final 1st quarter 2016 Finish along #3

This is another quilt with blocks made from the stash bee hive 2015 #4. My other quilts that I had plan to get done with have to be carried out to another time. I did get further on them with the border being done on my 2wenty three disappearing nine patch so all it needs to binding. The other 2 was a disappearing 4 patch and a illusion quilt that have more blocks put together just need to be put into rows and quilted. Life gave us some very unexpected moments this past month and with that my goal of getting these done was put on the back burner. I have enjoyed participating in the finish along because it did make me work on a couple of quilts that I had set aside.

2nd 2016 Finish Quilt Along

This was my another one of my 2016 finished quilts. it was blocks made last year in the Stash Bee Hive 4 block exchange for 2015. I really loved all the blocks everyone made.

The stashbee sent me blocks for this blue one and also a orange one.

2nd 2016 Quilt Along Finsh

This was my first quilt along finished for 2016. It just needed binding before it was given to my great nephew Gannon.

2016 Quilt Finish a Long

This is my first year participating so hopefully this will get me accountable for getting projects done. I have 8 projects that I want to finish in this 1st quarter. 5 of the projects are just trimming and binding The other 3 projects are projects that I have been working on for over a year and it is time to get them finished.

1 projects just needs the 2 borders added on it then it can go off to the quilters to be quilted. The final 2 needs more blocks made to get the quilt the size I want. Hopefully I can get these done because I have many more for the next time.

March blocks for Stashbee online exchange and Virtual Modern block Exchange

This month I had the opportunity to do Nel's block for the Virtual modern block Exchange. This group is with local ladies who I quilt with. Nel sent us instruction for a cross T block so below is my version of it.

Then for the Stashbee exchange my block was for Amanda who sent us the link for the block below. Amanda wanted the block done in yellows and teals.

I enjoyed doing both these blocks Now to get my block ready for the Virtual Block exchange.

Virtual Modern Block Exchange and Stashbee block exchange

I am currently doing 2 block exchanges. One with my quilting friends that I have quilted with for many years and one that is online with new quilting friends. This month I had to make a quilt block for Kathy In Australia and my good friend Judy who lives here in Oklahoma. below our the new blocks I made. The wonky log cabin was made for Judy and the Yellow and low volume block was made for Kathy. I am enjoying making these blocks. It keeps me motivated to finish and start new projects.

Block exchanges

I am doing a block exchange online thru stashbeeblogspot.com This month is our first month and our Hive Mama asked us to make the block here. It is paper piecing which is one of those things I can love or hate. Thankfully this did not have to many pieces so it went together pretty easy. I decided to do this since i have not been quilting much since Amanda passed away and thought this might help keep on quilting. I am also in a Virtual Modern Block Exchange with my quilting family. Everyones blocks can be seen on Flickr on the Virtual Modern Block Exchange. I am having alot of fun with it.

Lily's Quilts: New dawn, new day, new button

Lily's Quilts: New dawn, new day, new button

8 years gone by

Christmas

what a awesome day even though some of us went without electric and water and some us of are still having problems with the district not having water it was a great day. Because of the weather my entire family was here for xmas dinner. It was nice only one person missing from the group and that was my dad even though it has been almost 8 years it is still hard to have the holidays without him, but he is in such a awesome place. Well Santa came and visited CW today so i guess he has been good. He even visited Thomas and brought him some clothes and a cookbook. Thomas loves to cook so I am planning to get the food items he needs and he can start cooking away. Now he just needs pots and pans so when he gets his own place.
Of course i had to include a picture of CW and my niece Jayci she was all about kissing on CW today. It was really cute.

Cookie Time with CW

Ok for Halloween we painted a pumkin so for christmas we decided on making cookies. since CW just turned one we choose the cookies that you just lay out on the baking sheet. The first batch of cookies he wanted to eat but the second pan he figured out that they were suppose to get placed on the ccokie sheet. I have included pictures of the process and the result of the cookies. He did throw a royal fit when i went to put the cookies in the oven but i just let him help and then he was ok.

It was really cute he just stood by the oven waiting for those cookies to come out of the oven. You can also see him enjoying the cookie dough on his hands.

Walking and working

Today my grandson took his first steps as far as taking more than just 3-5 at a time. I turned around and he was coming across the kitchen floor into the den. we are excited but it just means he is growing up way to fast. He also got to work outside with his Papa and Uncle Thomas so I included a few pictures of him on the backhoe and the dozer. If there is one thing this kids loves it is being on the equipment and helping out.

Halloween

This past weekend was my grandson,niece and nephew first halloween as far as dressing up and going out to a few houses. My nephew has always been sick up until this year, This year he got to dress up as Woody and he did a great Woody. I have included a picture of them all plus one of each of them alone.

More Dying Workshop

Dying Fabric workshop

Yesterday Carol and I went to duncan to teach a class on fabric dying. Carol did most of the teaching but I tried to assist her all I could. i think we had a successful workshop. They asked for another one later on so i am guessing that means success. We had alot of fun. judy allowed us to have it at her house and it was a great spot. She has a covered patio so we were not out in the sun. she fixed us a wonderful lunch of Tamale Soup and 2 wonderful dessert. (Judy did you remember to take the chees dip out of the microwave)I have included some pictures of the workshop. Look forward to seeing everyones finish fabric.

Remembering my Grandma Jean

Today my awesome Grandma Jean went home to be with Jesus. We have been expecting it but even as the day came no one was ready. My grandma was a special lady. I would love to give her a hard time. Many years ago she broke her wrist and I would tease her about chasing down me a grandpa, her reply would be I can live on my own just fine, i don't need no man. Every summer she would come and stay with us when I was growing up. Every time she came and visited i would measure her height to see how short she got and measure me to see how tall I was getting.Probably not the nicest thing to do but i was a kid and thought it was great when i actually was getting taller than someone. She made the best strawberry jam even now I can close my eyes and remember the taste of it on a piece of toast. Later on after I married she would stay at my Aunt's but the last couple of years she could not come out due to her health. She was here when my daughter was born over 24 years ago. I remember going to the dr that day and being told I needed to get to the hospital so the Dr. could due a emergency c-section. My mom,grandma and me got in the truck to go to the hospital. On the way over to the hospital me and grandma started laughing because we were not sure if we were going to get there in one piece because of my mom's driving. It was only a couple of miles to the hospital but It seem like it took forever. My mom rode the rear end of every car that got in front of us and me and grandma had our own imaginary brakes. She watched Amanda when i first came home so that I could finish out the last few days of school. She loved to quilt but a few years ago she had to quit because of losing her eyesight. I started quilting a few years before she had to quit so it was really nice when I was able to talk with her about what she was doing and what i was doing. Even though these last few years have been really hard on my grandma, you would never hear her complain. She lived her life they way I hope to live mine, to be thankful for what god has given you and to life each day to your best. She will be missed.She would always thank you when you called to check up on her. Well grandma Iwould like to thank you for being such a terrific grandma, you will always be with me.

Passing life by

This past 6 weeks has been a time in my life when i had to decide to like people or not, I wake up each morning and head off to work ( which I like) but the last few weeks it just getting there and waiting till it is time to go home. I know it does not make sense to any of you unless you are in my group of Monday night quilters. That is my vacation from the reality world where i go to unwind for the day. if i could I would go every day just to see a face that has the same interest as me. This then leads me into another part of my life. i have taken life for granted, I think we all do, we get busy in the hustle and bustle of the day and we forget to stop and be thankful for what God has given us. I have been truly blessed in my life. i have had things go wrong or not they way i think they should, but God knows the path i am suppose to take,he know what is in store for me. sometimes i try and change the path. This past week i have discovered how things can and will change overnight. My son wreck his dad's truck. walked away with nothing but a small bruise on his shoulder and my grandma who health issue has been failing over the last couple of years had really taken a turn for the worst. My grandma is my dad's mom she is my link to my dad who died in 2002 so coming to terms with the idea that she may pass away is something i don't want to think about. Here again taking advantage of what God has given me and not stopping to take the pleasure in what he has sacrifice for me and what he has given to me even in my short life. ( Ok guys i am not that old I am in the middle). when i lost my dad in 2002 I was questioning God in one breath and in another I was thankful that god had put him in my life. I have starting working on a quilt of my dad and my memories of his life . The picture i started is below in a earlier blog. I have put it on hold because i start something else or volunteer for something else, so that puts me farther behind on this project. I was reading a statement from a fellow quild member who is a well known artist and i enjoyed reading what she wrote it got me thinking about what i need to priotize in my life.
that it is ok to say no so that you can get you own creative juices going and accomplishing the projects that you need to do. Anyway i have rambled on my blog page and have not made adang bit of sense but in the last few days i have found out that I ramble alot and my friends just go along with me. they may think ( what the hay is she doing or thinking, she does not make no sense) but they just go along with it because that what is what my true friends do. They understand what this past few weeks has been like and i have probably lost my mind but if i end up in the crazy house they will come along just for the ride.

I have included a couple of pictures one of the truck and one of my cute grandson. He has started crawling so he thinks he is big man in the house. My daughter has decided he has learn to say MaeMae, probably not but i will take it anyway.

Looney Cloon's retreat

Well we just got back from retreat. As usual a great retreat just a few missing from the group, some had family obligations that came up last minute so we were down in number. Thursday night we celebrated Baby's 90th birthday. Here is a picture of Baby and a quilt she worked on this weekend. i think she may have been the only one to accomplish anything. A few of us were in detox motion and was just trying to enjoy a relaxing weekend without the stress of family or in my case my job. We worked on the hollow cube quilt. It is going to make a great quilt but it is alot of work. the pitures are mine(western of Course, Carol's the hand dyed fabrics, Doris's the browns/tans and Johnnies the brown and rust like color. elizabeth worked on her high five quilt(it really is the John flynn wedding ring quilt) except me and Kathy call it the high five quilt because at the last retreat we choose not to do it and all weekend when a wrong word was used we high fived each other. Our next retreat will not be until Feb next year unless we manage a mini retreat at Gail's. We are going to houston to the quilt show and so far we all got the classes we want so hopefully we will come back with some sort of knowledge and know how. Just depends on how our minds are working. If your group ever takes L retreat you should try Johnnies looney cloon retreat. It is quiet and not to far out of town or from a couple of fabric shops.