April Quilt Guild

I’m over a week late in posting about this month’s quilt guild program.  It was great!

These 2 ladies are quilting friends and they give each other challenges frequently.  One challenge was  to make a journal quilt (usually small but not always!) each month for a year.  Most were chosen from an event that happened that month.  

This was after her “gardener” trimmed her pine trees when she asked him to trim the bushes.  

Here is a fall leaf quilt:

 

I think these two quilts were made using a big stack of fabrics they bought at the same time (each had the same fabrics) and then they used a pattern in a magazine that year.   Quite interesting to see how the 2 quilts relate but are different.  

 

One always had wanted to do a Pineapple Quilt.  I loved this in the pinks & browns!!  Beautiful!

 

One made a quilt from her dad’s ties:

The other’s dad didn’t wear many ties so she used his boxers for a quilt!

Isn’t that  hoot!  I think I’ll stick with the tie quilt idea.  🙂

@~~>~~>~~

Those of us in the Nickel Square exchange each month were challenged  and it was due this month.  We were given a square of preprinted fabric that had to be used on the front of the piece.   This is what I got:

I thought the puppy looked just like Nina so I was extra motivated to do this challenge.  We could use any of our nickel squares (5″ squares swapped following a color theme each month) and add one other fabric.

Since I had just paper-pieced the center for The Quilt Show quilt in February, I decided to use that pattern and make a wallhanging.  The center square was just the right size to insert the puppy piece.

 The creams in my nickel square pile were just barely big enough for the corners.  🙂

I added the setting triangles and border from my one purchased fabric.  

I used some of the quilting designs that go in my embroidery module and varigated green thread (Superior Threads, Rainbow) for the quilting.  

The border has a continuous line heart design… best seen from the back.  🙂

The challenge pieces were on display anonymously and then everyone had a chance to vote during refreshments.    I didn’t win but did overhear some “over achiever” comments.  Carol won with her puppy looking out some Attic Windows which was really a cute idea!

Next month’s meeting is huge with Bill Kerr giving an all-day workshop and then the evening program.  What a treat!

Read Full Post »

Harmony

So my friend Susan wrote oh.so.nicely. on her blog about harmony.   In the midst of Bible Study she woke up travel memories and harmony in our family.

Our trip to CA when I was 4 turning 5 or whatever year you chose it to be….

• we each had a box covered in contact paper for our clothes
• six in a station wagon for oh.so.many weeks pulling the pop-up camper behind us  
• shake-a-pudding at a rest stop  
• Skunky for a birthday present  
• I can’t believe I didn’t die over Royal Gorge.  I guess I wasn’t scared of heights yet.  

And the harmony part…. remember 4 of us with our own mallet playing 4-part harmony Christmas carols on my vibraphone one year?   Or how if I would sing a song in tune, Margaret could sing just 1/2 step off which was NOT harmony but quite hilarious?

Read Full Post »

Spring Work

I finally planted something in the garden!  This is probably the earliest I’ve ever been out there.  

But JP is great with the rototiller so I don’t have to wait for Phil.  Phil had done some cleaning several weeks ago and JP did the tiller.  I had him just do about 4 passes with it tonight.

I planted my edge of yellow marigolds.   I got 4 packs of 6 from Menards (Bonanza Yellow, I think) and need one more pack.   Another day’s job.

Then I put in the onion sets from Bill, Phil’s cousin.  Phil traded him a baby piggie heating pad to warm his starter plants several months ago and Bill gave us 2 HUGE hunks of onions.   One bundle is a blend of sweet onions and the other bundle is a blend of storage onions.   But if you know my garden… those are long rows running N – S so that is a lot of onions.  🙂

I hope I did them right.  Time will tell.  Maybe if Bill reads this he’ll be nice and give me tips (maybe it is too late!) and not laugh so hard if he sees the garden.  😀

So… rain is due tomorrow and everyday through Wednesday so I wanted to get these things in the ground.  

Phil started planting corn yesterday afternoon and will be running late tonight.   He could do without the 5 days of rain.  

Before I came in, I picked some of my daffodils in the dark.  I now have 2 full vases on the kitchen table.   

I need to show you pictures from quilt guild Monday night.  Hopefully I can remember to do that tomorrow.

Read Full Post »

Fabric Postcard

I made this fabric postcard and sent it to my mom last week.  

It is me… and I’d be less than 2 yrs old.  Mom says it was on the porch at 811.

Read Full Post »

Spring looks like….

this:

and this:

These were last Thursday.  I’m just not quick to get them up on here.  🙂  

.

.

.

.

And spring also looks and sounds like my very quiet and empty house tonight.  🙂

Excuse me now, I have a long to-do list.   And being online is NOT on the list.  😦

Read Full Post »

Weekend Visit

K was home for roughly 31 hours this past weekend.  (Then I was gone all day Saturday for a scrapbooking day so that gave us a very short visit!)

But both kids were up early Saturday a.m. for a small shopping trip to Forreston for K, the milliner.  

’nuff said.

Dad was happy to see.  I kept my distance.  

 

I wanted a pix of the kids.  Got this.  

Then asked again and got this.  🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She has classes this week, next week is crit week – no studio classes so they can finish their final projects, and then finals the following week.  Yeah!!  🙂

Read Full Post »

Three Sisters

When we 3 girls have been together lately, one brother-in-law thinks we remind him of our great-aunts and grandmother on Mom’s side.

The aunts:

L-R: Aunt Ann, Grandma Riddle, Aunt Blanche (1965?) on Grant Street, Ashland, Ohio

 

Just kids:

L-R: Nancy, Joyce, Margaret Spring 1965 In front of house at 811

 

December 2008:

Not quite like the aunts but funny none the less!  I’m trying to leave good impressions on the great-nieces & great-nephews.  🙂

Said BIL would have been a good match for Aunt Ann who would quiz us on our Longfellow poetry and make sure we understood about penmanship.  

We just take care of the Grammar Police role now.  :p

 

 

{look how distracted I can get when sorting JP’s baby pictures.  🙂 }

Read Full Post »

Hats in the Case

K’s Advanced Headwear class arranged their hats in the display case.  This is the view when the elevator opens to the Fashion Department.

Soon the students are moving the hats to a local gallery for a special display.  K is sending 11 hats!  🙂  They are for sale.

Read Full Post »

Out for a Walk

Nina and I took a much bigger walk today than our normal few loops around the bins & yard.  

Wanna see what we saw?

At puppy class, we were told to always walk them on the same side.   Choose a side and the puppy would learn to walk on that side. 

IT WORKS!!

I chose the left side because JP takes her out a lot and he is left-handed.   The last several times I have had her out, she chooses my left.  Very cool!  🙂

On another day, I was carrying a bag for the dumpster so only had the leash in my right hand and not crossed over to my left hand.  She immediately went behind me to the left.  I had to juggle my trash and get the leash switched.  

In that picture above, you can see her broken leash.  You know… the one I just bought on Wednesday that came with the lifetime guarentee that she chewed through on Friday!!  

We went east from the house, passed the brown shed, and across the creek on the dry ground (called a waterway at this point), and then headed south.  

Stayed mostly in the grassy area since the corn field had fertilizer.   Then around a bend…

Heading west behind the barn.

A few pigs looked out at us.

We went by Phil’s wheat field.  Looks good!

 

A few new shoots of grass coming up in the creek.

Heading back we crossed the creek and I showed Nina the fresh spring water.  She liked it!!  🙂  Slurp!!  She drinks so much it seems compared to Molly who hardly ever drinks or eats when we are around.   

A wonderful day for a walk.  Mid-50’s a light breeze.  I had on a sweatshirt jacket and that was good.  

Later, I finished putting together the top for my guild April Nickel Square Challenge.  Next I need to mark the quilting.  I have a week to finish… doing pretty good!

Phil has just brought in the tractor from applying anhydrous.   8:45 p.m.  The start of the late nights.

Read Full Post »

Weekend Bliss!

Last weekend we enjoyed the company of family.  🙂 David is my nephew and he has given us such great additions with a beautiful wife and darling son.  Sarah is our family photographer and we asked her to do JP’s senior pictures.  

I was trying to get a shot of all 4 of them but my camera is slow.  I think I’m supposed to be helping at this point.  

(Sarah is cooking the next addition due to debut in September. 🙂 )

 

With 3″ of snow forecast for Sunday (along with rain & sleet), Sarah got to work soon after they arrived.  

David & I were the easily distracted helpers.  

 

After supper on Saturday night, the men headed outside to try out JP’s airsoft guns and his shooting range/hiding spots.  JP loves having David visit!  They share computer talk and guy time.  

 

The rest of their time here we kept cozy inside and we  had a few riotous rounds of Balderdash & Scattegories.  

Fun moments of toddler giggles.  

Quiet times of toddler naps and mommy chat.  

Sweet memories made.

Phil brought the semi truck out for play on Sunday and the hide & seek of Aaron’s stuffed eagle (Tuffy) resulted in shrieks & giggles of fun.

  

Aaron wasn’t as shy as when they were here 6 months ago.  I got a few hugs AND kissed his little cheek when they had to head home on Monday.  

He is such fun!

The best response was to see his love of all things kitchen when he *gasped* at the sight of my PC utensil holder just brimming with spatulas and plastic spoons!  He sat for the longest time at the table while we talked, entertained by a plastic bowl, 2 mini wooden spoons, and measuring spoons.

Read Full Post »