Look What Came in the Mail all the way from Australia

I'm in the funnest Doll Quilt Swap and Sharon was my partner for May.   The theme for this month was  May Flowers and this is the beautiful little quilt that she sent me. 

Her images were so much better than mine so I borrowed them, hope thats ok Sharon.  Look at the adorable little bird and the hand stitching she did right beside it.  

 

Isn't it Bee-uuu-tee-full?  Sharon used the perfect fabric line, Strawberry Fields by Moda to make it and I'm sure glad she did it's one of my favorites.  Thanks so much Sharon for this wonderful little quilt.    

Here is the one I sent her for the swap, the fabric line is Friendship by Moda and since she likes mini quilts I tucked in a stand to go with it.

 This has been the funnest swap I LOVE both the quilts my partners have sent me and can't wait to see what will come next.  There are sure some talented ladies in this world!  I have my quilt made for June and the theme is....Something old, new, borrowed, or blue.  Can't wait to see who my new partner is! If you'd like to join the swap or just see what has been created by these talented members click on the doll quilt swap button on my side bar or right HERE.


Thanks Sharon I LOVE IT !!!

Happy Mother's Day!

To all of you wonderful Mothers,  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  Being a mother is one of THE hardest job there is!  But being a mother is the BEST job there is.  


I'd like to show you a quilt I made for my Mother.  It was about time I made one for her.  She wanted it to be pink.  I used the Stack n Whack pattern and completed it from start to finish in 72 hours ( not consecutive hours)  including quilting.  That's the fastest I've ever made a quilt.  Well I posted my mom's quilt HERE  
If anyone has time I'd love to have your vote.  The quilt is called Garden Dreams because my mom who is 72 is still working full time and she dreams all day about being home and working in her garden.


Here's a couple of pictures up close of this quilt.

Have a wonderful weekend and a Spectacular Mothers Day.

April in Review

What a busy month it's been!  I have managed to accomplish a few things though.  So for my 2012 New FO Challenge I'd like to show you first the Spring Table Topper Blog Hop hosted by the talented Mdm Samm from Sew I Quilt.  Here are a few of my entries; 

 Springtime Table toppers

My FAVORITE People call me Grandma!








Fall is one of my favorite seasons!

I met some really nice ladies during this blog hop and added over 50 new followers to my blog!  Thanks Ladies for following my blog.  I'm really glad you liked my Table Topper quilts and am hopeful you will enjoy seeing my newest creations as much as I enjoy seeing yours.


Next was my Doll quilt swap for Diane; 

Also finished Love the Life you Live counted cross stitch project.

Quilted this Awesome flag quilt my BFF  Becky made for me, border is in the zip lock bag on the cutting table...maybe today...

Finished these gifts the day before the family left for their new home in Idaho phew that was close!

Got a good start on a swoon quilt for a give away at work on the 8th of May.

Another good start on my Sping Wall Hanging, just needs to be blanket stitched and quilted.

Finished my Red White & Blue counted cross stitch for my  Summer decor.

My BFF Connie made 3 of these Lady Bug Skinnies and I'm quilting them.  2 more to go.

All in all a very productive month I'd say.  The more stressed I get the faster I stitch/quilt/work.  We've been looking for a new home and although that is fun it's also stressful moving from what's familiar to the unknown.  At least I have my sewing machine and stash to give me comfort as I move forward in this journey of life.  

Angie (daughter) texted me and said PJ (Presley) DGD #7 needs a pillow with her name on it, a rag doll and a towel with her name on it. "Chop Chop Grandma"

Guess that says it best, time to get off the computer and into that sewing room and make...let see that Schnibble quilt is still 2 charm packs and that Swoon quilt is to be quilted on Wednesday oh and a pillow for PJ not to mention the binding on the flag quilt, the blanket stitching on the flower wall hanging oh and the quilting on the lady bug quilts....................................................

Spring Table Topper Giveaway Winner

I promised the giveaway today Thursday 4/26 for the full size Twister tool and 4 spools of Isacord Thread.

 so here we go........The winner is...drum roll please.....#42

Toni Anne, Tpott!!!

Congratulations!  I'll send you an email please send me your address and I'll get it in the mail asap.

Thanks again everyone who commented on the little quilts it was so fun to participate in Madame Sam's Blog Hop, my first ever.

Look what the mailman brought me!

I had  to show you the BEE-U-T-FUL Doll Quilt that if received from my partner.  She is Diane Wild from Bearly Wild Bears.  Just take a look at the Fabulous HAND PIECED doll quilt.  And she included a sweet little bunny with it wearing a very special note.  All of the tiny little pink flowers are hand pieced!

The Quilting is exquisite!!!

And you have to meet my new little pal...Tulip.

Here's what her little note says;

Hi Vickie,

My name is Tulip and I'm being sent to you 

from Diane with the doll quilt she made just for you. 

Diane is hoping that you will adopt me.

You see, the bears and bunnies are threatening

to take over Diane's home and she decided it

was time we find new places to live.  We love

to live with quilters because they appreciate

how cute we are and they usually have us

snuggled on colorful quilts.  I love snuggly

quilts and I think this one suits me very well.

The tulips were hand pieced because the small

pieces kept disappearing down the needle hole on

the sewing machine.  Being a bunny, I know

all about disappearing down holes.

So here I am

How lucky am I?

Lastly my sweet little neighbors are moving and Hyrum is a HUGE 3 foot tall fan of John Deer.  When he found out that I could sew he asked me for a "John Deer backpack".  I found the cutest pattern on Connecting Threads and couldn't resist making one for him and his sister and a car seat blanket for his brand new baby sister.

Turned out pretty good.  I'm sad they are moving but am blessed for having known them.  

See you Thursday with the announcement for the winner of the blog hop drawing for the Twister ruler and Isacord thread. 

Welcome to the Table Topper Blog Hop!

I am so excited to be a participant in the Table Topper Blog Hop! And today is my day!!!

Table Topper Blog HOP Schedule

Wednesday April 18th

Vickie

Shanna

Deonn

Mrs Pickles 

Sharon

Thursday April 19th

Leslie ( lesquilts)

Jennifer ( that girl)

Patty D

Karen 

Katherine

Friday April 20th 

Marlene 

Charlotte 

Leslie

Darlene 

Jane

Michelle

Cherry

Monday April 23rd

Christine

 Just Carol 

Patty D

Wendy

leanne

Elaine M 

Judy C

Tuesday  April 24th

 Jennifer m

Roxanne 

Syd 

Selina 

Connie

Patti

Jane

Wednesday April 25th 

Mary 

Thearica

Marianna

Kelly

Marnie  

Pauline

Mdm Samm

Madame Samm at Sew I Quilt asked a few months ago if anyone would be interested in doing a Blog Hop with Table Topper Quilts.  Well...I just love to make Table Topper quilts and jumped right on the band wagon.  So since I have been anticipating this wonderful challenge since January I think,  I naturally put it off until last weekend and just finished my last 2 little quilts tonight.  Can anyone say  P R O C R A S T I N A T E ?  Well, enough of that!  Here is what I came up with on my own with my own little pencil and my own little brain.

First of all I adore my grandkids...they can do no wrong, they are all so cute! I'm sorry about the picture quality I really need a new camera but I think you can get the drift.

  Here's one for Spring.

Spring makes me want to put some flowers in a watering can, doesn't it make you want to do the same?

And last but not least something for Fall.  Did I mention I love hearts so most everything I make or quilt has a heart on it somewhere.  I found the perfect fabric in my stash for the watermelon.

 So how about a giveaway.  I think it's a good one.  This is a full size Twister tool it makes the prettiest quilts.  I've used the smaller version and made a really cute little quilt.  Also 4 spools of new Isacord thread.  I swear by Isacord, I use it for everything, quilting, embroidery and all sewing, the colors are pretty and it's really strong.

Just leave me a comment and I'd really really really love it if you'd follow my blog!  I'll choose a winner Thursday April 26th.   I hope you enjoy the rest of the blog hop.  I know I can't wait to see what everyone has come up with.

Lots of changes

There have been a lot of changes going on in my life the last couple of months.  Let me explain.  After careful consideration and a long story which I'll tell another time my husband and I have made a decision to move closer to my mom who lives about 2 hours North of us.  This was quite an unexpected decision but we both know it's the right thing to do.  You know there are lots of things to consider when moving...jobs, friends, loss of routine...how big of a sewing room will there be in the new house?  Well I'll try to keep you posted (if you are interested) in the trials and tribulations of relocating. Uggg.

In the mean time I'm busily working on a few projects including;

*A table topper quilt Blog Hop that Madame Samm is hosting starting on Saturday the 16th.  My day is the 18th so come back and check it out.  There may be a give away in it for ya. 

*The doll quilt swap for April is finished and I'm getting ready to mail it.  I practiced my long arm quilting on it.  What do you think?  

*I'm going to make this month's Schnibbles quilt along quilt out of this yummy Blueberry Crumb Cake fabric.  Can't wait.  

My super great friend Becky made herself a new flag quilt and she just happened to make one for me too so it also got quilted today.  Just needs binding and it's ready for July.

With all of the changes I couldn't resist this pattern by Hinzeit and made it to reflect my thoughts.  Love the Life you Live.  Seems fitting.  

Good advice!  Till Monday the 18th...Love the Life you Live!

And the winner is......

Cherry!  Congratulations Cherry be sure to pop back in and show us all what you made.  Thanks everyone for the great birthday wishes.  Just reading about all of your favorite cakes made me gain 5 pounds.  Have a great day!  Vickie

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Hi all!  

I've been busy working on new and old projects so this will count as my 2012 New FO Challenge post.  I'm helping kids move so I'm not sure how much sewing will get done the rest of the month.  

Yesterday was Valentines day and I hope you all had a wonderful time with the ones you love.  I've been working on lots of projects that have Hearts in them.  I just love the shape of hearts and the love that they symbolize.  Of course having a birthday in February may have something to do with my obsession.

This week I made this armchair pincushion with lots of hand embroidery.  I filled the pincushion part with crushed walnuts.  You can find the pattern HERE.  It is a free design by Helen Stubbings.  She is the same creative lady who made the NPNT blocks.  The pockets on each end hold scissors etc. 

 I  dug out this chenille piece that I had started a couple of years ago.  Having a goal of at least one finish a month I chose this one because it looked easy and quick.  If you've ever made chenille then you know it is made of many layers of fabric then sew together in rows about 5/8 inches apart then cut down to but not through the bottom layer.  My top and bottom pieces are off white with tiny pink and rose colored roses and I added a dark pink heart in the middle of the piece.  I learned a few things making this. 
First and foremost - prewash your dark flannels, duh.  
Second - bind the dang thing before you wash it!  duh again.
Needless to say I really messed it up.  I let it sit around and laugh at me for a week before I decided to tackle it again.  I trimmed off all the loose ends, bound it with another pink flannel and so far I haven't even tried to get the red bleed out of it.  It just has a pinkesh hue to it now.  I'll let you know how it turns out when and if I decide to even try to get the ugly out of it. 

Looks pretty good from far away.

Connected 4 of these paper pieced hearts and made a table runner out of it.  Turned out good, just needs to be quilted and bound and ready for next year.

 I finished this wall hanging from the pattern Charming Wall Quilts All Year Around. 

I made and finished the paper piecing on the February little quilt from Turning Pages

Made 4 of these Be My Honey by The Wooden Bear you can find the pattern HERE.  I made 6 last year and 4 this year I think I'm done.

Which brings me to the NPNT block this week.  Birthdays...Gotta have 'em.  So I think I'll have mine next week...And on my birthday I will use the auto number generator to pick a follower to win a little fat quarter bundle of fabric by Loralie.  

If you want to win this really cute fabric, 6 fat quarters, Leave me a message telling me what kind of birthday cake is your favorite.  Good Luck, drawing is Monday the 20th.