Yearly Tradition

In our neck of the woods, the Fair comes to town every Memorial Day.
There are rides...
Pig races...
Baby farm animals...
And more babies. These little guys were in front of a caged off 1,000 pound pig. You had to pay to see the big pig, but these cute little guys were free to watch. personally, I would have paid to see these cuties, who cares about a huge pig.
They were chasing a ball around and butting each other in the bellies. Too funny!

I'm giving you highlights of the best parts. But really all the matters, is my Family and I spent a wonderful day together!

Today, back to Lily.

Take care, Brandie

Introducing...

Lenny the lion. Lenny has been stuck in my head and he has finally been exorcised from it. He is all complete and ready to roar! Only problem is that now, Lily the lioness wants to come out and play too. So many things and so little time!
In the background I quilted, Grrr, Meow, Roar, & Prrr.
This quilt is made mostly from Civil War fabric. When this started I had no plans for the backing. This quilt just needed to get out of my head. So imagine my great surprise to find the Perfect backing in my local quilt shop.
This backing has little lions, giraffes, zebras, rhinos and elephants. And the color is spot on!

Better than perfect!

So before the mind goes weak and forgetful, I'm going to have to get Lily cut out and done, so she can have her own post.

Enjoy your day. I'll be back tomorrow with more.

Take care, Brandie

May Storms Bring?

I have a rose! Only one, the first of the year, but a rose! Isn't it a cutie? This was my Grandmother's rose and when she passed, I brought our favorite home with me. According to the legend, my Grandmother knew the person that this rose was named after. All I knew it that this rose lived right beside the front door and I loved it. So I dug it up and moved it to my house to love it here. And every bloom is a reminder of my Grandmother. Mmmm, Love!
Just a cutie reaching for the sky. The buds open and they always seem to retain this tightness. Which makes them all the more lovely.
Before last weeks storm, my Dogwood was gorgeous. Big beautiful petals and new leaves. Today the Dogwood is not so gorgeous. All the winds and heavy rains have knocked the petals off. Oh well, at least I don't have to water!
Everything is green and sprouting new growth. All the ferns are loving this weather!
And now for the last UFO. I finished it! It is all quilted and the binding I quickly sewed down. Still wasn't thrilled with it, so I gave it to our Guild and they can find a home for it. I'm just glad it's done and out of my basket!
Still working on the wedding dress. Yesterday's fitting just brought new problems. If the dress didn't fit when you bought it, it ain't going to fit after I get done with it! I think this may be a fools mission. 18 inches is not a dress that needs to be let out. As you might have guessed, she is blessed with much fullness, up top. And now it's my problem of how to make a pre-bought dress fit. Woe is me!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Take care, Brandie

A Quick Finish

I don't know if it was the bad weather that jump started me or that I told you I wouldn't be back till I had something to show you. What ever is was, I have been finishing things and I actually feel as if I've accomplished something.

Monday after my last post, I finished up a UFO that has been laying around. I've been putting it off and may actually have been too scared to finish it.

This is it, 2 antique napkins on dupioni silk, with a few vintage buttons thrown in.

(stay tuned for crappy pictures)
Obviously a Valentine theme.
Just a close up of a swirly heart.
And of the napkin detail. I started this months back. I'm going to hazard a guess and say February. All I needed to do was finish the quilting on the silk. I don't know if I was scared of the silk or what. But either way I'm glad to have this done and out of my way.

Tomorrow I have another UFO to show you.

Ultimately, I think I was avoiding the job I was really suppose to be doing and these UFO were nothing compared to that job. What job you ask? An alteration in a wedding dress. Why you ask? Because I don't know how to say "NO" and it was assumed. You all know what assume stays for, right? I'm the ass.

So I hope to Goodness that todays fitting will be the last and I can get this wedding dress out of my house. If not, I have till June 4 to keep faking my way through it.

The dress looks pretty good on Antoinette. I may show you pics next week, unless I go crazy and rip the dress apart and say what I really feel! That would be one way to never have to do this again. My Husband says I need to show incompetence. Too late... the damage has already been done.

Wish me luck

Take care, Brandie

Blooming Annuals

Don't you just love flowers in your yard? Have you ever had any that you didn't know what they were, but loved them anyway? I have some of those.
They need a little work but you get the idea.

If you want to see a truly beautiful picket fence, look here at Lynn's work in progress. Her fence looks like fine art, while mine looks low-brow. But we obviously think the same, she's just a master.

I thought this weekend I'd get to them but, no. Instead, the family went out of town and did a little art tour. So no sewing done.

I may be taking a break for awhile, as I have too many things piling up around my ears. I have a deadline of June 4 to finish a couple projects. I'll be back if I finish anything, but don't count on it.

Till then,

Take care, Brandie

Hexie update

I received another set of Hexies from my fabric pen-pal. We have been exchanging 1 inch hexies and triangles.

Barbara is an expert in needle crafts. Her embroidery is amazing!

I'm having problems with my camera, or I'm just the problem. I wanted you all to see how beautiful and perfect these tiny stitches are.
How about now. This time I even have a point of reference, a dime. She is a master with a needle. Fantastic!
Barbara is making me rethink every hexie I do. I have been trying to come up with a unique and beautiful idea for the centers. Something I can actually do. Some day I hope to surprise her as much I am with her packages. Wish me luck!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Take care, Brandie

Little Bits

I should have laid a quarter or something next to these to give you prospective on how small these pieces are. Just take my word for it, they are small! Can you tell what they might be?
How about now? This time a laid a pen so you could compare sizes. I had a hard time coming up with a universal size. I figured a pen would work.
Almost finished. How many of you guessed it was a Dresden? It measures just under 3 inches.
It was so cute, I made 4 more for a total of 5. I think I may be done now. They are a little addicting. hehehehe
I put one of the flowers on top of a ribbon spool, but again, not a universal size. I am planning a new baby quilt and these little flowers are my stars. Not stars as heavenly stars, but stars as in Hollywood stars. Stay tuned to see if it works...

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Take care, Brandie

Quilt Show Goodies

I've been having a problem all morning trying to get my pictures to download. What would we do without our computers? It's so very frustrating when things don't work! I need to remind myself how far we have progresses in my lifetime, and not get so upset.

So, on with the show...

I have a "thing" for soup tureens. To me they are simply beautiful. So when we looked at the first booth and I saw this tureen, I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, they only took cash. Thank goodness Gail was kind enough to foot my bill.
Doesn't it look so happy on my buffet? I'm going to let it be an only child for awhile, before introducing it to it big family.

I don't know why it hasn't occurred to me before now, but I believe I'm a civil war girl. These fabrics are the perfect muddy colors I love. So I bought a few to add to my stash. Hopefully some of these will go with my baskets, or else I'll have to keep shopping.
I also have a need for some pink 30's. So I added some to my stash.
These colors just caught my eye and so I had to buy them. Do I have plans for these? No of course not! I just liked the colors.
I also bought a few antique laces, but they seem so boring all alone. Someday I'll put them to good use, then I'll tell you about them, hopefully!

It's been awhile since I've been to a quilt show, as you can see, I had lots of fun!

Our Guild is having their show in October. The best thing? The vendor that I got the tureen from is going to be there. Hurray! This time I will have cash! I'll be ready for them. Hopefully with all my duties, I'll be able to spend so time shopping.

Off to the machine. I am working on something small and I need to finish so I can show you tomorrow. So I'll stop talking and get back to work!

Take care, Brandie

Quilt Show Inspiration

I'm back! I finally have something to show you. Last week I didn't do anything, in fact I spent one day with my eyes closed.

My eyes have been tired a lot lately and so I went to the optometrist. While there they insisted I have my eyes dilated! I hate this part! You spend the rest of the day afraid of light. You shouldn't even drive. You can't read. You can't sew. Really, you can't do much of anything.

So that accounts for one day. The other days, I was just lazy!

Anyway back to why I'm back. I went to a quilt show. My friend Gail and I went out of town to Red Bluff to see their show. I took a few pictures, hopefully to inspire all of us.

This first picture shows us that our hezies don't have to be perfectly rounded. This was a challenge quilt. As you can see by the ribbons, it was the favorite.
I thought this was a great way to use scraps. I haven't seen this pattern before and so I snapped the picture as a reminder.
This little lady, and I do mean little, was the featured quilter, Charlaine Brians. She was so cute and I swear, all but one of her quilts were hand-quilted! She was so sweet! I know you can't see it, but the big white background is a hand-quilted whole-cloth. She was also posing with a miniature and a beautiful table runner.
This quilt is also Charlaine's and it was right up my alley. If any quilt could have followed me home, this would have been it. Beiges and acorns, what could be better. Also hand-quilted.
This is her friendship quilt.
This was her vest. That sunflower in the middle was smaller than my fist. Of course that little lady was smaller than me everywhere. She told us that she always likes to do something with her hands. From quilting, knitting to tatting. She was even tatting as she waited. Too cute!
I don't remember who made this, but I liked the brown and pink fabric. Just another inspiration, Christmas is just around the corner.
And this one was too silly to not inspire. Silly penguins.
This was a wedding quilt. How exciting would it be to receive this? It was beautiful!
And this little guy was just a tad bigger than a sheet of paper. That's crazy!
It was a good show. The best part? The goodies I bought, but you'll have to wait till tomorrow. I need to get all those fabrics put away!

Till tomorrow, Brandie

Brilliant!

Do you ever have the most amazing ideas as you fall asleep? Do you remember them in the morning and laugh at yourself for thinking how silly you are?

Well I do. I think of the most fantastic things and really believe I discovered something or that I'm just a genius. Then I wake up and laugh!

But this time I may a genius, because this was one of my ideas just before I feel asleep. The most amazing thing is that I remembered it in the morning and it really was brilliant.

The idea starts with an array of not so gorgeous colors. But I know these civil war repos are going to be perfect for the idea.
Not the prettiest Dresden I've ever made, but take my word for it, it's going to be Brilliant!
Well, did I lie? How cute is this guy? Sorry the pic is tipped, but you can still see that those nocturnal thought can sometimes produce something amazing.
He may not be perfect, he's a little skinny, but I love him. I think Dresdens have been wanting to turn into lions for years.
I think I could write a whole book on Dresdens. Now I have another idea in the back of my mind. It's not so brilliant, but it's cute and that's always good too.

This idea just had to come out of me. It must have been festering for awhile, otherwise, why would I have bought that furry fabric that makes up the lion body? I don't even remember it, but it was waiting in my stash and I think it's perfect.

So the moral of this story is, listen to your crazy thoughts, they just may be winners!

Take care, Brandie

Lavender Squares

I high hopes of a sewing weekend, at least one day. Wouldn't you know that's not the way things worked out.
Saturday I went to a bridal shower and when I got home, I just couldn't find the energy to sit in front of my machine. But I did get the baby quilt done and I'm happy to at least accomplish that. Nothing fancy, just a little cuteness. Mostly stitch-in-the-ditch.
I did add a little lacy border and a few hearts. Just to make it little more girly.
It's kind of hard to see, but the backing is a "twinkle, twinkle" fabric. It was lavender and it was cute, those characteristics make it a perfect backing for a baby quilt.

Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. After almost a week of sun and heat, we had a rainy night and a sun spotted day. A little windy but still a wonderful day.

After a lunch with the family, my Hubby, Daughter and I went to see "Water for Elephants". If you read they book, the movie closely followed the book. Of course they changed a few things, but still a good story. Though I still enjoyed the book more. I always feel that book gives you more insight. You read and feel what the characters are going through and you don't always get that in the movie. So if you're looking for a good movie, go see it.

Today I have already cut out some fabric and I hope to have a new something to show you tomorrow. I'm back to the Dresdens and had another brilliant idea, I hope.

Take care, Brandie

Butte-iful Day

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. If is finally spring like in our rural little town. After we found homes for all the kitties, yes all the kitties, my son and I took a little drive.

We went the long way home. I've shown you the right side of Paradise, looking toward Chico. Now I'll show you the left side, looking toward Oroville. On this side we share a lake, appropriately named Oroville Lake. The lake just kisses the shores of our small mountain.
This is not our local water source, but southern California's water. At times the water is so low, that our boats look to be beached. Right now the level looks higher then I've seen it in years. Which is nice, as it take good pictures.
This old home was moved and relocated to a new lot. I like to drive by and see the progress. not too much since I was last by, unless they are working on the inside of the house.
They have started a gate and have most of the pillars done. Probably to keep people like me out! I just hope that they get that house planted in the ground soon. It being on stilts scares me. What if the ground shifts or what if moles are digging around all those posts? Just makes me nervous.
In this picture, we are stand at the top of a hill. We keep getting buzzed by these birds. They wouldn't get close enough for me to see if they were hawks or vultures.
There's even a little island this year. Ain't it cute? definitely within swimming distance of the shore.

Today I need to get back to quilting. I did do more stitch in the ditch on the lavender quilt, but every time I tried to do free motion, the thread broke. Obviously I'm using the wrong thread. So now I need to find another and finish this up.

Have a wonderful weekend and a happy Mom's Day!

Take care, Brandie