CHARITY AUCTION

I know the title, CHARITY AUCTION, isn't very exciting and naming is NOT a strength of mine, but it is exciting if you are a quilter and like to get caught up in the action of a good deal:)

When I moved to Florida (almost 7 years ago now-WOW!!), I joined a guild named Hidden Stitches.
I loved the name and that it is an Applique guild...How exciting is that!  Then I learned that their philanthropic outreach is for a program that one of the members had founded and once a year they hold a Live Quilt Auction and Luncheon to raise their yearly funds. 

Live quilt auctions are a hoot!  Our auctioneer, Brenda, is Fantastic and watching the bidding wars can be hysterical.  I myself have been involved in one or two:)  You can't help but get caught up and the money goes to a great program for disadvantaged children.

There is also a boutique where fun things (sewing and non-sewing) can be found.  This year we are doing scrap grab bags...Say that 3 times fast:)  Who can resist a mystery bag?  My daughter used to spend her allowance on the ones at Claire's Jewelry in the mall. She would be so excited to see what she got in her bag and it would crack me up!

So here are my donations to this year's event which will be held this Saturday (24th) in Largo, FL. Christ the King Lutheran on Oakhurst Rd. Come join us!
Tickets are $15 and include lunch and more entertainment than you are prepared for:)
I know we have seats left if your calendar is empty and you want to come see what we are up to.

 Autumn Vines is a lap quilt for the

Live Auction that features one of my pumpkin designs on it.

 

This is the March basket designed by Sue Garman 

for her design named, Bouquets for a New Day.

I hand appliqued this before machine quilting it.

Lastly, this sweet little piece is named, Winterscape. 

I know people are over winter but next year this will look

darling in someone's home with original, 

hand embroidered, snowflake corners.

 

The last 2 pieces will be part of the Silent Auction. 

Hope to see you there.

Hola, Mexico!

This past November, Jim and I finally took a 'resort' trip. 

We had never done anything like this before and it was amazing!

We went with our dear friends, Tony and Della,

whom we have known for 28 years now (wow!).

We were all stationed in Guam together in 1990.

It was an early start to the day and there were Bloody Marys at Tampa Airport for breakfast, but really??? They all took naps and I did some applique on the way to Miami:)

 Miami Airport Fish Kaleidoscopes.

After a LONG day of travel, we finally arrived. 

It was dark when we got there and this was our

first view off our balcony.

BUENAS DIAS MEXICO

 

                                             

We stayed at the Paradisus and it was Lovely!!

Here I am getting some stitching in while the other 3 went to get massages:)  It was Jim's first one ever and he Loved it!!

I went and got my first pedicure ever.  

My feet did look really nice and I wasn't as freaked out as

I thought I might be so I may do it again....?

My inspiration: The Paradisus logo and one of

my favorite trees ever, the Poinciana! 

It was in full bloom and so beautiful!

My husband's inspiration....Racks of cooked meat! 

While at the pool one day, this little cutie came and stole a plate of nachos from one of our pool mates who weren't watching their food.  This is a Codi Mundi or Mexican Raccoon.

This was one of the walkways that led to the beach that we didn't spend any time at because it rained all 4 days we were there!!!

Us learning selfies so we would have at least one pic of ourselves:)

After breakfast Jim and I would do a short walk along the beach and that was the extent of our beach time.

Here is the one pool shot I have.  Again it rained every day so this was literally 3 hours of sun on the last morning we were there.  I felt so bad for my trip mates as this is what they had been so looking forward to...pool, beach, swim up bar, etc.  I was secretly thankful I didn't have to roast!

Did this restaurant know I was coming or what????!!!! 

Quilt inspiration on the wall-So pretty!

We tried roasted crickets and cactus while at this restaurant. 

The bugs are something I NEVER thought I would do but Jim persuaded me with that whole, "be adventurous", argument that we always used on the girls when they were growing up:)

They were actually quite good!

Time to go home and would you believe that this is the ONLY pic we remembered to take Together!!??  The days and nights really got away from us! Della and I would say during the day (when we weren't dressed up) to remember we need a pic of all of us:)  Finally at the airport in Mexico, we get our pic when we are heading home,  tired, and NOT dressed up!! 

It doesn't matter because these faces are my loves and it makes all the memories more special somehow to me:)

Houston 2017 (Catching you up:)

Houston brings so much with it....My Autumn Fix (VERY Important!), seeing beautiful quilts, being inspired, meeting with fellow professionals and making connections. 

Most importantly I get to hang with my sweet friend, Susan! We have known each other for quite some time now, work well together, and then get our antique fix together:)

So after my Autumums came out in October (see here), I went to Houston with, Susan, of Suzn Quilts to be a booth helper for the premiere of her book, Dresden Quilt Workshop. This Festival Pin is SOOOO ME!!!

The black circle shows where Susan's booth was on the floor....
so much floor:)

While there we ran into some other professionals that we talk with online but hadn't met face to face before....

Cheryl Lynch and Sue O'Very.

Susan finding her book on the shelf (above) and signing her life away (below).  She is so composed...I may have burst in the same situation:)

Once we got home to Susan's in Illinois, I had 1-1/2 days to antique shop with her!  We even hit a shop or two on the way from Houston to Illinois where she found a FANTASTIC red and green applique quilt for me (that is for another post!)!!

 

Because her book came out, we did Market and Festival back to back which ended up meaning 2 weeks away from home for me once you add in travel time.  Starting to see where I have been...:)

October 2017 Happenings

In the Category of,

YOU DO KNOW IT IS MARCH OF 2018, RIGHT?

Yes, I do, but I have been busy....

I will be catching you up and then you will understand why I have been absent!

And, in between all of this has been commission quilting, new designs, and lots of applique and embroidery!

 

My lovely man was invited to Chicago by our eldest to go to a Cubs game!  You may (or may not) remember that this time last year Jim's brother was fighting cancer and Jim sat here alone, worrying about his brother and watching the Cubs win the series while I was away.  This time, he flew into Indy where he and his brother drove to Chicago to go to the game together with our eldest.  They did lots of reminiscing and Imagine his joy to see his childhood team win in person:)

HAPPY 49TH BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I am not excited that I hear this little voice telling me it is my

last year to do something big before I turn 50!!

 Great night at the game with the Lightning

celebrating 25 years as a team:)

 

Just because I love them, I thought you would too. 

Jim planted these lovely red vine flowers for me!

 

ONLY IN FLORIDA!.....??

Can you believe that the Princess Bride is 30 years old??!!  This was a favorite of Jim and I as we dated and then we introduced it to our girls when they were young.  Jim is my Wesley!  He didn't say, "as you wish" but damn near close:)

Jim was getting a bit bored in retirement (I think, but he won't admit it) so he tried his hand at some woodworking.  He found an old treadle sewing machine to use the wrought iron sides as table legs.  Then he found some wood quilts that were being made / framed as art and thought that would make a great table. 

Why would I disagree:)

I picked the stains I wanted....

Voila!  A lovely table perfect for a quilter!  I now have somewhere to display photos since I hadn't fully moved in and now I will:)