My "Loaner Car"!

My ML is in son Andrew's shop for brake pads and rotors so he loaned me his Coupe, recently "wrapped" !

Pretty cool! I am driving cautiously, that spoiler is really close to the ground!

Gale's Got A Blog!

Please go say "hi" to my friend Gale if you want to see some awesome custom heirloom quilting. I just set up a blog for her today and posted a few pics on a slide show. Gale probably won't post very frequently, between her outside job, the ranch and her quilting, she is a very busy lady, but I hope to keep after her to at least show off her latest projects- as you will see she is a true artist.
http://www.galesmithquilting.blogspot.com/

Spring Quilt Retreat

This weekend marked the annual Spring Retreat for my Montrose Quilt Guild, a wonderful fun and funny weekend at Piecemakers Ranch in Ouray Colorado.

It's a beautiful setting, snow capped mountains all around. Lots of fellowship, feasting and also some sewing!

Here are some of the highlights of the weekend and a few of the projects the members of our San Juan Quilter's group were working on.

Roena's quilt for her friend.............

Wendy's stars.......

Gathering for meals........

Sharon's BOM block.....

Norma's BOM block

Nancie's table runner........

and admiring the stunning quilting and trapunto Gale has done on this quilt for a client.

Ready for the Saturday night Italian feast.....

complete with Italian music........

we bless God for the food............

Manicotta.........

and Tiramisu..........

as well as spaghetti and all the fixings!

More to come, so check back tomorrow for the second retreat installment and more project pics!

Spring Quilt Retreat Part 2

Several of our members have embroidery capable machines and they undertook to make these

very cute and clever dish towels for the retreaters!

Here is Leatha working on a Bonnie Hunter style quilt from recycled plaid shorts.

A sample of Leatha's miniature blocks! Yep, that's a quarter beside them! We all hand off our tiny triangle discards to this quilter!

Elma and her quilt, it needs a final border........

me and my flimsie...........

Lori's quilt that is to go in an antique wooden frame.

An Easter table runner from Lynn, who also made a baby quilt......

a quilt made from recylced jeans from Christie, this is a big quilt........

the wonderful "Professional Tote" by Kaye, a true labor of love for her sister, it has lots of handy pockets and zippers.......

Norma's lovely completed top..........

and good progress by Jean on her Bonnie Hunter design.

Here's Leatha again with co-conspirator Ruthe-they called themselves the "underachievers" for completing just one block apiece-but they did much more that you don't see, and Ruthe is the chief Barrista who makes wonderful lattes!

Here is Nancy and her BOM's........

and sweet Claudia with her quilt top. More about Claudia in a future post!

Happy Birthday Baby Matthew

One year old today!

Before the cake!

Exploring the cake

After the cake and a shower!

The favorite birthday toy, a xylaphone, is this the sign of a musical genius in the making?!

And here my contribution to the party, requested by Matthew's momma, sausage rolls!

VTT Costume Jewellery

On my blog you may often see spelling that is not the way you learned it if you went to school in USA. Someone took exception to my Australian spelling so I felt the need to explain for those who do not know, "jewellery", and many other words, are spelled differently in some English speaking countries! Years ago I became so irritated with spell check that I set it to English [Aus] because it kept interrupting me to tell me that I needed to correct words. I also pronounce words differently, sorry if that confuses you but that's the way it is in Aus! One of my friends said "you can take the girl out of Aus. but you can't take the Aussie out of the girl!"

In the summer of my senior year, between HS and college, I worked for a few weeks over Christmas [it's summer at Christmas in the Antipodes!] in a fancy department store in Sydney at the costume jewellery counter. I fell in love with this bracelet and pin set and splurged -it was quite expensive for me then. I wore these a lot in my "youth" but now, fifty years later I haven't worn them for a very, very long time.

I still love both pieces so they will remain in my possession though I am not sure if they will ever be worn again by me! I guess I keep them just because I like them and I have perhaps some nostalgic connection to that time on my life.

There is some writing on the back of each link in a curved shape but even with a magnifying glass it's still too small to decipher, then under that the number 914. On the pin back the same writing and the number 913. I wish I could tell you more about this set but that's all I know!

I have thought about putting all the vintage jewellery in a montage in a shadow box just for eye candy, I have seen some very pretty ideas.

Now check out Colorado Lady's blog for more samples of Vintage Thursday Thingies!

Resurrection Sunday

He Is Risen!

Saturday In Holy Week

Signs of spring in my garden...........

a yellow rose for remembrance........

a red rose for love.

and the fragrance of orange blossoms.

Happy Birthday JWA

It is the anniversary of the birth of our youngest DS, doesn't seem that it should be 36 years ago that he made his appearance at seven pounds and two ounces! I have those pics but don't have time to find and scan one so I'm posting one of him as a toddler. Isn't he adorable?! Of course I am not prejudiced!

And baby look at him now!

Here with his own baby boy who will be one year old in a week- baby Matthew was born on Good Friday last year, Easter was a bit later in 2009.

We are so very proud of you JW, your dedication, hard work and sacrifice for your family.

We LOVE you very, very much.

Finished For Friday- The Other Quilt Of Valor!

Freehand all-over swirls quilted up very fast on this top that came to me from CA. to be quilted for a wounded warrior.

Thank heavens it is done!