More Little Bits

Our Little Bits group is a busy bunch.  We always have a lot to Show and Tell and it's very inspiring.

Have you ever played the Left, Center, Right game?  Different quilt groups I belong to have played with fat quarters several times.  You begin with three or four fat quarters and roll the LCR dice.  Depending on what you roll the fabric goes to the left, in the center or to the right, or you keep it.  The last person left with a a fat quarter wins the whole lot!  Little Bits played this at our Christmas party a year ago and Eleanor won all the FQs.  We teasingly told her she had to make a quilt using that mismatched pile of fabric.  Well she took us up on the challenge and she did it!  She used the Turning Twenty pattern and the FQs she won and look at her quilt!  I was amazed at how pretty it turned out with such an odd assortment of fabrics.  Way to go Eleanor!

Annie showed off a cute little Gingerbread Kids quilt that she is working on, using the back basting hand appliqué method.  I am going to make a video demonstrating that method - hope to get that done this weekend!

June shared this cute little snowman that was a gift to her for Christmas.  It is made from a sock!  It is so soft and cute.  She gave me the pattern and I'm going to have to make one .... or a few :)  I need to find some great, soft socks!

June is also teaching a wool class at the Sunset Slope Quilt Guild's Rendevous Retreat.  She is putting together kits for this great project.  Look at the detailed photos below - this is June's original design.  She plans to do this workshop for the Little Bits group in the Spring.

Look at the fantastic bag Sherida made from Downton Abbey fabric!  I need to think of something fun to make with my DA fabric.  It's so pretty.  The bag is a great idea!

Sherida and Annie plan to do a workshop for the group on these little miniature landscape quilts.  This is one Sherida made that is about 5x7 and displayed in a frame.  This is Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

This is one that Annie bought.  It is postcard size!





The one below was also made by Sherida. I like the way the design comes off the picture into the border.

Lots of Birthdays

Yesterday was a "Winter" birthday party for the miniature quilt group that I belong to - Little Bits.  It was held at Annie's house and on the table was this gorgeous crocheted table cloth which was made by Annie's husband Al's mother.  Al is 92!  So we can only guess how old this table cloth is - it is beautiful and in tip top shape.

Annie also brought out an "old" Felix the Cat that belonged to her mother.  On the bottom was a stamped date of 1922.  It has leather ears and is made of wood, with elastic inside so the arms and legs move.  It was quite fun to see a toy that is about 90 years old.

June has been making these embellished glass jars and bottles.  They have a hole drilled in them so you can put a string of battery operated (or plug in) lights inside, then she decorates them with those glass pebbles, mirrors and charms. She plans to teach the group how to make them this summer.

Here are the three gals whose birthdays we celebrated!  They all have February birthday and the rest of the group has summer birthdays, so each year we have a Winter Party and a Summer Party.  From left to right are:  Annie, Eleanor and Leota.

Today I went to lunch with another fun group of quilting friends to celebrate Marla's birthday!  There just cannot be too many birthday parties.  It's always fun to celebrate with friends :)

Now, off to do some quilting!  Finally!

Zentangle Fun and Happy Birthday Son!

My friend Lori read Sherida's newspaper column on Zentangle and decided to try it .... Now she's hooked!  (It is addicting, and very relaxing :)

This picture is her first attempt!  Wow!  One of the things that is cool about Zentangle is that is looks so amazing and "professional" without a lot of practice.  If you make a mistake, just incorporate it into the design!

Lori has already taken it to the next level.  Today in the mail I received this beautiful card. The Zentangle design in the center is only about 3"x4", so the detail is very fine and the addition of color is fantastic.  Thank you Lori!  I am hanging this up in my sewing room for inspiration!

I was driving to Hi Fashion today to buy a gift certificate for a friend's birthday and look what I saw in someone's front yard!  Cars were whizzing by every once in awhile and it didn't faze these deer at all.  They were very calm and unafraid, scratching through the snow to try and find food.  So pretty :)

Today is my "baby's" birthday!  This is my youngest son 22 years ago today!  Isn't he adorable?  He kind of looks like a wise little old man (with lots of great hair!) in this picture :)








Here he is today!  Still very wise, with great hair and very handsome :)  Happy Birthday Jonathan!!!!

Winter Wonderland

Park City got a new quilt store last Fall, so while visiting last Friday I had to stop in and check it out!  I was NOT going to buy anything - just look - but you know how that goes....

The Quilt Show had a segment on their last episode on the Accuquilt GO! company in Omaha, Nebraska.  I was intrigued.  I had seen the cutters before, and have friends who own them,  but was inspired to check them out more, after watching this segment.  I was particularly looking at the GO! Baby because it's smaller and doesn't take up a lot of room.

So we walked into Davidene's Quilt Shop in Park City and she happens to be a retailer for the GO! systems! I got to check them out in person, rather than over the internet as I was doing, and she gave me a personal demonstration and showed me several quilts she's made and classes she teaches.  I debated as to how much I would use it.  Davidene offered to throw in a die and a mat for free with the system and my husband offered to get it for me for Valentine's Day, so here it is!  I got the Value die for free and bought the 2 1/2 inch strip die.  You can use 60% of the dies with the GO! Baby.  I'm excited to try it!

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland!  There was several inches of new snow and it was still softly falling - very beautiful.  Mike was up at the crack of dawn and said he saw ten deer walking quietly down the middle of our street.  I guess it pays to get up early :)

I saw this sign at Kneader's in Park City.  I really like it!  Something good to remember :)

I hope you are having a great day.  It was a great day to stay inside and sew, unfortunately I didn't!  I had too many other things to do.  I may go upstairs and do a little now though before dinner!

Happy February!

I put up my February quilts today!  It seems like just yesterday we said, "Happy New Year!" and now it's February already.  Apparently the groundhog saw his shadow so we get six more weeks of winter.  That's OK, we can use the moisture.  I do like the milder temperatures though :)

This is my little February wool banner.

This is my entry way quilt for February.  Normally I do not use panels - I just prefer piecing - but I did like this center panel so much that I used it for the center of my wall hanging and made the X and O blocks for the outer border.  It's a fun quilt and it shouts February!  or Valentine's Day!

Speaking of Valentine's Day, my hubby bought me an early Valentine's Day gift and it's NOT chocolate, but it's QUILT related!  I'll post a picture of it soon :)

Wedding Barbie

My daughter Megan turned 25 this month, one day before my mother turned 79!  We were able to celebrate their birthdays, a little belatedly, with them this weekend.  It is always fun to celebrate birthdays with your loved ones.  No matter what age we are,  birthdays are always exciting :)

Megan got married a couple of years ago and recently my Aunt June sent her a Barbie doll for which she had hand crocheted a bridal gown!


While visiting this weekend I got to see it up close and personal and I tell you, it is truly a work of art!  Here are several pictures so you can get an idea of the stunning work, but the pictures do not even come close to doing it justice.

Note the necklace, puff sleeves, gloves and flower at the waist, not to mention the veil and the train (train detail above).  Truly the detail is incredible.

I think my Aunt June shares my love of dolls : )  Megan has also always loved dolls, so this gift is very fitting for her.  I remember my Aunt June standing in line to get a Cabbage Patch Kid for my oldest daughter back when those were all the craze.  There is just something wonderful and exciting about dolls.  I guess you never outgrow that, even if you don't play with them anymore!

My cousins (June's daughter's) and I used to play Barbies all the time when we were growing up.  We were very creative in our play, making household items for them etc.  Our mothers made clothes and other Barbie items for us as well.  Fun memories!  I STILL have some of those Barbies, which are almost 50 years old now!  Remember Malibu Barbie and Ken anyone?  Skipper?

Enjoy the details of these pictures and have fun reflecting on your own memories of dolls you used to play with as a child.

And THANK YOU Aunt June for sharing your beautiful art work!!




Happy Sunday and GO BRONCOS!!

Family Fun Weekend!

We spent the latter part of the weekend and today catching up with some of our kids and my parents, and celebrating some birthdays!

First on the agenda, our daughter Michelle got us some awesome tickets to a BYU basketball game!  We were six rows up from the floor so we could even hear the players arguing with the referees :)

There are so many fun contests and events that go on during the game that you don't see on TV.  It was a ton of fun and BYU won, which made it even more exciting!

We were sitting across the isle in two groups, but that was OK - still a great time.

This is why I was never a cheerleader.  I always cringe when they throw girls up in the air and hold my breath until they're safely caught....

The crazy student section with big funny heads to distract the opposing team during free throws.

I gave my daughters their little Valentine quilts and they both really liked them and seemed excited!  I think they will enjoy them as much I will enjoy making them each month!

Go Broncos!  Excited to see them win the Super Bowl tomorrow!