2 Hours to Spare!

Ta da!  Here is my "Sew It's Finished" for February.  I started this in the summer or fall of 2011, and just needed to quilt and bind it. 

Won't these spools look nice in my sewing room?

Sunny

February Results

Although I was able to take a lovely long vacation in February, I was still able to meet all my goals.  However, I was just photographing them, and found a disaster.  How could I immediately see this in the camera screen, but not see it in the quilt?  The quilt that is pieced, quilted, and bound?  I give you this month's OPAM:

Should I take it apart at redo it?  Would you? 

I had a little better luck with Christmas Through the Year:

This will also count as my NewFO for February.
I was able to do some of the stitching while on vacation, and I experimented with quilting using a stencil. 

One Flower Wednesday was a success, with two new flowers joining my garden, and a few more connector petals.  I need to get back to joining the flowers, and hope to start working on that again this coming week.  Karen kindly keeps us on track, and keeps a list of links if you'd like to see other weekly blooms.

I wasn't sure if I would be able to get an ornament finished for 2012 Ornament a Month , but I chose a simple one, and got it all stitched up!  I haven't decided how to finish my ornaments yet, so I'm calling this a finish for now.

And now I must head down to the sewing room to do some 'un'quilting, because I still have to finish my project for Sew It's Finished.  Thank goodness I have Leap Day to get some extra sewing done.  Be back later!!

Contentedly counting my progress....Sunny

Explain it to me slowly.....

I've been reading all the posts about the Blogger change that is coming March 1st, and I want to make sure I'm ready.  Can someone please explain it to me in simple terms?  When I go to my Dashboard, there's a section called "My Reading List".  This is what I use on a daily basis to read blogs.  Will blogs disappear from this list if they are not Blogger based?  What about the blogs that I have linked to on my main blog page?  Will these be saved?  I do not want to have to subscribe to blogs and get them in email form if I don't have to.  I don't even know what an RSS feed is.  Can someone explain this all in terms that I can understand?  I don't want to lose my bloggy friends!!!!

contented but confused.....Sunny

One Flower Wednesday and Mail Call

It's time to get back to some stitching now that I'm home and the mountain of laundry is done.  Today I made two flowers, and a bunch of connector petals.  I've also finished some embroidery that will be showing up in a Christmas gift before the end of the month.

I received two packages in the mail today, one being my Inchy Swap flowers from Jane. She also sent a very cute card and enclosed some charm squares to maybe make some more flowers?

I also received a very unusual package from Teresa.  Back on Australia Day, she mentioned Vegemite, and we had a conversation when I asked what Vegemite really was.  She offered to send some to me, and she had problems posting it, but it finally arrived today.  And she packaged it in the cutest little bag, and enclosed a card.

As I was leaving town for my vacation, I stopped at the mailbox and found my BSA February block from Raelene.  She said it was her first basket block, and she did a beautiful job, using perfect colors.  She also included some of the leftover fabric, which will certainly be used in future hexies.

And here is the block that I sent to Raelene:

I also won a bookmark from Vickie!  It's already been put to good use.

Wow, this was just going to be a quick OFW post.  More stitching news to follow soon.

Contentment is not complacency......Sunny

Back Home Again

After a butt-numbing 17 1/2 hour drive, I pulled into my driveway shortly after midnight Saturday night.  I wasn't planning to drive straight through, but driving on Sunday was going to include driving through a snowstorm, and I don't particularly like driving through snowstorms.

I had the most wonderful vacation, visiting two friends in Florida - one on an island in extreme Northeast Florida, and one on an island in Southwest Florida.  I walked on Atlantic beaches:

and watched the sun set over the Gulf:

I collected shells on the beach, and toured the Kingsley Plantation which was very informative and interesting. 

  Everglades Wonder Park was filled with alligators, crocodiles, snakes and birds:

And the Edison and Ford Winter Estate was very informative and located in a beautiful setting.

I saw my first White Pelicans at Ding Darling NWR:

and this lazy guy:

We also had the opportunity to see several Manatees, but they were just below the surface of the water, so we couldn't really get any pictures.  We went to one of many Florida Flea Markets, ate tons of seafood, drank some wine and a few Margaritas.  It was a wonderful 10 days.  The best part was spending the time with two friends, one of whom I've known for many years, and one a new friend I met in blog land.  Thank you Carol and Marianne for your friendship and for your wonderful hospitality!

Contentment is NOT doing two weeks worth of laundry.....Sunny

I'm on Island Time!

I am really too tired to post, but wanted to share a few photos of paradise, where I'm staying with a friend this week.  We're been walking on the beach:

Sightseeing:

We've seen some exotic animals:

We've shopped, eaten good food, and watched the sun set over the Gulf.

Contentment definitely includes watching sunsets.....Sunny

For Maria

The great Getaway

I'm in sunny Florida for a few days, freezing my buns off!  I hope the warm weather returns soon, but I'm still enjoying myself, even if it stays cold.

Walking:

Thinking:

Relaxing:

Resting:

and spending time with good friends.  Many thanks to Carol and Carl for the past few days, and today I arrived at Marianne's of Life at RuffHaven.  More fun days to follow.  I realized while driving down here, that I've never seen the Gulf of Mexico before!  That deficiency was solved at exactly 6:00 this evening.

Contentment is an early morning walk on a beach.  ..... Sunny

We have a winner.

The winner of the Pass It On Box is KatieQ.  Please send me your address Katie so I can get the box mailed out before I leave on vacation on Wednesday!

OFW and Pass It On Box ready to travel!

Ah yes, today was February 1st, and instead of snow and ice, the temperature was in the upper 60's, so I went for a long walk in the park with a friend.  We haven't had much of a winter at all and I'm sure not complaining today.  While there aren't any flowers in bloom at the park, there are several in my house!

Two of these are for the Inchy Swap, and the others will be incorporated into my flower garden.

PASS IT ON BOX is ready to leave Maryland.  This box originated with Brandie at abc last Saturday.  I was a little amazed when it showed up at my house on Monday!  The USPS isn't usually quite that speedy.  I stopped what I was doing to open it and look at all the goodies.  I took out 2 books, a little coin purse, and a small bundle of homespuns.  I put 3 books back in, and some fat quarters.  I expect to add a few more magazines before I mail it out.  Here is a copy of the rules from Brandie's blog:

How would you like your name on this mystery box? I won't tell you exactly what's in it, but I will say there are more books and patterns then fabric.

First a few rules.
You need to be a blogger, so that you can "pass it on" to another blogger and keep us posted as to where it's going.

You must be willing to ship it on to the next person.

You have to part with leftovers. Things like orphan blocks, books you have no use for, fabrics that just don't float your boat. Maybe a sewing tool you don't use. You don't need to buy anything, just gently used leftovers.

Everything you adopt needs to be replace with something you don't need.

So there are the rules. Still willing to receive it?
If so, leave me a message and I'll pick a green winner on Sunday.

Good luck you thrifty quilters!And I hate to add this part, but because of the weight of the box, I will only be able to ship it within the US.  I'm planning to take a short vacation starting next week, and If I get a mailing address in time, I'll ship it out before I leave.  Just leave a comment on this post if you're interested in playing.

Contentment is planning a trip to sunny Florida!       Sunny