Block Base Sew Along 6

So I am not sure what is going on with my sewing but this is the second thing I made recently that I am not happy with.  I think the brighter pink should go in the center.  So I think I will remake this block.  Maybe it is because I am rushing to get thinks done in the few minutes I can steal away to quilt/sew.  There is a time and season for all things. 

 

I made three of these little ornaments, one for a friend for her December birthday gift and one for each of the little girls living with me, so they can remember the Christmas with Aunt Mary. 

 

 

 

I also made the girls their own pillow cases.  I hope they like them.  I have some extra of the cuff and I am going to make a little doll pillow and quilt.  It might not be for Christmas but maybe for New Years. 

 

 

I have also been working on the Top Secret Project which I will unveil on Christmas or shortly after.  Not sewing related but very top secret!!!

 

Well if I don't check in before Christmas, please have a Blessed Christmas or a blessed holiday and may the New Year start off with a bang and may you be up to the challenges it brings you and may those challenges be handled with dignity.

A Special Gift

I have a special friend in Miami Florida.  I first meet her when I went to work at then Variety Children's Hospital and was asked to work in NICU one night.  Shortly after that night I transfer to the NICU & PICU.  So we have been friends for a long time.  I went to visit her in May of 2009.  The date is the link to the first of 11 post on our vacation to visit Linda in Florida.


Front

On Friday the 13th a gift arrived for me, it was my Christmas, Birthday, Christmas & Birthday gift.  Linda started working on it after my visit two years ago.  It is really cool and I am looking forward to using it at my next quilt retreat, which may not be until next year. 

Close up of front

On the close up of the front you can see two pictures of Mr. B. and I when we were in Florida two years ago.  Linda calls this  Caribbean Memories.  So you think OK this is a nice tote bag but it is more than a tote.


Inside Front

When you open the tote it has three sides that hang down from your chair. There are different pockets on each side.  This one holds a nice size cutting mat.



A Side

This side has a place for pencils or markers, a clear zipper pocket and a large pocket for books or patterns. 

The other side

This side a pocket for a ruler and two clear zipper pockets.  She had to be careful to get those pockets going the right direction. 

Label

Here is a close up of the label she made on inside. I really like my special gift and all the nice touches she added.  There is a luggage label on the outside shaped like a palm tree.  A flip flog shaped key ring with the Southernmost Point marker on it.  Linda knows I miss Florida.  She also included two cushions to make those uncomfortable folding chairs more comfortable. 

Thanks Linda you did a beautiful job!

Christmas Day 2009

Krystal was surprised by her Blue Horse and liked it. Exact quote, "It's cool". We hung it over her computer area so she can enjoy it. It must be hard for her not to be in her own home but some day they will be again. We had a humble Christmas this year and Richard was still not feeling very good. He asked me not to post his picture of him passing out the gifts. So I won't even though I did it last year. He doesnt look any different. I also think he is majorly disappointed because he had four days off and he was hoping to work on his Man Cave and wasn't able to. He is feeling better today and is off buy wood now to work on it.


I was very surprised by this darling gift ornament set I received from my good friend Karin in Buffalo, NY. It is a Cherished Friend Angle with a Noel Dove. The Angle is lovely.


So here is the French Toast Casserole, or what is left of it this morning. I forgot to take a picture yesterday. It was good and liked by all. I liked it a lot but I missed my egg casserole. With only 5 of us here for Christmas Breakfast two casseroles would have been too much. I think next year I'll half both recipes and have both.

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

Hawaiian Bread (large loaf)
8 oz. cream cheese
2½ cups milk or half and half (I used H&H)
¼ cup maple syrup
8 eggs
6 T melted butter
13 X 9 greased baking dish

Cut bread loaf in half. Cut one half into cubes leaving the other half aside. Place cubes into greased casserole dish.

Cube cream cheese and place on top of bread in casserole dish. Cube remaining bread and place on top of this.

Beat eggs, melted butter, milk and maple syrup in blender or with whisk. Pour on top of casserole ingredients. Smooth down with spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator overnight.

Next AM remove plastic wrap. Bake casserole at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve with warmed maple syrup.

I couldn't find the bread this year and I used rolls and they worked fine. I also cooked for an extra 10 minutes, until no soggy bread was left. We had bacon and sausage with it. It was very good.

After breakfast and gifts the kids scattered to see their mother and Krystal's family. Richard spent the day resting and watching a Bones Marathon. I spent the day making another mini quilt, it only needs four more whiskers embroidered on and it will be done. I had a goal to finish it last night but I just was too tired by 10 PM to finish it. I'll post a picture when it is finished. It is turning out very nice.

Sunday Quilting Upate

Well it has been a nice evening. Kierra stopped by to pick up her wedding gift from us. Money, a very practical gift. I showed her the quilts I'm making her, since they are not a surprise but something she picked out and she is pleased with how they are turning out. That is a good thing. I have the binding half down on the black one.

Krystal's horse has the borders on, and it is hidden away until after I finish the DJ Halloween Swap quilt. I sure like how the horse has turned out. I'm going to wait to sandwich it and quilt it. I added on the borders when I need something easy to do this week in between the angles of the DJ Halloween quilt.


It is official the Halloween top is now completed! YES!! Is is a good feeling. Getting that last piece on was a little tricky, but I got it down or is It on! It's very different working on a free style quilt like this. I will do another one some day but not this year. It has challenged me and did a lot of playing with fabric and changing things as I went. I'm pleased with how it turned out. I did have to rip that last piece out, the lower left corner because it didn't lay flat. It does now.
Well it's time to go to bed, tomorrow is Monday, back to work in the AM.

Sunday Quilting Upate

Here are the pictures to show what I have accomplished this week. I'm too tired now Sunday 9:45 PM) to add the comments about each project. I'll do that tomorrow.
Well, it's now tomorrow (Monday, 6:45 PM).
I feel better after a good night's sleep and surviving Monday at work. Actually I think eating dinner did the most good.

I went ahead and finished part 7 of the Washington Medallion block of the month. There are actually 12 pin wheels, not just 3. I could have waited to finish but I was on a role and it is one of those things I'm afraid to get behind one, or I'll never finish it.


I added the pieced borders to Krystal's Horse. I'm really pleased with this. I think it is screaming for a purple border but she likes blue, I do also but I have come to love purple. I don't have enough of the dark purple border to do borders and binding, so it's on to plan B. I have a pretty bluish multicolor piece I wanted to use for the border but it blends to much with the pieced borders. After work today I stopped by a shop close to me, but I didn't find anything I wanted. One of the gals said here is a pretty purple. See I told you it needs purple.
I may go with plan C, a small purple like I have and use the multi as a larger border and binding. I'll like to check it our tonight once I go to the sewing room. Maybe a dark blue like the horse for a resting border than the multi color. It's almost time to play with fabric.


I made some progress on my Dear Jane Halloween Swap Quilt. The bottom right corner is joined up to the orange strip. The center is joined down to the black fabric with circles, that part will be next. I have been trying to think of ways to quilt it. The only thing I can think of so far is spider webs up in the left top corner where the spider web fabric is. I don't think I'm good enough to do that on my short arm frame. It also would be a good one to stitch in the ditch. Maybe I should baste it on my frame and quilt it under my table top machine. Oh well I don't have to decide today!
So that's all folks, I'm off to the sewing room!!

Charmed Gift Bag Giveaway

Charmed Gift Bag Giveaway
I see many give aways while I'm out there in Blogland, but I don't sign up for them all. Here is a quilter I like to follow. She does lovely work. Anyway take a minute or two to check out her blog and her giveaway. She has a great tutorial at Moda Bake Shop on how to make this little gift bag. I might have to make one to take to my Quilt Get-A-Way in Sept to put my door prize in.

Back From Vacation

We made it back from vacation last night about 8 PM when we arrived at our door. We had a wonderful time during our 10 day stay in Florida. We started in Miami to visit my friend Linda for her Birthday. She was the hostess with the mostest and definitely runs a 5 star hotel.
She liked her main birthday gift which is pictures here. I finally finished the night before I left Miami to come home and here she is loving it!

Notice the color of the fabric now, that is more accurate then when I take it's picture by itself.

I'll post more pictures later, it's now time to go grocery shopping and all.