35th Anniversary quilt.. a little late!

Again a picture from the quilter's site as I gave this one away for Christmas to my In-Laws - Mike and Jean. I actually started piecing the top 2 years ago with 35 different 'coins' to represent their anniversary that year. But I didn't get it done on time, and then it languished waiting to go to the quilter and then 5 more months at the quilter's before it came home. The color is a little off - the border is a nice rich navy and the colors of the coins just pop against that blue. This is one of my favorite border fabrics. I have it in several colors. This is also an oversized queen - it will fit a king size bed - so no fighting over the covers on the cold Chicago nights! They have now been married 37 years so if we count the border fabric and the backing fabric I am right at 37 - does that make it not late after all???? LOL.....

A holiday gift given early

Forgot to take a picture before sending this home with Mom at Thanksgiving. So this is an unbound picture from the quilter's site of my Warm Wishes (WW) quilt in peach and turquoise. It's a queen size. Loved the brightness and it's just right for living in Miami!

One holiday down... one to go!!

It feels so anti-climactic after the holiday is over. The presents are all opened, the last dessert has been cleared away and all you're left with is a dirty kitchen, overflowing trash cans and an empty house (no guests remain).

The holiday was great - I especially loved having the time to spend with my SIL. We shopped and talked and tried to pace ourselves to ensure we enjoyed the holiday also! Diane was busy with last minute 'deferred maintenance' on her old house to get ready for closing in a few weeks and so I got a little one on one time with my oldest niece Katherine. Both of my nieces are just beautiful girls (inside and out!) and I love spending time with them. Our next visit with them will probably be in NC next summer, it's going to be a long time before I get more 'girl-time', but Katherine will come up for an orthodontist visit in February so maybe I can catch a day or two then! I Hope!

My brother is on his way to Miami for two weeks with Mom and I am back at work today. It's very quiet so I am getting a lot accomplished - year end always has many challenges especially with so many people on vacation! I am excited about the year ahead and I hope you are too!

I started a very special quilt this weekend, but I can't share for two more weeks, I will say the colors are a departure for me but I do like them all and hope the finished quilt will be loved by it's new owner.

Gotta run - More later

Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays!

Well - I have been getting irritated lately at going to people's blogs and not finding any updates - and realized I have not posted in quite a while either - so shame on me!!!

We have been so busy - Stephen moved out of home 2 weeks ago into an apartment with a friend, tonight will be our first dinner with Stephen and Charlie will also join us, so we can get to know him better. They have been game playing friends for years and both were looking to be 'liberated' from home at the same time so this worked out great. They have a nice 2 bedroom in a building on my way home from work so we can do dinner or whatever after work - we'll see...since he's been gone two weeks and this is our first dinner I don't think he's missing me yet!

Diane and the girls are driving from NC to be with us for the holiday (Glenn will fly up Christmas eve)so we have been redecorating Stephen's room into a guest room and what a big job it ended up being! I decided after the primer was on that the walls really needed to be skim coated. They are old plaster and had gotten damaged in wallpaper removal from previous owners. So my one day paint project turned into 3 days and by the time we got back into the next work week progress really slowed down! The colors were all inspired by a hand stitched Jacobean style pillow I got at a local high end furniture store outlet at a price too good to reveal!!! The walls are a nice deep tan called Peanut Shell, we kept white trim on the windows and baseboards. The draperies will be floor length deep red and the rug is a shag area rug with sage, ivory and the peanut shell color blended together. I love it! We are keeping the day bed and trundle in the room, covering it in sage linens and an ivory matelasse spread and skirt and shams with sage microfiber toss pillows and the inspirational pillow. I am adding in a restored treadle sewing machine that was a gift from Mike and Jean my in-laws. It's very special as it was Jean's mother's machine and restored after getting it from the lodge in northern WI that her father had. It has beautiful carved filigree and iron work. I'll add in lamps and art and that's about it. Not sure on art yet, but am thinking of moving all the cross stitch I did for Stephen as a baby into a collage grouping on one wall - since this was his room! I've also been working on a modern quilted wallhanging that may end up in the room also - I'll have to try it after I get it finished - I am at the binding stage tonight! The colors and decor are a big change from the turquoise walls and black carpet of Stephen's residence, but I think it's more us and will last a long time.

We had good news from Diane that her house here in IL finally sold, they are closing soon, so we are thinking ahead with all our home projects and trying to go 'neutral' for the day we put ours on the market. We're in no rush and are enjoying the space by ourselves, but eventually we will downsize I guess.

So for the holidays we will be in IL with Diane and family and Mike and Jean this year, Fred will be in Seattle with his family then go to see mom on the 28th and Grandma Sharon will be on her own in NC. We hate that, but it's hard to juggle a family with so many parts!

Mom and I will be heading to WNY in early January for a secret trip that I'll have to come back and tell you about later!

In the meantime - whoever you are, where ever you are, what ever you celebrate this season, I wish you glad tidings, be safe, be warm and check back in next year! Hug - Toby

DOILIES???!! Click photo for a close up!!

Yes - Doilies!! I know your grandmother or great grandmother used to have them all around the house but they are certainly not seen in younger or more contemporary homes - but since I love all things vintage and live in a very traditional house I love doilies under lamps and figurines. They provide a little more protection for the wood or objet d'art so I like them. And from time to time I need a little crafting challenge so I have made a few over the years. This past month I made the two doilies shown here and the thread bookmark. The Burgundy one is just under 12 inches and the white and purple one is just over 12 inches! I really liked both of these patterns, though the purple and white doily pattern was a little hard to follow I think it turned out great. I am now going to make the burgundy one in white thread, maybe a few of them for use in my china cabinet. I'll be taking these to the craft show October 16 and 17 at the Legion Hall but I won't be sad if they don't sell. I also made some thread crochet book thongs that were fun to make and a change from fabric crafts. Have a good week! Toby

Quilt Gifted and another one coming.....

I have been working off and on on my courthouse steps quilt. Finished 32 blocks and am a little burned out - I need 64 total - so I think I'll turn back to my unquilted table runners and get those done for the craft show in October. I really haven't done a lot of the things I wanted to do for that show - the ADD kicked in and I got distracted - but I will have to get back to some of those! (I am tracking the variations of courthouse step blocks in a spreadsheet of all possible combinations of the fabrics in use - so there's a lot of work, not just creativity in this one!)

I gave a scrappy quilt to my son's friend Tony this past weekend. He is a great guy and we really have enjoyed his company over the years. This past Thanksgiving he house/dog sat for us while we vacationed in Seattle and on Sunday he brought his GF Caitlyn over for dinner. She is also a very nice young woman. Giving Tony a quilt was just an extension of the care we feel for him. Then, last night I got a text msg forwarded from Stephen that says Tony's mom loves his quilt and would I make one for her? Well it turns out I have so many already made that she is going to come over on Thursday and decide if she likes one of them (that I am willing to give up) or if I will make a new one for her. This will be a gift also - just because.....

I will however have to get back to Thomas' college quilt if I am ever to get it done for christmas! I am mailing him a box today full of home baked cookies and a SBSP (Sponge Bob Square Pants) tin lunch box with a coupel of Sponge Bob pillow cases inside. Yes, he's in college, but he still likes SPonge Bob - so what the heck - at least it will make him smile! I'll probably also get another email out of it!! LOL.

I was on a baking binge Sunday night - made Lemon Poppy Seed muffins, then two batches of cookies, one tollhouse and one with M&Ms mixed in, then 3 batches of buttermilk jalapeno cornbread. Mark requested the cornbread to take to work and it was a hit there on Monday. We had one batch with dinner Sunday night - ham with Tony and Caitlyn and it was good! Leftover cornbread worked last night also with a big crock pot of beef stew that smelled so good when it was bubbling all day!

More later - want to check the elections in Provo to see if NieNie's dad is winning - hope so - he sounds like a great guy! Ciao!!

Stephen's Quilt

I finally got pictures of the quilt I finished for Stephen several months ago! It's not looking it's best - pulled straight off his bed and tossed over the log pile in the back yard, but I had to take a picture of the Fourth Annual Scraps to Treasure quilt I finished at 3 am this morning so I thought .. as long as I was out there getting a photo of that one - I'd throw this one on the pile too!

Stephen has always been intrigued with knots. When he was little I would keep bow-biters on his shoes to protect the laces because given a minute he would have the ends knotted over and over till there was no lace left just a line of knots. He got out of that finally, but when I saw this Celtic knot fabric I knew I had to get it for him. I made the top probably 4 years ago and it sat waiting for me to find the black batting that was stored in the garage. If you use white batting in a black quilt, you run the risk of seeing white at the stitch holes when the needle pops in and out. So - probably 6 months ago I found the black batting, and finished his quilt. It is meander quilted in red thread, which is striking up close.

Stephen loves it and that's all that matters. I have another in the works for him - queen size for when he moves out (if ever! LOL)

Can't share the picture of my scrap quilt until after the contest ends - but that will be forthcoming in a month or so! In the meantime I am bust working on a courthouse steps quilt and as always planning more projects.

Found a lovely little quilt shop out in Huntley, IL that carries a LOT of batiks, so I had a great time picking up some new pieces today. I am gathering for two wall hangings. Now I just need more time to work on all these projects!!

More soon - hugs - Toby

Chuckles

I went to the microwave at work the other day to heat up my Smart One lunch and while waiting for it to heat, I turned and looked at the vending machines. I was surprised to see Chuckles in the machine.
I hope you remember Chuckles - I had a friend in my youth turn me on to them and I have had a life long love affair with jellied candy ever since. Chuckles were just the best for clear fruity flavors and good sugar coating, I always saved the red one for last.
Then I discovered those jelly orange slices!! Heaven!! and a neighbor down the road had a recipe for cookies with little snips of those orange slices mixed in - I must ask Mom for the recipe from her box.
But I haven't seen Chuckles for a long long time. I used to get Sunkist jellies at Joann Fabrics - but they don't have them much anymore. And now - here are Chuckles just down the hall.
I went to the vending machines a minute ago to get a drink and checked to see if the Chuckles were still there. Yep, still there neatly stacked between the coils of the silvery spring that twirls to deliver your treat. Then I noted they are a dollar. Wow - a dollar for the same little six pieces of jelly bliss that were probably 35 cents when I first fell in love with them.
Complaining about the price makes me feel like an old woman "I remember when..." instead I should be glad I can afford the dollar and just take the ride back to my youth as I work my way through the packet, still saving the red one for last!

2 weeks just rushed by!!

I should have lots of pictures to post because I have been busy working on crafty quilty things - but have not taken any pictures. Maybe I can rectify that tonight and will post later. In the last two weeks we have had the American Legion Installation banquet which took a turn this year into a more casual and technically advanced format. Going green - we (the presidents and commanders) decided to use the new projection system in the hall and not print programs for each attendee. So I put together a powerpoint program and also put together a slide show of pictures taken during various events from all the clubs this past year and had that running all night during dinner and after the swearing in. I worked set up and did simple floral centerpieces for each table and then Mark and I helped clean up after and scooted home for a little rest. The rest of the crew stayed and karaoked with the DJ.
My SIL Diane and her family moved to Charlotte NC this past week, and though we are deeply saddened to have them so far away, we understand that sometimes you have to make tough decisions to do what's best for your family. Mark and I have often talked about retiring to that area of the US so if they stay put this may 'seal the deal' down the road. Wouldn't it be more fun to be retired and live close so we can play together more?
My SIL Sharon from Seattle is in town for work and will overnight with us tonight. She is craving some home-style italian food, so we'll be heading out tonight for dinner then get back home to hang out and chatter and maybe dig up some hand made gifties to send home with her.
I finished the binding on a huge quilt this past weekend that was meandered by Joanne Lendaro - check her blog at splittingstitches.blogspot.com I am happy with the quilting and the quilt. Joanne has two more of mine to do which I am sure will also just be great! As promised pictures later.
Evenings I have been doing some thread crochet - discovered book thongs with lovely long tassels on the end and a crocheted motif on the top, they work up quickly and are fun to do in different colors. This past weekend I actually made a doily! I thought I would go blind doing it in burgundy thread while watching TV (I didn't see much TV!) once I get it blocked and starched I think it will be great under a figuring in the china cabinet or something. The pattern was a toughie, but I am glad I worked it through and finished!
I've also been playing with some quilted table runners and getting ready for my next RHMC Crayola Challenge quilt. I have yet to quilt and finish the Scraps to Treasures quilt - better get on that - I have just two more weeks I think to have it done and submitted.
Stephen is still at home waiting for full time hours and paycheck and Thomas is safely esconced in college and doing well.
So all is good - well except for the darn skunk who has been stealing my Roma tomatoes from the garden and leaving them half eaten as if to taunt me. My basil is flourishing but I have not gone out to pick any - I have some fresh pine nuts and parmesan to make more pesto - better pick up some romano cheese and get on that task before all this rain takes it's toll on the leaves. I freeze the pesto - it lasts forever! Also make some with sun dired tomatoes - yummy easy way to dress plain pasta when there's nothing else to eat in the house!!
Ta for now - Toby

Fred's LR quilt

When I was out at my brother's new house in November last year, his LR would get a little chilly at night and silly me I only took quilts for his beds!! I came home after seeing his new couch and started collecting new fabrics to add to stash and made him this quilt for his LR. I sent it to him a few months ago, but just found the picture on my camera. Hope he gets some use out of it this coming fall and winter! It's a 'manly' combination of golds, browns cream and black. I really liked the simple layout and blocks of this one!

Last day of July!

I am sitting here just wondering where did the month go and then I realize how quickly the year is just flying by! We have had so much going on this summer we are just exhausted and no rest in sight!

The summer started with Stephen planning on moving out - he finally landed a job and is now waiting to be bumped up to full time hours and get a couple of paychecks put away so he can make his move. Timeline end of September.

We got the pool opened but have yet to get in it! The weather has been really rainy and when it is nice we are either at work or have other committments that prevent us from getting in and relaxing. This is our second year of little to no pool use - so I am thinking of taking it down - though I know Mark will balk.

Thomas came up for two weeks the beginning of July It is always good to have him in house and this summer especially as he heads off to college in the fall.

Speaking of bad weather it's been lightning and raining and tornadoes all over the midwest. We took a lightning strike near the house a few weeks ago which fried our pool pump and the clothes washer (only 3 years old top of the line....errrrr!!!) So we replaced the pump and ordered a new washing machine and then we had another storm July 2 which evidently succeeded in breaking just one of the power lines coming into the house. Unfortunately the line that broke was not the power feed, but the line that controls how much power comes through into the house. So when we got home ready for a nice holiday weekend we could not use any appliances in the house, could not run the AC, we were getting surges and drops so we called ComEd and put in a work request and of course they never showed up. So - we decided we could use just one appliance at a time - no AC but one appliance - not having had a washer for over a week I needed to do laundry - so we put the brand new washer which was delivered in the middle of this crisis on a surge protector and I started loads. Sunday I went to throw the last load into the dryer (on it's own isolated 220 line) and when I pushed the start button on the drier I had electricity flying out of the outlet next to the drier - which of course is where the washer is plugged in! It blew the surge protector - lots of smoke and smell - but luckily the washer was safe.

Com Ed finally came out on Monday acknowledged their broken line and fixed it in 20 minutes. I was irritated no end - because I not only have replaced about $1,000 worth of appliances, there is more that I have not yet replaced and worst of all my three day weekend was ruined! All in all the storms this year have cost us the pool pump, the washer, 2 mother boards, 1 hard drive in a laptop, a hub unit, 2 surge protectors (up in smoke), and the air filter from the bedroom.

Oh well Life goes on! Last week I did a quick trip to Cleveland for work - always interesting and this past weekend Mark and I volunteered at the Lions Club Annual Senior Picnic - held at the American Legion we had lots of seniors, good food, good fun. Bingo and prizes for everyone.

This weekend - starting today I will be volunteering at the Taste of Roselle - the American Legion booth will have Dove bars as usual, and the Auxiliary will be selling quilt raffle tickets on the quilt that was donated to us by Meliss - Nancy Vrba's sister. It's a beautiful queen size - I'll try to get a pic in the sunshine and post it next week with details.

Tuesday night August 4 we will be at Turner Pond in Roselle handing out hotdogs and sodas again for the National Night Out. This is always fun as we work side by side with Harris Bank staff. Harris is a very generous underwriter for this event and many other community events and organizations - I highly recommend their banking services. That's it for today ! Hope you have a happy and safe weekend ! Ciao!!

Colors are off - but here's a new quilt/pic- Surf's Up!!

I took this picture with the cell phone in my office - which has limited light - so you can't see the beautiful turquoise and green frond border fabric or the great colors in the coins - but this is what I have - so imagine!!

This quilt started with the gift of a set of coins that are cut from the fabrics that hawaiian shirts are made of. The gift giver went on vacation to Hawaii last year and knows me so well, that when bringing back gifties instead of chocolate covered macadamia nuts I received quilt coins!! I purchased some additional hawaiian shirt print fabrics at a quilt shop in Woodstock, IL and the wonderful palm frond border fabric. It sat for a couple months while I decided on a layout and when I came up with this one I didn't have enough of the border fabric - so off to the internet I went to find more (of course I bought extra!! It's Turquoise!!!)

The back is an all over palm tree print (with coconuts!) on a turquoise background and the quilt is stitched all over in turquoise thread in a meandering pattern. The curves of the stitching bring a different texture to all the straight lines of the coins and borders.

I really loved this quilt, all the bright colors and prints kept me thinking of warm tropical beaches and luscious views but I decided to gift the quilt back to the friend who gave me the coins. She had a birthday coming up and it was perfect timing and I knew it would be a surprise. She was surprised and I was so glad she liked it. It's 72 x 72 finished so it's the perfect size for napping or snuggling on the couch with that wonderful man she went to Hawaii with!!

Taking the weekend off!!

It has been a really hectic two weeks. Busy at work, busy on the weekend in between, too much daily stress. So this weekend I have nothing planned other than relaxing and resting. I will fit in a little grocery shopping and a little house cleaning but mostly this is a weekend of self indulgence.

Last weekend was the Roselle Rose Fest - an annual event the Roselle Lions Club has been bring to the town for decades. It's a 4 day carnival with live music every night, a beer tent, a parade on Sunday and even a Rose Queen. I worked 5 shifts volunteering at the carnival and walked in the parade on Sunday for the American Legion throwing candy to the kids along the parade route. That was fun! I teared up a couple of times as we passed some old soldiers sitting in their lawn chairs beside the road and they solemnly saluted the uniformed soldiers we had riding the float. We had quite a Legion presence with the color guard leading the parade, the Legion Riders on their motorcycles, a truck for the Patriot Guard with candy throwers and the Legion float recognizing all of the Legion clubs. The Lion club float was right behind us and they also had a huge flag that about a dozen people carried stretched flat - it was neat in the aerial photos. I've posted one above of our float - I am the little candy thrower near the Southeast corner of the float!

Well - that's about it - I am ready for the weekend! Hope you all have a good one too!!

Last one is a graduate!!

This weekend Mark and I flew to Texas to see my son Thomas graduate from HS. That's him with his GF Sarah in the picture above! It was a quick trip but we spent some time together at a movie on Saturday afternoon, at birthday dinner saturday night (Mark's birthday) and then the graduation on Sunday.

This was our second trip to Texas in the past month - about 4 weeks ago we were there for a 4 day weekend and did lots of stuff together! Thomas will be heading off to Southwestern University in Georgetown Texas in the fall. (Go Pirates!!)

Sharon's Quilt

I finally unloaded my camera of pictures so have the shots of my SILs quilt to post. The colors are not very true - too much sunlight on my terrace I guess so am posting the second picture which is a closeup of the fabrics and really shows the swirly inspiration fabric. Hope you like it! It is a queen size and the colors all match her new paint scheme of warm gold walls and lilac and sage accents, mid tone brown furniture and a pop of color with one magenta wall behind the bookcases! I popped the magenta on the binding of the quilt also to give it great definition when it is on the bed. I sent along a couple of pillowcases with a matching border to use with the quilt.

This week has been busy - more in my next post!

New picture coming soon!

I am anxiously awaiting a quilt to be returned from my long arm quilter in Ohio. Yes I know it's far from home, but this quilter is so worth it! Her pricing is not to be believed and I have never been disappointed in her work - she finds just the right panto to bring my quilts to life. The quilt I am waiting for is a belated birthday gift to my SIL Sharon in Seattle. I cheated and sent her a few clips of just some of the fabrics I used in the quilt and she is excited to receive it! There's a little surprise she does not know about it that I know will make her even happier!

Also on the quilting front, I have decided to publish a quilt pattern I created recently for a wedding quilt for a friend. It is unique that the quilt block and layout has a story behind it that makes it perfect for newlyweds, anniversaries or anyone in a relationship. More news to come on that front after I find the time to file my business name, get copyrights, etc. Not sure yet what my marketing approach will be but I think "start small and grow" is the best plan right now, after all I do have a real job too!!

We've been deluged with rain the past few weeks. Even when we flew to Dallas for a long weekend with Thomas the rain came with us and we had it 3 of the 4 days! So that one day we got out and did as much as we could, including visiting a quilt shop, going to the stockyard in Fort Worth and running the stockyard maze. Too much fun!! Hopefully the swine flu gets under control and we are able to get back to Texas for Thomas' HS graduation in just 3 more weeks!

Well - That's about all the news I have today. I moved a credenza into the quilting room and it is providing some much needed additional storage and a handy place to keep my racks of my spools of thread.

I am so inspired by the quilts I am seeing on line at at the HGTV.com bb that I am itching to spend some time in the studio and create! More news soon!

Stimulate the Economy Today!

I just read about the most incredible offer to stimulate our economy. One of my fellow quilters is offering an opportunity to get your quilts quilted for a special reduced price. Limited time offer, and full instructions are on her blog go here http://splittingstitches.blogspot.com/2009/03/update-on-stimulus-package.html

I read about this on another blog I follow - which is Bingo Bonnie's blog. She is a quilter from the HGTV quilt bbs. you can check it out here http://bingobonnie.blogspot.com/

Hoping I make the schedule I have a couple of quilts I would love to get done and am always interested in finding a new LA quilter!

Speaking of quilting, I finished the quilt for my SIL and it has been sent for quilting. I actually sent her clips of the fabrics so she could compare with her new wall colors and not an hour ago I got her email saying they are perfect!

Last night I started assembling my Flutterby blocks from a 2008 swap I was in on the hGTV bbs. My flutterby is very scrappy and full of bright colors. I don't know if it will stay at my house or go to live with my brother in Seattle, but I like it so far! Will post pictures when they are done done!!

No news is no news!!

Not much going on in the way of quilting lately. I have been struggling with the birthday quilt for my SIL. The colors are perfect, but the fabric was purchased over three years ago and now I find out I don't have enough to do what I want in the borders. I will have to improvise which means a lot of 'UN-sewing' but I am motivated to finish it and get it in the mail to her.

My brother sent us a lovely box of King salmon and Dungeness crab from the Pike Place Market fish market last weekend, I have really enjoyed it all week. The timing was perfect as we had a family birthday dinner last weekend, so I purchased a roasted garlic aioli marinade from our local grocer and marinated the salmon (filetted) for about an hour then wrapped in foil and roasted on the outdoor grill. Luckily it stopped raining long enough to cook! After it was almost done - I brought it in, sliced into servings then put on a baking sheet sprinkled with panko crumbs and slid it under the broiler to brown the crumbs. Scrumptious!! We used more of the marinade as a dipping sauce. As it was 7 1/4 pounds of salmon we had leftovers, and I have had it reheated, and cold over caesar salad this week and loved it each and every time. The dungeness I steamed briefly with a little Old Bay seasoning in the water and served with drawn butter for 'ripping and dipping' it was fun and different! Reminded me of fondue with everyone gathered around the pot!

Well - work is hectic as usual, I am still loving the new car - 3 weeks old tomorrow and I will have 1200 miles on it by then! It is good on gas, but it has a smaller tank than my van and I am not used to having to fill it up every week, but that's the only downside of the new car! I really wish I could plan a road trip somewhere!! More later - hugs - Toby

Is it STILL winter????

Just a quick post of the fall/winter quilt on my office wall - hopefully he will come down soon and Easter will go up!!

I am going to HE _ _ !!!

If the road to perdition is paved with good intentions then this blog is definitely proof of where I am going.

I find nothing more annoying than finding a really interesting blogspot and then finding it has not been updated in ages!! and here I am guilty of the same - though I hesitate to infer my blogspot is anything more than a place to share my life and loves with family and friends.

Life has been incredibly busy aka stressful lately. Work is a rush and home and community just doesn't let up. Mark and I kept thinking it would quiet down after the holidays but it's just not happening! We are already planning what Lions conventions we will be attending this year, (I think we're limiting it to one night at District and two days at State but commuting from home for a change)then we want to fly out to Texas to see Thomas run a track meet, then back out to DFW the end of May for his graduation, so right now we are in the deciding on college and how to pay for it phase, Stephen is in college and on track, but he needs a part-time job since he has a GF that likes to eat but doesn't cook, and then there's the Legion activities - Spring Brunch, barbecue at North Chicago, Bags Tourney, Fish Fries, Steak Fry at the VA, and Lion's meeting and events like Senior picnic, Casino Night, Rose Festival, Taste of Roselle, on and on....

I've been to Boston again this month for work, just two days, but it was on warm days, so I got to enjoy a brisk walk along the river one night and a great seafood dinner at Legal Seafood in Cambridge.

My old mini-van finally bit the dust this weekend, the transmission went just 2.5 years after having a rebuild put in and just two weeks after another pricey repair to the transmission that in retrospect was not the problem after all!! So I got a new car this weekend - straight off the dealers lot a 2009 Hyundai Sonata Limited. It is beautiful!! Hyundai put in some new fuel efficiencies so hopefully it will perform better than our 2003 Sonata on gas. The 2009 is ranked higher than the Camry and Accord across the board, maintenance, fuel, size and features. I am loving the satellite radio, getting to listen to music from the BBC, and the steering wheel controls are fun! I have to stop looking at the odometer though I drive at least 60 miles a day so the miles are going on quickly!

I have been sewing but not finishing anything! I'll have to get a quilt done for my SIL for her new color scheme for her birthday this weekend, and I have one waiting to be quilted for my brother's living room, and this weekend I located the black batting to finally finish the Celtic quilt for Stephen. I'll try to get pictures as I finish them!

I did sign up for the Annual Scraps to Treasures challenge (picture of last entry below) so I will be pulling fabric from stash for that challenge soon though the quilt is not 'due' until September.

Raffle tickets are on sale for the Crayola Quilts - there were so many quilts and ticket sales have been slow so the odds are good of winning! Tickets will be on sale until end of June, so let me know if you are interested I can send you the link to the whole gallery of quilts that will be raffled.

That's it for today! More soon!

RMHC Crayola quilt

There is an annual challenge on the HGTV quilt BB that challenges the quilters to try something new and results in the donation of quilts or wallhangings to be raffled for the benefit of Ronald McDonald House Charities. This year the recipient house is in Dallas. They are building a new wing and our fund-raising will go to that project. The challenge part for the quilters this year is that we were given three Crayola colors picked at random by the host's DH and those were the only colors we were to use in the quilt. You could go up and down the range of the color but not out of it. So I took the three crayons and colored on white paper, hard, medium, and soft and took that paper to the fabric shop. I made a traditional Amish block, which usually has one solid black half and the other half in colored stripes, but laid it out in a non-traditional setting to create the kaleidoscope effect in the centers and the burgundy star. It is a twin size quilt with the center quilted in burgundy thread in a simple meander and the outer border in a pale blue thread on top and burgundy on the back. I really enjoyed making this quilt and plan to make another larger one.