The season is almost over.  I have to say it has been a really nice one for me this year.   I had decided early on to just slow down and enjoy it.  Most of my shopping was done online, I never did have to make a trip to the mall.  Instead time was spent with friends enjoying a nice dinner and a cranberry martini or two.   

 

 

 

 

 I made a visit to Santa and Mrs. Claus with the grandkids then we enjoyed a big pancake and sausage breakfast afterwards.  They have spent a couple of nights with grandma in their newly made up bedroom.  We have spent lots of time reading books, singing songs and dancing.  Nothing beats dancing with these two little sweeties!

  

  

 

 

Early mornings have been spent with a cup of coffee and Jane Austen.  So far I have read Pride and Prejudice and I am in the middle of Persuasion.  I do love a good classic.

 

 

 

 

I have a whole stack of books pulled out to read again to inspire me for the new year.  And my new sewing room is bright and warm and ready for me to get busy in. 

 

I fully believe that we choose the joy in our life.   I hope that you have had a joyful holiday season!

On the 25th Day of Christmas

Primitive Applique Merry Christmas Dear Friends!!

On the 24th Day of Christmas

1860 Red Felt Applique

On the 23rd Day of Christmas

1890's 4 Block Quilt

On the 22nd Day of Christmas

1930's Schoolhouse Quilt

On the 21st Day of Christmas

Star of Bethlehem

On the 20th Day of Christmas

Basket Applique

On The 19th Day of Christmas

Oak Leaf and Real/Carolina Lily

On the 18th Day of Christmas

1850's Applique Sampler

On the 17th Day of Christmas

Mennonite Postage Stamp

On the 16th Day of Christmas

Pineapple Variation

On the 15th Day of Christmas

 

 

Broderie Perse Quilt

On the 14th Day of Christmas

Inscription Quilt

On the 13th Day of Christmas

1930's Friendship Knot Quilt

On the 12th Day of Christmas

Hawaiian Quilt

On the 11th Day of Christmas

Love this Chintz Star Quilt!

On the 10th Day of Christmas

Funky Applique Quilt

On the 9th Day of Christmas

Album Quilt

On the 8th Day of Christmas

1890's Friendship Sampler

On the 7th Day of Christmas

Almost primitive Applique quilt

On the 6th Day of Christmas

1890's Delectable Mountains Quilt

On the 5th Day of Christmas

1860's Sunburst Quilt

On the 4th Day of Christmas

Late 1800's Crazy Quilt

On the Third Day of Christmas

 

Mosaic Star

On the Second Day of Christmas

A gorgeous Feathered Star Quilt

On the 1st Day of Christmas

It is that time of year again when I post 25 pictures of wonderful antique quilts from my collection of photos. These are not quilts I own just pictures I have saved over the years of quilts I would love to own and display at Christmas time. Let's start off the year with an 1890's Ohio Star!

I have been enjoying my new sewing room. It is so spacious.

I have a lot of open floor space to lay things out. I really like that and aim to attempt to keep myself from filling it up with more stuff. I did order a couple of studio spaces books from Amazon which have yet to arrive. Hopefully they can help with storage ideas.

It won't be long and my 25 days of Christmas will be upon us. I have been perusing my file of quilt pictures to see which ones we will get to enjoy this year.

When my youngest son moved out last spring I knew I wanted to make his large bedroom my new sewing room. This room is at the opposite end of the house from the other bedrooms and is just going to be perfect. The biggest problem with it was that it was painted a dark blue by the previous owner. My son liked the blue, I didn't. I finally have the white paint on the walls and just finished up putting a wall of little quilts up on the back wall. I am in the process of painting my sewing table and a dresser that I store quilt related items in a mint green. More pictures to come as I continue on fixing my new sewing space up.

I have recently went to our guilds quilt camp and had a wonderful time catching up with good friends and getting some sewing done. I chose to take my unfinished projects with me and I was able to get a few tops sewn together of blocks I had already finished previously to going. A few years ago our guild followed along with a freebie Pat Sloan gave us permission to use as a block of the month. I believe she called it Farmers Market. I switched it up just a tad bit to more reflect my Grandpa’s garden growing up. He had a large garden that had walking paths through it and a white picket fence around it. I have great memories of going to grandma and grandpa’s house during cherry picking time, canning time and jelly making weekends. To keep it simple and to make sure that I was able to keep up with the group I didn’t actually appliqué this but fused it instead and then hand embroidered around the fused shapes. I am happy to have it put together and out of the blocks to finish pile. It has already been sent off to Valerie to quilt so I will be able to mark another one off the list.





 Good looking men. Hey we all love a good looking man and my collection of men fabrics just keeps growing. A few years back one of my quilting friends gifted me with some muscle men on the beach fabric and it has been the gift that has kept on giving. We had so much fun with that fabric and what I could use it for. Since then I have received numerous men fabrics from my friends, UPS men, firemen, Construction workers and even some little plastic muscle men that travel with us on our quilting adventures. This camp I arrived to find some patriotic hunks hanging around my table. I gathered them and some previous Halloween men friends I had received and made pillowcases.

 

Now if only they would gift me with a real man, maybe a good looking one that drives a maserati now that would be GIFT!

A most enjoyable Labor day.  I am doing some handquilting on my little crib quilt and watching the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice.

Hey diddle diddle, The Cat and the fiddle, The Cow jumped over the moon. The little Dog laughed, To see such sport, And the Dish ran away with the Spoon.

Quite a few years back I found this wonderful fabric that depicted the Hey diddle diddle song. I just had to have it but then it became one of those fabric purchases that just sit’s in the pretty stack of fabrics never to be cut into.

Move forward a few years and I am now blessed with a beautiful grandson who needs a quilt made with love from Grandma. I saw the pink quilt below in a book and loved the simple look so I decided to use it as my template.

Valerie at Pumpkin Patch Quilter did the amazing quilting for me depicting the nursery rhyme in the border. It adds so much to this simple little quilt. Thank you Valerie!!

I am happy to have my hands busy with a needle and thread again. This summer has been exhausting with work. I am looking forward to a small bit of me time before harvest happens. And I have already started that time by going to a couple of concerts with friends. I have been fortunate to see The Script, Gavin DeGraw, Train, Chris Daughterey and my fave 3 Doors Down so far this summer. I love going to concerts and having a large group of friends to go with always makes it a bit more fun!

No quilting going on here.  I have been just crazy busy with work.  It is the season for agriculture.  Long days
make for a tired girl who doesn't get much accomplished at home.  I was able to fit in a trip to vegas to see my
cousin get married.  Fun, fun.  Loved every minute spent in Vegas.  I can't wait to go back and no I am not a gambler, 
I spent about 8 minutes gambling.  Lost the money I had set aside for gambling at the black jack tables and walked away.
I am hoping to get back in the sewing room.  I have a few completed quilts that I still need to get the binding on! 

Spring has finally arrived. 

I love when the tulips appear.  They are my favorite flower. 

And the best thing about Spring is that I have a spring birthday.  This year being my 50^th one I had quite the birthday weekend.  I had 3 separate surprise parties thrown for me plus a planned night out with a large group of friends, let’s just say I kept very busy.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in my life.  I am loving being 50!

I had 3 quilts all quilted and ready to get the binding on, and I still have two to do.  Binding is my least favorite part of the quilt process.  I did get the binding on my wool applique quilt. 

This is one that I hand quilted.

I quilted the wool appliques with embroidery thread.  It was tough to quilt.

Little princess had a belated party last week.  She was so well behaved considering she has had an awful cold.