Bags, bags, and more bags!

For the life of me I can not remember where I saw this link when I was reading blogs yesterday. I wrote down the link for frugal and thriving because I thought I could pass it along to all of my followers/readers. If you want to make a bag, this is the place for you. Enjoy!

Giveaway

I love, love, love these new samplers that Moda will be having! Jackie is having a wonderful giveaway that includes this and many more things. Head on over and take a look.....I'm winning this one though!!

Learning needleturn.......

I have really wanted to learn needleturn applique for quite a while. I even went online and tryed to find tutorials, but I am a person that needs to see it "up close and personal". Last night I finished a two part class at our LQS (which by the way just closed this week except for classes...so very sad!). Our teacher, Mary, is the best. I really love handwork and this is no exception! This is our practice piece from last week....didn't get mine done.

This is the fabric and the pattern all cut out and the actual square for the project with the overlay flipped up. The overlay has the pattern drawn on it and you use it to position your fabric pieces onto your base fabric.

This is the overlay flipped over onto your square....you can see the pattern drawn on it. This overlay that Mary teaches is a very fine "red dot tracer"....you baste it to the top and just flip it over when stitching....it does not get in the way and is so light, you don't even know it's there.

And this is what the finished item should look like....I'm glad it is in Spring colors, because that is when it probably will be finished! ;o)

I'm a Winner...

Connie notified me this morning that I was the winner of her latest giveaway! Yahoo....haven't won anything in quite a while...thanks Connie....can't wait for the mail to come!

Pretties....

I just discovered that the trumpet vine transplanted from some Terry gave me in the Spring decided that it would show me what the flowers were like before winter set in. I can't wait for next year when it will show me a lot more!

Then walking around the yard I saw that the violets don't want to call it quits yet either. It always amazes me when I see things that come up in areas where they weren't planted.....by me that is!!
But then I see colors like this down the road from me and realize it is just a matter of time before the trees are bare and "old man winter" will be upon us. Hope it is a light winter this year....last years seemed to go on forever!

Cool Giveaway

Wow wee!! I love these fabrics and want them really bad....but....I have to blog about it and let you all know that you can visit Brenda and sign up for this sweet deal also!

Also, let her know that you came from my blog and I will get an extra chance.....;o)

Pin Basting

I have to say that I had a very relaxing hour this afternoon pin basting my Fall tablerunner. I was also trying to decide what type of quilting would look best on it. Still don't know for sure.
I probably wouldn't be "as relaxed" if it was a queen/king size quilt......

I have not tried the spray baste.....anyone have pros or cons on the product??

More travels

This was the shop that I had been waiting to visit. Oklahoma Quiltworks. An amazing shop with every kind and style of fabric that you might be interested in. Many patterns, notions and samples everywhere....a huge classroom also. This wonderful beauty is located about 20 minutes from my son's house....yahoo! I am sorry to say that I did not get one picture of the inside....I was so excited on Saturday when I went with my DIL that I was back out in the car on the way home when I thought of pics. Then on Monday when I went back to use my card that was filled on Saturday for a free $20 in purchases, (grin) I left my camera back at their house. Grrrr.I bought several yards of the Route 66 fabric, a kit Little Cruisers on Rt. 66 by Quilting Belle, 2 Crabapple Hill patterns, green yardage for the back of my HNP tablerunner, some pink FQ's and the most adorable kit, The Poky Little Puppy, which I am sure we all have had that book. The sample in the shop just blew me away so I went for it!

Last but not least is fabric that was the first thing I saw when I entered the store...Kiwi by Alice Kennedy for Timeless Treasures. Lately lime green has really called out to me and this combination of the green and black and white really called my name. I just love it. BTW, the folded fabric is 5, 1/2 yard pieces that the gal actually cut as one.....10 layers....wow, that blade was sharp!!!

And this is what I had for the first time....Fried Green Tomatoes....yummo....I brought the greenies from Ohio, but Debbie did the frying. Thought I had died and gone to heaven!

Heading West

We decided to take an extra day of travel on our way out to see our son and his family in Oklahoma City. I had never been up in the St. Louis Arch, so that was something we were going to do. This is a shot standing underneath it on a beautiful Autumn day.

Here I am up in the top middle sitting on the carpeted seats that you can lay on to view thru the windows. I was surprised at how small this area was...and the only part of the arch with actual windows.
Hubby took a minute from picture taking to pose for me.

I thought this was one of the best pictures that I took. I loved the look of the lake/pond and how the shape showed up so high. I didn't realize until I looked at the picture afterwards that the shadow of the Arch showed.....very cool. We were VERY high!

Security was very tight....which I really don't mind. The line was not long for the checking of everything, but it still took a little time....especially when your hubby carries everything but the kitchen sink in his pockets. He ALWAYS sets off the scanners you walk through even when he has practically undressed. It was exactly the same type of procedure as the airport.
When we purchased our tickets for going up in the Arch the gal asked if we were claustrophobic....I didn't really understand until I was confronted with this "pod" that you ride up in. All I can say is that you were very CLOSE with strangers. Our strangers were a lovely couple with their son...going up and coming back down. If they are reading this, hope your new job in Virginia goes well and you don't miss Nevada too much!

Goodies from Missouri

Traveling out to Oklahoma, I made sure I had my trusty (but might have errors in it) quilt shop directory. A thick book chocked full of quilt shop ads and how you can find them! I wouldn't go off your main route too much though without calling ahead first. We have gotten to empty store fronts a time or two.
This one was right off I-70 in Columbia, Mo. A great stop with lots of friendly ladies inside!

I asked about picture taking and was told that they are pretty open to anything so it was not a problem. They had lots to offer and a huge classroom. The storefront doesn't look really big, but it is quite large inside.

Every colorway had a lot to offer...bolts and bolts. Their samples were everywhere and very inspiring.

And this is what I bought. The black and pink yardage is from Lakehouse Fabrics.... I love every piece I have ever seen produced by them. They were on sale too! I was thinking a purse would look pretty in this fabric. Some Halloween goodies, a couple charm packs that looked interesting (I love working with the pre-cuts) and then an assortment of fat quarters.

I held back from buying too much because I knew the pie'ce de resistance was waiting for me in Oklahoma City!

Quiet Sunday in Oklahoma City

On a cool, rainy Sunday in OKC, we decided to play a game that Jared bought with his birthday money from us, Grandma and Grandpa. A game that any Buckeye fan (us) would be proud to own.
This is what we played, and played and played.....a good 2 1/2 hours....Jared won, which made the new game even more fun!! Great to be 12 years old!

This is what we snacked on when we were finished.....yummo....homemade salsa.......wonderful with bagel chips!

And this is what that homemade salsa was made from......Ohio grown tomatoes and peppers...brought with love from Ohio!

More traveling posts to follow in the upcoming days!