First Mini-Quilt Swap a Success!

My mini swap partner received the package I sent her today. So I can put some photos on, since she's already seen it. It was a blast to make, and finding the cute goodies to go with was also fun. I have to confess, the little ceramic watering can was a lucky discovery at a local thrift shop, but it is a perfect match, and SQJ is a gardener - how perfect is that??? She loves sunflowers, but I had the daisy fabric already, and somehow the other pieces jumped out and said, we match - use us!

I used a piece of cotton batting I had left from a previous project. Piecing the back was a snap, since there was an automatic "striped" piece left from the little nine-patches. I kind of wondered about putting it on the big frame and using the long-arm, but it worked fine, the quilting took about 15 minutes at the most, and I LOVE how it came out. Just a success all around, and SQJ even said she likes it - the best part!

I'm signed up for the next one in July, too. The theme is Summer Lovin', and the partners will be assigned in a few days. Getting involved in a swap was a bit scary, but it's working out great, and I'm happy I signed up.

Finishing Up Today

As you can see above (though most of it is wrapped up and hidden for now - check back in a couple days for more revealing photos), I sent my S.T.U.D. to Sunflowerquilt this morning after I ran a 5K trail race. Two great things accomplished before 10 a.m.! I even won my age group this time! I was 1/3 in women over 50. There were only about 26 runners - a very nice course in a county park by a lake near my town. The sun was shining, the lake was sparkling, the breeze was nice, and it wasn't that hot yet at 8 a.m. I feel I'm adapting to the heat now, too, so I'm sure that helped.

L&B came down to go to a cookout at some college friends' home today. They will stay overnight with us and go to the family reunion with us tomorrow. We are keeping the dog company for a bit, but will probably put her in the crate while I go to the store. Tonight drh and I want to go to the dirt track races if the weather cooperates. But first I need to accomplish some laundry folding, get some groceries to make a salad for tomorrow, and hopefully take a nap. Have a great day.

For the Table

I'm working on a table runner, mostly as another quilting machine practice project. I'm sewing the binding on now. I've found I love sewing on bindings. The quilting took about 15 minutes, I think. It looks great - I think it might need to be pressed because the intersections of the squares in the nine-patches are a bit bubbly. Ironing should take care of that.

Finished A Few Things - Tuesday

I have the day off! We finally finished things at work enough that I can start taking the next few Tuesdays off. My boss retired, so that finished off the party planning and cleaning up a lot of loose ends with her; my co-worker finished her medical leave, so now my double duty has ended and we can take a few breaths in between tasks.

Over the weekend, I ran a 5K and finished 3rd in my age group! I got a nice medal again. It was a small race in a nearby small town at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The results are not posted on the club website yet, but I suspect there were only 3 in my group... since I ran SO slowly. I didn't come close to meeting my goal pace in the first mile, so just gave up the idea of going "fast". It was only 68 degrees, but sunny, humid and no breeze, so I was pretty hot. It's taking me awhile to adapt to the heat this summer, probably because it came on so suddenly after weeks of cool, rainy weather. It was fun to be with friends and enjoy the outdoors nonetheless.

I finished a mini-quilt for a swap I'm in. This morning I sewed on the label, and quilted myself a duplicate - it was so cute, I just had to make two! Now I need to find a good box to package it up and should have it ready to send before the end of the week. I will put on a photo after my swap-partner receives it, but if I do it now, she may see it and the surprise will be spoiled.

I've been inspired by some cute ideas on blogs to make little girl dresses from men's dress shirts, so took a jaunt through a couple thrift stores to see what's available. I found a few possiblities. These are what I found, plus a tan linen one that is still on the drying rack. Do you like them?

A Bunch of Info - Probably Useless

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR?
Green.
WHATS IS YOUR FAVOURITE ITEM OF CLOTHING IN YOUR WARDROBE?
Some really flattering jeans that are now about 4 years old. They make me look very slim.
WHATS YOUR DREAM JOB?
Retirement.
WHATS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?
Underwear and washcloths from Tuesday Morning.
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
My co-workers chatting.
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM?
Butter pecan.
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE FRUIT?
Cantaloupe.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Nature, mostly.
WHATS ON THE WALL OF YOUR BEDROOM?
Four pictures. Two over the bed, of abstract flowers in round vases; and two on the wall by the dresser, of lakes, farm buildings, sail boats, etc. All in rich colors like ruby red, navy blue, golds, emerald greens, teals.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGNER?
I don't have one, but I tend towards a Jones New York type of wardrobe style, maybe a bit more bohemian. But I am not an Eddie Bauer or LandsEnd type at all.
DO YOU ADMIRE ANY ONES STYLE?
Can't think of any one right now.
WHAT LANGUAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK?
I speak German some, but I would like to be better at it.
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE?
A merry heart does good like a medicine.
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
Smithsonian.
IF YOU HAD A $100 WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND IT ON?
Fabric, shoes, maybe a new top. A bottle of wine, ciabatta bread.
WHATS YOUR CURRENT OBSESSION?
Quilting and learning to use my quilting machine.
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING TODAY?
Black flared skirt with satin ribbon trim, black/teal/white geometric print satin tunic blouse, black patent leather sandals. (I'm at work and dressed up for a retirement reception - not mine, unfortunately.)
WHATS FOR DINNER?
Left over ham/veggie/pasta, wine, cherries and ice cream.
WHAT WOULD YOU EAT FOR YOUR LAST MEAL?
Enchiladas.
IF YOU COULD HAVE A HOUSE PAID AND FURNISHED ANYPLACE IN THE WORLD WERE WOULD IT BE?
On a lake in Michigan or Wisconsin.
IF YOU COULD GO ANYPLACE IN THE NEXT HOUR WERE IN THE WORLD WOULD IT BE. Outside to a lake or mountains to hike.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO AFTER THIS?
Get back to proofreading yesterday's data entry. Fun, fun.
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK?
The Bible.
DO YOU COLLECT SOMETHING?
Not right now. I used to collect bird figurines. I sort of collect clothes, and fabric, I guess.
WHATS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT RULE IN LIFE?
Be honest, and put people ahead of other issues. That's two rules.

Top Ten Things

I might join Jenni here for Top Ten Tuesdays. I missed it last Tuesday, but here are mine for that week:



The Top Ten Coolest Things I’ve Ever Seen (in no particular order)

1. Northern lights - way back in about 1990 or so I saw them once.

2. My new babies when they were born (does that count as two?).

3. Great blue heron footprints in the sand under shallow water.

4. Berlin.

5. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

6. The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

7. Wilderness in Canada - I wish I knew where it really was, but it was so beautiful.

8. My new granddaughter's smile.

9. A bald eagle flying out of the woods and along side of us as we rode the motorcycle in Wisconsin.

10. The bonsai trees and plants at the North Carolina Arboretum - fascinating and beautiful!