Sweet and Sour Pair

This quilt top is Sweet and Sour Slices . . .

And this one is Sweet and Sour Sampler . . .

The quilt tops are piling up... I really need to get on the frame.  Hmm, maybe I should move it upstairs.  That's something to think about :)

Today's Sunshine

I could find any sunshine today, so I brightened my world with some flowers.

Now if I could just get a chance to spend some quality time with my quilting frame, all would be good!

Little Quilts

I've been playing with little quilts in between the big ones.  These sure do finish a lot faster.  And I'm loving the new embroidery features I discovered on my machine. 

I'm not sure where this one came from.  I haven't been to the beach in forever.  And the last time I wore a bikini was waaaaay longer ago than that!

 But, hey, a girl can dream!

My second little quilt attempt came out a little neater.

Being different sure makes one stand out.  I guess that's the good and the bad of it.

Pattern Testing

Jennifer of All Things Belle made a Paper Pieced Patriotic Pennant Pattern (phew!) and when she was looking for testers I volunteered.  Fun pattern!  I love patriotic and I've recently come to love bunting so this was just right for me. 

It was a relatively easy pattern to do, and it's super cute. 

I learned a few things...
1.  I really have to concentrate when I do any kind of paper piecing. 
2.  I love the precise results you get from paper piecing.
3.  "Prim"  means primitive art.... all you arty people probably already knew that.... I didn't. I asked Jennifer if she had a typo on her pattern... color me embarrassed!

The pattern is for the pennants themselves and you'll find a free tutorial on Jennifer's blog using the pennants to make a Prim Patriotic Banner.  She used a ruffly holder but I had a length of leftover binding that worked just right.  I embroidered stars near the hanging ends.  I folded over a few inches of the binding at each end and stitched it to make loops for hanging.

How do you like my bunting holders?

Jennifer plans an entire line of paper pieced patterns that she will be selling in her All Things Belle Etsy Shop.  I've seen the next one and can't wait to test it!

Here a Bag. There a Bag.

A few weeks ago I made these bags by request.  I became addicted to them.  They are large flat bags with batting and lining.  The top is folded over so the lining shows for the accent.  Both fabrics are used on the handles and there is a little pocket inside.  It was fun to match the fabrics and then to find different ways to quilt each one.  A few have wavy lines, one is meandering. One has veins quilted on the leaves.  The black and white one has white buttons; the smokey one has glass beads and glittery floss flowers. The reddish one has white french knots. 

There were scraps leftover so they became tissue holders and zipper bags.  What else could I do?!

The bags have gone to their new homes but, in between making quilts, I keep making bags.  I can't help it.

I have two more finished and a few more in progress.

Yep, I'm a bag lady.

Happy Birthday Zak!

I can't believe it's been five years already! 

We sure made a lot of memories in that time.

You are such a sweet, handsome, smart boy. 

I love you to pieces!!!

(Just checking to see if y'all are paying attention :)  )

You are such a good big brother.

Sweet boy.

I hope you had a great birthday.

Sunday Breakfast With Family - The Aftermath

Whenever I'm able head North of a Sunday morning, I always enjoy breakfast out with Mom and my siblings.  Sometimes a niece or a partner will be there too :)  I LOVE having someone else cook for me and serve me!  And someone pouring my coffee for me.  Okay, I have to pour the coffee myself.  But someone else made it!

But, really, the best part is the visit afterwards, back at Mom's.  The restaurant din is gone and we laugh and joke.  We feast on whatever sweet Mike happened to bring (thanks, Mike!) and enjoy more coffee. And laugh and joke and converse some more.  This time I happened to have my camera . . .

 Mom hangs out with people in high places

 Pat hangs out with everybody.

It was great to see you all today!

The Battle Rages On

I think I won the latest skirmish.

First up, this nasty tangle of weeds.

The weeds are gone. 

But the daffodil leaves still need to come out,

more flowers need to go in,

and a border needs to be added.

The Johnny Jump-Ups are now relatively weed-free and happy.

Unfortunately, a recently planted Lily of the Valley was lost due to friendly fire.

And speaking of friendly fire, the toads better stop hanging out with the enemy or they aren't going to fare too well either.  I'm trying to watch out for them but it's hard to see them in the weeds!

The Petunias are flourishing!

The Pansies need work.  And they aren't helping.

They are holding their own but don't seem to be spreading out.

 I don't know what to do with these guys. They are right smack in the middle of a bunch of plants that I know are weeds that need to come out, but I don't know if these white flowered plants are weeds or not.  The long skinny leaves are the ones that go with the white flowers.

I

What do you think?

Are they a perennial that someone lovingly planted years ago?

  Or are they a weed cleverly masquerading as innocents?

So many of the flowers that bloom here survived because I procrastinated when it came to weeding.  The first happy weed-turned-flower incident was the group of Lilies in front of the house.  Imagine my surprise!

The Johnny Jump-Ups were another.

The Petunias another.

And most recently . . .

Common Sundrop Primrose surprised me yesterday. 

I had told Scott the day before that this mound of weeds was next to be eliminated but before I could get to it they bloomed!

All in all it was a good day in the garden yesterday. 

I know the weeds are even now gathering reinforcements so I can't wait too long before launching another attack.