Lina, Dena and Me!

Lina (BahayKoobo) and Dena (ORBC Quilt-Along peeps) stopped by the shop the other day, Lina to show us some quilts and Dena to meet Lina!:) Not only did we all have a meet and greet but Lina made us these amazing wee owls!! Drooling Sooz?:) They are about 1.5" tall and as cute as can be...that's mine on the right. Lina was nice enough to email us the tutorial she used and another that shows the pattern.

Here are the sweet ladies enjoying all the color in our shop but the neatest thing was the quilts Lina brought for us to see....go to Webfabrics facebook page to enjoy the craftmanship of Lina! Thanks Ladies!!

We had another fun swap at ORBC...trading packs of 25 five inch charms. I sewed mine in a 5x5 grid seperating each finished 22 1/2" square with grey Kona. I sewed those together in 3 sections for easier quilting through my machine. Once I am done I'll make a label that will help me always remember who gave me which set of charms. This baby is going on our bed...hopefully soon!;)

Last week Maria got a new Acer notebook to use when she goes to Oxford Brookes University next month...instead of toting around her 8lb laptop she can skip around with her 3lb Acer! She needed a case and her notebook is smaller than a laptop but bigger than a netbook...so of course she asked me to make her something.

So we went looking into my pile of unfinished projects and found a tablerunner that fit the bill, sewed up the sides, added a little ribbon to close the flap and problem solved. I love it when a solution is right at my fingertips!

Last but not least I wanted to share some recent fun I had at the shop...see that huge stack of fabric....

...it's Kaffe Fassett's newest collection....and it is awesome! I had to cut 4 half yards and 6 fat quarters of every one of them....there are 33 bolts....and.....

...one yard of all 33 of them for someone overseas....sure wish it were me!:)

Tomorrow I'll let you know who won the Dutch Wax Prints and scraps giveaway!!

Until then Happy 4th to all my US peeps!!:)

~d

Itty Bitty Block Fun....and a Giveaway!!:)

One of the Flickr swaps I am in is The Bitty Block Committee, an off-shoot of The Mini QT Swap. The 3.5" blocks became so popular that they needed their own Flickr site!! For the month of April the theme was Camping....how cute are those blocks? Remember...I only made one of them...the lamo one second from the left at the bottom...but I think I redemned myself putting them all together!
This photo really doesn't do those mini squares justice!

May's theme was Black & White + 1 Color and everyone was assigned a color so each square was not only unique in design but unique in color. My color was lavendar, upper right corner. See how I sashed the wee blocks in ROY G BIV starting with red in the upper left corner? I just love the rainbow binding...and my pink chair!!

June's theme is Picnic/BBQ but I skipped it since I was really busy, coming up is under the sea/beach....go visit the group to see what awesome stuff they are making...in only 3.5 inches square!
Now for a GIVEAWAY!! Remember all that lovely Vlisco Véitable Hollandais Dutch Wax Prints that my sis-in-law gave me last week (you should check out the prices on their site!!)? Well I sorted it all and...

....this is my stack of loveliness....

....and this is YOURS!!

Yep...there is enough here for several people. Most of the folded stuff has parts cut out of it but I wanted it to look neater so I folded it, the bags are full of wee bits.

Leave me a lovely comment and let me know if you are interested in the small scraps too because the bag is full of bitty bits...but tasty bits!:) And if you would like another chance let others know about this giveaway and leave me another comment that you have blogged about it...I'll trust that you did!:) Please make sure there is a way for me to get in contact you when you win!:)

Going to the Parents for an Independence Day BBQ this weekend so I'll leave this open a week and draw the winners....at least FOUR...on Monday, July 5th. I've been cleaning out my stash and scraps too so I may just add a few other surprises!! Oh...and I'll ship internationally...can't leave out some of my best pals!!:)

~d

Happy Father's Day....to ME!;)

First of all, Happy Dad's Day to all of the Pops out there,

hope every day is dad's day!:)

Even though it is Father's Day weekend I feel like I hit the motherlode! We went to Georgetown with the in-laws, met up with sis-in-laws then we all headed out to Nando's (fabulous Portuguese/Mozambiquan Peri-Peri chicken).

But before we left for lunch my sil directed my attention to three paperbags...paperbags FULL of Vlisco Véitable Hollandais Dutch Wax Prints!

I mean stuffed full to the top with folded loveiness and PILES of scraps!

She wanted to know if I could use it!!!

Oh my gosh YES I can use it!! I just sort of stood there and drooled for a while. You see, sil's hubby works for the State Department and they have spent many years living in different African countries and while there sil would quilt and swap fabrics with others.

But now her interest lay elsewhere and this stuff was just taking up space in her basement...then she thought of me...how lucky am I?

Hmmmm....me thinks maybe it is time for a giveaway...what do you all think?;)

Changing the subject while you get a tissue to wipe your drool...

Maria got a new camera... Canon SX20IS....20x optical zoom...I am jealous!

One more wee bit of eye candy....

for Nicole (Hardypartyof5)...

in the mail tomorrow...I promise!

So...do you all think I need to share and have a giveaway?:)

~d

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