And Cali makes three !!!

Cali was the stray that didn't want to be. She lived behind the liquor store next to my office but was sooo friendly. She would let me pet her and she talked the whole time. I felt bad for her out in the cold but couldn't do much at that point for various reasons.

Then she disappeared and it turned out the liquor store lady had taken her to get fixed and given her to the upstairs tenant. I casually offered that I might take her if the tenant ever changed her mind. Months went by and I missed the talkative little furball but knew she had a good home as I saw her peaking out the upstairs window.

Well... just over a week ago there was a note under my windshield wiper asking if I still wanted her. Cali came home with me Tuesday, 11/23/10 - her very own Happy Gotcha Day! The two tabbies were not happy at all last week  - instead of the bloods versus the crips we had the tabbies versus the calico. How quickly the tabbies forget that just 4 months ago they hated each other. Now any two in the same room are ok until the third arrives. There has been some hissing as cats pass in a narrow area but this morning I awoke to Cali cuddling with me while the tabbies were in their usual spots at the foot of my bed.

I think we will all be fine here in Casa Grande.

Design Wall Monday - 11/29/10

Between the 3 turkey dinners I enjoyed, I spent parts of the long weekend working on my firemen blocks.

They are soooooo easy, brainless and addictive.

I am questioning that light blue in the upper right even tho it does match the blues in the fireman fabric. I only have enough red and blue cut out for what I think will be half the quilt. I could totally remove the light blue or add in more light blues.

What do y'all think?

For Murph

Hi Murph - these are the table runners that I have available...runners are grouped by (increasing) price and I have a few closeups if you want me add any. For reference, the table is 42 x 71" and the first section of table is 30" if you can see the line across the table.

Roll Roll Cotton Boll - Part 1

I have part one completed!

I had to buy the red yardage needed and pink FQs because I don't care much for pink and rarely buy it. I found many pretty double pinks at the new LQS and a few that didn't quite match but add some splash. I pulled the greens out of my 2" bin and they are mostly bright lime-y greens with a few different shades for variety. I'll pull the browns from stash when we get to that step and Lord knows I have tons of neutrals to choose from.

My co-worker recently gifted me her late-mothers NINE African Violets. Dad added the bottom shelf to my plant table and I think they just look divine all lined up with their pretty little blossoms. This window bump-out faces east and the plants really love the sunlight. Thanks Dad & Debbie!

Design Wall Monday - 11/22/10

This is the design wall of a sick person...Yup, too many ideas while I've got some bug(s). I had a sinus/ear/throat infection with fever that had me out of work for three days. The meds killed everything but the earache and now I'm on more meds because the second ear is starting to bother me. I've worked on a few non-exciting things, finishing nothing, but I did start Bonnie's latest mystery quilt: Roll Roll Cotton Boll. Will post some pictures of my RRCB progress later this week...

This is probably the crummiest post I've done but it reflects how I feel...sorry :( 

Design Wall Monday - 11/8/2010

Woohoo! School tax collection is pretty much over – just piddly little changes and boxing everything up when we are sure it’s done. This means that I can get back to sewing more and posting more!

The best news is that we now have a truly LQS - The Quilter's Daughter - it’s just a couple miles from my office and while that can be trouble, it also means that I can teach quilting classes to offset most of my purchases!! They are working on their website but I will post it as soon as it’s online.

My first class will be in a couple weeks on making the windmill table runners that I am addicted to. In January I’ll be making a table topper. Did you notice the same trend I did??!! Someone called me the tablerunner queen and it seems to continue...

I started by making these 4 blue and purple blocks from a pattern in the latest Quiltmaker magazine just to see how easy the pattern was. They are sewwww easy and just 2 FQs! Claudia saw them and wanted me to teach a class so I’ll be adding a flange with the dark purple pictured and a scalloped border of the dark blue. It will finish around 25” square. To make sure that we could complete all or most of the topper in a 3 hour class, I have started a second one and I’m timing myself. The colors seem to have more contrast at home so I hope that contrast eventually transfers to the final product, if not in the pictures.

Then, at a recent quilt show I found this fireman fabric. Really, who could resist and I only bought a yard. I’m making these red white and blue blocks and will somehow fashion those blocks around the fireman. I had originally thought of putting them on the back but that’s no fun. And no, I’m not cutting them up – they will serve as a “panel.” This baby is for my bed  ;)