Paper Roses

Our newest additions....Buster and Mickey

It's not like we really needed another cat (or two!)  We already had Jasmine, Vader and Orion.  But last year when my grandma passed away, she left 4 kitties (Buster, Lily, Lucy and Oliver).   My great Aunt took Oliver and Lily, and I decided to take Buster, while Lucy went to live with my aunt.

I'm still not sure if taking Buster was the best decision. :(  Buster is Jasmine's and Vader's brother.  They all came from the same litter, 2 black and 2 orange marmelade.  Mark and I took Jasmine and Vader, while Buster went to live with Grandma and Chester stayed with the mama (Rusty) at my aunts house.

Of course we are talking kitties, so they really don't know that they are related.  Vader has been head of the house for almost 12 years (they will be 12 next month in March).  And Buster thinks he should be. (maybe he does remember that he was born before Vader?) Anyways, they have been fighting like crazy!  Actually. Buster stalks Vader.  Yes. Stalks him.  Poor Vader. :(  We are trying the *calming collar* and the *calming liquid*, it's somewhat helping.

 

Now. Enter Mickey. :) 

Mickey started eating in our backyard late summer last year.  I thought he belonged to a neighbor (but after a few talks to said neighbor, they didn't want him. :(  I tried to convince my dear hubby that we needed to *save* this kitty from the cold but he wasn't buying it.  It was fine to feed him outside, but you could tell he wanted to come inside and be part of a family.  He lived in our backyard for about 3 months. He rarely left the yard.  And anytime I could sneak him inside for a few mins to half the day. He was in Heaven. :)  But I still couldn't convice the man about this poor little kitty. Then when we got back from Christmas break at Disneyland. Who decided to go outside and bring in the little wee one.  Yup, that would be my husband.  Mickey's savior! :)  lol.  So Mickey got a new red collar (so people can tell him apart from the other two black kitties) lol.  And  of course Mickey is named after the big cheese himself. (Mickey Mouse) :)

Cottage houses blocks 1 and 2

You can find many free patterns on the internet and this is one that I just had to do!  I love houses!  I love looking at them, touring them, decorating them and even making them into quilts! I have a special dollhouse that my Grandpa built me when I was 4. It's a 3 story saltbox house and it's my favorite treasure.  My grandma also had a thing for houses.... :)   from the miniature dollhouses to house quilt blocks.

So when I saw that Shabby Fabrics released the first block of their Cottage houses I knew I had to do this block of the month this year.  Here are my first two blocks.  I am using all civil war fabrics (what else!???)  and using a primitive muslin for the background.

 

The background fabric is more accurate in the first picture. :)  The sun is actually shining again and added a bit of *extra* light to the second block.

Happy Love day!

Even though my husband and I say it everyday to each other (for the past 15 years!) I have to do a special love post...... I love you Mark!  You are my world.  You are everything to me.  Thank you for the last 15 years of loving me for who I am and accepting me for that! :) :) 

I put together this Love banner wall hanginging this past month.  I bought the pattern last fall at the Pacific International Quilt festival (PIQF), and wanted to get it done by February.  I used only civil war fabrics, a bit of Jo's and others.

 

 

Here is also a heart mini quilt that my dear Grandma started and I finished for her.  I did a big running stitch around the hearts.

Bluework snowmens all done!

For our guild this year we've been working on this redwork/bluework snowmen. Most of the ladies are doing it in either red or blue, but there's one lady who is doing it in black with a touch of added primary color. Very cool! 

I'm doing all of mine in blue and am not debating if I want to do the setting square blocks in blue as well or in a red.  I have lots of red/white fabrics I could use for this and make it more "Americana", or start looking for the blue/white fabrics.  What do you think?

I have all of the stitching done.  Just need to pick out a pattern for the setting.  I'm thinking about doing something with a star.

2012 January sewing list

Things in bold are what was added to the list or what was worked on this month. The strike outs are what was finished completely.

All Done

1. Snowman Valentine pillow
2. Crazy Wedding wallhanging
3. Pink and Brown flower table runner
4. Farm Quilt
5. Jo Banner Day table runner
6. Patrotic Christmas Jo quilt
7. Flag Day table topper
8. Snowbound
9. Postcard Cuties
10. Oh, Americana
11. Courthouse steps (Jo Morton club 10 project)
12. Pumpkin Hill
13. Bug Jar
14. Berry Nice (Jo Morton club 10 project)
15. forgot the name of the quilt (july's project)(Jo Morton club 10 project)
16. Baskets from Blackbird designs
17. Vintage Christmas
18. Lining up the Stars
19. Little logs (did this in 2 days)
20. Henrietta Whiskars
21. Folk Art
19. Memory quilt of Grandma (made by my friends)
20. point of view (Jo club quilt)
21. Sunbonnet witch (jo club quilt)

WIP (Work in Progress)

1. Rabbits prefer Chocolate (All the blocks are prepped to work on)
4. Polka dot Whimsical garden (moving this to the UFO's)
5. Americana Baltimore (Tuesday night class) (Have the 4th block done)
7. Snowmen photo booth (cross stitch piece)
8. Americana houses (fabric is all cut)
11. Farm Fresh (Prepped the first block and have done a bit of sewing on it)
13. Snowmen of the year bluework (I have all the months stitched now)
14. Hocus Pocus *haunted village blackwork* (Still stitching on the first house)

15. Strawberry Baskets (some is cut out)
16. Winter Wonderland (4 blocks done)

17. Blessings of Spring (finished the first block in 2 days)
18. Chocolate days of the week
19. Civil War Chronicals (1st block done)
20. General Wives (1st block done)

UFO's

1. Queen and her court
2. Valentine heart
3. Mystery quilt 2009 from Tuesday night class
5. Raspberry block swap (This is all sewn together and will be donated for charity)
6. Butterflies (I put this together for the Row Robin I am doing with the tuesday group)
7. Spring block swap (This is all sewn together and will be donated for charity)

8. Summer Queen (cross stitch piece)
9. Polka dot whimsical garden

To be Quilted

3 It's a wrap
10. Batik calendar (My secret sister from 2010 sent me blocks all year long and they are all put together, just need to be sandwiched and quilted!)
12. Christmas round robin tuesday group *still need to name it*
13. Floral round robin quilt guild *need to name this one too*
15. Friends of Glory--Americana round robin online quilt
18. Folk Art
19. Memory quilt of Grandma (made by my friends)
20. point of view (Jo club quilt)
21. Sunbonnet witch (jo club quilt)

HOPEFULS

2. Enchanted Autumn
3. Petal Pusher
5. Baltimore bunnies
6. Christmas Magic (doing this with my friend Renee)

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There's a group of quilter friends of mine who are getting together once a month to work on our UFO's.  From now on the end of the month sewing list will be that list. I may still list other works/projects I am working on outside of the UFO list.   I will update it once a month for you here on my blog and show pictures of the projects as well.  There are over 51 projects on my UFO list.  I'm so glad to start this club/group, as it will hold me in accountable to get those UFO's done.  Finally! :)  Last month in January I was able to cross off 2 off the list.  This Saturday I will hopefully be able to cross off 7. :)  That's a lot! 

Sharing January projects from Jo's club

We are about a week and a half from the February meeting of the Jo's little women's club and I still need to share with you what everyone did last month!  In January we started club 11.  I've been doing this club since part way of club 9. I sure wish I joined so much earlier as I'm so loving being part of this club and working on these wonderful quilts that Jo Morton designs (as well as the fabrics she designs as well!)

I haven't been able to go to a club meeting for the last few months as I was either in the hospital or at home recovering.  So some of the projects I shared were older projects or projects I finished up for my grandma.  When Grandma passed last April, she left behind a lot of unfinished projects. :(  So I took some as well as my aunt and great aunt. I have a couple of her's now finished. And I know she's looking down from Heaven so glad that they are finished and so lovingly cared for and treasured. :)

This was one of those quilts from Grandma.  She had all the blocks done, so I sew'd them all together and added the border and quilted it.  It sits so perfectly on the library card case.  The doll there on the chair Grandma also made for me.

This is the holiday quilt that Grandma had almost done.  All the pieces were cut and the applique was done.  I love this one!

This one is also mine.  I added the applique little witchy sunbonnet girl.

This is one of my favorite quilts right now.  This is called "Folk Art" and it was a free block of the month that Dawn Heese was doing last year.  I used only Jo fabrics.  My aunt quilted this one for me. It's hanging up on a blanket crane in the living room. :)

Now below are some of the other ladies quilts they shared at the club meeting. I do not know every owner's name, but I will try to remember what I can.

This is Bobbies.  I love the colors. So rich and striking!

The blue one above and the pink one below are Cheryl's. So pretty!

This pink one is Kim's.  I love that bit of green for the binding!

This one is Mary's.  So sweet!

Looking forward to our next club meeting!  I am finishing up the quilting on the last quilt from club 10, so I'll have that to share at least.  :)