Something Finished, Something New

(Monday, Sept. 1st - UPDATE - I wanted to share with you that my swap partner received my package on Friday and it was every bit as exciting as when I received my package from Tina. John (Quilt Dad) is a terrific guy and creates some amazing quilts and quilt blocks. It's been nice to finally "meet" him. It was a secret swap, so I've been keeping my identity quiet all summer. He's been incredibly gracious in his thanking me and you know how great that feels--what a gift! On his blog, he's posted some beautiful photos of the quilt I made for him and also says some very nice things about it. It's enough to make a girl blush!)

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I finished my quilt for Doll Quilt Swap 4. I shared the quilt top with you back in June and since the deadline to mail the quilts was September 1st, I was feeling kinda pleased with myself to be that far along so early.

However, it was suddenly late-August and even though I managed to mail out my quilt before the deadline--I sent it yesterday--I'm wondering where did the summer go? It wasn't that long ago that I was thinking our vacation seemed so far away and now it's come and gone, *sigh*. But pondering that mystery is not what I'm here to do...

I wanted to show you a sneak peek of what I mailed to my swap partner.



I hope they like their quilt...and the other little somethin' I sent along with it.

I've also started a new project. Remember this stack of fabric? I don't have a complete plan in mind yet, but I put together these two Liberated Log Cabin blocks.My inspiration came from Collaborative Quilting, the book I bought earlier this summer. The blocks were a lot of fun to sew and, well, you know how I love color! I'm excited to see where this project takes me. Don't you love to just jump in and play?

Marilyn

Camera in Hand

I just had to photograph these veggies that Rick bought at farmer's market! He had them arranged in this basket and I couldn't resist their beauty--the imperfection of the heirloom tomatoes and the colors called for an informal photo shoot. And so easy...they were already posed!

This fella showed up pretty quickly and posed too, although it looks to me like he is readying himself for take off.

I guess not, cool!

Feeling lucky, I took a stroll by the Butterfly Bush. Not exactly posing but cooperative.

Butterfly lantern, easy peasy.

There's a bee in the Rose of Sharon, but this is as close as I cared to get!

No insects here..just Pampas Grass, blowing in the breeze against the blue sky. Pretty.


Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Marilyn

Doll Quilt Swap

I was so excited Monday to receive the most beautiful doll quilt from my swap partner, Tina (Needles 'n' Notions) for Doll Quilt Swap 4. Before yesterday, I didn't know that Tina was my partner and it just added to the excitement. The mail carrier brought the package to my door and I tried to remember if I was expecting a package. I didn't recognize the return address and Tina was very clever to simply write 'DQS4-Tina' as the sender's name:) How fun! It wasn't long, though, before I knew what was going to be in that box and you probably know what it's like when you're trying to open a box quickly and it just isn't happening fast enough! But so worth it--take a look at this lovely beach quilt...



Beaches are my very favorite vacations spots and this little gem reflects so much of why I adore them. I am very impressed that Tina used a matching fabric to bind the sand section and a different binding to match the water--she's good!


I think the triangles and the ribbon at the shoreline give the water fabulous movement.


Tina also used metallic thread to quilt the water that gives it some great sparkle.


The sand is so nicely done and aren't the umbrellas adorable?! (I am such a land-locked goof...I first called them beach balls when they are so obviously umbrellas, lol!)


The backing fabric looks like water too, so pretty.


Tina even pieced a teeny little quilt block for the label on the back! Amazing!


In addition to all of the goodness in the doll quilt, I also received a nice stack of handmade cards and the sweetest bird ornament. Bloggers are the most generous people, aren't they? Thank you very much, Tina, for your generosity! I love everything!

If you'd like to see more doll quilts, you can go here. Enjoy:)

Marilyn

Playing Catch Up and Feeling Lucky!

We've been home from our trip to New Mexico for a week now, but Rick was off last week too, so we remained in vacation mode for an additional week. It was relaxing to hang out around the house and go out to eat and get together with family and friends. Rick went back to work yesterday and I decided it was time to get caught up on a number of things.

One thing I especially wanted to do was some show-and-tell. I've been unusually lucky this summer and have been the winner of some unbelievable giveaways. Allow me to show you what I'm talking about...

From artist Lani Kent, Healing Expressions, I received a set of five greeting cards designed with prints of her original collages. I first discovered Lani on Ebay about 3 years ago and continue to be quite taken with her artwork. Imagine how excited I was to learn that I won these cards! Thanks, Lani!


I only recently came across Paula Clare's blog, Paula's Palace of AltAred Art and it seems there is always something fun happening over there! The very first comment I left on her blog put me in a drawing for all of these incredible papers (oh, how I love paper!) and Sandra Evertson's book Fanciful Paper Flowers and I actually won! I hope to try my hand at making some of the flowers soon.


I received a second package from Paula while we were on vacation. It was one of her RAK's (random acts of kindness) that she likes to send out. How nice is that?! There's candy in that great Halloween box, and isn't the tag adorable? Thanks, Paula!


I have written about winning Sharon's (My Vintage Studio) gorgeously embellished vintage bottle, but I wanted to show you a photo. It's the one on the left and I just LOVE it...Thanks, Sharon!

The bottle on the right is one that I made. It's a craft that darling daughters and I were going to do together during our women's weekend but we ran out of time. We turned it into a 'take-home craft' and I was able to put mine together before going on vacation. I think the bottles look nice together :).


I've also written about winning Mother Henna's Mad Tea Party Giveaway--two tea cups that she turned into real beauties with her henna designs. I am so enamored with her henna work and these cups let me enjoy it everyday. She included a huge number of different teas (more than pictured because I've been trying them out), a package of lavender and 2 magnets, 2 button pins and several post cards with her art on them. Love, LOVE it all! Thanks, Kara!


Speaking of giveaways--Terisa, SabiiWabii/Running With Scissors, is having a giveaway to celebrate her 100th post. Terisa was my swap partner in Bella Enchanted's Mermaid Swap and created the most lovely Minnie the Mermaid for me! Click this logo to enter your name...Terisa will be drawing the lucky winner's name on September 1st!



I have one more incredible show-and-tell to share with you but I want to give it a special post of it's very own! So please come back soon to check it out:).

Marilyn

Home again, home again...

We arrived home from our vacation Monday night. We had a wonderful time on our trip to north-central New Mexico! We stayed in a cabin in Eagle Nest, NM. The elevation there is somewhere around 8500 feet. This is one of our views outside of the cabin.


Eagle Nest is located in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range.


This photo was taken on a drive to Red River, NM.


I took many, many pictures of flowers. My sweet hubby would automatically stop walking whenever flowers were nearby--he knew I would be stopping for a photo! This is in Red River.


Some of the flowers grow here in Missouri too, but they just looked so much better in the cooler temperatures. These cornflowers were in Angel Fire, NM.


We spent a full day in Taos, NM. It was our third time there and I don't think I could ever tire of it--so much to see and experience!


Taos


Taos


Taos


Outside of Taos


One of the best parts of the trip was the relief of cooler temperatures and lower humidity! This was the temperature at the cabin at 4pm on Saturday afternoon...n-i-i-i-ce!


We've sort of been easing back into life back home...but Rick is off this week also, so we're not working too hard at it. The laundry is caught up and our cat is over being mad at us for leaving but not much else...as I said, easing.

Marilyn

New Mexico, Here We Come!

I'm so excited! Tomorrow, Rick and I are heading southwest for a week in New Mexico! We love New Mexico and we love vacations!

New Mexico is a great place to be if you love color as much as we do. There are wonderful colors everywhere.

We also experience a spirit, a mood, a feel there that is filling...energizing, yet peaceful.

And, oh my gosh, the light and the skies are magnificent!

Sounds like I'm ready to go, huh? Ohhhh, yes!

Wishing you all a GREAT week and I'll see you when we return...

Marilyn

The Pink Artist Drawing, Day One

Today is the day! It's time to celebrate!
Starting today and all the way through October the 15th, you can enter The Pink Artist Drawing for a chance to win
The Pink Artist Doll!

Just click this think pink image for details:


Be sure to check in often with Monica (girl-gone-thread-wild) who has lots of things she's going to be sharing about
The Pink Artist Project and "Susan G. Komen for the Cure".

And...


it's
easy,


it's
free,

it's another way you can help!

Marilyn