Cards

Iris Folding. I love to work on this type of card. My friend Sandy in Atlanta taught me how to do this, and I keep right on making them. They are like paper pieced quilt patterns. Maybe that is why I like it so much.

Here are a couple of the greeting cards I have done recently. These are fun, because it get to color just like when I was a kid. I stamp up a bunch of images, and when I have time color them in with pencils or pens. I still have a lot to learn. These too are sort of like making a quilt. You have to select the paper, (fabric), choose a design (pattern), cut the pieces, and put it all together (sewing).

Things to keep me busy!!!!!

"African Ladies"

Thank you all who voted for my quilt "African Ladies". It did, in fact, win the African Inspirations contest on http://quiltinggallery.com/ It made my day. Now I really need to finish it!!!

Daffodil Hill

Here is how I decided to lay this new quilt out!! I finished the blocks last evening. Still have to cut the setting triangles. I thought it looked pretty good.

I guess "Princess" did not like it!!!! She was kind enough to rearrange them for me. Who knew she had such creative talent!

Mystery Quilt

Spent the day at Mystery Quilt Club. These are 4 of the blocks I made to go with the focus fabric behind it. The pattern is "Daffodil Hill". There was quite a color range of blocks that members brought today. This looks like it is going to be an interesting quilt. Sandy and Kim want to make sure we get the top done, so we don't have another UFO. They were great helpers today, pressing and cutting for us as we sewed along.

Barn Quilt in Oswego

Today I sent information about this barn to Suzi Parron of Stone Mountain, Georgia about this gorgeous Barn Quilt right here in our little town of Oswego, Illinois. She posted the pictures on her blog http://americanquilttrail.blogspot.com . Suzi has been working on a book about the barn quilts. My husband was coming home from an errand and spotted this quilt. I made him take me to it right away to see.

I will have to find out more about it. We have gone on a couple of the barn quilt trails in Wisconsin, and to see the quilt gardens in the Shipshewanna, Indiana area. Several tourist bureaus have maps of were the barn quilts are. It is a fun way to see the countryside. They are beautiful!

Hot Air Balloon

This is me in great happiness!!!! We went out for dinner and on the way home saw a hot air balloon in the distance. Well, I had to chase it and see where it was going. We (hubby) and I followed it for a pretty good distance. At 127th and Ridge Rd we saw the pickup van. We stopped to talk and found out the balloon was about ready to come down. We followed to a subdivision off 127th. I got the thrill of watching "Bennett Schwantkowski" bring it in for a landing. (Bottom picture) They needed help moving it and getting the balloon down, air out, and packed. We were right there.

Here I am helping, by holding on, as they deflate the balloon. The precision used was awesome. I could not get over my good fortune. I really want to go up in a balloon some day. I missed a chance a couple years ago, mostly because of the weather. It is my dream. I got to help, which was almost as good. Some day!!!!!!!

The gentlemen were so gracious and fun. We learned a lot and got to help pack up everything. In return we received trading cards, and a bottle of Korbel Champagne. I got the extra special gift of a hat. (See top picture.)

I know to some people this is small potatoes, but to me it is a big deal. I have chased balloon since I was a kid, growing up in Flushing. We would see one now and then in the farm country and we would go to see it. As I got older I went to balloon festivals and continued to chase them. We have been to the festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico twice. (The biggest one I know of.) There are various small festival in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois that we have been to. They are fascinating to watch. The shear size and the shapes and the colors are wonderful. What fun.
My big adventure. Someday I will fly in one!!!!

Pride of the Prairie

Would you believe I won one of the raffle "Baskets" at the quilt show. It was "Happy Birthday" It is cute. Fabric, cake mix, frosting, pattern, cake plate, notebooks, candles, sprinkles, all with the cupcake theme.

Don't you just love these little baskets? I found out it is from a Blackbird Designs book.

I think these are Jo Morton baskets.

1930's basket pattern

Do you see a pattern here?? I love to have small projects to work on when we are traveling. I have another basket quilt in the works. This one will use all sorts of patterns and fabric. There are so many great basket patterns.

So many projects, when to work on them!!!!

Pride of the Prairie Quilt show

This weekend was the quilt show for Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild. These are 3 of the quilts I entered. "Pretty, Pretty Baskets". I am please how this quilt turned out.

This quilt was a block of the month from Prairie Stitches, my local quilt store. All the block represent Illinois. A fun quilt to do.

This one was from a Fons and Porter magazine a couple of years ago. It was on the cover. I don't remember the name of it. My friend Pat in Michigan and I worked on them a couple of summers ago. She made hers the size in the magazine. I used 2 1/2 inch strips and solid colors. This is the first time I used solids in a whole quilt.

It was a great show. There was a lot of variety in quilts. A lot of very talented ladies.

26th anniversary

The other day was close to a Daffodil Day. This is the first bunch of daffodil's of the Spring season. If I can't pick them from the garden, I will buy them. This is my favorite flower of Spring.

Look what Ron bought home for me for our anniversary. Aren't they pretty?? We are going to "Dinner and a Movie". The Hollywood Palms, on 59th and New York, offers a movie and dinner. We are going to see "Valentine's Day" and can order from the menu. He said the menu offers a variety of things. This sounds like a lot of fun. A new experience. Then he arranged for an overnight on the 26th, in Davenport, Iowa. What fun things to look forward too.