Quick Trip

Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

We made a quick trip to Asheville to see the house and lot Emily and Russ will be building their first home on. It was a whirlwind of looking at furniture, paint colors, rugs and yappin about their journey in building a home. Asheville is very much a destination area for retirees and artists and young people. It is a very interesting and beautiful area to live. It is a buyers market for sure anywhere you go but in Asheville things are still pretty expensive. I think the cost of building in the mountains is extra tough and it is a destination place for retirees and also young people and a fabulous artist community.

This is not their future home. I will be moving in here YUP there is room for lots of fabric in there.

  So it is back to sewing and designing this morning. I am hosting my annual Come Away with Me retreat in Ellijay (also in the mountains of North Georgia). I will be working today on some special games and fun stuff for everyone.  I sooo look forward to these 3 1/2  days Feb 11- 13. 

Guess what. I'm going to meet Pat from DE and Gene Black from Alabama on Thursday. Many of you read their blogs if you don't go visit them okay? Both are coming into town, we are meeting and I'm going to put their fannies in my CTS (aka Pearl!) and take them on a whirlwind trip of Quilting and Southern food! Silver Thimble Style!  WOOO HOOOO it is gonna be the funnest fun that ever was fun. 

 

Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

As usual so much is going on at one time around here. The biggest most wonderful news is that this darling young woman PASSED her Nursing boards. She is now a BSN/RN. wowwwieee. If you sew your finger with your sewing machine she will fix you right up. (I have personally done this only 3 times).

 









To celebrate the destruction of plastic in my sewing room and to prove to Sir Quilt Dude that I can slap Mod Podge on anything...I decoupaged this little folding table. Further celebration ensued with the purchase of this Big Shot Pro. WHOA BABY. I will be choppin up those 18 bags of scraps now! 

 













 I am leaving in 10 minutes for Asheville with the new nurse. We are going to see DD#1 and my precious SIL. They are building a house we want to see what they are up to. Also Emily's dear friend just had a baby. I whipped her up this little minky strippy quilt. Better quilt to follow. FOR THE RECORD. I now feel about minky the way I feel about plastic. I hope I never see it again. My apologies to the babies of the world.

 

I need to REPEAT what I didn't tell ya'll before.

-Pat Wys, Owner Silver Thimble Quilt Co. Jan 22, 2011

Just about the time I think I have run out of stupid comments to say in front of a group of people out comes the comment above. Yup! nuthin wrong with me. Here is my explanation. If I thought in my mind that I told you something then it counts. right?

I get home from quilt retreat...one day later I'm with my Silver Thimble Quilt Club (aka THMIBLES). I have already established that they are without question the best group of quilters on the planet. The following photos are EXHIBIT A...Another photo rich posting. I hope you are okay with this!

My skirt flew up and blew me out the door Marti's (on right) Girl Gang Quilt. We were both going to make this. You will not be seeing mine any time soon.

Marti again! The thing about Marti is she RUNS COKE...she is responsible for my current addiction to Coke Zero. Look at the quilts she cranks out! I heart her.

Cindi and her baby quilt for her very special newphew Dylan...Lucky baby! A quilt and all Cindi's love, we will not have to worry about this childs future!

Becky..this quilt is so neutrally wonderful. I am soo fond of this quilt, and its maker.

This quilt again, Becky's is STUNNING. The photo does not do it justice. Reds...French General..mitered borders...OH MY. I could hardly breathe!

FIRE IN THE QUILT SHOP! Becky again. This quilt was so fun. My retinas hurt.

Karin and a trade she and others did. Quilt is from Nickle Quilts by Pat Speth. Scappy goodness, I have serious addiction to scrapppynesssssss.

Sit down breathe......this is Karin's Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt Roll Cotton Boll Roll. Well, I rolled right out the dang door. Kristie made her version of this quilt which I do not have a photo on my blog yet..I will get it and show later. You may need some recovery time anyway.

Karin's B. Hunter mystery quilt...I can't take much more.

Becky's Scrappy Nines in Black and White...awwweeee she did me proud! LOVE IT.

Sarah is already on block 6 of Comfort & Joy. Stinkin Cute too!

Just look at Snow Dude...polka dots...he looks like he has the cutest measles.

Ok listen up.This wall hanging by Tacoa..Is PAINTED then it has drop dead quilting on it. The painted (gold) parts look EXACTLY LIKE SILK.      U.N.B.E.L.E.I.V.A.B.L.E.

Tocoa again. Her design..her embroidery, her machine quilting. Her is gooood.

 

Sheila, this is a trash can! With her embriodery. Are you feeling a tiny bit intimidated yet????

Mary Agnes, flying geese and log cabins. I need oxygen.

Renee with her very first hand applique. I'm so proud of her. Excellent

Julie with a soft and lovely Twister Quilt. Hurry Spring!

Sandra with the Black and Tan Scrappy Nines. sigh! sideways! hahaha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know this posting is sooo long. I hope you will forgive me. But here is the thing. I try to make my blog about quilting and the people I am so richly blessed to be surrounded  with as I make my way teaching and sewing with friends. I really want to share what I see going on with other quilters with YOU. So see, my blog is really  about YOU! (and sometimes me). 


Tomorrow back to the sewing room make over. I'm going to Ikea (say a prayer I find my way out of that place!)

January Crow Retreat

Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown

I have been away for a few days...sewing with dear friends. I should have packed my DEPENDS because we had near constant bouts of side splitting laughter. I laughed so hard I had tears coming down my face and couldn't sew a stitch!  These women are the most prolific group of quilters on the planet. The things they crank out were amazing. I got a lot of photos but not everything. I felt like I had a spring on my butt because I was jumping up to snap a photo a zillion times...then there was jumping up for the snacks, we just won't go there okay?


Here are some photos with side comments from the cheeto gallery.(me) This blog is photo rich so if you don't have much time come back for another visit when you have a favorite beverage to enjoy the eye candy. Here we go!

Nemo (aka Kathy) with her Garden Club quilt. There is a story here. She made this quilt and it was stolen!! Can you imagine? I'm pretty sure whoever stole it will NOT be joining the rest of us in heaven. So! a group of friends from Little Quilts  REMADE and gifted this quilt to Nemo. She cried..and cried...I think she got into the ugly cry. I'm so happy for her and this very special quilt.

Jean was working on these precious little homespun blockies. I loved them so..I love little blocks I swear I do. But I love Jean even more. She sews to PERFECTION.

Oh the bow ties and reds by Nemo...How do I love thee. Little blocks again. This hung on the wall directly across from me. I had to look at it constantly. OH MY!

Sandy was making this for her granddaughter Iyla. She dang well machine appliqued those rows of ric rac...EVERY RIC and EVERY RAC!!!!!!!!!

This is a tiny section of a quilt being made by Pat (not me dang it). Those 4 patches are tiny tiny tiny and She made 476,000 of them. sheesh. Did I tell you about my love of the small block/units??

Vicki made this oober fantastic string quilt. Yup it is a keeper too.

This quilt is named Funny Farm. Made by Miz DarLynn. If I were going to live on a farm this is what my animals would look like. DarLynn and Pat flew in to be with us from Illinois. (that is the kind of group we are...much love!)

DarLyn and Debbie did a Funny Farm trade for this quilt. D's on the bottom D's  on the top! It was a D & D  funny fest!

This is Nemo. She thinks she can hide from me and I won't put her on my blog. Nope! It is my blog I do it because I CAN!

So I walk in the room to get a little snack and Pat has this laying on the bloody floor! FARMERS WIFE..little blocks. She laid the whole quilt down and labeled the rows. I missed the opportunity to get a shot of the whole quilt. I asked her if she would lay it out again so I could take a photo. She did not respond to my question.

Teresa's quilt (one of several she wore me out with projects) The blue alternating squares and outer border was beautiful.

Debbie and her watermelon slices. She appliqued every one of those little seeds. She will win the next seed spitting contest!

Magoo (aka Margo) and her Slice of Christmas tree skirt. Terrific. Magoo has a great eye for color.

Debbie,such a cute door banner..or it will be once she removes the legs.

Teresa and her Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt  What a quilt. I lost it when I saw this one! Teresa instinctively knows how to put color together! man o man!

 

Pincushion exchange. AKA I'm going to steal the pinchusion you have and you will still love me at the end of this game. Hilarious!

Vickie's Pinwheel on Parade quilt. WOW I love it, even better than the original (and it is mine)

This frog is adorable. Leslie did a great job. Love the corner treatment in the borders.

SALUTE! Vickie again. Great flags. She did a great job too!She is ready for the Fourth that is for sure!

 I wish I could bottle up the retreat and send it to all of you. I hope you enjoyed this little show and tell. Don't cha wish you were there?

Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

This is it, I can't take it any more. I'm drowning in plastic. I haven't moved from this house in 6 days.

All hail to the people of the north who can deal with snow and ice. Game over you win. Please visit us in the summer...when it is 20 thousand degrees outside and 99 percent humidity and it isn't even raining.We will talk.

Sewing room looking better. The rest of the house not so much. I've had enough. I'm leaving. I'm getting in the car I don't care what the department of transportation says.I'm going to drive in the somewhat melty ice. A girl must do what a girl must do no matter the weather. 

 

 Yup I'm outta here.

Snow Jam XI

Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly

Ok so you know by now that Atlanta has been a winter wonderland...but really it has been a ICE RINK. Everything has been shut down and roads are beyond treacherous. 

I have been home designing and working on the sewing room. Things are looking up at the headquarters of the Silver Thimble Quilt Co. I may have been spending a little too much time up there moving stuff around because Sir Quilt Dude walked into the sewing room as I was wrist deep in Mod Podge (love that stuff!). I was sticking yellow polka dot fabric on a trash can. If you could have seen the look on his face. All he said was "Why?" his question shall go unanswered. I think I'm going to mod podge a table this afternoon. That will teach him to ask silly questions.

It really is pretty don't you think? Those are NOT my foot prints. I shall not grace the driveway until spring! or next week when it is all gone. and yes we Southerners tend to take photos of our houses when it snows...send your comments to Scarlett and Rhett please.

Sophie "You want me to go out there and do my business? You are NOT SERIOUS" "Like my sweater?"she won't go in the snow she pops a squat right on the brick walkway..... sheesh

I'll be back tomorrow with photos of the plastic mountain in the bedroom. It is a hoot!

Sewing Room Armageddon

Abdicate: v, To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach

-play on words from Washington Post

It's not good. I'm in the middle of sewing room Armageddon. Nobody will go upstairs. I took everything out of the sewing room (well almost everything) and I'm throwing out and redoooooing the whole place. I'm removing all things plastic. Why? Well I'll tell the secret if you promise not to tell anyone or promise not to laugh. I HATE ALL THINGS PLASTIC. Rubbermaid, Tupperware, cutlery...especially cutlery..boxes, drawers, food containers the list is endless. I KNOW this is a problem but we all have our little "  things"    right? My disdain for plastic is legendary..kinda. I think I stepped on one to many legos when my kids were little or had to squeeze myself into their  Little Tykes playhouse too much...Anyway I just hate all things plastic with one exception I do like my Tervis Tumbler.  You are  just going to have to accept me as I am. So, a year or so ago I went temporarily insane and  bought all these plastic drawers...now they are TOAST I could not live with myself. I'm working through this you will see.

I threw all this junk on the bed in the guest room. 

 

 

 

oh LORD I APOLOGIZE!

Plastic..drawers...TOAST

Lets just call it for what it is. CRAP EVERYWHERE.

And then there is this 15 bags o' Scraps.I'm so ashamed! Going back in.I will leave a trail of bread crumbs please don't forget me.