Another Beyond the Cherry Trees block completed.

This is #20 in the BOM series.  To get caught up I have #21, #22, and #23 to get done and then from what I understand, one of the border patterns is going to be offered next month.  There are a lot of cherries in the borders, so I really want to keep up with that so I don't burn out on putting the borders together. 

So, on to the next block

Moving along....

House warming was a huge success.  Lots of friends and lots of good food and drinks.

Now.....

I have started #20 Cherry Tree block.

Next birthday block (fire engine red/tea dyed color tan) is on its way to Maine. Neen, if you see this, happy birthday.

It's, also, that time of year that the hydrangeas are ready to pick and dry, so I told my dear husband that I was decorating the garage.  Isn't it lovely?  LOL.

He's already asking how long they will be there.  Apparently he just doesn't appreciate all the loveliness.  LOL. 

Gotta get some stitching in tonight.  There is a terrible storm abrewing and I don't want to lose my light.  

Celebration day....

#15 is done!  It's been a long time coming and it hasn't been without it's problems.  I ended up ripping out a couple pieces and replacing them,  I thought I was done....twice....and found I was missing pieces and had to cut out more, but it is DONE now and I am ready to move on to the next one. 

Today is my daughter's housewarming.  This is the daughter who moved in with us for two months while they worked on getting their house liveable.  Most of the rooms are now to where she wants them, so she is having the housewarming to show everyone their progress.

So, I whipped up some artichoke dip to take.

Recipe: 

1 can artichoke hearts

1 c. mayonaise (not miracle whip)

1 c. parmesian cheese

add:  garlic sale and oregan (or Adobo Criollo) to taste

1 onion (small) chopped

Mix altogether: Place in microwave uncovered on high for 7-10 minutes. 

Also, whipped up some

Bean Salsa

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 can fiesta corn drained

1 can black beans drained

2 firm avocados chopped

1 med. red onion chopped

4 med. tomatoes (gutted and chopped)

1 pkg.  Zesty Italian dry seasoning

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. vinegar

pinch of garlic salt

Mix and serve with corn chips....yum!!

Also, got this book in the mail.

I want to make the jewelry rolls that are in this book.

Then the best thing of the day came in the mail. 



This is my third featherweight (I figure I have two daughters who will inherit my other two).  It came with all the fixin's, too.

My hope is to pick the one that is in the worse shape (although all three look pretty good) and have my husband sandblast it to death and have it painted in candy apple red. I was hoping he would find one that was so badly chipped that no one would want it, but seems everyone out in Ebay land wants them all.  

So, I will keep you updated on the progress of the "candy apple red" featherweight, the next Cherry Tree block and the success of the housewarming.  

Now to get ready to party! 

Beyond the Cherry Trees progress

Over at my sister blog....Beyond the Cherry Trees (http://beyondthecherrytree.blogspot.com/), Sharon has suggested that those of us who are working on this block of the month show all of our blocks together at whatever point we are.  The idea was to help keep us motivated since the end of the BOM is drawing near. 

I have 18 blocks completed. There are 25 in total with a very involved border that has LOTS of cherries.   

I have one that is almost done and I think 3 or 4 that I am behind in.  Seeing them altogether definitely motivates me to get caught up and stay caught up.  I want this quilt really bad. 

Anyways, keep checking back at Beyond the Cherry Trees blog as there hopefully will be many more participants sharing their progress. 

Working on the Cherry Tree BOM again

I have been lax when it comes to working on my Cherry Tree blocks and I am behind, but one of the things holding me back on this block (#15)  was how I wanted to do this layered flower that was front and center on this block.  The last thing I wanted was to have five layers to the flower and then have to stitch it to a background that consisted of a vase AND the background of the block.  (I managed to only have two layers to the flower)

Well, I have ruminated long enough and came up with this little tutorial on how I managed to get this flower done so that I can complete the block.  I have posted the whole tutorial over at the Cherry Tree blog here.....  http://beyondthecherrytree.blogspot.com/

Sitting with my feet up.....

and this was the view from my chair.

and I read this book.....

and stitched a few hexagons together....

and after posting my hexagon picture realized I didn't sew hexagon points to two of my sections, but that is ok....I am still playing with this pattern. I was inspired by the hexagon quilt that Linda is making over at this blog, Plain and Simple  http://simplylibby.blogspot.com/2011/07/stair-treads-redux-finally-resolution.html. 

Did take a ride and saw a couple quilt barns.

well, actually this one is a quilt "post office".

This post office was in Tustin, MI and the initials in the corner were OTG, so I am guessing it was Old Tustin Guild.  I am going to see if I can find them online. 

All-in-all, this was a great vacation with good weather, warm breezes, good food, family and friends and just some good old "down time".  

Hope this has rejuvenated me and I will be posting more quilting projects soon.   



Too many excuses.....

It's too hot.

I'm too tired.

We've been busy each weekend since the wedding with two to three things going on each weekend...birthday parties, graduations, dinner cruise, etc.

Now I have a friend coming over to sew tomorrow night and I had to "find" my sewing room.

So I got in there to do a little organizing and this is what I got done today.

Finally got the two rows of rick rack sewn together that I have had pinned for a little while now.  Now I have a pink row pinned together.

While I was at it, I realized I was late on one of my birthday star block exchange, so I made that for Gwen in black and white.

If she sees it before she gets it, that's ok.....she deserves to see it since it is late.

Thought I would get the next star made and mailed out, too, so here is Lonnie's in her requested brown and pink (my two favorite fabrics that were in my DD's wedding quilt).

Then while cleaning up a bit, I came across the last Cherry Tree block that I was working on, so I have glue bastes a few of the smaller pieces and I am going to start stitching on those tonight.

That little pile in the lower left hand corner are the pieces I am going to stitch together before applying them to the block.  It doesn't look like it, but there are twelve pieces there.  Flower buds that need to be sewn to their leaves, flower centers to the flower petals, etc. 

So enough with excuses.  They were lame anyways.  I just needed a swift kick to get moving on my projects again and that kick was getting together to sew....always a good thing.  Hope to have some more progress to show you in a much shorter time period. 

Happy quilting