swaps

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I Think I Got It!

I didn’t expect to take so long to show you some more options on my DQS10 quilt, but I wasnt expecting to have a forest fire a quarter of a mile from my house for the last few days!!  There was lots and lots of smoke around, ashes falling in the yard and fire department trucks everywhere, but most of the fires are out now and everyone is safe!
Our Volunteer Fire Department is AMAZING!!!
So for my DQS10 quilt…..I got to play with it this morning and finish off the binding.
This is the option I think I am liking, which several people suggested.
It is not ironed on and stitched down yet.
This quilt was inspired by the book “Whimsyland” by Liz & Beth Hawkins.  I tried to put a few of my own touches on it.
Thank you so much for all your comments and ideas!! I really appreciated them!  Let me know what you think of this before I iron it down.
I also got a UFO finished this week…..
Remember back in one of my late December posts I told you about all these little projects I needed to finish?  This is the second of three place mats made from random blocks I had leftover from various projects.  Two down and one to go!
Hope you all have an awesome weekend!
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HELP!! ~ I Need Advice!

In my last post I showed you the beginnings of my quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap.  I have been working on it for the last week, hoping to get the finishing touches done on it today.
All I have left to do is the detail on the bottom and sew the binding down by hand.
I had this GREAT idea, in my head, to sew buttons on the bottom to spell out *LAUGH*, but it isnt coming out like my imagination is seeing it.  That is so frustrating!!!!
Is it because the buttons are too colorful?  Should I use all white buttons?  Should I scrap the whole button idea and use fabric?  I would love to do something other than fabric…but what?
I know one thing for sure…..I need to step away from this for a few hours, but i would love your input.  Give me some ideas!!!
Above is a close-up of the top…..I love how this part turned out….now if I can only *fix* the bottom!!
HELP!!
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A few sneak peeks……

Hello!
A lot has been going on the last week or so.  I thought I would show you what I have been up to, and what has kept me away from blogging.
I have been trying to finish up my swaps.
Here is the beginning of my Doll Quilt Swap…..
I have done more to it, but just not quite ready for another reveal yet.
Here are a few quilts, some swaps, that need the bindings sewn down…..
Here is a sneak peek of a swap I finished and need to pop into the mail.
I wish I could show it to you.  I love the way it turned out and hope my partner loves it as much as I do!
I did this painting as a donation to Friends of the Environment…..
And realized that I really missed the paint brush, so I did this…..
It is a painting of my kitty “Sunshine”.  All over the painting there are sunshine-y sayings and quotes.  I am looking forward to doing some more painting.  It is very therapeutic to me.
I helped out with a fundraiser for Abaco’s animals, called “Cause for Paws”.  I made these take a chance games…..a cat….
and a dog…..
I won two, pretty awesome prizes at this game 🙂
I also made this quilt for an auction prize…..
So that is some of what I have been up to.
Da Market is on Saturday, and I am racing around getting ready for that also.
Bye for now 🙂

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Creative Project #3 for February (and a surprise for me)

Today was a bit of a rush for me since Thursdays are my day to go into town, grocery shop, run errands etc…..  BUT I did manage to do something creative!  This challenge is really giving me a chance to try out patterns that I have had for a while.
Most of you know that one of my favorite books is “Totally Twisted” by Kerry Bogart.
Well she has patterns for sale at the interweave store also, and I purchased this pattern called “Pacifying Pendants“.  I had to work with the beads I had made so it isn’t exact, but my version I guess.
Some of you may remember a few months back I was making these pendants…..
That is when I was playing around with PMC.  At the time I only had a torch to fire the silver with and this was the only pendant that didn’t melt before my eyes.  Now I have a kiln I can fire PMC in, but with the shows I have been doing there wasn’t much time to *play*.  It is way up on my list to try some more PMC projects with my kiln very, very soon!
To top today off I received my Potholder Pass package from Amy!!!
Amy and I have become fast virtual friends and she and I are moderating the potholder swap together for this round.
What an awesome package!!!
Do you see that eyeglass case?  Amy makes those…she prints the fabric and everything!
Check out her Etsy Store and see the really cool creations she has for sale from her printed fabrics.
I am so in love with these potholders that I want to frame them!
I just adore free pieced letters and green….perfection!
Hope you are all having a great week!
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Look Who Arrived……

In my last post I shared with you the Quiltie Pal that I sent off to my secret partner.  On Tuesday I received Flossie the Flamingo!!!
She came from Susan, aka FlossieBlossoms.  Check out her blog here.
Susan also sent some awesome green batiks and a cute card.
Flossie the Flamingo has sat on the deck by the pool and eaten sea grapes.
And got to meet a few of my potcakes who were very excited to see her.
Flossie is a quilt, with the three layers, in the shape of a flamingo with legs.  Pretty amazing work!
I love her and she will hang in my sewing room unless she is out on an adventure with me.
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Trying to get back on track……..

WOW!!! Can’t believe how long it has been since I blogged last!!  My life spun slightly out of control, but I think I am getting back into the *normal* (whatever that is!) swing of things.
Last week I was supposed to send out some swaps, and I was behind on that ……..
Wanted to tell you about one of them.  It is called “Quiltie Pal Swap”.  Each person in the swap makes a flat quiltie pal, takes it to various locations to take pictures, then sends it off to a secret partner.
My pal is Goombay the Bahama Turtle.
Goombay is a street festival that they have in the Bahamas, and it is also the local soda that is pineapple flavored…..YUM!
First Goombay was in the sea grape trees looking for sea grapes with Trooper, my number one helper!
Then it was off to the vet for her shots to travel, since she is going abroad!
Then a final look at the harbour, here in Marsh Harbour, before her journey begins.
I haven’t received my quiltie pal yet…..maybe this week!
Off to continue catching up on my life 🙂
Have a great week!
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Home Sweet Home.

I have spent the last few days finishing some swap projects and trying to get ready for an art show in two weeks!  The first swap quilt I can only show you sneak peeks of since I am not sure if my partner reads my blog, and in this swap we know each other.
This was a swap for a BBQ/Picnic Mini Quilt.
If you are friends with me on facebook, then you saw this quilt yesterday.
Some of my favorite things are in this mini quilt!
Can you guess what they are?
This is being shipped from Florida tomorrow, so when my partner receives it I can post the picture of the entire quilt.
I also had a deadline for a pillow swap.  I am pretty sure my partner does not read my blog, but she doesn’t know who her partner is anyway, so I can show you the entire pillow.
One of her preferences was blues and greens.  I had so much fun making this pillow and had a hard time actually *stopping*!  The fabrics that make up the house in the middle are vintage fabrics.
I embroidered “home sweet home” under the house and added two little blue birds.
I also quilted the grass at the bottom and wanted to add flowers, but wasn’t sure how much of a flower fan my partner was so thought I should STOP!
If I ever get the time to make myself one (she says while daydreaming!) then i will add flowers to the bottom!
And YES…..blue and green AGAIN!!!  Just cant get away from it!
Well, back to working on orders and trying to get some stock for that art show!!
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Bead Soup Party Reveal

Today is the day for the reveal of my Bead Soup Party necklace!
Be sure and go over to Lori’s blog and check out all the jewelry artist’s blogs.  There are so many participating in this party that the party hop will go on for a week!  Everyday a new set of artists will reveal their creations.
You can also go the the Flickr page where most participants will be posting pictures also.
My partner for the Bead Soup Party was Janet from Singing Woods Blog.  Go check out her blog.  She sent me a selection of beads from the wonderful ceramic artist Gaia.
This is what I got in the mail from Janet, in case you forgot or missed that post……
Here is what i created with the bead soup I received……
The chain to the left of the pendant is made by me out of copper and sterling silver wire, soldered together for links.
I did ribbon at the back of the necklace.  I have done this on a few necklaces lately and found it to be very comfortable, and I thought that ribbon was perfect for the focal.
I had a few beads left over to make some matching earrings also.
Hope you like what I made Janet!
Don’t forget to check out everyone’s blog and see all the wonderful creations!
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More Mail!!!

Today the mail goodness continued!!!  I received my pillow swap package in the mail! 
I cannot believe how well my partner figured me out!  
Not sure if you can see it too well in this photo, but those four flowers in the middle are crocheted, and the back is totally crocheted!
And the color combination is perfect.  Above I photographed the pillow on my window seat in my studio.  Below it is on my deck (but i would NEVER leave this outside)
And here it is on my couch……
Where, oh where shall I display it?  I will probably keep it on my window seat, in my studio, and put it on my couch when guests come over.  I love this pillow so much!
I am trying to finish up my pillow for my partner so I can mail it out on Monday.
I also received four more blocks for my 3.5 inch block swap……
There is a picnic quilt, a watermelon, utensils and a pitcher of lemonade.  The lemonade block was complete with a lemonade recipe!
Here are the blocks I have so far together.  I have 8 more to receive.
These blocks are going to make a really cute quilt!
My pictures today are a bit dull because it was stormy and overcast when I took them, but couldn’t wait to show you!
Don’t forget this Saturday is the start of the Bead Soup Party reveal!! There are so many jewelry artists participating this round that the group has been split up to show off their creations.  My day is this Saturday.  Come back on Saturday to see my reveal and hop around other jewelry blogs to see what others have created.
See you on Saturday!
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My Final Three Packages

So sorry I didn’t post yesterday, but we are having horrible power outages here.  Even though we have a generator to run the house, the internet company does not have a generator at their plant so when the power goes out I have no internet.  I spent the day making jewelry and hanging out by the pool……..aaahhhh so relaxing!
Here is another package I received in the mail on Friday……
This package came from Calamity Kim and it was for the placemat swap.  Kim and I decided to do two placemats for each other, and she also sent me some tea that is just divine, a bagel spreader with a hummingbird handle, and sweet little handmade card and a Mary Jane’s Farm magazine.  I LOVE this magazine.  One of the articles in this magazine is one getting your first goat…..perfect!!!  I am still working on getting my chickens, but the goat is on the list also!
Here is a close-up of the placemats……
Bright and pretty batiks with a tropical applique.  They will be perfect for out in the cabana……
Thanks so much for the great package Kim!  Go and check out Kim’s blog.  She does some awesome work and works in more mediums than I do….if you can believe that!
I also got in the mail a 3.5″ block for one of the flickr groups I am in with the BBQ/Picnic theme, from Ruthiequilts.
How cool is this block?  And the detail with the embroidered mustard and ketchup!  Awesome Ruthie!  I sent out my sunshine blocks last week, and they should be getting to my partners this week.  This will be a fun collection of blocks when I get them all.
My final package was a African Flower crochet square.
This is a Raverly group I am in where I send out these blocks and receive them from others.  Only thing is this one came with no name on the envelope, so I need to do some searching to figure out who it came from to thank them!
Hope these posts have inspired some of you to join some swaps!
Have a great week!