Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Year's Eve 2009



I've been out and about since 7:00 a.m. Haircut and the market are done and I'm home for four whole days!

Making black-eyed peas and smothered cabbage tomorrow - and gumbo! I know they don't go together, but I figure there will be plenty of leftovers for me and for Jane's family. Besides, it's perfect gumbo weather!

Penny and I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Happy New Year! Don't forget to take some stitches tomorrow - because what you do on New Year's Day, you do for the rest of the year!

And Penny sends a special Happy New Year's hug to everyone!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

2009 Stash Ponderings

What can I say? I purchased way way way more than I used, and I'm up to my eyeballs in fabric right now. I'm determined to use up a lot of it in 2010, although realistically, I know I won't make a dent in the thousands of yards that are living at my house.

I gathered up all the quilts needing bindings yesterday and there are 11 of them. Quilts needing backings number about eight. Quilts needing a final border or a finish on assembling are another eight. Bindings, backings and borders are the first order of business in 2010.

BOMs are overflowing my sewing room. I have four needing assembly, and need to catch up on eight more. Those will be the second task to accomplish.

Applique projects started number about seven or eight. Those will be a priority focus in early 2010. I also want to make about half of the remaining eighty or so Dutch Treat blocks, and I'd like to make at least 50 basket blocks next year. Both of those are lifetime projects for me, but maybe I'll finish in this lifetime if I focus on them. I'm determined to spend at least one weekend every other month prepping applique blocks. Once they're prepped I know I'll stitch them. Applique is something I really love to do, so why not get them ready to go.

I'm just going to chalk up this year to stash building for retirement. I know I'll purchase fabric in 2010, but I'm going to be more selective and get just the lines I absolutely love and will regret if I don't get.

So I bid adieu to 2009, and welcome 2010 with new resolve.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 219.625 yards
Purchased: 750.95 yards
Net YTD: <531.325> yards

Friday, December 25, 2009

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM Block 2 Winner

It's Christmas morning, and Santa a/k/a/ The Fat Quarter Shop has a $25 gift certificate for the winner of this month's Pennsylvania Dutch BOM drawing!

And the winner is SANDY at Loves to Quilt! Congratulations, Sandy. Your gift certificate will go out to you in a bit.

Thank you to the Fat Quarter Shop for donating the gift certificates for the monthly drawing, as well as all the wonderful fun they provided this holiday season at Jolly Jabber. I hope everyone takes a moment to email Kimberly and Kevin and say thank you! I know I will!

There are 10 more monthly drawings for the Pennsylvania Dutch participants. We look forward to everyone making their blocks and getting in on the drawing!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas



Penny has thoroughly been enjoying the holidays, unwrapping her 12 Days of Christmas packages, and guarding the door for the UPS guy! Such excitement!

The nice bow around her neck didn't last but like 6.8 seconds! Mommy was way too slow with the camera!

Wishes for a joyous Christmas from the LA Quilter household!

Edit: ROFLOL. She looks like she's passed out! No, just caught at an odd moment of chewing on the ribbon!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Stash Report Week 51

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM participants, please go HERE to comment about your finished blocks. The drawing is early Christmas morning, 12/25/09! Good luck!

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4.375 yards out this week. Nothing in. Well, nothing for me! :)

Next year I'm going to be a busting fool!


Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 199.625 yards
Purchased: 750.95 yards
Net YTD: <551.325> yards


Penny is still opening her 12 days of Christmas presents. It's hilarious. Today's episode:

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Countdown to Christmas

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM participants, please go HERE to comment about your finished blocks. The drawing is early Christmas morning, 12/25/09! Good luck!

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Have I decorated? No. Am I going to? Probably not. I've been really stressed the past couple of months and, besides, I think a tree might prove too tempting for Penny this year. But I have plans for next year, BIG plans I'm going to decorate every room like I used to. I always had so much fun doing Christmas, and I'm definitely going to get rolling on things early in 2010!

A couple of weeks ago, I found a box on the doorstep addressed to Penny. Seriously! I opened it up and there were small packages wrapped in tissue paper and labeled 1 through 12. She received her own 12 days of Christmas packages from her own secret elf!

So each day she's been opening one package. Before I go to bed at night, I put her package on the coffee table. In the morning after our walk, I grab the camera and turn her loose. She has gotten quite good at unwrapping. OMG, there are toys everywhere! What a sweet secret elf she has! Miss Elf may have created a monster, though. During the year I might have to take some old toys and wrap them up just so she can unwrap them! :)





Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Wish List

The Fat Quarter Shop has come up with a great idea for some Christmas fun! A wish list!

Here's the link to their Jolly Jabber blog where everyone can get in on the fun!!!

It's so much fun reading about what quilters would like to find under their tree this year! I hadn't even noticed some of the neat fabrics until I saw what everyone listed!

Run, do not walk, to Jolly Jabber to make your list! Santa's watching!!

Here's my letter:

Dear Santa,

Two years ago I told you I wanted to win the lottery - I won a free soft drink at Micky D’s. Last year I asked for meals already cooked when I get home at night, and you had a freezer delivered. This year I mentioned I wanted someone cute to snuggle with at night, and you sent me a puppy! Dude, you and I are totally not communicating here! I think I'll just ask for anything to keep an old quilter happy! (This ought to prove interesting!)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM - Block 2



My internet has been down since yesterday because of the hard rains we've had, but the good news is that I've been sewing!!

This month's Pennsylvania Dutch BOM is a really nice block. I've said this a hundred times, but I love this Wiscasset fabric by Minick & Simpson! This is going to be a dynamite quilt!

December is a tough month to find sewing time, but for those participating in the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM, it'll just take you an hour to make this block! All you have to do is post a picture of your completed block on your blog, and then leave a comment here with a link to your blog to be entered in the drawing for a $25 gift certificate from The Fat Quarter Shop! If you don't have a blog, just simply email me a picture of your block to be entered in the drawing!

There are still some backings sets available, so don't forget to order yours before they're gone. Heck, if you're the winner, you could just apply your gift certificate to that purchase! :) :)

The drawing will be held at around 6:00 a.m. Pacific time on Christmas morning! Winning a $25 gift certificate would be a great way to start off the day!

Thank you to The Fat Quarter Shop for their donation of the monthly gift certificates. You are just the best!!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Quilted Quickies

I was following links one day off of blogs and I happened onto Quilted Quickies blog. The first post had a picture of her gorgeous doxie, Gidget! She looks just like my late sweet Daisy. So I left a comment. I was surprised to find a box on my doorstep from Jere'e a few days later - a gift for being the first commenter! How wonderful is that!

Jere'e is the designer behind Quilted Quickies patterns. She sent along her Darci's Dress Up pattern, and a fabric pack to make a modified wallhanging of the pattern. Also a Fitz and Floyd Glass Menagerie dachshund! Wow, it's gorgeous! And the most adorable Christmas card!



The absolute best thing is Jere'e made a YouTube video of pictures of Penny, and also included a DVD in the package! This is especially precious to me because someone *borrowed* my puppy pictures of Daisy and lost them. I now have Penny's puppy pictures on disk and I will store it safely away.

Click on the link on her blog to view the video. I dare you not to tap your foot to the music!!!

Please go by Quilted Quickie's online shop! Beautiful patterns, kits, and tons of other wonderful goodies! And don't forget to stop by her blog and say hi!

Jere'e, thank you so much for everything! You are SO sweet! Penny sends big hugs to Miss Gidget!!

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Stash Report 12/6/09

I did good this week again - considering I went to three quilt shops yesterday! One (1) yard purchased. One of the shops even had a 20% sale off on everything in the store. Jane and I were both kind of lost because we didn't know what we needed or wanted! ROFLOL. If we had known about the sale, we'd have had a plan in place!

Busted 14.5 yards. Again, not too bad.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 195.25 yards
Purchased: 750.95 yards
Net YTD: <555.70> yards

These totals are awful, but they are what they are. Next year ....

Guess the Contents Winners

Whew, it's a good thing no one guessed what's in the box because I didn't think it through very thoroughly! I would have had to hand out a LOT of $100 gift certificates if it had been a bolt of aged muslin or Rouenneries!

What was in the box ....... a bolt of Moda Solids Cheddar! This is the perfect cheddar, and I've been looking around for it for a very long time! Last week I emailed Kimberly at The Fat Quarter Shop because it wasn't on her site any more. Kimberly said that everyone loved it so much that Moda plumb ran out, but Moda said more has been ordered and should be in in January. So if you're in the market for the perfect cheddar, please check back with The Fat Quarter Shop in January or email them that you're interested.



All the names were written on pieces of paper and put in a bag and shaken-not-stirred. The winner of the bundle of P&B Morning Garden fabrics is BEVERLY! Beverly doesn't have a blog, but she promised that she would check back in to see if she won!

Two people mentioned cheddar, and lots of you said bolts. But there were no exact guesses! Penny and I had a little chat about this - since, after all, it's her allowance on the line here!

Anyway, here's what Penny and I came up with. In the spirit of Christmas, we're going to split up that $100 that nobody won, and we're going to have four more drawings for FOUR $25 GIFT CERTIFICATES from us for the winners to spend at The Fat Quarter Shop!

The winners of the four $25 gift certificates are:

Carol at Brown Quilts

Miss Jean at In the Garden with Miss Jean

Julia at Scrap Happy Quilter

and Quilterbee - who doesn't have a blog but I know how to get in touch with her.

To the gift certificate winners, you'll be getting your gift certificate by email in a day or two. Beverly, please email me your snail mail address!

Congratulations, and thanks to everyone for taking a guess!

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Guess the Contents

There's this unopened box sitting here from The Fat Quarter Shop. I remembered this weekend what is in it, and only one other person knows besides the folks at FQS. I guess that disqualifies them!



I thought it might be fun having a guessing contest! All you have to do is leave a comment with your guess and your name will go in the hat for a drawing. The winner of that drawing will get a P & B bundle of Morning Garden fabrics. One guess per person.



Penny didn't think that was good enough, so she insisted I add another layer of fun to this contest. She said that if anyone guesses EXACTLY what is in the box, the PERFECT guess, then they will win a $100 gift certificate from her to spend at The Fat Quarter Shop! It has to be exactly what's in the box. Not just a yard of fabric, but a yard of what fabric. Not just a bundle of fat quarters, but a bundle of what line. Not just a .... well, you get the drift. She's a sneaky little punk, isn't she? I told her this was coming out of her allowance, but she just wagged her tail and looked cute. I think she knows I'm wrapped around her little paw!

The drawing will be held on Sunday morning, 12/6/09, when I get up and have a cup of coffee. Well, let's say at 8 a.m. Pacific time. If I sleep past 8:00 don't call me because that's a rare occurrence and I must be tired! LOL.

I must be able to contact the winner or winners, so if your guess doesn't have a link to your blog, please leave an email address. Good luck, everyone!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM Drawing Winner

The winner of the first monthly drawing for the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM gift certificate is.......

ERIKA from The Netherlands!!!!!

Congratulations, Erika!! Your gift certificate will be emailed to you tomorrow!

Kimberly and Kevin at The Fat Quarter Shop have generously donated a $25 gift certificate each month for the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM drawing participants. Thank you so much, you two! Making this block each month is going to be so much fun, and your drawing will make it even more so!

It's not too late to sign up for the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM. Don't forget that All BOM members will receive a $25 gift certificate along with their first block!

I loved working with the Wiscasset fabric by Minick & Simpson for Moda. I can't wait for next month! But next month I won't have a bowl of gumbo right before the drawing and fall asleep like I did tonight! Promise!

A New Blog to Visit

I was reading through Judy's stash reporters today, and found a new blog! Brand spanking new! In fact, I left her first comment!

The blog is Quilt2sr5 and her name is Penny! I see Penny loves applique, and is working on a fabulous new project called "Flowers Forever."

My Penny says hi to you, Penny! Congrats on getting a new blog up! I look forward to watching your progress on Flowers, and all of your projects! Penny and I predict that you'll have lots of visitors!

Stash Report Week 49

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM block makers, please go HERE to comment about your finished blocks and to be eligible for the drawing to be held around 6:00 tonight Pacific time, Sunday 11/29! Good luck!
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Judy's weekly stash report has been an interesting one to participate in this year. I failed miserably, but am ending 2009 with new resolve! Judy is the queen of stash busting - my hero! Way to go, Judy!

I'm going to say this next sentence very loudly and boldly -- I DID NOT BUY ANY FABRIC THIS WEEK! No, I'm not sick! And, no, my button poking finger is not broken (although it needs a manicure)! I was busy in my sewing room!



I did bust 8.5 yards because I cut out and sewed about halfway through the Fig Tree Club quilt! 8.5 yards!!! Good grief, I can't even remember the last time I busted anything! One small step for a fabric collector .... well, I don't think that's exactly what Neil Armstrong said when he stepped on the moon! But I'm determined in 2010 that my stash room 'black hole' will be renamed "Tranquility Base."

Can you tell I've just finished reading "Rocket Men" by Craig Nelson? Oh, my! Even though we know how the story ends, it's an extremely good and educational read. I was holding my breath at moon touchdown! July 10, 1969. Where were you that day 40 years ago? Good grief, I'm older than dirt!

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 184.75 yards
Purchased: 749.95 yards
Net YTD: <565.20> yards

Friday, November 27, 2009

Awesome Give-Away!

Vickie E a/k/a Spun Sugar Quilts f/k/a Mid-Ohio Quilter is having an awesome give-away to celebrate her 405th blog! Wow, that girl changed her blog name and had me all confused! But DO NOT go over there to check it out! I want to win! Me!! Thanks, Vickie!

Also a reminder that your Pennsylvania Dutch blocks must be made by Sunday 11/29 afternoon to be eligible for the $25 gift certificate drawing from The Fat Quarter Shop. Please go HERE to leave your comments about your finished block!

Ahhhh, the day after Thanksgiving! I'm about three-quarters through cutting out the Fig Tree Club quilt! I'm SO excited! I'm in my sewing room and am a happy camper! Penny is napping again. And it's only 8:15 a.m. She wore herself out yesterday!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Dancing with the Stars


After dinner, Skippy and Penny took to the dance floor!

Is there a mirrorball trophy in their future?

Happy Thanksgiving 2009!

I was up way too early this morning. I walked in the kitchen and realized I only have one dish to make, smothered squash. Mom used to always say, as she was fluttering around the kitchen, that we had to have squash because that's what the Pilgrims ate. And Dad would always wink at me and say, "She should know. She was there." I miss them so much.

Penny and I are heading over to Jane's later. Penny has a play date with Skippy. Camera is in the car - check! As you can see, she's all ready to go!



Looking back through the three years of blogging this is how my Thanksgivings past shaped up:

2006 - Finished the 100th block on Dutch Treats. There are 196 total blocks. I have 80 something left to applique. I guess I'll finish this one up in The Home.

2007 - Just got out of the hospital. Felt lousy. Spent most of the weekend sleeping.

2008 - Just getting over the flu. Felt lousy, but spent the weekend sitting next to Daisy on the sofa appliqueing and also caught up on BOM blocks.

2009 - Except for a tiny headache, I'm feeling great and looking forward to a wonderful day.

Penny sends her most heartfelt Thanksgiving wishes to everyone and their pets! I do, too!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Every morning ...

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM block makers, please go HERE to post your finished blogs and to read the rules. Drawing is this Sunday, 11/29! Good luck!
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Every morning this is how I find Penny's food bowl. I wonder if she thinks she's "saving" it. It used to be her octypus draped across it. The last few days it's been this awfully worn out ball.



Once she left a ball in the bowl of scraps on my cutting table. Maybe she's just marking her territory. I need to find that picture. It was too funny!

Silly dog!

P.S. Those two red bowls were purchased in August of 1980 for Katie, my first doxie. I paid 99 cents each for them. Three doxies and 29 years later they're still going strong. I'd call that a good buy!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Progress Stopped

Progress has stopped at least until after Thanksgiving. The shelves on the right once held Christmas fabric that is now tubbed up in fairly large tubs. I'm still discovering piles and boxes of various fabrics (Minick & Simpson) and those will be added to the stash during the holidays, but for the most part I'm done for now. I'm ready to sew up a storm for at least three straight days!



Penny has a ball when I open the door to the stash room. Tonight I found her sitting on top of a tub surveying her queendom. Well, actually she was probably looking for a Moda bundle to untie. She's so darn cute!

Tomorrow is going to be a bear at work, but I have my eye on the end zone! Four days off will be so wonderful! I'm probably going to cut out this Fig Tree Club quilt, and then work on BOMs. And I'm committed to piecing at least two backings while I'm off!

I'm giddy with anticipation! :)

Oh, I found an unopened box from The Fat Quarter Shop. I might have a guessing game after the holidays - what's in the box? I don't even remember. Stay tuned!

I've received several emails from folks who are completing their Pennsylvania Dutch BOM. Remember to either leave a comment HERE or send me an email when you've finished your block to be entered in the drawing of a $25 gift certificate from The Fat Quarter Shop!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Thanksgiving Week 2009

What a busy day it was today. I'm plumb worn out. The theory of getting a long weekend is good, except I have to cram five days into three.

For those who are making the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM, be sure to leave a comment HERE with a link to your block completion to be entered in the drawing. The rules are all posted on that link.

I worked all weekend on the stash room. I was real disgusted with myself for even thinking about undertaking the project, much less starting it. However, yesterday afternoon things started to shape up a bit in there, so I'm liking what I'm seeing. Now to lug all those heavy tubs of fabrics that were on the shelves down to the garage. It's always something!

I had one whole shelving unit with only Christmas fabrics, and I suspected a good portion of them were Robyn Pandolph Christmas lines. Well, I ended up with four large tubs off of that one section, and three of them were RP. I've made two or three RP Christmas quilts, and there is enough fabric for at least ten more. What was I thinking? Wait, don't answer that!

I'm real excited, though, about having all of the lines I love together in one place. I'm itching to start sewing again! I think I might just do that over the long weekend. I can always finish up in the stash room after Thanksgiving. My goal is still to have it all done by the end of the year. We'll see - but I think I can do it.

Penny has been SO helpful during the process. I stacked a bunch of Moda towers on the floor, and she thought she'd help by untying all of them! Now, some of my readers thought Penny might be a quilting doxie. Well, I now know for certain she's absolutely not! Why you ask? Because a quilter would NEVER untie a Moda bundle! They're too pretty to actually use! (sigh)

I'm pondering what to work on this weekend. Endless possibilities!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Stash Week 47

I didn't sew this week, but I've been organizing. Lordy, what a chore!

Here is a picture of three shelving units in my stash room in 2006. It was like a "color wall." Sounds good in theory but I hardly used anything at all off of it except for neutrals/backgrounds. I wanted fabrics there that I was excited about using - instead of having them shoved into a closet where I never see them.

This is what it looks like this morning.



What you can't see in this picture is the rest of the stash room. I'll save that picture for when it doesn't have tubs of color wall fabric sitting around.

And the above is why I have nothing new on my stash report this week! And may never again!!!

I'd say that's progress, wouldn't you?


Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 176.25 yards
Purchased: 749.95 yards
Net YTD: <573.70> yards

P.S. ROFLOL. I just read my post in the 2006 link above. Good grief, I lied!!! "I am committed to using up half (or more realistically a third) of this stuff this year. My goal is for everything to fit on the shelves. I have a closet of bolts for backings so I’m all set there. Perhaps some border fabrics or very small cuts of colors I might need for applique is all I will be purchasing."

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM Block #1



Can you believe it? Mine's done! I'm usually the caboose on the BOM train!

Many bloggers mentioned how much fun they had doing the Simply Sophisticated BOM together. So Kimberly and Kevin at The Fat Quarter Shop have once again offered to donate a $25 gift certificate for monthly drawings for the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM! I tell you, those two are absolutely the greatest!

The rules are real simple! First, and this is the easy part, go immediately to The Fat Quarter Shop and sign up for their exclusive Pennsylvania Dutch BOM! It's out of that gorgeous Wiscasset collection by Minick & Simpson! The blocks will ship around the 6th of each month. As soon as my block comes in and I make it, I'll put up a blog post. To be entered in the monthly drawing, all you have to do is make your block, post a picture of it on your blog, and leave a comment here with a link so we can all go ooh and ahh over your gorgeous block! If you don't have a blog, just email me a picture of your finished block to be entered. It's that simple. I'll announce the date of the drawing each month on the blog post. And if I do other posts before the drawing, I will always give you a link to get back to where you leave your comment.

Since this is the first month, let's have the drawing on, oh, say, Sunday, November 29th at around 6:00 p.m. Pacific time. That'll give you plenty of time to get your block made this month, or to order it if you haven't already done so!

The Fat Quarter Shop is also giving a $25 gift certificate to EVERYONE who signs up for this BOM! You'll receive the gift certificate enclosed with your first block! Mine is sitting right here by my computer. I can't decide what to buy with it! LOL. If that's not an incentive to join, I don't know what is!!

Don't forget to get your backing set while you're ordering! A year from now that fabric won't be available, so get it now while you can!

(Gosh, I use a lot of exclamation points, don't I? Can you tell I'm excited about this BOM?)

I know we're going to have a ton of fun this year making this BOM. And just to spice things up even more - Penny has advised me that three or four times during the year, her mommy should have another surprise drawing for the Pennsylvania Dutch block makers for something out of the stash room! That Penny! She's determined to make me bust fabric one way or another! So there's another little incentive for you!

This is going to be so much fun! So all aboard! This month's Pennsylvania Dutch BOM train is pulling out of the station!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Fig Tree Club

This week I received the first quarterly installment of the Fig Tree Club from The Fat Quarter Shop. I fell in love with the Cobble Stones Quilt when I saw it and had to have it! It's going to be a gift for someone special in my life. Woke up this morning wanting to start cutting it right away!

I wasn't going to join this club, but after talking with a friend about it and then seeing this quilt, I could resist no longer. Wow, am I ever glad I did! Fig Tree has always designed awesome fabric, and the Fig Tree Club is an ideal way for me to enjoy their fabric and make four beautiful projects a year!

I have to say here that I am constantly visiting quilt shops both in person and online. Although I buy from many shops, I keep going back to The Fat Quarter Shop for several reasons. They are the most consistent quilt shop with whom I have ever dealt. By that I mean consistently fast shipping, wonderful customer service, incredible packaging, and good prices. Consistent across the board, and have been for all the years I've been a customer. I first found them years ago when I was looking for an older piece of Robyn Pandolph fabric. At that time they had a special button just for that designer. I was so excited to find what I was looking for, and I think I bought out their entire inventory of the older lines! Yep, that was me!

Only one time in all the years of dealing with them did I find a problem - in a kit packaged by a fabric manufacturer. It was short one small piece of fabric. I emailed the Fat Quarter Shop, and within two days an envelope with that piece of fabric was sitting on my doorstep. I was blown away by their prompt attention and quick resolve. Having just had a two-week battle with another online shop over a totally incorrect order and their refusal to correct the matter, this was so refreshing. It was at that point that I decided The Fat Quarter Shop would be my main source for fabric, and I have never wavered from that decision. The Fat Quarter Shop has their finger on the pulse of quilting, and always carry the latest and best there is to offer. One-stop shopping!!

I bought almost all of my Christmas presents last year from The Fat Quarter Shop. They gift wrapped everything and shipped right to my friends! I didn't have to go to the mall, not once!! It was perfect for me, and I will do that again every year from now on!

I'm delighted with my Fig Tree Club package! February is a table topper project, April/May another quilt, and July/August a home decor project. I haven't done home-dec in years, but I'm looking forward to that! (As long as a zipper isn't involved!)

Every single package from The Fat Quarter Shop is like opening a present! And I chuckled out loud when I saw the little note on the envelope! That's what it's all about!

Stash Report Week 46

8.5 yards in a kit came in this week, 5 yards backing for a BOM, and 2 yards of a checked woven. That's it for the week. Well, a couple of other things came in, but they were purchased as gifts so no harm/no foul.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 176.25 yards
Purchased: 749.95 yards
Net YTD: <573.70> yards

I did make a quilt over the past two weeks. It's been quilted, bound, and will arrive at its destination early this week. I guess as long as I'm working on UFOs and finishing up odd projects, the sewing will not bust yardage. (sigh) It did feel good to finally sit behind the Bernina. It's been way too long. I'm motivated again, but need to finish up the organization first. I woke up this morning thinking of at least three quilts I want to start cutting immediately. That's a good thing! My goal is to have this place organized by Thanksgiving. I'm going to sew my little heart out over that long weekend!

Check out Judy's blog to see what real stash busters are up to! I'm just a wannabe!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Jolly Jabber Auction for the Children

I've got a lot to talk about this week, but this is the MOST IMPORTANT thing!

Please go visit The Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber blog and read about Benson and Claire, and the quilt by Camille of Thimble Blossoms that's being auctioned for the second time to raise money for these children who need it so desperately.

If you can, please make a bid on this gorgeous quilt. If you can't make a bid, a donation of a dollar or two would mean so much to this family. There's a link on Jolly Jabber for that.

Thank you!

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Stash Report Week 45

I came in here feeling smug because I didn't think purchases were made this week. Wrong! ROFLOL. There were two receipts stuck in my stash report notebook. I picked up four yards of cheddar prints, and nineteen yards of Astor Manor.

Believe it or not, there are only a couple of things left to get this year, and I spotted one of them tonight while suffering insomnia and surfing the net. The other I ordered today. So I'm done. Next year I'll be a stash busting fool! Oh, and a cooking fool, too. I'm determined to cook one weekend a month and live out of the freezer for the remainder of the month. More sewing time!

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 176.25 yards
Purchased: 734.45 yards
Net YTD: <558.20> yards

And I really feel bad about this, but I'm disallowing anonymous comments for a while. Feel free to email me, and I'll be happy to post your comment if you wish. Thanks.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Nabbed!

Keeping the camera handy allowed me to capture a scrap theft in progress.

Friday, November 06, 2009

Anonymous Said ...

On my last blog, Anonymous was back with a nasty comment. Someone emailed me and pointed it out. I'm going to go against my rule of deletion, and leave that one there for all to see this time.

Here it is to keep anyone interested from having to go search for it.

Anonymous said...
There is no way you can pay for all the fabric you get. I figure you are just a PR for Fatquarter shop. Also I never see the amount of completed projects. You must be an attention seeking Nutcase.


This one I WILL respond to. Anonymous went a little too far with this comment by attacking my friends. Sadly, I pretty much know who "anonymous" is because of some recent gossip that came my way. Sick, sick.

There is no way you can pay for all the fabric you get.

Yes, I can and do pay cash for all the fabric I get. I was not born wealthy. I don't sit at home eating bon-bons while someone else supports me. I am a very successful career person and I earn a extremely handsome income. Do I detect a little jealousy here?

I figure you are just a PR for Fatquarter shop.

Nope, don't work for them and am not associated with them in any manner except as a VERY satisfied customer. I pay the same price everyone else does there, or at any other online shop from which I order. I have become friends with the staff there over the years that I have been a customer, but have never met any of them in person. Will have to remedy that some day!

Also I never see the amount of completed projects.

Well, I'd say you haven't read my blog very thoroughly. I have been quilting since August, 2001 and have made approximately 150 quilts. I have six to eight that just need bindings right now, have two more being custom quilted, have another one going to a local quilter this weekend, and I have a stack of probably eight quilts next to my cutting table that need backings pieced. I haven't sewn much this year, I'll admit, because of Daisy being sick and losing her, then getting a new puppy, and because of an illness at work and the extra hours I'm putting in in that regard.

You must be an attention seeking Nutcase.

Attention seeking nutcase? Oh, right. THAT must be why I send secret gifts to folks without mention of who sent them. THAT must be why the majority of my charitable contributions are made without fanfare. THAT must be why I blog several times a day, day in and day out, just to draw attention to myself. Thank you for pointing that out.

Sheesh.......

Comments? Anyone? Might as well get all this over and done with now.

My apologies to The Fat Quarter Shop for being drug into this. There isn't a finer group of folks on the face of the earth.

--------------------------------------------------------

EDIT: The discussion is now closed. To my friends and fellow quilters and bloggers, thank you for your support.

Sunday, November 01, 2009

This is So Exciting!!

As everyone who knows me knows -- I'm a HUGE fan of Minick & Simpson fabrics, patterns ... everything! I always carefully scour the market pictures to see what new designs they have coming our way! Kimberly at The Fat Quarter Shop can attest to that because I email her things like, "I want to make that quilt in the Minick & Simpson booth! Order that one, please please!!"

Recently a Moda Designer Half Square Triangle Challenge was held at Fall Market. The designers traded half square triangles, and their challenge was to make a quilt from those HSTs. There were some very pretty quilts made by those talented folks!

Laurie Simpson made this quilt. Yes, THE Laurie Simpson!



When I saw on the Minick & Simpson blog that this quilt was going to be auctioned on eBay, OMG, you can bet I was all over that one! I had been bidding and watching and bidding and watching. I even had it set up to get bid notifications on my Blackberry. The last day of the auction, I ran a bunch of errands and had just walked in Target when my phone beeped. OMG, someone had outbid me, and there were only a few minutes left! I ran out of Target and hightailed it home. Good thing it's very nearby. I got to my computer with only a few minutes to spare, made another bid, and sat chewing on my fake nails. I won the quilt!!! I can't even tell you how excited I was!

Afterwards, Laurie emailed me and asked if I wanted a label! You betcha!!



It's official! I have a LAURIE SIMPSON quilt in my collection!!

I also won a couple of other things from them, and I already have my bedroom planned for Christmas 2010!

Just need to get a sleeve on the quilt, and it's going to be hung in the breakfast room. I'll do that next weekend!

Thank you, Laurie! It was fun! :) :) :)

Stash Report Week 44

Nothing has changed since last week. I am still 535.20 yards in the red. Is anyone surprised at that? (rolls eyes)

Penny had two baby teeth taken out yesterday. They weren't wanting to fall out on their own, so the vet helped them along. He gave me the two teeth in a little vial. Everyone in the reception room laughed when I said, "Oh, look, Penny! You can put these under your pillow tonight!"

I'm sewing a bit this weekend for someone else, but hopefully it'll get me kick started. Miss Bernina needs to go in the shop for some cleaning and maintenance. Maybe I should do that before the end of the year. I have the smaller Bernina I can sew on while she's getting her dip and clip.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 176.25 yards
Purchased: 711.45 yards
Net YTD: <535.20> yards

Monday, October 26, 2009

Miscellany



1. Stash Report Week 43 boxes have landed, all 140 something yards of it. OMG, this stuff is gorgeous! The Rouenneries bag in the top left of the picture is this quilt kit. I love the bag it's packaged in! Love it!

2. Penny scared me at the vet on Saturday. After she had her well puppy check-up, I was standing at the counter to pay and noticed that she felt really really hot. The vet took her back into the examining room, and she had 104.2 fever. She was fine when I got there. So we waited 10 minutes and took her temp again; 104. Ten minutes to wait again, and it's down to 103.2. The diagnosis: stress fever! She got herself all worked up just being there. Sheesh .... scared the peewally out of me!

3. I spent all day yesterday up in the stash room and made the biggest mess. But I have a plan and it's coming together.

4. My stomach hurts. Might have to go pet some fabric.

5. Do you ever go back and read your old blog posts? I was looking for something that I posted earlier in the year. Okay, I'll tell you what I was looking for. I wanted to know when my stash report showed my totals in the black. Week 10! Yikes! It's been all negative since then. Anyway, I don't know what made me poke on one of the posts to read comments. There was this horrible pornographic thing there which I deleted. Guess I'll have to periodically check for those. I'd hate for someone in my family to run across an old blog post that I haven't looked at in 10 months and see that trash!

6. Penny weighed 10.2 lbs. She's 8.5 months old.

7. My brother is feeling a lot better, although still a ways to go. It did my heart good to talk to him yesterday.

8. The person at work finds out tomorrow the results of some testing last week. I'm going to pray hard tonight.

9. I think we should all go harass Kimberly to get some pictures posted of the little twins and Miss Emma. I keep checking Jolly Jabber for pictures.

10. I'm done.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Stash Report Week 43

I've kept up doing the stash report that Judy has hosted for the third year, and my numbers are awful. As bad as they are, though, the purchases have been more thoughtful since I've been keeping track, and not buying willy-nilly any more. That said, 142 yards were purchased this week of Wiscasset, Rouenneries and Celebration. Haven't received the last two boxes yet, but I expect those in on Monday so they're reported this week.

There are a couple of lines I have my eye on for next year, but I'm going to limit myself to one or two from each market - plus anything by Minick & Simpson as long as they keep doing the patriotic colors I adore.

While organizing fabric the past couple of weeks, a few conclusions were reached about what I have. I've decided that I've fallen out of love with the fabric by one designer so I won't be purchasing any in the future. I found that I have a very healthy stash of batiks which I rarely use any more. The Civil War stash is also healthy. No more polka dots until I use some of these up. I guess I'm heading back to my roots. I did make an exception to my hard and fast $10/yard rule to get some of Brenda Riddle's Celebration by Lecien which I linked above. A momentary dispensation.

At least *someone* I know bought more than I did this week. We'll hold hands and bust yardage together next year!

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 176.25 yards
Purchased: 711.45 yards
Net YTD: <535.20> yards

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Penny Vs. the Octopus



I'd call it a draw!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM

In November I am starting the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM at the Fat Quarter Shop (yes, I know, another BOM)! They have offered another great BOM (out of my favorite Wiscasset fabric), and I can't wait for this one to start.

Did you all see the sign-up bonus for this BOM? Yep, you've read that right!

"All BOM members will receive a $25 gift certificate along with their first block!"

I'm sure I'll find something at The Fat Quarter Shop on which to spend it! We all will!

But that's not all!

So many of you expressed how much fun you had doing the Simply Sophisticated BOM, and that you were motivated to get the blocks done to be entered in the monthly drawing!

Would you like to do that again?

Kimberly and Kevin have offered once again to donate a $25 gift certificate every month for a drawing! Each month I will post a blog with the entry information and, like before, all you have to do is comment on that post and link us back to your blog with a picture of your Pennsylvania Dutch finished block, or email me a picture of the block, to get your name in the drawing for the month!

Don't forget to order your backing set, too! The fabric won't be around a year from now when you've finished your BOM.

A huge THANK YOU to The Fat Quarter Shop! I love you guys!

This is going to be SO much fun!

Stash Report Week 42 and More ...

There's always more ...

I'm still organizing here. You should see the downstairs! Well, okay, against my better judgment I'll go ahead and show you two snapshots. These shots are not my sewing room nor my stash room. Fooled ya, didn't I?

What I did first was took everything that was piled up along a half wall in my sewing area and moved it out of the way. That's the fold-up table and the tubs of BOMs and WIPs. The table is going in the garage. I moved an etagere that was in my breakfast room into the sewing room. Everything that was on the etagere is now on my breakfast table in boxes. (sigh)



Then I moved *almost* all of the fabric out of my sewing room and off the bookshelves and tubbed it. But I ran out of tubs, so it's piled on the dining room table until later today. The quilts piled in that chair came off the bookshelves.



Why is it that everything gets worse before it gets better? That's where I am right now. Penny is all discombobulated.

I did pawn off a book, panel and 44 matching fat quarters to Jane, so those are in my car to give to her this week. Hey, a gal's gotta bust stash wherever she can! Eleven yards out of here.

I opened the door to my stash room yesterday, walked in, looked around, walked out and shut the door behind me. I went in to make a plan to move what's on the shelves up there into tubs, and the stuff in the tubs in the dining room to those shelves. But you know what? That's overwhelming right now. I did peek in the closet door in there and it's stacked with wire baskets of Civil War, batiks, brushed cottons, and bolts and flat folds of backing fabric. I don't even want to think about dealing with that for now.

I said it before ..... it seems all I'm doing is moving mass. Hopefully by January 1st I'll have pictures to show of organized stash. You're laughing again! I can hear you! Yes, this coming January!

In the meantime, all that came in this week was backing for Bespoke Blooms BOM, three yards. (I don't count the fabric in the BOM packages either in or out, just the finishing kits and backings.) So what that it was 108" wide? It's still just three yards, right?

********** Oh, oh, oh, if you've ordered Pennsylvania Dutch BOM - or are considering ordering it - stay tuned for an exciting post about that later today! :) **********

Okay, I'm done.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 176.25 yards
Purchased: 569.45 yards
Net YTD: <393.20> yards

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Stash Report Week 41

I started in on the organization process yesterday. I have about 100 quilt magazines piled up to be discarded. I moved 19 quilts off of display shelves and about half filled those with books. I've got a long row to hoe here, but am just taking baby steps to organize this joint. I want to be ready to get back to guilt-free quilting come January 1st. I WILL NOT END UP 2010 WITH NEGATIVE NUMBERS! Just watch me!

A reserved kit landed on my doorstep, Many Blessings. This one will be quick and easy to do, and with the backing totaled 8.75 yards. I've made a couple of G.E. Designs quilts, and I really had fun making them. Very nicely written patterns.

Are you all watching Quilt Market reports on the various blogs? I am. I'm pleased to say that so far I haven't been too tempted. We'll see how I feel as more pictures are posted of the booths. So far there have been mostly meet-and-greet pictures, but I expect the fabrics and quilts will be showing up today.

A confession: Jane caught me pulling bolts of Somerset Cottage this week at a local quilt shop. She stopped me with the reminder that I have already signed up for the Bespoke Blooms BOM at The Fat Quarter Shop. "But it's Robyn Pandolph fabric," I whined. She replied, "If you want to make an RP quilt, go upstairs and open up your RP closet. You have enough there to make 50 quilts." Sigh. I love Jane. She's so smart!

I have eight or ten quilts to bind which I'll start on next weekend. I think most of the bindings are already made, so there won't be much, if any, stashbusting going on. But at least it's forward progress here at the Quilting Condo.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 165.25 yards
Purchased: 566.45 yards
Net YTD: <401.20> yards

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Penny Likes Gingerbread Men



Got this back last night from a local quilter. I think this makes five or six quilts that need bindings, and there are two more on the way from Judy. I have my work cut out for me for the rest of the year.

Penny approves!

EDIT: Because a couple of you asked, I went back through my blog and found the pattern source. This is from the Possibilities book, "More Joy to the World."

Been Out of the Loop

This week has been one of those that I would never wish on anyone.

My brother, following his back surgery in New Orleans on the 1st, had to be admitted to the local hospital in the town where he lives for pain management. After given morphine, he tanked and was put in ICU. Numbers kept dropping so he was intubated, and it was touch and go for a while. I'm happy to report that although he is still in ICU, he seems to be doing much better and should make a complete recovery. Needless to say, I was glued to the phone and on stand-by with a packed bag.

A person at work who is very important to me has cancer, and their battle has been one of ups and downs. While I was in Louisiana, they had emergency surgery. Things are looking better now, and I hope that keeps improving. ("They" is gender neutral here for confidentiality reasons.)

And while all this was going on, I was frantically trying to finish up quarter-end financials in case I had to fly out.

One thing I've realized in all of this -- I need to go home more than once a year. I'm going to try to schedule a week in Louisiana in the spring as well as the fall. Don't know how that's going to work out since I'm snowed in through mid July, but surely I can find a few days strung together to visit with my brother. Life is too darn short.

Quilting? No. But after my haircut this morning, I'm spending the remainder of the weekend organizing the sewing room and stash room. I truly can't remember what I have any more.

Sunday, October 04, 2009

The Selvage Queen



Penny's favorite place to sit is on the staircase. She's in a position to see me at the computer or in most of the downstairs. And she never goes up there without a ball or a toy or a piece of selvage. I found out the hard way that I have to remember to move any balls before I go upstairs at night. Good thing I have plenty of padding on which to bounce down!

The picture is blurry. I need to check the settings on my camera.

This "Moi?" look just slays me.

She'll be 8 months old next week. Hard to believe. I'm think I'm going to miss her puppy antics.

This picture was posted only to push my stash report down the page! :) :) :)

Stash Report Weeks 38, 39 and 40

I was totally confused over not reporting for weeks, but then I remembered I was traveling for two weekends. I confused myself again! Go ahead and laugh. I laugh at myself all the time, at my brunette-ness!

A package arrived this week. I had Mill House Inn charms and layer cakes, so I needed the complimentary yardage. "Needed"? Well, actually, no, but I think in sets; can't have one without the other. This stuff is all being put away to sew on next year or some year. I don't want to wish I had gotten it while it was available. Therein lies my problem. A dessert roll, inside and outside borders and backing, 12.33 yards.

I have two more lines to get yardage on when it comes out, Wiscasset and Rouenneries. Then I think I'm done for this year. At least I think I am. I know I have a small kit on reserve with Kimberly at The Fat Quarter Shop, so I'm sure I'll get the backing for that. And I have finishing kits for BOMs on reserve, although I can't remember when those start. I'm worry about that tomorrow at Tara.

Fall Market is just around the corner. I'm always like a kid with my nose pressed up against the window at a candy store waiting for pictures from Market to get posted. We'll see how strong my resolve is! My plan is to pick one or two lines from Fall Market and one or two lines from Spring Market, and that's it. I have more fabric than a dozen quilters could use in a lifetime, and the thought of moving that all in a couple of years is daunting. I've been trying to organize it a bit and tub it up, but I gave up frustrated last night. So I need to keep that in mind while my nose is pressed against that window.

That said, bans on Minick & Simpson fabric will probably never happen. I have Bar Harbor on reserve. Totally my favorite colors and totally awesome fabric with which to work. Think Prairie Paisley, Flag Day Farm, Wiscasset. Honestly, I could be a walking advertisement for those ladies! Here I go again, posting my resolutions with caveats.

A lot of talking to distract you from my numbers. Did it work?

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 165.25 yards
Purchased: 557.695 yards
Net YTD: <392.445> yards

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Simply Sophisticated BOM - Winners!

Simply Sophisticated drawing winner for the $25 gift certificate from The Fat Quarter Shop is ............

LORETTA from Louisiana!!

Congratulations, Loretta! I will be emailing your gift certificate to you in a few minutes.

I hope everyone takes a moment to thank Kimberly and Kevin (and Miss Emma, Will and Peyton!) for their generosity this year in providing the monthly gift certificates! You can drop Kimberly a note at kimberly@fatquartershop.com

Although we won't be having any more monthly drawings, I hope everyone stays in touch and shares their finished Simply Sophisticated quilts (or quilt tops)! There are some beautiful new BOMs at the Fat Quarter Shop. I can't wait to finish up these I have going so I can get started on the new ones! Okay, I admit. I'm a BOM junky! :)

The second $25 gift certificate drawing is from Penny and me as a thank you to everyone who participated this year and made doing the BOM so much fun! Thank you for pushing and prodding me to get the blocks done, and the reminders when I failed to post about them. You all are truly awesome quilters and dynamite ladies!

The winner of the second drawing is Julia of Scrap Happy Quilter blog! Congratulations, Julia! I'll be checking in to watch for your finished quilt!

Thank you all, again! I had a grand time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember -- this evening is the drawing for the last gift certificate from The Fat Quarter Shop for those of you working on the Simply Sophisticated BOM!

I know the last package had a LOT of sewing in it! Don't panic! Please just leave a comment HERE on your progress, even if you haven't finished it! Give us a link back to your blog showing what you've done - or even the untouched package like *some* of us have! Or email me a picture. Either way will get you in the drawing!

The drawing will be this evening around 6:00 Pacific time.

But here's another surprise!

I will also be giving away a $25 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop. So that's TWO chances to win! There are SO many gorgeous new fabrics and projects on their site. I'm sure you won't have any trouble at all finding something to spend them on!! LOL

That's my way of thanking everyone for participating this year. I feel like I've made a ton of new friends among you and I have enjoyed visiting your blogs - even though I didn't always leave comments.

Good luck to all the Simply Sophisticated participants!!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Little Stinker



She had herself all wrapped up in these selvages, one ear folded back, with that "Who, me?" look going on. My little helper.

She wasn't at all excited to see me on my return to CA. Jane was here at the house waiting for me when I pulled in. Penny had way too much fun at summer camp with Skippy to even care that I was home. She was watching Jane's every move. Last night she was whining and searching in every corner looking for Skippy. This morning she's my bud again! At least that's what I'm figuring since she brought in a million leaves and sticks for my approval. Will be dragging out the vacuum tonight - again!

I sure did miss the little stinker while I was away, but I knew she was having a blast. I'll bet Jane's house is really really quiet now!

Don's having back surgery Thursday. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Louisiana Vacation 2009

I got home yesterday afternoon, and what a shock to step off the plane into 105 degrees temp! Lordy, I want to go back to Louisiana!

I told Don and Gail that I wanted to see rain, lots and lots of rain. Well, be careful what you wish for!



We were on our way to Morgan City. It's been 15 years since I've seen blowing-sideways rain. Heck, it's been 15 years since I've seen this kind of rain no matter which way it was blowing! I think it rained every day I was there, but most days it rained a bit and then cleared up into a beautiful day. This day, though, it was constant. We sure could use some of that for the SoCal fires! Well, on second thought, if we had that much rain out here, California would slide off into the Pacific. I loved it, though. The humidity only "got" me one day where I couldn't get my hair dry. So it sort of did its own curly thing.

I lived in Louisiana 40 some odd years and never went to Avery Island, so that was on my request list this trip. It's very near Don and Gail's house. Avery Island is where Tabasco is made. It's absolutely gorgeous there. We toured the factory where something like 750,000 bottles of Tabasco are produced each day. I bought a book about the history of the island, the McIlhenny family, and the making of Tabasco, but it's being shipped home to me. I'll make another blog post about this when I have my facts straight.



There were quality control ladies all around the plant checking the product at various stages of production. The place had a very powerful smell of Tabasco, but it was not unpleasant. I love factories and machinery. This was fastinating to watch.



We drove around the gardens on Avery Island. The McIlhenny family owns (I guess they still do) the entire island. The grounds are absolutely breathtaking. It's a community unto itself with its own elementary school and post office. I said I would hate to be there in a hurricane, and Don said it gets real lonely there when one of those come ashore. I didn't take but a few pictures. I want to visit when the azaleas and camellias are in bloom. I can imagine it's stunning at those times. Here are a couple of pictures.





The trees -- oh my goodness! Although I don't seem to have any in these pictures, there are oak trees that are gigantic, with limbs that curve down to the ground.

There is also a lot of wildlife out there. We saw probably a hundred alligators ...



How many can you find in this picture?



Those things blend right into the shadows. Because I know where they are in the photo, I can tell you there are 10 or 12.

The deer were gorgeous. There are two in this photo.



Of course, I had to do some shopping. This was the cutest store. I loved the building. Looked like an old-time market inside complete with old wooden floors. Wouldn't this make an adorable quilting studio? The smell of those pine trees was fabulous!





If you ever get way down to the southernmost part of Louisiana, you must put Avery Island on your to-do list!

We took a brief drive over to Jefferson Island which is very close, but only drove around a bit. We decided to save that for next year. The grounds were gorgeous. I can't wait to get back there and do some exploring.



The food! What can I say?! Every single meal was so good. We had crawfish etouffee made by my brother, our second annual crab boil ...



Didn't get any pictures after they were cooked because, well, you know, I was too busy eating!

We had the most wonderful crunchy fried catfish from a little market called Bingo's, I think. That's on my list to do next year, too.

We had fresh-made boudin from another local market.

We had the most wonderful Cuban sandwich from the Cuban Corner in Morgan City. I didn't get a picture of the place because it was raining really hard, but it's on my visit-again list for next year.

We had red beans and rice cooked by Miss Diane and Mr. Mike, who are close friends of Don and Gail. I posted a ton of pictures of their home last year. I couldn't resist snapping a couple of more! Bayou Teche runs right behind the swimming pool.





This is the biggest handgun I've ever seen. Don and Mike said they were going doxie hunting! I.don't.think.so!! It was a 50 something. Millimeters, maybe? I don't know much about guns, but even I was impressed by this one! You know the old saying about men and their toys!



A couple of my nieces after a long day of eating and visiting and eating some more. Gail is going through pictures here.





I think the best times of the trip were sitting around and talking with family and friends. The Southern way of doing that is like no place else in the world!





Thank you, Don and Gail, for making this trip such a wonderful one. I can't wait until next year! I love you!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Simply Sophisticated Block 12



The last Simply Sophisticated block! It's hard to believe the year is up!

I'm going to be out of town next week, so this drawing will be held on Sat. 10/3/09 around 6:00 Pacific time. This gives you a couple of weeks to get the last part made.

When you have finished Month 12, please leave a comment here linking back to your blog and a picture or email me a picture to be entered in the drawing. Kimberly and Kevin at The Fat Quarter Shop have been so wonderful to us this year, providing a $25 gift certificate each month to the drawing winner! This the LAST drawing!

There are still a couple of backing sets available, and they're on SALE! Grab one now while you still can!

Good luck to everyone!