16 years or is it 23 ?

 Yesterday was our 16th anniversary, can't believe that it has already been 16 years.  Of course DH says it is really 23 because we were together for 7 years before we got married.  However you count it, they have been really, really great years.  I couldn't have found a nicer guy!!!  Both of us like to do outside stuff, so we spent the day at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, it has been years since we have been there.  It was the perfect day for it, not too hot, slightly overcast and best of all it wasn't crowded.  The flowers were beautiful.  I have no idea what the purple one is but it was pretty.

Butterfly weed.  How can something this pretty be called a weed?

Turtles sunning themselves on a log.

 

 

After spending the day out and about, we had a great dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant, Alfredo's.   I had a really hard time this year deciding what to get DH for an anniversary present, (if you remember the quilt story from last year you understand this).  After much thought I decided on 16 different presents, most were small and silly, but they were a hit.  The best was tickets to a concert in November, so we have that to look forward to.  Hope the next 16 years are as good as the last 16!!!

Quilting at the cabin

Just got back from our annual "Going sewing at the cabin" few days with wonderful friends, Pat, Becky and Karin.  As you can see from the "happy hour" table we had a wonderful time, there was plenty of Blue Moon, Limearitas, and wine to be had along with lots of snacks.  I still need to get Pat's salsa recipe, it was wonderful.  We had a great time, there is nothing like starting the summer off with a few days of sewing with wonderful friends.  Already looking forward to next year.

I know this is sideways, but you can still  tell that Karin make a beautiful Trip Around the World quilt, it is going to find a happy home in Florida.

Great quilt from Becky.

My quilt called "Odds and Ends" that I have been working on for almost a year.

Decisions, Decisions

My good friend Pat over at Silver Thimble is starting another mystery quilt. ( I shouldn't even think about starting it since I haven't finished the last one, but I am)  We got the first mystery clue on Friday night.   This one listed the yardage and the first cutting instructions.  I really want to  do this, but I don't want to buy more fabric.  The clue calls for two fabrics or two color ways, one being a constant, with each fabric or color way needed a total of 5 yards.  Looking through my stash I found two combinations that I could live with.  The first is red and yellow, the second is pink and brown.  The clue also calls for colors with high contrast.  I could do the solid brown and scrap up the pink, I have lots of pink in my stash. If I decide to go with the red and yellow, it will just be those two colors.  What do you think?

Blooms everywhere

Sometimes I think that I try to do too many things, does that ever happen to you?  If I had my way I would probably spend most of  my free time sewing and reading.  I spend some time gardening, and probably should spend more, but the there just isn't enough time in the day for everything.  We have had so much rain this spring that our flowers are really pretty.  For the first time our peony, that was given to us several years ago by DH's aunt, is blooming.  I love the big pink flowers.  I probably should have cut some of them before the thunderstorms this morning, oh well.

We have also had some beautiful amaryllis blooms.  Someone always gives me one of these at Christmas time and after it blooms I usually just plant it in one of our flower beds, this year I think everyone that I have ever planted is blooming.  They are so pretty.  Makes me want to spend more time gardening.

Great new read

I just finished Marie Bostwick's new book, Between Heaven and Texas, this is a prequel to her Cobbled Court series.  I am a huge fan of that series and didn't know if I would like this one or not.  I did and would highly recommend it. Between Heave and Texas, takes place in Too Much "where the women are strong and the men are handsome but shiftless"  (LOVE THAT DESCRIPTION).  The story focuses on twins Mary Dell and Lydia Dale who share two traits a talent for sewing and a weakness for men.  Lydia Dale marries and has children, Mary Dale wishes for children but doesn't get exactly what she wishes for, she gets much more.  This is a truly uplifting story, can't wait for the next one. 

44th Street Giveaway

Check out the give away over at 44th Street Fabrics.  Love Kathy Schmidt stitchery patterns. 

Piggies

 Last fall while in Houston for Quilt Market I found a stitchery pattern that I just had to have, This Little Piggy , by Scarlet Today.  (I have several of their patterns and love all of them.)I wanted to get started on it right away but too many other projects kept calling my name.  Before going to my mom's house for spring break a few weeks ago, I got the pattern out and traced 4 of the piggies.  I managed to finish three of them while at her house.  Last night I traced 4 more piggies, only 4 more to trace. 

Working on one of the "girl" pigs.

Piggie after cookies, my favorite.

Piggie carrying wood.

I think this is a dancing piggie!