Trunk Full of Quilts.....Some Kitty Love and Little Apples.....

A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.

— Arnold H. Glasow

I came across this wonderful Trunk Full Of Quilts online quilt trunk show  being hosted by  by Soma @ Whims and Fancies and decided I would hop aboard!  Just click on the photo below and you can go there too!

 

Soma has invited us to dig deep in our trunks and find our favorite quilts to showcase and linkup.  She has many wonderful sponsors giving some fabulous prizes but best of all is the chance to see all those gorgeous quilts!

 

So I have a couple of favorites which I will show.........first is the "Kitty Quilt" I made for my youngest son..........the middle block is made using the snails trail block to form the kitty tails........The kitties are our two girls, Lucy and Tinkerbell.  Lucy lived with us for 19 years before she traveled to Rainbow bridge to wait for us..........Tinker is about 18 years old now and still entertaining us.......(the two yellow kitties represent Lucy and the gray kitties are Tinkerbell)  The rest of the quilt is an "Around the World" pattern made with 5 inch charms........

 

 

 

 

Above is my son with Lucy and below he is holding Tinker......

 

My next most favorite quilt is one I call "Little Apples".......it is from a pattern called "Cross Terrain"  by Moda Bake Shop contributor, Lee, of  Freshly Pieced----  I used the "Little Apples" fabric line by Aneela Hoey.....such pretty colors....After quilting for everybody else......this is the very first quilt I made for myself.....and I use it all the time! 

 

 

 

So that's it!  I'm off to linkup and visit the rest of the gorgeous quilts in the trunk show.......want to come along??  Just clink on this Link!

 

 

See you There!

 

Tote Bags....Oh Deer!

 " It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. "  ~John Wooden

 

I have managed to get up to my sewing room despite working some extra hours these days........one of "my girls" had to leave the shift and she loves to read so I put together this quick book bag for her as a going away gift............

 

Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.....our hospital has a display out where they auction off gift bags and sell small items in order to raise funds for our infusion center.  The center has many items that they give to patients so I always try to help...........this year I made this tote and filled it with goodies for the drive......

Today I am going back home after a wonderful two days visiting with my Mom.  We went and visited a couple of relatives and had lunch and saw a beautiful buck cross her front yard........I also got to see my Sis, who gave me a wonderful haircut and my Brother and his wife.....a wonderful visit!   today I am headed back home to get back to work tonight...............

Here is a photo of one of the bucks who was coming to dinner at Mom's apple tree......

 

Perfectly Pleasing Winners!

I want to thank all of you for making the Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade a big success!  We had 26 link-ups and a plethora of fabulous pincushions to drool over!

 

So without further ado I would like to announce that Desertsky Quilting is the winner of the gift certificate from Green Fairy Quilts, the cookbook, one of the pincushions on the PPPP post (her choice) and some other goodies............

Anthea from Hibiscus Stitches has also won the cookbook, a pincushion and other goodies!

Emails have gone out to the winners and, again, thanks to all of you for making my first linky party a BIG success!

On the subject of pincushions.........since I have your attention.......my sis, Irene, and I are thinking it would be fun to have a Holiday Pin cushion swap.........Although Thanksgiving and Christmas are the next holidays we would leave it up to the swap partners which holiday they prefer.........in other words, if your partner wanted a Valentine pin cushion or a St. Patrick's Day Pin cushion or whatever......you would make one for her and she would make your desired holiday pincushion for you...........we are still working on the details but if you think you might be interested in signing up for this swap please let me know in your comment below............

Again.......Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank You!






 

Gone with the Pincushions!!

Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade is gaining steam and so this is my post for the linky......

First I show my very favorite pincushion...........one my son, Jeremy, made for me when he was about 12 years old..........for many years this was my only pincushion.....

 

 

 Next another pincushion I have had for years...........this was an estate sale find............there is a label underneath that reads "Italy"...................

 

 

 

My sister made this little pincushion for me that ties right to my sewing machine..........unlike the pincushions I carry from one place to the next and then can't find them.....this one is always in the perfect spot!

 

 

  I repurposed this jewelry box earlier this month.....I removed the glass lid insert and replaced it with a pincushion insert. .......it is nice to have downstairs when I am away from my sewing room......it has enough room for several threads and notions....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 .........and, finally..........some more whimsical pincushions...........I found the ceramic shoe at a second hand shop and added.........well, it is either a leg or a boot top with some machine embroidery ......what would you call it?  Lol............

 

 

 

 I also found this Avon figurine of Scarlet O'Hara which kept me entertained for a day or so...........

 

 

 I'm not sure I'm that pleased with the change, but I didn't use any glue so underneath the figurine is undamaged and can always change back to the original.............

 

 

When Scarlet looked at her new dress she said, "Ida....where will I go?  What will I do???"

 

You know what I said.................

 

 

"Frankly, My Dear, .......why don't you go to the Pin Cushion Parade?????"

 

 

 

And why don't you join the fun???  Link-up, show us your pincushions and get a chance to win some prizes!

Click on this LINK or the Pincushion Parade button above to go there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's time for Ida's "Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade Linkup! And Look.....Green Fairy Quilts is Onboard!

Yes my followers and friends..........the linky to Ida's "Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade"  is now open.....and my friends at Green Fairy Quilts have come onboard to offer a $20 gift certificate to one of the winners of this linky party!  So we are adding this gift certificate to the first winner of the linky party.........thanks Judi and Clint for helping to make this linky a success! Clint and Judi have the most awesome precuts and yardage of all the most contemporary designers anybody would want and they have some of the best sales I have ever seen!  Please click on their logo below and check it out for yourselves!

 

Ok then............don't forget........at midnight on September 2nd the linky to Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade will be open for you to linkup your beauties!  Click on this link and show me your stuff!!

 

 

 

Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade!

Ok my friends.......here it is.....my very first linky party.....

Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade has begun!  Please post your links below when linky opens Wednesday September 2nd........You may post anything "pincushion" you like......something you've made.....something you love....anything to do with pincushions! Please remember you must link in order to be eligible for prizes. After you link-up please leave a comment letting me know your first and second choice from the pincushions in the following photos......let me know which you would like to see in your mailbox... If you like you can see individual photos on my previous posts.......

 

Winners will also receive one of these fabulous cookbooks from my Sis......"Mom, how do I boil water?" is a wonderful cookbook for the beginning cook who literally may not know how to boil water!

 

Winners will also get a nice surprise for their stash and who knows what other extras might end up in your winners package! (newsflash!.....GreenFairy Quilts has joined our party and is giving a $20 gift certificate to the winner!  Thanks Clint & Judi! Click on the link and check out their website to see what you might buy with your gift certificate!

 
You can get an additional chance to win by grabbing my button and posting to your blog or by mentioning the linky party on your blog.......... 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Pin Cushion Mania continues.....and an Invitation.....

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance. ~Author Unknown


I made some more pin cushions this week.........many come from ideas I have found on Pinterest and then adapted them to my own interpretation............I found this little wicker box and made it a tiny container pin cushion......



............this was a candle holder I had for a long time........I couldn't decide whether to glue the pin cushion down or not and finally decided to leave it just where the pin cushion can be taken out and then stored on the holder...........

 

............I found this idea on Pinterest.....the container I found at Good Will.........lol...........

 

 

............Another Second Hand store find.......a vintage cup and saucer is transformed into a pretty pin cushion.....

............and then I decided to "bake" a couple of pies.....

I use cotton low loft batting for the "crust" and then paint it with a strong brewed tea to make it look browned on top......

 

 

 

I think, perhaps, that I am coming to the end of my "Pin Cushion Mania"............but I must tell you that I find it only fitting that I should share some of it with you, my followers...........Today I invite you to Ida's "Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade"....a fun linky party with prizes which will open for you to post your links next Wednesday, September 2nd!  Click on the image below and it will take you to the link-up page......

 I have added a button to the top of my right sidebar....will you please grab it and spread the word? 

  You will have a chance to link your favorite pin cushions...........they can be vintage pincushions....pin cushions you have made or your favorite pin cushions.........it's up to you!  Add your link and join the fun!  Prizes will include some of the pin cushions I have posted recently plus other great surprises.......

I will be posting some reminders between now and then......hope to see you there!




 

Kachina Wall Hanging and the Saga of the Pin Cushions continues...........

"When one door of happiness closes, opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." -Helen Keller



My sister has always been an inspiration to me.........way back when I was doing my thing with all the different crafts and such.....Irene was cross stitching and embroidering and doing her thing...........One of the projects she finished was a set of 5 Indian Kachinas embroidered with wool yarn back in the early 1980's.............aren't these gorgeous? 

   
She had displayed them on her wall for a few years, then my niece hung them for awhile, and one day I saw she had them stacked to put away and she asked if I wanted them.  I don't have any Southwest décor in my house but I had always loved these stitcheries and an idea to take them out of the frames and sew the blocks together for a quilt of some  sort began to take shape so I picked them up and brought them home. 
  After I took them out of the frames I added a rectangular block with a Machine Embroidered applique at the top and bottom of each block then included two ME Kachinas and finally surrounded each with red and turquoise sashing. I stitched in the ditch of the sashing and added some stippling around the Kachinas.....I included the names of the Kachinas and the date she stitched them underneath each block.  I was really happy with the results but more important.....My Sis loved her "new" wall hanging!

 
And then the pin cushions began calling me again..........I have been stopping in at second hand stores for ideas to make pin cushions and have found lots of possibilities........Two miniature frames became a Southwest pincushion and a pansy delight..........

Teacups with or without saucers work well........

  I love adding machine embroidery whenever I can.......

I found this idea on Pinterest.....it uses a glasses case covered with your fabric of choice and includes a little pin cushion to make a fabulous traveling sewing kit!

And here is one last pin cushion for you to look at  before this post goes to the birds!........

Stay tuned for more pin cushions.....I am working on a fun idea for you all to join in on my obsession.........lol.......