Quilt Camp - Part Two

 Fun and antics at Quilt Camp! Marti and Peggy belt it out to "Mama Mia" 

                                          Cat woman? Quilting superwomen!

One of the neatest parts of quilt camp for me was the Quilts on Beds show. Each participant was asked to bring a quilt or two from home to place on their bed at retreat. One evening, everyone toured the bedrooms to view the quilts.

Karin's Carolina Crossroads (Bonnie Hunter mystery) 

 Karin's Christmas quilt (Carolina Christmas from Bonnie Hunter)

 I think this one was made by Louise. The pattern is Peace in the Valley by Silver Thimble Quilt Co.

 I know this one was made by Leisa. I wanted to take this quilt home with me:)

 Marti's quilt in Sanctuary fabrics by Moda for her future DIL.

 This is my Crossed Path quilt made with Sunshine fabric by April Cornel. One of my favorites:)

Cassie and Cindi's quilts.

Hunks on Pillowcase

The retreat continues as folks complete their retreat quilt. Also, Sharon organized a block trade with black and tan fabrics (she calls it the Rottweiler trade) We'll meet after the Christmas holidays to trade blocks. The above quilt is an example of a quilt that could be made with the blocks. She is challenging us to create our own quilt design with the blocks.

Look for Marty's quilt in the P. S.Goin' Sewin' booth at Houston International Quilt Festival.

Thanks Shannon and Sharon for a fun event! So glad that I finally was able to attend. 

Quilt Camp - Part One

It's hard to believe that it's been two weeks since Quilt Camp. Friends have attended this retreat for over 8 years. When I began my "When I Retire I Want To..... " list, attending this retreat was on my list. It is held in Covington, GA at the Future Farmers of Georgia camp center.

 I have stolen the first two photos from Karin's blog. I managed to break my digital camera less than an hour from leaving home.  Brenda and I made a stop at Sweet Home quilt shop on our way to Covington. It's not a good thing to leave the lens of the camera open and not have the wrist stap on your arm when visiting a stimulating place especially a quilt shop. While bouncing off the floor, the lens bent. Brenda was very generous and let me take photos with her camera. I downloaded them onto my laptop before we left Quilt Camp.

We SEWED! Completed some projects and almost completed many others.

I think this one is called Grandpa's Legacy. Brenda purchased her fabric for this one from Sweet Home.

We actually completed the same Schnibble's pattern. Here is our versions of Imagine. Brenda used Wrapped in Paisley and I used Maison de Garance. 

Sharon, one of the retreat organizers, taught us how to make a sewing bag with fabric and items from our "goody-bag." 

This is Brenda's bag, but my bag looks just like it. (B is  for Brenda; B is for Becky:)

But no other bag looked like Leisa's. She is one gifted woman with a needle and thread. 

Each of us was given a kit to make this cute thread catcher. I'm grateful that Brenda can follow directions and that she patiently told me each step to complete my project:)

The blocks for the new Schnibble Paganini were completed. I'm using Saltbox Harvest by Deb Strain of Moda. Love this Fall fabric!!!

A completed top including BORDERS! This is Pinwheels on Parade from Silver Thimble Company. 

Each year at quilt camp, a retreat quilt project is introduced and taught. This year's project was using the X-box ruler (I think. I decided not to start another big project) Karin's quilt using Saltbox Harvest was stunning. 

1. Becky C.'s block and final quilt top was HOT!

Touching Base

 Golly Gee, I don't know where the time has gone. We arrived home from Quilt Camp and 

 it's a week and a half later. Quilt Camp was GREAT! I will post more about that in the next day or so. It's been a wild time of cleaning up from our refrigerator leak, meeting with contractors, plumbers, carpenters and refrigerator repair folks. While I was at Quilt Camp, DH stayed home with the roofers getting the new roof on our house installed. I suggested he wait until the Monday when I was home to have the roof installed, but he didn't want to wait. I lucked out on that one:)  I've taken my MIL grocery shopping, running errands, refilling prescriptions, across town to visit her daughter and out for lunch (she's my new part time job). DH hasn't felt well and has me doing the  cooking. Scary:)  Saturday was the annual Fall Festival at our church. There have been New Orleans Saints games on TV and LSU game on Saturday evening. Dental appointment, flooring selection, satellite dish adjustment.....   Ok. Is that enough excuses for not blogging? Now, that all of this is off of my chest, we can get back to regular blogging:) See you tomorrow!

Giveaway Winners

Thank you dear blogging friends for a super response to my giveaway celebrating "100 Followers." I was thrilled to learn a bit more about each of you. I'm still visiting your blogs and learning more about you. (My quilt retreat slowed me down a bit:) Again, thank you for enriching my life with your comments, loyal following, support and friendship. I am indeed blessed to have you in my life.

Winner of the Quilt Pink charm packs is Lana from the blog It Seems to be Sew.

Call me crazy from crazy'boutquilts is the winner of the Apron Strings charm packs. 

Donna in NE LA (no blog) is the winner of the Hydrangea Garden charms. Ladies, please send me your mailing addresses. If I don't hear from you by Friday, I'll pick new names. 

This was so much fun that I'm planning another giveaway. Well, two giveaways actually. I'm very near my 300th post. We'll have to celebrate that event. I've also signed up to participate in the Fall Into Fall Quilters Blog Giveaway. That begins  October 1st. Winners are announced on October 15th. There is still time to join in this giveaway. See the blog for details.

Quilt Sighting

In my mailbox today was the newest issue of Woman's Day magazine. The candy corn wreath caught my immediate attention, but soon I noticed the print "Decorating with Quilt." Cool!  This is not a new trend for you and I, but it looks like others in America are catching on. New reading material for later today.

Stash Reduction

Not reduction in my stash, but Vicky's. Her stash room reduction is my blessing. Vicky had a giveaway for this wonderful kit from Fat Quarter Shop using RJR Stars of Provence fabrics. Not only did she send an entire kit with the pattern, but she sent the backing fabric, too.

This quilt is so me:)  I originally thought I would make it for my MIL for a Christmas gift. NOT:) This quilt belongs on  my new blue wing chair. I'll finish something else for my dear MIL.

I've already cut the kit. Can you believe that, Vicky? I've already cut the fabri. It's ready to begin sewing. It's with  with me to Quilt Camp.  Thank you dear Vicky for sharing your stash with me. I know it's your Penny who brought me luck.

Thanks, Vicky and Penny!

Pumpkin Treats

Fall means Pumpkins. While reading blogs in the last couple of weeks, a new discovery was made, Little Debbie "Pumpkin Delights".  I've looked, but can't find which blog introduced me to these treats. I wanted to give credit to the temptress. I didn't know they existed. 

Occasionally, I purchase the Little Debbie "Gingerbread Men" for DS. It reminds us of his early elementary days. Of course, I purchased not one, but two boxes of Pumpkin Delights. One has gone to college with DS. The other box traveled to the senior living home where MIL lives. We made coffee and ate our treats:) Welcome, Fall!

CGQC Goals for Sept/Oct

I'm a bit behind in posting my update for July/August and my goals for Sept/Oct. It's not that I haven't worked on some of my goals. Its more about not writing a blog post:)


1. Movement - I have walked more and rode the excercise bike. It's a start:)
2. My Mammogram is scheduled for the end of the month.
3. Some drawers and cabinets have been cleaned. The cabinet under my bathroom sink was the one bothering me the most. Done!

4. I checked out a stack of books from the library on dementia. Decided to  puchase my own copy of 36 Hour Day. I have trouble making myself read it. Dementia is depressing.

Thank you, Diane for recommending this one.


Sewing projects:
1. Secret sewing project: Dark and dreary or Stoned  - DONE
2. White Chocolate - back to the design board; I attempted to sew the rows at Stitch-in; Bad Idea; I did unsew the seams yesterday. It's ready to start again.
3.Between Charming Friends/Rural Jardin - DONE
4. Maison de Garance/ Imagine Schnibbles - working on final border; Love this one!

Goals for Sept/Oct.  

1. Continue walking and riding excercise bike
2. Finish reading 36 Hour Day
3. Make string blocks for Quilts of Valor (10)
4. Cut civil war fabric for nickels swap with group due in Oct.
5. Joined LePetite - an online year of small projects;  make ironing  board cover

6 Sew Paganini - need to decide which layer cake to use

7. Blog frequently
8. Sew a UFO - any "work in progress" or "unfinished project"  :)

Quilt Sampler Magazine

I've been searching the magazine racks of my local grocery store waiting for copies of Quilt Sampler magazine to arrive. Quilt shops had the magazine earlier, but it didn't work with my schedule to visit one of the shops that I knew had it in stock. I know it's obsessive, but I have every issue of Quilt Sampler magazine. I bought it before I actually began quilting. Quilts and quilt shops have been a long time attraction. Congratulations to Tiny Stitches quilt shop in Marietta, Georgia (northwest Atlanta) for inclusion in the Fall 2010 issue. Tiny Stitches is a gem of a quilt shop. The shop has lots and lots of fabric. I particularly like to shop for flannel fabric at Tiny Stitches. I usually visit this shop during the Atlanta Shop Hop in March of each year. My SIL lives near Tiny Stitches. Perhaps, I need to suggest a "field trip" next week.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

It all began rather innocently and simply with a carton of ice cream. Thursday evening, DH commented that the ice cream was a bit soft in the chest freezer in the garage. All summer long, it has been bothering me that the freezer needed to be defrosted. It just was TOO HOT, to get the job done. Friday, DH had the day off from work (He does flex time and has every other Friday off from work) So I said, "Let's defrost the freezer tomorrow morning. It should be cool." So that is what we did.

I absolutely refused to take "REAL" photos of the mess in our freezer, but you get the Picture:) Lots of things were past the "safe to eat" date so we filled our garbage can. We were on a roll, so we also cleaned the refrigerator in the garage and the refrigerator in the house. (very Cajun; always lots of food in the pantry, refrigerators and freezer) It definitely takes retirement to tackle that kind of job:) Everything was ok until Saturday at noon.


You already know that I visited Intown Quilters Saturday morning. On my way home, I had a call from DH to get home fast, there was water all over the kitchen floor. I went straight home.  He was mopping water off the hardwood floor on the first floor. I grabbed the shop vac and began in the basement :) Yes, the water and leaked through to the next floor.


A call was placed to our homeowners insurance company. They sent out the water rescue squad. From Monday until Tuesday morning, the fans and dehumidifiers have been blowing in the kitchen and basement.

My washer and dryer (I do laundry and latrines) were in the middle of the kitchen. 

The laminate in the laundry area was ripped up.

The fans kept circulating air and stirring up dust and other junk. AAACHOO!

The basement had equipment, too.

The air conditioning ducts were soaked and the flooring in the finished part of the basement was covered in water.

Gratefully, our insurance company and the water rescue company have been fabulous. I've spent most of the past two days meeting with adjusters, plumbers, etc. The water leak was from our refrigerator (our very clean refrigerator). See if I clean a refrigerator any time soon:)

Some of the  hardwood floors on the first floor need to be replaced. All the hardwoods have to be sanded and refinished. The basement flooring has to be replaced. The air ducts need new insulation. It's been an interesting couple of days:)

It looks like I will need to make some decisions about stain for the hardwoods and other ways to update our home. Anyone have any suggestions on what looks new? Any blogs I should read? Most everything is back to normal today. The washer and dryer are rocking and rolling, but we still need to do the repairs:) One step forward, two steps back......