Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Two More for Quilts of Compassion!

This little girl quilt is finished at last.
There's no real reason it wasn't finished before, I just found something else to do in the meantime. You do know how that is, don't you?

The backing is Disney princesses. My friend Phyllis got in some quilting practice on this one. I think she did a great job!

And the same story with this little boy quilt. I just got interested in something else and pushed this one, too, to the back burner.

I do like it, and I hope some little boy will like it, too.

The backing is the story of "The Little Engine that Could". I remember my mother reading this story to us when we were children. I think I can, I think I can. Do you remember that one, too?

This will complete our shipment to Quilts of Compassion for this time around. I am thankful to have them all done before Thanksgiving. Now to clean the house and cook!

I do hope you will have time this week to spend with those you love. I'm thankful to still have that opportunity with at least some of our family!

Hugs and kisses,

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Rosemary's Stars Quilt

The stars quilt is finished and I am calling it Rosemary's Stars, because it will be going to Rosemary. My sister in law Rosemary is a very capable woman (and a sweet one, too).  But you know even very capable people sometimes go through things that are hard to handle. I'm hoping this quilt will help if even in only a small way.

I have dawdled about finishing this quilt because frankly I did not know to whom it would be going.  I usually know ahead of time, but this time I did not know until last night. And once I knew, it finished very quickly (or at least it seemed that way to me, though it was after two-thirty this morning before my head hit the pillow!)

You know I like red, and this one has plenty of red in it, but there are other pretty colors as well. I think the gold tracings on the fabric add a lot to its pizzazz! 

The backing is a sweet pink fabric that I've had in the stash for a while, and the binding is this black and cream stripe from Connecting Threads. I like it! (By the way, they have some really pretty fabrics in the clearance section. Just saying.)

And.....Mr. Muddling and I noticed on our way to church this morning that there is actually some Autumnal color going on in the trees. This is not that usual for Houston, but it surely is pretty!

It's been a beautiful day here today, and quite warm. The cold is due back tonight, but it won't be extreme this time around, so that's fine with me. Good thing, huh, since I can't change it! 

I hope you've had a happy weekend and for those of you in the United States, Happy Thanksgiving if I don't get back on here before then!

Hugs and kisses,

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Another One for Quilts of Compassion

My friend Phyllis made this one for our latest shipment to Quilts of Compassion. Isn't it pretty!

The backing is a really nice Jinny Beyer print. This photo does not do it justice.
Here's a little closer look at some of the fabrics before the binding went on. Yeah, I like this one, too.
I finished this stars top that you can see here in progress. I know - more red. What can I say? I like red!
I started quilting it last night, but I did not get very far. This is after a few passes. Serious mess. I spent hours ripping last night. Did not finish ripping. I'll work more on that tonight and I really hope to finish it. Doesn't it make you mad when something like that happens? It sure does make me mad, and I can't even blame anyone but myself.

Lady assured me that if I would clear off a spot for her, she would be of immense help with the ripping. I don't know about that, but she did keep me company, at least until Mr. Muddling got home.

Speaking of Mr. Muddling, he had the extreme wisdom and foresight to buy me this nice big ceramic coated cast iron Dutch oven a short time ago. Can I just say that in the cold weather we've been having recently I have put it to very good use. That is chili with beans. Big batch and now there is some of that in the freezer. I've also stockpiled some chicken soup, bean soup and some vegetable beef soup in the freezer.  It is so good to have fall-back meals ready to heat and eat!
I had also frozen some of the chicken I cooked for the chicken soup. I took that chicken with broth today and added some frozen mixed vegetables, noodles, a freshly peeled and cubed potato and a can of cream of chicken soup. Put some biscuit dough, flattened out, on top and baked at 400 degrees F until nicely browned. It was good!

I am thankful for a warm and comfortable house, for good food to eat and especially for Mr. Muddling, my best friend!

I hope you are thankful for all the good things in your life, too. There are always bad things, but why not turn your attention to the things that are good?

Hugs and kisses,

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Chicken Strips!

Chicken Strips is finished. Mr. Muddling said it ought to stay here, seeing we're all about chickens, but no.  It will go as planned to Quilts of Compassion. I DO like it though!  Karen Dianne, do any of these chicken fabrics look familiar to you?? A very long time ago, Karen Dianne sent me some of her treasured stash of chicken fabric she had received from her dear friend Daphanie. I have only let go of a bit at a time of these fabrics. They do look happy playing around in here though, don't they?

And here is the backing.


As usual, I had plenty of help with all aspects of this quilt. Although if you look closely, you will see that Lady is laying down on the job there behind Bruno.

My friend Sandy made this one, which will also be going to Quilts of Compassion. Isn't it pretty?  I almost kept this one, for sure!  Sandy's sister Peggy quilted this Christmas Tumblers quilt, and she did a beautiful job.

And here is the backing for that one. It is a totally Christmas quilt and so lovely!

I have several other projects in the works, including this star pattern one inspired by Katy. When I saw her using her Accuquilt die cutter (though she has the Studio), I had to get my Go! cutter out and start cutting elements for one of my own. It surely does make the blocks go together quickly when all the parts fit so perfectly!  I am all about easy. Yep. I am!

We are having a cold (for us. Yes I know Anna, it's not cold by your standards.) day here with colder due tonight and the next few days. But not to worry, I have a big pot of soup simmering on the stove and plenty of hot drinks on hand to keep us warm.  And can I just say, I'm very thankful we have plenty of nice, warm quilts!

I do hope you're having a good week, getting lots of happy things done and staying warm (or cool for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere!).

Hugs and kisses,

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Snowballs on Red Finished and on Its Way

Those sixteen patch snowballs on red are finished and on their way. Isn't it funny how you can get just so far and stop? I had this one finished except for the binding all week and only got the binding on last night. No excuse at all, just didn't do it. (Of course I may have started another quilt or two instead of doing that.)

This sweet little couple is the backing fabric.

You know I like red, and I really like this quilt. Matter of fact I like every quilt I've ever made. Mr. Muddling and I both want to keep every one of them. However, we give them away. At least most of them.
 .

Mr. Muddling and I took a quick trip to Quilt Festival today so that I could see the quilts that I missed when my friend and I were there on Thursday.  This colorful one is called "Umbrellas in the City" by Terry Krysan and Page Johnson of Lakeville, Minnesota.

This one just made me smile. My favorite car of all time was a little red beetle a lot like this one. This quilt is called "Vamanos" by Judith Putnam of Paris, Tennessee.
This one is called, "Japanese Tea Garden" by Mary Ann Hildebrand
of Comfort, Texas. This sunken garden is still in existence in San Antonio. Construction began on it in 1910. Isn't this a beautiful portrayal of it?

I am continually amazed and inspired by the unlimited talent and skill of so many quilters around the world. And by the way, I think most countries were represented there in one way or another. We talked to a lady from Russiea on Thursday who was here in the states visiting her daughter in San Antonio. They had come to Houston for the quilt show.

I hope you've enjoyed these few extra glimpses of the wonder that is Houston Quilt Festival!

Hugs and kisses,