Giveaway starts today - really

Sorry about yesterday, just when you think you're organized....oh my.
Anyway here is the giveaway I should have posted yesterday.
You will get 6 lovely autumn color pieces of WoolFelt™ and a fat quarter of a cute Halloween print. The wool pieces are approx. 12" x 17"
This should help get you inspired to get a head start on your Fall projects.
It is almost August after all, OMG!
To get a chance to win this giveaway just leave a comment here on this post. Too make it even more fun, I am going to give away 2 identical gifts so there will be 2 lucky stitchers that can win this giveaway.
So tell your friends and best of luck, you have until August 15th to post your comments.

great grasshoppers!

Look at this colorful fellow I found on our front porch.
Actually it's called a lubber (I looked it up)
and we usually see them at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (an Audubon site) but we don't often see them around our property. He (or she) was quite cooperative when it came to having it's picture taken. Much easier than trying to shoot (with a camera) a butterfly!

Decisions, decisions

Goodness it's been a busy month, but productive. One of my BF's came over for a Fearless blonde quilting lesson. She is a superb hand quilter, but has not really taken the time to learn any machine quilting. Happy to say, I think she went out the door a Fearless Blonde machine quilter and if she takes to machine quilting like she did hand quilting OMG look out!



Wednesday I had a small group over for lunch to chat and giggle and celebrate a birthday. Ellen turned...... well I'll never tell. Anyway, take a look at this adorable little cake! It was as good as it looks. Happy birthday Ellen!



While my friends were here, I started getting opinions on.....paint colors.
Oh yes, that HUGE decision. We wallpapered our kitchen years ago and after the paper was up we didn't like it. Oh well. So now we are finally going to tear it off and paint!
I picked up a few paint chips the other day. I want some color this time and thought the aqua's go nicely with the wheat yellow counter tops and the terracotta floor tiles. When I get a chance I will pick up a couple of sample jars and paint some larger "chips".


I figured it would be a good indoor project for hubby & me since it's so hot and steamy outside.
I'll probably go through another stack of paint chips before I decide, hmmmmmmm, what do you think?


I have also been working away at my migration piece. LOL.
It's about ready to be quilted, I just need to decide on some placement issues, hmmmmmmmmm.
Decisions, decisions.

Studio time

I did it ~ I set aside a couple of hours today and made it into the studio to PLAY!
I gathered up some fabrics and such and actually started in on my migration quilt. (See May 27th post)
When we decided to do this little project we made it easy and said anything goes as far as techniques, fabrics, color, etc. We also decided to keep the project small. Gosh we should have had these done already with easy rules like that.
Oh well, so it goes. Anyway, I have some beautiful white silk that someone gave me and I've been wanting to use it in something so I am incorporating that. Then my friend Marti loaned me her paintstix to play with and I plan on using those also. Here I go.....



I really like this fabric with the circles, I've had it for awhile and I only have a small amount, I should have bought more - oh well. There's some of the white silk in the last image.
I'll be back in a day or two to show you my progress or lack thereof .

Happy Birthday America!

Can you believe another year has past and our country is 233 years old today.
I thought there were a lot of candles on my birthday cake!
To celebrate the 4th, we're going to pack a picnic dinner and head down to the beach for the fireworks and hope that the rain clouds stay away.
I will also be saying a prayer for all of our brave troops that serve our country both here and abroad.
I also plan on some studio time this weekend, If you recall there was a July 1st deadline for an "art" quilt challenge between me and a couple of friends. Well, turns out I'm not the only procrastinator!
We have officially extended the deadline to August. HA HA HA HA HA stay tuned...... and have a wonderful July 4th weekend.

What's blooming besides the paperwork on my desk?

I think the stacks of paperwork in my office are procreating as I sleep. Actually, I am making a dent as it is too hot do anything outside for any length of time. The air is thick and sticky and I begin to wilt within minutes of stepping out. Our plants however, are loving the hot, humid sultry days of July in South Florida. We planted a small cactus in a pot on our deck a couple of years ago and it now towers over everything. The flower buds sprout in June and we usually get about a dozen or so.
Check out the buds thus year - I counted 65 on one stalk!

This cactus (don't ask me what kind it is) only blooms at night and the flowers last only one night. By late morning they close and start to shrivel up. But oh my goodness, what beautiful blossoms they are while they last.



Around the other corner of the house, our Bird of Paradise is also blooming profusely!
It is also inspiring me.
Ohhh, I can't wait to get my paperwork all done, and my website makeover, so I can get back in the studio.