#70

This is my 70th post... not  a giveaway type blogiversary or anything, but a nice round number. Thanks for stopping by.

Today I proclaim how lucky I am.... again!  My friend, Sheila, from Sew Cook and Travel sent me a Pay It Forward gift!  It is so awesome!
Well, here's a thousand words...

What she did was wash, iron and cut fabrics into 2 1/2"  widths for me to have this rainbow jelly roll. I am so impressed with her generosity!  And there are instructions for a quilt along with it.  It is called the Jelly Roll 1600 quilt, and some places call it a Race Quilt.  You can find out how to make one at www.heirloomcreations.net.  It is an ingenious technique. (I had to use the search on that site to find it, and don't remember really how I got there, but once you are there you'll find a YouTube video to watch and see them being made and modeled afterwards.)  Anyway, I thought I might just make one like it... sounds easy and quick, and I have been considering making something like it since I made binding last time. I love the look of the diagonal seam and with the lovely rainbow colors Sheila made up for me it'll be gorgeous!  Thank you Sheila!!!!
   Now, I can't promise such a lovely gift as Sheila gave me, but I would still love to keep up my side of the bargain and give 3 participants a gift each, too.  If you would like to receive a mystery gift in the snail mail and then Pay It Forward to 3 lucky recipients, just let me know.  I have a year to get you something, and you have a year after receiving a gift from me to send something to your recipients.
Write me a comment saying you would like to do this.  Everybody likes to get a package in the mail!

Other pictures...
 
 This is a close up of a hug - as close as I can get to you~  I wanted to show you the "background" of the Hugs and Kisses Quilt that I'm still "working" on.  I put working in quotes cause I'm fooling around a bit now. I got a gift and card off to my daughter in time for her birthday this week, and I'm rewarding myself by playing. I needed a break from the XXXs and OOOs. I'm working on a Felix Felicious block from the Harry Potter patterns.  They are free from Sewhooked and friends Here and Here. I'm thinking that for THE movie coming out in July - the last one - I'm going to use one of the paper pieced patterns and apply it to a T-shirt for me. That way I'll be in style for the show. I just don't know which of the patterns.  I have a Whomping Willow already done and since my #1 grandgirl used to call me Grandma Willow, from Pocahontas movie, that could be appropriate. There are just so many patterns from which to choose! (Gotta use the good grammar in case my daughter reads this.)

These two pictures (above and below)  are of my "card" to my DD.  (She doesn't read this blog all that often, so she will probably get it before she sees it here.  The little flags are diamond shapes cut from decorative papers, and the letters on them are from a sheet of Scrabble letters that I've had for eons.  I just happened to have some lovely waxed linen in her favorite color for the string and voila! a card.  Magic. (Who says I'm not a witch.)  It says Happy Birthday and her name, but she can turn it around and use it year round for a little joy.  (As you can see the little trees and stars are still living on the design wall.  I just haven't put them together yet.  You run out of steam after a while.  I think it's going to be a UFO before too long.)

And what post of mine would be complete without a few pictures from the garden?

The chives are blooming again... this one has a Lady Bug on it!

They planted themselves from a potted plant on the patio, and have been doing better here than ever they did there.  They are smack up next to my yellow rose, which looks terrible right now.  We had a lot of rain the past few days, and the roses all are showing the signs.  The sun beats on the beads of water, and burns the roses, and of course the rain and hail beat off most of the petals.  And here to prove me wrong...

 are the dead roses.  Thought you'd like to see all the blooms.  When you get near  they buzzzzzzz.  The bees are enjoying!  I'm just happy we have them around!

And here below is a close-up. Smile pretty!

So that wraps it up for me....

Don't forget to leave a comment saying you want to Pay It Forward.

Hugs,

Terri

V's block, plant update and OXes

Welcome to an update of the latest growth spurts... mine and the plants'.
Here come the pictures... (Remember you can make the picture larger by clicking on it.)

This is the block I made for Victoria's signature block quilt.  She's taking donations HERE, if you'd like to make one for her also. I hope she likes it... it is a bit different than her others collected to date.

Here's the OXes.  A bit red even for me.  I do love red, and I'm enjoying the sewing... Maybe I'll pepper it with some other colors.  What do you think? Maybe some orange and yellow?  Ha ha!

Okay, I'm a granny that never gets to see her grands - distance and financial restraints... so this is my PRIDE AND JOY.  The Baby Ginkgo started from a pit!  You can see on this picture and the next that she or he is getting real leaves!!!!!!!!!!  Those cute little fan shaped leaves are so ....

identifying.  Smile pretty for the camera.

Here is an update of the oak I started from an acorn.  Seems like all the seeds, pits and acorns I plant all decide which ONE will sprout.  (This is an evergreen oak we in CA call a Live Oak.  They are live all year.) In the background are mullet seed pods... and the boxes are free from Costco - going to be used to keep the little plants all together so the wind doesn't blow them over.

And here is the ONE Maple that come up - out of maybe 10 seeds that were planted.  God is testing me, see if I can part myself from the little ones.  Can I give away the little sprouts to the Trick or Treaters?  Maybe the Oak and Maple, but that Ginkgo... no!   Isn't it sweet how the leaves are just miniatures?

And finally a houseplant.  My Easter Cactus... a pinch off of a dear friend's plant - about 30 years ago. Stunning, isn't it? It's amazing how much water these type of plants demand... of course, we live in a very dry climate, and that is a West facing window.  It gets plenty of afternoon sunlight.

So now I'm off to do the taxes... we didn't make enough to have to pay anything, so I procrastinate.  We aren't getting a return check either.  Just something that has to be done.

Love to you all... and some prayers for ARB and her Mommy.

Terri

Hugs and Kisses

Howdy Friends,
I've got some new rose pictures and 2 new blocks.  Not much, but I've been planting little cuttings and more ginkgo pits.  Keeps me out of mischief. (While I was out back I saw a pair of doves having a tryst in the bushes!  It's that season again.)

Here are the pics.

The orange rose - so pretty, it has yellow on it, too.

Closer look at the yellow and orange rose. My fav.

This rose in the foreground has two tone petals.  White on the outside and red on the inside.  It has a tendency to have long stems. This is the row of roses that was here when we moved in, but I've added 2 yellows and that orange/yellow on the end.

These are the three bush roses that my #1 son brought home dead... so confident that his mummy could rejuvenate them! I guess his confidence in my green thumb was not unfounded.  He  brought them home and dug the holes.  We powdered the roots with growing hormone (the secret of my success) and we planted and watered.  They came back from the grave and have massive flowers all summer long.  Now they've gotten too big, and we are going to trim them back seriously next fall and he'll dig them out, and take them to his own house.  (The pecan tree (that stick there with the roses) will have to stay.  He planted that, too, but it's mine now. Bwaaahaaahaaa!  You can try, but it doesn't work to dig up a tap root tree. They die.)

These are Princess Dianna roses.  They really like this location. I started them from cuttings from the main bush out front.  I didn't take pictures of the roses out front.  I rarely go out front without my hobby being home.  Just a little uneasy out by myself.

This is a miniature pink rose - okay, I hear you wondering what is wrong with this woman... she's got roses all around the house. I like them, and when they can't figure out something else  my family gives me potted roses for gifts.  Wait til I show you the Joseph Coats and the Double Delights in the front areas.  Anyway, the bigger plant here is a pink geranium.  So easy to grow, but it has to be located under the overhang of the roof.  It will freeze! It literally turns to mush.  Makes good little plants for the Halloweeners. 

And here is the newest pair.  The first ones got made into a card for my daughter.  (I lose more quilt blocks that way.)  I'm thinking all the hugs and kisses will be different reds.  Got them all washed and ironed.  I love red, it's my favorite color.  What's yours?

So that's the news here.  What's new at your house?

Kisses and Hugs,

Terri

broken window, applique, 2 blocks done

Hi Friends,
You will never guess who broke our dinette window... a dove.  They have flown into that window many times before, and left dust impressions of themselves.  This time there was a gaping hole!  Well, take a look for yourself...

The poor bird left feathers everywhere in that room and through to the back sliding door.  Luckily, it wasn't that scared - if you know what I mean!  She was let out the door, and we started the clean up and called in the glass man, who got there early and was done within 3 hours of the initial event.  $140.00!  Just when you think you are getting ahead.... That's not all!  The other side of the window was flown into while we ate breakfast there just a half hour after the first window crasher... Guess we will have to keep the blinds down all the time or we will be bombarded.  Birds!  Can't live with them, can't enjoy life without them.

I decorated this T shirt many years ago, but I promised Donatella of http://inspirationrealisation.blogspot.com/ that I'd show it on the blog.  Here's my shirt!  I started with a $2 "on sale" shirt from Michael's... you know their 5 for $10 shirt sales, the sale they used to have before gas prices skyrocketed. I never like to let that sale pass. Anyway, I had these shorts I bought for which I had no shirt to wear with them. (WOW, the grammar police should lock me up after that sentence.) This color looks great with the shorts, and the flowers I made with eyelet white fabric and the aqua thread to match the flowers on my shorts.  Originally I only had 3 on the shirt, but then they turned out so nicely that I arranged 4 more.  Total of 7, is the number of grandkids I have... and they are arranged to show that one lives in FL - over on my right shoulder, 4 live in WA (in the midsection) and the 2 on the left coast are in AK - everywhere but here!  Anyway, the way the flowers don't fray is to daub the edges with Fray Check, a product by Dritz.  It works! The flowers are still nicely soft, too. (I'd say it's  been 5 years!)

Here's the outfit, and the picture below shows a section with the white and aqua flowers that are now quite faded on the shorts.

Below are the two blocks I have done on the Kisses and Hugs quilt, so far.  Promised this to the Houseelf of  Houseelf Doings.  Have you seen my Harry Potter blocks? They're on a few posts back... well, just click HERE and scroll down to the bottom. I've made lots of different ones.  I like the Hedwig for cards, and Fawkes, the phoenix, for get well cards.  That site will give you a link to the free patterns. They are free, but they cannot be used for commercial quilts. That means if you make them into anything you cannot sell it.  They are copyrighted patterns.  But they are still fun to make! Okay for family, friends or charity quilts.

I just realized that my Hug and Kiss look more like ox.... oh, well. They will be accompanied by more oxes.

That's it for today, Dear Ones.  Come again another day!

(Sorry if anyone was looking for the binding tutorial... didn't get it done yet. Keep checking back.)

Hugs & Kisses (or ox, for short),

Terri

...

A tiny Ginkgo, old car, a finish, next one up

Hi Friends,
Glad you could stop by.  I've got a pretty mixed bag for you today. Lets get started with some pictures, shall we?
Let's start with the finish.  I've finally got the little baby quilt done for Project Linus Open House.
It's 31x37 1/2 inches.

These are 2 cars at the old car show we stumbled upon this weekend. I think they look like us talking at the same time. (We really aren't as old as the cars, but today I do feel that old.  Must be some weather coming!)

Here is the Baby Ginkgo!  I am so proud.

An here is an aerial view. Cute, huh.

Now that I'm done with the quilt.  I'm thinking of making one like this.  This is a Kisses and Hugs quilt.  The picture is from QuiltMaker Magazine, Jan/Feb 2004. It's made with a paper piecing pattern that looks really easy, and I'm going to use a polka dot for the background.

I have a tutorial on binding coming up next time.  I started in the middle, and have to go back to the beginning and take some pictures for you. I've figured out how not to have a bulky ending... maybe you all know how to do this already, but I'm going to show it anyway.

Stop by again, and leave a comment.  I love hearing from you!
Terri

A plea for three!

Lilacs are almost done blooming, but still smell yummy.

A few roses have opened recently.

A rare white without a bug in it!

I think this is a Chrysler... Not a Buick, for sure!

I really don't know how to word this, so I'll just jump right in.  I agreed to send out 3 gifts - one to each of the first 3 who comment and will honor this "Pay It Forward".  Its a way for quilters to thank other quilters - for the inspiration and care they bring into the world and share with us all... I guess. Anyway,  Sheila from  Sew Cook Travel will be sending me something, and all I need from you, Dear Reader, is for you to say you want to do this, too. 

Here are the easy rules:


~ three people that would like a gift from me should leave a comment to that effect.

~ each of them will get a gift sometime in the next year.

~ in turn, each of the three will send three other people gifts.

Should be fun!  Everybody likes to get mail that isn't a bill.  We have a whole year, so I don't think this is too hard a task.  No need to be big and fancy, just kind and considerate
 
What do you say.... Leave me a comment today!
Love you all,
Terri

I'm a winner!!! and I have Boobs to send off!

You will never guess that I'm a winner!!!  I won the prize on Online Quilting, a rotary cutter holder - it came in the mail today... check out the picture below to see it. (I'm going to use it for my sunglasses in my purse.)

She also sent a lovely  flower pin that she'd made, a bag of buttons (I put on some dark fabric so you could see them better), a card of hand sewing needles and one of her fabulous quilted post cards!!!! So much more than I expected when I left a comment.  Thank you so much Lis!!!!!

Found these while cleaning last week. ( I guess there is some value in cleaning.)  They got lost because of cleaning, so I guess they were meant to be found that way, too.  They are paper pieced and I simplified the pattern from the book 365 Foundation Quilt Blocks  by Linda Causee.  I don't know what I'll do with them.  Maybe I can cut one down far enough to use it for Victoria's signature block donation.  We'll see.

Here is the latest batch of Boobs to be sent off.  They are coming your way, Nina.

One is a star from the wall hanging that isn't quite going anywhere.  One is a  paper pieced cardinal leftover from Christmas cards that I never took pictures of. One is a pink flower from the quilt I am working on now. Three of them are  leftover Drunkard's Path blocks used to make a vest - either the one for my Mom, or the one I made for me. Three are quilted. Most are made with scraps from my snippet bags. They are fun to make especially when I don't know what else to do with myself. I use leftover batting and the backs are from larger pieces... mostly from a skirt I got tired of before I finished it. (I have never sewn many of my own clothes, and the things I did make for myself I really never liked to wear.  What is that?)

Anyway, thanks for tuning in... Going to have a giveaway later this week... I just don't know what yet.

So come on back!

Love you all,

Terri