THE BEGINNINGS OF A BABY QUILT...SHHHHH

HAVE ALL THE PIECES OF THE BABY QUILT I AM MAKING FOR DAVE'S NEPHEW, RYAN AND SAMANTHA, CUT OUT. NOW PIECING THEM TOGETHER IN STRIPS, THEN RECUTTING THEM....THEN COMES THE APPLIQUE WORK AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...QUILTING!!! WILL SHOW PROGRESS THUS FAR..

ALSO, COULD NOT RESIST TO TAKE PICTURES OF MY LITTLE (DEVIL) DOG, "COOPER"
HERE IS ONE, ENTITLED "YOU LOOKING AT ME"??? OH AND THIS ONE..."I HAVE MY EYE ON YOU!!!" AND HERE ARE SOME MORE PICTURES THAT TELL YOU, "YES, I AM HUMAN AND YES, I DO BELONG AT THE DINNER TABLE!!!"

AND THEN FOR THE HECK OF IT, YOU FIND A PICTURE OF MY NEWLY PEDICURED TOES!! I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL DAY FOR THOSE! ENJOY!!(DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BONEY MY FEET LOOK...I HATE FEET!!)

AND THE LAST PICTURE, WELL, I WILL JUST LEAVE YOU WITH...

MORE MISSOURI STAR BLOCKS!!!

JUST FINISHED THREE MORE MISSOURI STAR BLOCKS! YEAH!!! OK, BACK ON TRACK NOW...TOOK A LITTLE VACATION AND THEN TOOK ANOTHER WEEK TO GET BACK TO NORMAL AROUND YEAR, SO WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NEXT WEEK? FINISH CUTTING OUT BLOCKS FOR A BABY QUILT WHICH I HAVE TO GET DONE IN THE NEXT MONTH FOR A VERY SPECIAL NEPHEW AND HIS ADORABLE WIFE!!! WILL BE POSTING PICS OF THAT AS I PROGRESS IN THE NEXT WEEK, HAVE ABOUT HALF OF IT CUT OUT BUT NEED TO CUT OUT BORDERS.

HERE ARE PICS OF THE NEWEST MISSOURI STARS...AND HERE IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE SO FAR TOGETHER...

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE WEEKEND!

HUGS,

MARY

AUGUST 8, 2008 BACK ON....

COMPUTER IS BACK!!!! REALLY BAD STORM HIT 3 DAYS AGO AND WITH IT WENT MY COMPUTER! NOW I AM BACK... HERE IS ANOTHER PICTURE FROM VACATION. BODY IS BACK BUT THE MIND, OH, THE MIND IS STILL ON VACATION.

HOW DO YOU REMEDY THAT? NOT SURE I WANT TO...

HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING THEIR WEEK,

HUGS

MARY

CAN IT BE AUGUST ALREADY?!?!?!?!?

Back from vacation (a week now) and am already planning for next year!! Can't believe we are in to August ALREADY!! Were did June and July go to?!?!?? Today it is raining and a Monday, so have been traveling around in blogland checking out all my fav's and found some new ones! All you ladies keep coming up with THE MOST CREATIVE AND BEAUTIFUL IDEAS!! I feel guilty just sitting here looking at everyone's work...I SHOULD be in my sewing room working on my Missouri Daisies, but here I sit with tea in hand playing on this computer!

Have any of you heard about the Doll Quilt Swap? I really want to join the swap group, they have some unique and original designs going on in that swap...have to join!!

Don't you just love blog land?

Well, off to get some laundry and housework(YUCK) done and then I am going to lock myself in my sewing room, will have some pics later!!
Happy Monday and keep those pictures coming in,

Hugs,

Mary

A PIECE OF HEAVEN, OUTER BANKS, N.C.

HI ALL, BACK FROM VACATION AND IT WAS FABULOUS!!!! THE OCEAN WAS SOOOO WARM WITH LOTS OF WAVES FOR BOOGY BOARDING AND JUMPING! AND, PAT FROM DELAWARE EMAILED ME THE NAME OF A SHOP IN THE OUTER BANKS, "FUNTASTIC FABRICS", SO HUBBY TOOK A PIC OF ME OUTSIDE OF SHOP AND YES, THAT IS A BAG IN MY HAND...CAN'T SEEM TO GO IN A QUILT STORE WITHOUT SHOPPING!! SO ENJOY THE PICS... THEY EVEN KNEW PAT FROM DE AND PAT SLOAN YAHOO GROUP! WHAT ARE THE ODDS!?!?!?

TOOK A PICTURE OF MY GANG AND COUSINS ENJOYING THE OCEAN AND A PICTURE OF JUST HUBBY AND I AND 3 KIDS ON THE "SOUND SIDE"... HERE IS ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE HOUSE WE RENTED... MY SISTERS AND THEIR KIDS AND HUBBIES AND EVEN MY MOM ALL VACATION TOGETHER, SO ON JULY 26TH MY MOM CELEBRATED HER 85TH BIRTHDAY, SO HAD TO SNAP ONE OF HER... AND HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICS OF OCEAN...YES THAT IS DAUGHTER #1 IN THE RUBBER BOAT! OH WHAT FUN!!! THANK YOU GOD FOR A BEAUTIFUL WEEK! NOW, BACK TO REALITY!

HOPE ALL IS WELL IN BLOG LAND...HAPPY SEWING, OH YES, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY MISSOURI STARS (ALTHOUGH, I HAVE TO BE HONES, I HAVE NOT GOT A LOT DONE ON THIS TRIP),

HUGS,

MARY

OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA

TEA TOWELS

RECENTLY, AT PAT SLOAN'S YAHOO GROUP, SOME OF THE LADIES HAVE POSTED TEA TOWELS THAT THEY MADE. I FOUND MYSELF IN AN ANTIQUE SHOP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND FOUND THIS SIMPLE TEA TOWEL. I WAS DRAWN TO IT, BECAUSE OF IT'S SIMPLICITY AND WONDERED WHAT THE LADY WAS THINKING OF WHEN SHE MADE THIS TEA TOWEL. THE BOTTOM OF THE TOWEL WITH THE RED SHE ADDED, WHICH DOESN'T QUITE MEASURE OUT PERFECTLY, SOOO I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL!!
JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE... THE STEMS OF THE BIRD AND BRANCH MUST HAVE BEEN BIAS CURVED PIECES AND I THOUGHT IT WAS SO UNIQUE THE WAY SHE OR HE MADE THIS!

HAPPY QUILTING AND FINDING UNUSUAL TREASURES IN UNUSUAL PLACES!!

MARY

MISSOURI DAISY UPDATE...

Wanted to show my progress on my Missouri Daisy blocks, 2 completely done, 1 that needs a center and one that is almost put together...only needs triangle sewn in. I am doing these completely by hand and have found such a joy/peace in the sewing process. For sooo many years I have been sewing pieces by machine, that once I discovered I could control the setting of these squares and triangles by hand much better, am now loving it!! I won some of the fabric, so you can see am getting bolder with color choices! So my winnings have been put to good use. I intend to get another 4 cut out before I leave for North Carolina (Outer Banks) family vacation, so can do those in car or at night while listening to the Ocean...oh I am so excited about Vacation time!! Will keep you updated with more pics as I get them done.

I have to also start a baby quilt, as my husband's nephew is having a Boy, so need to get that done by the time the Shower is here...end of September! Whew it is coming up fast!

We have gotten soooo much Rain here the last couple of nights that yesterday morning, I was driving my daughter to the train (for work) and I saw a Rainbow in the So/Western sky! It was so beautiful and immediately thought of the color wheel that quilters use. Boy, God sure knew what he was doing when he created Rainbows, the colors just melted together from yellow/orange/red/blue/green and lastly purple...it was really pretty! I could not take my eyes off of it! Then last night, while watching TV (and sewing) I looked out of our family room window and saw "lightening bugs"...you know they fly around and light up, another marvel of nature. For some reason, I was really noticing nature yesterday, God you did Good!! Thank you for the show!

Oh, and yes I do have another pic of Cooper my Super-Puppy! Just have to love him! Am blessed,

Hope you having a great week,

Hugs,

Mary

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TODAY WAS 18 YR OLDS BIRTHDAY (TURNED 19) YEAH!! WE SHOULD HAVE NAMED HIM SAM!!

AM STILL MAKING MY MISSOURI STAR BLOCKS...WILL POST OF PIC WHEN I GET ANOTHER ONE COMPLETED...

AM LOVING READING EVERYONE'S BLOGS...THIS IS WAY TOO MUCH FUN.

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT 4TH

SEWING HUGS,

MARY

SHIPSHEWANA, INDIANA

LOLLY'S FABRICS

Last Weekend I visited Shipshewana in Indiana. If you have never been there, it is a very quaint Amish Village. The stores were all unique, but the one I fell in love with was a store called, "Lolly's Fabrics" (www.lollys.com). It had everything and I mean everything! They had kits and bolt after bolt of beautiful fabrics...Moda etc. They even had quilts for sale and then quilts on display. And don't get me started on the Book Department! Oh My!! Here are some pics of the treasures I bought...

After spending the morning there, we (my sisters, daughters and Mom) left to visit my cousin in Wooster, Ohio. My cousin bought a Quarter Horse and it was a blast to spend time with her, her husband, 3 dogs and 1 horse. I did take pics of my cousin, Irene and her horse, Zip! He is a beautiful animal and very gentle. He is 13 years old and took me for a glorious ride around the indoor stable... Here is a picture of the back of me on Zip, she is riding bareback (which I have not learned how to do just yet!!! (I don't think I will ever learn that, but I love watching others!!) We then had a great visit with her and this was the first time it was an all girl trip...here are more pics of my mom, sister, niece, daughter...

Well, I better get back to sewing my Missouri Stars and now I have new fabric... Have a great Wed... Hugs, Mary

CHICAGO CUBS...GAME ON!!!

HELLO FELLOW BLOGGERS,

I TOOK A FEW PICS OF HUBBY GOING TO THE CUBS GAME TUES EVENING. HE IS A "MAJOR" SPORTS FAN AND HE GOT THIS CUBS SHIRT FOR FATHER'S DAY SO THOUGHT I POST A PICTURE. HE TOOK OUR SON (WHO IS A CHICAGO WHITE SOX FAN) WITH HIM AND THAT NIGHT THEY HAD GREAT WEATHER (EVEN IF THE CUBS LOST)!!

ALSO, COULD NOT HELP TAKING A FEW PICS OF MY BABY, "COOPER". HE IS SUCH A "DEVIL" OF A PUPPY RIGHT NOW. HE IS TEETHING SO ANYTHING HARD (WOOD, ROCKS, ETC.) ARE FAIR GAME. HE ALSO THINKS WILD RABBITS IN THE YARD ARE THERE FOR HIM TO PLAY WITH! WHAT A DOG!!

AM VISITING WOOSTER, OHIO THIS WEEKEND TO SEE MY COUSIN (AND HER NEW HORSE) SO WON'T BE POSTING. JUST THE "GIRLS" ARE GOING, SO THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME!

HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS THEIR WEEKEND,

HUGS,

MARY

BECKY FROM THE QUILTING BOOKLADY BLOG IS HAVING A GIVE-AWAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!!

OK , I WILL DEFINATELY PLAY!

MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME IS WINTER WHIMSIES BY SUELLEN COCHRANE WASSEM IN WHICH I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE COVER. THE NAME OF THIS QUILT IS CALLED A SAMPLING OF SNOWMEN. I JUST LOVED, LOVED, LOVED MAKING THIS QUILT BECAUSE IT WAS ALL SNOWMEN! IT WAS HAND PIECED AND APPLIQUED USING THE BUTTONHOLE STITCH BY HAND. EVERY WINTER I PULL IT OUT AND UP ON THE WALL IT GOES! HERE ARE PICTURES OF THE BOOK AND QUILT.

BECKY I HOPE YOU HAVE GLORIOUS BIRTHDAY AND THIS WAS FUN TO BE A PART OF!

HUGS,

MARY

NEW FABRICS I WON FROM KAREN AT SEW PRIMITIVE QUILTS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Yesterday I received the most beautiful, cool fabrics from Karen at Sew Primitive Quilts. I love her blog: http://sewprimitivequilts.blogspot.com. Check it out, her projects are always sooo original! I think I will use some of this fabric to make some of my Missouri Stars blocks. I love it all, especially the purples and "hot" greens!!! Thank you again Karen!!

What is everyone doing for the weekend, any quilting projects??

Keep smiling,

Hugs,

Mary

MONDAY JUNE 18, 2008

HAPPY BELATED FATHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU DAD'S!!

YESTERDAY WAS SPENT PAMPERING HUBBY! AFTER CHURCH, WE WENT OUT FOR BREAKFAST WHERE WE FATTENED UP ON PANCAKES AND WAFFLES!! OH, HE LOVED THAT! THEN WENT TO OUR LOCAL POOL TO HANG OUT, BUT THE RAIN BLEW IN, SO WE ENDED UP AT THE MOVIE THEATER. WE SAW "THE HAPPENING" (DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY...KIND OF A SILLY MOVIE, LOTS OF BLOOD), BUT THAT WAS HIS CHOICE. THEN ONCE HOME HAD A BARBEQUE FOR HIM. HE IS A VERY HARD WORKER, AS HE WORKS 6 DAYS A WEEK AT HIS FAMILY BUSINESS. BUT HE IS AN AWESOME DAD TO OUR THREE KIDS!! HE WORKS SO HARD SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOMETHING OF THEMSELVES AND FOR THAT I AM TRULY GRATEFUL AND BLESSED!

MY OWN FATHER DIED IN 2004 FROM CANCER, SO HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT HIM MANY TIMES YESTERDAY ! HE WAS ALSO AN AWESOME DAD! HE RAISED 4 DAUGHTERS ALONG WITH MY MOM AND WORKED TWO JOBS TO DO IT! WE HAD PRIVATE "PAROCIAL" EDUCATION AND DROVE EVERY SPRING TO FLORIDA. "HIS GIRLS" ALWAYS CAME FIRST IN HIS MIND AND HEART, SO AM SENDING UP A HUGH KISS AND HUG TO HEAVEN, AS I KNOW HE IS UP THERE! MISS YOU DAD WITH ALL MY HEART!

BACK TO QUILTING...LAST WEEK I WON SOME FABRIC FROM KAREN AT "SEW PRIMITIVE QUILTS" BLOG, YEAH! I RARELY WIN ANYTHING, SO IT WAS A TOTALLY UNEXPECTED WIN! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!! THANK YOU KAREN!

I AM READY TO SEW BLOCK THREE OF THE MISSOURI STAR. HERE IS PIC OF BLOCK ONE AND BLOCK TWO (HAVE TO PUT A FEW FINISHING TOUCHES ON BLOCK TWO) AND THEN OFF TO BLOCK THREE! AM LOVING THE PROCESS NOW, AS I AM PIECING BY HAND. WHAT DO I DO WHEN PIECING BY HAND? YOU ASK....WELL, WATCH TV! I LOVE "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" WHICH IS ON NOW FOR THE SUMMER...AS THEY ARE ALL DANCING I AM SEWING, JUST LOVE IT!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

"IT'S NOT WAITING OUT THE STORM...IT'S LEARNING HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN"
ANONYMOUS

"IF YOU LIFE TO BE 100 YEARS OLD, I WANT TO LIVE TO BE A 100 YEARS ALSO, ONLY MINUS ONE DAY, SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO BE ALONE WITHOUT YOU!" WINNIE THE POOH.

WELL, HAPPY SEWING!

HUGS,

MARY

MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2008

UP TO MY ELBOWS IN STARS....


I FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT! THE FIRST TIME I PIECED THE SQUARES AND TRIANGLES BY MACHINE...WHICH DID NOT WORK! THEN I CUT ALL THE PIECES OUT AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME PIECED BY HAND...AND WALLA, THEY FIT! NOW ONLY HAVE TO DO 33 MORE BLOCKS! I HAVE BLOCK TWO CUT OUT AND READY TO BE SEWN, SO WILL BE WORKING ON THIS FOR AWHILE!

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

OH, I HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION. IT WAS ON JEANNE KIMBALL'S BLOG, "WHY DO YOU QUILT"?
I QUILT BECAUSE I LOVE TO WORK WITH MY HANDS. BUT IN ANSWERING THAT QUESTION I FOUND I HAVE SO MANY ANSWERS. I ALSO LOVE THE FEELING OF FINISHING SOMETHING, WHETHER IT IS A BLOCK, A BORDER, A VINE, I TRULY LOVE TO APPLIQUE BY HAND. I LOVE THE PORTABILITY OF IT AND ALSO THE THERAPY THAT GOES INTO JUST SITTING QUIETLY AND SEWING. QUILTING HAS GIVEN ME CONFIDENCE AND ALSO CALMS ME WHEN LIFE GETS A LITTLE HECTIC. I HAVE GAINED SO MUCH OUT OF QUILTING AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET IS JUST A BONUS!!

WHY DO YOU QUILT?

HAPPY SEWING,

HUGS, MARY

Sunday, June 1st!

They say a picture can say a thousand words, well...look at this picture and it surely does! Yep those are my "young adults?!?!?!? and teen" playing with Cooper!! They were all jumping around like a bunch of first graders! Oh, Happy Times!! And that's my oldest playing with the puppy, Cooper!! This is why we can't seem to get anything done now adays!!

OK so back to these "darn" Missouri Stars, am posting one pic of two blocks that I am working on...can you see the right square is a "little too high", I measured then re-measured, recut and have come to the conclusion that the magazine's dimensions are off! Now am measuring my own sizes of triangles and squares for block! Never done this before, so this should be exciting! Haven't pressed it yet, so might be able to "smudge" these "___" triangles and squares together. I really wish there was a paper-pieced version. That would make this project sooooo much easier! I think this quilt will have a lot of little "issues" with construction, but I just love how the stars are coming together (without the triangles and squares, ofcourse), so will keep plodding along, as they say...

Thanks for all who comment on my progress, this one is a doosey!!

Happy Sewing Hugs,

Mary

This really is a sewing blog not a Dog blog, but Cooper is just too darn cute, that I have to share!!

COOPER, COOPER, COOPER!!!!!

HELLO...I'M COOPER!! WHY IS SHE CONSTANTLY TAKING MY PICTURE!!!!

It's true, I am obsessed with this little dog!! He is only 3 1/2 months old and is a Yellow Lab. He does some of these silliest things and is ALWAYS getting into something, but that face, oh that face, would melt anyone's heart! Here are some more of "Cooper" playing with his toys and out in the backyard..

So, this is why I am not getting enough quilting/sewing time in! Speaking of which, that Missouri Star block I am attempting to do....WOW, it is really HARD!! I have the Y seams down, but then when I go to sew the squares/triangles to set the block - it sure doesn't look like it should! So, had to recut and resew again. Then cut out a second one. Now this Block does not have the center yellow circle in it yet, just all the Y-seams are sewed together. For me, has become a REAL CHALLENGE!! So, will keep plugging away until the blocks look like the ones in the magazine!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend and Keep Sewing,
Hugs,
Mary

MAY 23, 2008