Outer Space quilts

I finally finished making and quilting these Outer Space quilts for my grandbabies.  They will share a room so my DIL wanted matching quilts.  I still have to put on the binding but that won't take too long.  I  need to  make a couple of pillow shams.
These quilts were a challenge to make but I am glad I went with  my original plan to make the fabric for the background.

My girlfriend and SIL were so nice to hold them up for me to take pictures.

I put one of them on my queen bed to show the size.  They are made for a regular double bed.

Loads of work but so worth it now that it is finished.

Grandbabies are the best!

We have been blessed with 3 precious grandsons.  We are able to have them over for fun visits every week.  I can not explain how much I love these boys.  I just felt the need to share them with you.

Alden is 4 years old

Reed is 3 1/2 years old

Ephraim is 8 months old

Aren't they cute?

2013 bee update

I have 11 for the bee....yea.....and I have someone who may fill the final slot if we need her.

short post today
hugs
beebee

Online bee for 2013

I am going to give this a try.
I want to host an online quilting bee.
If you are interested please visit The Bee Balm at http://thebeebalm.blogspot.com/ and leave a message.
I will contact everyone as soon as we have enough to get one started. 

I have 7 names so far....looking for 5 more! 

My plans are to wait until January to get things started.
I have to learn a little more about adjusting the site and how to allow others to post on the site.

 I am not sure of the specifics of the bee yet but we will have some time to discuss ideas of what we want to do.

Hug from South Louisiana,
beebee

Quilt blocks everywhere!

In May my DH and I went on a cruise.  Everywhere I looked I saw quilt block ideas.  I only took a few pictures.

Do you see potential quilt blocks?

This was the floor in the dining room of the ship.

There were lots of these lamp shades every where.

This was on the floor on the main deck.  

A two day "get away"

My SIL and I decided we needed a little R and R so we took off for a little vacation away from everything. A fun short 'girl' trip.  We did not travel far.  Our original idea was to go to the Gulf coast in Mississippi but we ended up in New Orleans instead.  It was a beautiful day.  We had coffee and beignets and then a nice walk around the quarter,  It was sunny and there was a cool breeze.  Very cool considering it was June in Louisiana.  We had a great lunch at my favorite place on Decatur Street just up from Jackson Square.  Mespairos (probably not spelled right)   is one of the best places to eat if you are in the area.  Great New Orleans eats with large portions and very reasonable....Cash only place...I love it.

here is a photo I took of Jackson Square...my iphone takes great pics!

We took off to the North Shore to find the "Bra Geini', a place where they really know how to fit you with the right bra. LOL we laughed so much while there!  Very nice people and a great selection of all kinds of neat underware.....(I told you it was a girl trip!)

We then went shopping in Metairie.  We found a nice inexpensive motel in Kenner.

here is a photo of the motel pool at dusk...... very quiet and relaxing place.....

If you ever need a nice place to go to relax and/or to experience loads of history, the French Quarter is the place to go to.

We had a nice two day rest and came home refreshed!
We just might have to do that again really soon!
 

Outer Space Quilt in progress

I am working on making 2 quilts with an Outer Space theme.  I finally have made some progress.  Here is a photo of what I have so far......still needs a border and quilting.  I have most of the second one ready to put together.  "Making" fabric is time consuming but I really like how it looks. The lighting does not allow the true colors to show up but you still get an idea of what it will look like.

Here is a close up of the center of the quilt.   I still need to add some details to the space shuttle.  

Our Red Hat group visits local TV Station WDSU

Today was so much fun.  I am a member of the Jazzy Red Hat group in our little community.
We take turns planning outings for our group.  This month I was in charge of planning our trip.  My DH and I have our coffee every morning while watching the morning show on Channel 6, WDSU.  I feel as though they are all part of our family. We have enjoyed their company for many years. I always thought it would be nice to meet some of the broadcasters in person. SO....... Today a group of us drove into New Orleans for one of our monthly trips.  We had a great time touring Channel 6, WDSU TV.

Here are a few of the photos we took.

Ann Bell (front left) gave us a tour of the studio.  I am so sad that I did not get a picture of Ms Lu Adams, the sweet lady who set up the date and time for our tour. Everyone there was so nice to us.



Jay Galle, a meteorologist,  gave us a demonstration of how they look at maps in front of a 'green' screen.

Diane gave it a try...pointing at a screen while looking at a map on a monitor is not so easy to do!

We were aloud to watch a live news update broadcast. 

We were all able to get behind the news desk with 

Jay Galle and Sula Kim (she is new to the station)  I think she will fit in perfectly with all the others on the news team.  

The news room was a busy place!

Susan and I were able to get a picture with Randi Rousseau.  She does the news in the morning.  She is the one I contacted to get the plans of this tour started.

Here is a photo of the WDSU TV studios.

Beautiful blocks from online Bee

I am participating in an online bee over on the 15 minute site http://www.15minutesplay.com/
These are the blocks I have received so far.  I think they are so pretty.  I am waiting for a couple more to arrive so I can put it together.  Not sure how I will sash them together.  Any ideas?

Another bag completed

I posted a photo of a bag I made a while back for my DIL...I made another one today for my younger DIL...
Here is a photo of the bag.

I also added a photo of the book I used.  This is the third project I made from this book and plan to tackle a couple of the others in the book...it's great!

Something Lost Can Be Found!

I have an amazing story to tell.

About 5 weeks ago I lost my gold chain with religious medals and a special crucifix on it in the parking lot of our local mall.  At least I thought that was where I lost it.

I went back to check where I had parked just 15 minutes earlier and it was nowhere to be found.

I asked St. Anthony to help me find it.  After a few weeks I figured it was really gone for good.   I figured this time St. Anthony could't help me with this one. I really wanted to find it because the medals had special meanings but I refused to be upset about it because it really is just “stuff”

Yesterday my BFF sent me a text saying she read in the want ads of the paper that someone found a chain with medals in the mall parking lot and they included a phone number.   I figured it couldn’t be mine but I called anyway.   When the girl answered the phone I described my medals and she said, “yep, that’s what I found.”  Today I drove to her house to get it.  (she lives only 12 miles from my house!)  I was so happy to get it back.  She told me that her 10 year old daughter found it and that she knew she had to find the owner.   I am still blown away that I really did get my chain and medals back.  I am so thankful the right person found it.  This girl proved that I am right in saying that there are good people in this world.  You always hear of the bad things that happen around us but I thought I would share this amazing good story with my readers.

It is so true, if you loose something you should ask St. Anthony to help you find it.  I will never doubt that again.

A new online quilting bee..

I am going to give this a try.
I want to host an online quilting bee.
If you are interested please visit The Bee Balm at http://thebeebalm.blogspot.com/ and leave a message.
I will contact everyone as soon as we have enough to get one started.
My plans are to wait until the Fall to get things started.
I have to learn a little more about adjusting the site and how to allow others to post on the site.

 I am not sure of the specifics of the bee yet but we will have some time to discuss ideas of what we want to do.

Hug from South Louisiana,
beebee

Dinner, Louisiana style

There was a little breeze so it was not too  hot to be outdoors. My DH and I were sitting on the swing we have in our back yard oak tree when it arrived. Around 7:00P.M. my BIL walked over with a tray of boiled crabs. (He lives next door to us) The crabs were so good and they were boiled perfectly.  YUM!!

I do not drink alcohol very often but you have to have beer when you eat boiled seafood.  The Coors Light was perfect with the crabs.

He also brought me a few very large boiled shrimp... I had a feast.

oh, no photo of the shrimp, I was too busy eating, but take my word for it they were delicious!

What a great way to end a very nice weekend!!!!

I hope your weekend was a good one too.

Counted Cross Stitch completed!

I started this picture in 1983...yes you read it right....1983 ...
I was going through a closet and found it a few  years ago and my sweet 93 year old friend offered to finish it for me.  I have a hard time seeing the little squares.   Once she finished it I had it framed and it hangs in my kitchen... I think it is so pretty!

It measures about 11" by 20"...just thought I would share it with ya'll!

Sweet gift

I was surprised with this sweet picture.
A quilting friend brought it to me on Monday and I wanted to share it with all of my blogging friends...

It is so cute. I have it hanging on the wall in my sewing studio!  She is so talented!

God bless America

Memorial Day is a special day that all Americans should observe.
I visited Normandy, France a few years ago.  Standing in that cemetery was a very moving experience.  In all directions for as far as you could see there were white crosses naming our American boys who gave their lives to help make our world a safe place. Each cross had the name and state of each one.  I cried as I walked through all those crosses.  I thought about all the families of most of the men buried there that never got to see their head stones.  Such a great sacrifice that everyone needs to remember!
God Bless America and those that keep it free!

I hope every American took the time to think about and pray for all the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free!

hugs
beebee

Space theme quilt part 2

I started work on quilts for two of my grandsons a couple of weeks ago.  My DIL is going to decorate the boys room in their new house with an Outer Space theme and asked me to make quilts for the beds.
If you check an earlier post you can see where I started.
Last night I made one of the space rockets I plan to use on the quilts.
I pinned some of the stars and planets and background sky onto my planning board then I pinned the space rocket on top just to get an idea of where to go next.
Here is a photo....note:  the rocket is in pieces and will be put together when it is time to attach it to the quilt top.  I plan to put a name on each of the rockets. Perhaps the name of a past space mission or maybe the boys names...who knows...I won't know til I get to that point.
I am letting the fabric and the theme guide me.  I can't wait to see what I end up with!  LOL

cute little bag!

I have been trying out patterns.  I made this little bag last night.  It is about 10" x 5".   The hardest part for me is picking colors!
This one is for one of my DILs.  She picked the pattern and I picked the fabric.  She likes it! whew!  I am glad about that.

comments please on what you think of it! thanks

Visiting Alaska and checking out a couple of quilt shops!

My DH and I celebrated our 40th anniversary (Dec.17, 2011) by going on an Alaskan cruise last week! We had so much fun.  We managed to visit a couple of quilt shops while there!
 Here are a few photos of our trip.

We visited Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.  We also got to see a glacier!  It was a wonderful trip.

 Changing Tides LLC on Franklin Street in Juneau is a nice quilt shop to visit.  She has loads of Alaskan gifts and beautiful quilt patterns and fabric.

My DH was a sweetheart and let me take my time to look around.

The Silver Thimble in Salmon Landing in Ketchikan is a beautiful, quilt shop to visit.  It has so many beautiful quilts on display.  There are tons of fabrics to pick from.  If you go to Ketchikan you have to go check this place out.

Starting a space themed quilt

My DIL asked me to make quilts for the boys.  She is planning a space theme for their room so I am going to make quilts with space stuff...
I am developing a pattern that I hope she will like.  I am going to use "made" fabric for most of the quilt top.

here is the first block......... can you guess what it is?

Lots more to come later!   I will  post as I design and make more  of the blocks..