Keeping Busy...

I've been keeping busy these last 3 days...

(click on photos to enlarge)

Two small table mats started & finished. 

Will show better photos after washing them

(ya know, to show you the crinkles).

One 18" Christmas table mat started & finished. 

Christmas gift for Claire.

Check out that quilting! 

It's all irregularly spaced vertical & horizontal lines.

(It's not been washed, so no crinkles.)

And last, but certainly not least, Julie's quilt top is all pieced.

That's all for now.

I'm on my way to Claire's for Thanksgiving supper...yummy!

Missing Allegra.

I am not sinking into the depths of despair, but I do have large moments of time that I could so easily be there.  I miss my little collie girl so very much.  To look at me, or to talk with me, one would think I was doing just fine.  Yet, several times during the days & nights, my eyes fill with tears, I cry silently...or break down completely & sob.  

I wrote down my thoughts.

Without You
My breaths are filled with sadness.
My pillows are tear-soaked.
The house seems so much larger.
The days so much more quiet.

There is a huge hole in my heart.
An emptiness that cannot be filled.

It's as if part of me went with you. 
Because...
I feel no nudges from your petite collie nose.

I see no expectant looks or wagging tail.

I hear no welcome home bark, no story of your day.
I have no tiny feet to trim, no beautiful long coat to groom.
I miss your warm body across my feet as I awaken.

The sun no longer shines just for you.

Oh, how I miss you, my baby girl, my Princess, my woo-woo girl.  

My Allegra.

33 years ago...

Paul Gary was born. 

 

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Sunday Sewin'...

I finished Devin's quilt top...YAY!  It didn't work out the way I had planned...remember that flames fabric I was going to do the borders with?  Well, I sewed the side borders on.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I really did not like it...left it on for a few days, thinking I just needed to get used to it...but, no.  I ripped the borders off & bought more navy blue Kona solid to use, instead.  Course, it's a different dye lot...but I think once it's quilted and washed, it won't be too noticeable.  Nothing I can do about it, anyway.  I do like the look of this quilt and the blocks were super easy to make.  Sorry, I'm feeling too lazy to hang it so that you are able to see all of it...will do that once it's finished.  {You know I will.}

I need to work on some small Christmas gift projects today.  I have so much to do that I (almost) don't know what to do next.  I'm kind of restless today, too.  So, I'll do laundry & sew, wash dishes & sew, read a bit & sew...you know.  That's way better than wandering around aimlessly, which is what I've been doing thus far this morning.
  

Have a good day!

BEWARE...BRIGHT Colors!

I have over half the blocks done...YAY!  This is not the final layout...I just laid them all on the floor to see what they looked like together.  I still need to trim them all to a uniform size.  I'm debating about the size...16 blocks & adding additional borders of yellow & orange to the already planned border of the flames fabric...or adding another row of 4 to make 20 blocks and then having just the one border with the flames fabric.  Time will tell, I guess.

Congratulations...& 4 Blocks Done.

Paul (youngest son) and his fiance, Rachel, dropped by.

They've set a wedding date!  Finally!

Been together for 5 years...

It's official now...she has a gorgeous ring!

New Year's Eve civil ceremony.

Congratulations!!!

We had a really  nice visit.  I sent stuff home with them...
a dresser I needed to get rid of, plus a few other (small) items.

ohyeah, and guess what they would love for a wedding gift from me?  Yup...a quilty gift...a double-sized lap quilt for snuggling on the sofa while watching tv.  Made of primitive colors.  hmmmm...wonder where I can get me some of that fabric?  {grin}   

(Paul is Kaylynn's daddy...she is so much like him.) 

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Needless to say, I didn't get very far with my sewing.

I did get 4 blocks done...and am happy with how it's going to work out. 
(Holy Schmoly, are those bright or what?)

They will be sashed with blue to make 12 inch blocks and 
will be bordered by the hot wheels flames fabric.
This quilt be will for Devin...
Rachel (of Paul & Rachel) is his Mom.

Not Much Done...Yet.

I've been up for 6 hours...

and this is all I have to show for it!

Time to get busy sewing!

Saturday Tidbits...

As I was doing my daily blog reading (click on the 'quilter blogs' button on my sidebar), I happened upon a photo and thought to myself, "hmmmm, that looks like Debbie's work"...so, I went back to the top and started reading...guess what???  It IS Debbie's work!  Debbie of Woolensails is famous, ya know.  And, so dang talented!  She does awesome punch needle work.  Go check out the blog I was reading here. 

I put together a quilt top and backing last night.  All ironed and ready to baste.  Probably won't quilt it, yet...my to-do list for this weekend is long & heavy on the sewing.  I think I'll let a few flimsies stack up.  

My priority today is to cut & piece quilts for my 2 grandsons. 

Just so ya know, there'll be things mentioned here in the next 5 weeks that I won't be able to show you.  I will once they're all received, though.  Promise.

I need to make some small (but awesome & quick) quilty gifts for Christmas giving.  Any ideas?

Joyce (sister in Alaska) sent fat quarters...

she did a pretty good job selecting fabric, don't you think?

That's all for now...have a great weekend!

BOM 10

This is the latest BOM...one more month to go.

That's all for today!

For Dolls and Kitties...

Alyssa's doll quilt ~26 inches - front...

back...Ashley's doll quilt ~ 24 inches - front...back...Kitty blanket #1 - front...yes, those are dogs...back...Kitty blanket #2 - front...back...

All those crinkles.

All that softness.

Baking with Kaylynn...and other photos.

Yes, she is actually rolling out that cookie dough.

Yes, that is a collie...and dog bones.

Yes, she is actually frosting those cookies and

putting the sprinkles on them.

Yes, I actually let her lick the frosting off the spatula.

No, Tag did not actually help...though he wanted to.

Kaylynn enjoyed eating the fruits of her labor.

Kaylynn gathered a leafy bouquet for me.

(the sun is in her eyes...hence the scowl)

Tag & Kaylynn sitting in a pile of leaves.

A wonderful day!

I found a new quilt shop.

I am in big trouble!!!

Primitives, flannels, homespuns, 1930's repros...

{sigh}...

am either going to have to get another job,

or quit paying bills!

I want to buy yardage from every single bolt in the store!!!

The most delicious blacks, browns, golds, greens, reds, etc.

Never before have I seen so many

truly gorgeous primitive fabrics in one place.

Here's what I did buy...

1/2 yard pieces of this collection

(wildrose by brannock/patek)

were only $2.50 each.

I think I'll save these for my Bee Addicted 3 swap...

my turn for blocks is April.

The colors are totally scrumptious on these pieces!I may have to get more...

I mean, really...

gorgeous prints?

$2.50 for 1/2 yard?

Moda?

How could anyone resist?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaylynn came yesterday & stayed overnight.

Here she is, modelling the vest me Mum

(that would be Kaylynn's great-gram!) made.

Darling, don't you think?

And, of course, Tag had to get in on the photo shoot.

He adores Kaylynn.

She plays with him a lot!

He is in 7th heaven when the grandkids come.

Another Giveaway Win!

HOLY SCHMOLY!!!

Cathy of Quilting on Turtle Hill was in a cleaning out mood

& I was the lucky winner!

The box arrived today.

Full of fabric scraps that are mostly Moda designer fabrics!

There were strips & stripes, odd-sized squares & geometrics, charm packs & hearts, yardage & fat quarters, florals...

all luscious...

all for me...

there seemed to be no end!!!

I love it all!!!

Thank you so much, Cathy!

Cannot wait to start using these wonderful fabric 'scraps'.

What's in a Name?

Allegra's AKC registered name was Kelonie's A Heartbeat Away.

Kelonie is my kennel name...a combination of my Gram's first and last names.

Allegra comes from music...her breeder is a concert violinist, so it was very appropriate...allegro meaning quick/happy. The 'o' ending is male, the 'a' ending is female.

A Heartbeat Away...She was born with a heart defect which was surgically corrected when she was 3 months old. I thought this phrase was fitting because of her heart defect...it comes from Whitney Houston's song, 'One Moment in Time'. (For some reason, I cannot get a youtube video to load...but click here to listen to the song.)

The Little Witch.

Here's Kaylynn in her Halloween costume.

She's coming to stay overnight on Friday!

I think it will be good for Tag & I

to have Little Miss Sunshine & Light here.

Been trying to keep busy.

Quilted & sewed bindings on the 2 kitty mats.

Made 2 doll quilt tops (for Joyce's granddaughters).

Reading "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.