The white quilt...finished

OK, here is the finished white quilt. Betty picked it up this afternoon, and was pleased with the outcome. Always a good thing. It doesn't matter how many I do, I am always nervous when the owners come to pick them up. You just never know if your vision for the quilt matches theirs. Fortunately, she likes it.

It was a challenge to do this. It was almost like a whole cloth, but not quite. So the quilting design had to span both the pieced and the white space. Was it successful? Well Betty liked it. We'll see what the judge says.

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Progress

But first, a couple fur baby photos. I am working away in the studio and my helpers are lounging around in the guest room! Which you can see from the picture also serves as my overflow quilting room. Yes, that is a roll of batting on the bed (I only have room for 2 rolls under my longarm table) so the others are strategically placed around the house.
It was a little chilly today and VERY windy, so these 2 lazy lima beans spent the day napping. What a life!

I, however was working away! I'm in the home stretch now...finishing the background fill. This is the center.

And this is the outer border...it is 18" wide. 24" from the edge to the green block you see a piece of. Lots and lots of white space on this quilt.

With any luck I'll get it finished up by tomorrow afternoon so it's owner can have it back.

Enjoy your evening!

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I was bad...AGAIN!

OK, I have an Ipod..Nano to be exact. I listen to music while I quilt. I have had my nano in a speaker system and that works. But I find I need the volume a little loud to hear over the machine...not real loud, but loud enough that I can't hear the doorbell. So....last week I got the usual advert from apple..this time showing a 2nd generation shuffle for $49 ! Well, how could I, in my right mind pass up a deal such as this? Well, the answer is, I didn't! I ordered one...in blue. Isn't it cute? Christmas before last, I had ordered one of these (before they came out in colors) for my oldest granddaughter, Kara. She loves it.

Well, it came today, and I loaded it with my playlists and then used it for the 2nd half of my day. Let me tell you how wonderful it it. I can listen to all my music...it is so tiny and light it doesnt get in the way. It is 2" x 1" and has a built in clip so you can clip it to your shirt(or pants). It comes with earbuds and the USB charger dock. They engrave it for FREE, and ship it for FREE.

I used it this afternoon while working. tiny and unobtrusive, and you can listen at a lower volume so I could still hear both everything going on around me, and the music. Didn't get in the way like the larger Nano did. Holds 1 gig....more than enough to get me thru 12 hours of quilting.

I am thrilled...It won't replace the Nano...but is a nice "working" ipod. For $49....a good deal in my view. Not affiliated, yada yada.



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A sneak peek

Two posts in one day! Just to give you a peek of the "white" quilt. I finally finished marking it and got it loaded yesterday. Today I started quilting it. It took me a total of 8 hours to get it marked (98" x103") Normally, I do very little, if any marking. But this quilt is mostly white space so it had to be marked completely.I've just started quilting the motifs in these photos: there is still a good bit of background fill to do.

When I finished marking it, I wasn't too sure if I would like it. But what a difference getting that thread in there! I'm thinking now it's going to be OK.

Betty, if you're reading this don't worry about the blue marks...I'm removing those as I go.

Have a great night!

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Harry's hunting again

Warning! If cats hunting prey bothers you, you will want to skip this entry. Yesterday, Harry was sick all day. I think he may have eaten a little toxic frog. Although we only let the cats out in the screened lanai, small critters like those tiny frogs, and lizards can get in. Harry loves to hunt. And he is very good at it. We try to take the frogs if we see them, but I guess we missed one. But today, He is back to normal and out in the lanai hunting again. Below is his "catch" of the day. He was very proud...we don't take the lizards, as he doesn't eat them. But as you will see below, they do "play" with their prey before killing it.

In the photo below, he is bored with the lizard, but will not allow Chloe to play with it. Soon after this the game was over.

I hope I don't get hate mail over this. But I find the hunting ritual of cats interesting. And after Harry was feeling so bad yesterday, I wasn't about to interfere with his fun. Those of you with cats will understand.

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I almost forgot

I almost forgot I've been tagged by Terri and Carla.

The rules are:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1) I am the oldest of 6 children...4 girls and 2 boys.
2) I could say that Mary and I are sisters...maybe there are 2 of you that don't know that..LOL
3) I am a democrat...on the more liberal side...please don't throw stuff at me! I believe that those of us who have , have a responsibility to help those who don't. But that's all the politics I'll do. I want to keep the blog free of that turmoil.
4) In high school I worked (for free) for the park service just to be able to be around animals. I have not meet an animal that I didn't love (except snakes...just can't get into them)
5) I think I'm a frustrated artist....I love just about any art form, and would love to be one myself...well, we all have dreams!
6) The hardest thing for me at this point in my life, is being so far away from our children and grandchildren, and Mother. But on the other hand, my husband is the happiest he's been in forever....quite the dilemma. Though, I am here, so I guess that speaks to priorities.
7) I am just a tad bit competitive....thus all the quilt show entries...But it does serve to make me strive to improve my work. And I love this work I do!

As to tagging 7 more...I tag all of you who wish to participate. This community is brimming with talent and stories to tell...so if you want to share your story; We'd love to read it .

Happy yet sad

Today I received word that my "frog" quilt that is at Mid-Atlantic right now has been accepted into the NQA show in Ohio in June. The good news.

My sad news today is that my little boy kitten Harry is sick today. Don't know what is wrong, other than he is throwing up and not eating or drinking. He is only 11 months old, so I am very concerned. Hopefully he will be better in the morning. I have talked to our vet today, and if there is no improvement by morning we'll take him in to be checked.

I know it may sound pretty neurotic to some, but these little people mean the world to me. And after losing Sid and Ira in the last 2 years, I am probably more weird about this than normal.

On a quilting note, I finally finished marking the "white" quilt and it is loaded. So tomorrow, assuming Harry is better, I will start quilting it.

And I leave you tonight with a picture of my beautiful boy, Harry

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New Storage

I've been working hard...marking the next quilt in Que. It is difficult in that it is mostly white....just a ring of paper pieced blocks around a white 24" square; with white beyond the blocks. It is a large quilt...98" x 103". Lots and lots of white space. Taking forever to mark. And that is unusual for me...I don't often mark quilts (except my own wholecloths). But there is so much white space on this quilt, in order to have some semblance of symmetry and consistency I have to mark it out .

I have collected so many beads and charms and buttons, etc, that I needed a better storage solution. What I wanted was the old fashioned screw and nut bins. OK....get your minds out of the gutter!

When I told Don what I needed, he said, I have one out in the garage you can have. So I took it and cleaned it up. It is exactly what I was talking about. But I needed bigger...and more of them. So he went to Home Depot for me and got this...it is great! My baggies of beads, etc. fit in the drawers and I can see what I have!!!! Big plus there. They only had 1 (:(

But have them on order, so next week I should be able to get more. Good thing, as I placed another huge joggles order this weekend!

The above photo is the one from the garage....OK temporarily, but will be replaced when the new ones come in.

And if you can stand it....another new picture of Fiona. Isn't she the cutest!

Have'nt heard anything from Mid-Atlantic, so must mean no ribbon. Oh well, getting in is good.

Have a good night!

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Not much news

Today was Chloe's annual exam...her first! ( she of course, had all her kitten exams and her "operation" previously) She was a very good girl, and after many indignities, she was pronounced not only healthy, but small for her breed standard??? ( She is a very big girl...and still growing) And was proclaimed such a very good girl for enduring without complaint all the above eluded to indignities. (We can't mention them in polite company) And purring and kissing both the vet and the tech. She is such a sweet girl! On the quilting front, I'm working on another show quilt for a customer, due by March 1, and I pieced and appliqued a new class sample. I took it to the quilt shop WITHOUT taking the photo first!!! Tomorrow, I'll go take the photo and post it then. It is a very simple quilt, but fun and perfect for Florida.

No other news tonight, so I'll go quietly.....LOL! Except for this comment...when is blogger gonna get the spell check fixed?????

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My 1st triptych received

I have talked before about the MQR triptych challenge I was participating in. I posted the pieces I made a while back. Well today I received my first piece. This 1st photo is the challenge I made. It was taken in 1999 at our home in Virginia. But for the challenge I changed it to a black and white image and sent it to the other participants to interpret in their own way and color palette.

Well, today I got my first one back from Gayle from PA. The fabric she hand dyed, and this photo does not do the color justice. I love it. Thanks you so much Gayle, it is beautiful!

Then, I also finished this week (after returning from retreat), this quilt from Nancy M. She plans to enter it into a show here in the state in March. This picture is blurred, but hopefully you can gleen the essence of the quilt from it. The other photos are more in focus.

These last ones are of the back. With the solid color, it is easier to see the quilting....and for the judge to see the flaws (: (. Oh well!

Hopefully she'll be happy with the results. Have a great weekend!


I'll sure be happy when blogger gets the spell check fixed!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

The beautiful roses and love of my husband, and this photo from my son and daughter-in-law made my day! This is my youngest granddaughter, Fiona. At 13 months old, she is starting to look like a big girl! They grow sooo fast! I hope you are having a wonderful day with those you love.

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A terrible sadness

I returned home from a wonderful retreat this afternoon to some terrible news. My dear friend Gina was on a wonderful, well desesrved vacation with her husband Walt. They are now struggling to find a flight home. Their 2 sons were in a car accident last night. One died, the other is in ICU.

I cannot begin to tell you how my heart aches for her. there are just no words other than these...

Gina my friend, I love you you. I can't begin to understand what you are going thru right now, but I want you to know that I am sending you all my love and strength.

Send her your thoughts and prayers. She will need us all to get through this terrible time.

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I'm off to retreat!

At sunrise tomorrow, I'm off to retreat! 2 days in a beautiful location about an hour north of here. I'm packed; have my challenge block done; and my 80-6" squares cut! And all the stuff to make my calss sample...due next week..LOL!!

My suitcase is packed too. But my Harry, is very sad as you can see in the photo. He is very much a Mommy's boy. Don calls him my shadow. He does not like me out of his sight. He senses that I'm going away, and is even more clingy than normal. Maybe I should take him with me! Unfortunately, I don't think that would go over to well. But Don will be home with him (and Chloe ) the 2 days I'm gone. He'll either be very happy to see me when I come home; or he'll be very pissed! Bad Mommy!
Chloe, on the other hand, is a little more independent. As long as one of us are home, she's fine with that.

I'm taking the laptop, but don't know if I'll have internet. So, it might be a couple days. Have good ones!

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Better than Christmas!

My Circle Lord arrived today!! Yippee! I have been meaning to get this for a LONG time, but as things go, I just never got around to ordering. Finally, last week I did. Why did I wait so long? For the past few years I have been using the Quilt E-Z templates....what a wonderful step up this will be!

In addition to the basic unit; the templates I chose to start with are the spiral, starz ,tiles, and stella.
Since I do mostly custom work, and my own work leans to the contemporary, the only 2 giant templates I got are below: the zig-zag and the cable. These 2 will lend themselves to creating wonderful spaces for creative custom.

My husband had it assembled in no time flat. Even got the stylus and my laser light changed over!

Thanks Michael and Kay for all your patience and help, you are the best! Be sure to visit their blog for tons of info and inspiration.

I have a busy weekend, and then bright and early Monday I'm off to a guild retreat, so playing with my new toys will have to wait until later next week. But it's all ready to go when I get home!

Have a great weekend!

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