Goodies in the Mailbox!

It has been a long week... a long day... Often when I am coming home from errands, work, etc. I pull up to the mailbox and grab the mail before parking the car and heading in. Lazy I know!  I was delighted to open the box today and find 3 package.. 2 small... 1 big. I knew what they were (and there is one more on the way!).. FABRIC!!!!!

I needed a bit more variety in my granny square blocks for the Christmas quilt. I have a good bit of red and greens, but wanted some more black and cream / gold background fabrics. So here are the ones that arrived today..

I love all of these creams, although I think the middle one may be a bit too yellowy for this project. No problem... he can rest nicely in the stash until that moment when the perfect quilt for him is underway!

I adore the black background Christmas prints I have been using and these fit right in. That bit of black adds depth and richness to the blocks.

OK I said I had reds and greens, but I really liked this one.. and it was a great deal through Thousands of Bolts

And here is the final fabric...

Not very Christmassy is it!?  That is because it is NOT for the granny square quilt... it is for another project.. a joint venture between the hubster and me!  It is going to be a fun one! Wait and see...

"Belle"

National Quilting Day!!!

So pretty much everyone in the US knows today is St. Patrick's Day, but for quilters it is another holiday too.. National Quilting Day.  NQD occurs on the 3rd Saturday of March, so not always on 3/17.

Hubs and I celebrated today by going to a fabric sale and sewing....

Here are the fabrics we bought...

Some bright fun butterflies (the white behind it is Kona Cotton Snow.. bought that today too..)

Some fun polka dots....

A WILD Print that hubby liked....

And one more polka dot.. a big dot.. that the shop owner tossed in as a happy.... 

And here is what was worked on today...

I finished up the house blocks and started making them wonky... the excess fabric gets trimmed off when they are squared up...

And hubs finished up the baby quilt top he has been working on... 

All in all I would say it has been a good National Quilting Day here!

"Belle"

Catching Up in Blogville -- Part 3

Some of my time playing with fabric over the last couple of months has not involved a sewing machine. I have bought a bit.. not much actually... received some from a friend... and cut some things for a swap.

Hubs and I found this pretty fabric on clearance at Hancocks:

I have no idea where it will be used, but I am sure it will turn up somewhere.

We also found this amazingly gorgeous fabric:

It has been used to create napkins!  Yes, napkins. I grew up using cloth napkins.  I don't consider them for special occasions only or "fancy". I am not one who believes in saving the good stuff for company.  My family deserves the good stuff! Plus using cloth napkins is environmentally friendly. :-) Hubs  made these. I love them!

My friend, Jules, who knows me sooo well, sent me some dachshund fabric.  She knows how much I love dachies and anything dachie! Isn't this too cute?

Then when I was at Hancocks, purchasing the fabrics above, I saw this...

Dachies and Pink!  Could it be more me!? LOL!

And lastly, I am participating in an online swap... 2 1/2" x 21" strips of fabric. Pinks!  Here are the ones I sent:

Cannot wait to see what I receive.

Oh yes, 1 more fabric came into my life over the past 2 months. This one:

I am sure someone loves it, but most will think it is Weird and ugly. That is why I have it. Some friends and I are participating in a Weird and Ugly challenge. I have to make something using most of this fabric. I have an idea... just need to get started as the challenge deadline is June 30. I will most definitely post the result!

"Belle"

More Fabric in the Mail

I could so get use to getting Quilty stuff in the mail every day!  I actually got a box earlier this week from Connecting threads and didn't post about it here. More of their lovely Essential Thread, as well as a couple of pieces of fabric that were on clearance.

Then on Friday, I received a squishy packet and a box.  The squishy packet was from my unofficial-sister (LOL!) who lives in PA. I mad a mug rug earlier this month and commented that if I had more of the fabrics I used (they were scraps), I would love to make a table runner with them. No surprise, she quickly emailed and said "I have some of that green on tan fabric!" and so it arrived on Friday.

The box was from a friend in IL who is an amazing quilter and has influenced me in more ways than she knows.  I recently sent her some TOT Creams and Tans for a project and she reciprocated by sending me some much needed browns and yellows and even a bit of the same green on tan my sister-friend sent.

Here is the green on tan fabric... it is, to me, one of those fabrics that look better when used than just by itself:

And here are the browns and yellows...

I really love that back yellow with the sort of folksy floral print. Love it!

I worked on my mom's GFG last night and will work on it more as the weekend continues. I am also putting together a pieced border for the graduation quilt. It is looking good.  Lots of quilt action happening here!

Oh yes... and just when I think I am caught up on Baby quilts, 3 more pregnant mommas pop up! LOL! I have a little boy quilt to make, a girlie girl and one that doesn't know yet. The earliest due date is late August, so PTL I have a bit of time.  But the creative process is already churning in my mind. I love baby quilts!

"Belle"

A Fun Saturday

Ran to Hobby Lobby with Hubby this morning to snatch up some batting with 40% off coupons. Ended up getting a few more things. This fabric was on clearance ... how could I resist!? And while I rarely purchase quilt books (so much can be found online for free!) I just loved several of the quilts in this one and Hubby insisted I buy it. So I did!

This afternoon my

daughter whipped up some Peepshi for her brother who is a Sushi nut. A friend sent me the link for these.. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/peeps-recipes-how-to-make-peepshi-sushi-rice-krispies-treats-easter.html

Too Cute! He is going to love them!

And a good bit of today

has been spent outside with the babies.. Mac and Mia.. hunting bugs and such. Poor Miss Mia looks awful covered in Pollen! No doubt Mac is covered too, it just doesn't show up on his red coat!

Hope you

all have a very Blessed

Easter.. enjoy the food and fellowship with family and friends... hide some eggs... eat some

candy... hug a bunny... but most of all remember that Jesus is Alive! "Belle"

Travelling with a Quilter

My hubby had an overnight business trip earlier this week and I tagged along... just to have some us time away from the kiddos. Travelling with a quilter is an adventure... and since he does a bit of quilting also, we had a blast!

First there had to be some reading material to keep me occupied while he handled business stuff.....


















And then we had to stop at fabric / quilt shops. I really loved the Gotta Have It Quilt Shop in Baldwyn, MS. I bought 2 patterns... both of these I had seen online or in catalogs and was hem-hawing about buying them.. but when I saw them in person, I was sold! So sometime down the road I will be making a Charm Party Tote Bag and a Hip To Be Square quilt....






















I also ran into a brand new Hancock Fabrics store in Tupelo, MS (FYI Hancock Fabrics is headquarter in the small town of Baldwyn, MS). There was a Bernina shop in the middle of the store. Hadn't seen that before. The lady there told me Bernina had a deal with Hancock and we will be seeing more of these. I had fun looking at the various embroidery machines... I am contemplating buying one some day... and then I found a Pattern book that caught my eye... well several caught my eye, but I limited myself to one purchase... a stash buster book...



































I also found some cute repro fabrics for this month's charm swap and to use in a baby quilt I am planning for my great-niece (due in Sept.)



My hubby's employer pays for the trip...except my meals and purchases.... I get time alone with him, some news mags and patterns, and fabric to boot... that makes for a great trip!

"Belle"