BIG News

Okay - I've been up to some pretty big things lately.  I finally have time to share with you.

We made a 

BIG Purchase

Which leads to BIG Adventures (over 2600 mile trip & several states)

And Big Mountains

And BIG Cities 

So BIG I had to memorize the map.

My little girl moved to Littleton,

Her boyfriend is in Lakewood,

His parents are in Fort Collins,

We stayed in Golden,

then stayed in Wheat Ridge,

While we were there Mr. Boyfriend ditched my daughter, came back to our campsite and asked us for permission to marry her.

YIKES! That was a BIG conversation.

Which led to her getting a BIG rock at Red Rock Canyon, Colorado

and a big smile!

My family is getting BIGGER.

YEA!

And BIG smiles from me and Bruce.

So that is what I've been busy doing.

Linda, 

who is looking forward to another BIG adventure.

OMG Finish for March

Yikes! I was beginning to wonder if I would finish this block before the end of March for OMG 

I found this fabric

It just reminds me of bees.

I used it for the bees wings.

with some shiny gold thread.  I love it!

Then I embroidered his little body with a satin stitch.

I've been dilly-dallying with this.

Trying different stitches and colors for the flowers - ripping them out because they didn't look good. And then last night I realized it's the end of the month!  I must get this done!  

So I did. 

Linking up with OMG for March.

If not for OMG I would still be tinkering with this block.  Thanks Patty for hosting OMG.   

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Let's Talk about Quilting is Blissful....

When I first started blogging (years ago) I found Di's blog - Quilting is Blissful.  For me - reading her blog is such a pick me up. She is always so cheerful, she had the funnest little stories, the cutest little cartoons and the nicest little projects she is working on.  Right away we emailed back and forth - and I could see she is genuinely such a nice  person.  And so interesting too.

Well, skip ahead a few years (like 10!)  and we come to Di's Blog Anniversary Giveaway. 

Which I WON!  

Yesterday I was having a rough day.  My supervisors at work have been giving me more and more things to do to the point of overwhelming me.  And in the mail, was this package!

Oh cares about work!  Let's open this baby up!

Oh - wait.  Where are my manners?  I want to say thanks first.

THANK YOU Di!  

See how delightful that wrapping is?  And such a cute card. And Di put darling little kitty kat stickers on the card!  Awww - I love it.  Makes the card even more special. 

Okay - first the dark blue present.

WOW!  How pretty is this?  It's adorable.

And I love birds.

And look at the wonderful details, love the lace and those cute buttons! 

Oh I just love this! What cute flower suckers - looks yummy too.

We have a joke in our family, "All anything needs is a doily and a bird on it." Because I love birds and my husband loves doilies.  I had to laugh as this certainly fits the bill. 

Also inside that pocket are Flower Seeds!

ZINNAS!  Perfect for where I live! I'll be planting those this weekend.

And in the light blue present....

Is this the cutest fat qtr?  I LOVE it and it so reminds me of Di!  So pretty and girly, and filling lives with fairy dust!

Thank you Di for all the sweet presents and for all the years of letting us read your blog and see into your world.

If you haven't read her blog - here's the link Quilting is Blissful.

Linda

OMG for March

I just love having only ONE goal per month.

Having only one seems so doable.  

Even for a person like me that get busy with other areas of life.

Thank you Patty of Elm Street Quilts!

So, this month will be another of Val Larid's BOM.

I changed up the center of the design, but the rest is Val's Design. 

I did have time to start on it over the weekend.

I had thought I would do the freezer paper method.

 

That didn't turn out so well - I'm not liking it.

Look how sloppy - and hard this will be to stitch.

I didn't want go look for it - but there was no other choice. I spend some time digging around in the sewing stuff and found some Heat & Bond.

(Side note here:  I've known for years I need to do some organizing of my stuff. I barely know where to start!  I've been watching Tidying up with Marie Kondo on Netflix.  It's getting to me and I might just tackle this situation.)

Now back to my applique and using Heat & Bond. 

So much easier - and so much quicker!

And oh my gosh!  So much neater!

So this is my goal - to finish this block.

So now - on to the questions.

1.  Do you think I should use fabric for the bee's wings or just embroider?

2.  Which method do you prefer, Heat & Bond or freezer paper or turn applique?

3.  Have you watched (or read) Tidying up with Marie Kondo?

Happy Stitching,

Linda  

From Disaster to Perfection

Oh my gosh - listen to this! (Er - read this!)

I finished the quilting and binding on my Dogs Quilt. I still needed to cut the threads on the back.

BUT in the meanwhile....

My little darling granddaughter came over.  All was well, she was having fun playing, then she started going down hill. 

She was tired and climbed onto my bed and covered up with the Dogs quilt.  Ahh how sweet.

UNTIL she threw up!! On the quilt!  That is not technically done! That I had NO intention of ever washing! It was only going to hang on the wall. That I wasn't sure could even survive going through the wash since it is appliqued.

Yes that quilt.  

Bruce threw it in the washer and the dryer.  

I didn't say one word.  If it's ruined, then it will be ruined.

AND it came out so soft, and cuddly and perfect. All the quilting even looks better!   I'm soooo, soooo glad it was washed.  I totally love it!

  Now instead of being a wall hanging, I will be using it and it will be sitting on the back of my couch.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this quilt!

I totally love that little granddaughter too.

After she threw up - I told her.  "You know what that's called? Blowing Chunks!"  She laughed and laughed.  Jumped down and started jumping around the room.  Oh my gosh!  Stop that kid!  Before you Blow Chunks again!

Kids!  

Happy Stitching,

Linda

Fear is Taking Over

Oh my gosh, I can't believe I've taking this on.

At first I was happy -  I did it!  I finish the backing.  AND I sandwiched my quilt.  What a great day!

 Now I'm just thinking, what am I doing???

The quilt is so big, it barely fit the living room. I had to tape the backing under the couch!

I do not know how to quilt this!!  I'm NOT that good of a quilter.

Right now I'm thinking I could SID round the black stars to stabilize it.  Do some feathers in the white border.  Maybe that's too much?

Do you have some suggestions for the big yellow stars? I do know that my daughter will want something very simplistic. 

And then I'm thinking for the outside border straight lines going out to the edge. 

One thing I know, it won't get done if I don't start on it.

In the hand sewing area I'm still working on the Generosity BOM

 I found some fabric for the bell flowers.

Happy Stitching,
Linda

Kindness & Generosity Blocks

I love doing hand stitching. 

Although I'm not that happy with this last one.  

I'll move on to the next one while I think about it.

Okay I do not care for Mushrooms - well I love them in food or raw, but in stitching not so much.  

I actually stopped doing the BOM years ago because I didn't know what to do instead of the mushrooms. 

As I was looking at the similar shape between the flowers and the shape of the mushroom heads - it occurred to me draw some bell shaped flowers and a bee.

I sized it to fit the mushroom area and using transfer paper drew it on the fabric.

Actually - I was rather pleased with myself as I've never thought up a design before.  

In the meanwhile, my sister called and asked if I would please give my BOMs to her as she loves them.  Aww - I'm so glad she does!  

I showed her my design and the mushroom one and do you know what she said?

She likes the mushrooms better!

Hahaha

Well, too late!  (I don't know if that transfer will come out of the fabric.)

You know how it is, sisters always like different things. 

Well, maybe it's just me and my sister.

The Kindness Block is my OMG for the month of February.

I also had a secret OMG.  The reason I didn't mention it is because I had NO faith in myself to complete it.

It is the backing for Serena's quilt.  Which is almost finished.

I've never done a pieced back before.  After reading a couple tutorials I just went for it.  It was actually a lot of work.  All that getting down on the floor and crawling around to measure (king size quilt) and up to sew and then down again - and going to the bedroom to iron.  

AND THEN!  I was 4 inches short on one side.

What the What?!

I was just too tired and had to quit for the evening. 

The next day I was sooo sore from all that up/down/crawling.

  Hahaha

It is still my goal to finish this backing before February ends. 

Enjoy your stitching,

Linda