Do you Remember???

Do you remember when you were a kid and your mom always took you shopping the week before school started to get your back to school clothes. When I was little my mom made most of my clothes so we had to get an early start, usually a month before. I can remember going to the local fabric store and looking at pattern books and fabric. I had the hardest time visualizing what things would look like made up. I still make a lot of my clothes and have to start early. I did take advantage of our two additional days off and finish some items I had started earlier in the summer. I finished a skirt that I started several weeks ago. I saw this fabric and just had to have it, not having anything in mind to do with it. It is a white cotton, with a black almost eyelet design. I think the skirt turned out ok. I have a black sweater to wear with it. I also made an off-white linen top with a pair of lime green capris. The picture isn't the best but you can get the idea. As I was going through my closet I realized I didn't even have a pair of black capris, that lead me to my clothing fabric stash where I found some black linen and a second pair of capris. They are really easy to make, a front, back and pockets, no zipper elastic in the waist, the pattern I use is a Vogue Very Easy. Most of the tops I wear are longer and cover the top of my pants so why should I go to all of the trouble of putting in a zipper. I did cut out another skirt today, hopefully I can get it together soon.

Check out the giveaway!

Follow the link to Mama Spark's World and check out the great giveaway from Bunny Hill Designs.

Earthquake!!!

I have lived through my first earthquake! Who would have thought that North Georgia would have an earthquake. Friday night Joe and I went up to the cabin for the weekend, since it was the last weekend before school started we wanted to take it easy, plus our neighborhood had a board meeting on Saturday. Well Saturday morning we were getting ready to leave, I was upstairs and Joe was downstairs when we both felt the house shake and the windows were rattling. Not clearly thinking, I thought Joe was just doing something weird, (what I don't know) and he thought I was doing something. When the house stopped shaking and we realized that the other had not been doing anything out of the ordinary, we thought it might have been an earthquake. We went on the the board meeting where some of the people said it was definitely an earthquake, 3.2 with the center being in Murphy, NC, which is about 20 miles from our cabin. I am so glad I don't live in California.
After the board meeting we stopped at the local blueberry patch to get some berries. They are sooooo good, and only $5.00 a gallon. My tongue was blue from eating as many as went in my bucket. I definitely had a job when we got back to the cabin, washing them and getting them in the freezer. I did leave out enough to eat and make a fresh blueberry cobbler. Aside from the earthquake we had a very relaxing weekend. It is so nice and quiet up at our cabin, we have a young buck that is hanging out eating the corn that we leave out. I have started calling him Skid. He hears us putting out corn, and as soon as we are back inside he runs up to where the corn is and skids to a stop. You can almost see the wheels in his head turning, whooo the corn fairy came again. Joe and I both really enjoy watching the deer from our back deck. Here is Skid enjoying his dinner.

Just a couple of more days before school starts, and I have lots that I want to get done before I go back to work.

Field Trip

On Monday, Kristie, Becky and I went to three different quilt shops in the south Atlanta area. Wow, did we have a great time. I haven't laughed that much in ages. We had a lot to talk about on the way to our first stop. We had just found out a few days ago that we were going to be furloughed for three days, which in today's economy isn't that unusual, except we all are media specialists for Gwinnett county. (I always thought my job was pretty safe, guess not anymore.) The three of us understand the reason for the furlough, but aren't really too happy about it. Well, by the time we had discussed school and tried to solve the financial problems of the state we had reached our first stop, A Scarlet Thread. Boy, was I impressed. The shop is huge, 7,000 bolts of fabric. They have a variety of lines and wonderful samples made up. Kristie even bought fabric for a quilt that the sample was just laying on the table. They were nice enough to help her with the fabric and the yardage. It was my first time at this shop and I will definitely go back, although considering the drive not too often. I did manage to buy a couple of patterns, fabric for boxers for my hubby for Christmas, and a kit. Becky added to her collection of black and white fabrics.
Out next stop was O'Charley's for lunch, who knew that lunch could be so entertaining. After lunch we went to another new shop, for us anyway., The Gardener's Quilts in Jackson. This was another great shop, lots of Moda. The three of us added to our stashes with fat quarters. From there it was on to Quilts and Fixins in Jonesboro This wasn't a new shop, but it was on the way home and we didn't want to overlook any shop. It was a great day!! I didn't go overboard on purchases, the kit was a splurge; that hopefully won't age in my sewing room too long.

And the Winner is!!

Sara, The Quilting Bookworm, from Ohio. Sorry I didn't make the announcement yesterday. Got a little off schedule. Please send me your address and I will get the package in the mail to you. It is all ready to go. Thanks so much for all of the wonderful comments that were left on my blog. I have truly enjoyed reading them and plan on responding to each and every one. I have discovered some great new blogs through your comments. Have a great day everyone.

Charming Girls

My project for the Charming
Girls Quilt Club was to the finish the quilt, Firecrackers, that I started over a year ago. I finally go the borders on it last week, and intended to take it to Lisa to get it quilted last Friday, however life got in the way and it is still with me. I am dropping it to her tomorrow, and I don't think I will get it back by the end of the month. (not the best photo, but you get the idea). I started to just do red borders, not like the ones on the pattern, but in the end decided to follow the directions. I am so glad that I did. I think this quilt will be a keeper.

Christmas in July

I love Christmas, it is my favorite holiday. I make many of the presents that I give, so I usually start on them right after Christmas for the following Christmas. That way I am always thinking Christmas. I also shop year around, whenever someone mentions something that they would like to have I make a note of it, or if it is something basic that I am positive that they won't go out and buy, I buy it then. At this point I have about half of my Christmas shopping done. I even think Christmas when we go on vacation, where ever we go I buy a Christmas ornament to remind me of that place. I love it when shops (either real or online) have Christmas in July Sales, so I decided to have a Christmas in July give away. I found one of my favorite easy patterns, Picture Play and fabric to make it from and put a kit together. This is all from my stash. I actually had put it together to make myself and decided I didn't know when I would do it. It needs a good home. I am also adding a Country Threads Wall hanging pattern and a Quick and Cozy Flannel Quilts book. Just think you could have a Christmas quilt together by Christmas. Leave a comment and you will be entered once, become a follower of my blog - get two entries. The random number generator will determine the winner on Saturday, July 25. Good Luck.