WHEW...What a week this has been....

 

Friday was my "official" birthday, but I am so lucky to be able to celebrate all week, make that all month long, lol.  

     Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes--and they're still coming in.  It's been a wonderful birthday, made more special by hearing from so many of you on Facebook.
      Tuesday my wonderful granddaughter, Bre, brought me roses, candy and presents, and stayed for dinner.

      Wednesday I shared a gorgeous weather day traveling with my quilting buddies (that sew at Joan's house every Wednesday) to several quilt shops around the beautiful Finger Lakes.  We had lunch out at OakView, which has a great selection of sandwiches and baked goods, and then shopped in the bulk food store there.  It's owned by some of the local Mennonite families and has a great selection of baking supplies, meats, cheeses, jams and jellies, condiments, and snacks. I brought home two different types of horseradish cheese--it is so yummy!  The girls all gave me birthday cards with fat quarters in them-great additions to my stash!  And my Secret Pal made me a beautiful Autumn table runner that she had Jane (Blackberry Acres Longarm Quilting) quilt for me with acorns and leaves.  It is perfect for my Fall decorating and I just love it!

     Friday I went on the bus with my quilting friends from home and O'Susannah's Quilt Shop and spent the day at a great quilt show outside Philly.  I found some great patterns I just had to add to my already overflowing stash of books and patterns, lol.  Got the Witches Hooray TR from Bird Brain Designs to add to THAT pile of stitcheries to be done someday, lol; the Reindeer Table Mat by Primitive Gatherings; ANOTHER Wooden Bear little quilt kit, the July Sailboat; and a paper-pieced Little Bits pattern-A Little Bit Shorter Tall Tree pattern (I already have the mini version with the train going around the tree).  This tree is 17" x 41"  but the larger one is 26 3/4" x 76 3/4".  I wanted the biggest one for my front door, but decided I'd better stick with this medium-sized one if I actually wanted to get it done, lol. 
      Only purchased a half dozen FQ's-mostly for gifts and swaps-and only 1 yard of background fabric (already cut) that was such a bargain at $5 that I couldn't pass it up, so I really was good this trip!  My friend, Ann, and I both purchased the Creative Grids Log Cabin Trim Tool for 8" Finished Blocks Quilt Ruler that we'd heard about from other friends who attended a quilt retreat where it was demo'd (thanks Josie and Donna).  I've made millions of log cabin blocks the Eleanor Burns way, but this looked neat.  And the lady we bought the rulers from showed Ann how to use her X-Block ruler that she lost the directions for.  So now we can use Ann's X-Box ruler, too.

     My camera malfunctioned, so I only got 2 pics at the quilt show-this fabulous Halloween Baltimore Album Quilt

and a potholder made with the X-Block ruler. UGH!! 

     After I got home though, I found out it wasn't the camera that was malfunctioing, it was me! I had charged the battery before we left, and had taken out the memory card.  I forgot to put the card back in when I put the battery in--how dumb is that!!

It really was a senior moment, sigh.

     Saturday evening my son took hubby and me to what-used-to-be our favorite Italian restaurant (Moretti's) where we always celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and I had the best filet mignon in the world.  It's to die for!   Son's GF also made me a dozen really delicious chocolate chip cookies, all gift-wrapped in a purple (my fav color) box with a fancy gold bow!  Yummy, yummy, yummy!  Everyone enjoyed them--thanks, Chrissy!
     And to top the week off, on Sunday I get to spend sewing time with two of my BFF's, Mary and Lynne.

How much better can a birthday be?

Until next time....
Happy quilting from Sharon and the Marmalade Kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash 

A new Quilt-Along is starting....

over at Christa Quilts.  This one is number 7 and is a modern Christmas tree quilt.  Her quilt will finish approximately 30″ x 40″ – perfect for hanging on the wall or draping over a couch or chair. The finished size of each block will be 6″ x 8″. You can make a larger quilt with more blocks, or by adding sashing or borders.  Click on the icon on my sidebar and you'll find her schedule and fabric requirements.  I love her first quilt diagram.  Might have to do this one-another to add to my UFO list if I don't get it finished, lol.

Wednesday's our quilt group meets at Joan's house for a day of sewing, eating, and laughing.  I like to post pictures of the great projects my quilting buddies make as inspiration for you, so here are the latest completions.

Susie's Hexi Quilt

the girls at work

Gail's house quilt

Sharon D's scrappy quilt

 Then on Thursday's my stitching group meets and they make some fabulous projects also.  I've been bad about showing you their projects, so here is a nice showing of their talents.

Linda's birdhouse WH

Lynne's blackwork herbal WH

Mary's wonky bunnies

Linda's flower quilt

Mary's storm at sea

Over at my ScrappyandHappy Yahoo group we've been doing a small quilt swap.  Annette in Las Vegas had my name and made me a gorgeous lap quilt in reds and tans.  I love it and can't wait for the weather to turn so I can start snuggling under it!

Don't you just love it?  I sure do!  Thanks so much, Annette, I will treasure this quilt always. 

I had Rebecca in California, who loves pink.  I showed you a few sneak peeks a while back of the small quilt I was making for her.  She has it now, so I can show you pictures of the finished product. 

front against the back

full view

hanging on my porch

This is my second completed  larger project since my shoulder replacement surgery, and I was happy with how it turned out, except for the binding.  I had to machine sew it down and unfortunately, the arm just does not work like it should yet, lol.  Hopefully, I'll get better with more practice.  But Rebecca says she love it, so as long as she's happy, so am I.

So until next time....

Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline & Johnny Cash

What a great day it has been.....

even though the sun isn't shining and it's rained most of the day.  Temperature is way down from the 90's we had at the beginning of the week to the 50's and 60's.  But...I got to spend time with two friends AND we went to one of our favorite local quilt shops!

Went to O'Susannah's Quilts & Gifts today for the unveiling of the new Better Homes & Gardens Quilt Sampler magazine which features our favorite LQS, O'Susannah's in this month's issue as one of the country's Top Ten Shops.. 

 Forgot to take a picture of the line out front this morning, waiting for the door to open, but it stretched from the shop door back to the corner when we got there at 9:50 am.

I was lucky today.  Not only did I receive a free tote bag with pencil, note pad, magnetic mini ruler, and lovely FQ inside, but I purchased a yard of brown fabric (one of my least fav colors) for some Autumn projects and when it was cut, they tooted a horn and I got an extra yard of that fabric for free!  How great is that!

Jeanne (who runs our monthly Quilt Club and BOM was giving out prizes every so often for lots of silly things, like who has a tattoo?  Who has plaid underwear on?  Who traveled the farthest? (A group of gals came from 200 miles away just for today's party.  That shows how popular O'Susannah's is.)  Lots of fun and prizes today.

Poor Sue got put to work signing everyone's magazines.    Guess she didn't expect us  to want her to autograph them; what was she thinking????    She'll have sore fingers by tonight, lol.

Refreshments and boxes for the raffle prizes being given out were in the classroom and I cornered poor Jeanne there and made her sign my magazines, too.  After all, she and Sue both wrote and made up the pattern and quilt they had featured in the magazine.  And a lovely Christmas quilt it is, too.  They have kits available in the store and info on ordering is in the magazine.  Hmmm, something more to add to my bucket list.

Here's a few pics I took before my camera battery died.  They'll give you an idea of what a lovely shop it is.

Sue (in purple) giving out the first magazine from the box

Jeanne with her door prizes.

2013 Quilt Club BOM

Snowmen A to Z Stitchery Club BOM

Wilma manning the cutting table

Donna G checking out

Now that I've had my fun for the day, it's time to get back to work and get some laundry done.  Next week is going to be just as busy as this one.  So until next time......

Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash

A new free quilt along is starting....

over at Little Miss Shabby's blog, called Super Sized Sampler!   For four weeks starting today, she will be sharing a Super Sized (18″) block pattern of some old favorites. The completed Star Sampler will measure approx. 43″ x 43″ and consist of 4 large blocks.  Just my kind of project.  And the best part, the free patterns are also in PDF format, so I can easily download them to my computer and don't have to print them off her website (which you can also do) right away.  The link is on my left sidebar, so go check it out.

Sunday my quilt group sewed at the fire hall again.  Lots of neat projects being worked on and a mini show and tell session.  My shoulder was bothering me, so I didn't take my sewing machine, but instead worked on a Christmas embroidery pattern.

Mary has been paper piecing a lot lately and made a gorgeous New York Beauty sunflower wallhanging for her hallway.  With a leftover block, she made a great door or wall hanger for that spoiled Diane S, lol.

Linda has been working on a frog quilt and finally got that done .  Isn't it cute?

And Lynne has been working on a little quilt for her DGD Sophie's room.  Sophie will love it!

While Linda was rummaging thru some old boxes of clothing one day, she found a skirt that she had in high school.  Definitely not something she'd wear today, lol, but she gave it to Mary, (clever girl that she is) who made it into a cute Fall/Halloween tote bag for Linda to carry.    The fabric is really gorgeous.  How's this for recycling?

Diane S and Bonnie have been making tote bags like crazy at our last few quilting sessions, but Sunday they were working on Halloween quilts.  And Donna G is always working on a new project, while Jane was trying to finish up a fall quilt. 

Bonnie working so hard!

Jill and Ann - the 2 goofballs

 

This is the cool quilt Diane made for her man, cause he's so good to her!  (He spoils her rotten, lol!)

We have another session set for the end of the month, so by then we should have lots of new goodies for you to see.    Until next time...

Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash