Ugly Quilts...

When I started quilting I read a book called

"How NOT to Make A Prize Winning Quilt"

by

Ami Simms

I laughed hilariously.

I then visited her website where she hosted

an "Ugly Quilt" contest.

These quilts where UGLY!!!

Now there is a blog I love to watch and read.

This blog is Stash Manicure

On this blog they are having their version of an "Ugly Quilt" contest

This isn't really a contest but more of an exchange

We get a brown bag of fabrics - totalling 2 yards

from someone else's stash and we have to make a quilt of this fabric

I thought it sounded like fun -

and quite a challenge

so I joined.

If you are interested head on over and join the Brown Bag contest!

I imagine you won't have an Ugly Quilt!

Quilt Guild Meeting

Here are some pictures from the last quilt guild meeting.

The center of this quilt is hand appliqued. The quilter designed the entire motif herself.

IT IS AMAZING!!

She showed us as she was wondering if it should be hand quilted or machine quilted.

I would NEVER machine quilt this gorgeous piece of work!!

This is my challenge block for our Guild.

Every 2 months the Guild is doing a challenge block. At the end of the year for each you completed your name is put in a drawing... Hope I win!

Isn't this just the cutest?

This is one of mine as well...

A baby gift for a friend

The yellow is chenille

On top of a wonderful Sew 'N Tell we had the Moda rep come and provided us information on the creation of Moda fabric along with a little glimpse of what was coming to our local stores for Halloween, Fall and Christmas...

All I can say is I WISH I WHERE RICH!
Loved the fabric that is on it's way!

May everyone have a wonderful week of quilting....

Quilter's out there HELP!!

Calling all quilters!!

I saw the cutest way to label a quilt that doesn't put something on the back.

It is just a piece of ribbon sewn into the binding as illustrated in this photo...

(photo from Dear Fi blog)

Here is how you can help!

I know I saw a tutorial on how to transfer to the ribbon on a blog in blogland

BUT crazy me, didn't bookmark, print or even remember where I saw it

Now I have a cute baby quilt that I want to use this for

and am at a loss as to where to go to get instructions.

Yes I have left a comment on the above blog -

but have not heard anything back.

SO - do any of you great quilters out there know where I saw this

or can you provide me the instructions???

Thanks!!!

Quilting Retreat & Ornament Swap

What is bound to happen when quilters get together???

An injury with a rotary cutter....

Hopefully this isn't what happens when you and your favorite quilting bunch get together,

but we had a minor mishap before our retreat even got started.

K (no blogger) was preparing to go to the quilt retreat last weekend

and was cutting fabric, not paying attention, and slipped and cut her finger

She went to the emergency room and had to be seen by a hand surgeon

They talked about possible surgery as they weren't sure if she

had cut tendons, or nerves - but NEVER FAIL - she got

the all clear from the hand surgeon and was still able to come

AND SEW!!!

Here are some pics from our retreat in lovely BEAR LAKE!

The view of the Lake... WOW!!

Someone's cutting...

The gals...

I hate ironing - it is the necessary evil in quilting...

here is P (no blogger) ironing some blocks

One of my projects...

Didn't quite finish... but I LOVE IT!

There is a tutorial for this project on bittybitsandpieces...

I used the pattern "Darcy" by Schnibbles

ORNAMENT SWAP

I also received my Oranment Swap that JoAnne put together

Guess what JoAnne was my partner...

She sent this lovely package with a cute snowman ornament

She didn't even know that I love SNOWMEN!!
Thanks JoAnne...

I will definintely do an ornament swap again next year...

That's all folks.... May everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Getting your Veggies???

Are you getting your veggies??

This weekend I provided my neighbor

with the yummiest of vegetables.

She had watched M1 & M2 for me

so I paid her with these fabulous veggies

Ok - so this isn't exactly a vegetable
and you probably won't find it on the Weight Watcher's plan.

It's a mouth watering, luscious CREAM PUFF
The recipe is simple, but elegant
and all too YUMMY!!

I dyed the dough to be orange and green for the season

My neighbor got a good laugh when I told her I would
bring her some veggies for her help
and I showed up with these.

My husband showed his kid side
{he actually does this often}
When I came home from the grocery store
He helped the kids make "hats" out of the sacks

The kids thought they where robots
and ran around the house
wearing these paperbag hats

I worked on my Christmas Cottages at our Quilt Retreat this weekend.
It was a lot of fun
A nice cozy group of quilters
All working on various projects
My mom's class was pretty full
Many of the women wanted to learn how to hand piece and quilt
what a lost art!

Here are some pics of my Christmas Cottages
They need a little sprucing up!
I have seen others and they are much more festive

I'm off to a conference for work...
When I get back my youngest will be 2
AHHH where did time go??

A celebration for Saturday!!

Fall is here...

This weekend it poured rain,

during soccer,

during grocery shopping,

during running,

and on and on...

Supposedly there is now SNOW in the forecast

{UGH!}

This means that inevitably fall is here and summer is gone.

But I'm not complaining as it is my favorite time of year.

Time for sweaters,

Leaves changing,

Cuddling (this is my favorite),

Good food - PUMPKIN anything is GOOOD!

Quick Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Spice Cake Mix

1 Small Can Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 Bag Chocolate Chips

Mix all ingredients and form 2" cookie balls,

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet

Bake at 375 for 10-12 min

YUMM-O

This weekend was time for General Conference. I loved every minute of it.

The talks seemed to help encourage me in my everyday life,

they gave me the lift I need...

We all can use a boost every now and then!

I even got in a little time for sewing this past weekend.

I finished a table runner I found when I was pulling out the Halloween decor.

Crazy me all it needed was bound - the binding was even sewn on it already.

I've been working on my Angel Stitchery - can't show too much...

But I think it is coming along nicely....

This is just one of the projects that I have started,

but I dont' want to give away the farm...

The kids of course played and played,

Uncle J decided to teach M2 to pull funny faces...

Isn't he cute???

This little one will celebrate his birthday this next week.,

He will be 2 years old, and yes he can through tantrums!!!

But he has decided that he wants to be potty trained,

Actually he tells us that he needs to go, we put him on,

and Ta Dah... he goes.

I like it this way! We haven't even had to do anything...

I guess when you have 2 older brothers, and a father

you get the hang of it pretty quickly!!

Has anyone ever had someone potty trained so early in life??

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining!

This weekend is my quilt guild's quilt retreat.

Each October we hold a one day retreat and offer classes, food and fun!

My mom will be teaching this time!

She is an amazing hand piecer and hand quilter...

Yes Mom I'm bragging about you!!!

She has even won a blue ribbon for her quilting.

{Stop Blushing Mom!}

I'm excited to spend sometime away from the boyz and just enjoy some quilting.

TTYL!!!

Pin Cushion and Giveaway

Shop hop is over, and I got the final piece I needed (and a few surprises) for the Pinchusion swap. Here is a photo of part of it, but I can't reveal the entire pincusion just yet!!!

I hope my swap pattern loves this!! It has been so much fun.

Well, I know that I am pretty new to the blogging world but I have decided to do a giveaway. There is a catch of course, I have a counter at the bottom of my blog and I am hoping to get it up to 500 people that have visited my blog. Once I reach 500 I will post a giveaway - with a quilting theme - and of course you know what comes following that... LOTS OF FUN IN THE MAILBOX!

Here is my favorite quilt from Shop Hop. It was at Piper's Quilt and Comforts. This is completely hand appliqued. WOW! This store offers lots in quilting (especially applique - MY FAVORITE) and knitting. The owner is even doing videos for Expert Village in order to assist beginners in making quilts. What a way to reach out to the quilting world! I know that I have learned a ton from Jeanette.

Well - Summer is officially started, I know it sounds kind of late, but Andy is finally out of elementary school. He will be attending Junior High in the fall. I can't believe that I have a teenager. He is getting ready for Scout camp in a week. Matthew is now 4, and giving his parents a run for their money. His favorite thing lately is to sneak out the front door, or the back gate and try and find Andy at this friends houses. He eventually makes it home, or we find him walking around the block. Miles has made it one month without an ear infection YIPPEE!! Hopefully this is the end of them. Maybe his head has finally grown enough for all the fluid. Coby is trying to get on with Avis - hopefully he finds a better job SOON!

That's all for today!