Quilted Scottie

I'm Back

2012-02-08T10:36:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone -
Sorry for the long hiatus - can't believe how fast the time has gone. Since I last posted, I attended a couple of Civil War balls, celebrated Thanksgiving at my brother & sis-in law's house, played my trombone in four Christmas concerts, etc., etc. We were supposed to go to our daughter's for Christmas, but ended up staying home since hubby was feeling awful - his back was really bothering him and he ended up having surgery #5 in January. He had his L1-2 vertebrae fused with rods and is now recovering at home. My spare time is still pretty limited since I now can add nursemaid to my agenda. Also new is I'm learning to play the fife and hope to eventually join the 11th Pennsylvania Fife & Drum Corps - but, I've got a long way to go. This fife thingy is harder to play than I anticipated. With practice, I should improve!!
Hope all is well with all of you - I'll try to be better about posting. Stay well and keep smiling.

P.S. - It's snowing here!!!

Reunion Time

2011-10-10T15:39:00.006-04:00

Hi Everyone,

This past weekend was my 50th (ugh) high school reunion in Massachusetts. My husband and I traveled up to MA on Friday, had a great dinner with friends that night at Chili's and then it was off to the classmates-only party for me and back to the motel for hubby. My girlfriend's husband also kept hubby company and they watched the baseball game on TV and had a nice visit. How much fun the classmates had!! It was a wonderful evening of catching up and recalling fun times from the past. Seems like just yesterday we were all in school together!!

On Saturday, we went down to our daughter's house and met our new great grandson, Benjamin. Not that I'm prejudiced, but he's a really, really beautiful baby and, at three weeks, is already holding his head up. He grabbed onto my finger and didn't let go - he's just adorable. Our visit was much too short and I hope we can get to see him again soon.

That evening was the class of '61's dinner/dance. Hubby stayed at the motel and watched Penn State and then the Nebraska Cornhuskers, so he was very happy. My friends picked me up and we went to the class festivities. It was a wonderful evening of visiting, wonderful buffet (yum, yum) and dancing. We missed those who were unable to come - hope they can make it in five years for our 55th - hard to believe that we're all that old :o)

It was a fast trip up and back, but well worth it. It's so much fun reconnecting with old friends - lots of nice memories. We had a wonderful class and many have stayed in touch over the years. We just seem to pick up where we left off - great fun.

Hope you all have wonderful memories of your school years. I think of mine with a big smile :o)

Take care and keep smiling -

Welcome to the World

2011-09-14T10:03:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone -
Exciting news here - our great grandson, Benjamin Joseph, was born yesterday afternoon at 4:34. He was 8 lbs, 3 oz. and my daughter says he has lots of beautiful black hair. Our granddaughter ended up having a C-section after hours of labor since little Benjamin decided to turn sideways. Thankfully, both mother and baby are doing great and his papa is very proud!! We're looking forward to seeing all of them in a couple of weeks when we go to my 50th (ugh) high school reunion. What a great weekend that's going to be - I'll be sure to post some photos when we get back.
In the meantime, all is well here. We had our first quilt guild meeting of the season last Saturday. It was good seeing quilting friends and hearing about what's coming up for the season. That night some friends and I went to dance lessons to learn Civil War dancing. We danced for over 2 hours straight - I thought my knees would fall off!! But when I went to bed, I popped a couple of ibuprofen and slept like a baby. The next day, my knees were great - not sore at all. Do you suppose that exercise is good for them!!!??? We're planning on going to a barn dance on October 1 and a ball in November and thought we should know a little bit of what we're supposed to do. It was lots of fun learning the dances and I'm looking forward to putting my new-found skills (?) to use :o) Now I'm getting my dresses ready and will go to Gettysburg on Friday to get my underpinnings - corset, hoop skirt, chemise. I purchased a skirt pattern and probably will get a top pattern if I can't find one that fits me.
Hope all of you are well and enjoying life - keep smiling and I'll post some photos of that new gg-babe soon :o)

Gotcha day!!

2011-09-08T15:17:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone -

Today is "Gotcha" day for Duncan & Hamish. Two years ago today, my friend Bonnie and I traveled to Ashville, NC, to pick up two 5-month-old scottie puppies who came through Scottie Rescue from St. Louis, MO. They were so adorable (and still are)!! They spent their first night with us in a motel and were as good as gold and they slept all the way home to PA the next day. These two past years have flown by and we are so happy to have them as part of our family - they bring us a smile every day and are the bestest boys ever!! They've grown up to be handsome guys as you can see from this photo -

"Irene"

2011-08-29T17:26:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone -
Just a quick note to let you all know that we're all fine - we just had rain here in central PA from the hurricane. It started Saturday afternoon and was over by Sunday noon. We got a couple of inches, which was sorely needed, so that was a good thing for us. Our daughter in Massachusetts, however, still has no power from Sunday morning - they're saying it could take up to a week to have power restored there. Her husband is worried about his ice cream in the freezer, so I told them to start eating!! The rest of the family, from Virginia Beach and the D.C. area, just had minor damage - nothing serious, thank goodness. Hope you all came through ok.

Shake, Rattle & Roll

2011-08-24T10:56:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone -
All is calm and quiet after our earthquake yesterday. That was really a funny feeling. I was sitting at the computer posting and all of sudden, things really started shaking. The house was creaking and moaning - scary. This was only a 5.8 - I can't imagine what it would be like to go through a stronger quake!! No damage here, thank goodness. A picture did get knocked off the bookshelf onto the floor and a couple of knick-knacks were knocked over, but otherwise all is well. Now we're watching hurricane Irene - we could use the rain but not the winds :o)

Hope you all are well - keep smiling -

Another Sunday

2011-08-23T13:49:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone -

I'm still here - can't believe that it's been over a month since I last posted!! Where does the time go??? Anyway, Sunday was our monthly get together of Sundae Quilters. We went to Marie's house and got to "play" in her new sewing room - it's wonderful!! Look at that cute Halloween wall hanging that Shelly finished!! And Bonnie got her binding sewed onto her quilt, too. That's Marie looking formal with her gloves on - she was doing some machine quilting on a baby quilt needed asap!! And she got it done - looked really beautiful. It was a relaxing time with lots of laughs - as usual :o)

Oops - got to go - we're having an earthquake and the house is shaking - will post later -

Judie

Cousins

2011-07-25T09:47:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone - This weekend, my brother, sister-in-law and their dog, Pepper, came for a visit. What a fun time these pups have together. Duncan & Pepper are rough-and-tumble together and Hamish pretty much stays out of the way. He really adores Pepper but will only approach her when she's lying down for a rest. Then he sidles up to her head and just looks at her longingly, as if saying "I love you soooo much!!!" Of course, she could care less - oh, poor Hamish :o( And he's such a cute boy!! Pepper loves to chase the birds in our yard - she's got some pointer in her, I'm sure. She bounds across the back yard with delight and the birds scatter. They don't know what that ball of energy is coming at them - you see, they're used to two little black bundles who can't even reach half-way up the fence - not much of a threat there. After a good game of "chase the birds" and "chase each other" a well deserved rest is in order!! That's Pepper at the top, Duncan and Hamish - they are right in front of the fans getting a good cool-down and nap - what a life!!

Hope you all have a good week - it's still hot here this morning and very humid, but the weatherman promises a cold front moving through this afternoon with some possible RAIN - oh, please, please, please - bring us that rain!! Keep smiling and enjoy your day -

Quilt Show

2011-07-19T16:23:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone -

Our quilt guild had their show this past weekend - it was a great success and lots of fun. On Friday, I was part of a demonstration of Grandmother's Flower Garden quilts. Some of us sat and stitched and answered questions. We had a lot of interest and one lady will probably join our monthly group at the local library - how great is that!! On Saturday, I white-gloved for a couple of hours. We had some beautiful quilts, but my camera wasn't working very well. I do have photos of the two quilts that I entered, though. This first one is from Blackbird Designs and is called "Holly and Mistletoe." I made it for my sister-in-law this past Christmas. It is machine pieced, hand appliqued and machine stitched. It took me a long time to get it done, but I think it was worth it. This was the first time I did scalloped borders and they were pretty easy - I was expecting more of a challenge with them, but the directions were great and I had no trouble.

The second quilt is called "Celtic Knotwork" and was a mystery quilt on-line - there were 25 blocks and I am really pleased with the outcome. I love mystery quilts and am working on one that our guild sponsored for this past year. I'll post a photo when I get it finished.

Hope you are all having a good summer. It's VERY hot here - up in the high 90's with high humidity - and no rain. The lawn is like straw and I'm trying to keep the garden and flower beds watered. Hope we get some rain soon - so far there is none in the forecast. Hope you all are keeping cool!! The "boys" are staying inside and sleeping in front of the fans - Hamish has decided that he likes to sleep on top of the air-conditioning vents - smart dog!!

Take care and keep smiling -

Weekend Retreat

2011-06-28T10:45:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone -
As I mentioned before, our Sundae Quilters group had a weekend retreat this past weekend. What a fun time we had!! My cheeks are still sore from laughing so much. We had a wonderful time - great company, lots accomplished, LOTS of food (all delicious!!), music playing, quilters dancing - fun, fun, fun!! We had so much fun that we're planning another getaway next year. Here are some photos to share - my camera wasn't working very well, so hope you can see these ok.

Here's Jeane at Nancy's big board pressing her project.

Marie was working on this beautiful blue and white quilt - really striking!!

One of the local quilt shops was having a sale, so a few of us went into town to see what there was. Carla needed some "just perfect" fabric for the border of her quilt, so we got her some "not so perfect fabric" for it - here's Shelley giving Carla the fabric. We also got her some "perfect" fabric to really use - lots of laughs with this group :o)
For more photos, you can visit Nancy at Patchwork Penguin or the Sundae Quilter's blog at www.sundaequilters.blogspot.com.
Hope you all have a great week and keep smiling -

Growing Up

2011-06-22T09:27:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone -
Just a final word about our robins - three of the four have survived to young adulthood and are pretty accomplished fliers now. They can get away from my boys with ease - phew!! The fourth one didn't do so well - I found it in the back yard and it had obviously been caught by either Duncan or Hamish - both love to chase the birds. The trio are still begging for food and keeping their parents busy!! And they've found my raspberries - guess I'd better get out into the garden and give them some competition!!
On the quilting front, I'm getting ready to go away for a weekend retreat with my Sundae Quilters group. We've rented a house and are planning a fun getaway - more on that later with pictures :o)
Hope all of you have a great week and keep smiling -

The First to Leave

2011-06-10T11:05:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone -

Well, it's bound to happen - the first robin baby has left the nest. I looked out yesterday and there it was on the deck. A few minutes later, it flew down into the adjacent garden. Mama was going frantic since I was there with my camera - three babies are still in the nest but it won't be long before they leave, too. This is such a dangerous time for them once they leave the safety of their home and are out on their own - much like our own kids!! About an hourafter this little one was in the garden, we got a strong thunderstorm with hail - I was really worried about this baby - but today I can hear it begging for food, so it survived the storm and its first night -phew!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and keep smiling -

A Nestful of Babies

2011-06-05T12:00:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone -

Just wanted to report on our baby robins - as you can see, they are growing fast. The parents spend all day feeding them, cleaning the nest, and squawking at my boys!! The last egg never did hatch but I can't see if it's still in the nest. At any rate, four babies are enough to keep the parents busier than ever. They look like a jumble here but, trust me, there are four in there.

The garden is coming along and we've got zucchini on - they are about 3" so far and I'll be harvesting pretty soon. The strawberries are still going gangbusters and we're enjoying them every day. We've got grapes on our vines and I'm really looking forward to them - they are sweet red table grapes and I hope we can get them before the birds do. I didn't get the cherry tree netted in time and the birds had a feast on the cherries while they were still green. I'll know better next year and get the tree netted as soon as I see a cherry on it!!

The quilting is waiting for me downstairs - it's been hard to get to with all the chores to do outside. I have to get two quilts on my longarm for our guild show next month. My goal this coming week is to get one loaded and at least started - wish me luck!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day - and keep smiling -

Fixed

2011-06-01T17:44:00.001-04:00

The blogger woes are fixed thanks to Barb. She told me to check or uncheck the "keep signed in" box when you sign into blogger - mine was checked (as was hers), and I unchecked it and now I'm able to comment on the blogs -YEAH!!! THANKS, BARB!!!

Fixed!!

2011-06-01T17:43:00.001-04:00

Blogger Woes

2011-06-01T11:13:00.002-04:00

Hi Everybody -
Seems like I'm having the same problem that a lot of you are - I can't comment on your posts. I'm in this virtual loop where I have to sign in and am still "anonymous" - frustrating!!! Hopefully, I'll be able to post my comments soon but in the meantime, rest assured that I'm reading your posts and enjoying your blogs.

Garden Bounty

2011-05-31T09:20:00.003-04:00

Yum, yum - the strawberries are ripe. Went out this morning to check on them and this is what I picked. A few had "birdy" marks in them - guess that's why the garden is always full of robins :o)...but, there are plenty to go around so I don't mind sharing a few with our feathered friends. The rest of the garden is coming along nicely and with this hot weather it should really take off. The tomatoes have blooms on them and there are even a couple of the little yellow pear tomatoes set on. Oooo - I love this time of year and the fresh fruit and veggies.

We Have Babies

2011-05-30T14:31:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone -
We went down to Virginia for the weekend and when we got home today, look what we found.

Daddy Robin caught me taking this picture and was none too happy about it - he squawked up a storm!! I'll have to be more careful in the future. Anyway, looks like we've got four babies and one to go - I'll keep you updated.

Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all our troops, past and present, for insuring our freedom. Have a great week and keep smiling -

Nest Update

2011-05-19T12:10:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone -

Just wanted to let you know that Mrs. Robin has been busy and added two more eggs to the nest - that's quite a clutch!! Now she's busy incubating and periodically turning the eggs - so much fun to watch. Aren't they beautiful??

Have a great day and keep smiling :o)

PROMISE OF THINGS TO COME

2011-05-17T08:59:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone -
Yes, I'm still here - can't believe where the time has gone. The garden is taking up my time as well as the normal daily routine. Now that I'm in the New Horizons Band (for those 50+), I've also added 30 minutes a day to practicing my trombone...and I'm happy to report that it's coming back :o) Anyway, I want to share a couple of photos with you. We have robins nesting in our front evergreen and also on the railing of our deck. It is so interesting to watch the nest building on the deck - first the nest is formed with twigs and grass, then a lining of mud, which is smoothed out as smooth as plaster, and then another lining of soft grasses. This is the result...

...what an engineering marvel!! Once the trumpet vine is completely leafed out, this nest will be virtually invisible.

And now, look what's inside...
We'll keep an eye on these eggs and try to help the parents keep their babies safe - first of all, from our boys, who have a tendency to chase anything that moves...and then from the neighborhood cats. With any luck, these three babies will survive and come back next year - maybe to nest here again.

Today is quilting day - I have three quilts to put on the long arm and get done for our guild show, which will be in July. Since it's a rainy day today, I don't feel guilty being inside. When it's nice, I like to be out in the garden playing in the dirt!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day and I'll try to keep you updated on our little family of robins. Take care and keep smiling -

Judie

Garden Helpers

2011-04-17T16:31:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone -

Since the sun came out here today in central PA after a soaking rain yesterday, the boys and I decided it was time to get into the garden and pull weeds, trim back the raspberries which are taking over, and just have fun playing in the dirt. It seems that voles or mice took up residence in the compost bin and also under the ground bird feeder during the winter. Duncan & Hamish sat for a long time just waiting....

...I know some critter is in there!!! That's Duncan keeping an eye on things in the compost bin and Hamish is watching the ground bird feeder - good boys!!! No critters in our garden!!

Have a great week!!

Happy Birthday, Boys

2011-04-15T20:58:00.006-04:00

Hi Everyone -

Today is Duncan & Hamish's birthday - they turn two!! I spent the day at a dog show in Harrisburg with friend, Bonnie, and just had to bring them home some goodies. They got new crates with fuzzy fleece beds and these wonderful cupcakes -

They made short work of them and they've got a nice juicy, marrow-filled bone for tomorrow (outside only). They are such good boys and we love them dearly - happy birthday, my boys!!

Red & White Quilt Show

2011-03-30T10:42:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone,

As promised, I wanted to let you all know how wonderful the Red & White Quilt Show in New York City was -- in a word --SPECTACULAR!!! Fran & I took the train up and back, making for a very easy and enjoyable trip to the big city. The cab ride up to the Armory was thrilling - like a car chase scene in a movie. I told my hubby that he couldn't complain about my driving fast around corners any more :o) We got to the Armory all in one piece, so I guess those cabbies know what they're doing but I sure wouldn't want to drive on the streets with them. They don't even slow down for yellow lights and hardly even stop for the red ones. As a pedestrian, you take your life in your hands crossing the streets - wonder how many accidents there are??? Anyway, back to the quilt show...as I said, we arrived safe and sound and this is what we saw when we went into the Armory...

...quilts hanging from floor to ceiling arranged in huge circles, back to back. There were 650 of them - all unique and in great shape. This show was a gift to the city of New York by Joanna Rose on her 80th birthday - actually I think her husband was the one who gave the gift. The show was FREE - can you imagine that!!

Fran's friend, Mettie, joined us for the show and so did my granddaughter, Morgan. We had a great time together enjoying the beautiful quilts. Now that Fran & I have taken the train to NYC, we'll probably do it again since it was so much fun.

Hope you all are having a great week - and keep smiling -

Lookie, lookie....

2011-03-22T14:26:00.005-04:00

...what the mailman brought today. It's my winnings from the Strawberry Mallard blog!! It's so much fun to receive a surprise in the mail. Thank you, thank you, Nancy, and also thanks to Lynn at Rocky Creek Scotties for helping out, too. Duncan and Hamish are fighting over the dog collar charms!! They are so cute and will add a touch of "bling" to their neckwear. Thank you so much again for your generosity!!!

Now, on another note...last Thursday several of our guild members took a bus to Lancaster for the annual quilt show. What fun - and a quilter's dream with vendors and quilts galore. Here are a couple of the quilts that were on display - very inspiring. I also took the plunge and invested in an 18" Husqvarna longarm quilting machine. Now I won't have any excuse for not finishing my quilts!! It should be delivered in the next week or two, so I'm busy getting my quilting room ready and finishing up some quilting projects so they'll be ready to be quilted. Now if my hubby is looking for me, he can just hollar down to my quilting room 'cause that's where I'll be :o)

Hope you all are having a good week and do keep smiling -

I'm Excited!!

2011-03-08T12:40:00.003-05:00

Friend and fellow quilter, Fran, and I are going up to New York City to see the Red & White Quilts display at the American Folk Art Museum on March 26th. I can hardly wait!!! We're taking the train up and back and it should be a fun adventure for us. We'll go up early in the morning, see the display, and then come home at night. It will be a fast trip and I'm sure we'll be tired...but happy :o)

The quilts on display (650 of them) are all from one collection - INCREDIBLE!!! This is the largest exhibition of quilts ever held in NYC and I'm so glad that we'll be able to take it in. I'm not sure if we'll be able to take photos, but, if so, I'll post some for you all to see.

Hope you all have a great day and keep smiling :o)

Happiness is.....

2011-03-04T18:58:00.003-05:00

....a clean bed to sleep in - or half out of.

No Reply

2011-03-02T08:51:00.002-05:00

Are you a "no reply" blogger??? I've run into this lately when trying to respond to visitors to my blog. If you are set for "no reply", I can't talk to you and thank you for stopping by. Maybe you are set to this on purpose - if so, I'm glad you've stopped by my blog and I hope you come back soon for a visit.

Have a great day and keep smiling :o) -

Fun with Friends

2011-02-28T09:39:00.006-05:00

Hi Everyone -

Yesterday was Sundae Quilters day at my house - I just LOVE these gals. We always have such a great time sharing laughter and love of quilting. Everybody has been busy working on their projects and Nancy showed us her Old Tobacco Road quilt, a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt - looks pretty awesome. She also showed her flannel Mittens quilt - cute, cute :o)

If you like red & white quilts, check out thequiltshow.com and see the vintage quilts that will be on display at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City in March - looks like a great show and it's FREE - can't beat that!!

Dutchess decided to catch some ZZZZZ's on "mommy" Fran's lap. She had a busy morning "helping" everybody with their quilting projects :o)

Hope you all have a great week and ---- keep smiling :o)

It's Clean!!

2011-02-26T10:11:00.001-05:00

My cutting table is cleaned off - finally!!! And here's the photo to prove it. Just my current project, which you can see on my design wall. Of course, you can't look in my storage cabinets :o) That will be my next project.

Have a great day and keep smiling!!

STILL WINTER

2011-02-22T13:16:00.004-05:00

It's still winter here in south central PA - 6" of new snow last night. The pups are in their glory racing around the yard and "snuffling" under the snow - wish I had that enthusiasm. It is pretty, though, and with the bright blue sky, it's rather spectacular. Kudos to our plows - our road was clear this morning and is dry right now. Hubby had a haircut appointment this morning, so we went and did that and then decided to stop at Appleby's for lunch - yummy!! Now I'm heading downstairs to work on some quilting projects - photos will follow soon :o) I've also got in mind to CLEAN OFF MY CUTTING TABLE!!! Anyone who has been to my quilting room can attest to the fact that it's about time!!! I've got a couple of empty totes, so I think I'll gather all my UFO's and put them in these. Then I can find them when I'm ready for them - sound like a good idea??? I have to be careful to not fall under the "out of sight, out of mind" category, though. I'll keep you all posted on how much I get done :o)

Take care and keep smiling -

That Camera!!

2011-02-07T10:11:00.003-05:00

Every time I get the camera out, it seems that the boys disappear. Here's a rare photo of them in their beds, but you can tell from the expression on their faces, and Duncan's avoidance of looking at me, that they wish I would just disappear!!

Icefest

2011-01-30T21:47:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, my brother, sister-in-law and I attended the annual Icefest here in Chambersburg. There were 45 small one-block sculptures and several large sculptures - these large ones were sculpted right on the street. I've never seen that part of the process - maybe one of these years. This photo is of a "Phoenix" sponsored by Wilson College - it was one of the more detailed sculptures and was just beautiful. Also featured this year was a 40' slide for the kids and young-at-heart - lots of fun by the look of it!! There was a chili cook-off and hot pepper eating contest - and also a few food vendors - lots of fun to help pass the winter. The sculptures will remain until they melt or get too dirty from the traffic. Since hubby stayed at home, I'll take him for a ride down Main Street during the week so that he can see some of these beautiful works of art.

Wow...

2011-01-29T10:35:00.004-05:00

I'm overwhelmed!!! Look what I won from Alma Allen at Blackbird Designs. This jellyroll has the most beautiful Moda fabrics and I can hardly wait to find an appropriate pattern. This collection is called "Antique Fair" and the colors and patterns are wonderful!! This photo doesn't do it justice. There are tans, colonial blues, and rosy burgundy red - fantastic combination. Thanks, Alma - it really is a good idea to sign up for these giveaways!!

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-12T10:18:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone,

We got more snow last night, about 5", and it's really pretty. I was out in it since my Book Club was scheduled to meet. The snow was light when I left to go to dinner - that's one of the great things about my book club - we always meet for dinner first. Anyway, while we were eating, one of the gals got a call from the library where we meet and they were closing. Soooo - we just stayed at the restaurant and discussed the book (The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson). The roads were getting a little dicey when we left, but I made it home safe and sound and I'm happy to say that the other drivers were being careful, too. This morning, the driveway is melting as is the road, so I shouldn't have any trouble getting to work this afternoon.

This morning, the pups were out frolicking in the back yard and tunnelling in the snow as always. They look so cute with their white frosty faces. Yesterday, hubby and I went to the local hardware store to stock up on bird feed so our little feathered friends have full feeders today. Can you see them lined up waiting their turn??We also have a heater in the birdbath so that they can get a drink and take a bath. I'm always amazed how the water attracts so much activity.

Hope you all are warm and comfy and keep smiling -

Snow!!!

2011-01-07T10:43:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone -

Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday season. I know we did - Santa was very generous and it didn't take the "boys" long to learn how to unwrap their presents. We had family here for dinner and had a wonderful time. Our Virginia kids left on Christmas afternoon for home since the big snowstorm was traveling up the east coast. Luckily they got home safe and sound. Laurie and her family, who live in Virginia Beach, hit snow south of D.C. and ended up with 11" of snow. We didn't get a flake here in central PA.

Last night it snowed a couple of inches and the boys have been playing outside in it - they LOVE the snow and chase each other around and around. Here's a rare photo of them taken today - usually as soon as the camera comes out, they are in my face or they head the other way. That's Hamish on the left and Duncan on the right. They've been "snuffling" in the snow all morning looking for little critters - keeps them busy, to say the least!!

Another new thing for me is I've joined a senior band in our town. I'm playing the trombone - I used to play in school, but it's been 50 years since I've "tooted my horn". I'm renting my instrument and have started practicing - a little rusty but it's coming back. It should be fun - hubby is very encouraging and is enjoying his daily "concert" when I practice.

Happy New Year to all of you - and keep smiling -

Tis the Season...

2010-12-16T11:29:00.002-05:00

...for hectic shopping, baking, gift wrapping, parties, etc., etc. I can't believe that the time has gone so fast and it's been over a month since I posted. But, I did get the house decorated inside and out and hubby made cookies, the shopping is about done. Now, Duncan & Hamish need baths and haircuts so they look spiffy for the Holiday. There will be 14 of us here for Christmas dinner and I'm working on the details. We ordered a smoked pork loin from Cabela's and it came yesterday and looks yummy. All I have to do is heat it and I should be able to handle that. I can hardly wait!! I love having family and friends around for the Holidays.

Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season - I might be out of blogland until after Christmas :o)

Wonderful Wednesday

2010-11-10T10:21:00.005-05:00

Hi All -

It's a beautiful day here in south central PA - the temperatures today are supposed to get up into the 60's . We really appreciate these days because we know what's coming!!!

I've gotten sidetracked with my GFG blocks lately. I've been working on some Christmas projects and you know how that is. There is only so much time in the day to get things done and I'm afraid my flower garden isn't growing much lately :o) But here is a recent completion -

And now...the adventures of Duncan and Hamish. Today, when I went outside to photograph by GFG block, I noticed Duncan was, once again, sitting in the iris in back of the fence that is supposed to keep him out. He is such a little devil!! There was a small space where I think he squeezed in -he's typical scottie. He gets his nose in a space and just keeps pushing and pushing until he can wiggle his way in. Unfortunately, that nose can get him in trouble. The other day he got out of the yard by going through a hole in the fence, which he had made previously. I had patched that hole and he decided that he would work the patch loose (really, it was more like "rip it off"). Hamish alerted me by barking at the door (his "come quick" bark) that his brother had escaped. And, sure enough, there was Duncan, nose to the ground following some critter's trail, running down through the back yards, completely ignoring my calls. This was early in the morning and I was still in jammies and slippers - ugh!!! I got my shoes and socks on, decided to get into the car to head him off, but then heard Hamish barking again. I decided to check the back yard one more time and there was Duncan, heading back toward our yard. I called and, miracle of miracles, he came to me. So he was escorted back into the yard and now the patch has been replaced by plywood temporarily. My yard is really something - I have fences within the fences to keep that Duncan Devil in. Thank goodness, too, for Hamish - he really does tattle on his brother and this isn't the first time that he's alerted us to something that Duncan shouldn't be doing - you know, his Lassie impression - come quick, the barn's on fire and Timmie has fallen in the well!!! Needless to say, life isn't boring at our house :o)

The photos are Duncan behind the fence and Hamish basking in the welcome sun.

Hope you all have a wonderful day and keep smiling -

GFG Quilters

2010-10-26T09:43:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone -

Last night was the second meeting of our Grandmother's Flower Garden group at our local library. We had nine in attendance and we had a good time. It's really inspiring to see what others are working on - makes me want to do more than one GFG (LOL). Here's a photo of the gals and some of their work.

We're having wonderful weather here in south central PA - it's going to be in the 70's again today but it should be back to more seasonable weather in the 50's by the end of the week...just in time for trick-or-treat. But this is an improvement - when I lived in Wisconsin, the kids usually had to wear their snowsuits because it was so cold. You always had to plan for a costume that would fit over the bulky winter wear.

Hope you all have a great day and keep smiling :o)

Road Trip

2010-10-23T12:45:00.005-04:00

Hi All -

Yesterday a group from my Quilt Guild went up to Harrisburg to visit the State Museum to view some of the quilts that they have in storage. We were only able to see five quilts, but those that we saw were wonderful. There are over 200 quilts stored in special refrigerated area that is kept at around 54 degrees. Especially striking was the Wickersham Album Quilt (circa 1854). This quilt is a Pennsylvania interpretation of a Baltimore Album Quilt and there is a book with full-sized patterns available. Of course, I'm adding it to my library and also getting one for our Guild library. Another project for the future :o) There also was a Grandmother's Flower Garden (circa 1814) that really caught my eye. The maker used a chintz border and it was beautifully preserved and probably as bright as the day it was sewn to the quilt - browns, yellows, pinks, blues - BEAUTIFUL!! The layout of the GFG gave me another idea as to how to lay another one out - the first and third rounds were the same fabric with a contrasting fabric for the second round. The pathways were all the same as were the centers. What's one more project?? (As with so many quilters, I have enough projects to keep me busy until I die and then some!!). After viewing the quilts and having a great visit with the curator, we went to lunch at a little Italian restaurant down the street and then stopped at a quilt shop (of course) on our way home. What a wonderful day!! Hope you all are having a wonderful day - happy quilting and keep smiling -

Yikes!!!

2010-10-18T17:12:00.002-04:00

How did my photo on my previous post get turned right-side up??? I was playing around in Picasa yesterday and got it turned, but had trouble uploading it. Are the photo fairies fooling around??? Now I have to figure out how I did it - oh, this computer gives me a headache sometimes :o)

Isn't It Cute!!

2010-10-16T11:08:00.002-04:00

Hi All -

I recently purchased this adorable Scottie wall hanging and thought I'd show you all how cute it is. (Sorry it's sideways - does anyone know how to turn a photo in blogger???) I'm a soft touch for anything "Scottie" and my home reflects this. The purchase of this hanging benefited the St. Louis Scottish Terrier Rescue where we adopted Duncan and Hamish. They do such wonderful work finding loving homes for this special breed. Speaking of Duncan and Hamish...when I bought them food the other day, I couldn't resist a treat for each of them, so I purchased a couple of stuffed beef hooves. They were dancing with joy when they saw their treats and immediately took them outside and spent the afternoon in chewing delight. But...when they came in, did they smell!!! Those hooves might be great for chewing, but they're really stinky!!! Of course, that's what the pups love - the stinkier, the better!!! They got a little face bath after that caper and the hooves have been designated as an "outside" treat.

We're enjoying some beautiful fall weather - a little windy today - my whirligig is getting a workout - but it's a wonderful crisp day with blue sky and beautiful sunshine. Hope you all are having a great day, too.

Celtic Knotwork

2010-10-09T19:39:00.003-04:00

Hi All -

Today was Guild day and we had a workshop in the morning before the regular meeting conducted by Linda Hahn. She showed us how to do these fabulous celtic knotwork blocks using fusible bias tape and a Teflon pressing sheet. This is such a slick technique and makes the knotwork easy and fun. Here are three of four of my blocks - I'm half finished with the fourth and will post when I have them all put together. This photo is kind of dark so it's hard to see that I used variegated bias tape in earth tones - brown, green, gold, burgundy - really pretty. Check out Linda's website at http://www.froghollowdesigns.com/.

GFG Quilters

2010-09-28T12:14:00.003-04:00

Hi All -

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the kick-off meeting for our Grandmother's Flower Garden quilters at our local library. We had 17 ladies in attendance and had a great time. There were beginners to experts - and lots of questions about the GFG quilting process. I forgot to take my camera but here's one of my blocks that I got finished. We'll be meeting once a month and hope to inspire those wanting to make one of these beautiful quilts. We had a couple of "antique" GFG quilts to examine and admire that beautiful hand stitching. Next time I'll take my camera so that I can share our progress.

Have a great day and keep smiling!!

Finally....

2010-09-27T11:10:00.003-04:00

What is that liquid coming down from the sky???? Finally....RAIN. HOORAY!!!

Happy Fall

2010-09-22T10:07:00.004-04:00

Hi All,

It's been a while since I've posted - don't know where the time goes. Guess that's a sign of aging :o) Anyway, I'm showing a photo of a new GFG flower to add to my quilt. My friends and I have also organized a GFG Quilters group which will meet monthly to get together and work on our Grandmother's Flower Garden quilts and also inspire others to try one. Our first meeting is on Monday night and I'm looking forward to it. I'll try and take some photos to share.

Today is going to be in the 80's - not what you would expect for the first day of Fall. But the weekend is supposed to be cool - I'm more than ready for it!!!

Have a great day and keep smiling -

One Year Ago Today...

2010-09-08T09:48:00.002-04:00

...friend, Bonnie, and I traveled down to North Carolina to pick up two 5-month-old scottie puppies - my Duncan & Hamish. This has been an eventful year, all of us learning about each other and my getting used to having puppies around the house again. The back yard isn't lush and green any more, since puppy teeth have rearranged the landscaping and puppy paws have dug holes in the most unexpected places. But, really, I wouldn't have it any other way. The joy that they have brought is a hundred-fold times more than the aggrevation they have caused. Their bright and sunny "smiles" greet me every morning and their joy of life is a wonderful thing to behold. We're looking forward to more adventures together in the years to come!!

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Marie's Retirement

2010-08-28T17:32:00.003-04:00

Hi All -

Yesterday a few of the Sundae Quilters were privileged to attend the retirement of Marie, a fellow Sundae Quilter, from the Army after over 20 years of service. What a wonderful ceremony it was and we all felt a swelling of pride as we watched her start a new phase of her life. To commemorate the occasion, we presented her with a quilt that was stitched by several of our group made up of the Army Star block and done in Civil War fabrics. It turned out so pretty and she was touched - said she wasn't going to cry but there was a little moisture in those eyes!! From left to right are Jeane, Belinda, Marie, Fran and me. Following the ceremony, we had a bit to eat and got a chance to meet and greet with Marie's family and friends. We were all so glad that we were able to attend this special occasion. On the way home, we stopped at the Shamrock Restaurant and had peach pie and drinks - a great end to a great day!!

Growing Block by Block

2010-08-04T17:23:00.004-04:00

Hi All -

I'm steadily adding to my GFG block by block. I'm at the point where I need to free up some of my mylar hexies so I don't have to order any more. And this gives me an opportunity to watch my quilt grow - fun, fun, fun. Once I get the white borders on all around, I'll start making my individual flowers again.

On another subject, our peach tree is producing overtime!! Look at these peaches - and they are sweet, sweet, sweet. Looks like I'll have plenty to can as well as make up some pies and just eat in my fist :o) I've had to prop up the branches since they are so heavy. One branch already split because of all the weight, and my brother "performed surgery" on it after I took all the peaches off - would you believe that there were 75 of them!!! No wonder it split!! Actually, I probably should have "culled" some of the fruit when it first started forming - that's what you're supposed to do. But the first year this tree produced fruit, I did that and ended up with about 3 peaches since all the others fell off. What a disappointment that was. We'll enjoy this fruit and now I've got to get some good canning recipes - any suggestions??

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Block Exchange

2010-08-03T11:00:00.004-04:00

Hi All -

I'm participating in a block exchange hosted by Nancy over at Patchwork Penguin. We're making "chimney sweep" blocks and here are mine. We're all using Civil War fabrics and my color is poison green - don't you just love it!!! These look a little yellow but the background is actually Kona cotton off white - hate this picture program :o( Now that I have these done, I can get working on another project in my stack :o)

Hope you all have a great day. Keep smiling -

Quilt Odyssey

2010-07-25T11:02:00.006-04:00

Hi All -

Yesterday was the annual trip to Hershey for Quilt Odyssey, a wonderful quilt show!! There were 8 of us who went up and sold tickets for our guild's raffle quilt (here's Nancy with the quilt in the background), saw some beautifully awesome quilts, and helped the economy by visiting the vendors. All in all, it was a wonderful day spent with good friends and family - my brother & sister-in-law came to the show for a couple of hours and Sue managed to find a few fat quarters for her Grandmother's Flower Garden that she's now addicted to :o) We met up with Bonnie Hunter and all went to Friendly's for dinner and, of course, ice cream sundaes - a perfect end to a wonderful day!! Here are some photos that I thought you might like to see -

This quilt won best in show and was absolutely awesome. The next photo is a closeup of one of the blocks -

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Another Wednesday

2010-07-21T10:00:00.005-04:00

Hi All -

Here it is Wednesday again and I've got a couple more flowers done. My hubby has finished his PT - that's good and bad. The good is that he's done, but the bad is that I won't have an hour twice a week to just sit and work on my hexies. I'll just have to find time somewhere else in my day :o) Sounds like a good excuse to sit and put my feet up, don't you think!! Anyway, here are my additions - oops, that second one is a little blurry - too much iced coffee this morning!!

With the hot weather here, the pups are always looking for a cool place to stay. Hamish has excavated a big hole under the barberry bushes in the back yard and that's where he loves to be. It's hard to get him out from there - even in the hottest part of the day. His brother, on the other hand, likes to sleep in front of the fan inside in the air conditioning. Who is the smartest? I think I'd vote for Duncan, but I guess Hamish has his reasons for preferring the outdoors. Funny pup!!

Flower Power

2010-07-14T09:52:00.002-04:00

Hi All - I only have one more flower completed for my Grandmother's Flower Garden and here it is. I'm to the point that I have to watch my colors so that the quilt will look balanced. I'm finding that I have a lot of yellows and reds, so I'm trying to concentrate on some other colors. Guess that's the advantage of putting the quilt together as you go - you can see what colors you need to balance it out. At any rate, it's really fun and I'm still enjoying making these hexies :o)

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Why Won't it Squeak???

2010-07-13T13:31:00.005-04:00

Hi All -

Since the boys have destroyed almost all of their toys, in a weak moment I decided to pick them up a couple more when I got dog food for them today. The toys I bought are "stuffing-less" so we won't have the explosion of white fluff all over the house or yard. They looked like they would be pretty tough. WRONG!!! In less than 20 minutes, Duncan destroyed the TWO squeakers in his toy. I could hear them rattling inside the toy - ugh!!! Hamish is working on his and has one squeaker disabled now - he's working furiously on the second one. It will be interesting to see how long the toys stay together - wonder if they make concrete toys????

P.S. - In the time it took me to write this post and upload photos, this is the condition of Duncan's new toy now...

GFG Tutorial

2010-07-08T09:45:00.002-04:00

Hi All -
If you need a great tutorial on making a Grandmother's Flower Garden, go on over and visit Karen at Sew Many Ways (http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/) and check out her instructions under her sidebar label "grandmother's flower garden". She has easy instructions and great photos - come and join the fun :o)

Another Wednesday

2010-07-07T10:20:00.004-04:00

Hi All -

Where has this week gone? I can't believe it's Wednesday again. It's hot, hot, hot here - temps in the upper 90's to low 100's - we're staying inside in the AC as much as possible. The pups go outside in the morning, then at noon, and then, if it cools off, we walk around 8:30 p.m. when the sun goes down but it's still light. Whew - wish this weather pattern would break!!!

Anyway, here's a picture of my "in-progress" GFG quilt. You can see that I've added a few blocks since I last photographed it. My two new blocks are at the lower right of the quilt -

And here's a closeup of the two new ones.

Hope you all have a good week and keep cool -

It's Wednesday Again!!

2010-06-30T17:24:00.002-04:00

Hi All -

It's that time again - here are my hexies for today. I finished the one from last week and have added another. I'm going to start adding them to the quilt again so that I can free up some more mylar templates and not have to purchase any more - gets a little expensive. Sure is fun, though!!

We've had a break in the weather and the high today was in the upper 70's - what a relief. Now if we could only get some rain....

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Sundae Quilters at Nancy's

2010-06-28T14:41:00.005-04:00

Hi All -

Yesterday was Sundae Quilter's day at Nancy's house. As always, we had a great time, lots of laughs, inspiration and fun being together. Here are some photos -

This is Belinda's quilt and some of Jeane's Baltimore Album blocks - aren't they great!! Bonnie's baby quilt is a work of art!!

She was working on the binding and it looks beautiful.

It was a good day for all and really fun getting together again. Can hardly wait to do it again -

Have a good day and keep smiling -

Garden Bounty

2010-06-26T10:58:00.004-04:00

Hi All -

I got myself out early this morning to pick some pea pods and raspberries in the garden. With this heat, I've been putting it off and the pods got a little large, but they're good anyway. The raspberries are coming in now and are soooo sweet. Duncan & Hamish were "helping" me by standing under the bushes and eating anything that dropped off - they LOVE raspberries!!! The zucchini is coming and there are 3 squash on the plant so far. My winter squash is in bloom and the tomatoes and peppers have fruit on them. The brussels sprouts are forming and should be ready to harvest soon - don't know how they'll do in this heat since they are a cold weather crop - oh, well, not much I can do about that :o)

This weekend is the neighborhood yard sale - I got some fat quarters at one sale for .20 each - lovely flowered prints that will make up nice for my Grandmother's Flower Garden.

Take care and keep cool -

One More flower

2010-06-23T17:20:00.002-04:00

Hi All

Here's one more flower for my GFG - and also one that I'm working on. This week has been busy and I haven't gotten a lot done - darn :o( If I have 130 of these to make, I'd better get going, wouldn't you say!!!

Hope you all are keeping cool - it's blistering here and we're all staying inside as much as possible. The pups keep their tummies pointed toward the fans and keep pretty cool that way. Duncan especially likes to jump into his pool and then come in with a wet tummy - a wet, fan-cooled tummy is the way to go, I guess :o)

Take care and keep smiling -

Confusing

2010-06-23T09:31:00.002-04:00

I've got a question for you - do any of you know how to respond to those who join your blog through the "Friend Connect" by Google??? When I try to welcome those who have joined my blog, I get "send a message" to the person but my own blog site comes up for me to join - confusing, to say the least!!! Anyway, to those of you who have joined my blog - thank you so much for visiting. I'm very happy that you've found me and hope you come by often.

Hot!!!

2010-06-19T16:09:00.002-04:00

It's the dog days of summer and it's not even officially summer yet. The thermometer outside says 90 but inside it's a balmy 78. This is the boys favorite place when it's this hot - smart dogs!!

Have a great day and keep cool -

The Garden Grows

2010-06-16T09:52:00.002-04:00

Hi All -

Here are two more flowers that I'm adding to my garden. I keep buying fabric so that my flowers are all different - it's an addiction, I know!!! BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!!!

Tuesday Ramblings

2010-06-15T16:47:00.007-04:00

Hi All -

Today I just thought I'd post a few photos from my yard and show you some of the flowers that are in bloom. Of course, I've got to post a couple photos of Duncan and Hamish - today they've been out in the yard quite a bit since it's not too hot. Usually, they're inside in front of the fans or downstairs with me in my quilting room - smart dogs!!

Here's Hamish doing the Scottie "frog" stretch - great way to cool the tummy!!

And Duncan loves his pool...

The Astilbe are in full bloom...

...and so are the Trumpet vines.

Tomorrow is One Flower Wednesday and I'll post a photo of my hexies -

Have a great evening and keep smiling -

Rainy Day and Hexies

2010-06-09T10:06:00.006-04:00

Hi All -

Today is a rainy day here and that's ok with me. The lawn was mowed yesterday and I got some squash planted in the garden as well as some flowers around the fountain so this rain is really appreciated. The pups were out this morning and when they came in they were soaked. This is what they have to put up with when they're so wet...I love to wrap them up in towels and make them all cuddly...they look like they're thrilled, don't they!!! I think they're saying, "Aw, Mom, we're tough dogs, not babies!!! And she's getting the camera out again!!! Ugh!!!"

Here are a few more hexies, too - my garden continues to grow.

Have a happy Wednesday and keep smiling -

Sue's Hexies

2010-06-06T20:16:00.005-04:00

Hi All -

As I reported before, my sister-in-law, Sue, has started working on hexies and is addicted now :o) She's making her hexies to reflect her mountain home, using various flowers, trees, moss, rocks and other fabric to reflect what she sees in her yard. Here's a photo of the ones she has done so far - aren't they wonderful!!!

The one below has blueberries on it - yum, yum!!

I've got a couple more finished myself and will post them on Wednesday.

Have a great day and keep smiling -

One Flower Wednesday

2010-05-26T18:40:00.004-04:00

Hi All,

Here are a couple more flowers - my GFG is growing!! Only 100 or so more to go!! My sister-in-law is working on some hexies, too - another one addicted :o) We had fun shopping for fabric and she's making good progress.

Looking forward to seeing everyone else's "garden" - take care and keep smiling -

Sundae Quilters

2010-05-24T10:59:00.009-04:00

Hi All -

Yesterday was "Sundae Quilters day" at my house. There were 8 of us and, as usual, we had a great time. Five of us are working on hexies and good progress was made - here are some photos to prove it!! We had lots of laughs :o)

Here, Belinda is working on an applique project and Nancy shows off her.....hexies.

Bonnie is working on hexies, too

Pat is working on embroidery and Jan is working on hexies...as is Fran. I neglected to get a photo of Chris before she had to leave, but she's also a "hexie" girl - we're all finding it addictive!!!

Have a great day - and keep smiling!!!

More Hexies

2010-05-19T17:51:00.002-04:00

Hi All -

Here are some hexies for "One Flower Wednesday" - I'm really not an overachiever - I just have time to do them when my hubby is at PT. Since he's in there for at least an hour, I can get a lot done. I figured I need about 130 of these little babies to make a queen size quilt - so you can see, I've got a long way to go!!

Grandmother's Flower Garden

2010-05-14T10:48:00.003-04:00

Hi All,

Thought you might like to see the progress I'm making on my GFG. It's growing daily. I've also joined a like-minded group - One Flower Wednesday - and will post my progress on Wednesdays. I told my husband he can't stop going to physical therapy because that's when I make the most progress!!

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Quilt Retreat

2010-04-26T09:24:00.012-04:00

Hi All -

Here are a few photos from our Guild's recent quilt retreat. The question of the day is: "How many quilters does it take to arrange nine blocks from a Turning 20 Again pattern?" I made these blocks for a baby quilt and appreciate all the help I had trying to arrange them in a pleasing pattern -

And here's the final arrangement--

We also celebrated three birthday's and Jeane brought this luscious coconut raspberry cake to share - yum, yum!!!

After eating that wonderful cake, Margaret and Carla "entertained" us with an exercise demo - we all got a kick out of that!!!

As always, it was great sharing time and laughter with friends...and also getting some quilting projects finished!!!

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Bath & A Haircut

2010-04-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

Hello all -

As promised, here's the boy's first birthday photo (after grooming!!).
They are such good boys and are doing well keeping the yard and gardens free of bunnies. Good boys!!!

Happy Birthday Boys!!

2010-04-15T15:37:00.002-04:00

Hi All -
Today is Duncan and Hamish's birthday!!! They are one year old today and are outside in the yard enjoying some beef tendon - one of their favorite treats!!! They are pretty scruffy looking right now since they're due for a bath and haircut, but I didn't want to spoil their birthday by doing this to them!!! Maybe on Sunday - then I'll post a picture.
My mulch is all spread and looks great - now I've just got to put the edging around (I say "just" - that's probably the most time-consuming thing!!).
Otherwise, all is well here. I'm going to my Quilt Guild retreat tomorrow and Saturday. I'll just go for the day so I can be home with my hubby at night. I'm planning on finishing the baby quilts that I'm working on - again, I'll post photos.
Take care and keep smiling -

Mulch anyone???

2010-04-07T16:54:00.003-04:00

Hi All -

It's been a while since you've heard from me!!! With spring, the mulch pile in my driveway (2 pickup loads) has been calling. I'm systematically wiping out front yard grass (much to my husband's dismay - but he doesn't mow it!!). I've made some large beds and will plant some perennials soon and it should look nice. Lots of work, but I must admit that I do enjoy working in the yard and getting my hands dirty!! As a result, though, my quilting has been neglected. I'm working on two baby quilts and also trying to keep up with my UFO list (I still can't find February's project!). Our guild meeting is this Saturday and I've got a class to go to before the meeting. I was supposed to have my applique part done for this three-part class, but, guess what??? - I haven't done it. This week is paper piecing, which I haven't done before, so I hope I can just wing it and do that part and add the applique later - oooh, don't you hate students like me!!!

Here's a photo of our redbud tree in front of our house - I LOVE SPRING!!!

Take care and keep smiling -

Spring!!

2010-03-21T16:40:00.005-04:00

Hi All -

Well, Spring is here and this is what we found when we came home today from visiting our daughter in VA - aren't they pretty!! I just love this time of year - when the Spring bulbs come up, I feel like I'm greeting old friends again...just makes me smile.

We had a great weekend and my son-in-law and I attended the Cabin Branch and Stone House Quilters annual quilt show. There were some beautiful quilts and I bought a CD containing all the quilts - what a great idea!! I'll have to pass this on to my guild. I did manage to purchase a couple of patterns and some fat quarters - and even got a couple of free patterns. I didn't go too crazy buying because I'm going to the big Lancaster show on Thursday with my guild and have to save some $$ for that show :o)

I couldn't resist this "Finding the Right Tree" pattern - I'm going to change it slightly to make it look like a Scottie. Hope you all have a great week and happy quilting!!

Finally!!!

2010-03-16T18:49:00.003-04:00

Hi All -

Well, I finally finished the top of my Celtic Knotwork - that was my UFO for January!!! Anyway, here's a photo of it - I'm really pleased with it and thank Lynne at "with each new day comes fresh hope" for this mystery quilt. My squares measure 2" and there were 25 blocks to put together. It took me way too long, but I've got a million excuses!!! Now I can get on to my February UFO (if I can find it) and then hopefully finish up March before the end of the month.

Glorious Spring

2010-03-09T09:45:00.003-05:00

Hi All -
Spring is in the air in central PA and I LOVE IT!!! The bluebirds are back and are checking out the nesting boxes and the mockingbirds are giving us their wonderful concert. This year we have some wild gray bunnies - I've never seen gray ones before, only brown. Wonder if someone let a domesticated one go??? It will be interesting to see what kind of babies they have - but they better stay out of my garden!!
Duncan and Hamish have been spending lots of time outdoors enjoying the sun and I like to do that too - any excuse - a good book, cleaning up the garden, putting up some puppy-proof (I hope) fencing, etc., etc. My quilting is suffering because I want to be outside - darn. Looks like we'll be getting rain at the end of the week, so maybe then I'll get downstairs to the quilting room.
My brother and sister-in-law have found a house and will be closing on it at the end of the month. It is beautiful and is tucked into the mountainside - also has five acres of wooded land with it. They'll be about 40 minutes from us - we're really excited!!
Got to run now - hubby has PT this morning and I'm his chauffeur. I'll get some more of my grandmother's flower garden done while waiting for him to finish.
Take care and keep smiling -

Giveaway

2010-03-02T08:54:00.003-05:00

Tracy over at Fiber Babble (http://fiberbabble.blogspot.com/) is having a giveaway - go on over and check it out. Tell her that I sent you -

Sundae Quilters

2010-03-01T11:15:00.002-05:00

Hi All -

Yesterday was "Sundae Quilters" day - our monthly meeting was hosted by Marie and we all were excited to see her new home. It was beautiful and we had a great time. She also treated us with her fabulous "Minnesota" casserole - absolutely yummy!!! We passed up the ice cream sundaes that she had for us since we were so full of her great hot dish and Fran's bread. We do know how to eat!!! Here are a few photos...

Take care and keep smiling -

Giveaway

2010-02-22T11:04:00.002-05:00

Hi All-
Dena at "Tales at Wayne Manor" is having a giveaway celebrating her 300th post. Go on over and have a look -

Garden Bunny

2010-02-22T10:25:00.007-05:00

Hi All -

Here's the only bunny that's allowed in my garden - his ears are finally showing as the snow melts. He was a gift from my kids - they put him in the beans this past summer and I didn't see him until they pointed him out - he was really hidden!! Rain is forecast for later today, so it looks like more grass (and bunny) will show itself.

Thought you might be interested in seeing my ongoing Grandmother's Flower Garden project. I do this when I'm waiting for my husband at PT and also at night while watching TV. I've got more blocks ready to add - just have to get the white hexagons around them. I'm really enjoying this project - don't know how large it will be but I'm aiming for bedsize - at least a double - hopefully a queen. I'm not sure how to finish the edges - any suggestions??

My brother and sister-in-law have rented a townhouse about 40 minutes from us while they continue looking for a house or land. They'll probably end up building since the house-hunting has been frustrating for them. They know what they want, so building might be the best option. At any rate, we're excited having them so close to us!!

Hope all is well with all of you. Take care and keep smiling -

Beavers or Puppies???

2010-02-15T18:31:00.002-05:00

Hi All -
The newest exploits of the fur kids is that they can now reach the branches of our mini fruit trees (apple, peach, pear and cherry) because the snow is 18" and is now crusty on top and will support their weight. Today they had a good time "trimming" one of the apple trees - not the way I would have done it but to their own satisfaction. When I came home from work, I shoveled a moat around each of the five trees so that they couldn't reach the branches. We'll see if it works!!! Today they are 10 months old - it's a good thing they're cute, because they are trying my patience - ARGH!!!

18" Dilemma

2010-02-06T19:46:00.004-05:00

Hi All -

Question: What do you do when you have 18" of snow and you are only 14" tall???

Answer: You stay on the path that your Mom shoveled for you!!

This is Hamish (I think) walking along that path - he and Duncan did manage to make some of their own trails after a while - they had a great time chasing each other and looked like little snowmen when they were done. They actually disappeared under the snow at times - then they'd pop up with a surprised look like "what happened???"

The snow stopped around 1:00 this afternoon and the sun came out - just in time to melt the driveway and plowed streets. Yea!!! Because tomorrow is the big sale at the local quilt shop and I want to go!!! I did manage to get some UFO blocks finished this afternoon and am now ready to put together my "Celtic Knotwork" - I'll post a picture as soon as I get it done :o)

Stay warm and happy quilting -

Anticipation

2010-02-05T12:02:00.003-05:00

Hi All -

We're all ready for the big snowstorm that's predicted for today and tomorrow - wonder how much we'll get?? I'm happy to be home with a big pot of soup and my quilting projects waiting to be done. The forecasters are saying 10+ inches - time will tell. It's noon now and I see a few light snowflakes starting - time will tell :o) This photo is from my old garden back in Nebraska taken several years ago - we had LOTS of snow there!!!

Keep warm and happy quilting -

Helping the Economy

2010-01-30T19:50:00.003-05:00

Hi All

In an effort to help the economy and advance small business, Fran, Bonnie & I took a road trip yesterday to a couple of local quilt shops. First we went to Smile Spinners in Marysville, PA, and managed to find a few goodies that we just couldn't live without (you know how that is!!). I needed some red fabric for the border of my twisted star, which is the first of three parts for a guild class. I also got some beige for the applique border, which is part two. Then after a great lunch at Isaacs (yummy tomato soup), we stopped at The Fabric Center in Carlisle, PA. Again, you know the drill - we had to pick up a few goodies for our stashes!!! The President would be proud of us!!!

Sundae Quilters

2010-01-25T11:04:00.004-05:00

Hi All -
Yesterday the Sundae Quilters got together at my house and, as usual, we had a great time. We celebrated Bonnie's birthday and I made her a Kahlua Cake (recipe below) in honor of the occasion. Fran stitched her a great birthday card - it was a fun time!! Below are some photos of the get together - Here's the recipe for the Kahlua cake -

1 Chocolate cake mix - made into two 8" or 9" layers
1 C. Kahlua
1 large pkg. instant chocolate pudding made up into pudding
1 large container Cool Whip
1 pkg. butter brickle bits (or Heath Bar candy bar chopped up)

DAY BEFORE SERVING:
Bake chocolate cake in two 8" or 9" round layers. Cool. Poke holes with fork in each layer and pour 1/2 C Kahlua over each. Chill overnight in refrigerator.

NEXT DAY:
Assemble cake the following way in a large round bowl:
1 cake layer
1/2 of pudding
1/2 of Cool-whip
brickle bits to taste
Repeat again to make second layer.

This makes a large cake. You can be creative with the shape, e.g. if you have a square bowl, make cake in square shape. I have a round glass salad bowl that I use. You can also use as much Cool-whip as you like. Store in refrigerator - enjoy in moderation!!

Happy Birthday Diane

2010-01-23T11:09:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was friend Diane's birthday and we had a great lunch at Montezuma Mexican Restaurant. This was her gift from all the girls in the office. When I saw this pattern, I just knew it was for Diane. It is Joined at the Hip's "Farmyard Friends" from the "Hanging on a Star" series. The hanger is available on the Joined at the Hip website or your local quilt store might stock it. I just might make one for myself, too!!!

On the real estate front, my brother and sister-in-law have sold their home in VA (in 1 week) and will be coming up today to go house hunting for the next few days. They had several bids on their home - we're so excited!!! If they don't find something, they'll be staying here until they do.

Tomorrow is Sundae Quilters day here at my house - looking forward to working on my "Grandmother's Flower Garden" blocks - I'm really enjoying doing them and have started putting them together so that I can free up some of my Mylar templates. (I also get bored doing the same thing over and over - my Mother always said I was a great "starter" but not so good a "finisher" - now I know what she meant!!!) I'll post some pics so you can see what everyone is working on.

Keep smiling and happy quilting!!

Quick Visit

2010-01-18T10:40:00.003-05:00

My brother, Jamie, and sister-in-law, Sue, with pooch, Pepper, spent the weekend with us. They are planning on moving up to PA and are looking for houses now - we're so excited that they'll be living closer to us. They have their house up for sale right now in VA and are hoping that it sells soon or they at least get a contract on it so they can really get serious about buying a home up here.

This morning, Sue was making sandwiches for the trip home and had the undivided attention of all three pooches - how's that for being the center of attention!!!

This afternoon after work I'm going to try and get down into the sewing room and work on my UFO for January (Celtic Knotwork). It just seems like time flies by and here it is the middle of January already - I can hardly believe it!!!

Happy quilting and keep smiling -

Oh Boy!!

2010-01-07T10:04:00.002-05:00

Well, the applicance fairy (Sears) is delivering a new washer and dryer to my house today. I was finishing up the last dryer load on Tuesday and my dryer started making a horriffic sound - clunk, clunk, churn, whap, whap!!! Since the dryer is 30 years old, hubby and I decided to take the plunge and get a new one. The washer isn't doing too well, either, and has been leaking oil for about 8 years so it is being replaced too. So now I sit and wait for the delivery men to bring my new toys. I tried to get the least complicated pair so that I'll be able to use them - you need a Ph.D. to figure out some of these newer ones. Happy laundering -

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T11:38:00.004-05:00

Hi All -

Best wishes to all for a very Happy New Year. Hubby and I are staying home tonight and just enjoying being warm inside and watching the ball drop in Times Square.

We had a nice Christmas with family in Virginia - hope you all did too. Daughter, Laurie, gave me this beautiful embroidered (with Duncan and Hamish likenesses) linen table runner and 12 matching linen napkins, also embroidered with a scottie. What a treasure - I love it!!

My New Year's resolution is to get some of my UFO's done before starting anything new - I've got a bunch and need to get the cabinets cleared out of these projects - good luck, right!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2009-12-20T11:12:00.006-05:00

Hi All -

Looks like we'll have a white Christmas after our 10+" of snow yesterday. It sure is pretty and I didn't have to go anywhere, so I could stay inside and enjoy watching it come down. Here's a photo of our deck furniture this morning. Now the sun is shining so things are starting to melt.

The pups really enjoyed playing and chasing each other. They looked like little snow balls when they came in and I ended up putting them in the kitchen sink and spraying them with warm water to get all the snow out of their fur. They weren't too keen on that but I think it made them feel better once the snow was out of their armpits!!

My husband says Duncan looks like an Aborigine with his white face.

Take care and keep smiling -

Sundae Quilters Luncheon

2009-12-14T11:05:00.003-05:00

Hi All,
Yesterday, despite some "iffy" weather, some of the Sundae Quilters got together for our Christmas lunch at Red Robin. We had such a good time, great food, and lots of laughs. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera but if you'd like to see photos, you can go to Nancy's blog, www.patchworkpenguin@blogspot.com. She has posted some photos and a video of Beth's entertaining tree hat - you've got to see this one - it's great!!!
I've got a few things to get finished before Christmas and have yet to send out a card. I did make up a short Christmas letter to send to friends out of town - now to get them in the mail!! I just seem to come to a standstill at this time of year - maybe it's the overwhelming feeling that there's so much to do and I'd just rather bury my head under the pillow and wait until it's all over - my own personal ostrich syndrome, I guess. But I know that everything will get done and we'll have a great Holiday - it always seems to happen that way. Hope you all have a great Holiday season, too!!

Look What I Got!!!

2009-12-07T10:23:00.002-05:00

Last night I went to a "drum jam" hosted by friend Bonnie. This is a monthly get together with all sorts of hand drums, whistles, flutes, didgeridoo's, bagpipes and even belly dancers and a throat singer. What a great time!!! Friend Fran and I helped out by serving up delicious punch and pulled pork sandwiches. As a thank you, Bonnie gave each of us a gift - mine was this wonderful purse. Bonnie has one just like it and every time I see it, I tell her it might "disappear" since I am really coveting it. Now I have one of my very own!!! Thank you, again, Bonnie - I LOVE IT!!!

Signs of Christmas

2009-12-05T15:25:00.005-05:00

There are signs of Christmas at our house. First is my Scottie planter decked out with poinsettias...

and then my "Christmas goose" flag ...

and finally, Scottie pups having their first "taste" of snow!!!

Have a great day!!!

Snow!!!

2009-12-05T09:14:00.002-05:00

Hooray, hooray, hooray - it's snowing!!! This is the first of the season and it's really coming down right now. I'm like a kid with the first snow - and I can hardly wait to see the pup's reaction to the white stuff!! We're only supposed to get 1-4" and the ground is still warm, so we'll have to wait and see how much we actually get. Since I don't have to be any place today, I can remain excited and just enjoy watching from the warmth of my home. Better fill the bird feeders, too, since our little feathered friends have a tough time in this kind of weather.

Keep smiling and have a great day -

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T11:18:00.003-05:00

Hi All -

Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving. Our two daughters and their husbands joined us for turkey with all the fixings - yum, yum. Needless to say, we were all "stuffed" - just like the bird. Here's a photo of son-in-law, Mike, modeling his "turkey" hat. I saw this one day and just had to get it for him. He's such a good sport and is even contemplating wearing it to work on Monday :o)

Today is reserved for making turkey soup, quilting and also watching Nebraska play Colorado. My husband is a Nebraska native and we root for the Huskers - GO BIG RED!!!

Have a great day and keep smiling -

Fall Retreat

2009-11-22T13:58:00.007-05:00

Hi All -

Went to my Quilt Guild's fall retreat on Friday and Saturday - it was great to get away, if only for the day. Since my hubby's back has been acting up and the pups run him ragged when I'm away, I came home at night and then went back up in the morning. There were about 40 of us there and lots of creative juices were flowing. A few of us worked on Bonnie Hunter's "Chunky Churndash" - we swapped strips so our quilts came out really scrappy. Here's a picture of Nancy's (she's an overachiever and got her top done!!!). Isn't it pretty!! I'm about a third of the way done on mine - will try to finish it up this week.

Fran was working on a quilt for a class she's teaching at the local quilt shop. It's a variation of "Stack-n-Whack" - you'd never guess that by looking at it - isn't it fun!!

Carole was working on a Civil War wall hanging and it came out really nice.

The place where we have our retreat provides meals on Friday night, three on Saturday and a Sunday brunch. It sure is nice since we can sew to our heart's content and we don't have to worry about getting meals, taking care of kids, etc., etc. We have our retreat twice a year - one in the spring and one in the fall. You can see from these few photos that we can get a lot done in that short time - no interruptions makes a big difference!!!

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving - keep smiling :o)

Purse Class

2009-11-15T11:21:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone -

It's been a while since I've written - seems like life gets in the way of creativity sometimes. Anyway, our Quilt Guild had Didi Salvatierra as a guest speaker yesterday - she was great and showed us some of her beautiful creations from jewelry to quilting to necklaces, etc., etc. She's really very talented and it was great seeing all of her beautiful artwork. She also taught a purse class on Friday night and Saturday morning using the Lazy Girl "Towne Purse" pattern. I forgot to take my camera to class so all I can show you is my purse - sorry!! I love this pattern. The inside is all finished before you put it together so there are no raw edges to cover. It also has 9 pockets and 1 or 2 on the outside. This is the first project I've finished in class - but I do have to add 4 decorative buttons on each side of the zipper ends. I made mine with short handles but you can use longer ones for a shoulder bag. I'll probably make this purse again - I can just imagine it in lovely summer florals!!

The pups are doing great but I have to really watch Duncan. He's my little escape artist!! He got out of the yard on Friday night just before I was to leave for class (of course) and was hot on the trail of a rabbit. He was zigzagging all over the place and rabbits were scattering everywhere!! Meanwhile, Hamish was back in the yard (good boy!) barking like crazy since he was missing all the fun. It took me about 15 minutes to corral Duncan and get him back home. He was pooped, to say the least, and slept all the time I was at class. The good thing about all this chaos is that I've lost 10 pounds!!!

Take care and keep smiling -

A Different Kind of Plant

2009-10-27T18:26:00.003-04:00

Looked out today and this is what I saw on my deck in an empty flower pot (dirt only - no plants). That's Duncan doing his "flower" impression. I think he's an original "flower child".

Sundae Quilters

2009-10-26T18:15:00.004-04:00

Got together yesterday with the Sundae Quilters - had a great time and got some more "hexies" done. We have such a great group of gals - here's a photo of the gang that was here. Marie is in the foreground. Nancy, Belinda, Carole and Bonnie (holding Dutchess) are in the front row and Fran, me and Beth and in the back row. We always have lots of laughs - and even manage to get some projects done!!!

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping (and eating)

2009-10-24T12:33:00.003-04:00

Yesterday friend Fran and I further corrupted our newbie quilter friend, Bonnie, with a trip to Lancaster, PA. We're working on her getting a "stash" and also learning to start another project before finishing the one you're working on!! We had a great day, starting at Sauder's in Denver, PA, and then on to Burkholder's. Lunch was at Appleby's in between the two quilt shops - needed some calories to keep up our energy. Tomorrow my Sundae Quilter buddies are coming over so it will be another great day -