Carolina Christmas

I can't believe that I am starting another new project. I wasn't going to, but when I looked in my stash and realized that I didn't have to purchase any fabric, (maybe the borders, later) I decided that I would go ahead and start. Carolina Christmas is one of Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilts. The mystery actually started the day after Thanksgiving, but I am just now starting mine. I knew when I decided to start it that there was no way I could keep with up the clues. I think clue number 4 is already out, and I have just finished cutting the strips for clue number 1. My goal for next year is to do some major stash busting, and I thought this would give me a head start on it. Anyone else out there following along with Bonnie's mystery?

I won!!

I never win anything, but I did last week. I won Melissa's giveaway from Sweet Home Quilts. Each Friday Melissa announces a give away and I was the lucky winner of not one but five different patterns featuring Moda fabric. I was really excited to get them, as I had almost purchased two of them in the past. Check out her blog for future give aways.

It's beginning to look a lot like.......

Christmas is my all time favorite holiday. I shop for Christmas year around, work on Christmas gifts year around and plan my decorations. I decorate every room in the house. I started decorating over the weekend, I don't have my tree yet, since we get a live tree, that will come next week. I did get out all of my nutcrackers, or the little wooden b*******, as my hubby calls them. I really think that he hates them, he has even had nightmares about them. He shouldn't dislike them so much since he started my nutcracker collection. The first Christmas we were dating, I found one that I liked and he bought it for me. That one was followed by a couple of others that same year.

The next year my relatives started buying them for me. I have all different sizes and kinds.

One of my favorites is the little one int he photo above, a friend of mine brought it to me from Germany. I actually have three from Germany that friends have brought me.

I also have out my Christmas Cactus, which always bloom at Thanksgiving. They were really pretty this year. I have lots more decorations, but in my mind, if I bring them out a little at a time, my husband won't get to upset. He says that he doesn't like Christmas, but I really think that he does, he just doesn't like shopping.

Happy Thanksgiving (a few days early)

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is almost here. This year has really flown by!!! I am heading up to the cabin tomorrow and Thanksgiving with Joe's mom. Since we married, we alternate the major holidays with our families. This year Thanksgiving with Joe's family and Christmas with my family. I love spending the holidays with family, but sometimes wonder what it would be like to spend a holiday in my own house. I'm not really complaining, I am so thankful that we have family to spend the holidays with. I really have a lot to be thankful for this year, my mom is in good health, there is no sign of cancer, and she is adjusting to living alone. My brother has a wonderful woman in his life who makes him extremely happy, my niece increased the family by one, there is finally a little girl in the family. Anna was the last girl and she is 30 now. My aunt is doing well while dealing with ongoing hearth issues. Joe's family is in good health. But, what I am most thankful for is my wonderful and caring husband. I don't know what I would do without him. Sharing my life with him is "simply the best". Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Thimbles Weekend

It seems like forever since we have had a Thimbles sewing weekend. Of course I probably feel that way since I didn't make it last month. I had a great time. Our fearless leader started the day describing two of the quilts for our next quarter. They are both stunning. You can see them in the background. The one on the left a Hunter Star pattern and the fabric is from Moda. The one on the right is a scrap quilt from the book 40 Fabulous Quilts. The quilt for March will be a surprise.

I really enjoyed catching up with fellow Thimbles Becky and Kristie. Becky was working on one of Pat's patterns, White Chocolate. Kristie is definitely into applique, and was working on a Bunny Hill pattern featuring Scotties. I was trying to finish up a Bonnie Hunter quilt that was started in the summer. I already had all of the blocks together, managed to get them sewn into rows and got the first border on. I plan on getting the outside border on this afternoon.

There were some great quilts for show and tell, the star quilt above was one of Pat's. The blocks were a swap in her sewing group. I really like star quilts

The redwork quilt was rescued from a garage sale. It was absolutely beautiful, it was from the early 1900's and still in great shape. I would love to do a quilt like that someday.

The stocking quilt is another one of Pat's block swaps with her sewing group. Seeing hers finished makes me want to get my stocking blocks completed and sewn into an actual quilt. Maybe a goal for next winter.

Bull Riding Anyone??

Where else would the Quilting Cowgirl spend Friday night but at a Bull Riding Competition? You don't get the chance to do this very often in Atlanta, this isn't exactly the bull riding capital of the world. This weekend, the PBR came to Atlanta for the weekend and hubby and I went last night. It was a great time. We had great seats, right by the shutes. There is an event tonight and tomorrow night that I would have loved to have attended, but Joe left today for Virginia and I didn't want to go without him. I got hooked on bull riding several years ago when we went to Cheyenne Frontier days for vacation. We have been several times now and are talking about going back next year. I would love to live out west, maybe someday.

Raffle Quilt

Have you ever made a quilt that you weren't quite sure why
you made it? Unfortunately I have. A couple of years ago Pat Sloan was doing a block of the month pattern on her book club website. I decided to go along not in one color way but in two, this is the batik version that I did. I used fabrics out of my stash except for the cornerstone blocks and the small outer border. After I finished it I though wow, it is neat, but not at all my colors and what on earth will I do with it? This week our annual Relay for Life Silent Auction was announced at school and I thought my quilt would be the perfect thing to donate. It will help raise money for a good cause and get out of my house. The bidding starts the week after Thanksgiving, I am anxious to see how much it will bring. I will keep you posted.