Blessings Everyone.  I hope you're week has been pleasant.  I've been a busy little bee this week.  I've posted some pictures of the quilt I just took off of my machine tonight.  Gracious it took me longer to quilt this quilt than my total labor time to deliver my two children.  Yes, one of my children I had at home accidentally, but that's another story.  I am so happy to have completed this quilt and I am very happy with the results of this quilt done by Pam S. (Pictures 4 through 8) This was one of those big quilts measuring out at 91x108.  I believe Pam said the pattern is called Jubilee Celebration.  I know I'm celebrating now that it is quilted.  Thanks Pam for allowing me to quilt your quilt.

Pictures 1 through 3 are the quilt Cindy S. made. Cindy made this quilt to give as a gift for a gentleman.  I tried to choose masculine quilting for this quilt since the theme material was of animals in the wild.  Cindy always does a great piecing which makes my job easier.  I so appreciate your talent, Cindy.

I have to share this quick story.  My husband, Gary, was putting new screens in our patio doors last weekend.  He put in the animal proof screening, because our cat, Tom, was a bad kitty and practically had one screen in pieces.  Gary was having trouble cutting the screening until I gave him one of my old Olfa Rotary Cutters.  Let's just say the job is completed and my old Olfa Rotary Cutter is now in Gary's tool box.  So ladies if you have any old Olfa Rotary Cutters you're not using, your husband or significant other might appreciate it.

Blessings to all.

And Happy Saturday Afternoon.  I've been quilting all day and its been fun finishing up the quilts for this past week.  When I am finished I do plan to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather we've been given today.  I hope its not too hot for the Indianapolis 500 Time Trials.

I've posted a few pictures of what I've been working on and some material that I plan on using for my next quilt.  There are some lovely pieces of material in my stash that I've been building on for my next quilt.  I found a pattern called Double the Fun designed by Kate Spain (www.katespain.com) and Sherri McConnell (www.aquiltinglife.com)  The pattern is in Better Homes and Gardens Quilts and More - Spring 2012 magazine.  I bought the magazine just for this  pattern because I love the illusion of the pieces seeming to float on the quilt.  I plan to only do one side, but you can do this quilt as a double sided quilt. 

What a happy week I've had quilting those beautiful quilts.  I am trying to break out of my color pallete of pink, pink, pink but the quilt Cindy S. did with the pink Kaffe material is hard to resist.  I just completed a baby quilt that had butterflies in the material so I placed butterflies all over the quilt.  This will be one lucky baby who receives this quilt. 

And lets here it for the new blue pillowcases I made this week for my bed.  I don't have my new white quilt yet, but atleast I have the pillowcases made and on the new pillows I just bought.  The pillows are very robust in size.  I was worried at first that my pillowcases would be too small for the pillows, but as you can see they fit nicely.  Our bedroom is looking better each day, but I'm still not done "sprucing up". 

Well I'm off to go spray paint the tan wicker chair that is in my bedroom.  I think a nice fresh coat of white paint will "spruce up" this old chair nicely.  The chair was a rocker and I discovered I could take off the rocker part and save some space in my bedroom.  I'll post some before and after pictures, that is if the chair turns out okay.  Enjoy your afternoon.

Blessings to all.

Happy Saturday Everyone!!!  I love Saturdays.  Saturdays are a freeing day for me.  I woke up early this morning, too early. I knew it was too early because the birds weren't chirping yet. Our cat "Tom"  decided he wanted to wake me up and came to the patio door with his meow let me in call.  He is now in the garage probably sleeping away and I'm wide awake.  When I wake up "too early"  I figure I'm supposed to say extra prayers.  Once I've said my prayers I usually can go back to sleep.  But the birds are chirping as if they are a full choir outside and I really am wide awake now.   I did say a little prayer for my daughter, Kristen, who is working the rural mail route today in Reynolds.  Be safe daughter.

My mind is on a quilt that is still loaded on my machine.  Cindy S's flannel quilt is almost finished.  I just have the bottom border and a small area on a side border to complete.  I worked until 11 o'clock last night but suddenly the "yawnies" hit me and I knew it was time to stop quilting.  As soon as Cindy's quilt is completed and I have a baby quilt next in line that I need to finish today.  Maybe it was a good thing that "Tom" woke me up early.  I'll have to give him a little milk to thank him.

I got a little behind my quilt schedule this week due to two doctor's apointments and one dentist appointment.  I don't know about you, but I am always relieved when the hygienist and the dentist say "keep up the good work your teeth look great". Sigh!!  The ENT doctor said your hearing is great for a woman who is going to turn "60".  There it is just what does that mean "for a woman who is going to turn "60"!  Now I have no excuse when I tell Gary, "sorry I didn't hear you". And the last appointment with my regular doctor who said I don't need to see you for awhile just keep monitoring your blood pressure.  Aaahh, thank you Lord.  There really is truth in the statement, "If you have good health, you have it all."

I hear a bass boat out on the lake.  I wonder if the fish are biting today?

Enjoy your Saturday everyone.  Blessings to all.

Happy 3 o'clock everyone!!  It is an absolutely gorgeous day here today.  The sun is shinging brightly, there is a slight breeze, the lake is calm except for an occasional boat and I wish I was outside.  But duty calls as I am finishing up a quilt by Jane O. 

I did run out briefly to take some pictures of some of the beautiful flowers and plants I received for Mothers Day from my family.  Perennials and annuals were given as gifts and each plant brings peace to me along with a smile as I gaze at God's beauty.  I can't pick a favorite flower or plant because each one of them is special to me.  I have one little yellow flower blooming on  the plant in picturre #4.  This plant was given to me when my father passed away in 2001.  I can hardly believe that my Dad has been gone for almost 11 years.  The little yellow flowers will always make me think of my Dad.

My rose bush is a bounty of beauty.  There might be 75-100 blooms out on this bush right now.  I could smell the sweet scent of these roses this morning as I was standing outside on the deck above the roses.  I am blessed. 

Don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

Blessings to all.

I just had to stop and "smell the roses" today.  Obviously, you can't smell their sweet fragrance, but if you want to stop by and smell the roses please do.  This bush is about a month ahead of its normal schedule, but I am enjoying their beauty and appreciate how such a beautiful flower awakens my senses to all that is around me. 

And before I forget, Happy Mothers' Day to all of you mothers out there.

I had to show you some pictures of a quilt I just finished for Jane O.  As I have said before I love colorful quilts and this quilt doesn't disappoint.  This is a 1600 quilt that Jane added a fused on applique bouquet of flowers.  The applique piece is easy for my quilters to do, because all they have to do is fuse on their applique and I will stitch it down as I am longarm quilting their quilt.  I go around the applique piece changing threads to match the applique as needed.  I then quilt the quilting pattern onto the quilt.  I think the applique piece jazzs up the simplicity of the 1600 quilt pattern.  I still don't have my 1600 quilts quilted, but that's okay.  I love, love, love the colors in this quilt.   So what do you think of this quilt?

Blessings to all and Happy Mothers' Day!

Morning All,

And no I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  I have been busy quilting away and I've posted two pictures below of Nancy J's Schnibbles pattern.  Sorry I don't know the name of the pattern, but this wallhanging made me want to go buy some Rainbow Sherbert.  Isn't it just luscious!!  I believe this wallhanging is one of the quilts to be featured at the June quilt camp at Camp Tecumseh, Brookston, Indiana.    www.camptecumseh.org

I was on my friend Sue B's facebook this morning and read what I thought were some thought provoking quotes. 

"The tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of us while we live."
               - Norman Cousin

"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet."
               - Mahatma Ghandi

Have a great day everyone and don't forget to smile.

Blessings to all!!

Wow what a productive week I had, well at painting that is, not quilting.  Gary and I painted our bedroom and bathroom this past week along with the trim work.  I am so glad to be done with that project, but I am enjoying the new look.   Pale blue is the new color with the white trim work.  I'm ready to order a white quilt, yes white.  I found a quilt on Overstock.com in a king size.  Yes, I know I should be making one, but I plan on using all of my quilts to decorate my bed with at the foot side or place a quilt on the diagonal.   I've posted one picture of the bathroom, but now I realize I need to remove all of the stenciled tulips I had around the tub tile.   Thankfully, I put the tulips on with acrylic paint and they are easy to remove.  It's amazing when you think you've got one project done another needs to be addressed.  Atleast, it's an easy fix.

 Audrey Kate, my oldest granddaughter spent the night with us last night.  We picked her up right after school and went shopping for a dress for her to wear when she is sworn into National Honor's Society next week. She had school off today so we spent the morning cleaning out my walk-in closet which is now a real walk-in closet.  Audrey Kate had fun looking at old pictures of her Mama and checking out old newspaper articles I had kept. Audrey Kate likes the new paint color and says it fits with living on the lake. I didn't get a quilt of my own quilted as I had planned for this past week, but it really feels good to have achieved so much sprucing up.  Once the new carpet is installed I'll post some pictures of the new look.  Gary installed the new towel rods which has added to the "spruced up" look.  I didn't realize just how worn out my old towel rods were until they were removed.  I guess I've been focused on quilting quilts.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Blessings to all.