TWO........and then there was one.........

The above block took forever, or at least it seemed to.  It had to have at least sixty pieces......no, I didn't stop to count, but it seemed like sixty!!!

Have to stop working on quilt blocks to do some Busy Bee Stitching School work so number one may not get done today.  But if I have my way, it will be completed and I will be doing the happy dance.  Stay tuned............

FOUR.....................

THREE......................

TWO to go..................yipppeeeeee!!!

FIVE...............

My deer friend was in the garden again this evening.  As I was doing something at the kitchen sink, I saw a one bunch of leaves moving in the garden.  We were about to have a thunderstorm so I thought it was from the wind at first.  But then I noticed that just that same bunch of leaves were moving and no others on any of the other tomato plants.  About that time I saw the deer's head pop up.  I ran out there and shooed her out and she jumped the fence and headed for the woods.  She turned back to look at me like she was wondering what the problem was. 

And then she just stood in the woods looking at me.  She's just not a normal deer and she's becoming not so dear to me if she doesn't stop eating my tomatoes!!! 

Joshua is spending the night and got into my vintage potholders.  Well, I put the jar on the floor and allowed him to play with them.  He had a blast pulling them out.   

He would throw them on the floor and then sit and play with them.  This was before he got out about fifity of them!! 

OK, my dear friend, this is enough.  My husband looked out as he was doing the dishes and there she was in the garden again.  I ran out there and shooed her out again.  This is the only picture I took as she sulked away.  Now she is getting a little too pesky! 

But on the way back to the house I couldn't resist taking a couple pictures of some pretty zinnias! 

EIGHT...........

SEVEN..........

SIX...............

Happy Weekend!!!

Last August a new group formed at my house......Quarter Seamers.....Miss Debbie Lou being the teacher.  I don't very often do things for me but this was something I really wanted to be part of.  You might say I instigated the group so I could be a part of it!!  Anyway, we started out doing a mystery quilt using Civil War fabrics.  All we knew in the beginning was that we were going to do 83 eight inch blocks.  We were given four blocks a month to work on which should have taken about two years to get everything done I believe.  Well, being the over-achiever that I am, I decided I could do more than four blocks a month.  I am now in the home stretch of completing this project.  And in less than a year I hope!!  Or at least by the year anniversary of our group forming.  So I will post the last blocks to my little countdown......I have twelve blocks to complete...........

TWELVE........

ELEVEN........

TEN..........

NINE.........

That means EIGHT more to go...............stay tuned!!

Shop Closing

I don't know if you remember me posting sometime ago that one of our sort of local shops is closing.  Gail, who owns Quilts 'n Tiques in downtown Fayetteville is trying to sell her business and retire to Mrytle Beach.  Well, the shop is still there.  Her deal fell through and she's stuck between a rock and a hard place right now.  She has already purchased the place in Mrytle Beach but can't go because of the business not selling.  So please go support Gail, buy some fabric and stuff, everything is on sale, everything needs to go...........  She's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am-4pm.  But if you can only get there on a Sunday or Monday, please call to see if she can open the shop.  910-486-0074  And if you know anyone in the market for a business in downtown Fayetteville, pass the word, the building is for sale too!

Quilts 'n Tiques
122 Anderson Street
Fayetteville, NC

Happy shopping!  Thanks for helping a friend!

So what's going on in your neck of the woods?  I've been working on class prep for upcoming new classes.  Lots of work in the beginning for me and then lots of fun during the classes.

I taught a class at Miss Lou's Quilting Studio in Henderson on Saturday.  Great group of ladies.

What on earth are they doing?  What are they all gathered around?  Must be something good! 

Oh, fabric squares........each person needed to pick 16 different fabric blocks to begin this project. 

And then comes the wool.  Lots and lots of wool scraps.  We are doing the wool flower quilt that I taught at my house during the spring months.Look at all that eye candy in the background! 

Now, let's get down to work.  Lots of choosing and cutting in this project.  And tiny pieces sometimes. 

This is my neighbor and friend Lou, who traveled with me to do the class.  She got to meet a whole group of new ladies and make new friends. 

And look at the beautiful vase of zinnias......someone must have known they're my favorite! 

Now, back on the home front, I have spent several days printing and cutting all the zillions of pieces necessary to do the summer recipe book.  All the pieces are neatly packed away in bins awaiting the first class on Wednesday.  I'm so glad to have that behind me.  Very labor intensive!! 

I was dusting downstairs this morning and went to the sink to rinse out my cloth and look who I found in the garden.  My dear deer friend is back.  This is the first time I've seen her actually in the garden.  So of course I ran and grabbed the camera!!!   Uh....Mr. Scarecrow.....you're not doing your job!!

Munching on some green peppers...... 

As I got closer she started moving around the garden, watching me and nibbling as she went...... I finally decided she needed to get out of there but wasn't sure how that was going to happen.  About that time, she just leaped over the fence and went to the woods.  I told my husband there was no point in trying to battle her if she could that easily jump over that fence.  It was amazing and of course, I didn't have the camera on her since I didn't know she was going to do that!! 

Back to the woods.

Going to take the granddaughters to the movies this afternoon to see Brave.  We'll have a little lunch and take in the movie and maybe run some errands.  A girl afternoon.  They've been planning this for awhile.  Love spending time with them.  Just wish it weren't going to be 98 degrees!!

Hope you have a great summer afternoon and find some time to stitch a little.

I have a lot of ladies that take classes and I have a lot of ladies that have many unfinished projects.........but these two gals came to stitchery club this morning and between them they got three of their projects finished.  Needless to say, they were doing the happy dance!!  So congratulations to Donna and Jeannie for sticking with it and getting those projects completed.  YAY!!!  I also want to brag a little on Donna and Jeannie since, before last year, they had never done anything like the projects they're now completing.  Way to go!!  And any of you who haven't already signed up for Mrs. Stewart's Busy Bee Finishing School, there's still a little room in one of the classes........come and finish those UFO's!!

Happy stitching................

Happy 4th of July!!  We're hot and steamy here in North Carolina, a balmy 100 right now.  Just too hot to go out and enjoy all the 4th of July celebrations.  At least for me!  Hope you and yours are having a wonderful and safe holiday.

What better way to celebrate the summer holiday than by eating a fresh ear of corn?!  This was Joshua's first attempt at eating from the cob.  I think he truly enjoyed it, covered himself and everything around him with corn kernels. 

See, it's everywhere, including in his ear.  But he sure had a good time munching away at that corn.  I think he's about done with baby food now.  Especially after eating a yummy summer meal of hotdogs, corn on the cob and ice cream.   

She's back......my friend the deer.  After everyone went home, our power went out due to some storms that were around our area.  I walked in the backyard and there stood my deer friend.  She just looked at me.  I ran in the house got the camera, went back out and she was still just standing there.  I followed her around for awhile as she sauntered through the neighbors' yards.  She never ran, just walked along.  There is a place on her side that looks like she may have had an injury.  I'm wondering if she has been shot.  Makes me sad to think that but something is very different about this gal.  And she still isn't eating my tomatoes!!! 

As the picture shows, she's leaving them alone. 

Maybe because this guy is still in there guarding them! 

My favorite summer flower has always been the zinnia.  They are so beautiful with their rainbow of colors, and so hardy and heat and drought resistant, which we need in our area.  I remember my Mammaw used to always have a garden full of zinnias every summer and I always loved picking them for a mason jar bouquet.  So I suppose I've loved them since I was a little girl. 

I've been a little sad since yesterday when I heard the news of Andy Griffith.  I have always loved that show and all the characters on the show.  It makes me happy whenever that show comes on, no matter how many times I've seen the episode.  Just a time of long ago when things were simple and sweet.  I'm so glad that we have 249 episodes to continue to enjoy Andy Griffith and friends. 

Happy 4th everyone!  And please do find a little stitching time today!!  I have!!!