Celebrating Love...

Spring 1984. Taken the first time we came to Florida together.
This photograph was taken by Handsome's mom at her condo in Naples.

Today is Handsome and my 26th Wedding Anniversary. Thirty years since I first laid eyes on him and it seems like only a moment ago. God blessed me the day he came into my life.

Happy Anniversary, Husband.

I had to do a little paperwork yesterday morning, but once that was finished, I headed to the studio. I had decided that I wanted to make mug mats for the gals in my Books A Million group and needed to finish them for last night's gathering.

I went into my fabric stash and pulled out two honey buns of Spring Magic fabric from Moda. (Remember that I made a Spring Magic quilt for my last giveaway?) Nothing like fabric to remind you of a spring day when the weather is chilly, don't you think?
These finished mug mats measure 6 3/4" x 5 1/2". I managed to finish all of them before I had to leave, and gave one to each of the gals. My friend, Adele, said that she didn't want to chance spilling anything on hers. She was going to take it home, fold it in half, add a button and clasp and make hers into a needle keep.

We had a great time catching up. I hadn't seen the gals for a couple of weeks and had missed them. My sweet friend, Krisann, had made a beautiful, new scarf for me in a pretty aqua color. She said the color is called "Sea Glass". I put it on and it immediately took away the chill! I'll take a photo today, and then add it to this post so you can see just how wonderful it is. Thank you, Krisann. You're so generous - and I'm so grateful.

Oh, and I'm not giving up on finding a way to obtain Helen's recipe for the decadent Peanut Butter Meltaways that she brought to the gathering! They're addictive, and I have to have more!
I'm not even embarrassed that I licked the empty plate last night. Well, maybe just a little...

***Now, you've read all the way to the bottom of this post without complaining, so I'm going to surprise you with a little drawing. If you'd like a chance to win one of two Spring Magic Mug Mats, leave a comment on this post. I'll draw two names from all the comments left and will let you know tomorrow who the two lucky winners are. This drawing is for current followers only. I mean, if you read and tolerate me on a regular basis, you ought to be rewarded. Good Luck!

***Drawing will be held at 11 pm on Wed., Dec. 29, 2010.***
DRAWING CLOSED @ COMMENT #36.
Thanks for entering!

Stitched With Love...

Spring Magic is finished and will be on its way to Twyla today! I've loved creating this special quilt - just to give it away as a gift in my 500th Post Giveaway drawing.
The finished quilt is bright, cheerful, and vintage-looking to me. The Moda fabrics are so pretty in shades of pink, aqua, green and yellow. Each individual square measures 2" x 2", and each nine-patch block measures 6" x 6". There are 2" white strips between each block, with 2" borders around the outside. It measures approximately 41.5" wide by 51.5" long overall, and I think it'll be a perfect size for snuggling into for a little snooze.
Of course, I completed the quilt with my "Brynwood" label, and then decided to add the "stitched with love" label created by the sweet Anna of Lillalotta. She has a wonderful blog, and, although she's taken a break from her Etsy shop recently to regroup, she sells beautiful things there when her shop is open. She's hosting a Christmas package swap event on her blog, in case you're interested in participating!
So, here it is. Twyla's finished Spring Magic quilt. I'm just taking final measurements and making a few notes. I'm going to be offering a pattern for this lap quilt, in case you'd like to make a jelly roll quilt for yourself or someone you love. I'll be offering the pattern for sale in my Etsy shop in the near future.

Time to finish Charlene's quilt now, so that I can mail hers off to her this week, too!

Silver and Gold...

I've been a busy girl. Kes is finally tolerating Fezzik to the extent that she doesn't bolt from the room when he tries to lie down next to her. They even play together a little bit, too. It's really wonderful for me because I can actually steal little blocks of time in the studio without worrying about what they're doing.

Yesterday, I began assembling the nine-patch blocks into the quilt top that will become Spring Magic. Twyla has chosen this quilt as the first name I pulled in the 500th Post Giveaway. I'll complete all the piecing today, and then I'll spend the weekend quilting both Twyla's and Charlene's quilts.

I'm not surprised that Twyla liked this fabric. It reminds me of her vintage vibe, and I'm sure it will fit right in at her house. I'm hoping that Charlene will like the look of her quilt in her Pacific coast home, too!

I really appreciate all the wonderful friends, both "silver" and "gold"*, who entered the drawings and left such sweet comments for me. I just want to let you know that I'm going to do something a little different through the end of the year.

I'm planning a few other drawings, but they'll be for those of you who regularly read and comment on my blog. I'll write my regular daily posts, but I'll occasionally close with a surprise drawing that will only be for people who comment on that day.

So, don't feel bad if you didn't win this drawing. Perhaps the next one will be lucky for you! I know that my life is better because you're in it.

*PS. In case you don't know the reference to "silver" and "gold"...When I was a young girl scout, we used to sing the song..."Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."
Love you all! xoxo

As You Wish...

I hadn't opened up the jelly roll of fabrics for the second giveaway quilt until yesterday. I am drooling just looking at all the feminine colors and patterns in this line. What do you think? Even if you didn't choose this fabric collection in the poll, I hope you won't mind a quilt using them if you win.
You can click on the photos to enlarge them. Really! I want you to take a closer look and let me know what you think. They're going to be really fun to cut and put together. And, if you win the drawing and decide that you don't want this quilt, I'll be happy to make up a quilt for you using the fabric collection you selected. As you wish. I want you to be happy. (You'll have to wait a little while longer to receive it, of course. I can't just snap my fingers and have a finished quilt, you know!)

I can see myself falling for the finished quilt. I might have to make one for myself just like it! We could have matching quilts! When you use it, you could imagine the two of us using this as the tablecloth for a tea party where we'll share a cup of tea and a biscuit as we get to know each other better.
I called this quilt choice "Garden Whimsy" for the poll, but it's actually Moda's "Spring Magic" line. I hope you won't mind if I call the quilt "Spring Magic" from now on. Perfect for a quilt for this Fall. Ahhh, the irony of it makes me giggle.
This is what I see when I look out my studio door into the hall these days. Upside down corgi. I have to stop everything, pick him up and smooch him all over his little face. Is it any wonder that it's taking me a while to get my tasks accomplished? I know...You've got no sympathy whatsoever. I should have known better than to get a puppy when there were giveaway quilts to be sewn.

"Ma'am. Put the puppy down, and slowly back away. That's right, ma'am. Put the puppy down." Nothing like a dose of the Puppy Police to get a girl back on track. "Serve and protect, ma'am. We don't want any spoiled puppies around these parts."