Two Kaleidoscopes for Today

What a pretty day today - sun is shining after yet another round of snow this weekend. Probably 6 or 7 inches at least - - well, enough anyway. I did not leave the house over the weekend but that is never a problem for me as long as I have my projects and food. Today, however, I will go get groceries as the cupboard is getting bare and the snack drawer is empty! Can't have that!

Has been a long time since I made any kaleidoscopes - these are from a picture of the blue and green batik circle quilt that is waiting in the basement to be made into a quilt sandwich. This program is so fascinating to play with since you just move it a little bit and you have an entirely different pattern. And the shapes you use make such a difference, too. So here are two pretty ones. (Click to enlarge)

It's Together and the Borders are Added

Here's the gridgame round robin all together and bordered ready to be sandwiched for quilting. This really is super - the girls who worked on it did a wonderful job. Just noticed that the little gingerbread men grow in the row they are in. Cute.

Also working from time to time on embroidering some blocks for a wallhanging made with the beautiful toile fabric (not sure about the spelling!!) I bought before Christmas. Plan to do at least 6 blocks and maybe 8. Takes a while so will keep them out and embroider in the evenings. I have enough of that fabric to maybe make a Christmasy applique wallhanging all in red like the Red Delicious blocks. That would be very pretty. (Click to enlarge)

A Peek at my Playing Card

I'm in the process of quilting my challenge playing card - just about through with the outline
quilting and ready to do the background. Haven't decided how I will do that - probably some allover pattern but I will try to not stipple this time.

I drew the 5 of hearts. Methinks we are going to have a really fun display of cards at our show. I have seen a few and those have been stellar. Looking forward to seeing them all together.

(Click to enlarge)

Two Little Baskets

Here is the Tisket a Tasket January block all done. Cute little blocks.

I know this is in the preceding post, but I have it all done with the birdies' eyes, beaks and the heartstrings so I am putting it in again. Have also worked on my round robin piece today and my playing card. A cloudy day with some snow (although don't think we're going to get all the bad stuff they were talking about) and a good day to sew. But then, what isn't a good day to sew?

I put some oven stew in to bake and it is smelling mighty good - easy to do, my kind of cooking anymore. Something like that is good for about three meals which pleases me no end. Then later on I will watch American Idol - got hooked on that last year. At my age, I am contented with simple things and one of the best things in life is to feel good.

I do have some exciting things to look forward to - one is a trip to Portland, Oregon, for a family gathering to celebrate my son-in-law's 60th birthday the first part of April. Have I mentioned that? The whole family will be there and that will be fun. Then I have been asked to go to with three of the girls to the big quilt show in Chicago in the middle of April - that also will be a lot of fun. I have been to Paducah several times but never to another major show. I am really excited about that!

Think I Found Out What Was Wrong

Here is February of the Tisket a Tasket BOM - still have to embroider the heart strings on the three little hearts and the birdies' beaks. January is ready to applique and will do that later. Want to get a project started to take to the Sit and Sew tomorrow. I have that lovely Christmas toile and plan to do some redwork blocks for a wallhanging. That way I don't have to take my machine and will still get something accomplished. If you haven't gone to a Sit and Sew and are able to get away, they are a great way to spend a day with some great company!

And I think I have found out what was wrong with my pictures not coming up on the blog. Think it was just a matter of pushing a wrong tab. Probably 99% of what I do know about the computer I learned by trial and error or just stumbled onto the way to do something. (Click to enlarge)

Just Tickety-boo

This cute little girl grew up to be Julie, a member of our Quilters Squared. Julie now has a blog up. Her blog can be reached by clicking http://justtickety-boo.blogspot.com/. You can also find out what the name of her blog means.

Problems Posting

I am having a problem uploading my pictures so for now I am just playing around seeing what is wrong. On the form that I work on there is a paragraph of gobbledygook instead of the picture but I think it uploads as a picture. DAH!! what to do.

Now I will see if I have something under each one. Weird.

Am back editing my post - it looks the same as always on the blog but no picture shows up here. Will try to figure out what is wrong but at least I can work with it the way it is. To explain the pictures, I did the piece quite a few years ago at one of Janna's retreats - it was a little kit she gave each of us. I made the blocks later and put them together a different way, machine quilted it (all with my walking foot) and eventually gave it to Ann. She had it framed - doesn't it look lovely?