Memorial Day...

How do you spend your Memorial Day Weekend? Our family gets together each year and we go back to our hometown of Mendon, nestled against the great Wellsville mountain range, part of the Rocky Mountains. It truly is a most beautiful town. The cemetary was particularly green and beautiful this year due to the extended spring.

We visit the gravesides of loved ones who have passed on and remember them...this is my father's graveside...

My brother's graveside, who died way before his prime--he was only 25...

My grandparent's graveside, who immigrated here from England in the late 40's...

A view of the mighty mountains. I grew up with these mountains in my back yard. I'm afraid it is a love affair for life.... Tomorrow, we head north to pay our respects to my husband's side of the family. We are planning a trip to Suppose, a fabulous little quilt store as well. Should be a great day!!!

Auction...

Next Thursday for our Relief Society meeting, we are having an auction...We've been asked to donate items for this auction and in return, we get to participate in the auction. No money will exchange hands. Everyone has different items that they can donate such as haircuts, gardening, cooking, babysitting, etc. I signed up to donate hotpads....

and a table runner....

and some homemade bread. I think it will be a fun evening....

I am trying to manicure my stash...which includes my favorite thing to buy, charm packs. I used some leftover charms to make this table runner, pattern is by Sandy Gervais. The hotpads were made from leftovers from a quilt I made a couple of years ago. It is really fun to revisit these wonderful fabrics!!

Mini quilts--April and May...

Finally we had some good weather today. It has been a rainy May, which I love, but I also like a little sunshine. Mini quilts May and April are now complete. I'm caught up for a few minutes.....

Diaper Clutch Anyone???

Today I made this diaper clutch. I found this darling fabric line by Riley Blake. I'm really liking all the Riley Blake lines coming out!!!

Inside of clutch....

Front side of the changing pad...


Back side of the changing mat, making this mat reversible...Just love it!! Wish they had these when my babies were babies.... This pattern is by All My Bags and Quilts too, "Diapers to go!" #150.

Journal Covers...

I just finished these two journal covers. They fit the composition notebooks. I really had fun trying to decide the embellishments on these. I have to tell you, there is the most adorable fabric out there and I love working with it!! This one is a Hootin Owl...

This journal cover is made from Amy Butler's Love fabric. I just love love love it!! I made a 3 dimensional flower from a new pattern I tried and it was really fun to do... This time around, I used an elastic closure instead of tying the books closed with twill tape. It was fun to revisit the journal covers again.

Tea Parties and Such...

Every month, we have "sew day" and I decided that 4 times a year, we would have a dolly tea party. Here is the table set and ready for the kids..Don't you love my fresh flowers--especially prepared for the tea party by my little niece who is 4 years old. It sports tulips and dandelions...

Some of the guests of honor...

We did a photo shoot for our dollies outside. It was a perfect spring afternoon....This is Liz with my niece...

My dear little Ruthie...

Miss Molly B'golly...




Samantha...

My niece with all her dollies...



Kit and Ruthie--BFF--best friends forever...We had a lot of fun and look forward to the next time in a couple of months that we will have another tea party!! We did get some sewing done too!!

Every once in awhile, I will run across a fun little pattern that sews up in nothing flat. This little pattern is one of those. The pattern describes the Hot Fingers as: "The best friend your fingers will ever have! So grasp your cup, pull open that steaming bag of popcorn or grab that baked potato, all without burning your fingers! For Microwave Use Only!" You can find the pattern here http://susiecshore.com ,#ST-944. Would make a great happy gift, neighbor gift or whatever....

Judging...

I, along with 2 other ladies, was asked to judge some quilts from another quilt guild. Can I just tell you that I don't like to judge. Sometimes people's choices of fabric and design get in the way of judging the actual work. I like to quilt as a hobby and purposely have never entered anything I have made in an environment where they would be judged. When you invest some good time into anything you have made,and you feel you have done your very best work, it is hard when people pick it apart. For that reason, I hate to judge.

I just want to mention that one problem area that was dominant in all of the judging was binding....Ladies, if you do not know how to do a good binding, go to the experts and get help until you do a good binding. Most of the quilts that we judged, the binding was awful. When you go to all the trouble of piecing, hand quilting or machine quilting, you have invested a lot of time. Don't be in a hurry to machine stitch down your binding instead of hand tacking it down--it takes away from all your hard work....Enough of my soapbox...here are the quilts that were judged. I did not make any of them....Enjoy....

I do have to mention that I am a sucker for anything embroidered...

Sister's Day

We had a Sister's Day yesterday....the pictures are out of order, but hey--this is what we did--went to My Heritage Quilt Store in Ogden,UT. She had these fun vintage aprons hanging at the ceiling...makes me laugh as I grew up with similar models...there were some cute displays....

Family busily trying to decide what to purchase ...

We started our journey at Rainbow Gardens--they always have great shopping with unique gifts...

Check out these adorable birds--they have a hidden zipper at the top and they are a little coin purse...


Darling paper clips with yo-yos. I thought this was a cute idea...

Lunch at The Greenery--did you know they are the home of the Mormon muffins? Let me tell you--you haven't lived until you have eaten one with that honey butter...




We are all smiles because we all love good food....

We became engrossed in coversations...and thoroughly enjoyed the day. We really try to get together several times a year with planned activities so we can see each other. I have 4 sisters and I realized that I am missing a picture of one..I am not the best photographer and I had some blurred photos...oh no....till next get together--in the meantime, we will feast on the memories...

Patchwork Friends Quilt Guild May Meeting...

This month's block jack was selvage blocks. I did not make one this month as I had a lot of things going on and ran out of time...

Show and share--we had a lot of cute projects that were shared...this is a pattern with crayon tinted blocks...cute idea!!

Cute jelly roll bag in black and whites...

Hexigon table topper....

Another hexigon table topper...


Jelly roll quilt...cute...

Fun baby quilt with ragged edge...

Darling Buggy Barn pattern--love the colors

Fun placemats...It was a fun evening full of games and even a pinata to celebrate 5th of May...till next month...