Cream Puff

And of course I had to have nourishment! Walking through a Quilt Show is alot of work. I ate the top off the cream puff before I thought of taking a picture. It was one of the largest cream puffs I have ever had. It had fresh cream and real strawberries in it. It was wonderful!!!!

Minnesota Quilt Show 2008

This pretty quilt is called "Summer Garden" by Lin Hilgendorf.

Minnesota Quilt Show 2008

I can understand why this is called "Daydreaming" by Judy Alexander, because this is exactly what my daydreams looks like. It reminds me of the Northern Shores of Lake Superior. My favorite place to be.

Minnesota Quilt Show 2008

This was is called "Monkey Business at Grandmas" by Kathy McNeil, Geri Parker, and Judy Irish

Minnesota Quilt Show 2008

I loved this quilt. (I loved them all!)

This is called "High Gear" by Kathleen Moorhead Johnson.

Minnesota Quilt Show

It is hard to see all the fun thread work on this quilt. There were so many with fancy stitches and colorful threads and beads. This one was called "Sunflowers and Cabbage Whites" by Lauren Strach

PAPER AND TJ MAXX

I don't know what it is about journals and paper products that just touch my heart strings. I have a hard time passing by this stuff. I was at TJ Maxx (one of my favorite stores) and they had so many new journals and notecards etc. So of course I had to buy them, they were such a good buy too! The solid pink one I got at at store called "Papyrus" LOVE IT. It has a leather cover and and leather string to close. The paper inside is just so soft and fun to write on. I also could not pass up on the bird at TJ Maxx.

God Bless you all today!

It's My Birthday!

Today is my birthday. My mom makes me a cake every year and brings it to work so my co-workers can help me celebrate. She usually does a theme, tea cups, convertibles, oreos, etc. But this year she couldn't think of anything fun so she put the candle question mark on the cake. My mom is the greatest and she makes the most delicious cakes. She use to make wedding cakes etc. now she makes cake only for her family. My friend at work took this picture, she thought I should have a pic of my birthday cake. (p.s. I am 54 years old today) I was born in 1954 and am 54 today, I think I should probably get a bigger present or something for that!?! My birthday is on the 19th, but the post is showing it as the 18th. Computers are an odd lot.

PEONIES YIPPEE

I am so excited the Peony's are blooming. They are my favorite flower. I wish they lasted longer. My peony's are 50 or more years old. We are living in the house my husband grew up in (also his father grew up in the house). His mother planted the peony bushes over 50 years ago.

The glass bottles I bought about 24 of them years ago in Minneapolis at at place called Junk Market. The owners are Sue Whitney and Ki Nassauer. They are featured in "Country Home Magazine". I am not sure if the store is still in operation, but the ideas are still there and fun. I couldnt find the website for the store anymore, otherwise I would post it. But you can go to "Country Home Magazine" and view some of their cute ideas. I use these bottles alot. Once I had an outside tea party and put one at everyones place setting. It was so cute and fun.

Apron Fun

My 2nd Bernina Virtual Class was about all the different stitches your Bernina could do. We have to make a project using some of the stitches your machine can do. So I experimented with an apron. (the pattern is from Better Homes and Gardens Fast and Fabulous Quilting magazine). I put wash away stabilizer behind the material and stitched away. It was fun experimenting with the stitches. The stabilizer is really an important thing to use. It keeps the stitches stable on the fabric. I just used regular thread on top and bobbin.

I will be taking this project and the pin cushion to my next class on friday. Then the class is free if you bring a project back. This next class should be fun, it will be something about Christmas projects.

Monday morning and the birds are singing here in Minnesota. I think summer has finally arrived. The weather is perfect. It helps to have some days like this to remember when winter rolls around.

I hope it is sunny and the birds are singing where you are. God Bless.

I bought Better and Homes and Gardens "Fast and Fabulous Quilting Ideas" Magazine. It is full of cute ideas. I made a cute pin cushion. I made it a little taller than the pattern. I was experimenting with my Bernina stitches. It was fun and fast. I think I will be making more to have on hand for Christmas presents. I just love those flat quilting pins.

It is friday!!! The sun is shining here in Minnesota today. And we got some wonderful news last night. Our son and daughter-in-law found out our grandchild is a little boy. We are just so excited. The due date is in November. It is just too overwhelming the love inside, no words can explain what it is to be a grandparent. The little guy will be our third grandchild. Grandpa went to work this morning walking on a cloud. He is too funny.

Psalms 139: 13-16 This is really precious to me.

This was my first attempt at hand quilting. I finished the quilting by machine. I was in too much of a hurry to finish it by hand. But it was fun doing the hand quilting. When I am not in such a hurry to finish a project, I am going to do one in hand quilting. I had problems with the rocking motion, but with practice I am sure it would get better. It is fun, and that is the important part. I used a pattern called Star Party from "Country Threads" by Mary Etherington and Connie Tesene.

Found Cutest Giveaway

I found another lovely blog, "Cookie Sunshine". And she is having the cutest giveaway. A limited edition of one of her lovely drawings with poem. "Little Red Shoes". Check out her other drawings. She has the cutest jewelry fairy poem and drawing, among other cute things.www.cookiesunshine.typepad.com

Grandaughter's First Quilt

I made this quilt for my grandaughter. It was the first one I made for her. The pattern was taken from a Thimbleberries Book by Lynnette Jennings. I just love her patterns and instructions. Her books taught me alot when I was learning how to quilt.

Grandson's First Quilts

These two quilts I made for grandson before he was born. The jungle print one came from Fons and Porter magazine, March/April 2004 issue, called "Jungle Songs". I put some soft green "minky" in some of the squares, I know how kids love to feel soft things with their fingers.

The second quilt was also taken from Fons and Porter magazine, September/October 2004 issue, called Baby "Dots and Diamonds". This one was very challenging for me. The diamonds! I would have to really rethink doing another one with the diamonds. I put "minky" on the backing and the binding. I thought this was really cute with the little dragons. I made these about 1 1/2 years ago.

We have been working on the yard. Finally got my garden statues out and some annuals planted. I got this little girl when I turned 50, 4 years ago. My sister-in-law Luann gave it to me. It is very special to me because she past away this last February 2008. We were the same age, she was born in May and I in June, I use to tease her about being younger than her. I knew her since the 3rd grade. I grew up as an army brat and moved alot. But when my dad went to Korea we lived with Grandma and Grandma was the one room school teacher, so I met Luann then. She was my oldest friend. We married brothers. She died of a heart attack. She lost one of her sons 4 years ago. She loved life and her family very much. It has been a very sad time. So when I see this little girl it reminds me of Luann. But, I know I will see her again when I go home to be with the Lord.

Bunny Pillow

This is the project I made for my Virtual Bernina class. It was really fun to share projects and see what everyone else made. We learned ruffling with cording, ruffling with Bernina foot (very nice foot), and machine applique. Next month I think I will make an apron or pin cushion and use the techniques we learned from our last class using machine embroidery. This months class was not all that exciting. Looking forward to next month (June) we will be doing something for Christmas.

Little Bunny Still Hopping

Our little bunny is still with us. He is all alone though. I never seen his family since he was a little tyke. He is surviving in our yard. We leave the shed door open a little crack and he manages to get inside. I think that might be where he hangs out at night. It has been fun watching him hop around and munch on the grass. He is getting braver and moving further out into the yard. My husband really likes watching him. Every day he points out the fact that he is still with us. My husband comments on the sunset every evening too. He does stop to smell the roses every day (not literally). He helps me to appreciate my surroundings. Prince Philip is his name.