Family Fun

I have been away from my post most of the spring so I thought it was time to post some family photos so you can see what we have been up to!

We celebrated an April birthday at Smoke Daddy's Bar-be-que - 

a favorite spot for all of us !

The big 60 for Dennis!  Time flies!!  Alison was on vacation in Puerto Rico.

Here is the place on Division in Chicago's West Loop.

And here is their famous bloody mary - complete with beef brisket!

The best thing for me is that Nina - my favorite yarn shop - 

is just up the street.

Here is what I bought and I am very happy to say 

I have already knitted these projects!!

Then it was time for Natalie's 25th birthday - 

Sunday brunch - complete with carrot cake pancakes!!

Happy Mother's Day!

A relaxing day for Webster!

A photo with the Bar-be-que Ninja 

who prepared fresh apple brats from The Beef Mart to perfection!

Now - Happy Father's Day!!  A great cookout at Alison's condo

complete with a necktie cake!!

And wood covers I knitted - jut in time for Father's Day giving!!

Wow - it feels really good to catch up!

Stay tuned for photos of the cooking class we took on Sunday!!

Lucky Little Lucy

We are all the lucky ones to have been blessed to have Lucy in our lives.

Almost 15 great years.....we will miss you!

Always tugging at my heart!!!

Hope This Makes YOUR Day!

I know our pug, LUCY, would not go for this one!

The Skin You Live In

I have a new part time job - I know you are all surprised!!

I am working as a Guest Artist for South Shore Arts in their

every kid program - a literacy based program to bring arts to the schools.

My current assignment is based on this book.

This is a great children's book about social acceptance and diversity.

It stresses that what is important is inside your skin - no matter

what color it is!

So I visit 2nd grades in NW Indiana and do a project with the children.

Each child makes a self portrait - just like they look in the 2nd grade.
This program is totally funded by McDonald's Corporation
and each child also receives a coupon for a FREE Happy Meal!

Here is a photo taken in a classroom recently

of the class holding up their self portraits.

Wait, there is more!!

When I first picked up this book, I immediately thought of making a quilt!

Surprise!  Surprise!

Here is what I have in progress.

How fun is this??

I will be finishing this quilt soon and donating it as a silent auction item

for an upcoming South Shore Arts Fundraising Black Tie Event!!

I hope it brings in a lot of $$$$!!

To Market To Market

It has been a busy week of sewing around here and what a relief on Thursday to head to Fedex with 4 finished quilts!!

One in a box to Michael Miller Fabrics 

using a new version of Pretty Bird Fabrics for Christmas!

Bright and cheerful birds surrounded by Christmas gifts!!

And a clever backing - lining 2 fabrics up for a positive negative match!

And then a box to Westminster Fibers

with three quilts!!

First up - Scrappy Hexagon - featuring fabrics from two new

fabric lines for Free Spirit Fabrics.

Made the easy way with half hexagons - a row at a time.

Gotta' love the machine quilting - showing beautifully on the back -

a beaded curtain design!  Love it!

Next is a quilt made with a new Christmas line

 by Tina Givens for Free Spirit Fabrics.

Cut and pieced to look like Christmas Presents - 

fabrics in a true Tina Givens style.

And machine quilted in gold metallic thread using a jingle bells design!

A real hit, indeed!

And last, but not least, a quilt featuring a reprint of Amy Butler's original fabric line - Gypsy Caravan - in a quilt design originally made for another fabric line -

a free downloadable pattern at Amy Butler Designs.

Great color combinations and retro leaf quilting designs.

ENJOY!

Heaven and Helsinki

Patty Young has a bright new line for Michael Miller Fabrics - 

Heaven and Helsinki.

I am sure there is a story behind these designs 

so head over to Mod Kid Designs Blog to read all about it!

There are two color ways and this is the one I received last Friday - 

There are some great prints here for quilting 

but I struggled a little with what direction to take.  

My former quilt shop owner mind came up with this one for a quick project.

Take a close look at the eye candy prints and I have machine quilted - following the fabric design in most of the fabrics.  What a great way to practice machine quilting and end up with a beautiful quilt!!!

I had to figure out a way to use those sweet buildings so.....

here is the village green!  I had fun quilting the orange peel design in the center square.  I just drew it on a piece of press n seal and placed it on the center of the quilt.  It's bright and fun - don't you think??

LA International Textile Show

Westminster Fibers shared some photos taken of their booth at the recent International Textile Show in Los Angeles.

My piece featuring 100+ fabrics from their Essentials Line 

worked out superb to show of the goods!

On to the next project!!