Fabric Postcards, Fourth of July, and Family!

I am whoop whooping it up because my boy is coming home and my brother's family is in town for our first visit with Batman. The only thing that makes me happier than all my kids under one roof is when my whole extended family is together.

This makes my heart so happy! #thirdchild

 There's been swimming, tons of good food, and so much laughter. There are little kids, big kids, KanJam, and Cornhole, not to mention hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and s'mores. It might be my favorite week of the whole year!

I haven't been sewing much lately, so no finishes except my fabric postcard for the Summer Swap that Sandi over at Quilt Cabana Patterns organized.  I realized that I showed you the one Pip sent to me, but I wanted to wait until it arrived in Australia before I showed you the one I made for her.

After seeing how Pam used her daughter's art to inspire a quilt, I decided I would make my summer postcard in the style of one of my favorite paintings that Grace has done. She painted this at an art camp when she was about seven or eight, and I love it.

You can see all of the summer postcards in the Flickr group.

I'm linking up today with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?  Sarah is hosting a quilt giveaway, so check it out!




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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Independence Day Parade

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's quilt was a guild round robin from - I'm guessing - over ten years ago.  We used to do one of these swaps every year, and this is the only one I've finished. It's still one of my favorite quilts, and is displayed in my home from Memorial Day until 9/11 every year along with several other patriotic quilts. I might love them more than Christmas quilts!

This was my center block. I found this toile patriotic fabric at JoAnn's and fell in love. (I later used it for the Hail to the Chief quilt.)  You can also see this pitiful example of some of my very earliest FMQing. Although it is wobbly and, frankly, terrible, it's nice to see how far I've come. I'm proud of myself for even trying some of the things I did on this quilt. And, to be honest, even I don't notice anymore how bad it is unless I look very closely or take closeup pictures!

 

 

(Please excuse the dog hair. There aren't enough lint rollers in the world.)

Around the last border, I quilted the words from The Liberty Song by John Dickinson.

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all,

By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall

Happy Independence Day to my American readers! I hope you all have a happy and safe weekend!

Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!  P.S. Did you know that you can use pictures from your Instagram feed with InLinkz now?

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FAL Q2 Wrap Up - Not a Complete Failure

It's time to look back at those second quarter goals and see how we did. I managed to finish the throw pillows (that were almost done when I posted, so they hardly count as a UFO, but I'll take it).

As for the rest, I have finished a few more spider web blocks, but still have a long way to go. I never even touched my Star Surround.

I guess considering the craziness around here lately, it could have been worse! Here's hoping I can get my act together for Q3 and the upcoming guild quilt show.

How did your second quarter go?



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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Grace and Evan

When I was pregnant with Grace, I didn't know if we were expecting a boy or a girl. In my hormonal fog, I decided to make two quilts instead of just making one that would work for either.


For a boy (Evan Patrick), I made this adorable sailboat quilt from PS I Love You:


For a girl, I made this priss-pot, girly-girl one patch quilt (after two sons, how could I resist?).  It might look familiar to those of you who have followed me on social media for awhile:


Today, that precious girl turns fourteen. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by. I can't believe that klutzy me managed to birth a girl who is such a jock, who likes to run and get sweaty. I can't believe that your dad's and my tone deaf genes somehow combined to create a girl who can sing and play the piano. I can't believe you're already almost as tall as me!

Happy birthday, sweet Gracie! We love you so much!

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Menu Plan Monday - VBS Week

It's Menu Plan Monday and the remaining children are volunteering at our church's Vacation Bible School once again. It's always a fun week, but they come home absolutely worn out and hungry. We're just getting used to the summer "schedule" and trying to find the right balance of activity.

• Sunday - Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini, Grilled Fries
• Monday - Sweet and Fiery Pork, oven roasted green beans, brown rice
• Tuesday - Steaks on the grill, baked potatoes, Caesar salad
• Wednesday - Risotto, Pea and Sausage Soup, homemade bread
• Thursday - Leftover Buffet
• Friday - out for pizza!
• Saturday - pulled pork, mac & cheese, cole slaw

What's on your menu?



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Going to Guild - Sue Nickels

Last Monday was guild night, and our speaker was the legendary Sue Nickels.

Sue and her sister, Pat Holly, have made some amazing, award winning quilts that are simply beyond belief. Possibly the best known is The Beatles Quilt, which won best of show in the 1998 AQS Show. That means it is hanging in the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY.

I love that Sue has a smaller version that she brings, so we got to see some of the details up close and personal. Some of the detailed applique, including circles as small as 1/4" in diameter, is beyond what I even thought possible.

Sue is known for her beautiful machine applique and intricate machine quilting.

She and Pat also like to add interest with the binding and finishing, as in this quilt and the one below it.

I absolutely adore this one! Pat described how to do it, but I can't even wrap my brain around it, much less explain it to someone else!

This is a mini quilt in a series. These pictures do not even come close to doing it justice.

It was an amazing program that made me want to come home and FMQ like crazy. Thanks, Sue!




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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Kaleidoscope Dreams

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's quilt was made in 2000 for my cousin's oldest child, a boy who is three weeks older than Grace. This is my cousin who is the same age as me. It is so much fun to watch history repeat itself as they see each other about once or twice a year, but fall immediately into the last conversation and game from last summer just like his dad and I used to do.

The big news around here, though, is that their family is moving to Atlanta next week just in time to celebrate their birthdays together! We could not be more excited.

This quilt, which I called Kaleidoscope Dreams back before I used that name for my true kaleidoscope quilt, was a kit from Calico Quilter, the long-gone quilt shop where I learned to quilt. I thought the colors were just fantastic, and it pieced together so quickly.

I hand quilted it in orange thread - the first time I can remember making a choice for my quilting to be more visible.

Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!

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