Tips for getting things done.

by  "do as I say, not as I do" - a mystery woman.

1. Jump up in the morning, enthused to start the day.

2. Don't read blogs all morning

3. Don't play "Mahjong Safari" all afternoon.

4. Don't watch TV all evening.

You know what I've been doing all week... I'm an example of what not to do.

But I did finish 2 more HP blocks... one will be going to my daughter.  She needs the Felix Felicis again, I'm afraid.  This time she is getting the correct coloration. I mistakenly thought it was an acid green potion. "How could I be so stupid", as Hermione Jean would say. FF is a liquid gold color... I'm going to use it as a cover for the Hot/Cold Pack made with a rice packet that you heat in the microwave or use cold from the freezer.... I've seem them all over Blogland. She does have some achy places that some warmth could help.  We will see if she uses it.  Anyway, here are the pictures.

WRONG! but I think quite pretty.

This one is closer to "liquid gold" color.... It has lots of love sewn in, and hopes that it will work this time - along with a lots of prayer, of course.  Please pray along. She's off to surgery again on Tues, hopefully.

I still love comments, thank you for continuing to leave them, but as some of you noticed I have stopped answering them.  Just looking for places  to have some time to sew... So to answer a question recently asked: I have no idea how many blocks are going into the HP quilt. I started making the blocks, and enjoy them - some I've made for cards and other projects, I'm kind of in a limbo of sorts. Our local Project Linus is acting in a very mercenary way, in my opinion,.... kind of greedy, actually. I've gotten some real bad feelings about their charitable intentions... But the HP quilt wouldn't go to them anyway - they'd auction it off. I can't sell it, the patterns are free only if we don't use them to sell the products. If I give it to one family member, others will feel badly.  So I'm just making the blocks for now. There are lots of patterns I haven't made yet. I'm just enjoying the making.

Has anyone out there been having troubles with DSL? Is it sun spots?  We are having to reboot this brand new laptop every paragraph or two. It is absolutely aggravating!!!!!!!

Hugs,

Terri

I've been awarded the Liebster Award!!!

Lindsay, over at her sewing and quilting blog Linz Sews, has given moi a blog award!! Isn't that sweet!!!!  It's my first!!!!

This award is given to favorite blogs with under 200 followers. The Liebster Rules are:

1. Post about your win on your blog.

2. Link back to the blogger who presented you with the award.

3. Copy and paste the award to your blog.

4. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that have less than 200 followers that you think deserve to be recognized.

5. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

I had a hard time picking only 5 blogs to pass on this award. I follow over 100 that I really like.

These are my fav five, in no special order:

1. Sheila at Sew Cook and Travel .  I love her colorful quilts. She is such a friendly person. She sews for family and Project Linus.

2. Jennifer at Fandom in Stitches.  A very helpful lady. She's where I get the Harry Potter patterns for free. There are all kinds of patterns for free.  She also has a second blog called Sewhooked. She makes things for her family and Project Linus, as well.

3. Melanie at Houseelf Doings.  She's from the UK, and I love her slant on things. She takes you on vacation, shows off the lovely historical buildings and has given links to learn more about them! She's a knitter, does embroidery and quilt making. Right now she's in the process of moving, but she'll be back on again soon.

4. Regina at 4 Patches 4 Hope.  She doesn't blog often, but the reason I like her is she is running this charitable blog for cancer.  You make 4 patches and she makes quilts to give to cancer victims in her area. She also collects for the American Cancer Society - towards a cure. (Since my daughter has cancer, I am always looking for a way to help.)

5. Debbie at Stitchin Therapy  does various charity works, and does a "Get Your Mrs. Claus On".  She collects doll quilt tops, makes them into dolly quilts and gives them with a (handmade) cradle to little girls who don't have much at Christmas. I gave my cardinal (which was my banner for a while) for her project. When I read about her cause the idea of a pieced cardinal popped right into my head. It must be that we are connected because her "bright spot" is a cardinal.  I had no idea.

Anyway, I want to thank Linz for the honor.  What a surprise!

Hugs,

Terri

Just a quickie...

No pictures! This is just a request that you look at this link to see the quilt that has been stolen, and maybe help find it.
If we all try....

In other news, I deleted some nice comments because they had a weird "link" at the end of them. Have any of you seen a comment with a "code enforcer" at the end? It scared me, so I deleted them all.  The commenter had no e-mail address listed, so I couldn't ask about it.

Hugs!
Terri

4 More Harry Potter blocks

Okay, I want you to think I've been really busy, but the truth is that 2 of these blocks had me stumped, so for a few months I left them floating in limbo. Then I went to the pattern site (Fandom in Stitches) and printed out a new pattern. It helped alot to see the sewing order, and a fresh pattern had clues on it to show where to sew the pieces. Especially Crookshanks was hard! Don't use that as a first paper piecing venture. Anyway, here's my newest:

The Time turner... I tried that technique where you use the back of the background fabric for the glass parts, didn't work this time. The back was significantly lighter, too, but doesn't show up that way. There's just that much variance in the fabric that you think it's just a lighter color of the right side. Oh, well. I'll know when I make it again.

I've made the Golden Egg before, and still I made a mistake... That golden point at the bottom should be background color... I can fix it, so I'll do that, but I really wanted to show you the white part. I have some fab white fabric that has silver shiny threads that run through it, and it looks really magical on this block, don't you think so? (I changed the pattern a mite, in that I didn't put in the musical note that goes upper right. It's really complicated, and tiny.)

 This is the Elder Wand... and I had trouble figuring out which way the parts should be assembled...

And Crookshanks, too. There is a portion - the face, etc. that fits onto another paper piecing piece!!!!!! Oh my Goodness!!!! Not a beginner piece. But I did it, and I'm quite proud that I didn't give up, completely.
Well, I'm linking up to A Creative Princess for her linky party #41. Come on by and see what else is there.
Thanks for stopping by here. 
Hugs,
Terri

More of the Folsom Quilt Show

Happy Valentine's Day to you all! I changed my header so you'd have a little Valentine from me. You know where to get the paper piecing patterns, Sewhooked from her Free Pattern button at the top. She has all kinds of free patterns for paper piecing, and directions if you need them.

We are having a marvy day here. It's partly sunny and so warm you can go outside in a T shirt... well, you'd better wear pants, too.  We've had some rain recently - just enough to keep the fear of drought off our minds, and they promise more, but we will see. So things have started blooming - locally the almond trees, and some ornamentals (I don't know the name of), the daffodils are coming open one at a time, and the winter blooming azalea and camellia have just started, too. We've had one of those confusing winters again. Dry - which hardly ever happens - and colder than usual. (We had to put the Christmas lights and some spot lights out in the citrus area so our fruit wouldn't go bad. Keeps it juuuust warm enough that nothing freezes.)

That's enough chit chat, On With The Quilt Show!


This is "Maligue Lake" by Ann Barrow. I'd like to try my hand at a landscape quilt. And this one reminds me of a dream I had a few years ago.

Here's a close up of the bear.  In the dream I was right next to a bear. He was growling and smelled really badly.  Somehow I was not afraid... then I woke up, next to a snoring hubby.  You ever have dreams like that?

Below: "Threads That Bind" by Janet Sweetland. I've seen alot of spool quilts around Blogland, and I thought this one was really nice.  She must have a bundle of ombre threads... there is a close up after this picture, that shows the ombre idea even better. I love the garland around the outer border.  See the scissors in the upper left?

The next 5 pictures are again for you applique enthusiasts. I didn't want you to miss any of this quilt. It was amazing in person. It's really big!  It's called "New York Baltimore" by Dawn Licker. The brochure says:
"This is one of 40 quilts chosen out of 400 to exhibit at Houston, Cincinnati and Long Beach. It was made completely with 1800's reproduction fabrics and is a copy of a quilt which resides in the Metropolitan Museum."
What an honor! but then - what a quilt. I feel privileged just to have seen it. Wonder what Dawn feels like...

This is the center... I wanted you to see the basket, how it's made. Amazing, isn't it?

This last quilt was in the Art Quilt Room - like none of the others were art! All the same, these are remarkable. This one (above and below is the same quilt) is in 4 panels, each made by a different person, of a painting by Wayne Thiebaud called "River and Farms" 1996. The quilt is called "Over the River and Through the Farms (to Wayne's House We Will Go)". It's made by Anita Marshall, Jenny Lyon, Margo Wilson, and Donna Brennan. I love it. It's just amazing that they got the scale so close that the field with the trees is only interrupted by the end of one artists piece and the beginning of the next one's piece. Has anyone else ever seen panels like this before?  There was another panel quilt next to it, but I didn't get a picture of that one... ran out of space on the chip. I wanted to direct your eye to the orchard in the bottom right.  The piece that continues to the left has part of that orchard, too, and that part is in 3-D! The little trees are about 1/2" tall.

Well, that is all from the show.  Next time I'll show you the 4 new HP patterns I did.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day. My sweety is taking me out for dinner. Hurray!

Hugs,

Terri

Lotsa Pictures Today!

Hello Dear Friends,
Today we are going to the Folsom Quilt & Fiber Guild Annual Show - Tides of Time. Fasten your seat belts!
First up, Thinking Outside the Box by Marti Meadows - red boxes with black interiors, except the one white interior. (The blue is from a quilt behind.) Look closer... the binding!!!! The outer perimeter is not a square or oblong shape. It goes in and out all along the outside. I was in awe of all the work, just on the binding.

Next is a pretty log cabin called 4-Patch Logs by Dawn Licker. I love quilts that have that light and shadow thing going on.

This one is just plain fun! Snow Day by Nancy Balthasar.

I love butterflies, and this is Bali Butterfly by Donna Ireland.

I do admire the applique artists. I wish I could do it. This one (shown only partly) is Applique' Affair by Sheila Bayley. I love that there are different colors of the beige background, and the stylized flowers are so colorful.  (It was a BOM from Stitchin Heaven - Pattern by Edyta Sitar.)

 Butterflies again... told ya I love 'em. This is Cottage Garden Butterflies by Kristine Olding. (Think I should make a butterfly quilt one of these days.)

 Next is Lucky Stars by Lyn Baker

 An Atkinson Design using batiks - as you can see I really liked it... below is a close up.

 One of my favorites in the show is this one entered into the show by the Folsom History Museum.  Nothing shows the name of the maker.... (Reminds us all to add our labels to the back.) It's made with 1.5 pieces that finish at 1".  I'm thinking it is made with 30's fabrics.

 Here's a close up.

 We'll continue the show tomorrow...


                                                             When I got home I found 2 potholders, fabric and candy in the mail from my Good Blogger Buddy, Sheila at Sew Cook and Travel. Look at the pot holders. One side is different from the other. How fun, and I love the colors. I needed some color in that kitchen. Thank You Sheila!!!!

That's not wrapping paper there... the purple is a fat quarter!!!! Thank you so much.

Then to top off a great day, my Baby Sister called. We talked for nearly 2 hours!!!! Thanks B! Always good to hear from you!

So we'll share the rest of our quilt show tomorrow.

Hugs,

Terri

It'll make you laugh out loud!

this link

go down to the David Hyde Pierce video!  LOL!!!!

Hugs!
Terri

Challenge block revealed

This is my entry into the challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. We were to design and make only one block and use the system in Joan Ford's book, Cut the Scraps.  The pieces in the block should be 5", 3 1/2", and 2" (before they were sewn).  This is what I came up with... It'd look great if it was scrappier. I know there are some interesting secondary designs that would occur when the blocks were put together. I hope they get lots of use out of this design. They are a church group that makes charity quilts and gives them to people who need help.  (I donated some blocks I didn't want to work on anymore, and they made a lovely quilt that they gave to a young man with stage 4 melanoma.)

Sew that is it for this time. Find me over on the linky party at Confessions.

Hugs,

Terri

The Latest...

Pray for us!!!! I just sent my hubby to make the fish for supper. He's to go pick a lemon first then put it into the oven with the frozen talapia... we shall see. I'll report back.  (Nothing happens, Ladies, unless we do it ourselves. Men think cooking just takes seconds, and there it is all done and delicious.  I had to go cook;  he needed to sit and rest after picking the lemon!!!!!!!!!!! Sound familiar?)

A little break from the Harry Potter blocks, but still paper pieced and from Sewhooked in the Free Patterns section. I used the Linus Heart without the extra section to make these.

They were going to be cards for Valentine's Day for 6 of my grandkids, but I did send them candy, and that's really all they care about.   So I still have the hearts. Either they get saved for next year's cards, or I'll use them to decorate a shirt for me, and include another heart and each will represent one of the grands. I like that idea.

This is my gift from the Valentine Floosie Swap put on by Melanie of  Houseelf Doings. We were to send out a fat quarter that we wondered what we would ever do with it, some small sewn something or candy.  Thank you Kigwit from TX.

Here's a close-up of the fabric.  Yes, it is a half yard... you know how it goes. Generous people can't help themselves....

Aaaand I made 2 crystal balls.... a green future could be a really good future!  And the second one was a brainstorm in the middle of the night.  Looks like something... just can't quite tell what.

It does look like a happy future though, doesn't it?

Sew, I'm off to sew the next heart for #7 - lucky #7, my grandson, Ben... and then I should add a +, shouldn't I, to be given a paper pieced heart rounds about August 21st! (Yup! There's a lucky #8 in process right now!)  I've already got oodles of ideas for baby quilts.  Just need to know a gender...

Hugs,

Terri

Challenge block.... big secret!

Hi All,

I've just finished my block entry into a challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. The directions and prizes (really nice ones) are described there, too. You only have to design and make one block for an entry into the challenge, and then upload a picture on her linky party on Feb. 8.  There are very specific directions for the block, so go there first. It's a designing challenge.  I'll show you my block on the 8th.

You can see the blocks I donated to Sarah (of Confessions of a Fabric Addict) and her church ladies made into a  quilt. (It's the third quilt down.) It turned out really pretty, and they are donating the quilt to a young man with stage 4 melanoma. They made a back on it that is every bit as nice as the front. Thanks for taking that off my hands, Sarah.  I loved seeing it made up.
Valentine's Day is coming up, and I've been procrastinating again.  I found some heart patterns I want to make for Grandkid cards.... oh, there's just so much wonderful stuff on the net.  These are paper pieced, of course, and you can find them at  Sewhooked, and use them for free!

Sew no pictures today... gotta go sew!
Hugs,
Terri

2 more HP blocks and a thread catcher

Hi Friend and Welcome!

I've got a couple new HP blocks to show you...

 You know who this is.... Hedwig. I made a little mistake on her head, but I see others have made the same mistake, so I don't feel so bad.  I just figure she is in a wind storm, and one of her head feathers it whipping up...

Now this is supposed to be a potion bottle, but I think the potion looks more like a Rose' or Merlot... you know, like wine. Didn't think about that. I just liked the  color with the yellow background. I used the "wrong" side of the background for the glass. Clever, huh? The pattern doesn't address the fact that the cork would show through the glass. Maybe on the next one I'll include that.

This is the little thread catcher I made. It's just a lined triangle that you sew part way up the sides to form an enclosure. I have different buttons on each side. If you'd like the directions you can find them at Needlingthings where she has a nice  tutorial for you. I'm thinking I'll make them for Valentines to my Grandkids and Daughters. You can use them for little stuff on your dresser. They were easy to make, but I made a mistake on mine the first time... opening got too small.  (Don't sew up the sides too far... only about an inch and 1/4.  I'll have to make the boys' macho fabrics... bugs or fire trucks... then fill with candy. That's the part they like.

Here's the latest contraption.  I got it as an early Valentine. I like it better than cut flowers, or candy. It's a rotary blade sharpener. (Isn't he romantic?)  I hate to throw away things and buy something you already have.  You don't get ahead that way.  This will serve me well, and save throwing blades. Thanks Honey!

Sew that is it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Terri