Shirley Anne’s Heart

Posted By drsao on December 21, 2008

A few of us gathered this afternoon at Patsy’s House for a sew-in.  Oh my – Catherine and I actually GASPED when we entered Patsy’s house.  Who knew that she was an accomplished needlework artist.  She has a collection of Adam and Eve samplers that is astonishing.  THIS IS NO EXAGGERATION.  It is unbelievable! 

Patsy’s  husband, Paul, has a collection of juke boxes – ALL WORKING  and loaded with CHRISTMAS MUSIC FROM THE PAST.  This was just too wonderful.  There were lots of OOOHS and AAAHS today.

We ate, we sewed, we laughed, (one of us cried), we admired Patsy’s furry family and on top of that – we got a quilt trunk show.  I am still reeling with all of the eye candy.

Just look at SOME of my pictures – and remember to click to see the full sized pictures!  THANKS PATSY FOR AN AFTERNOON OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES!

Category: Christmas Sew-In 08, Future Quilt Inspiration, Life Comments, Quilt Retreat, Quilts | No Comments »
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Posted By drsao on December 21, 2008

Saturday night Christi (DD)  and Greg (DSIL) went dancing to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday…….and MY NECKLACE AND MY SHOES had a great time!  LOL

My Shoes had a great night out

My SIL and DD had a great night - my necklace did too!

Do you want to know who had the MOST FUN?  Grandma Shirley and Grandangels Leanna (AKA Nanna), Sarah, and Cooper!  We hit the opening of the new movie about the mouse who was not afraid of anything!

Despereaux

Leanna and Sarah at the Movies

I am getting a reputation for putting EVERYTHING in the world on my list of FAVORITE THINGS……well, this movie isn’t on that list – OK!!!

Leanna, Sarah, and Cooper all gave it a thumbs down – and I did too.  It was a bit scarry – a bit long – a bit boring –  and as Nanna (12 year old grandangel) put it, “RATHER POINTLESS.”  So there you have it – something for my LIST OF NOT SO FAVORITE THINGS!  lol  (And you will never KNOW how hard that was for me to put someone’s creative hard work masterpiece on my not so favorite things list – who knows, I might even have nightmares tonight!)  But wait, the little mouse was EVER SO ADORABLE and HONORABLE and KIND!

No matter what we saw or whether it got a thumbs up or thumbs down – WE SURE HAD FUN GOING TO THE MOVIES!!!!

Cooper FLEEING from the Movie!

OK – so now I can say that what IS ON MY LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS is the movie MAMA MIA…  My DD and Grandangel Nanna gave it to me for Christmas – EARLY.  Oh, is that EVER on my LIST OF FAVORITE THINGS!!!!!  I watched it FOUR TIMES IN A ROW…….LOVE IT!!!!  I loved EVERYTHING ABOUT IT – the acting was fabulous and the music was spectacular and this just might be MY FAVORITE MOVIE – but GONE WITH THE WIND is right up there too!  🙂

Mama Mia

What else happened this week?   Cooper had basketball practice – and there are few things more adorable than a five-year-old in a basketball uniform…..:)

Cooper - #1 on the Elephant Team

Since I am doing a FAMILY HAPPENINGS SNIPPET here – I just couldn’t resist these kitty shots.  Midnight, Oreo and Cuddles always sit in the window of the bathroom in the mornings while I put on my make up…..looks like a FULL HOUSE TO ME!  I had to chuckle as I noticed that little Hannah Fay was contemplating whether or not there was room for just ONE MORE!  They make me smile!  🙂

Is there room for Hannah Fay?

Cooper and Sarah were hard at working yesterday making ART QUILTS for their stuffed animals! 

Category: Cats and Dogs Furry People, Life Comments, My Favorite Things, My NOT so Favorite Things, SAO's Grandangels | No Comments »
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Posted By drsao on December 19, 2008

We had a virtual feast!  JUST LOOK AT ALL OF THIS FOOD!

Today we enjoyed a festive SIT N STITCH at my FAVORITE QUILT STORE – Quilter’s Corner in Midlothian, VA!

Sit N Stitch Goodies

Mary's Coconut Cream Pie was a HIT!

Moda's Baskets of Flowers

Sheddy and her Scrappy Stars Blocks

Sheddy also taught us to make SCRUBBIES – and she had a very clever way of doing a TOM SAWYER STYLE demo and I fell for it.    Actually it was fun to scrunch up the layers of netting!   HM….maybe if I start now I can make Christmas presents for NEXT YEAR!  LOL

Sheddy Made Scrubbies that were FABULOUS

Look what else Sheddy made…….it is a Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville pattern – MY BLUE HEAVEN in 30’s fabrics.  I am in LOVE WITH THIS ONE…..OK that makes another one on my TO DO LIST for 2009!

Sheddy made Bonnie Hunter's MY BLUE HEAVEN QUILT top

Well, while I am on the topic of Sheddy – she also put together two baby quilts……now is this AMAZING OR WHAT!  Marla took a break from working on her Egg Money and Thyme to Water Quilts to help Sheddy with her SHOW AND TELL!

Marla with Sheddy's Split Nine Patch Baby Quilt

Here is the SECOND Split Nine Patch Baby Quilt that Sheddy put together today – in its layout stage!

Sheddy's Split Nine-Patch Baby Quilt Layout

The rest of us were also having fun……Ginger cut out a new braid quilt…..

Ginger Cut out a new Braid Quilt

….and Pam quilted away on her table runners!

Pam quilting her table runner

TA DA…..today we had a very special event!  Shirley got her VERY FIRST QUILT EVER back from Valerie, her longarm quilter at

 A NEEDLE RUNS THROUGH IT in Goochland, VA.

Isn’t this WONDERFUL!!!!!?  It is a Yellow Brick Road pattern.

Shirley's FIRST QUILT

Norma came by for our luncheon – and my goodness, would you look at her SHOW AND TELL – a Cathedral Window – all done by hand.

Norma's Cathedral Window

And I am so excited – I got a picture of SUSAN  (owner of Quilter’s Corner ) helping Sheddy sew her baby quilt together!!

Susan joined in the fun today!

The grand stand event at the end of the day was the emergence of little DOOGIE – Carl and Ginger’s new baby…….isn’t this a cute family!

Doogie and His New Family

Category: Future Quilt Inspiration, Quilt Shops, Sit N Stitch QC | 1 Comment »
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Posted By drsao on December 16, 2008

I  really had a difficult time DECIDING  what kind of a border to put on my Egg Money Quilt – but FINALLY I decided and it is now finished (the top, that is!)

Here it is…. I put on one small white border so that my cornerstones would float – then another  small yellow border.  At that  point I almost stopped and called it a baby quilt.  But you know how those quilts can sometimes TALK TO YOU!  I just couldn’t get my idea of a piano key border out of my head but I didn’t FEEL like making mitered corners and I didn’t like it without mitered corners.  SO……it hit me – make little friendship squares for the corners …and that made me happy because the Friendship Block turned out to be my favorite!

Egg Money Quilt Top - FINISHED!

Fabric for the Back of my Egg Money Quilt

Category: EGG MONEY QUILT, Quilts in Progress | 3 Comments »
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Posted By drsao on December 16, 2008

I just got an e-mail that made me SOOOOOOOO HAPPY  (yes, that happy) from my new BFFS Catherine and Sandie.  They sent pictures from our Country Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild December meeting!  Remember, my camera (or should I say my TWO SETS of batteries) malfunctioned on one of the BEST PICTURE DAYS EVER and I was so sad.  Me without my camera is like a fish out of water (yes, that bad!)

 We made quilt tops  for a women’s shelter out of ORPHAN BLOCKS.  There were six tables and we each made a quilt top – and one or two tables made two!  We gave ourselves fun names…….I don’t remember all of them but my group was called the SILVER BELLES and the group beside us were the SEXY STITCHERS!  I was so enamored with this process and so excited about the results.  I hope we make this an annual tradition because it is: 

a)  for a great cause

b) feeds our need to create

c) uses orphan quilt blocks that NEED a home

d) it is so much fun

e) all of the above

SO HERE GOES – I have pictures of some of our masterpieces! 

First, THANK YOU SANDIE – photographer #1 !  Look at the cute little ornament that she made (she made several to decorate her tree with from a coaster pattern sized down….isn’t it great?)  And THANK YOU TO CATHERINE – photographer #2  – holding up Shelter Quilt #2 below!

Part of Sandie - THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Here are the Masterpieces, in no particular order…….although this one was the first to be finished.  Isn’t it WONDERFUL!!!  I can hardly believe that this was made from orphans!!!

First to be Finished Shelter Quilt

Shelter Quilt #2 from Orphan Blocks

Shelter Quilt #3…..TA DA…..this is the one that I (sao)worked on with Barbara and Cathy – THE SILVER BELLES.  We had so much fun and I really like how it turned out!!!!!  And just for the RECORD, that is the last picture EVER of my angel shirt – my 12 year old grandangel, Leanna, told me that she thought it was INAPPROPRIATE that I wear NAKED ANGELS in public….and my daughter said that I should RETIRE THAT SHIRT.   So, if that is what my NEAR AND DEAR THINK, I guess I will heed the call!  🙂  ME – inappropriate?  NEVER!!!

The One I worked on SHELTER QUILT #3

Shelter Quilt #4 – I am not sure who else worked on this quilt besides the two holding the quilt – but I do know that Barbara donated the BORDER BLOCKS – really nice quilt, don’t you think!?

Shelter Quilt # 4

And finally we have Shelter Quilt #5 – and I am not sure who else worked on this one either – but Nancy and Merci could tell you who all was a part of the SEXY STITCHERS !!!  It is a great quilt!  I am so pleased with these quilts – and I am EVER SO PLEASED WITH THE PICTURES FROM SANDIE and CATHERINE!  🙂

Shelter Quilt #5

AND….the latest update from Michelle – THANKS PHOTOGRAPHER #3 – Shelter Quilts 6 and 7.  LOVE THEM!!!!!

Shelter Quilt #6

Shelter Quilt #7

Isn’t the church block stunning!  I wish that I knew who all worked on these quilts!  I know that Sheddy was in the Quilt #7 group – I should have been paying  attention – or maybe I should have had more chocolate.  YES – that’s it.  Chocolate is a memory enhancer!  I also have some ocean front property for sale in Arizona!  🙂

Category: Country Piecemakers, Dec 08, Quilt Guild | 1 Comment »
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