Scrappy Sunday

Block #20i started hand quilting my Christmas Cottage quilt. this block was made by Nanette.the first names of my block makers neighbors are embroidered on trees. using the Press'N Seal method i mentioned here. a precise tweezer used for splinters should be used to remove the plastic. otherwise it will pull on the stitching.i'll add some buttons later. and some random stars. and a that all important label.

MK's Neighborhood

welcome to the neighborhood.since this may be one of the last new things i start before xmas. i wanted to get right down to it. the sashing is a pretty red and green snowflake print confirming the xmas theme. but i'm adding a beautiful blue snowflake print to the corners.the blue will frame it nicely so i will use for the binding. i received eleven blocks and made four of my own. so there's one block left to fill. i plan to make a tree or some trees. if i can design it the way i imagine it will include a map of very nice bloggers who made the other cottages my neighbors. one of my blocks is being repaired. Jessica's sneaky dog grabbed it from the table one day and chewed on it. he's very sneaky. and even if you watch him carefully. he always gets something. Riley also chewed on one of the Tinkerbell squares. bad dog. we were not amused.but have you ever seen a quilt that just made you laugh. i couldn't stop when i saw this one called My Dog Ate My Quilt. it's at the end of the post. so scroll down just a little. if you know anything about this quilt or quiltmaker please let me know. it surely looks like an original design. and so so funny.

Cottage Fever

it's contagious. even Messie Jessie wanted to make one.did she really make two. no. just kidding. she only made one.i think it's gorgeous and so does her daughter.she also finished her summer quilt top. but was daydreaming about making more cottages. enough to make a quilt. what else is she gonna do while she waits for her Tinkerbells to come back from the quilter. that's right. breaking news. two daughters will soon get to snuggle under Mommy's quilts. it's about time. chilly. especially at nightime. it's chilly.

and what's Karen been up to. well i started quilting my secret project. Melanie's latest peek sure surprised me. hope that i am surprising her. i see signs that we both adding our own special touches. that's very cool.

Christmas, Then Halloween

it's official. Christmas is coming before Halloween this year.i've completed 5 cottage blocks. & have all my other pieces cut out ready to sew. i love mine. & i love all of the ones i keep seeing out there. check out the virtual quilt that T of Purple and Paisley has posted here. it would appear that i am not the only one who believes in this thing called Christmas.

The Influence Of Red

i was daydreaming the other day about a ride to the beach. & was overwhelmed at the response to such a whim. i didn't go. but that would have been the day. a storm is looming nearby and we will have much rain for most of a week. only Monday looks clear. now what do you do on a rainy day.

garnet sweet potatoes. red lentils. red onions. a few of my fav ingredients. so when i saw this simple recipe i knew i had to make soup.celery and salt are my substitutions for stock cube. most cubes have too much salt for me. if you make soup you have to have a stick blender. i highly recommend this Cuisinart one. it's made of stainless steel. & comes apart for easy cleaning. no need to drag cord over to sink for cleaning. if i reheat soup i will add ricemilk instead of water.

the view from my window. i live on the third floor. this tree is beautiful. & changes every season. i forgot it has berries. it brings the birds. & they sing to me all year long.i've been thinking about an old red project i was excited about years ago but abandoned. i made this simple runner. always left it near a sunny window. so now it looks like an antique. old. & faded. then i bought all these red fabrics to make a similar runner. to honor a local CT artist. i can't find that cd cover with the beautiful pic of Kate Callahan. but i was annoyed that i could not copy cd cover onto fabric paper so that it measured exactly 6". it kept reducing it 98%. perhaps the new printers we have won't do that. you can listen to her on her myspace page here. those 3 selections are not on her 2 albums. The Influence Of Red. The Greatest Of Ease. check them out on iTunes. you won't be disappointed.i will leave you with another local CT artist. Chuck E. Costa. you can listen to him on his myspace page here. he has a few albums. his selection "when the city comes" even made it onto a Starbucks compilation. but find & listen to "peace is war". hope he figures out this blog stuff. but untill then his rendition of "little boxes" should make us all feel better about our scrappy cottages.

my soup is delicious. and it's still raining. & here's a look at my little boxes.i didn't think i would use ric-rac. but know i don't know how i couldn't. should i redo those windows and sew on that mini red ric-rac. it would be so much cuter.

Fun With Quilting

i do luv being thrfty with quilting. even if it's just for fun. this phase can't last long. with all those beautiful fabrics showing up in the stores. so i am enjoying the excitement of it before it passes. my Secondhand Comfort quilt is pinned. ready. but standing in line. as i need to finish up some other things. decided to hand quilt. & i have an idea to use as many beautiful colors as i can all over. that will of course necessitate a trip to the embroidery store. yeah. perhaps more than one trip. yeah yeah.i received permission to take those summer capri jeans on the right. they will not fit my growing niece next year. & will make a scrumptous Baby Secondhand Comfort quilt. & those printed cargo shorts on the left are going in Nora's Xmas Quilt. it's not a secret. the only secret is whether i will finish it in time for xmas or not. i'll tell you about Nora's xmas present from last year on another day.

i've signed up for my very first block exchange.it's cute. & it's xmas-y. how could i resist. many of you know Nanette. but i've been lurking on her blog Freda's Hive for many many months. she designed an easy block. & has already posted a tutorial. you should join too.i'm guessing that the blocks we make will be identical. but with all the stash xmas fabrics i have found. i could probably make my own scrappy xmas cottage quilt.