Wooly Critters - Block Two...

 I just finished setting up the second block in the Wooly Critters Sampler set.

 This is the "Turtle & Pansies" block.

 I think I might just have to start stitching now. I love the way it

looks...and I adore working with the wools in this series. If I can

restrain myself, I'll work on it in February. Oh, wait. Today is

February 1st! I don't see a reason to wait. Do you? hee hee

Happy Weekend, friends.

Next Up...

I'm nearly done with the Chocolate Bunnies, but I'm looking ahead to 

my next project, too. I joined Shabby Fabrics' BOM designed by Kathy

Schmitz and the first kit is for February. It's called "Love Birds".

Each finished project is a table mat. Rather than do all the stitcheries

and then assemble all the kits at the end (as I'm doing with the "Sweet

Stitches" kits), I'm planning to do these each from start to finish.

I'll finish the bunnies first, and then I'll turn my attention toward

Valentines' Day. If I focus, I may finish this one ahead of time!

I hope you have a great Friday. It's almost the weekend!

Escaping To Bunnyville...

I managed a little time in the studio yesterday, so I worked on

my Chocolate Bunnies Table Topper. I'm ready for stitching now.

 I chose this fabric from the Moda™ Paris Flea Market line for the

inserts where the applique' elements are stitched. I thought it was

just the right touch as the backdrop for the bunnies and colorful eggs.

 I'll be sitting down to hand stitch the applique's and then I'll do

the machine quilting on the table runner myself. Hippity Hoppity.

 Another sweet design to make me smile. Just what the doctor ordered.

 Thank you to everyone who sent a message of condolence on our friend,

David's passing. David's family, Handsome and I all appreciate your kindness.

Another Sad Farewell...

David Martin (1945 - 2014)

I wish that all of you could have known our friend, David Martin.

When I began dating Handsome in 1981, David was the first of his 

friends that I met. They were very close, traveling for MercMarine all 

over the country together. Handsome was a staff photographer for the 

company and David became his go-to boat driver. They traveled coast 

to coast - north, south, east and west - producing images that were used

in company catalogs, calendars, and as dealer tools. They were the best.

They were the legendary "L & M Photo Team".

David • 1989

When I met him, I understood how the guys became such good friends. 

We immediately hit it off and I was glad to have a new friend in David. 

Then we decided to move to Florida, and we chose the Sarasota area because

 this is where David lived. We spent many memorable, fun days together. I
was fortunate to be able to sit in the room when the guys talked about
 people they'd met, shared experiences or plotting their next excursion.

He started dating Laura about fourteen years ago, and when we met her we

knew he had found "the one". She completed him and they were so happy.

David and Laura's Wedding Day • 2004

David and Laura chose a date and we proudly witnessed their vows.

They were married on Valentine's Day and it was a beautiful ceremony.

This year would have been their tenth anniversary.

2014

 David was a graceful and gracious man and when they learned last July

that he had end-stage renal cancer, he faced the news with strength

and poise. He was strong for Laura, their family and their friends.

David lost his fight yesterday morning with his wife at his side.

He stayed as long as he could, but we all believe that God needed

to call him home. He left with the same grace that he lived his life.

He leaves behind his beloved wife, Laura; three stepchildren; three grand-

children; and his mother. We are among many friends who will deeply

feel his absence as we go about our lives, but he can rest in Jesus' arms

  knowing that my husband and I will be here to support and comfort his wife. 

"Goodbye" is so hard. "Good night" is easier.
Good night, dear friend. Until we meet again.

Tuesdays With Tag - Valentine Giveaway...

Hi, Everybody!

I've been in the studio with Mom the past couple of

days and we're hostin' a surprise Valentine Giveaway!

 

Would you like to be my Valentine?

Mom was shopping and look what she found!!!

I think they're wonderful. I mean, think about it...Corgis and Chocolate!

I'm not allowed to have any chocolate, but I'm happy to share with two of

our friends this year. That's my giveaway! Two people will each win a box

 of Corgi Chocolates from me this month...in time for Valentines' Day.

So, if you'd like to be my Valentine, please leave a comment

on this post only. I will choose two winners next Monday

night and announce their names next Tuesday. All you have

to do is leave me a little "love" note to enter the drawing.

(Nothin' too mushy, of course, but "sweet" is encouraged.)

Mom said she'd even add a little somethin' somethin' of her
own for the winners. Well, remember I'll pick names next
Tuesday and Mom will mail out both their gifts in time for
Valentine's Day! Leave a comment here before
11 pm next Monday night and visit again next week.
'til then...
"Wag Like Ya Mean It!"

Sunkissed Chocolate Bunnies...

 Happy Monday, all y'all! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

Ours was filled with music and friends...and very little studio time.

Remember the last time I wrote about Margot's pattern "Chocolate 

Bunnies Table Topper"? (Here's the link to refresh your memory.)

I shared what I thought would be my fabric selections for the table

runner, but a comment from my friend, Renee changed my mind.

 Renee was kind enough to tell me that the fabric line used in Margot's 

pattern was Moda's "Sunkissed"...and that she loved all the fabrics. I

wrote back to her to let her know how much I appreciated the information.

 I scurried over to Etsy, hoping that someone might still have charm packs, fat

 eighths or some assortment that would work for me. First items that came up

 were charm packs. SCORE! When I found out the line was discontinued, I

ordered them on the spot. They were in my hot, little hands the same week.

 I set the pattern and fabrics aside until last Saturday when Ifinally started 

cutting, arranging and planning the table runner project. The only thing I

decided to switch out was the grey in the assortment. I preferred a soft blue, so

I pulled two fabrics from my stash to substitute. I'll use the greys elsewhere.

Now I'll have happy, "sunkissed" bunnies when this table runner is finished.

Thanks, Renee for sharing the name of the fabric line!

Here's a link to her blog if you'd like to stop by and say "hi". 

 

As for the fabrics I originally chose? Well, they're on the shelf for now. I'm

sure I'll be making a second table runner as a gift, and they'll be perfect for that

 one. Ok. I'll make this one first. We'll worry about a second one another time!

I hope you have a great week. I'll be in the studio if you're looking for me.

Sunday Scripture...

Art by Akiane • "www.Art-SoulWorks.com"

Celebrating Your LQS...

Image from Martingale Publishing

 Today is the second annual "Support Your Local Quilt Shop Day"!

Those wonderful women and men who supply us with all the fabrics, fibers 

and notions to indulge in our quilting obsessions deserve a little extra love 

from us. Some will have special events, but all will appreciate our visits.

Image from Martingale Publishing

 You'll find me at Sandy's Quilt Shop this morning. It's time to celebrate our

Coffee Club friend, Joni's, Birthday - and I'm sure we'll each find a way to

thank Kathy and Nora for all the hard work they do to keep their shop full of

inspiring and fresh fabrics for all of us who love to spend our time sewing.

So today, stop what you're doing, take an hour (or three) and head to 

your own LQS so you can tell them how much you appreciate all they do 

to support and promote the quilting arts. Let's all have a great day!

A Ha'penny Will Do...

 Part of a Christmas rhyme I learned and recited as a kid went like this:

"Christmastime is coming,

the goose is getting fat.

Please put a penny 

in the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,

a ha'penny will do.

If you haven't got a ha'penny,

God Bless you!"

The "ha'penny" (pronounced "hay penny") is short for the British half

penny. Aunty Margaret told me that when Great Britain went to the 

decimal system in 1969, they stopped striking many of the traditional 

coins, including the half pennies and the "lucky" sixpence.

When I was married in 1984, I had saved a sixpence to tuck into my shoe as

British brides have traditionally done for generations but it was minted before '84.

Yup. There's a rhyme for that, too. You've heard most of it before:

"Something old, something new,

Something borrowed, something blue...

and a lucky sixpence for your shoe."

 I recently came across an artist who creates pendants from coins. I inquired

whether she might have a sixpence from the year I was born, as well as a

 British half penny from the year Handsome was born. Because they stopped

minting these coins prior to our marriage, there is no sixpence for that year.  

I was tickled to find out that she did have both of our birth years in her stock.

 My pendants arrived yesterday and I couldn't be happier with them! Now, I 

have a choice. If I'm in the mood to wear silver, I'll wear the sixpence. The 

half penny has a coppery tone, so I can wear that with my gold jewelry. 

I've already taken the sixpence off the leather necklace and created something

different for it. I'll share that with you another time. For now, not only do I 

have my lucky sixpence, but I also have a ha'penny...and that will certainly do!

Happy Birthday, Mom...

 Today is Mom's Birthday. 

She'd give me a stern talking to if I said how old 

she is, so I'll keep that information to myself.

I finished her gift and it's already on its way to Wisconsin.

 I used the same fabric for her organizer that I used for her Christmas gift.

 She loves it when I make things for her...it doesn't even matter what it is,

  but I just happen to know that she thought these were cool. Heck, I'd give

 her the moon if I could, but every Birthday I give her one more thing.

 I order a huge bouquet of daisies to be delivered to her.

I've been doing it for decades. Daisies are her absolute favorite flower.

Do you remember the song about daisies?

Mom knows that this section of the lyrics is the reason I give them to her:

"I'll give you a daisy a day, dear,
I'll give you a daisy a day;
I'll love you until the rivers run still,
And the four winds we know blow away."

Happy Birthday, Mom.

I love you...'til the four winds we know blow away. 

Productive Studio Time...

 I finally got back into the studio yesterday!

I had a list of things with deadlines, and

I managed to complete everything on my list.

Yay, me!

We'll be celebrating Joni's Birthday at Coffee Club

on Saturday and my hands are the last to touch her gift

from us. Joni loves ducks - specifically Rubber Ducky -

so choosing her fabric was easy for the girls. 

Nora, Kathy, Fay and Brenda assembled the whole quilt.

 My tasks were to bind the quilt, add the hanging sleeve and label.

 We included Flo's name on the quilt label for all the quilts made in

 2013. Because Joni's quilt is actually the last one in this cycle, her 

label has Flo's name on it, too. We'll miss Flo for a long time to come.

I can share this with you because Joni doesn't have a computer, tablet

or smart phone. She won't see it until we give it to her Saturday.

No surprises were ruined by sharing this finish with you!

 I also finished these cases to take to our Guild meeting last night.

I added velcro to these two cases and they're now finished "sleeves".

The velcro will keep the tablet from slipping out unexpectedly.

 I added flaps to these two, so they're finished cases. I wanted to

give the Guild members an idea of what I'm working on. Only

twenty to go! I have until the third week in February to finish the

rest of them. I know that Pat, who is in charge of the Boutique was

really happy to have them, and I know she'll like having more to sell.

Today, I'll be working on Mom's Birthday gift. I'm going to make one of

my sewing organizers for her that will match the armchair pincushion I

gave her for Christmas. She told me she liked the organizer idea last 

month, so I'm happy to surprise her with one. I know she'll love it.

I have a full day ahead, so I'd better get back to the studio.

See you tomorrow with a few more finishes.

Wishing you a creative day, my friends.