Lots to Catch Up On

Holy Cow!!! Where has the time gone??? I knew that I hadn't posted in awhile, but was surprised that it had been as long as it has...Soooooooo there's lots to catch up on...

The two most exciting things going on right now is that my youngest daughter and her husband are expecting their second child in November. Can I just tell you that being a grandma is one of the best callings in the world! This will be # 11 for me YIPEE!!! Secondly, my oldest son and his family will be moving here from Arizona. I can't tell you how excited I was when they let us all know that they would be moving out when their kids get out of school (end of May). My son starts his new job on Tuesday and so he will be here sometime tonight. His wife and the kids will remain in AZ and make the move June 1st!

In all of this I have also moved to a new home and with everything that entails, service people not showing up when they're supposed to and then when they do they can't get the job done, had no Internet service for nearly a month. I finally go fed up and called my provider and had them walk me through the set up over the phone. After nearly an hour on the phone I was up and running...finally...I think I stayed up until nearly 3 that morning just trying to do a little catch up.

My camera got packed in some box that is somewhere here...I will eventually find it, but that was just the excuse I needed to buy a new camera. I should add here, that I now have 3 digital cameras...the one in the box, another one whose cables are packed away in another box somewhere and the new one that I bought just before I moved and now have no idea where it's box and cables are..........can we say AGGREVATION!!!!!!!!!!! I have been snapping many pictures, tho, and will be tearing this place apart to find the missing parts so this post won't be naked, as it were;)

There's nothing like moving to point out just what size a person's stash is. I knew that I had a lot, correction...TON of fabric, but now I truly know just how much I have...You might wonder if that's stopping me from getting more...well, of course it isn't. I went out and bought new supplies for the class I took with Linda Jenkins. I didn't have time to go through boxes. Anyone else suffer from this??? ;)

I FOUND THEM I FOUND THEM I FOUND THEM

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE

well at least one of them anyway...

What you might ask???

Camera cables, of course;)

this post won't be naked after all...

During my down time I was lucky enough to win not one, but two blog give aways. The first was this scrap bag from jelleybelley http://wwwjellybelly-jellybrain.blogspot.com/.

Lots of fun little scraplets along with a few large pieces. I know that several of these will go into my postage stamp quilt that I'm collecting for. As for the larger pieces...not quite sure yet. Thanks a ton, Emma, for picking my name;)

I also won another drawing...a quilt of all things!!! How generous of Barbara

http://panhandlesuesquiltingspot.blogspot.com/ to offer a quilt. I was shocked that I won her drawing. Take a look......

The front

Sorry about the picture being sideways.

I love the pink and black.

(and just so we keep the neck exercises equal on both sides...)

The Back

the stripes are too cool!

What a cute little label with all of the pertinent info on it;)

Thanks a TON, Barbara! I feel so fortunate to have won your quilt;) This little jem will be loved and cherished;)

And more fun stuff...Had Quilt Guild meeting last week. We had a very special guest...Linda Jenkins from Piece O Cake. Linda gave a class on color before our meeting. It was great, filled with lots of info, and the room was overflowing. After lunch we were then treated to a trunk show provided by Linda and her ever able bodied assistant, Paul, aka her husband. She shared over 50 of her quilts with us. I took lots of pics with said new camera, but am afraid that many of them might land on the cutting room floor because I'm not used to the new camera yet. There are beautiful pics on our guild's blog (uvqg dot blogspot dot com) tho, and you can check them out. Here is just a very small sampling of some of the quilts Linda shared with us...

Linda's applique work is beautiful

The front

and the back-just as pretty as the front

The next day Linda did an applique class for us. There were only 20 spaces and I was lucky enough to get one of them. She taught us one of the blocks from her quilt, Aunt Millie's Garden.

Aunt Millie's Garden

We did the Rose Block...third from the top, left side

A close up of Linda's hands in action

Working busily on our applique

well, sort of

Paul and Linda

Paul is Linda's husband and now that he is retired, accompanies her when she travels.

I will be making my block into a pillow. I love the portability of applique and the fact that there's a lot of handwork that goes into it. I would say that I have about a quarter of mine done now and am having a blast working on it. It definitely has that "handmade" look;) My applique skills are in severe need of help, but it's still fun.

There's been more knitting/crocheting going on here lately. I knit several beanies and matching scarfs for several of my grandchildren that they will get next winter. I'm also working on an afghan that I hope to have finished by the 4th of July...that's a hint as to the colors I'm using in it. I have to get a jump start on my gift giving and knitting/crocheting in the summer isn't one of my favorite things to do.

Just two more things and then I'll call this post good...

First of all...I am participating in a PIF

...so if you are interested in receiving a handmade suprise from me within the next six months, just leave me a comment and I will be choosing 3 of you. Make sure that you leave me your info so I can get in touch with you. The PIF part of this is that you will also post about PIF on your blog and agree to make something for three of your 'fans'.

Second...I woke up to snow this morning. The sun is out now and most of the snow from earlier has melted but the wind is blowing and it's C-O-L-D!!! I like Winter and the snow, but I think I'm ready for Spring and sun and flowers;)