Here's How We Look Right Now

On Sunday, April 26 I posted about our addition, which at the time had just begun....Well, here's what the outside looks like now. I can't wait for the day I can rip the labels off and we can put the furniture in the rooms.

This indoor picture was taken with my back to the big sunburst window in the front of the house. This room will be the bedroom and the boxes on the left are outside the bathroom. The remainder of the addition will be a living room.

It has all the electric, heat, AC and insulation so all that's left is the sheetrock, hanging the light fixtures and flooring.

Peg

Starting Something New

I know, I know, I'm not supposed to be starting something new, I'm supposed to be working on my BPF UFO Challenge List but heck...I couldn't resist this pile of blue, white, yellow fabrics that my friend Laura sent me a while back.... I'd sent Laura a bunch of bright chinese coin strips and as a thank you I got a beautiful collection of Eleanor Burns fabrics. I added some strips from my stash yesterday and this is what I have laying on the sewing table waiting for assembly.....check back later in the weekend and I might just have something to show you :)

I also have been getting in some blocks from a birthday block swap I've been doing for a million years. This year I asked for some small 30's blocks. I haven't gotten all 14 from the girls but I do have a few.... I don't have anything in particular in mind for these blocks but I do have a lot of assorted sized 30's blocks laying around that I could make another sampler with them....

Heading out to Home Depot soon with hubby for some pet screen to make a few of those handy dandy zippy bags for quilt projects and also we need a few things for the house construction.

I'll post a picture or two later on of the progress... We're hoping to get Jen in her apt. by this time in June...lets all send some positive energy in the direction of the builder...

Peggy

Another Finish

YEY......another finish!!! I showed a picture of the Chinese Coins quilt a while back but never had it quilted or bound...well, here it is in all it's glory, all finished and ready to be given to my daughter's godchild Ariana. Only thing is, Ariana's 3rd BD isn't until October so I haveto put it away and save it till then.

I found some purple Laurel Burch flannel fabric in the sale room at the local quilt shop that I bought for the backing and used the leftovers for the binding. I think it's going to be something Ariana will LOVE.

Peggy

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day to everyone out there.....

Lets try to celebrate the day and remember the reason we are celebrating! Thank you to all servicemen who gave their lives so we can live in our country.

Mad Hatter's Tea Party Block Swap

I haven't done a block swap in it seems like forever but could NOT pass up the Mad Hatter swap which is posted over on Pat Sloan's swap site. I am a big fan of teacups and teapots so this was right up my alley, especially since it's only 6 blocks. Here's my first block totally done with teabag and steam...

PEGGY

Zippadee Doo Dah

Hello all....

It sure has been hazy, hot and humid here in NJ but having AC helps a LOT!!!

Yes, retreat was very eventful with Conni losing her car to the tornado and me losing use of my machine but I bought a cute little Janome DC2010 which sews like a charm! Bernina is still at the shop being looked at but hopefully this week I'll hear on how it's doing.

I was in the middle of doing a buttonhole/blanket stitch on my Christmas table runner to try and get a jump on holiday projects when the tornado hit so now I'm in a holding pattern on it...Robin and Michelle finished theirs so with luck before the summer's end I get mine done.

I did however work on a few things...one of which was a ginormous tote bag. The pattern was in the Mc Calls Quilting magazine last month and after seeing Michelle's done in Zippadee Doo Dah fabric I just knew I had to do mine in the same fabric....

It calls for 2 charm packs and a yard and a half of fabric for the lining. One of the new retreaters was making some of those little basket bags as seen on Pink Penguin's blog so since I had leftover charms I made myself one...

I gave Lori who sat next to me some charms and the blue print fabric as well so we made matching baskets. I'd brought a huge bag of scraps to share with the girls that had to fly out so I think all in all about 12 baskets were made thruout the one day. Every one was different but oh so cute!!!

Then I did the quilting and binding on a table runner that I'd made a few weeks back so now I have a nice patriotic runner on my coffee table, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend...

I also worked on a table runner kit that Robin had made up for Michelle and I. It's called OH CHERRY OH, and Robin found the instructions on the Moda Bake Shop site. I got the whole thing assembled but have yet to sandwich and quilt it. That is a priority for over the next week or so....

I did a little stitchery work too on a Halloweenie/Thanksgiving table runner so once I get that further along, I'll take a picture to share.

All in all, retreat was the best one I've ever been too...I hope we'll all be able to get together again next year, if not at Camp Camby in Indiana, then somewhere....

Peggy

Honey, I'm home!

Yes, we are home from retreat. The drive to Indiana did not seem as long this year but as predicted, the drive home DID seem as long :) I guess knowing that the retreat girls were not at the end of the trip made it seem long and sad.

I did not take as many pictures as I should have because of all the commotion with the tornado blowing thru and both my car having downed power lines rest on it with the tippy top of the downed tree that fell on Conni's car on top and then when the tornado hit it caused a power surge which affected my sewing machine so I had nothing to sew with from DAY 1! I had to call hubby from outside the Avon, IN Quiltery and tell him I had to go inside and purchase a new machine so I didn't have to sit around twiddling my thumbs for 4 days....

Michelle, on the other hand, took LOTS O PICTURES....go on over to her blog and check em out if you want to see some doozies.

I'll be back later in the weekend with a few pictures of projects I finished and am working on...

Hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day Weekend..... woo hoo for a 3 day weekend!!!

Peggy

On the Road Again...

I just wanted to tell you girls that I will be on the road again in the morning (Tuesday) and heading to Indiana for my annual quilt retreat. Robin and I expect to leave NJ by 6am and with no problems, arrive at the Indianapolis Airport by 8PM at the latest. We allow ourselves lunch, dinner and multiple gas and bathroom breaks throughout the trip. We will be meeting Michelle at the Indianapolis Holiday Inn Express at the airport and then Wednesday we will head to the retreat site around noon. Hope you all have a nice week and with luck I come home with some pictures to share.

Peggy

Good Thing

Good thing I'm going to a retreat next week, I'll finally be able to get some sewing done.

Since construction started on the house and my machine was moved out of my room, I haven't sat at it once. Tonight I decided I'd better clean it up and make sure it was in good running order. I didn't want to make anything big so I picked a birthday block for one of my online groups. It's a My Blue Heaven (from Quilters Cache) block done in Thimbleberries.

The block turned out nice and the machine works good.... If I had more energy, I'd whip up a few more, unfortunately, I've been on the move since my feet hit the floor this morning so I'm beat. I need a cuppa tea and my feet up!

Happy Birthday Jen

Today my oldest daughter is 25! It feels like just yesterday when I held that little thing in my arms, but here she is with my son (23) all grown up and beautiful!!!

Happy Birthday Jen!!!

We went to CHEVY's for Mexican food for dinner and celebrated...she wouldn't let the staff put a sombrero on her head or sing to her but she did accept the free birthday ice cream :)