charlotte, North Carolina . This amazing adventure called  Sew South was all about ....

 ...meeting new friends....

...shopping at We're Sew Creative....

.... IKEA smiles...

...sewing....

 ...gluing...

 ....more sewing...

....nourishment to sew some more!

Happy finishes...

...and proud, inspiring new friends!!

After a drive home through Virginia....

...and one week later....I still haven't opened my duffle ...I still can't look at all the glorious stash we received...then it really will be over...I don't want that feeling to be over!!

Thanks so much Jennifer....thanks so much!!

~d

ps...I really can't express how awesome this weekend actually was so go here to the Sew South flickr group and read what others so eloquently wrote!

Don't Forget to Be Awesome!

This year at work I'm in charge of Block of the Month program.  

There will be thirty different blocks by years end...

....here are the first eight...very scrappy.  I love them.  

Too bad I have to wait a year to put them all together!

 In the meantime I finally finished the top of the Mystery Quilt we did last year. It's not quite my cup o'tea but it was a nice challenge and I love the fabrics.  Kerry and Penny have to really stretch to hold it up it's so huge!  Penny will be quilting it next month! Yeah!!

 Last year during our visit with the girl in the UK I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday and the girl's roommate, Rose, gave me a lovely package of fabric squares. I used them to make a little case for  the Acer computer my dad gave me and a scarf! Thanks Rose!

Here are a few Reverse Starburst blocks I made for Krista. Each little square is 4" before stitching. Love them.  Google it to see quilts made with this block!

 The girl at work at The Story Museum....being Awesome!;)

~d