The End of June

Another month is almost over. Oh, I wish time would slow down a bit. I've decided (against my better judgement) to sign on to Peg's Challenge to finish five projects before the end of July. What's the worst that could happen? Maybe I'll only get a couple done, but that's more than none. I have a patriotic tablerunner that I would like to finish before the 4th of July. It just needs quilting and binding. That will be my first target.

I finished the border on the Not So Top Secret Quilt from here that Alycia gave steps for on her blog. She has agreed to quilt it and add it to the pile for Quilts of Valor. She has a goal of 400 to reach before next May.



Sarah is celebrating her 100th post and has made a really cute Tidy Bin to send to someone.
Click on over to her blog here.

Garden Walk 2008

Yesterday my sister, Connie and I went on the Bay City Garden Club annual walk. It was a hot and muggy day, but we got a good start when it first opened. This year they included a judged flower show at the new library downtown. We saw so many beautiful flowers and plants. One home even had a putting green in their backyard!






















I love the hostas and geraniums under the trees and in the secret garden.











On a quilting note, I have cut the fabrics needed to do Hanne's strip challenge. I haven't started yet, because I promised myself to finish something first. It has an September deadline - plenty of time. The pattern is called Golden Summer and is in the latest Scraps Quilts magazine from McCall's Quilting. I love to start a challenge. I need more challenges to finish. I should be signed up for Peg's Finish Five.

Blogging Bonus

What a great day! Yesterday, fellow blogger and quilter, Pam (mamaspark) and I met each other for the first time at Linda's Country Quilts in Davison. We chose this place as it was sort of in between us as far as distance traveled. Linda and the ladies who were sewing in the classroom were very friendly and insisted we share our show and tell. Pam brought the Texas Longhorn quilt she designed and sewed for her son. Isn't it terrific? Somehow I managed to click the photo the one second that Pam wasn't smiling. Sorry, Pam. She is such a delightful person and so full of energy. There was never a lull in the conversation and the time just flew by too quickly.


I found some terrific fabrics at Linda's. Some were even in the sale room which makes them almost free. Also had to buy two more tote bag patterns. Pam thinks I'll have them done in no time.



Next I followed Pam (picture taken through my dirty front windshield) to Fenton where we stopped at Quilter's Garden Quilt Shop. This was the first time I had been there which is always fun. Pam twisted my arm so I had to buy these books. She found more red fabrics for her new project and I bought the red and green pieces in the photo picture, in addition to the books.






We enjoyed a delicious lunch at The French Laundry in Fenton. Another new place for me and the food was wonderful. (Pam took pictures of our lunch) Before we left, Pam shared and forced me to eat a chocolate chip brownie that was delicious.

Two of our cats, Pam's Jack and my Jasper are possibly twins separated at birth. Jasper was all cuddly last night and wanted to know all of the details of my day with Jack's mom. If you get the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger, do it. It's a blogging bonus.

Jasper & Annie Post

This post is all kitty pictures with the exception of one strawberry freezer jam photo that I made last night from the berries Jim picked in our garden. Jasper and Annie have been asking for more blog space, and I couldn't resist. The first four were taken while Jasper was posing on the ironing board and I was sewing next to him.
There are more pictures of Jasper than Annie, but it is more difficult to get a photograph of her doing something other than sleeping or lying on her back.

Blogger gave me fits this afternoon. I was playing with different templates, colors and fonts and my blog was all screwy looking for a few hours. I'm not that tech savvy so I'm glad it's sort of back to normal.

Storage Containers

There's still time to show some of your storage containers to Sweet P and be entered in her drawing. You have until midnight! I love containers! Baskets, tins, cases... There are so many things in containers around here that I often forget what is in each one. Here are six I photographed:
1. See through squares with a lid from JoAnn's into which 6 1/2" blocks fit perfectly.
2. Whitman candy tins - hold threads, blocks or projects nicely.
3. I have a few of these basket that store ongoing projects.
4. Little plastic container I found at a garage sale.
5. Baltimore Album tin which I used to house my Dear Jane blocks when I began that quilt back in 1998. Now there are applique patterns in it.
6. This plastic case is the latest container from JoAnn's. It is perfect for storage of long term projects or to carry to class. Another tin holding my little log cabin blocks in there, also.

Giveaways

Want to have a quilt top quilted for free? Click on over to Jackie's blog

How about a mini quilt to celebrate the 200th post from Hedgehog?

Here's the QOV top for Alycia ready for borders. It isn't pressed, but I like how it turned out. Thanks for the step by step posts for this project.

Family Time at Comerica

What an absolutely perfect day! Eleven family members took a bus to Comerica Park in Detroit where we had perfect seats, in perfect weather and watched the perfect ending to the Tigers/White Sox game. We swept three games from the first place Sox and are finally playing up to our potential. Go Tigers!



I'm caught up on the BOTM stitcheries from Bea at Capricorn Quilts. These blocks are so much fun to stitch. This month's design is especially cute.

Click on over to Lynette Anderson Designs' blog for the opportunity to receive her new redwork pattern called 'A Trio Of Greetings.'

Second Tuesday in June

I think we have enough rain for awhile now. Yesterday, Connie, Mary and Jane came over for our monthly bee. Connie had just arrived and we were talking at the kitchen table when the lights flickered on and off a few times, ending with the off. Great! No air, fan or lights. Jim came home and got the generator going until the power came back. Luckily, it wasn't out too long. There are many area homes still without power from last Friday's storm. The plants, weeds and lawn are growing by leaps and bounds. We are so fortunate that no flooding or storm damage has happened to us with all of the crazy weather patterns going through.


More fun mail! From Serena came this beautiful bundle of Benartex fat quarters. It looks almost too pretty to unwrap. Catherine sent this package of iron on transfers from her Willow Valley Store. Thank you to both of you!

I haven't sewn the last step for the Orange Crush mystery, but here are the two blocks from the sets I made. The orange is still not thrilling me, but maybe it will grow on me.


The next picture is my pile of 16 patch blocks from Alycia's "Not too Top Secret Project" instructions. I have the larger four patch blocks almost done and will send the top to Alycia for Quilts of Valor. These blocks went together so quickly and I like the look of the blues.

Red Wings Win!

Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings! They made it very exciting and didn't disappoint us in the end. Championship shirts are selling like hotcakes.

Three terrific packages were delivered to my mailbox and I love them all. The first photo shows the package for the bag kit from Toni in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was wrapped so pretty with a pink bow. Next to the bag kit is the cross stitch pattern that Andrea from the UK so kindly sent me as a Spring Cleaning RAK. The Little House Needleworks patterns are among my favorites to stitch. And last, but not least is the stitchery kit from Kris at Tag Along Teddies. She included Australian jelly beans (gone - Mmmm) and a cute bookmark and card. This was also wrapped in a beautiful ribbon bow. Thanks to all three of you for making it a great mail week!




Jim and I spent the afternoon yesterday planting and weeding in the back yard. Today I could barely get out of bed. Oh, the aches and pains of getting older! There's still more to plant, but the weather wasn't cooperating today. It poured. I'm hoping to get a few more things done after dinner tonight if it's not too wet.


Today I spent some time cutting and sewing the first step in Alycia's Not-So-Top-Secret-Project. Alycia posted three different options for making the quilt. I cut up blues in lights and darks and started pairing them up. It's not that I need another project, but sometimes it's just nice to follow someone else's lead instead of making my own decision on what to do.