Oh yes, the Holiday Season

So much to do that the blog has taken a back seat. Well, here are some pics of what I've been doing.

More blocks

Still more blocks. These are free-form cut, and I've cut the curve way too sharp. It's a challenge getting these to lie flat.

These blocks are now a top.

 Yep. Still more blocks. I get in moods where I want to sew but not think. This is when I'll sew blocks for simple quilts.

Prisma is now a top. Yay!

This is a full top now. More pics soon.

 Same here. I think you'll be surprised at the difference the border made.

 Scrapolator blocks. Such fun!

The blocks on the left are straight from the scrap pile; no thinking. The ones on the right are all brights. Isn't the difference amazing?

 I have 29 of each set done (true scrappy, and brights) I love them!

No wonder I haven't had time to blog! Thanks for stopping by.

A little more done

Accomplishments! After a few boring days and no sewing progress, I got some more done. I've finished all the donation blocks for the 2013 guild quilt.

I finished the last set of blocks for the design-your-own quilt  double 9-patches.

Now all the blocks are made for this one and I can get to the designing part. Here are all the blocks:

The idea is to make a bunch of each, then have fun arranging until you have something you like. Keeping similar (but varied) backgrounds adds more interest to the quilt.

I finished all the little blocks for Safari ...

...and made one big block to show you what they'll look like.

(No, the seams don't match - they're not suppose to.) Can't wait to see what this one will look like when it's all pieced. I think it will need something else - maybe a little applique or embellishment (or both). We'll see! It's really fun to make things that have no predetermination of what they'll look like when they're finished.

Today was sew-in day at the local quilt shop: I was able to finish the borders on the rest of the jelly-roll-race/1600 charity quilts. I'm glad to have them done!

I made it to a Triple D (Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives) restaurant last week - Metro Diner here in Jacksonville.  Then there was a show yesterday featuring Zia, in Santa Fe, NM - another one to add to my list! I was there this spring. I'm heading to the Mancuso World Quilt Show in West Palm Beach this weekend and will hopefully hit Havana Hideout and can add that one to my list. It'll be fun to see how many of the places I can add to my list over the next few years.

I tried a new recipe, too - Ann Burrell's Asian pork tenderloin. It's really good. And easy. I recommend giving it a try.

That's it for the non-boring parts. Thanks for stopping by!

Halloween

A slow day today. Seems I got distracted by a nice, long nap! I thought I'd rest for about an hour, but ... 4 hours later, I finally woke up. I love naps; they're one of life's most decadent pleasures.

I got all the goodie bags ready for the kiddies, then did manage to get some sewing in. I got the half-square triangle and 9-patch blocks done for the design-your-own quilt.

I also got another block for the donation quilt done - just one more to go - and more Safari blocks (but I forgot to take a pic).

I didn't even have to cook today because I had leftovers from last night's dinner, so see? It really was a slow day! And - when I shut off the light to let the trick-or-treaters know I was "closed", I still had as many goodie bags as I started with. Yep - not one kiddo tonight.  Another sad thing about the times we live in. I think this may be the last year I do goodies.

Here are a few more pics from the Paris/Florence trip

The Louvre

 Hey Venus, oh Venus make my dreams come true

The duomo in Siena

 Spectacular manuscripts! (inside the duomo)

 Floors (still the duomo)

 Ceilings - yep, duomo

 We had lunch at an organic farm in the Chianti region. The grape harvest was still in process. Wine on the vine!

 Two views from the farm

Yes indeed, the cheesy tourist photo, holding up the tower. I wasn't getting on the posts, though. (Don't look now, but I think all the pasta and gelato is showing! :)

 Also in Pisa, right next to the tower. I saw quilt block patterns EVERYWHERE

No much to say, but another day of retirement is always a good day.

Thanks for stopping by