Busy, sad week

This has been a busy and disturbing week for me. I haven't sewn much - just straightened. I had two funerals this week. One a long time sweetheart of a friend. She was battling Lymphoma and doing very well and then got a urinary tract infection. At the start of my blog, I asked everyone who read it to put my two friends in their heart for me. Patti, with the lung cancer is doing well, Shirlee who had Luekemia , died this week. I cannot tell you how much I admired this woman. Born with crippling polio, she battled post polio recently - just as bad as polio in many ways. Also breast cancer, and then Luekemia. I've never known anyone to fight so hard - she had the heart of a lion! So please, think of my friends, Joan and Shirlee will you?
We have decided bad economy or not we need to do some things to our house. Last year Bob put in Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors and they are beautiful. I asked if we could get them in our bedroom and he said "NO"! I'm done. Ok, I respect that, know the feeling. Guess who's getting Cherry floors? He heard I wanted them and said "Why didn't you tell me?" "Huh!" says I. He was pretty adament about not wanting to do them. So, we will have a really torn up house again. I was looking for carpet to put on our stairs that go to the lower level. The flooring guy, says we saved 1/2 by doing them ourselves. Wow.
I am hoping to keep up with my blogging, so see you soon.

This is Bonnie Hunters Chunky Churndash, found on her Quiltville site. We did a Chunky Churndash swap on Quiltvilleswap. I made 2 sets of 55 blocks, all different. My intention was to trade 1 set of 55, and receive 55 different blocks. I, actually got quite a few repeats and I used them for the pillow cases I'm making and I sent off a bunch to Bonnie as a thank you. So, most are different, but don't you know that the three blocks I used this one fabric on (I didn't know I did that) all migrated to the same spot. They are all across from each other!! Talk about a big duh moment! Not sure anyone would notice, but, of course, I do!!!!
This quilt will be finished off with a gray border and I'm thinking geese surrounded by two 5" borders.

The top two pictures are Double Delight, that I finished last year. The next is Old Tobacco Road. This quilt really didn't do it for me until I saw the borders and how the geese make it look. I will get a picture with the geese and show you.

Christmas Lights

This quilt was in Quiltmaker magazine as a three part mystery from Bonnie Hunter. Bonnie loves scrappy backs and I had a bunch of Christmas fabrics I wanted to use, so I tried it. Turned out nice, I think and some of my fabric got used. I really need to use up my fabric.

Head hanging low

Why, oh why do I have such a time blogging? Well, I do have one good excuse! I have been quilting like a fool!!!!!!!!!!
Since my last blog I have finished Bonnie Hunters Christmas Lights. I have Old Tobbacco Road ready for borders, Bonnie did a Christmas mystery she called Carolina Christmas. Mine is in purples, pinks & teals and is called Camryn's Christmas because my dgd wanted a quilt from Meems & I already had a Christmas color quilt. This quilt turned out very nice, but is not my favorite of Bonnies patterns. I think that honor has to go to Carolina Crossroads. And Old Tobbacco Road. As some may know I have a quilt site for unwashed swappers on Quiltville swap. Melinda is our washed hostess, so there is something for everyone. We did a block exchange of Bonnies Chunky Churndash. I have this completed up to borders and I'm thinking a line of geese between two 5" borders. We have 2 twin xl adjustable beds with a headboard and footboard. So, I like to make my bed with the quilt under the pillows and longer sides. I make fancy pillowcases for the pillows and they sit on top. This quilt is 80 by 82 now. I will finish the top and bottom plainly - no one will see it, and put the big borders and geese on the sides.
My daughter will be 40 this year and just got engaged. Tyler is a great guy and we couldn't be happier. She lives in San Francisco, he's from Canada and he has a company he started in San Fran. They are marrying sometime in May. They are doing this very quietly in May and in September we will have a party in Glendora, Ca. where our closest family is. Maybe another party here in December. They are also talking about going to Canada. Up in the air right now. She is certainly none traditional. She wants no big marriage, just a party.
I hope I get in the habit of writing more!!!!
I am going to post this now so you can see some of my work I've done lately.

Catch up time

Here it is August - the wettest in a long time for Ohio. The grass is green, but it sure cuts down on the camping.

My latest quilt was given a few weeks ago. I made it for my special friend Santi, who is an embroidery designer and lives in South Africa. We met online - ten years ago - I actually wrote her a fan letter after I bought her first set of designs. We just clicked and she is now part of my family. She remarried two years ago and I wanted to do something special for her and Peter. She was at my house when this box of fabric came and she flipped. Just loved it. Remember my Trips around the world? - somewhere on this blog? I have been wanting to do another on with each strip scrappy, but following colors. So, since Santi travels extensively and loved this fabric, and I had 6 different pieces, I said this is fate. So here it is. I met up with her in July, and I brought the quilt along to show her how the fabrics turned out. She loved it. I told her to look at the label - it's your designs. She did and said "Oh you used my designs, how nice" I said - "You didn't read the label, did you? - No - so she read it. She said "You can't give this to me!" I said - "Yes, I can" - she says "OK!" It was so funny! So she swore she would wear it on the plane - now this puppy is huge 117 x 90. I bet she packed it!!!, but it is on her bed.

I have a Double Irish Chain in batiks on my design wall waiting for border inspiration - sound familiar? And I started Bonnies Christmas Lights - I don't have a Christmas quilt so this will be nice. I have intentions of doing Bonnies Old Tobacco Road this year also. And my husband wants another Shades of Green - I'm thinking teals & beige - or teal & purple - hmmmmmm!

Today is bridge with the girls, so I will be sewing later.

Until then........