Rescue Pup from last November

Remember last November, when Bill and I transported a rescue pup one leg of a trip from Wilmington, NC to Atlanta? Well, here she is and looking terrific. Her new mom and dad are very, very good to her; she is a blessed puppy and it shows . She had not been abused like our Mira but, had no real attachment to her family and she kind of had an empty look in her eyes, that's gone now because, she really belongs to her new family. Bless you Larry & Mary!

back from Myrtle Beach...

     Sorry, I didn't take any pictures at the beach. Just laid in the sand and relaxed the whole time. I was having some trouble with my back but, with a few visits to my friendly chiropractor, upon my return I'm almost back to 'go!'
    My bestest friend, Jerrie and I escaped to the beach on the 13th and returned home the 18th. Tried a little sewing but, had to rest my back between sessions. Before we left, I finished her quilt and I'm so happy with the way it turned out.

 

    Last month I attended a 'quilting bee' (yes, they still exist) along with my dear friend Mary and some other gals. Anyways, I mentioned that I was tired of the irons out in today's marketplace. They are generally big and clunky, don't get hot enough, they shut off before you want them to or, the stupid little holes on the sole-plate catch the corner of your patchwork and wrinkle it all up. All I want is a small iron, no holes, that will heat up good. Well, didn't Mary find one; she went to Liberty's antique/flea market and found this for me:

Look no holes!

Isn't it darling and it works great. Thank you Mary! Mary also, took me out for a birthday breakfast, what fun!

 Guess who missed me? Mira, she gave her dad a fit! Laying by the front door, looking out and whining. She didn't eat her dog food so, Bill plied her with puppy treats and pastrami sandwiches. What's a mom to do? It is Bill's dog! Right! Ha Ha!  She survived and went right back to eating her puppy food as soon as I got home.

While at the beach Jerrie took me out for a birthday dinner at Bone-fish Grill. OH MY, it was delicious! Thank you, Jerrie for a great time! 

Been home six days now so, I guess I best get back to work. 

Have a great day and until I 'm back with ya, behave!

Spring feels really good...

     Spring is feeling really good! We've had weather up into the upper 80's and it has cooled slightly today  but, still wonderful. Dry so, it isn't stifling hot. 
     I think the busy pace of the past month has slowed for a while. Six ribbons for the Carolina Longarm group have been either awarded or delivered so, that's done for a few months. They are time consuming but, I enjoy making them.

     Thursday, my friend Neva and I went to Clemmons, NC to the Forsyth Piecers and Quilters Quilt show and judged for the ribbon to be presented to the best longarmed quilt at the show. We only had to choose one quilt but, there were so many lovely, lovely quilts. fortunately for us we only had the quilting itself to judge. Theresa DeWalt won the ribbon. She is an outstanding quilter (13 years) in the Winston-Salem area. Oh, to get to that point one day! I can only hope it's sooner than later. Below is a picture of the quilt she quilted (only one of several she did, that were in the show.)

    Sorry, the picture truly doesn't do this quilt justice. Mary at Quilt Hollow has a better picture. The close-ups are a little better. New camera and I haven't got it quite figured out.

Absolutely delightful!

     Friday, Mary and I attended the quilt show and had a chance to take the pictures of several of the quilts and visit the vendors. They must have had almost 20 vendors and guild boutique. I found some scrumptious batiks and Mary gave me my birthday present a little early; a 'Jelly Roll' of neutral batiks to go with them. I'm going to use them in a 'Desert Nine Patch' quilt.

    I have several other batiks (too many to get in the photo) that I've been collecting for an 'Indian Summer' quilt so, will combine many of them with these for both quilts.

I just love fabric!!!

  Never got the chance to share a picture of my entry table dressed up for spring. Here it is! (at least part of it) Then I must go, it's getting late and I'm pooped! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

 HAPPY SPRING!

hopelessly bogged down...

      I am afraid I am so far behind I'll never see daylight, again. However there is always hope!
    
     I have finished some customer quilts, actually have the binding on my pinwheel quilt and have it on the bed. Forgive the picture I still have the room to paint and will take better pictures later.

We had snow in February something we seldom have so, I did take a picture of that. This was taken the morning after and the Carolina blue skies are pretty evident.

      Sunday we had tornadoes but, yesterday the clouds gave way to gorgeous blue skies and this morning is just as pretty a picture as the snowy one, only minus the snow. We have trees in bloom and the Bluebirds are busy building a nest in the birdhouse (it really is in the picture above but, hard to see). Kind of breezy but, climbing into the low 70's today and expected to be in the mid 80's by the end of the week. It's been a long cold winter for us and we are so looking forward to spring weather returning. Speaking of 'spring' have you had a good 'Spring' cold lately? I am just recouping from a 'bloomin' spring cold' and boy was it lousy. Went all winter without a sick day and get to the nice weather and bam!

     I've been making ribbons for the Carolina Longarm Quilt Guild all week and have a half dozen almost ready to mail out. We present ribbons to the 'Best Longarm Quilt' at different guild shows around the states of North and South Carolina. I was the recipient of one of these ribbons before, I became a member. I think an old post shows the quilt and ribbon. It was on my very first quilt off my machine, 2 and a half years ago. WOW! How time flies when you are having fun! Sometimes when you are not.

     I now have a 'Facebook' page. Not sure what to do with it just yet but, it has been a hoot seeing some of my classmates from HS (you will note I haven't got my picture posted, yet). Ralph Waldo Emerson said "As we grow old...the beauty steals inward."  I can sure believe that! LOL With that little quote I think I will close for now and hopefully return sooner than the last post.

      Have a wonderful Easter! God Bless!!!

Finally finished the Scrappy Friendship Quilt

      Yes, I finally finished the 'Scrappy Friendship Quilt' for the workshop. Our workshop was canceled due to icy conditions last Saturday so, it's rescheduled for the 27th (next Saturday). I will post a picture after I show the gals at the workshop.

      I did take a couple pictures the past couple weeks. Remember the bread I said I was baking while writing a post well, it didn't turn out too bad and its, of course, long gone.

     Met up with a good (longarm quilting) friend  for breakfast the Thursday before Valentines Day and look what she brought me. 

     Mary has a super blog go check it out at Quilt Hollow Thank you Mary! They were so lovely!

     Got to go work on some customer quilts, I've spent way too much time on the scrappy quilt but, it is nice to have it done!

Have a good rest of the weekend!

Mira's Mom

Snow's a comin'

    Here I sit with a cup of hot tea and a freshly baked cookie and thought I had better enter a post before I get into another project. 

      The weather folks are predicting snow or freezing rain, sleet and ice accumulation... YUK! DH just came in and he said the temp is dropping but, no sign of the wet stuff. He's headed out to get wood in the cart, to stay warm with and put sunflower seed and suet out for the birds. The cookie jar is full of spicy molasses cookies baked this afternoon, the crock pot is full of bean and ham soup and  there's fresh bread dough resting, waiting to be put in the pans to rise.
     I have been in a baking mood the past few months. Started right after I finished the last quilt for the quilt show and we had the first day of the show under our belts; I made fudge at 10pm that night. I can't tell you the last time I made fudge. Fortunately, I was able to take most of it with me the following day for those working at the show. Then just before Christmas I started making yeast breads and cookies. I bet I haven't made yeast bread since the mid eighties. DH and I have been trying to keep the weight down and I pretty much quit baking anything since 2002. I would make 'pumpkin pie' for Thanksgiving, at the request of our son and an occasional batch or cookies.
      Having lived in Michigan most of my life, I find I really love the weather here in NC. (NC the last 24 years) Can't say I look forward to getting the 'dismal' (snow, ice or freezing rain). We find it really funny when the weatherman says the "S" word , people flood to the grocery stores. Mainly for bread and milk but, while standing in line this morning (yes, I went, too) I watched the lady ahead of me unload cases of soda, candles, snacks, kerosene, ice cream and batteries. The guy the aisle over had two buggies filled with cases of soda, another had beer and plenty of it. What's wrong with this picture I asked. Don't they have faucets? Even with a well we have plenty of water and if the electricity goes out (Please, Lord don't let the electricity go out. I have sewing to do.) we put some back for cooking, drinking, flushing, washing up and of course Mira. Go figure! I went this am after walking to get shortening, yeast and marshmallows. Yup, I like marshmallows in a cup of hot chocolate especially, when its snowing. Guess we all have our little quirks!
     I have my quilting to tend to and have kept back some squaring-up just in case we are without electricity. Tonight, I hope to get the bulk of my sewing done on making my blocks or rows. Haven't decided which I want to do. Here's half the quilt in the following picture, five rows of 44 blocks each.

 

      I should be able to get these done pretty quickly and can hope to get the rest tomorrow. I'd like to have them together for the guild meeting on Thursday. I think I can! I think I can!

    Hope you aren't in the path of this storm system but, if you are have a cup of hot chocolate (with marshmallows ) and think of me.

Stay Warm!

Mira's Mom