Good-bye, Dark Blues!

This is the end of June which is the end of dark blues in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I managed to finish up all four blocks. They still need their borders but I'm happy to call them done at this point. The basket block turned out pretty cute, but it did not turn out really dark blue. I'm OK with it anyway because it is truly cute.

The Monkey Wrench really is dark blue.

And all four together look like this. ❤

I'm packed and ready for retreat these next two days. I'm hoping to get a good jump on getting a quilt top together. Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Angela at So Scrappy.

June is Coming to an End

I realized yesterday that June was coming to an end and I had a problem. I only had one Tiny Tuesday blue block done. What happened to the other three weeks? Ok, this one is the one that was finished, the Unnamed Block.

Yesterday I worked on Grandmother's Fan block and got it done.

Next up is a little basket block. My progress this morning was picking out the fabrics that I'll use and getting it cut out. So far the handle is glued down and I'll get to sewing it up later.

The last block is a Monkey Wrench block. I've picked out and cut some squares for the background. Progress is progress, no matter how small.

I'm wondering what color July will be for the RSC 2019 project. Better get these dark blue blocks finished and out of the way first!

In the meantime, I've also been working on a Sweet Liberty Tuffet. Miss Rosie's Quilt Company offered up a free pattern for six (or was that seven?) patriotic pin cushions quite a while ago. Not sure if they're still available or not. I'm making this flag one and I'll let you in on the final destination once it has been given.

I wet it down after in-the-ditch quilting was completed and the red fabric ran. It's soaking in hot water and Dawn right now and it already looks to be gone. Of course I'm not completely satisfied because on two of the star points, the blue is showing through. Blech! Too bad -- it's going to be what it's going to be. I think the recipient will be pleased anyway. Completion photo to follow when completed! Duh!

Our daughter's visit is coming to an end. We had a great time at the St. Louis Science Center. We saw 2 Imax movies -- Volcanoes and SuperDogs. The first was OK but SuperDogs we all enjoyed A LOT! It's about rescue dogs and the different rescue locations they're used in: water, snow avalanche, earthquakes, etc. Wonderfully done!! We also saw the Pompeii exhibition and it was really good too. Just how in the world did anything survive the earthquakes before the volcano blew followed by getting covered in 12 feet of dirt and ash? Amazing!

Aphrodite statue

Atrium floor mosaic

Pottery mugs

Beautiful sieve

Yestarday Sarah's cat Penny was getting along with our cat Polly. I was sewing and they were both supervising.

Today they are fighting. After the second go-round, Penny had to go back to her room with the door closed. Makes me sad because I'm sure she would rather be out and about but if she can't play nice? Good-bye!

Have a great day!

Movin' It Forward Monday

In spite of having company, I've still managed to move a couple of projects forward. My embroidery is a no-brainer -- it can be done while watching TV, sitting outside enjoying a glass of wine, or whenever. My circus stitchery went from this ....

to this!

I also got my LQS UFO project done for this 2-month period. I didn't take many pictures of my kitty embroidery but last seen it looked like this.

It is now quilted with an easy grid through the stitching, in-the-ditch at the seams and around the clam shells, and echo stitched once around the clams. The clam shells were made from a new template I got because I loved making Uncle Sam's Clams!

It is also bound in a beautiful green that I wish I had oodles more, kind of a poison green with a striped pattern. The back looks like this.

There you see the hanging sleeve and the label in the corner. That's all I have left -- finish the label and show it off tomorrow at OSew Personal Quilt Shop.

This past weekend my son and his family traveled from Maryland to a wedding in Richmond VA. Here's a sweet picture of my grandbaby ready for the wedding. And, yes ladies, he has arrived - per his onesie!

And here he is signing "I love you!"

Linking up with Em at Movin' It Forward.

I Made It to FNSI!!

It's been a while since I've made it to FNSI and I'm so glad I did. Wendy at Sugarlane Designs hosts a great party once a month and then we all share what we worked on. It's a great way to slow down a little and get a few things sewn. Go to her link above and see how creativity flows through the veins of quite a lot of us all over the world.

What did I work on? Well, at Quilts From the Heart 2019 (my guild's quilt show a couple weekends ago) we have a Quilters' Boutique. Toward the end of the last day everything got marked down. I happened to be sitting with our Raffle Quilt when I heard things were marked down so I went over to browse and bought all four of these circus stitcheries for $2.50.

This is the one I prepared and started yesterday. I'm using a royal blue thread on this one. Maybe I'll use blue on all of them or maybe they will be four different colors. I just haven't planned that far. I think it'll end up being a donation to Project Linus.

My daughter arrived from Washington, DC on Wednesday for a business/vacation trip. Yesterday we took her to Eureka, MO to the Endangered Wolf Center. The weather held up pretty good for us and we only missed the last 10 minutes or so due to lightning in the area. Man, did it pour rain buckets on our way home though!

Here's the only two pictures I took while visiting the center.

Isn't he cute? There were also Mexican wolves, gray wolves, and more. The reason we went is to see the Painted Dogs. Sarah loves them and I saw that there were some at the EWC in Missouri on TV one morning. Then Sarah saw online how the EWC had an explosion of pups this year and some were shipped off to the Cincinnati Zoo. We (as in Mom, Sarah, Fred, & me) had visited the Cincy Zoo a few years back specifically to see the Painted Dogs! I think we've gone full circle with these Painted Dogs now! Lol!

When we got home we watched "Chernobyl" on HBO. I remember when it happened but I don't remember much of the details. While this is based on truth, it is a loose documentary and it's interesting. So far we have watched 2 of the 5 episodes. We'll probably watch more today as last I heard it was going into the 90s today. Welcome, Summer! Ugh!

Movin' It Forward Monday

I'm participating in a UFO Challenge at my LQS. It is being run in the typical manner where we've located UnFinished Objects (quilts) that we would really, really like to finish. Then the store picks a number and we have two months to finish up the project associated with that number and bring it to show & share. We have our next meeting on the 24th of this month so it's time to get moving on it! After all, the quilt show is all over except the clean-up. (As Publicity Chair, I have to collect all the yard signs and car magnets; then clean them up and return them to the storage unit. It will all be over soon!)

Here's a picture of the progress I had made up to this past week. When the UFO was selected, all I had done was the embroidery.

Very early this morning, I was at this point.

Time to get the quilting bug! I'll try to get this finished up and ready to hang this week.

Linking up with Em at Movin' It Forward Monday.

I'm So Darn Lucky!

What a June this is turning out to be! I'll start first with my sewing excitement. Then, if you don't care about anything else, you can move on. But know this: you'll be missing out on lots of good things!

First up for the So Scrappy link party, I pieced the Tiny Tuesday block. Poor little 5" block has no name so suggestions were asked. I think God's Eye may have been the winner but I liked Crosshairs myself. Special thanks goes to Cynthia at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework for providing this week's Tiny Tuesday. Adorable!

Earlier in the week I made my Dark Blue String-X block for RSC2019. It turned out pretty good.

I was wondering how it would look with his friends. Here are the first 6  blocks. Loving it!!

A quick little reminder that less than a week ago I got this Viewers' Choice Blue Ribbon on Mosaics. Although I shared this with you earlier, it was still excitement within this past week.

I will admit that I didn't get quite all the quilting done on it that I wanted. When I get that finished off, I'll get my label put on the back too. Still it was Blue Ribbon-worthy!

That's the end of the quilty happenings here but there is more happiness I'd like to share. A wonderful thing happened this past week -- our St. Louis Blues Hockey Team finally brought home the Stanley Cup. We are a Sports Town here in the St. Louis Metro-Area. We support our Blues and our Cardinals unconditionally and we are SUPER PROUD when they win, whether it be a game, a series, a division title, or go all the way with the Stanley Cup (hockey) or the World Series Pennant (baseball).

But wait! There's more I would love to share with you. Let me introduce my first grandbaby: Brody Charles arrived June 5 at 9:37pm, weighing in at 8lbs 11oz and measuring 21-1/2" long. I imagine you may be seeing more of him in the future!

Cheering the Blues on to victory!

Trying out his 1st smile

Father & Son

Handsome Boy!!!!

I'm so looking forward to meeting this young man next month!



Linking up with So Scrappy!

Quilts From the Heart 2019

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief ... my guild's quilt show is OVER!!! Hearts 'n' Hands Quilt Guild has over 150 members and every other year we put on a spectacular show. There were over 250 quilts hanging, several Quilts of Valor presentations, demos going on the entire show, a Quilter's Boutique with so many items for sale for quilters and non-quilters alike, an antique quilts bed-turning that was phenomenal, and I could go on and on. Something many may not realize is how much work goes into making a show as wonderful as can be. "Many hands make light work" is so true and it would be so much more work if there weren't so many people ready to pitch in but it is still an amazing amount of work! If you came to our show, I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't make it but live in the area, I suggest you put it on your calendar in 2021! It is not only a quilt show but it is also an art show!

As for Movin' It On Monday ... I got my quilt finished last week just in time for the show! Nothing like a deadline to get me moving! Here were my entries.

My Big Gold Star

Mosaics

Marvelous Mini Monday (on far left)

Halloween Pillow (far left)

When I went on Sunday to take pictures of the ribbon winners, you could have knocked me over when I saw this.

1st Place Viewers' Choice!

Another thing that I really didn't have a lot to do with moving it forward but of which I am truly proud is something I'm not allowed to share just yet but I will soon!

Linking up with Em's Scrap Bag for Movin' It Forward Monday!

Good-bye to Orange!

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- I like Orange! I've had fun playing with Orange this month but I hear June will be Blue in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2019. That's fine with me too.

This week's Tiny Tuesday block was an adorable Monarch Butterfly. I had trouble with it but no fault other than my own. Sometimes keeping organized is an issue for me! Lol! Turned out fine but she's a bit shorter than wide. Again, it's all OK because my border strips are over-sized for "just in case". This month happens to be my first case and I think that's pretty good. Here she is.

Last month's Rail Fence block got it's strips sewn on.

And here are all of May's Orange blocks. (I like it when others post their entire month together!)

Check out that orange pen I was using while working on publicity for my guild's upcoming show!

Thanks, Angela, for the Monarch block and keeping us straight in the midst of your turmoil!

Linking up with SoScrappy this morning.