Faux Fireplace

My DH was playing around with my computer while I sewed away on many rows of floral fabric....then had me come look at what he had done.                                                                             

I now have a crackling fire in my sewing room :-)
That's my computer screen with a fireplace screensaver running. Silly but fun.

Happy Holidays!

cat,quilt and flowers

 I am a bit behind here in sharing what projects I have been working on. I'm still sewing Psalms blocks, working on a large quilt with Robyn Pandolph fabrics for my mom, crocheting an afghan, and needing to get several other small quilts quilted. Last week though, I decided to make a small quilt for a co-worker going through some rough changes.  Quilter's Cupboard, my favorite LQS, helped me pick out some beautiful fabrics and plan this quilt.  Elinor is helping with the ironing and then also modeling the finished work.

This is my new favorite quick quilt pattern called "Just Can't Cut It"

I altered it by making only 9 blocks and shrunk the block size to 75% at that to make it even a faster project.  I was pleased to get it quilted using a panto called Woodcut Camilla (sorry I can't find a link to show it to you). The fabric is so busy that you can't hardly see the quilting on it...even when holding the quilt. But it was fast and worked well with the large flowers.                                     

My latest Psalms block is called God's Eye. We studied Psalm 139. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made..."                          

And finally to some flowers.  Several months ago, I planted some sunflower seeds. They sprouted only to be eaten by bugs when they were about 1-3 inches.  I abandoned them.  Then about 6-8 weeks ago, I noticed that more Wild Sunflowers (that was what the package had labled them) had grown up to about a foot high...and then the deer starting eating them.  I put some mesh around them and they continued to grow unharmed.  Now I have blooms :-) 

The big yellow bushes on either side are a pungent flower that the deer won't eat. They also require very little water. Perfect for Cambria.

help in the sewing room

Just after finishing my post yesterday about sewing rows of quilt blocks together I turned to see Elinor promptly lie down on them.

 Marianne then got up to give direction.

 Yes, this will work.

Hard Times

 Kind of a boring quilt block here but I got alot out of the Psalm it was representing.  Psalm 142 was written by David when he was hiding in a cave to avoid being killed by King Saul.  David's hard time at that moment was surely more challenging than what I face and yet I can hear myself at times whining complaining or fretting about troubles or worries but without the focus that I read in this Psalm.  I'm thinking it might be more fruitful to memorize this Psalm and use the words David wrote down...and get my mind back to knowing God is my Source and Refuge.
One thought that opened my eyes a bit was the line "deliver me from my persecutors".  I think the only one persecuting me around here is me!  Women in particular often are our own worst critics. Wendy posted an interesting thought today on Stash Manicure  that encourages me to change that habit. And Psalm138:8 also gives me a better focus, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever".
Here is a quick photo of Marianne...I'm documenting 'progress' in my attempt to get her to use the Crinkle Sac that I bought because  "cats Love them" ...or so I was told :-)  She is at least sitting in front of it on some crinkly tissue wrapping paper. I maintain such lofty pursuits! :-) She isn't as annoyed as she looks.  Just the wrong second for the camera to shoot.

Today I am sewing together the rows of lovely Robyn Pandolph fabric.
Hope you are doing something beautiful today too.
PS  Something happened to my typing issue here!  The words just justify normally and not all from the center. Yeah! Thank you Blogger or Google or whoever fixed that!

Psalms block #16

This block is called Cornucopia and is for Psalm 85. "Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Psalm 85:11-12

I am in the midst of a few projects and have started yet another one which will be for my mom. It is a kit purhcased at our local  quilt show..a couple of years ago!..and is made up of some  beautiful Robyn Pandolph fabric. Floral pinks and aquas that will make a nice bedspread quilt for her.                                       

This was my favorite.

And here are the girls, faithfully helping me in the sewing room.

                                      

Made it to PIQF! (warning lots of pictures)

After some serious persuasion...I was blessed with a friend to travel with to PIQF on Thursday! Thank you, Rana, it was wonderful!  I had a small list of items to shop for and one very special quilt to see and all was acomplished!  So here are some pictures of the show...

Here is the quilt on my most important list!  This is 'Bay Bridge   Series' by Nancy Brown.  Very worth the trip!  I love her applique animals and am always amazed at the personality she captures.  What made it even more fun was getting to see Nancy at the show as well.                                                              

                                                                          

Note: Not sure what to do with the difficulty I am having with blogger...can't seem to figure out what is happening with sentence alignment! Hope you can follow along till I figure out what is wrong. And it is only letting me load one picture at a time. Period. I've had to save and close the post, wait and come back to another 'editing' session to add additional photos. And the word alignment starts in the middle and justifies left only when I type enough words in a line.  This is a bit crazy!  Any hints?
                    

Just look at this elephant face.

OK they did also have a few other quilts at the show.



And yet another quilt inspired by Nancy Brown by students.

The vendors were rich with beautiful fabric and inspiration.  I loved seeing the Fig Tree booth with Joanna sharing her wonderful design and color.

I also was able to meet John'aLee of The Scrappy Appleyard with her beautiful booth of fabrics. She was stitching on her Buttercream Summer BOM which looks even more delish in real life.                                                                                   

A long but amazing day!

Fall into Fall Giveaway Winner!

Just a quick post to announce the winner of the sweatshirts and pattern I have for the Fall into Fall Giveaway. 

Stormy Days, who has an adorable dog, is the winner.  I will just need the mailing address and I will get the giveaway items in the mail.  Congratulations! 

Thank you to everyone for participating.