Bucket List Shortened A Bit!

It's been too long since I last posted!!  So much is going on in my life right now, it will take a few posts to get up-to-date!  

In the middle of August, we left for a family trip to the United Kingdom! Going to the U.K. has been a dream of mine for a very long time and it came true in a most wonderful way!!

 Our trip was extended to include the Twisted Threads Quilt Show in Birmingham, England.  We were pretty exhausted from the trip "across the pond" and rented a day room so our girls could get some sleep and a shower before hitting the exhibits and vendors.  I dragged Paul to the show as soon as it was open!!

The Festival of Quilts is GIGANTIC!!  Wear sturdy walking shoes if you ever go!!

My Paul had a fantastic idea--seeing an international quilt show was pretty exciting, but why not enter some of my quilts and double the excitement?  Seemed like a reasonable idea until you start adding up the postage and customs on the return trip....but Paul is a smoother talker and we committed to showing three of my quilts.

Love seeing the pride on our daughter's eyes as she shows off her handiwork!

This beautiful young lady is our younger daughter who painted the flower at the top when she was in fifth grade in art class.  Every child in her fifth grade class made a flower in the style of Friedensreich Hundertwasser.  The whole school got behind sending the quilt to England and were very proud to show off their artwork!

 This quilt was a challenge quilt for my guild, Love Apple Quilters.  Sorry about the quality of the picture--the colors are more vibrant in person.

Here is another Love Apple Quilters challenge quilt--the judges were very kind in their remarks concerning this quilt.

Now for some eye candy.....here are some quilts you are sure to enjoy!

This one is made up of thousands of tiny squares!

 Wow!!  I cam away so inspired by the color, quilting and vendors!!  I showed great restraint, since it was our first stop on our trip and didn't want to carry too much over London, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  Our schedule only allowed for one day at the quilt show, so we were off to London by train.  

Here are the girls waiting to go to London and then Warner Brothers' Studios, The World of Harry Potter!

The girls waiting for the train to London, luggage in tow!

Christmas in August

Have been noticing a fashion trend that warms the Scottish part of my heart--lots and lots of plaids!  Have petted bolts and bolts of various plaids in the quilt and fabric shops I've visited lately, along with racks and racks of clothing.....

and shoes.....

And your favorite pooch can even sport plaid!!

In the spirit of not being last-minute this Christmas, I made a boatload of table runners, you guessed it, with Christmas plaids!

By the way, it's not always easy to find Christmas embellishments in July.....

 

To celebrate the resurgence of plaid, I designed a quick and easy wall-hanging for you to enjoy!  You'll use a variety of plaids, which works out well since it's hard to just pick one!

If you'd like the pattern, post a comment (make sure I can contact you!!) and I'll send you the pattern at the beginning of September.  Start collecting those plaids!!

Wooly Wishes August BOM Posted!

Do you remember this advertisement for Coppertone? 

When I was little, there was no sunscreen, only tanning lotion.  Not the best option for a redhead and I was scorched on many occasions!  You should have seen me the summer I used baby oil so I could be like everyone else.....!!

 

Here's another ad from my childhood.....

I was marinated in Solarcaine, tea bags, aloe, Noxema and Silvadene.

In memory of all the sunburns I have received in the past, and probably will receive in the future, here's Wooly Wishes Block of the Month for August....

Hope you'll make this block--there aren't too many times you're going to see a sheep in a bikini!  For the pattern, please click here.

 

Ewe Are A Grand Old Flag! BOM Posted

Happy 236th Birthday, USA!!  Our family celebrated our freedom with a barbeque, swimming and fireworks!  The day was very hot--so much so that this little guy would have been too hot to look at! 

Cousins enjoying fun in the sun!

You can find the pattern at Ewes Quilting.  Don't forget to send me a picture of your finished block to Carole@ewesquilting.com!

Let freedom ring!!