Missing YOU!

While in Idaho in October, I went with my daughter, Talia and my grandkids, Hunter Hailey and Tyghelyn to shop for pumpkins. Here are a couple of shots at the pumpkin patch.

Oh how I miss them!!

Finally - My Sewing Space!

FINALLY!! We moved into our "room" the day before Thanksgiving! It has been a LONG process. Here are some before and after pictures. This is how our storage room looked before.

And here is the "AFTER".... Pegboard to hang my stuff on is a great asset!

This is Roger's unfinished space. I have to admit that mine is a lot bigger!! He is so generous!

Here is his finished space. He gave himself 2 windows. I got one! LOL!! He deserves at least 2 windows.. :o)

Here is a corner of my sewing space. I have a TON of floor space. A lot of room for a LONG ARM!! :o) A girl can wish, right?

I have turned the walls into a gallery of sorts to hang my quilts and admire them. They bring back lots of good memories!

This is the closeup of my Quilt Diva! She was a lot of fun to make. I am still searching for a zipper pull for her rolling bag. I just haven't come up with the perfect thing yet.... I love the pin cushion on her arm and her beads made from spools. Her earrings are even swaying. I didn't intend for them to be crooked, but I like them this way!! She thinks she is all that and a bag of chips!

Fall Quilt Retreat

October 13 - 16 was our 3rd quilt retreat. Dana was so gracious to let us use her cabin, again!! Since we moved to New Mexico, I was very anxious to get to Idaho and start having SEW much fun!! I arrived in Idaho on Sunday and had to wait clear until Wednesday to get to our retreat. I kept my time filled with Grandkids, visiting my quilting buddy, Ilene. I even got to go to our Idaho quilt group!!

When we arrived at Dana's cabin, a truck with 2 guys pulled up and asked us if we were having a "girls" weekend. Excitedly we said , "YES"! Then they proceeded to tell us that they were having a "guys" weekend in a cabin down the road! YIKES!! BOLT THE DOORS!!! Then when we went on a walk one day, a guy was standing at his cabin and commented on the nice day that it was. We agreed, because it WAS very beautiful!! Then he said, "Do you want to go out?" There were 4 of us walking. I'm not sure which one he wanted to go out with. (Probably, Ilene... :o) )

Well, here are all 7 of us. From top left to right is : Jill, Debbie, Mary, and Ann. From bottom left to right is Me (Susan), Ilene and Dana.

We had SEW much fun. We talked, sewed, ate, sewed, shared, and sewed some more! We shared a lot and got a lot of projects done. I will try to remember some of the things that we completed. I need to take MORE pictures. I was in such awe of all that was accomplished that I simply forgot to get my camera out, except for a few. I will try to do better next time! I would love it if everyone would take pictures of their projects and email them to me. I really want to add every picture that I can to remember this fun time!!

I will start alphabetically and try to remember what everyone did.

Ann: Ann completed her corn row for our Bountiful Harvest quilt. It was my fault she didn't finish sooner because of a pattern error. Then, she made the cutest bag for her daughter. Then she started on some skirts for her daughters. The fabric was AWESOME!! Lucky, Lucky Daughters!!

Dana: Dana, as usual, had her sewing machine going a mile a minute. She had a project to complete for Wood Badge. The project she chose was to make a quilt with the different US flags in it. She put a description under each flag and then set it together with big stars. The quilt and Dana are below. This will look so wonderful hanging in her home or cabin. Then she made the cutest scripture bag. Then of course.... Dana made aprons for Christmas. I'm sure there is something I forgot!

Debbie: Debbie was a WHIR of activity. I can't believe all that she did! She is doing the 12 days of Christmas for her family this year. What a lucky family!! She was working on costumes to portray the Nativity. Then she was making Christmas stockings for each family. She also showed finished table runners that she started last retreat. I am sure that I am forgetting something!

Ilene: Ilene got into her "use it up" mode. If you look closely at the apron she is wearing, you will see that it is made from a table cloth! She made 2 aprons from tablecloths and started making a bag from a table cloth as well. She also put together a purple, black and white quilt for her granddaughter. Isn't that apron just the CUTEST!!!

Mary: Mary finished up a bag she had started for her daughter. The colors were absolutely beautiful. She made it using a charm pack. I'm thinking her daughter will be ecstatic! Then, she made the cutest quilt top for a baby boy. Again.... I wish I had pictures of everything. (I am kicking myself right now!)

Susan: I made a pumpkin/flying geese table topper that I saw in a magazine. I also had blocks from a birthday swap that I put together. Both of these still need borders. I just need to figure out just the right borders for both. Then, I embroidered on our Bountiful Harvest quilt blocks. Pictures will follow when I get these completed... :0)

This is our bountiful harvest quilt. I LOVE IT!!! Each section was made by a different person. I had to come right home and finish it! It fit together perfectly!! All of the sayings are hand embroidered. This quilt will be cherished forever!!!

The food was like eating gormet every day! It was like Christmas EVERY day. Little things kept popping up by my sewing machine or on my pillow when I went to bed at night. I LOVE my sewing sisters!! SEW many memories of GREAT times!! We have already planned the next retreat for April. Debbie says it will be in Provo!! WOO HOO!!!!!!

Garden Lady

I just finished this wall quilt on Saturday the 3rd of September. I have been hand quilting it since before we moved here. I finished everything but the outer border and decided I had had enough! I took it to my sewing machine and quilted the outer border using the free motion method.

I really love how she turned out. It was a lot of paper piecing and applique, but she is done! Doesn't she look lovely in her garden?

Progress

Here is a picture of my sewing room progress. It is getting there! The picture you see is from the doorway looking in. You can see 2 windows (at least the hole and one window). The other window is where you can see the reflection on the floor. The studded area will be a food storage area and whatever can be stored there. There is plenty of room above the store room to store things. I'm sure Roger will find lots of stuff to go up there. Maybe I can store my large batting pieces?

I am ready to move in! But I don't think that would be appropriate just yet. There is insulation to put in the ceiling and sheet rock and insulation to put in the storage room. More sheet rock and peg board to go on the big room and then the carpet.

Roger and his brother Kim and nephew Obid has worked hard to get it this far. I am so appreciative!! I am going to hang my quilts as decoration. It will be fun to have my own space! :o)

I MISS HIM!

Yesterday was my oldest son Caleb's birthday. It is so hard to believe that he is this 38 years old. After all, I am only 39. How can that be?

I miss him! I miss his hugs, I miss how he always knows how to do everything. I miss his smile and his ALWAYS positive attitude. I miss his friendship. I miss him!! Happy birthday, son!

My First Finished Quilt Project in New Mexico

Today, I finished my first "quilt project" while living in New Mexico. The challenge was given to our quilt group in Idaho to make a Spiderweb block. I loved this block because first of all you use your SCRAPS!! Thank you Desi and Donna for the fun challenge!!