My girl, my girl...talkin about my girl....

......who somehow, someway managed to fix our computer!!!! Yeah, a big old thank you, and now it's working at warp speed for whatever reason. We started having trouble right after my last post. I would go visit a blog and post a comment and it would work for a few minutes and then freeze. Then send some emails and the same thing. But now we are back in business. And I am happy to report the zoo quilt is done and I sent it home with Katie. She was very happy with the way it turned out.....and that made me very happy!!

It has probably been just as well that the computer was down. My little binding business had a record week! I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by midweek when I kept getting more and more quilts from customers....but now have this pile completed with two more to do today and I will be caught up.....so let's just say not much sewing was happening in my neck of the woods!

I had a busy few days at work. Last Saturday when I was working I had a celebrity guest worker stop by ! She was drooling over my shoes! You can read all about her over here! Thought I would share a photo of our Tuesday morning gals having a rather raucous vote on which fabric to put on the back of Phoebe's quilt. Susan, who I work with on Tuesday (in the plaid shirt)had them all fired up!! We are very excited at work because Susan has been asked to teach at Road To California next year. Since I haven't gotten any quilting done I'll show Susan's braid quilt that she just got bound...it's a beauty, and here's a couple pictures of quilts from the pretty pile of binding quilts that are going to be auctioned off at a school. They are so sweet and I am sure there will be some parents bidding like crazy on them.

Not much more to talk about, the week was a blur and I felt like I was taking 10 steps backwards all the time! Did get a wee bit of shopping in though. Found this really cute shutter at O'Flanary's Emporium a few doors down from work. Love the little cut outs! In a few days we will be off to Morro Bay for a get away with some friends and I am really looking forward to that.

Hope that all of you have a great start to your week and have some time to work on projects. Now for me it's time to do some fast lurking and then back to the thimble! See you later alligators :-)!

Happy Belated Easter

Howdy Bloggers! Hope that all of you had a great Easter. We spent the day at my sister-in-laws, and had a wonderful Ham dinner with all the fixins. Boy can that girl can cook!!! We had the best time visiting and eating, and eating and eating :-)!! Back to the diet today!

I had a wonderful box waiting for me. Gee, wonder what this could be? It's Nellie Annie Blue and Red, and Naked Annie. How cute are they? Naked Annie has a little heart locket that says made with love on it! They are made by the fabulous Nicole Ellison.....so talented!!!!! In the little tickled pink box was some yummy chocolate that didn't last long at all - thanks Nicole....the Annies are perfect! If you need an Annie just hop on over to her blog and check out what is for sale.

I finished the binding on these 3 quilts for a customer. The two flower ones were just the right size to finish in the car going back and forth for Easter. The picture isn't very good, but that pink, black and tan quilt is wonderful. Someday I'll get the hang of this picture taking thing!

Haven't sewn much, but I have made a little progress on my Prairie Paisley quilt. All the strip sets are done for the 9 patches and I am hoping to get the 9 patches pieced this week. Talk about yummy fabric!!!!

Wishing you all a great week and full steam ahead to Spring. Bring on the tulips! PS. I keep forgetting to mention that there is a Mary Englebriet cham pack and jellyroll giveaway at work. Pop on over to the blog and leave a comment to sign up!

We Are Having a .............................

BOY!!!!!
Yipee!!! Bring on all the boy stuff! Megan came in to work on Wednesday with her friend Adrianna to pick out some fabric for crib bumpers and a quilt for the crib. No coaching from me either.....can you believe it, polka dots and rick rack. Yipee again :-)! She wants the strip quilt from that Cotton Way pattern. It will be really cute with the polka dots, and so pretty with the soft yellow. I can't wait to get started and to see that grandbaby in person!!

Today was a good day, mainly because I got the zoo quilt
done. Still not happy with my fabric choices, but it is done! Tonight I will piece the back and then off to be quilted. On my way to hanging the quilt on the fence to take the picture I noticed a lizard in the deep end of the pool. He was still moving which was really hard to believe. I got out the pool scoop and pole, and scooped him up and took him over to some bushes. A proud moment....I had saved a lizards life. Alert the media. I am sure the paper will be here any moment to take my picture......then all of a sudden while I was basking in my glory I got stung by a bee! Would that be considered instant Karma?! :-)!!! Good to report the lizard is doing well and was last spotted soaking up some sun!

Also finished up a little quilt using ME charms. Such
an easy little quilt, and just love those yo, yo flowers! The border is from the Swell line, but I think it goes really cute with the charms.

The computer is still not behaving, but at least tonight I am able to post. Last night it was a no go, and boy I have missed my blogging. Hope that all of you have had some good quilting time this week and that your computers are behaving!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Computer woes have hit our family. We installed a Norton virus yaba dabba doo (that's my computer lingo), and now our computer is not working properly

It took over an hour just to log on to the Internet, and we can't get in to our email. Hopefully we will get things resolved in the next day or two. I some how manged to get to blogger, so I'll see how this goes!

Another busy week. The zoo quilt is coming along. I have an extra week to work on it which has taken the pressure off. The contrast is not as good as I had hoped in my fabric selection, but it's too late to go back now! I am hoping the quilting will help it out. Our girl was home for a couple days as well as grand dog Bailey Baxter. She is such a wiggle worm, but doesn't seem to mind dressing up!! Strike a pose girls :-)!!

Friday night was late night sewing. Doe joined us and got everyone all worked up with her Mary Engelbreit quilt. She has pictures posted on her blog. She used a pattern from Monica of Happy Zombie fame! It is so stinkin cute! I got too busy cutting fabric for everyone, eating and talking to take photos, but I will take some Monday night to show what everyone is working on.

We have had some weird weather out our way. The beginning of the week we were in the mid to high 70's. This is what we woke up to this morning! So pretty...but by noon it had all melted away. Hope that every ones week gets off to a great start and I am really hoping that the computer gremlins vacate the premises! Later alligators :-)!

Have you read the mystery....."The Case of the Overconfident Quilter"?

Oh wait, think I was dreaming that and it was a nightmare. Nope, it actually

happened!!!!!! I have been working on the quilt that will be raffled off at the zoo. Things were going along nicely, that was until I found a mistake in the pattern after I had already cut a big part of the fabric. Luckily I bought quite a bit extra, so I escaped tragedy. Then I found another mistake in the pattern. On no Mr Bill, say it ain't so....! Phewwwww, thank goodness there is still some extra fabric. Now not trusting the pattern, and after all I am a professional, (this is what we say at work when we mess up :-)), I proceed by following the pictures and knowing that I have the situation under control. So much under control I managed to sew the wrong fabric to all the wrong squares. Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip......Ok this went on for wayyyyyy long, but after ripping out what I sewed wrong I am back on track. I love quilting, it is such a humbling sport :-)! I know these blocks look pretty harmless, but believe me they about did me in. There are all kinds of interlocking blocks happening and I hoping tomorrow night to start putting it all together. Please everyone keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

Now with my ego slightly bruised I had to get something done just to get back on the horse. My Red, White and Bold quilt was back from being quilted, so I managed to get the binding on it. Love this quilt, and after washing it, the quilting looks so wonderful. Then I made a purse for the shop using charm squares out of the Swell line from Moda. Having two successes I think I can continue on!!!

Hope that all of you are having a great week, and that you are keeping your ripping to a minimum. I am bringing back the cupcake that my friend Nurse Carol made me just to remind myself to be POSTIVIE!!! Thanks Carol. See you later alligators :-)! PS -blogger spellcheck isn't working for

me again, so sorry about any typos!

Good Golly Miss Molly!

Good Golly Miss Molly....have you ever seen an egg this big?

Tonight we went to a wine tasting at the zoo. It was such a fun night, with various wines to be sampled as well as great appetizers and a silent auction. That's where the big egg came from...it's an ostrich egg from one of the birds at the zoo. When I saw that sitting on the table I just knew I had to have it. There were a number of people trying their best to win it, but I kept my eye on that big old egg! Wouldn't it look great with polka dots all over it :-)?!

This has not been a very productive sewing week for me. I worked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, yesterday I did major cleaning, and today was errand day. My Red, White and Bold quilt is back from being quilted and I did manage to get the binding sewn on by machine. Just have the hand work left to do.

My friend Carol made this cute little hanging for me.. well, she really made it for Katie. Her nickname is cupcake, but I think I will be borrowing it just for a little while. She is one of the most prolific quilters I know. I need to bottle up some of her energy!!!

I have been doing lots of blog hopping and I can't believe all the wonderful projects being worked on out in blogland...........there are so many creative people out there and I have to give you all credit for getting me back in to the groove :-)! Hope that you all have a GREAT weekend, and don't forget to spring forward!

I am not crazy..............AN UPDATE :-)!!

ok, maybe I am a little crazy....but, the other day I posted that I found this quilt top and did not remember making it...it's because I didn't!!!! My friend Lynette hid it in my sewing closet after a sewing day we had quite a while ago. She had made a top for herself and one for me, and she thought she had left a note on it saying we would work on it together at some future point. One problem, there was no note!!!

Last night I got a call from her and I was telling her that I thought I was going crazy because I found this top and had no memory of making it.....after she finishes laughing hysterically she tells me of her sneaky little trick, but still insists she pinned a note to it. Hmmmmmmmmm....just got an email from her this morning that said she got out her pattern and there was the note tucked in her pattern!!!!!!! First what a wonderfully sweet thing to do to make me the top, but then THANK GOODNESS the mystery has been solved because I really thought I was going crazy!! Happy Wednesday everyone and now I can stop racking my brain over

this little quilt mystery :-)!!

Marching on!

Well Marching on thru March anyway! Yesterday was a good mail day..........I purchased a rhinestone heart pin over at Cherry Hill Cottage and it arrived in this sweet little box! The picture just doesn't do it justice. It has the best sparkle ever. Being heart crazy, I feel very lucky to have this pin. Also, don't know if you have ever visited Cherry Hill Cottage, but Tina is featured in this months Country Accent Magazine, with beautiful pictures of her home and some of her wonderful collections. Also, she has the most wonderful recipes over on her blog!!!

Last night I finished up this cute little 30's quilt. for the shop. After it is quilted I will snip the edges around the flower petals and yellow centers so the edges will be raggy. Talk about a fast and easy quilt!

Time to get ready for work. Hope everyone is having a great first week of March with some sewing worked in here and there!

On a roll!

I don't quite know what has gotten in to me, but I have really gotten my Mojo back! Might be the fist full of vitamins I am now taking since my flu experience, or all the wonderful fabric that is at work, or all the inspiration I am getting from all the wonderful blogs, hmmm! Think it is all of the above :-). Speaking of the flu, Nan has really had a bout of the nasty stuff. Sounds like she is finely starting to feel better. Hope you are back to sewing and creating really soon Nan!

My Red, White and Bold quilt is off to be quilted. I don't know what it is, but the easier the quilt pattern the more I am likely to mess it up.. Got the borders on and realized I had switched some of the rows around. I really thought about taking it apart, but decided it will be fine just the way it is. I have had a very busy week with my binding business--5 quilts this week and this evening I did some more piecing on my 4 patch scrappy quilt.

Last week I was poking around the blogs and visiting Belvie's. She showed a quilt that she was working on that is a Bareroots pattern......the light bulb came on! When I was digging through the quilt closet looking for a pattern for a friend I found this top and had no clue what pattern it was, well that was until I saw Belvie's top and they looked very similar. I checked out the Bareroots website and there was my quilt. After a day of going through my patterns, with no luck finding the pattern I went ahead and ordered one from Bareroots and it came today. There will be all kinds of cute little flowers and vines embroidered all around the blocks. This will be a great take along project. I hate to admit it, but I don't even remember making this top....maybe the quilt fairies were in my fabric closet making it for me, that must be what happened! Thanks Belvie!!

Since tomorrow is March 1 it is time to pick my monthly Christmas project. When Carol and I went to Houston I picked up this cute little quilt kit. It's a Joined At The Hip pattern and should work up really fast, and I just happen to have one of those star hangers in the picture. Speaking of March l, have any of you checked out the quiltathon going on tomorrow? Sounds interesting and think I'm going to do it. Since I'm working tomorrow, my day will be Sunday.

Hope everyone enjoyed leap day, and I don't know if you knew this little fact about the day, calories don't count on February 29th!!! Have a great weekend everyone.

Oh, Oh, Oh!!

As I was finishing my Ho, Ho, Ho Christmas project today, I realized if you turn it upside down it says Oh, Oh, Oh....hmmm surely I can hang this somewhere when it's not Christmas time. Maybe on the frig when I am thinking of snacking. I'll have to ponder this for a while!!

We had rain again today. I know that we need it, but in the last couple weeks we have had a lot. Between the cold weather and the rain the plants have taken a beating. I really haven't even been out to work in the yard and it's getting to that time of year when I have the itch to do some gardening. We had about 30 minutes of sun, so I took a picture of my pansies. Looking a little sad from the dumping of rain and wind that we had this morning, but love those pretty little yellow flowers.

My picture taking abilities are not very good, but I am working on it. My last post I had a picture with a closeup of a Hershey's Kiss....I never look much at the background stuff, but there was a picture of my mom. She was such an amazing gardener. I really wish I had paid more attention and learned from her. She has been gone for 16 years and the older I get I realize how much I am like her. Although she wasn't a quilter, gardening was her passion and she worked her magic. We always had the most beautiful flower beds!

I have been working on this Sandy Gervais pattern using a Red White and Bold jelly
roll from Moda. Her patterns are really

wonderful and she has a great website. Hoping tomorrow I can get the scrappy outside border on and then it will be done.

Enough blabbing for me and wishing all of you a great start to your week, with some quilting fit in here and there!

Some Show and Share!

Hope everybody had a great week and got some quilting done. In my head I got tons done, now in reality not so much, but a little bit. Thought I would show you

some quilts that my friends have finished! Here's Rosemary's beautiful Boxwood quilt hand appliqued - WOW! Evelyn's wonderful Moda U quilt. I love the fabrics in this quilt and all the9 patches! Here's Carol's Miss Rosie's quilt...done in Bound To The Prairie fabrics, again wonderful! I have a quilt back from being quilted out of Holly Jolly from Moda. I really wasn't too wild about this quilt when I made it and I had decided to give it away, but I think I might be keeping this one, plus it can count as one of my Christmas projects a month. Speaking of project a month, my February Ho Ho Ho is coming along and I am really hoping to have it pieced and quilted by Sunday. It's not very big, so I have to excuse :-)!

A sweet mail delivery this morning from Sally-Ann in the UK. We were partners in the Valentine Swap. A pretty coffee Cosie to keep my caffeine warm, yummy chocolate hearts, heart buttons, stickers, ribbon and cutout hearts! WOW, Sally-Ann you really hooked me up :-)! Trust me, the chocolates are good I already tasted them. Which leads me to my next picture......this sweet little silver package is getting the better of me! I have been having a major issue with this little package.....I am Cheryl and I am addicted to chocolate :-)!!

Our girl is home for a couple days and all the kids will be over for pizza tonight. Mom is 4 months along now and the baby bump, is bumping! Hope that all of you have a wonderful weekend with some quilting tucked in here and there. Later alligators!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggidy Jig!!!!

We are back home after 4 wonderful days in Morro Bay. Camping with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, longtime friends Dave and Chris and Gary and Sandy, is one of our favorite trips we take each year. Lots of catching up with each others kids and lots of talking about quilting and crafting. The guys manage to get a couple golf games in, and even my sister-in-law Jane joined them this year. John was quite impressed by how great she played. Way to represent us ladies Jane :-)!!! Here's a view from our space...pretty!!!

On Valentines Day Sandy had us over to their trailer for dessert. We had brownies, lemon bars, Mexican Heart shaped sugar cookies and Belgium wafer cookies, yummmmmy! All served on the cutest heart shaped napkins ...should of had my camera, but it was too cold to walk back and get it.

Friday was golf day, so Sandy and I visited and got our quilting talk on!! She is one creative lady and I always come home so inspired by what she is working on. Friday our friends Dave and Chris arrived with Tamales that they picked up on the way, and of course the World Famous Ball of Cheese was present!

Dave and John testing out the cheeseball!

I took some wonderful photos of the elephant seals and the sweet town of Cambria, only to find out that I must have bumped a setting on my camera and I can't download them. I hoping when Katie is home this weekend she can figure it out for me. I did get my projects done.........bindings for my friend Carol and the binding on my Christmas runner, so my January Christmas project is done! I also got February's Christmas project cut out, so full steam ahead. I am determined to make my end of the month deadline!

A great 4 days, with good friends, wonderful food and projects done!

I am one happy camper!

Hope that your week is off to a good start and I can't wait to get back to checking on what everyone has going on! Later alligators :-)!

PS-sorry for any spelling errors....bloggers spellcheck still out of service :-( !