Spring FQ's in the mail Yeah!!!!

I received my 2 "Spring" FQ's from my partner in Darci's Spring FQ swap thanks so much Karla I love them!!! It's so much fun receiving things in the mail and being totallly surprised I will post whatever I decide to do with these FQ's. at a later date but, for now head on over to Elin's blog @ http://lappetausa.blogspot.com/2009/02/give-away-2-years-of-blogging.html she's having a 2 yr. blogging giveaway maybe you'll be a lucky winner. Until next time Happy stitching!!

Fabric shopping in "Amish" country

Well, Spring fever really hit the other day my friend who is "Sandy" also and I decided it was time for a fabric shopping trip.... it was a beautiful, sunny day in the 50's which is really nice for us this time of year went to "Amish" country looking at all the beautiful quilts and fabric and of course we didn't come home empty handed below is a picture of my "goodies".

The children were just getting out of school when we were leaving all of them little to much bigger were walking along side the road carrying their lunch boxes coming from their one room school houses of which there are many. You really had to be careful the roads are very hilly so you really had to watch for the "buggies" and the children. It is well worth the trip quite a different life style from our own I think better in some way's but not in other's... I know I couldn't do it too spoiled with all our conveniences.

The name of the store is the same as my last name "Miller" but unfortunetly not me or any relation.

Don't you just love the horse & buggy out front of the store just patiently waiting for it's owner to return.... but, if she's anything like us it could certainly be awhile. The store is in a charming little town that is named "Charm" it is only one of the many little towns that are located close to each other in Amish country what a wonderful day trip or get a "bed n breakfast "and make a weekend of it

Beautiful view behind the store!!!!!

Well, here are all the "goodies" that I bought when my friend & I went fabric shopping down to Amish country. The patterns are from "Crab Apple Hill & Bareroots" which are 2 of my favorites and the jelly roll, charm pack & etc. are from Moda... Simplicty, At Rivers Edge are just a couple of the patterns of fabric... the fabric was all just indescribeably delicious hard to make up my mind.

I can't wait to start something with them but, have a couple BOM to finish first and then on with the new. Until next time Happy stitching!!!!!

Finished sashing BOM

It is a beautiful sunny day and I'm very happy I finally got the sashing put on my first Gail Pan BOM. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with it since I'm so new to quilting don't think I'm ready for a quilt... maybe I'll just frame it. It's probably a little "unsquare" is that a word?? Don't think so!I do like the the sashing though it matches the thread quite well....so now to get busy on next one until then Happy stitching!!!!

My sewing bag

How do you like my "FUN" sewing bag? I found the pattern for it on one of my favorite embroidery sites http://www.purplehat.co.za/ it's called the" Scraptacular sewing bag".... it's all made in the embroidery hoop inside & outside together, a little time consuming but, I think well worth it. The squares are all made separately then sewn together.

There's several different desings you can use plus add buttons, threads, etc. as I did on the bottom just a fun project.

Giants of Seville

Our little town of Seville is famous for "Our Giants of the late 1800's" Capt.Martin Van Buren Bates and his wife Anna "Swann" Bates. They travelled with the circus and settled here in Seville. I had bought the magazine "SEW" by Stampington and found an article by Sandra Evertson... she made family portrait RAG DOLLS very nice. Check out the article and her picture's.

I thought I'd like to give it a try so I decided on using the Bate's as my people... I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. The one of Anna is on their wedding day and the one of Capt. Bates is when he's older, the little doll on top is of my brother. Below this picture is a little info on the giants.

Captain & Mrs. Martin Van Buren BatesThe Giants of Seville

In 1873, a couple moved to Seville, Ohio, who would be responsible for more reams of newspaper footage than anyone who set foot there before or since.
The Captain & Mrs. Bates toured Europe and the United States giving lectures and having "teas". They were presented at the Court of England on at least two occasions. Many of their friends included the royal families of Europe.
The Captain received his rank during the Civil War, while serving with Virginia State Line Troops. He was born in Kentucky in November, 1845. Growing until he was 28 years-old, he reached a height of seven feet, eight inches and a weight of 470 pounds.
Mrs. Bates was born in Nova Scotia in 1848. By 1870, she had established herself in a career, working for P.T. Barnum. It was Mrs. Bates who began giving "teas". She was not interested in Barnum's "traveling" shows. Rather, she had receptions at the Barnum Museum or in "notables" homes. By her twenty-second birthday, Mrs. Bates was seven feet, eleven inches and weighed 413 pounds.
The Village of Seville along with The Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, Seville Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, The Guilford Grange, The Seville Historical Society, and The Ohio Historical Society, erected a sign at the Stanhope Park. Visit the park to read their amazing story; it's worth the trip.

My first BOM

This is the first BOM block I have done from Gail Pan. I do have the fabric picked out for the sashing but, of course haven't gotten it put on yet... The fabric is a wine color with flecks of gold in it I think it will look real nice with the thread color now I just need to kick myself and get busy and finish it.

Have a great day!

Join in the fun

I just joined Sandysinstitches PIF so now it's your turn to join mine. I will send something homemade to the first 3 people who sign up for mine sometime within the next year... hopefully I will get them done quickly. You in turn then send something to the first 3 who sign up with you. Please leave a comment and I will be in touch
I'm looking forward to this sounds like alot fun!
Until next time!

Chinese X's & O's

Well it's another snowy day here in the Northeast lol!! When I get up in the morning I always go to my front window to look out, this morning we had a little snow and on my front porch were some twigs covered with snow and to me they look like Chinese X's & O's you know 'HUGS & KISSES" well the funny thing is my husband is in China right now so I sent him the picture that I took of them.

So to all my friends in blog land here they are just in case you've never seen Chinese X's & o's

Hug's

Sandy

Excited

I'm so excited about my blog had trouble getting it going but, I think all the kinks are worked out so on with the blog.

My friend and I joined our local quilter's guild recently" Obsessive Quilter's Quild " they wanted someone to come with an idea for a logo well... I was the only one who did so yep, you guessed it they used mine. I made up a name tag since we're all just getting to know one another with the logo... here's a picture!

Where it all began

This is my first day at doing a blog so come along and hopefully enjoy!!
When I started this I thought what am I going to write about... well I decided start with your first project which was this beautiful santa it was Christmas time and I had gone to our local fabric shop and they
had this beautiful appliqued santa hanging right where it caught everyone's eye and of course mine as well, never having done this before I signed up for the class.
I went to the class with much enthusiasm and a little hesitant as well,but much to my delight I loved it and was quite surprised at how easy it was. I did not get it finished in class, but did finish it at home just in time to give to my daughter's, in-law's for their 40th. anniversary.
Now I am feeling more confident and ready to try something else!!!