New Round Robin

Well I've decided to join in a round robin again at the Quilt & Needle forum that I am a member of.
I joined one last year & had such a good time adding borders on every one's medallion, in my group. It makes one stretch outside of your comfort zone.
However, sad thing , my top never made it back home to me. Yes I was disappointed, but thought I would give round robins another try again. This time my medallion is a New York beauty using my favorite fabrics which are Civil War. Anyone who knows me, knows I had to have pink somewhere. Those Civil War pinks are so yummy.
I will let you know how the progress is going on this new top.

Before I sign off, I just wanted to wish all my blog friends, a very Merry Christmas, and all the best for the coming New year.
Hugs to you all,
Rebecca

I wanted to share with you the wonderful gift my friend Deb, whom I met on Block Central's forum, made for me. She knows I love pink and made me this darling wall hanging. The pink house is so me. She did embroidery on the house & the little flower box. Then we have kitties in the corner which depicts our little home. I just love it. Thank you my friend from the bottom of my heart.

I can't believe Christmas is only 11 days away! I'm am so far behind this year. I have always been ready with my gifts and Christmas cards each year, but alas I'm sorry to say I'm running out of time. If you my friends & family do not receive a Christmas card this year, please forgive me, but know you are always in my thoughts.
Merry Christmas,
Rebecca

Decorating

Thought I would share with you our Christmas tree. I enjoy decorating the tree while Gregg puts up the outside lights. Our tree has lots of different Angel ornaments because I love
Angels. Some stay out all year long.

And here we have my Santa wall hanging. I have mad several as gifts and finally made one for myself. I made mine softer colors with more rose red, instead of bright Christmas red, it goes well in my house.

More items next time.
Hugs,
Rebecca

Oh my aching back!

I don't have much to tell you . Like most folks, I have been busy getting Christmas gifts finished up, and in the mean time planning my Thanksgiving dinner which will be at my house this year. This year it will be just my brother & his wife.

However, all this running around, cleaning, & sitting at my sewing machine for hours, has taken a toll. I got up out of bed this morning, like every morning, but my back went out, my knees buckled & I was on the floor. Lord help me, not now there is just too much to do.
Gregg decided to stay home today, (after getting me off the floor) he thought it would be a good idea not to leave me alone. I have to agree.
So while I sit here icing my back, I wish everyone a good day.
Hugs,
Rebecca

Aloha!

Thought I would share a few photos of our day at the aquarium while on vacation in Hawaii. It was such an amazing place. I have never seen such beautiful fish. I am inspired to make a sea quilt with bright colored fish.










This is the happy vacationers by the pool at sunset.
More later,

quilt class

Well, I wanted to post about the quilt class I took before I left for vacation, however I just didn't have the time. Getting prepared is so much work, making lists, rechecking, making sure you have remembered everything. Yes, I did remember the sunscreen!

I took a two day class to learn how to do embroidery, something I have wanted to learn for sometime. I was so excited when my local quilt shop offered this class. I loved the pattern when I fist saw it by Crabapple Hill.
I must say I don't know why I was afraid of embroidery, it was easy to learn. Now we only use two stitched for this pattern, but later I'm sure i can learn other fancy stitches in another pattern.




I wanted to use black & creams & whites like the pattern, because I have been collecting black & white fabrics for awhile. I have three blocks made, more to go along with lots of flying geese. Some ladies are using fall colors of oranges, golds, browns, and others are using reds & greens with green embroidery thread, for a Christmas look, & they were so pretty. I might just make another one using different colors too.

Here is some of the stitching up close, I just love the trees & houses. The center panel says, "Over the river & through the woods to Grandmother's house we go." I have that panel finished. I enjoyed doing the needle work so much I couldn't stop & got it done before we left for our trip. The only hard part was trying to keep my kitty off my lap so I could sew.


Now I'm sure you are wondering where we went on our vacation that we would need sunscreen, well we went to Hawaii. I'll post pictures in another post.
I need to go catch up on all your blogs & see what you have been up to

Hugs,
Rebecca

Sew Day

Wanted to share with you it was "Sew Day" with the girls on Friday. That is me in the front, Dianne next & Penny. Funny how we ended up standing my height.

Penny comes to my house twice a week & we sew together, well this day, Dianne wanted to learn how to make a handbag, so she came for the fun.
I know it's a tight squeeze in my sewing room but everyone had a sewing station & ironing station. It all worked out just fine.








Here is Dianne & Penny with their bags.

Dianne is happy with her handbag.
Penny & I with ours.


Warwick had to join in the fun. Think she likes my bag? She sure is eyeing it.
It was such a fun day, lots of humming machines & laughter with Mamma Mia playing in the background. The door is open is you would like to join us next time.
Hugs,
Rebecca

Pink September giveaway

Look at the wonderful pincushion Char made and is giving us a chance to win in her Pink September giveaway. I think it so beautiful. Just click on the photo on my side bar to get to her lovely blog for a chance to win.
Thanks Char for a great giveaway.
Rebecca

My new project

When I received this issue of McCall's quilting Magazine in the mail & saw this quilt on the cover designed by Lissa Alexander, I was in love. I knew I just had to make this quilt for our bed. The colors are so romantic, & would go in out bedroom perfectly.



Isn't is so beautiful? The photo doesn't show the soft pinks & blues very well, I am not much of a photographer, but I am sure you get the idea. Dont' worry, I'll be posting photos of my quilt when I get it finished. Or should I say, I will have Gregg take a photo for me to do it justice. Just need to finish up a few swap projects I signed up for, then I can start my beauty.

Now I told myself I could probably find similar fabrics in my stash & not have to buy any. Well when my Hubby & I took a trip down to see my Mother, He took me into this wonderful quilt shop in Clovis CA, called Quilter's Paradise. I have shopped online from them, but have never made it to their store. Well, I must say it truly was Paradise. Wonderful staff, walls of fabric, lots of patterns. I was in heaven.
My darling husband snapped this photo as we were leaving, bad hair day I know because it was SO HOT that day! Only thing a girl could do was to put a head band on.

Look what I found while in the store! Yep, its the fabrics used in the Enduring Elegance quilt, all in one wonderful tower. Well, it came home with me & I have everything ready to start my new project. I know what you are thinking, what happened to using your stash? Well, I will pull extra fabrics from my stash because I'm going to make it a little bigger to fit our bed. There, saved. hehehe
I found more treasures on that day, but will save those to share with you on another day.

Hugs,
Rebecca

Ah the good life

Isn't this the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon?

Signature block swap

Happy August all!

I'm working on my blocks for the signature block swap. I just love Jo Morton fabrics. This is going to be such a pretty quilt & special when I receive blocks from all over the country. I'm so excited.

I don't have much to tell you today, I will be spending the day sewing the last bit on a border for the Round Robin I am a part of from the Quilt & Needle forum. It is very fun indeed to be part of a Round Robin.

Hugs,
Rebecca

My pink projects

Thought I would share with you what I have been working on. I made this sweet little bag for myself. I just love pink & roses so what a perfect combination. I found the pattern at Shabby Fabrics.com. Christmas is coming so what a great gift. This first one is for me though.





Here is a picture of the inside, it has a drawstring pouch perhaps for jewelry or some other treasure.


I added pockets to the inside of the pouch to hold items. It is such a cute pattern if I say so.

Then here is a little pink bowel I made for my sewing table. I like to put thread of nickknacks in it. This was a striped fabric when it started. I love how the stripes make a swirl design. I added a butterfly button with sparkles just to add a cute touch. Another great Christmas gift don't you think?
Hughs,
Rebecca

Give away

Wanted to tell you about a great blog I found, & about her give away. Run over and check it out.
These are so pretty using Moda fabrics. It is a table topper, table runner, & pillow. I just love them.
Bye for now,
Rebecca

Equal share

Thought I would give equal share, & show you my other baby. Her name is Windsor. She has such a sweet disposition.




Like most cats, she can't resist boxes. She thinks this is a great box because it has nice soft padding.
Rebecca

My sewing buddy

Thought I would show you a photo of my sewing buddy Warwick. Isn't that the sweetest face? She loves to spend her days with me in her basket. See her kitty quilt I made for her? I think she like the purr of the sewing machine, or my voice as I sing along with my cd's. ha ha . Or maybe she just likes my company.

When she gets up out of her basket, this is where she loves to sit. It always makes me laugh. She likes to watch the humming birds that feed out my window. In the winter i bet she likes the warmth of the sewing machine.

In one of my other posts I showed you my dresden plate wall hanging I've been working on, well I've been busy doing the quilting. I'm almost finished & will be ready to put the binding on. I just loved the fabric when I saw it at the quit show, until I saw KarenDianne's dresden plate she is making on her blog Living Life at Leehaven. Her blades are such rich reds & browns, so yummy.
Well, that's it for today.
Hugs,
Rebecca

Lisa,
If you see this, I am not sure how to make your blog & news of your giveaway clickable. I did put your blog address so hope that works. Thanks

There is a great giveaway at Candle lite quilter's blog. It is her 100th post, congratulations!
http://candlelitequilter.blogspot.com/2009/06/100th-post-giveaway.html Go check out her blog, it's a great place to visit. I just love April Cornell fabrics, don't you? So soft and romantic.

Father's Day

Well, it is another Father's Day, and I send my Father all my Love on this special day.
He doesn't know it's Father's Day, he doesn't even know my name anymore due to the cruel disease of Alzheimer's, but I celebrate anyway because I remember for him.
He is my hero & I love him.

Happy Father's day to you POP.
Love, your daughter.

My sidebar

Well, as you can see sweet Dawn gave me step by step instructions on how to add items to my sidebar. It is so cool. I've got it down now. There may be more questions is the future but that is how we learn by asking don't you agree?
Hugs,
Rebecca

I need help

Ok my blogging friends, I need help. I can't figure out how to add things to my sidebar. When I go to Layout section to edit, I don't even see where the sidebar is to add things to. I know I am showing how new I am to computer stuff, but I can learn I just need some help.
I wanted to join Jane's swap but needed to add her button to my side bar & couldn't figure out how to do so. Thanks for any help.
Rebecca P

It's coming along

I went to our local quilt show with my friend Penny, & found this great kit. I loved the colors and the pattern.






I have the dresden plate finished along with the pieced background, now need to sew the plate down, then add two borders.



In between working on my little quilt, I and doing my first round robin from The Quilt & Needle form I am a member of. I added the second border to Jenn's medallion.
I have to say doing a round robin is so much fun. It really challenges you to step outside of your comfort zone.
So I've been busy, busy, busy, which is a good thing.

Hugs,
Rebecca

MIA

Sorry I have been MIA (missing in action) & haven't posted for awhile, but my back went out & I just haven't felt up to doing much.
My buddy Gerda from Block Central's forum said the funniest thing,
"How rude of your back to go out & not take you along!" I got such a laugh out of that, couldn't laugh too hard though or it hurt.
I am happy to say I am on the mend, & will be able to get back to my sewing machine soon. I know she has missed me.
Hugs,
Rebecca

Hi all, I found this great blog today http://www.pigtalesandquilts.com/2009/04/give-away-time.html. She has great things on her site.
She is doing a giveaway of 30 fqs to celebrate her daughters 30th birthday. I don't know how to put her blog on my sidebar but hope you can check out her blog with the address above.

Rebecca P

It's Easter Sunday, He has Risen!

I have such fond memories of shopping with my Mother for a new Easter outfit. How I remember those gloves, Bobbie socks, & new little hand bag. After seeing Eileens' photos of past Easters, I was inspired to look through my photo album.

This is a photo of me at 9 years of age.

Happy Easter to everyone.
Rebecca

It's finished

I have been busy making diaper bags for my friend Deni's daughters. This is the first one I made for Trisha. Just loved the cute black & red, & white fabric. Her sister Deanna liked it so well she asked me to make one for her. She chose the fabrics she wanted . It's hard to see but the top panel has little monkeys. Hope she likes it. This is a great pattern I found, it has lots of pockets on the outside & inside.

While making these I found this pretty Asian fabric & decided to make myself a new purse. A girl can never have enough bags. I think the ladies are so beautiful. I guess it is more of a winter bag, but that's ok, I can wait.


That is it for today.
Rebecca

my latest project

Well, my sewing buddy Penny couldn't make it to my house for sew day to finish quilting our table toppers. So I decided to make myself some pot holders. She found these cute patterns on line. I have to say they were a little challenging because some had set in seams.

I think they turned out cute. As you can see in the photo, I did had Warwick, my other sewing buddy. She has a basket next to me on my sewing table.

Bye
Rebecca

First I would like to say thank you Dawn for your kind words. You are such a sweety pie.

Thought I would share some photos of out trip to the Redding gun & antique show.
This is Gregg in front of his display table reading a letter a soldier wrote to his mom during WWII. (the letter is to the soldier's mom, not Gregg's mom) lol



This is his display table from his first showing in Placerville. I think it looks very nice.





While at the show I found this treasure. It's a lovey postage stamp quilt that I just fell in love with. On top of that it was a steal, the lady gave me such a good price. Needs a little TLC, but I can take care of that.
Isn't it pretty? It is hand pieced & hand quilted.










I just love touching it. Someone put a lot of work & love into this quilt, now I will love it.

Bye for now.

March 20th,

I spent a lovely day in my sewing room. I've been working on a little table topper with my friend Penny. She made hers in blues & mine is rose. I think I'm going to call it "Follow the Garden Path"

Here is a photo of one of the half sq. triangles. They are 1&1/2 in. unfinished. My were they small to work with. I think it turned out cute. It's layered & ready to quilt.



Better go start dinner.