CHRISTMAS CUTIES

Look at this little cutie I picked up yesterday! I went to lunch with friends and then we stopped at a folk art/primitive gift shop that is right down the street from our LQS here in Virginia Beach. I couldn't resist this little angel. It looks like an old chocolate mold, tho I hate to use "chocolate" and "mold" in the same sentence. I don't decorate for Christmas, other than getting out just a few things. We always go to Arizona or Minnesota to be with our kids, so we don't entertain or have company. Still, I can't resist picking up a little something every year. I love tree ornaments, but I haven't had a tree in years! I have to make or buy a few every year for my grandkids.

I stopped at What's Your Stitch N Stuff (LQS) yesterday also. They were just unpacking the new Williamsburg line of fabric. I wanted to shout, "Please stop! Can't you see you're killing me"! Judy L. is pricking my conscience again about stash busting. I actually left without purchasing anything. Whew, narrow escape! I try not to go there too often because I know I am weak. It really is a wonderful shop. If you ever are in this area you must go visit. They have kits there for my little Trees on the Table! Don't feel like looking for just the right fabric? Give them a call: 757-523-2711. Tell them I sent you!

The little wool flower is one I just made. I was inspired by one in the new Blackbird Designs book, You're Invited. (Thanks for the link Libby!). The one in the book is made from cutting up wool sweaters. Mine is from old wool blankets. Let me tell you, there was fuzz flying. I practically need to wear protective eye covering! I really hate fuzz in my eyes! Anyway, this is small enough to be a pin, and in fact, that is what it is! The actual coloring is nicer than the photo shows.

Question: Are you having trouble clicking on a picture on blogs to enlarge it? Starting today my computer wants to open the photos I click on in a picture program, but sometimes it can't open it. Is it just me, or is anyone else having this problem? Just thought I would ask.

Have a nice weekend one and all!

$100,000 QUILT

I received this link from a friend who has a friend that has a quilt that is competing for big bucks! I thought it was worth passing along. Take a look and maybe you will want to vote for your favorite quilt. Apparently someone will win $100,000. Sadly, I don't have a quilt in this competition, but someone will appreciate your vote!

This one is Casablanca, by Claudia Myers and quilted by Marilyn Badger.

http://www.quiltingchallenge.com/voting/

AND MORE TREES!

At the risk of revealing my OCD I decided to show you my smaller version of the Trees on the Table. By now everyone knows that this is a free pattern at my web site. I made three of the 24 inch size, and need to make one more. But in the meantime, I started making a 12 inch version. Naturally smaller is always adorable... like in puppies, kittys, babies, (and dare I mention petites vs. me!). So I couldn't resist making several of these little cuties. They do go quickly because there are no pieced borders. The pinwheels take some time- they are made from one inch finished HSTs. But that is what makes them so cute! Right? If you want to dive in and make these, the tree top is a three inch finished square, and pretty much everything else is in one inch finished strips. I will leave you to do your own exact figuring.

Wandering around Blogland I have seen some pretty nice work lately that I want to direct you to it in case you missed it. I know there is a ton more, but here are a couple to check out:

• Rose Marie, in Toronto (Applique N Patch Quilting) is getting her house decorated for Christmas and has the nerve to show a little tree quilt that is NOT the Patchalot tree quilt! Can you imagine? I have to admit, it is pretty cute though, and oddly, it has the stringy border thing going on! Plus, she is taking the Tonya Winter Class, and has a wonderful winter project in the works! Check it out!


• At Kim's Big Quilting Adventure Kim posted a really cute Christmas quilt that she just whipped up. It is called It's A Wrap, and really you just have to see it. You will have to scroll through a bunch of Kim's holiday decorating before you see it, so keep going. But it's OK to stop and look at her decorating on the way. Especially those cool wooden letters she just covered. Kim posts EVERY DAY, so you can't turn your back for a minute or you will miss volumes.


• Our talented friend Karen has done it again with her painted shoes. I wondered what she was talking about when she mentioned finding shoes to paint. Nothing should surprise me! Go see what the Sew Primitive Quilter is up to, and don't forget to click shoes, (just like Dorothy) to see a close-up! AND, don't miss her darling sampler that she did by machine!

THANK YOU

Thank you for the world so sweet,

Thank you for the food we eat,

Thank you for the birds that sing,

Thank you God, for everything!

Wishing you all the blessings that come from a thankful heart!

WOOL IN PROGRESS

I have been playing with my wool blanket scraps and look what I dreamed up! This little flower design is from Blackbird Designs, Fresh from the Garden, only they did it as a little rug. I just love the yellow plaid background. The little cotton print border gives it a some balance. Can you tell how thick this wool is?

The second picture shows the tail end of a green blanket, and I left it there just for fun! This one is still a WIP. I am just playing around and seeing where my needle and thread lead me. The basket and the background are both heavy blankets, and the rest is regular wool. I will show more as I devise it. More and more I am getting the feeling that anything goes! (Just ask Tonya!--see sidebar)

Have you seen the latest Blackbird Designs book, You're Invited? They show beds with skirts made out of old sweaters. Personally, I cannot see myself going that far! But of course the photos are wonderful!

If you like Blackbird Designs and others from Kansas City Star Quilts, check out that link! Good stuff!

HAPPY STITCHES

Is everyone getting sick of seeing these quilts? And it's not even Thanksgiving yet! Oh, but I am feeling so happy about getting these done so soon! I actually finished quilting the third one today, but didn't get a photo yet. Not that anyone needs another photo. I wanted to show this top quilt because no one else has made this version, and I think it turned out pretty cute. Oh face it, I love them all!

The second quilt seems to be the favorite version among the photos that were sent to me. I think I am keeping that one! But for now, these two are over at What's Your Stitch 'N Stuff (LQS). They are on display, as they have made up kits.

Did you happen to notice that I finally have my blog title showing in the header? I had not been able to figure that out, and so have gone nameless, lo these many months. Karen, from Sew Primitive, came to my rescue yesterday and put it in for me. She is now the expert, having done a beautiful job on her own blog of updating and beautifying it. Go take a look! Thanks Karen! (Thanks to Angie, the Thread Catcher, also, who tried to explain it to me, but then I got a better offer! What can I say? Take a look at Angie's blog also, and see her new header!)

That brings me to my little string doll quilt, which I have just finished quilting. Remember Dawn and Lucy got everyone going on these little string quilts a while back. There is a link to Lucy for directions on my sidebar. Not that you need directions, but it's always fun to see what Lucy is creating. Anyway, mine is quite a bit bigger than the ones Dawn and Lucy made, but I do like it. Wouldn't it look cute with a shiny orange pumpkin sitting on it? Maybe next year.

I just finished reading The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, and loved it! I have heard the title going around for a while, then my friend Joan read it and gave it to me with the admonition that I must read it. It is a charming story of a little white girl in South Carolina who is taken in by a family of black sisters in the 1960's during the Civil Rights Movement. That is the stage. The real story is about a girl searching for her mother's love and how she finds it and more in this home. It is very touching. I highly recommend it!

BITS AND PIECES

Greetings Earthlings! I thought I better add something new so you know I am still kicking! I had a doctor appointment this morning and I still have a pulse. Got my flu shot for good luck. I get one every year, but really, you never know if it saves you from anything. It seems like my husband and I get sick every year at Christmas. We always travel to see our kids, so between the wonderful recycled airplane air, and the germs our grandkids bring home, we manage to snag some germs of some type. Some variation that apparently is not included in the flu shot formula.

Monday my friend, Sue, and I went to the movie, Elizabeth, the Golden Age. I never saw the first movie, but really want to see it now. This movie was wonderful, I thought. The staging, the costumes, the writing, and the acting were all wonderful. Cate Blanchett played Elizabeth, and she was wonderful! This is the kind of movie where you leave the theater wanting more. I definitely need to get the first movie, but I need a good book also. Preferably an historical novel. Any suggestions?

I am still working on my little tree quilts. I have one that is almost done being quilted, and two more spray basted and ready to go. I really am pleased with the response to this little project, and hope you will let me know if you have a quilt you want to display on my website.

Also, I got a couple of small pieces hand quilted. I just sit in my little thread nest each night watching TV while I stitch away. Most of the shows I like are not on until 10:00pm, so I record them on the DVR. Then I watch them when I want to. The DVR is such a huge improvement over the VCR! It is so easy to program! My new favorite program is CANE, with Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, Rita Moreno, and the bad guy is Ken Howard, who I normally love, but he is real bad here!

I quilted the little churn dash quilt using a heavier than normal, variagated dark thread. I did it in small Baptist Fans, and I love the effect! I was inspired by Tonya to give it a try. I found that I am more comfortable using a hoop and some drawn lines. Tonya free-hand stitches hers and doesn't use a hoop. The woman is so dang unconventional! Check out her blog and tutorials if you are not familiar with Tonya. Oh do hurry, she is signing up people for a new class!

My husband returned from a business trip to Japan, and home via Hawaii. He will be catching up on his sleep for a while, I think. Would you believe he had to call me from the airport to come and get him because I thought he was getting in at night and he got in in the morning? I am so bad! And I felt so bad. I was lying in bed thinking to myself that there was no real need to rush out of bed, nothing urgent to attend to. Then the phone rang...and I raced to the airport, right after I got dressed. No need confessing that I was still lounging around. Am I right?

More news and photos later, after I unbury my camera. I know it's here somewhere!

PINWHEEL PARADE

As you see, I have been getting quite a variety of little Tree quilts to post on my website. Each quilter adds a bit of herself to everything she makes, and this is no exception! I am very happy with the response! As you can see, if you are a new visitor, this pattern is provided to you free. My website will direct you to the proper page.

If you contacted me at my Yahoo e-mail address and I haven't answered, please try the address listed in my blog profile. I automatically delete all spam on Yahoo and sometimes I forget to make sure it is all spam. No offense intended. I took my e-mail address off my website because the spammers went wild! I even had someone crack into it and send spam from my account! Honestly, this is a Viagra free zone!

If any of you are shop owners and would like to use Trees on the Table in kits, all you need to do is contact me and place an order for some of my other patterns! I am editing the pattern a bit so that I can e-mail it for shop use without all the web links on it. Hopefully you will see some designs that you like and we will both benefit!

Now I must make haste and see if I can finish my second Trees quilt top. I have had a few people sending photos of their second quilt already! I am telling you, this is such an easy design!