BOM

I joined a new BOM from Lynette Anderson. It is a mystery quilt/wallhanging. You get one of her buttons with a free pattern. I located a shop in the USA and it just happens to be in Dublin, OH....Red Rooster Quilts. I got block #1 today and what a surprise to see all of these goodies. Floss, linen and whisper backing for the stitcheries along with the button and pattern. The blocks will be finished with the courthouse steps pattern framing them....this fabric will be included also. I haven't done a lot of handsewing lately and this is going to be my summer take-along.

Strings

These are the last of my projects for Stephanie's No Strings Attached Challenge....it ends tomorrow. Maybe if I didn't procrastinate so much, I would have had more finishes. It was fun Stephanie....thanks for hosting this. I learned something new!

Siggys Done

I finished my blocks for the Modern Siggy Swap over the weekend. (after helping dd#1 move into a new house....I cannot do what my mind thinks I can still do....this weekend proved it!!) The blocks were easy using a honey bun and jelly roll....I really enjoyed this. I signed them this morning...all 101 of them. I really don't enjoy writing on fabric. After I was all done and went to the flickr group I see a neat hint for signing using Glad Press and Seal.....will remember that for next time!


Hope to get a few of these done (white strips) before Wednesday.....wonder what they will be?

Goodies

I was lucky enough to win one of the daily drawings from The Quilt Shoppe while playing their Spring Fling Bingo. There are 6 patterns and so cute....I love birds, so hope to make at least one of these for a small wallhanging....maybe more.


I have made progress on my Modern Siggy Swap that I have to mail by July 1st....these are fun.

Cement

Bright and early this morning our "cement man" and his crew arrived to prep and pour the floor for our new barn. We needed 2 of these truckloads to fill it completely!


There were 3 guys pushing and pulling and 2 guys dumping the wheelbarrows of cement.

It was amazing to watch how they had control of this stuff that would soon harden and not be able to move anywhere. The head guy used his large board to smooth it out....like he was frosting a cake!

We put a shiny new 2010 penny in the cement around the corner from each of the 3 doors. If all of the grandkids had been here at the same time, we would have had 8 sets of handprints also!

In 1980 when we had our sidewalk and apron to the garage poured hubby put a penny there also....our kids were 10, 7 and 1. It looks like the Statue of Liberty now, but it is still there!

Finishes and a Start

I finished block 8 for the Jelly Roll Sampler. This one was a bit tricky. With my fabric, I definitely needed my background fabric in the middle to break up all of my busy prints. The outer border is a bit wonky, but the block measures 12 1/2 like it should be, so I am happy!



I signed up for Stephanie's "no strings attached challenge" quite a while ago. Of course I procrastinated and my intended tablerunner is now 2 potholders. I have the muslin cut for more squares, so maybe I still will do the tablerunner....Christmas scraps???

Now on to something new and refreshing.....a modern siggy swap that Julie is hosting. This one is simple and fun. I am using Neptune by Tula Pink. Lots of blues and greens. I haven't used those colors together recently and I am looking forward to seeing them come together. This one is due July 1st.....that is coming up soon!

Summer (almost)

I think Summer is officially here, by the temperatures anyway, but the calendar says Monday the 21st is the actual day that will be the longest of the year....the first day of Summer. My flowers are really growing great. I think maybe all of that rain we had for awhile really helped.

And this little pot amazes me. As you can see it is amongst some Sedum (can't remember the actual name) and it stayed here over winter. Well, this spring I noticed it had seeded itself in the pot although it never grew in the pot! Also, the petunias that were in the pot last summer also came back all by themselves. I have had petunias reseed the next year, but this pot really amazes me. We had a very cold and snowy winter and yet here they are. ( if I tried to do that, it never would have worked)!!!

Fly the Flag with Pride

Happy Flag Day to all of you who observe this holiday.

Yummy

We were up at the lake and guess where we went for dinner on Friday? Yep, a hibachi style restaurant. Our chef is about to catch that egg into his hat.....I never tire of this kind of "showy" cooking!



Have you ever in your life seen a ball of butter that looked like this???

The infamous flaming volcano onion.

Yummo! Haven't had this kind of food for quite a while and it was totally delicious!!

Update on Mrs. Swan....there are 3 little ones now, so darn cute....and Daddy was there too, but didn't get in my pictures.

Quilt Guild

Tonight was June's quilt guild meeting, Material Girl's Quilt Guild! Such a great bunch of gals....I really enjoy being with them. We are a small but mighty group! Our speaker was Emily Illson, a button collector. This gal knows her buttons. She has only been collecting for 4 1/2 years, but has been an antique collector for 37. She only collects buttons from 1840-1940! What a glorious variety she had....all labeled on trays that we could pass around and look at up close. She makes bracelets from the antique buttons and they were for sale and gorgeous. Thank you, Emily!

June was also Secret Sister month....we exchange every other month. Look at my cute bag....and the sweetest things inside. A large piece of Garden Party by Anna Marie Horner, hand cream, chocolate, an emery board and the cutest pair of socks ever.....the friendship star pattern! Love it all, secret sis!

Sewing again....

I finally got my nametag made for Quilt Guild. I haven't done paper piecing for a while, but this one was fun.....after I re-read basic instructions on doing it! ;o)


I also got my 7th block for the Jelly Roll Sampler made. This one is going to be a little different when the quilt is assembled....it called for background fabric on the outside....background fabric is supposed to be for sashing too!! Well, I did not have anything in Verna that was neutral to substitute, so this block may look like it is "floating" in the final quilt top. It will be interesting, if nothing else!

Here are all of my blocks for the sampler so far!

Decided to do something pronto for Loft Creations No Strings Attached Challenge....it ends the end of June....that seemed far into the future, but it isn't!! These are really fun and I got 2 blocks done in no time. I think a few more for a small tablerunner!

And this is what has been happening in our backyard lately....hubby's new barn!