Quilt Shop Hop------ Want to Join????

Hey ya'll,

I forgot to mention in my last post that if anyone is living in NC and would like to do some visiting with other quilters please feel free to leave me a comment here!  We will be quilt shop hopping and having some lunch all in the Raleigh area.  My friend, Pam from Mama Sparks World will be joining me.  This will be on June 4th.

Isn't this awesome?!  I saw it at the symposium:)  Everything is exposed and ready to be examined!  Love it.

As for sewing, I have started adding borders onto my blocks for the other side of the double sided commission quilt.  Pinning while watching favorites on Hulu or just enjoying silence is a pleasure.

Chain, chain,chain....piecing on the machine is a quick and instantly satisfying task.  Currently I am sewing border strip, row of blocks, border strip and so on. 

Before my guild meeting a couple weeks ago I went and got my first pedicure for the summer.  I enjoyed every minute of it and now I have pretty toes again! 

My toes match this gerbera daisy I have in my front yard:)

cheerful petals.....

in all colors.


Have a beautiful, sunny day!!

Sara

More NC Quilt Symposium and Hummers Among Us

Like I said in my last post, I have quite a few more quilts to  show you from the NC Quilt Symposium.  The one above really sings to me with the pretty colors in it and those half stars in pink are so wonderful!!

Houses win me over every time these days:)  Miniature log cabins and courthouse steps.

A quilt dedicated to the Sandy Hook Elementary children that have died.  Very powerful.

Please,please click on this quilt!  It is VERY exquisitely done with some sort of rhinestones in there as well.

The one and only Dear Jane quilt present at the symposium and it was so fun to look at it!!

I enjoyed all the action going on in this small wall hanging.  See the child flying a kite with his parent and the para gliders? 

Ayden really liked the kitty quilt.  All the paws are terrific!

Fun-Fun-Fun-Fun-Fun-Fun!!!

Recently,we picked up a hummingbird feeder.  Then we developed patience and about a week and 1/2 later we had some females hummers make an appearance.  Ayden and I were glued to the window watching them fly around the feeder like little kids that have found candy!  The female above looks like a soldier to me ready for a sweet drink.

 She's moving in.

"Hi ya lady taking a picture of me," she says.  I like to think:)

She does this over and over.  And over.  All day back and forth to the feeder.  Over the course of a week, she has brought two of her girlfriends along with her.  It is so exciting to watch them and sometimes if we are outside we can even hear them chirping at one another.  They are probably asking each other when they want to meet at the feeder again.  Hey!  You never know.  lol

We had a really good, long time friend (he was in our wedding as Josh's best man) in town these past few days.  We met his wife and had a great time with one another visiting,eating and roasting marshmallows one of the nights they were here.  They were also able to enjoy the hummers as they showed up each day.  His wife especially got a kick out of them.  So it is truly  a great investment on every level in teaching children about birds, for entertainment and also relaxation in watching the hummers peaceful ways all in one!

I haven't done too much quilting recently,but I have started piecing my rows together slowly in the last day or so for the commission quilt.  I am beginning to see some major progress.  I will be sure to share some pics soon.

Until then,

Sara

Here is a pic of one of my tropical looking lilies this year.  You have to snap a pic early in the morning or else by nightfall they will be closed up for good until another opens. 

Richard and Tanya Quilts

 Crazy Mom Quilts

NC Quilt Symposium and Preschool Grad

Time has flown by with a quickness these last few weeks.  I had a Tarheel Quilter's Guild meeting that I brought some of my quilts,wallets and potholders to so they could be placed in a quilt shop at the NC Quilt Symposium this past week.  Hoping I sold at least one item there that I won't need to put back in my inventory.

The NC Quilt Symposium was wonderfully done!  It was the first one I have been to ever and I know I shall like to go to more in the future.  Josh was at work so Ayden and I hung out for the day.

There was a ton of quilts to see naturally.  I took a lot of pics so browse away!!

This one used a special material of hand dyed gauze.  Creative!

In this one, Anne Francis, a local, whom does some serious quilting folks, she hand embroidered french knots throughout the entire quilt.  That was her quilting design for this quilt as a matter of fact.

Amazing!!!!  Click on it to see all those little cute knots in there.

A scene in Germany, I believe.  All hand pieced and quilted by Anne Francis.  The colors were A--maaazing!

All hand pieced--ALL of it so many tiny and oh so pretty pieces by Anne Francis.

Anne stole the show---she is SERIOUS as I said!  Do you believe me now??!  1 1/4" pieces hand sewn onto a white background.

I don't know the technique for this one,but it was interesting enough to snap a pic:):)  See the turned edges on the petals?

I LOVED this quilt...lots of techniques crammed into one quilt.  See the bunnies in each corner?  Lov'em!

This one reminded me of AZ which is where I lived  at one point at two different times in my life.  Naturally, this quilt has a special place in my heart.

I could show you more,but I will wait until tomorrow for that!  I wasn't joking about all the quilts that caught my eye.

We had a graduation last week.  A graduation from Pre-K that is of course.

Ayden is in the top row, last one on the right with the white cap.  Near the flag.  All of the kiddos with the caps are Preschoolers.

They sang the cutest Jesus songs ever.  I am not bias to my son's cuteness in any way of course;)  Their little hands made those handprints in purple behind them.  Ayden has been practicing these songs for weeks and he has brought home a sucker twice for singing the loudest.  That's my son!!

Here is a video of him singing.

OH and I have one more tidbit to add in.  If you have a cell phone please be sure to get insurance when you purchase the phone right away.  You cannot wait or you will not be able to get insured!  I thought I would toss that out there as I had my phone stolen a couple weekends ago at a yard sale of all places.  It was for a MOPS fundraiser and the last fundraiser for the quarter at that.  Someone was bold enough to steal it:/  I was sorting through some things and pricing items and accidentally left it somewhere along the way.  Boy did I feel stupid:/  Luckily, I did have insurance and so most of the charges were covered,but it was still pricey to replace.  

Hope you are enjoying the sunshine wherever you may be!

Sara

Blue Skies

Ayden and I love to be outdoors doing the things that we LOVE.

The park is one of our weekly indulgences. 

At the park, there are squirrels everywhere.  In my personal opinion, they get a little too close for comfort.  Ayden doesn't mind though.  You see whom ever started feeding these creatures has caused quite the stir.  They are always ready for some food scraps!  As long as I am there within reach and Ayden doesn't get too close I am fine with it.  We have talked about it numerous times.  His fascination for animals needs to be reigned in some, in situations like these.  In this pic, the squirrel has a baked Tostito chip in his little hands.  Ayden set it on the ledge for him and the squirrel went right on over.  Spunky little guy:)  We admired him from afar. 

Lately we have been taking Ayden's bike out.  You know getting our money's worth out of it!  A week or so ago, Ayden pedaled and I walked a total of a mile and a 1/2.  We stayed in our subdivision which stretches out a pretty good distance.  It was a beautiful day where you can hear other kids in the distance talking and giggling.  People cutting their grass and the birds chirping away. 

This guy was digging it!!!  Check out his helmet.  Pretty dang cool!  He is living life to the fullest---ah to be a kid again;)

Ayden made this pot and planted this flower in it for me in honor of Mother's Day.  Of course I beamed wildly when he gave it to me!

He has an awesome teacher.  She is a mommy too:):):)

When I was wandering around a couple of my favorite stores to include Old Navy and Barnes and Noble, Ayden and daddy made this for me.  Ayden spelled out his name on some of his hands and the rest he added hearts.  Mommy moment of knowing you are so very blessed by your child:):):):)

I have also been blessed with some great veggie finds at the grocery store.

Some of my favorites for an all veggie dish with Parmesan, onions and garlic to top it all off with a bang! 

I have managed to get the sashing on the commission ginormous quilt top!!!!!!  This is a BIG feat that has been blasted off my "to do" list.  Trust me. 

The struggle involved me not paying attention to major detail!  Specifically, I pieced all the blocks together into rows and then had two put together before I saw "the mistake."  This was a biggie!!!!!!!!!!!  I did NOT add the 2.5x10.5 strip to each block before piecing them into rows:/:/  Yep.  It was a whopper of a mistake and it HAD to be fixed.  9pm that night I had white threads all over my pants and I had taken every single row apart.  After taking a break for a day, I got back to the grind.  3 days later and some in between breaks this top was completed.  Done.  This girl is SOOOOO relieved.  I can get back to loving this pattern!

This is a 80x90 quilt consisting of baby clothes and Kona Ivory.  All the sweat and tears have been removed carefully.

Kumari Garden and some Michael Miller prints

This colorful bunch are being used for the backing.  Now not any ole' backing, folks.  I am doing the same pattern on the back.  I am just that motivated!!!  No really--- it is going to be quite awesome I think. 

Even better?   I get to dive full force into cotton fabric again!  Tickle me happy!!


Hope everyone had a blessed Mother's Day and you were able to cherish every moment with the ones you love dearly.

Sara 

 

Just Rosy

Roses are very photogenic beauties from God.

Whisk me away to a breathtaking garden any day and I will be just fine. 

Even though knockout roses aren't really for picking as table arrangements in the home.  I may break that rule.  Is there a gardening police?  There isn't a quilting police!  Too bad it is raining heavily outside.  Rain is good.  But this girl needs her roses!!!  What to do?  What to do? 

There are days like these, though that we all need some roses in our lives.  The days when our 5 yr old boy decides to be helpful (we are certainly at that stage) and pour himself his own cereal.  Why in the living room?  On the carpet?  Only Ayden knows this.  Just as the box says, Smile.  Right??!!!  Accidents happen.

Maybe my new mint plant purchase will serve me well in a mojito later. 

Sigh......I am not a drinker per say folks, honest, but that mint plant is sure calling my name today!

 This Dancing Stars quilt top is begging me to do otherwise.  1 1/2 stars to go and each of  the 25 stars will have a navy blue outline. 

Sara