Oldies but goodies and bird update

Look at what is finally done!! In 2007 the quilt shop had a club set up to make one of the mini quilts each month.  It was called "A whole Bloomin' Year" by, Bloomin' Minds.  It started in October, with the pumpkin.  I did good until April, the Easter Bunny.  Then things got in the way and I set it aside.  Last year I got the stars and watermelon done, then the apple, and finally this month I got May the basket of hearts and June, the yellow flower. You change the mini quilt on the green homespun main quilt.  

Now this block is one of four that will be the center for a quilt top "It's Chic To Be Shabby", designed by Barbara Vlack in 2002.  It was a class that Barb taught through Prairie Star Quilt Guild, I think in 2002.  I got one block completely done that day, and  sections of the other 3 blocks.  I decided that I would work on this quilt at our Thursday sew.

Bird update!! these are the 3 little guys down by the quilt shop.  Today, I could see  them  eye level. There is not a lot of room in that nest for the three of them.

This time I put the camera over the nest.

Mom is taking good care of her kids!

Here are the doves.  I tried to take  the picture so you could see the birds sitting in the tree.

Here is one of the two baby doves.

This time you can see the second one.  Mom is still sitting in the back watching her babies.
I am so pleased that I have been able to be close enough to take these pictures. I have been watching 3 separate nests this Spring.  It has been exciting for me to be able to witness this miracle.

I hope your day has been as exciting as mine.
Mary

Flower finish

Today over at Just Let Me Quilt,  Carol is hosting another great blog hop by Madame Samm.  I am not part of this one, but did finish a flower project this weekend.  This mini quilt is part of a monthly calender quilt that I started in 2007.  I have had 2 blocks to finish for about 2 years.  One to go, and it is appliqued, and now ready to be finished.  Yea, for me!!
I think it is about time I got this project off my list of things to finish!.

I finished binding a quilt this weekend as well.  It has been a cold, wet weekend, so no pictures of the quilt yet

I have been showing pictures of a mom dove in our spruce tree in the backyard.  After what has seemed like a very long time, I see at least 2 tiny heads peeking out from under her.

The robins nest in our neighbors tree has at least 3 babies in it.

This is the robins nest down by the quilt shop where we sew every Thursday. The nest has had 3 eggs in it, but I only see 2 little ones now.  I will check on them this week and give an update.
I actually cannot see in this nest.  I hold the camera above it and take the pictures.

Here are the ladies in the garden party of "Say it with Flowers" hop that is going on right now.  There are some beautiful works of art being shown.  

May 28^th

Secretly Stitching

Anolisl’s Kreative Seite

I Like To Quilt Blog

Hill Valley Quilter

InGa

Coto Patchwork

Stitching & Stuff

De Quiltborch

Jatajomi’s Stoff-nadel-fadenwelt

Gingini’s Crafts & Quilts

Debby Kratovil Qults

May 29^th

Kris Loves Fabric

Teatime Creations

~De Zondagssteek~

Ridge Top Quilts

Devoted Quilter

Mrs. Pickles Garden

Life In The Scrapatch

Englating

Why Knot Kwilt

Love It Sew It

  It is green and lush here, but not very warm.  

Have a great week.

Mary

Bonnie Hunter sighting!

Last evening, Prairie Star Quilt Guild had their annual banquet.  It was held at Villa Olivia, in Bartlett, Il. There is a bee in our guild that loves, loves Bonnie Hunter quilts. They made a scrappy quilt and presented it to Bonnie.  Bonnie was overwhelmed.  She said she gives quilts away all the time, but never receives them. The quilt above is the one she received. It was such a special moment.

Bonnie is such a fun speaker. She explains her scrap organization system. (I sort of do it, I cute strips by sizes, but do not sort by color, too.)  About 200 quilters were there to enjoy Bonnie's company, and have a wonderful dinner with friends.

Pineapple Blossoms was the quilt pattern taught on Monday. My friend Lyn  was at this class.

Today, Scrappy Mountains Majesty was taught. Marcia another friend  took today's class.

Don't these quilts just make you want to dig into your scraps and get started?

Let's see, I now have 3 Bonnie Hunter quilts to work on!

They are such a great way to use up what we keep saving, and just can't throw away.

Here is Bonnie's hexagon quilt.  Sorry for the not great picture.  Heads and a post were in my line of vision!

We were invited to bring our Bonnie quilts for show and tell.  That big blue, in the middle is mine. My friend Lyn did the gorgeous one on the left. This is the mystery quilt that Bonnie posted in November and December 2013, Easy Street.

That is me on the right helping to hold up my patches and pinwheels quilt , that I made last May.

Not a great picture, but look at all the Easy Street quilts that were made in our guild!

I sat with several of my bee friends and brought a guest, Jo.  Then to add excitement to the evening, I got to meet another of Madame Samm's cheerleaders, Jane  of Janesfabrics.blogspot.com .  We had found out that were were sort of near each other, It was great to meet her in person. It is always fun to put  faces to names.  It was a wonderful evening.

Mary

Bonnie Hunter

Jamestown Landing, the quilt we are going to work on.  We met on Sunday for this workshop.  I was so excited to be able to get into this class.  There are only two pattern pieces for this quilt.  A 4 1/2 inch strip pieced square in neutrals, and a light and dark, half square triangle.  Only need 168, 4 1/2 inch squares and ONLY 840, 2 1/2 inch triangles!  I have a long ways to go.

I have gotten my Easy Street back from being quilter.  I putting the binding on, and do not have any pictures yet.

She is giving us a paper piecing tip.

Here I am with Bonnie.  I think I blend into the quilt!

Closeup of Bonnie's quilt

The start of my Jamestown Landing

Midnight Flight

Easy Street

One of the blocks from Quiltmaker magazine

Scrappy Mountain Majesty

Scrappy Mountain Majesty

Easy Street

Easy Street

Midnight Flight

Scrappy Mountain Majesty

It was such a great day!  Now to work on this new project.

  Tonight is Prairie Star's annual banquet.  Bonnie is our guest speaker.   Bonnie, quilts, food,  great company of quilters, what more can you ask for!

Have a great day!

Mary

It's for the Bird's last time

Hope everyone had a lot of fun hopping from one nest to another to get a bird's eye view, of all the wonderful  and amazing bird creations. I was impressed with all the beautiful work everyone did.  Everyone has every right to sing like canaries.

Thank you Madame Samm for her ideas and support.  She does a lot of behind the scenes work.  I hope everyone had a lot of fun visiting all the wonderful blogs on this hop.

Have a great day!

Mary

It's for the Birds Our final day!

Yellow headed black bird.

Eastern screech owl.

No other bird creations today.  I did start another one though.  This time it is an embroidered rooster.
   

Wednesday, May 15

http://cariboucrossingchronicles.blogspot.ca

www.notionnanny.blogspot.com

http://crookedgulleyartquilts.blogspot.com

http://Karamino.blogspot.com

http://celticthistlestitches.blogspot.com

www.sewmolliesue.com

http://devotedquilter.blogspot.com

http://mystitchin-n-stuff.blogspot.com

www.quiltscapesqs.com

http://kocanquilt.blogspot.com

http://createinthesticks.blogspot.com

http://terrysquiltingtime.blogspot.com

http://Sewwequilt.com

Please check out all these great quilters and feather their nests with fine comments.

Have another great day!

Mary

It's for the Birds Day 6

I said earlier in the hop that maybe I would be able to get  another "Birdie" project done.  Here is my latest mini quilt, "Tweet, Tweet, Twitter."  I was a little kit I had that filled the bill.  It is a "Bloomin' Minds pattern.

Here is the whole quilt.

The mourning dove in the back yard is still sitting on her eggs. She is so pretty.

Tuesday, May 14

http://www.intheboondocks.blogspot.com

http://mychellem.blogspot.com

www.thimblemouseandspouse.blogspot.com

www.quiltingandsewingarts.com

http://Sewgratefulquilts.wordpress.com

www.aquiltingsheep.com

http://tricia-ramblingsofaquilter.blogspot.com

http://sewmanyyarns.blogspot.com

www.moosestashquilting.blogspot.com

http://bethstrand.wordpress.com

http://quiltoo.blogspot.com

http://teatimecreations.blogspot.ca/

http://secretlystitching.blogspot.gr/

This is today's lineup.  I don't know about you, but I have been so impressed with the wonderful "Birdies" I have been seeing.  Who knew there could be so many ways to create them.

Have another great day!

Mary

It's for the Birds Day 5

Good Morning,  We are back!  Here is the lineup for today's  hoppers:

Monday, May 13

http://www.quiltsmiles.blogspot.com

http://sewdarnquilt.blogspot.com

www.cindycraftycreations.blogspot.com

http://madebymeinred.blogspot.com

http://featheredneststudio.com

http://cmyprims.blogspot.com

http://ukcitycrafter.wordpress.com

www.gracieoliverarts.blogspot.com

http://quilterinthecloset.blogspot.com

http://quilttotheedge.blogspot.com

http://aroundthehomestead.blogspot.com

http://sewpeacetopeace.blogspot.com

www.caliquilter.com/blog/

http://pamela-kieffer.blogspot.com

There are 3 days this week that I am sure will inspire and amaze you.  They are ready to sing like canaries. Chirp them on.  They all deserve sweet tweets!

Have a great day!
Mary

P. S.  I just found out this did not publish this morning.  I am so sorry. I hope Madame Samm will forgive me.  It is a good thing there is backup.  

Riverwalk Quilters Guild, Naperville

Riverwalk Quilters Guild had their first quilt show starting today through Saturday.  They held in o the NIU campus in Naperville. They had a nice display of quilts and several vendors.  This was the first show I had been to this year. Here is a sampling of what I saw.

Dear Jan

A Sue Spargo wall hanging in wool.

Loved all the bright colors in this one.

Cinco de Mayo, a Karen K Stone pattern.

This one is Blooming Trails. It is a mini quilt with embroidery and  tweeny tiny yo yo's.  The pattern is by Chickadee Hollow Designs.

This one is call Summer Baskets

A lovely hexagon quilt.

Hexagons randomly pieced.

This was one of 2 quilts that was made of men's ties.  They used the front bottom in the squares. The tie company in the border, and the back tail was used like prairie points.  So interesting.  The pieces on either side of the ties are men's shirts.

This is a mini called Red Churn Dash.  There is embroidery in each  of the center squares.

This blue quilt and the next 2 are all the same pattern.  Look how different they are, just by changing color.

A darling mini thimble quilt.

The tie quilt on left is a bit smaller then the one on the right.  They were made by two different ladies.  I was fascinated with them.

It was nice to be able to get out and see some quilts.  Inspiration!

Have a great weekend.
Mary