Lost but found... How we spent our Thanksgiving vacation.....

I thought I had lost my digital camera...but lo and behold....this AM as I tried to do a quick clean between quilts...there it was under some trimmed batting. Maybe that is where my other lost things can be found???? May need to do a deep clean as soon as I finish up my Christmas rush. Almost caught up with that .Thanksgiving was a quick trip up to Tennessee for time with DD and the Wee One. He kept Grandbob and Honey busy, and of course we had to peruse every sale ad to see if we had to venture out in the wee hours of the morning. DD and I didn't get up until 6...then we went to a few places but not any place that was terribly crazy. I splurged on some new rubber mats for beneath my machine. They are so great on the feet. The very vintage quilt and the wonderful young vet student holding it...is such a wonderful story...I felt I had to share. Her very dearest friend' mother passed away when she was quite young...and she is having difficulty adjusting to her father's new person in his life. So this darling girl bought a vintage quilt, and had me quilt it for her, then she has added photos of her friend with her mother in theplain blocks. Hoping that this will assist her friend with her grief. I acutally cried when she told me the story. What a thoughtful friend Jenny is. I wish I had a photo of the "After" the photos had been added. But I am certain it will be cherished. I have been busy, since just before Thanksgiving, finished a Christmas table topper for my sister, and a Bargello for my friend. Then I put on this UFO.... for the third time.... to finally finish up the white sections. It seemed that every time I put in on my machine, I would get several quilts that needed to be done right away. So it would come back off.I wanted to try something new.

But the nice thing is that I can see some improvement on my quilting. The white sections...are just a practice of a non marked ...meandering kind of formal feathering. I really enjoyed doing it.... very freeing. I also did a few more customer quilts...love this Block of the month that I had the pleasure of doing. I also did two sweet little ones... that I feel like i had to share.

the last little one is a donation quilt for the Sheriff's dept. We provide them to ride along in the Sheriff's cars, so that if a child needs something for comfort, they can wrap up in something. I loved the Moda fabric my friend used. I wish you could see the quilting.... it is a swirl vine.... then feather bumps in the border.

Finally two finishes....

I just finished....sort of ...piecing my x block quilt.... woo hoo! And I did finish a Thanksgiving topper.... but have already given it away...and forgot to take a photo. Maybe the girl I gave it to ...can send me a photo.

Here is the x block quilt. I am hoping to get it quilted before Christmas. We'll see.

Computer woes....and the x block.....

This is my latest project in progress, I only have to get it quilted. It is called the x block. I really liked doing this one. No idea where it will go...but it used all scraps except for the blacks which I did purchase. I am so glad with the scrappiness of it. I have been stuck into quilting more than piecing...trying to get finished with my promised Christmas quilts. I am experiencing computer difficulties...so this post is quick.

Special thanks to all our Veterans...

Just a quick aside. How thankful and appreciative I am of all the Veterans, current and past and their families who share in the service of our Country. We are so fortunate that they are prepared to serve for us. It isn't easy for the Veteran or their families with seperations and training, but I am so thankful they do it with honor and dignity. Thank you to each of them. About this time a few

years ago...myself and some Rotary Anns ( The ladies Auxiliary for Rotary) hosted some local elderly folks for a tea. The funny part was that some of the Rotary Ann volunteers were older than those being hosted for the tea. Such a lovely group of ladies..... I still think of them often. These are a few photos of the tea held in the Rotary Hall. These lovely little children dressed in their Indian costumes danced for part of the entertainment. They were well received as you can imagine.

Then these darling little school children who accompanied their teachers on pay day to the grocery store. They loved getting their picture taken.

The Noxubee refuge...latest works in Progess...

This is the Noxubee refuge.... the Professor and I drove down to see the changes fall brings down there. It is such a tranquil place... sad to see the pretty trees almost bare but the place on the water was nice. And we just enjoyed a bag of peanuts and sitting in the sunshine. I loved being able to walk out over the water and Then back to the quilting machine and my latest customer quilts

, this pretty pink one, coming along nicely. and My friend Barbara did this wonderful baby quilt for her new grandson. Love it!

This Ohio State

quilt was made by a neighbor, Norma for her grandson who loves those Buckeyes. Another great quilt.

Another wonderful quilt made by my friend Gloria, it was so peaceful to work on this with the wonderfully soft colors. Reminds me of Robyn Pandolph colorations. Here it is finished up. I am on another one at the moment...with a music theme. I am so "chuffed" as they say in South Africa...to get to work on these wonderful quilts. All so different and the best part is I don't have to piece them! Happy sewing .

Misplaced camera..... and exciting news.....

Somewhere in all this past week.... I have misplaced my camera. So can only add what is already on the computer. First off, what is wrong with this picture...dont' you always tell the old price if it was more???? I won this wonderful little panel and other fall goodies from Ellen's blog.... what a fun thing. Loved the little bag....and the goodies inside. I have used it every time I go to a quilt demo..... so it has come in handy so much. Look at this wonderful quilt made by Polly Yoder of Deleware.... and I believe it hung in Paducah. She and her two other sisters did a trunk show at our Mississippi Quilt Association's Fall gathering . The Wee One and his family sent us this wonderful photo.....notice the EPT test in the foreground. I missed it to the first time ........ So we are going to be blessed with grandchild number 7. Always good news! Hope you all have a great next couple of days. I have quilt guild in the morning...then the DJ club meets Tuesday. Can't wait.

More Houston quilt show photos, customer quilts and guild show and tell, The professor and his shoes....

As I sat on the deck with the Professor this evening.... eating our freshly grilled hamburgers.... I heard him exclaim.... oh man, my shoes don't match.... He had inadvertenly put one brown flip flop...with a mismatched flip flop. I wanted to take a photo....but he was way too embarrassed... so I decided to blog about it anyway. He is getting his doctorate...but can't always match his clothes!Shame! In fact one of our younger grandsons...insists on wearing his little crocs on the opposite feet. Now I dont' think I will wonder just where that come from! The same feet visible in the summer picture above from our last family get together.

I have finished several customer quilts.... and felt I had to share, this one is made with Karen Combs fabric, shade casdade.... very pretty, and I told my friend Katy, who made it as a wedding gift for her niece, sure wish I was her niece! It was a huge king sized quilt....what a great gift. This next one was made by my friend Linda who made it for her

grandaughter, it was so cute...a turning twenty again pattern I think. This lovely rose quilt was made by another friend Marilyn, for herself, lucky girl. It is a pattern from Deloa Jones Scraps Organized Book...wonderful book from what I have seen of it. I didn't quilt the next couple, but this lovely dresden plate was made by my friend Nancy, and quilted by her as well. Then this adorable Paper Doll, was made by my friend, Luanne, what a dear little quilt. The incoming president of our guild, made this great Mississippi State T shirt Quilt for the new football coach, Dan Mullins.... it turned out great. I do love show and tell at Quilt guild. It always inspires me to get to work. Had to share this cute Apron from the Michael Miller schoolhouse....

love those colors. Then lastly.... as we are getting prepared to go watch Florida play at MSU's game in just a bit....will finish off with another color ways of Eleanor Burns Night and Day, that she shared with us during that schoolhouse class at the Houston quilt show. Have a great weekend. I am working on my latest class quilt.... the x block...it is addictive!!!

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Houston quilt show..... Sample Spree and more

Ok, I still haven't quite recovered from Houston...and The Professor isn't feeling well....but I have to share a few photos. Haven't checked out the Houston Quilt show winners...but did find out that this one won best of show....Wow was it a stunner. I wish it was in focus more.... I messed up about half of my pictures...not sure .... why or

how....but this was done... with thread painting by Caryl Breyer Fallert. I took the very poor photo...and someone else took the other...to post on the APQS board and sent it to me in an email. It shows the amazing detail of her quilting. It really was wonderful. My favorite, may have been this wonderful Black and white applique, which was really painted.... it is by Judy Coates Perez. I thought it was absolutely gorgeous. I don't know if it was a winner or not...but it was in my book. The quilting so inspired me..that I am about to embark on a Jacobean customer quilt...and may try to do a few extra things in there. It was so awesome seeing some of these up close. But I did forget to say that I got to attend Sample Spree.... and man was that a fun experience. The ladies started lining up at 4 PM, it seemed like more than a thousand..but maybe high hundreds.... although it didn't begin until 8PM....the vendors inside were setting up their booths with wonderful goodies to sell. This was the ART Gallery Fabrics booth.... and


my talented DIL worked for them during the Market. Aren't those little bags, filled with everything necessary to make a project, adorable??? NOw the ladies from the line up, were kind of like the "Brides" trying to get into the GOWN sale...... that we have all seen on tv.....they burst through the doors when they opened....looking for those bargains. Some of these ladies were much nicer than others.....but all in all...don't think anyone was seriously infured...no biting, kicking or tackling other quilt ladies to the ground. And it seemed like a pretty fun time to me.

Houston quilt show, my new BFF's.......

Well...... I arrived home in the wee hours of the morning.... from Houston Quilt Market. What can I say. Amazing...... IT was totally different than Quilt festival. I think I took about 1200 photos.... the Quilt show had some amazing things in it.....loved the ones from JApan. I think it officially opens tomorrow...so don't think I better post any of my photos from the show...but .....the MARKET was even better! I had never before seen the preview of new lines....patterns.... etc. Although I am technically challenged. I decided the Professor should give me EQ6 for christmas and purchased it there. Can't wait to begin to explore the possibilities. Now I treated my self to a few books...and patterns. But the highlight...was rubbing elbows with many of the quilt world wonders. Since the market was venders and wholesalers, it wasn't crowded the way Quilt festival is...and you could see everyone there selling their latest things. Eleanor Burns sold out of her Night and day pattern...which is the gorgous black and white quilt I started with. As I I was walking through the actual quilt show... there is Marianne Fons walking through also. She was approached by someone way bolder than myself...and she turned and told the lady, "I know I look like the lady at your bank, I 'm Marianne Fons". I laughed and thought...well I recognised you just fine! Then My New BFF AMy Butler...was standing wearing some of her beautiful fabric in the Amy Butler booth..... I saw Kaffe Fassett as I got off the elevator in the hotel........ as the Moda banquet was about to begin. My other BFF Eleanor Burns...was standing in the line at the Starbucks coffee line, Ricky Tims was helping in a booth, Pat Sloan having a cuppa in the lounge area, I so tried to be nonchalant about it all...but at least a few of my quilting buddies got calls from me, with a .... "YOU won't believe who I just went into the restroom with???" I managed to take mini classes from Eleanor Burns, Pat Sloan, Harriet HArgrove, Penny Harin..... and saw some very cool schoolhouse classes about EQ 6...which is why I bought it, and the latest fabric lines from Art Gallery Fabrics. Michael Miller, Amy Butler, Helen Stubbings from Australia, Priscilla Bianchi from Guatemala, Sally Schneider, wonderful scrappy quilter and more fabric designers. I had so much fun with the quiltwoman.com girls, I even got to go to dinner with them.....they know how to have a good time!It was a dance contest at Joe's Crabshack.... good food and great fun! At one point the waiter was dancing on the table....but that photo is pretty out of focus...you can still tell we were having fun. There is an amazing part of the quilt show...about Chinese indigo dying..... I will share a photo from that.... it was gorgeous.

Newest Grandbaby and the Houston Quilt Expo.....

This is an introduction to our newest grandbaby....little "True", he looks more like his mama than his dad...but that hair...all my kids looked like baby porcupines!!! I get to see him up close next weekend. Can't wait.

I am off to the Houston Quilt Market in the morning..... thanks to a wonderful DIL, and my bags are being packed now. I have Quilt guild this evening...delivering one quilt...and will pick up some more. Have to share this one I made for my son in laws Rakasaans 101st Airborne unit. Its the one with the Japanese symbol in the center. It is a raffle quilt.There are quite a few customer quilts that I have failed to share.... but I just am so behind on the computer these days. This adorable baby quilt was a hit at the baby shower...what better com

pliment than...
I am so going to use this!"

Then this darling picture of me walking with the wee one...in my brothers back yard. We had such a good day...by the lake. Have a great weekend.

A visit with the wee one..... another MSU - LSU football game...and mud up to the......

I have been "abroad" again, as in visiting my mom in Pennsylvania...it was also an opportunity to meet the wee one and DD as well visiting also. Now, the wee ones reaction to my brothers borrowed mustang convertable...was about the same as his much older grandbob!!!! He was trying to figure out where to put the key in this photo! We also had to take him to Santa's workshop at the Kraynak's nursery .... a wonderful place to see beautiful Christmas trees and winter scenes. The wee one especially loved the elmo tree...but they all were wonderfully decorated. Then it was off to Daffin's candy shop....for their delectable chocolates..... don't think he fully appreciated this...but we sent off goodie boxes to the rest of the family..... and KNOW they all loved theirs. It was a wonderful visit with my mother and most of my brothers and sisters. Always a treat. Then back to Mississippi for another wet n rainy football game. This time ..... I thought I was better prepared. Had rain ponchos..... and we drove in to park in the student parking area. It was a big SEC game against LSU.... and we do have LSU connections.... as DS1 and DDil both granduated from LSU..... so had to be kind to the visiting fans.... It was a Mississippi State "white Out", fun to see and be a part of. BUt the real fun began

when we returned to the "grassy " parking area...only to have our truck stuck up to its hub caps in the mud!!! So we walked home......The Professor was not happy ....and sure didn't want me to take photos......but I sneaked in one on the way home...(sorry big guy) He was muddy, wet and ..... well we will leave it at that. We did manage to go back much later in the day...after the sun came out...and there were fewer cars in the lot..... and get it UNSTUCK.... so it is just another adventure to remember! ANother fun day in the life of an OLD college couple. We are off to another game here in a few minutes...and I am so hoping ....no rain... NONE is forecast for today. Many more quilts to share....and will do so much more quickly ...in next few days.Hope you all have a great weekend.

Football is in the air, and the rest of my crazy week...

The Professor ..... totally wet from downpour at the game
I was hoping my mascara hadn't run everywhere.Since my eyes are closed... guess it had already run off me!

Ok, it was definitely football this past weekend. I love college football, there were so many good games to see this past weekend. The professor and I went to a Mississippi STate game, and the traffic was the worst. It was backed up for miles coming into the stadium. It took me longer to drive to the parking area, than it took us to walk to the campus last year. I will have to rethink whether to drive or walk in for the future. Anyway, we got to our seats on the upper deck...just in time to enjoy the downpour, that actually delayed the game by 30 min. Yes they announced that there was lightning within 3 miles of the stadium so they took the players off the field for their safety..but left a stadium full of people with no where to go... and it took us 15 min. of delay to get down to the covered area, so many people were standing in the only dry area. Now this heavy downpour left me with not 1 inch of dry ..... anywhere. So I made the best of it. The Professor and I were soaked, but enjoyed the first 2 quarters....when it started to rain again... I told him my school spirit was gone..with the sunshine...and he graciously took me home....where we watched even more football. It was a great day for the family alma maters.... Oklahoma State , Louisiana State, Texas A&M, MSU,Texas TEch all were winners this week. HAd to post a few photos of the wet us at the football game. I also finished a raffle quilt for the cancer society. It was appliqued by my guild members, then quilted

by me. I also finished several customer quilts, this darling blue and yellow one, was so bright and cheerful. And the black and beige one is so pretty up close. The photo doesn't do it justice I am afraid. I have been busy with a few more customer quilts, trying to get things finished as I have an upcoming visit...so will be away from the quilting studio. That plus I am afraid I will get buried the closer we get to Christmas holidays. I have almost finished another raffle

quilt for my sil and the Rakasaans out of Ft. Campbell, and he asked me last week to do a raffle quilt for him. I loaded it this afternoon. I just did a simple applique of their emblem in the center of a large block and did simple turning twenty blocks around it. Will share the photos later...after I have it quilted. Holding thumbs it turns out fabulous to raise money for their fundraiser. Hope you all have a great week.... I plan to.

A quickie Post.....Giveaway at my DDin laws blog

Just a quickie post... My talented DD in law's blog is having a wonderful giveaway. Go and check it out. And the photo has nothing to do with the giveaway...but wanted to share a photo taken in Africa just about this time of year two years ago.... of a large herd of Elephants crossing the road in the Kruger Park. A wonderful place to see many different wild animals in their habitat.... roaming across miles of terrain. It still may be the highlight of my trip for things to see in Africa. I will never look at animals the same way again. And some of the gorgeous

vistas that were an everyday thing to see. This lovely mountain view was found near Clarens where we stayed at a wonderful B&B with our dear friends.

A happy little helper.... and using his power tools.... and the Houston Quilt show!!!

Ok, its been a busy time... getting the Professor ready for school again! He is keeping very busy, and so am I, I had to share a photo of the wee one.... I took. He was helping with the vacuuming. His parents have to spell the word out...if they say vacuum, he demands that they use it...and hold him to "help" push. He is a funny little boy. Then these funny little kids were trying to get people to go to their garage sale.

I had to snap their picture .
The little "box head" was too funny. And the Professor and I are hosting a little get together for the graduate students in his program this coming weekend...so of course he decided that the deck needed to be power washed and resealed before winter...so might as well do it now. Had to snap a photo of him "playing" with his power tools.... He is so focused when he has a project that he has to get done. Of course I have been quite busy with quilts..... just finished a really fun one. A quilt totally made from Crown Royal bags. I just did interlocking circles in all of the squares and it turned out cute I thought. But I also did a couple of more involved quilts. One just glowed and was such fun to do.... I enjoyed looking at it the whole time I quilted the design. Then there was a darling little Moda quilt my friend Angela left for me to work on. I adored those colors!!! I trust you all will have a great day.... I am loading another quilt in the morning.... always something to do .... and I even have almost finished my little orphan 9 patch. Will share photos soon. OH, I almost forgot...thanks to my daughter in law... I am being given the opportunity to go to Houston Quilt Market ..... I am sOOOOOOO excited!!! Now I really have to save some of my quilt money to pick up a few little somethings while I am there.

Family Reunion, the Grands and a few quilts....

Where has the time gone? I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted. We just had a whirlwind trip to see my mother, and saw all of my brothers and sisters as well. On top of that, there was a wonderful get together, reunion for my fathers side of the family, saw my aunts and many cousins. What a wonderful time...even with the rain!!Many of these cousins I hadn't seen in several years, nobody lives close! Shame as it was such fun catching up on their lives. I had to post a few more pics from our visit with the grands.... the little boys had to take a drive on the lawn mower, they really enjoyed the drive!

We had a terrible wind storm come up here and the next door neighbor's 75 foot tree...uprooted and landed in the other neighbors yard. Terrible for them...but I was certainly glad it didn't fall my way on one of our cars. The other night as we sat on the deck, I happened to look up.... and just above our head, it was like a scene from the movie, THE BIRDS!!! Above us on the electric lines there were gathered black birds... and not just a few! In fact I ran into the house to get my camera...and there were so many when I came back...it looked like swarms of flies in the air...but all those black spots are birds who took off from the roof and wires!!!! It really creeped me out... just a bit!!!Maybe they are the ones that have been pecking my tomatoes. Whilst visiting my mom.... one of my brothers lent me....or maybe I should have said the Professor and myself, his Mustang convertable. I had to snap the Professor driving it....... He had just looked over at me and said, " this car wants to go fast!" Of course he resisted the urge...but it was a fun car to drive! I think you can tell we enjoyed driving it.

Have to post a few pics of the actual reunion. These are the cousins, or some of the crazy ones anyway. And of course a picture of 10 of my brothers

and sisters with my mother. A few had left and some hadn't arrived yet, but we took a break in the rain as our photo opp. One of my aunts and her family.... always an opportunity for devil horns!And another cousin, with her family. It was such a good time. this photo...one of my brothers had just fallen into the lake...with his clothes on.... I had to snap it. Just wish I had been down at the lake to get that shot!

I have to finish with one of my quilt guild ladies quilts....isn't it stunning. .One of the ladies, a wonderful quilter, Martha Dubard, did a quilt trunk show for us... she shared some lovely quilts with us. This was my favorite.... or maybe this one.... well ...I really likes all of her quilts. I have quilted 3 quilts and part of another since Monday when we got home...but not taken photos yet. Have a great weekend.