I'm in the middle of a few projects, which is typical. I started out making a wall hanging for my daughter for her dorm room when she goes to college in August (5 miles away). Then it became a lap quilt and then for some reason a square and then since her dorm room bed is not extra long like most are I decided to make it a twin size. And then I ran out of Eiffel Tower fabric. I ordered more and when I got it discovered it was the wrong shade of pink. The quilt shop where I had originally bought it sold out quickly, but after a few months I was pleased to find some more. So hopefully I'll get the remaining blocks finished soon.

I also finished up a quilt top for Margaret's Hope Chest. It's for a 4 year old on the birthday list. I haven't made a quilt for a child in a while so this was fun. But on this I ordered some batting, which I'm waiting for.

I'm almost finished my strawberry jam making after a huge marathon session. I ran out of strawberries this afternoon and am waiting for someone to come home with a car so I can run to the farmers market. I just need another pint. This last batch will be strawberry-rhubarb, my favorite. I may make one last strawberry pie, before they go out of season locally. But for right now I'm stranded here at home without a car and a huge sticky mess to clean up.

Melanie www.houseelf-doings.blogspot.com issued a challenge to use up fabric that we've been hoarding. Here's what I want to use up. It's fabric from a store that I love called French Connections www.french-nc.com . I love this place and whenever I get there buy a little bit more. I was thinking a table cover for our porch. It's French imported fabric and I need to stop greedily admiring it.

A few months ago I saw this post on Karen's at Kaholly's blog. . Although it's taken me a little longer than I thought I'm finished and they are finally mailed off. It was a good way to use up some scraps and pieces I had leftover from other baby quilts I've made. Here's one thing I've been busy with

I've never seen a dog play fetch for so long. Every once in a while Molly likes to stop for a rest. Me too! ****My blog is against me today, I can't post the link here it is: http://kaholly.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html

I've finally finished this baby quilt I've been working on. It's pretty simple.

I couldn't bear to cut into this backing fabric, I really love it.

Here's a up close of it

I love starting the week with a finish, hopefully there will be some more finishes this week too!

Some blocks for Margaret's Hope Chest.  I love doing string blocks.
www.margaretshopechest.blogspot.com

These are for the Project Hope that occurs every two months.  Last time it was hst's and it has been
amazing to see all the hst blocks come together.
Right now there is a  giveaway going on there.  I think it's one of the best giveaways I've seen.

Fabric Shopping

Sometimes I buy fabric at Joann's.

 

 It's less expensive of course, and I can usually find some cute patterns, and I always buy a bolt of Kona white when I have a coupon.

  Sometimes I order from Connecting Threads. 

They are especially good for backing fabrics from their clearance fabrics, less than $3.00 a yard!! 

Or cute prints.

  I bought some of their solid white just to see and I really like it.  At $4.96 it's a good value I think.

  I like Equitler too.  Whenever I run out of some fabric and I really need it, I can usually find it there. Like this Eiffel Tower fabric.  This quilt has started out as a wall hanging for my middle daughter's dorm room when she goes in the fall.  Then it turned to lap quilt then to a twin and now into a full size quilt.  

Every once in a while I see something and splurge. 

I  had to have this for a baby quilt I am making.  I just have to finish the binding and it will be done.  

Here's a Molly update.  She has really settled nicely into our family.  She gets tons of attention and has learned lots of tricks and can play fetch longer than any dog we've had.   She's got the labrador  need to fetch and the poodle part of her does all sorts of exciting jumps and twirls in the air .

Lots of fun.  

Also some more baking pictures from my daughter,  Ice cream Sundae cupcakes (gotten off of pintrest).

It's going to be a very warm day here, I'm going to spend it cleaning our screened in porch now that most of the pollen is finished.  After it's hosed down and all the woodwork and furniture is scrubbed, I'm going to sit and finish my binding.  My reward.

The other day #2 daughter and I found ourselves in Durham NC and took a quick walk through Duke Gardens. It was a warm spring day.



There's lots of paths to explore, we covered about a quarter of it and plan to go back soon.



I love this heron fountain. We have lots of herons here. I usually see them in the mornings on my walks. Just yesterday two flew right by me.



Beautiful spring flowers everywhere!


Trees in bloom and beginning to sprout leaves


Some really magnificent Magnolia trees. I can't wait to see them in bloom


Another favorite of mine, Weeping Willows.


There's lots of nooks and shady places to sit and relax.
However we were short on time and didn't do any relaxing. I was trying to keep up with dd#2. She takes tons of photos. I told her every time she took one, I would too. She took 200+, I took 30 oops. Hers turn out much better. Next time I'll leave my camera at home and post her pictures instead!


I'll have some sewing to show tomorrow!

It's Here!

My husband pre-ordered this for me for Christmas. It arrived today, I can't wait to open it up!