A Quick Birthday Celebration and It's Quilt Retreat Time

 After our wine pick up on 3/15 I slipped in a birthday celebration with the book club and I had 6 days to pack up projects, supplies and clothes for my quilt retreat coming up the following Sunday. I have lots of projects to complete and hand off to my quilter as soon as possible after completion.

Friday 3/20 the book club (G3) celebrated all the birthdays in Jan - Mar at The Cameron Beer Market in Cameron. Of course any time with these ladies means fun time. There were five birthday girls but only 4 of us made it out that night. We were missing Jamie.  Good Food, Good Friends and lots of laughter is always on the menu.

Sunday (3/22) it was time to head out to Giddings for our Spring Quilt Retreat. I started packing the car and Bruno decided he needed to go too. He at first was trying to figure where he was supposed to sit with all the stuff in the back but decide to make himself comfy in passenger seat. Poor baby was disappointed when I made him get out. 

I had hoped to get to retreat a few minutes before everyone but that didn't happen.  Three or four of us all got there within minutes of each other. 

The fun was about to begin but first the hard part... unloading all the debris we thought we'd need for the next 4 nights. 

This is our home away from Home when pretty things and memories are made. And Lots of laughter.

After we unload, set up our table, sew a bit and start catching up, our first agenda is to get a group picture before heading out for an early dinner and then come back and sew away.

Ellen got several tops back from Donna Lynn that she quilted and brought by the retreat. Ellen spent a couple days sewing the binding on the quilts so she could give them all bound back to her grand kids. Loved all the quilts and colors.

I think Pat was my over achiever this time. She finished off several projects this retreat. They were in various stages but she finished them at this retreat.

Someone made a comment that made her turn red and then she got the giggles.

This froggy quilt was what Ellen was working on for the last full day of retreat. It's really cute.

Connie got the binding on this one and finish her popsicle quick top. It's at the quilter's now.

Donna Marie was making two of these adorable dress quilts. I have the pattern but haven't made one yet and I think it's adorable.

Usually Sandy B. is my over achiever but I think Pat had her beat but then Sandy worked on some smaller projects that I might not have gotten a picture of.

Sheryl and Robin are my two non-quilters but they are into making cards. And wow! The cards they make are really pretty and lots of work. And it takes lots of tools.

We finally got around to playing our game of Left Right Center. We all have great expectations of winning. LOL

All except Diana. She's the in the below picture on the left. So far she has not won when we played with fat quarters or now with $1 bills. Never.  One day she better win. She's rebelled a few times and begrudgingly came to play. This night she came to play with a beautiful smile. 

Connie kept Vicki on her toes. Or should I say we made sure Connie didn't cheat by rolling more dice than she had dollar bills.

   

You never know who the winner will be until the very end. Sheryl was the big winner tonight.  Robin said she'd help Sheryl spend it.

Well I'll stop now before you I put you into photo overload. It's so hard to decide what to share so I end up sharing a lot of pictures.  More to come.

Until next blog....Anytime is stitchin’ time

Jumping, Climbing and Playing

 Well I might not be the one doing the jumping or climbing but sometimes I play. Okay so maybe a lot of times. But this time it the Grand-boys doing all the jumping, running and climbing.  We don't want them to see me break myself. LOL Kaleb and Pamela had the boys for some of spring break and went down to hang with the boys at the park. The had a grand ole time with 3 other boys that were there playing tag. Killian is a little monkey. 

When the 3 boys left Braxton and Killian grabbed their scooters and started riding them.  Braxton has the riding of this thing down.

Bri got groomed and her picture taken recently. Getting beautiful is exhausting.

Poor thing looks like all I want to do is sleep.

Thursday (3/12) was G3's book club meeting a local restaurant called Joe's Italian.  The food and the service is really good. We had the waiter take our picture. I think he might have started snapping as soon as we got close to the wall. There were 8 pictures of us not looking or ready for the camera. LOL Finally the 9th picture caught us all smiling and looking at the camera. 

Almost everyone was present. 9 out of 11. That's pretty good. Our book was Gone South by Robert McCammon. Almost everyone liked it. In fact several thought it was the best book we've read so far. It was Jamie's pick and then she got worried that it was too far out there. Not at all. Did it have some interesting characters... Oh definitely. Dan Lambert an Ex Vietnam Vet is the main character and his life goes way south.  He's damaged from the war and it didn't take much to break him but what happened was an accident but he ran.  Can he find redemption and help a girl he met on the road find her the faith healer they call the Bright Girl? Or will the bounty hunters Flint, Clint and Pelvis with his dog Momma catch his first? Gone South is a very visual book. The author describes the people, the roads, the water till you can see and almost feel it.  There's trust, kindness, loyalty, faith, danger, fear and suspense. It's got it all. We really like this book.  

Friday & Saturday(3/13-14)  I went to Rosebud for a 2 day quilt sewcial put on by The Fabric Barn Quilt shop.  The Owner Tiffany hosted like 30 ladies in the library. She fed us lunch and dinner on Friday and on Saturday we go breakfast and lunch. She never disappoints with the food. 

My friends Donna Marie and Pat came up and stayed with me Friday night so they could go to the Sewcial.  

My goal was to get 3-4 quilt tops cut to sew for my upcoming retreat. My first top colors are laid out and ready to cut and decide which color to use for each cut. This top doesn't have a home yet but by the time it's finished it will. 

I walked around admiring everyone's projects and snapped a few pictures.

This is Patsy's Posey block. This block is sew time comsuming. Each layer is stitched around the edge let alone the cutting of each layer but the quilt top will be adorable.  Next is Connie B.'s b utterfly block. I love the butterfly blocks.

    

They auctioned off an Elvis Presley Quilt.  

And the winner was Peggy.

And Dede made these blocks of HST.  So many HST's but they are so cool. Then Nancy was working her Garlic Knot block.  Nancy used to come to the Cameron Bee I belong too but moved to Houston last year but she made back to Rosebud for this Sewcial. It was great seeing her again.

Well I managed to misplace this lady's name but check out her block. That is sew pretty and intense. Lots of cutting and sewing.

My friend Pat is sewing up blocks of veggies and fruits. LOL. Who knew they'd make such cute quilt blocks. And my friend Donna Marie is making her cute Dolly Dresses for a couple of quilts.

Our table mate Susan finish up her quilt top.  Judy make a cool looking block. I don't remember the name of the block but I like the openings on the points.

This was a fun two days. Meeting new friends, cutting tops out, sewing up blocks and tops, the conversations, tips, laughter and the good food provided by Tiffany.  Until next Sewcial.

Sunday (3/15) was our Wine Pick up at the Rising Sun Vineyard with the other Kennedy's.  The Wi Member get a free drink ticket and lunch while picking up our wine order. Lunch was sausage, chicken and shrimp gumbo over dirty rice. Can you say yummy?! It was really good. And of course there's always music and it was good too. Unfortunately I can't tell you the name of the couple singing that day. Fun and relaxing day.

Better stop for now. Need to get ready for a quilting class...

So until next post...“We must be the change we want to see” ~  Gandhi