Sunday, March 27, 2011

Pretty Plates

I have all these batiks that look really pretty sitting in my cupboard. I was drawn to them the other day so I picked out my some of favorite colours


And I cut them with my dresden ruler



And sewed


And this


Became this


Sew Pretty

Now you see where my new banner came from. Sew much fun!
Happy Sunday!



Thursday, March 24, 2011

Shopping for a New Car

My DH has decided I need a new car. I hate car shopping. I'd rather be fondling fabric, or ordering online from a cute quilt shop, or inside an awesome quilt shop,

...or even...wait for it...doing housework.

Humour me, he said. Last time he said that, we sold our house and downsized. But since that worked out well, I decided to humour him...again.

We had to go a long way to test drive a few cars...sew I took my I SPY and stitched on the binding...
while he drove to each car lot.
And!
 I made him promise that we would visit one quilt shop that was on the way.

We did.
He patiently waited outside, playing some game on his blackberry, Texas Hold Em or something like that, while I quickly scouted out the shop.
Not much interested me.

Too messy.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful...after all he is spending so much time researching cars, finding good deals, making sure they are sound under the hood, while all the time trying to find the colour I prefer, inside and out...so much work.
And I am grateful.

It's just that I'm the type of person who would rather pick up the phone and say,
 "Send me the white one with the tan interior...I live at..."

But DH says that will simply not do for the purchase of a car. You can order great fabric online, why can't I order a car online? And have it delivered? Sew perfect!

I knew someone once who did that...she just picked up the phone and ordered her car from the salesman. He couldn't believe it. But that was what she did. She would have rather been playing her piano than shopping for a car. She played the piano beautifully.

I'm glad I went with DH today. I learned a thing or two...about cars. You really do need to test drive them.
They are different.

And sometimes you need to "test drive" fabric too. Ordering online is fun, but every once in a while you need to just go and feast on the eye candy in a quilt shop...feel the fabric...touch the bolts...pile them up and see what kind of quilt they would create when sewn together.

Such fun!

Come tomorrow night, I will have gone for 2 whole days...48 hours...without entering my sewing studio. Hmmm.

Saturday morning, cup of coffee in hand, down I will go. For a whole day of sewing...and hopefully no car shopping.

What are you doing this weekend?  Lemme know!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Welcome Spring!

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. ~Ruth Stout


Spring is here...finally.
And with spring comes yard clean-up, longer days, birdsong in the mornings upon waking, mild breezes, buds on trees, daffys poking through the soil, spring jackets, longer walks outside...
You get the picture.

We are in a season of Lent. I haven't given anything up for Lent. But I am reflecting...

During this early Spring season, I'm reflecting on birth, new life, renewal, and transformation as we move from the cold, barren state of winter to the early days of spring.

God speaks to us through creation.

We are transitioning from bare trees, grey skies, brown grass, and barren gardens to hints of new growth ready to burst. Bits of green are appearing on lawns and in fields. Trees are beginning to swell with buds. Daffodils are poking their bright green stems through the earth.

Each spring, I look for these early signs of newness in my surroundings and I eagerly anticipate being able to get out and play in my garden.

Spring. God's wake up call to the earth.


Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world. ~Virgil A. Kraft







Saturday, March 19, 2011

Fabric, A Quilt Show, Amish Country

Guess where I have been this week...

It involved a long road trip...

Lots of beautiful scenery...

A tote bag filled with magazines and patterns...

Many, many fellow quilters...

A quilt show...

Several quilt shops, with fantastic prices...



And the Amish countryside, with Amish farms, buggies, kids, families, etc., etc., everywhere!


Oh I was in my happy place! And spring had arrived there too. I didn't need my coat...just my list and a pair of comfy shoes.

I had a blast!

And I bought a bit of fabric...cause I needed more...


With this little pile I'm going to start on my 1930's Grandmother's Fan quilt in memory of my Grandmothers who passed on to me their love of the "womanly arts." I had sew much fun hunting for these fabrics. I can't wait to start!




Tuesday, March 15, 2011

A Bit of History

Today, I am a guest blogger at Sew We Quilt, Stash Manicure. Take a peak! Have a great Tuesday, my friends.

Monday, March 14, 2011

The Little Quilt

Hi: I'm glad you stopped by...

Just for fun, I made a little quilt for the puppy's basket. I had some leftovers from another project.


I laid out all the strips until I was satisfied...


I sewed the strips together


A completed top. And it fits on my cutting table! This one will be so easy to sandwich!


little quilts are fun to machine quilt. For this one I chose to freemotion daisies. "Daisies are such happy flowers!"


Binding on...and ready for the puppy.


Maggie loves her quilt.

Some people might find this indulgent...but it was a cloudy Sunday afternoon, and I just felt like a quick project that I'd be able to do, start to finish, in one afternoon. And it was therapy!

Thanks for the visit,

Deborah

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Itchy Fingers

I am getting itchy fingers...that is my fingers are itching to get into my garden. The snow is almost gone. There has been some winter beauty...


Come and sit awhile.


My little bird is getting weather beaten...


Any day now, I will awaken to the smell of spring. Tonight, it will not get dark until about 7:30 PM. Yay!
 Spring is around the corner!

Happy Day!
           Deborah

Friday, March 4, 2011

A Day of Quilting

First Friday of the month. That means drop everything and spend the day quilting. I've got to admit that most days do not pass without a visit to my sewing machine.

No matter what is going on in my life, an hour or so at the machine with a project helps make life make sense. I said helps. When I am there, I slow down, I pray, I think, and there's something healing in putting things together.
Sew, today will be spent with a few friends, a project to work on, light conversation, and many cups of coffee.  
 Happy Friday,
   Deborah 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

A Royal Wedding

July 29th, 1981. On that day, I got my little girls up in the middle of the night and we watched the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana. I think I even put on a pot of tea. No scones and Devon Creme though.

This April 29th, I will once again get up in the middle of the night (will I really have to? What time is the wedding?) to watch Prince William marry his chosen one. What an affair! Maybe I'll even dress up, wear a funky hat or something. 

Unlike years ago, with this wedding we can log on to a website and follow closely all the preparations, see pictures, follow tweets, and Like on Facebook.  http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/

Royalty, Princes, Princesses, Pomp and Ceremony, Kingdoms...all the stuff of fairy tales? No so.

There is a heavenly Kingdom, a King of Kings, a Royal City, a throne...and the One who sits upon it is coming again. I've been reading the book of Revelation over the past month and needless to say, I've needed my commentaries close by. Much of the content of the book has left me with many questions. John saw what he saw, and what he saw and heard, he recorded.

As I finished the last few paragraphs of the book last night, I allowed my questions to rest at the feet of the One who sits on the Throne. He knows the future...and that is enough for me. After all, He's the King.

In the end I have concluded that while the book is mysterious, it presents the reigning King in glorious splendour. This earthly Prince's wedding will no doubt be full of pomp and ceremony and wondrous splendour. But it will be nothing in comparison to what we will see some day.  And someday we will see as we've never seen before.



 

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

New Baby Girl

A new month! It is March, and March means a new baby in our family. We are soooo excited to welcome Baby Girl in the next few weeks. Sew of course, Nana gets busy making some soft girly quilts to welcome her. This one was quick to make and I'm ready to sew on the binding.
Pretty in Pink! Fabrics by Kauffman
This one was made years ago because I loved the fabric. I think she will love these colours. 
Pink & Chocolate! Two favorite things of a girly girl.
Fabrics by Henry Glass
I think she will need a bright, happy, modern looking quilt when she goes out shopping with her mom. Will this do?
Girl Friday by Andover Fabrics

I've pieced these little quilts together and prayed that God will give our new little granddaughter a safe arrival into this world, and a life full of blessing.  We can't wait to meet her! I am still in awe of the whole process of new life and birth. Awesome!

Happy March,
deborah