Happy Halloween!

We had a blast at the Halloween Dance Party Saturday night 

at Duneland Ballroom.  Big attendance and lots of great costumes.

Catered by Zing Pizza and lots of extra treats!

We did not win the costume contest - but we did get a lot of laughs!

More than 30 dancers out on the dance floor 

learning a line dance to the Monster Mash.

Creative treats to share - made by me!!

A time for confession....

a costume contest winning wizard..... 

And our good friend - Doug!!

www.dunelandballroom.com

Halloween Week-End is HERE!!!

I have always liked Halloween and do miss that we live out in the"country" and don't get any of those cute trick or treaters!!

I do have my fall quilts all around the house!!

This is a mini quilt and features a Halloween batik fabric.  Fun!!

I haven't carved a pumpkin for a few years but want to roast the seeds!!

This great quilt was a block exchange with a Stitch and Bitch group I was a part of in Buffalo, NY.  It was a Happy Jack Quilt that was featured on the cover of Fons and Porter Magazine at the time.  Each group member made two of the same blocks for each member.  What a memory!!

Love this lap size quilt - made from the famous five yard quilt pattern.

This was a shop sample and is machine quilted in a star design.  Love it!!

And I always love to hang this quilt at this time of year.

It is a panel designed by Sandy Gervais 

and I had a blast practicing my machine quilting.

Great colors and sew fun!!

Heading to the kitchen this afternoon to make some treats 

for a Halloween Dance Party.  Stay tuned!!!

Dinner for 8 and Don't Be Late!

I sent this quilt to Houston, TX today for wholesale quilt market - a big happening this week-end!  It is a little out of the box - but I decided - why not?

I like to look at fabrics and then decide what direction to take.  

Always hoping you need to buy this collection to make the quilt.

These fabrics are designed by Ty Pennington and right away I saw.....

a tablecloth

dinner plates

random napkins

different sizes of glasses

Ane here is what I came up with!

  

Toss it across your table and add some silverware!

What do you think??

October Sample Sewing

Yes, indeed, it is time for fall quilt market in Houston - 

so I have been busy sewing samples!!

For Free Spirit Fabrics

This quilt features fabric designed by Mark Cesarik called

Morning Tides.  The yellow gives a punch to the royal blue, black & cream.

Both of these garments are made from Sewn Patterns.

They were wonderful to work with!  

The pants are from a pink linen and worked up beautifully.

The dress has very nice style lines.

For Michael Miller Fabrics

A sweet nine patch featuring 9 fabrics each from a fabric line 

designed by Patty Sloinger called Bella Butterfly.

Machine quilting by Louise Moon - dancing butterflies.

Under the Big Top = bright and fun!

A delightful novelty print with new solids from MMF.

Front and back views of a quilt featuring a new fabric line from Laura Gunn -

Garden Wall in the olive color way.

The scale of these designs has a wide range -

from the small calico in the binding

to the large floral on the backing.

Just one more quilt to finish by MONDAY

featuring new fabrics from Ty Pennington.

Stay tuned!

and A Special Quilt for Lydia

Indeed - a very special quilt is in the box to Owatonna - 

for Destry and Amanda's infant daughter, Lydia.

A beloved children's book - The Very Hungry Caterpillar -

and a marvelous quilt to help tell the story.

The set would not be complete without the main guy himself - 

a big stuffed caterpillar!

Just for you, Lydia!

Enjoy!

Quilts for Destry

There is a big event going on in my dad's family this week-end in Qwatonna,MN.

It is the Destry Boomgarden Benefit Hog Roast and Silent Auction.

Destry was recently diagnosed with MS and he and his wife, Amanda - and infant daughter, Lydia are facing many challenges.  

I am hoping the quilts I am donating to the Silent Auction will bring in some $$$$!!

Take a look!

This quilt is lap size - 48" x 62" and would be great at your cabin on the lake!

It is made form Moda fabrics and you can see the stripe backing in photo one!

This next quilt is great for the holidays - another lap size - 64" x 64" - in rich tones of black, gold, green and dark red.

Reindeer and holly - quilted with a large jingle bell design.

Gotta' have it!

All funds go to benefit Destry and his family!!

Two quilts were previously sent and I didn't photograph them.

One is a toddler quilt with a travel pillow for a boy or girl - a moo cow theme.

It is very whimsical and fun colors for your favorite little one!

And a small lap size Halloween quilt - a must have to snuggle under when you watch those scary movies!

I am so excited to donate these quilts and hope each of them goes to great new homes!!   

Dinner at 8 & Don't Be Late!

My husband and I were looking forward to our 8 PM seating in the ship's dining room at a table for 10.  Much to our surprise, we had only one additional guest!


Seems the guest numbers were somewhat down on this ship so our table for 10 served three!!

Meet Norman Hunt (seated on my left) from Dublin, Ireland.  We spent seven delightful evenings at dinner with Norman.  We were well taken care of with our waiters - Mickey and Boze.  All meals were delicious - especially the appetizers!
Hopefully Dennis and I can visit Norman in Dublin one day!


Gerald took care of our stateroom and entertained us with his towel folding skills.  There was even a class in towel folding on the ship.

Enjoy!!

Back in the Saddle Again!

Good Morning on this glorious October morning! 

My husband and I have just returned from a Royal Caribbean Cruise. 

 We had a wonderful time

 I hope to share a phew of the photos taken the next few days.

We traveled out of Boston and visited Portland, ME 

and Bar Harbor ME in the United States. 

 The ports in Canada were St. John/Bay of Fundy and Halifax.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sea was calm.

I enjoyed 7 of the most wonderful nights of sleep on this cruise ship.

No dogs barking, no train whistles, no sirens and never heard any folks in neighboring staterooms!  It was amazing!

Much more to share about this amazing adventure.

I just wanted to wet your whistle!

Plus I have a stack of sewing projects waiting for me to finish for fall quilt market so it will be a busy week.