Finishing For Frost Fest

The first project for the silent auction is done, what do you think?

I was so hoping I would have had enough of the khaki color to finish 6 place mats but I simply couldn't find one other piece, so I have five, but will only supply 4 with the table runner and hope these go for a decent price, after all it is for funds going back into our community programs.

Now to finish my string quilt. 
I have a box filled with tissue holders and book marks for the Library, so those too will be delivered this coming Saturday.  WHOOPPEE I am getting there, not as quick as I had hoped, but none the less almost done, after the string quilt is done I still have one or two more little projects I would like to do, one a tote bag and the other a few more of the plain and quick table runners, I have already pulled fabrics for.  We quilters are wierd people are we not?  Always looking ahead to more projects while WIP's are ongoing. 
First however, my mother asked to take a trip out of the Bay for her shopping fix, so off we went and me holding onto her for dear life trying to get her into the car and not laying flat on the icy driveway.  LOL she is 89 years old this coming April and still has to shop.  It was a very long day yesterday but sadly I didn't pass by any quilt shops (just to look, at least my resolution remains still in tack)!  We picked up some much needed items and things for a neighbor as well and will be seeing her sometime today, we hope.  
Currently it is raining and I am praying that the temperature continues to rise and the rain continues to come down, then hopefully all of the ice will melt away.  Leaving me free to remain indoors and nicely ensconced in front of my sewing machine.  
Some evenings my favorite shows are and and handwork is always handy, my hexies are growing.  So armed with hexies, sitting on top of my bed while watching the telly, there was a new Pilot to view with Keifer Sutherland,  one of my favorite actors.  He's back with a new series called Touch, well, for anyone interested in the plot line will certainly enjoy this new series, at least he isn't a killing machine this time like a few years ago in 24!  

I thoroughly enjoyed this pilot and hope many other of his fans will too. 
I discovered another wonderful blogger, Vicky of LA Quilter and she vows to use up her stash!  Scroll down into a previous post and you will see that she actually took a picture of her stash and it's a doosie too.  My stash is in three places, LOL, one over in the cabin upstairs in the loft I cannot use because no one but me can stand up in there, maybe one of these years I will get to use it?  Then one in my bedroom walk in closet cum sewing stash and one in the spare bedroom where I took over a whole chest of drawers... I honestly do no know how long it will take to use up this stash, but certainly more than a year or two, I am thinking. 
It was so very nice of you to drop in for a visit today, and listen to me rambling on, but now I am off to use more stash...
..............OH NO the rain is freezing, YUCK now more ice will accumulate, I wonder if any of the Angels up there are listening to my fervent wishes asking for melting temperatures, not freezing, guess I will have to pray harder! 
Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.  It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.  ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I Found Another Free and Cute Project

While reading on some of my favorite bloggers I have found you another cute project with a free tutorial on it, so go on over to Lori Holts' blog Beeinmybonnet and you will find the cutest little gadget she has made for her quilting friends.  She calls them Love Handles and it is something I am sure you can appreciate being a quilter, tooing and frooing from various retreats, gatherings, or classes.  Such a fun little project for you to make and in no time at all, what a nifty little secret sister article to make and send, costing barely nothing at all. 
Have you noticed that 2012 is shaping up to be the year of the house block?  Seems like nearly every blogger I visit is doing a form of house block or following a group or blogger who has begun a house block quilt.  I seem to always be one step behind in trends, LOL, like I love house blocks, have always wanted to make myself a quilt with salt box houses and still have not done it, now it seems everyone is doing the House Block!  Sounds like a new dance doesn't it?  You have to admit, house blocks are pretty, can be in any style, any color, any shape including Wonky, and they remain popular.
Now, if you want to visit with a very interesting quilter, head on over to visit with Sara Craig, her blog Confession of a Fabric Addict is clean, uncluttered (not like mine) and her writing interesting and her pictures beautiful.  She has a very interesting blog, which I believe you may really get into and enjoy. 
I am close to completing the quilting of the table runner, the place mats are done, so once this runner is finished I will take pictures and you can then critique my terrible machine quilting attempts. 
I'm off, getting back to the sewing machine as there is only one and a half weeks left for me to complete all that I have set myself up to do for Frost Fest this year, thank heavens I did the Scavenger Hunt material earlier this year and that at least is ready for playing.  
I hope I have provided you with some blogs of interest today, these bloggers blow my mind they are all so talented and have a way of setting out their works, explaining their craft and sharing it with the generous use of their time in setting up wonderful tutorials for dense people such as myself to follow. 
Wishing you all a Happy Day today. I look forward to speaking with you again tomorrow. 
Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.  ~Author Unknown 

Squishies Are In The Mail!

Hey there it's Tuesday and I would like those of you awaiting those squishes from me that their on their way to your mail box. 

 It had been raining all day yesterday and then the winds started up, I was worried that the ice on my driveway would be doubled in size this morning, but not!  This morning when I woke I saw that some of the thick ice has been washed away, oh there is still ice, but not like yesterday and the day before, it was so treacherous.  I took life and limb outside yesterday to go to the post office and to get more road salt to see if I could pare down the ice, the store was still out of road salt, but there was a huge bag of water softening ice crystals which according to someone at the store would work  just as well, so, I got me a huge bag and when I arrived home I threw a lot of it all over.  I think it helped along with the rain to wash it down. 
I ran out of my DIY pressing spray and had to make more, and in making more it reminded me to tell you about the recipe if you haven't already found it in one of my earlier posts. 
You can find this recipe on Amy's Blog, A Quilting Sheep and I believe you will like her style in quilting and color while your there as well. (it's a great place to spend time!) 
When you do visit there, click on the link that actually says DIY Pressing Spray and it will take you to the recipe.  This recipe has saved me lots and lots of $'s and I am grateful to Amy for sharing it with all of us.
I re-read once again the story of the Bone Marrow Donation which you may also enjoy reading about. 
Now here is a new blog I visited, nice quilter but better still she makes those lifelike baby dolls, your not going to believe your eyes, these dolls which she created are so true to life like I had to look several times and marveled at this Artist.  The blog name is Lillabelle Lane, just take a look- see at the pictures of those babies, judge for yourself, but I was simply blown away and at first I did not believe these were not pictures of real babies.  
While sitting here writing I saw something whiz past my window and when I took a peak to see what it might have been, I saw two black squirrels chasing each other, or at least one was being chased by the other.  By the time I found my camera and spotted them again there they were up on the neighbors roof!  These little creatures can really climb high and climb fast. 
So, just because I want to I will share them with you, though I have been told the black squirrels can do damage to a house if they get inside the walls and by the looks of the eaves around the neighbors house, I am crossing my fingers they cannot get into it.

I see you

The one sitting on the chimney chased the one on the peak right on down the antenna, what a hoot watching this being played out.

My break is over, if I want to get these items finished for Frost Fest it's time I went back to the sewing machine.

Thank you for making a stop in to visit with me today, I hope your day is going just great.  If you have time drop into The Quilting Gallery today, Michele has some new Bloggers to introduce you to and her Guest today is Linda Ezuka of Quilting Under The Influence, I really believe you will enjoy reading Linda's post and she's from Hawaii where the sun is shining and 85 degrees warm .  I love those photographs on her site, and when looking I was wishing, yes, wishing I was there to enjoy the warmth.
See you all in print tomorrow, have a wonderful day.


Constant use will not wear ragged the fabric of friendship.  ~Dorothy Parker