Quilting Bee - again

I have been thinking about this quilting bee idea.  What if we raffled off the quilt ... if you make a square, that's one entry into the raffle.  If you make ten squares, that's ten entries ... 
So someone who makes a block will end up with a cool quilt.  


You like?


PS.  Thanks to Caitlin for being my lone participant so far!  Haha ... unless someone else joins in, Caitlin will most likely win a two-square quilt :)

Blessings

Thank God for dirty dishes, 

they've got a tale to tell;

While other folks go hungry, 

we're eating mighty well.

With Home and Health and Happiness 

We shouldn't want to fuss,

For by this stack of evidence

God's very good to us.

This little poem is in a tiny frame in my parents' kitchen, right next to the sink.  I believe my grandmother clipped it out of a newspaper a long time ago and framed it.  I love this gentle reminder!  


I've been thinking a lot recently about the blessings in my life ... like these:

A cousin who graduates from Duke yet proudly sports her Tar Heel button 

A sweet baby girl who brings so many people so much joy

This guy who galavants across the Swiss Alps yet still calls to say he can't wait to come home

And some more things ...

... skype visits with my brother across the world

... homecooked meals by Mom

... projects like wallpapering a bathroom in maps, sewing baby girl dresses, and working on photo albums

... sweet time with family

... sweet time with friends

... friends who have babies (hooray for Hudson!)

... peppers, tomatoes, and herbs for the garden, and a friend who will help till the soil up!

... and last but not least ... YOU!  

I know ... I'm getting all sappy and sentimental.  I can't help it.  I just feel thankful and blessed!

Quilting Bee

Would you join me if I had a quilting bee project?  I've seen other bloggers do it, and I'm inspired.  Or maybe I'm just needing another project to keep me overwhelmed on my toes.

In my mind, it seems like it'd be simple: we'd decide on fabrics, a pattern, and a block size.  You could make one square or forty squares, send them to me, and I'd put them together with the others that get sent to me.  Then just a little basting and sewing action later and presto - a quilt.  Not sure what we'd DO with the quilt, but we could decide that in the process.  Give it away?  Auction it off?  

Let me know.

OK.  Goodnight, friends.

PS.  I'm thinking that this could be a summer project with a *hopeful* finish date of August 2011.  Thoughts?

Potluck Prep

One of my favorite things about the warm summer weather is getting together with friends over food!  I can't tell you how much I look forward to our potlucks all year long ... nothing like the hope of outdoor eating and fellowship to get me through the gray skies of February!  We'll be starting up our weekly potlucks in just a few weeks, and I've started to think about what potluck themes we want to recycle or try this summer!


Breakfast for dinner?  Mexican?  Garden fresh?  Birthday (this one is absolutely going to happen again, just so you know) ... 


Red foods?  Secret family recipes?  Foods I've always wanted to try?  Mongolian Delights?  Country Cookin'?  The Letter 'S'?  


Give me your thoughts!


PS.  One new one we're going to try is Dessert Night.  Eat your regular dinner at home (or don't), and come hang out for desserts and coffee on the lawn!

Cammy's Quilt

Have I told you about Friday Morning Coffee?  For almost three years now, I've been getting together with a group of girls every week at someone's house for coffee, a bite of breakfast, and fellowship.  What started out as six girls has blossomed into probably fifteen - and we've added new friends, dogs, and babies to the group along the way.  

I am excited about the recent baby explosion that has hit the group - we've got five new babies due in August and September!  This weekend we had a shower for Cammy, who's due at the end of August.  She's getting ready to move soon, so our "Friday Coffee" girls decided that we needed to make her a little something to remember us by!  So take a look at Cammy's quilt:

There were nine ladies who each did one block ... starting at the top left, the patterns are as follows:

1. Whirlygiggle by Valerie

2. Strips by Mary

3. Four Corners by Elissa

4. Strips by Cindi

5. Four Blocks by Katie

6. House by Andrea

7. Wonky Maverick Star by me

8. Log Cabin by Meredith

9. Strips by Amber

I am SO excited by how this quilt really came together!  It was such a fun project, and I loved the puzzle of laying out the blocks and finally finding the perfect layout!  Katie helped me decide on the pink border (which was TOTALLY the right call), and Cindi provided the fabric for the back (sorry, no picture of that).

We hope that Cammy's sweet little baby girl knows that she has a lot of aunts who love her so much!

Alright ... and now a little picture of my block: 

True confession: this is the first block I've ever made that uses triangles.  I conquered my triangulophobia, and I'm so glad I did!  I'm itching to do whole quilt of these little beauties!

We love you, Cammy!