Summer is HERE...

And it is HOT. 

Not much to share with you today.  Wanted to say hi and hope you are keeping cool.  The temps are in the 100's and it is humid.  Some wicked storms have been going through our area and we have been having flash flood warnings. 

Thank goodness for air conditioning.  We have a room air conditioner in our bedroom and in mine sewing room.  I don't know how I would get any sewing done without it.

I am almost finished with my Scrap Squad quilt.  The quilting is done and the binding is made.  I'm going to sew it on the quilt today.  Then I just need to do the write up for Quiltmaker's blog.

So I am going back to the sewing room.  I wanted to share a picture of a beautiful sunset from the Upper Peninsula.  I will be going there on the 13th for a much needed rest and visit with my son Pat, his wife Courtney and my granddaughter Ashley.  We will be taking my other granddaughter Cassidy with us.

Stay cool and Happy Quilting.

Hugs, Cathy

Swealtering in Michigan

Boy is it hot.  And even hotter in my sewing machine.  Even though I had my husband put a room air conditioner in here....trying to machine quilt a large quilt is hot business.  I have been working on my Scrap Squad quilt and am about 3/4 of the way done.  I should be able to show it to you in a week or two.

Meanwhile, I just wrote up a tutorial for my NewBee Swap block for July over at 15 Minutes Play.  Hope on over and check it out.

Here is what it looks like finished.

Keep cool and happy quilting,

Cathy

Did you miss me.....

Guess where I have been.   Las Vegas!!!  Terry and I went with our 2 daughters, Kelley and Kim and their husbands, Chris and Robert.  I tell you it was really hard keeping up with them.  Made me realize I'm not as young as I thought...lol

We stayed at the Luxor (I didn't get a picture) and the temps were around 103 everyday.  We had such a great time.  Too much food and drink and lots of laughs.

Our flight Friday wasn't until 11:00 pm Vegas time...2:00am 9our time.  Of  course the flight didn't leave on time.  So we were up from about 10:00 am our time until 9:00am the next day.  Totally exhausted.  Slept for a couple of hours and was still a little loopy.  Yesterday was another day of lazing around.  Today I finally feel human.  Tomorrow it's back to the sewing room.  I so miss it.

Hope you have a great day,

hugs, Cathy

Time's Flying

Back in February my daughter Kelley asked if we would like to go to Las Vegas with them.  Sounded good.  Then my daughter Kim and her husband decided to go to.  It seemed so far away....that is till this week.  We leave very early Sunday morning and leave Vegas at 8:00pm on Friday.  So much to do...so little time.

In the mean time I finally finished my latest Scrap Squad quilt top.  The latest Quiltmaker Magazine is out and in it is the original quilt.  You will be surprised when you see the scrap squad versions.

I showed you a picture of a 12" quilt that I made following Cheri Payne's directions on her blog.  I believe it is called Georgia's Star.  Well I got it quilted and here is what it looks like.

I had forgotten that I bought this stand at a quilt show in Kalamazoo earlier in the year.  It was just perfect to display this quilt.

My next project is basted and ready to quilt.

It is paper pieced and went together quickly.  The border fabric has cherries on it.   I'm going to hand quilt it.

Another project I've been working on is an on going project.   It is made from leftover half square triangles and trimmings from various projects.  This is the third such top I have made.

I really like these broken dish blocks that I get from leftovers.  These blocks finish at 3".  I have others at 2 1/2" and 2".  They are so much fun to make.

Last time I showed you my one peony blossom.  Well the other one finally blossomed.

 It is a much deeper color and is really pack tight.  I love both of them.

Well, it is really chilly here in Michigan.  It will be in the 90's and 100's while in Vegas.  And I don't do well in the heat.  Guess I just have to stay in the casino till evening...lol  We are going to be staying at the Luxor.  So if you don't hear from me for a while you'll know why.

Wishing you a quilty day!

Hugs, Cathy

It's been a While....

I've been busy with this and that.  The weather has either been hot, hot, hot or cold, cold, cold.  I don't have anything to show you because I have been working steadily on my latest Scrap Squad quilt.  Lots of hand applique.  As much as I love hand applique it gets a little boring when you are appliqueing the same shape over and over.

I've also been working on my weight and diabetes.  The weight is coming off slowly.  I'm averaging 1.5 lbs. per week.  I started on insulin 4 weeks ago.  My blood sugar levels are coming down so I guess the insulin and the addition of a new medicine is helping.  However, being on insulin is making me hold water and causing my legs to swell.  They said this would happen and that it would be harder to loose weight once I started the insulin.  So I take water pills and this seems to help.

We have been going for walks.  I've got a few pictures for you.

This couple was taking their 5 kids for a walk.  They didn't care for us being as close as we were.

I thought I had my hands full with 4 kids but this family had 14 young ones.

Lot's of geese with young ones.  But we've only seen one pair of swans with a baby.  This swan has been setting on her nest for a while.  I hope they will be a baby soon.

The park is full of Red Winged Blackbirds.  They have such a beautiful song.  They often follow us hoping for some bird seed.

As I've told you before I spent 4 years in the Upper Peninsula taking care of my Dad.  When he passed away in 2010 my husband suggested that we dig up my parents Peony bushes and bring them home.  I'm am so glad he did. 

There are 2 different types.  This one blooms wide open.  The other which has buds but no flowers yet is a deep magenta and  the flower is tighter.

Every time I look out into my backyard and see them I smile and think good thoughts about my parent.  So many wonderful memories.

I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial weekend.  Stay safe and enjoy yourselves.  We are staying at home.  I'm going to try and get some sewing done that I can show you...lol. 

Hugs, Cathy

A Finish, A Start, A Walk, and A Quilt Show

WARNING:  PHOTO HEAVY

A while ago I showed you a little basket quilt top that I made.  It was a Cheri Payne quilt-a-long.  Well here it is finished and hanging up on my wall.

I machine quilted it doing squigly lines across the quilt.

Here is another Cheri Payne quilt-a-long.  It still needs to be quilted.

You know how much Terry and I love walking at Lake St. Clair Metro Park.  Well it's been raining so much lately we haven't had a chance to walk.  Yesterday the sun was shining and a nice breeze blowing...so we took off to the park.

We came across this couple having a picnic.  They were so lucky to find a spot with a private swimming pool.

Mom was taking her new borns out for a stroll.

This Mom had her hands full.  The babies are growing so fast.

I love this time of year.  The flowering trees are so beautiful. 

Everytime I go to the park I have wanted to get a picture of this weathervane.  So I finally did.  It is made of copper.

And now I saved the best for last.  Last week we went to the Macomb County Quilt Guild Quilt Show.  There were so many beautiful quilts.  Enjoy!!

 Look closely and you can see that the entire quilt is made from 9 patches.  It is so beautiful.

And of course they had sooooo many vendors.  However, I only bought one thing.  A new book.  I won't be starting this quilt till my year with Quiltmaker Magazine is over.

Speaking of Quiltmaker....go to Quilty Pleasures Blog and see my fellow Scrap Squad member Jennifer's Ladder of Success.  Another beautiful quilt.

Wishing you a wonderful sunshine filled day.

Hugs, Cathy

A Day of Antiquing

Yesterday the sun was shining and it was heating up.  We decided to go to Bay City to do a little antiquing and of course fabric shopping.  Can't show the fabrics as they will be going into my newest Scrap Squad quilt.  But I can show you what I bought at the antique store.

It is a little rough in spots, but the minute I saw it I heard it say....."Take me home with you".  The secondary pattern wasn't apparent at first glance.  In fact I didn't see it until I had it on the wall.

The second acquisition is a sweet little baby quilt.  It too has been loved quite a bit.

It is a true use it up quilt.  A couple of the blocks have multiple fabrics used in it.

We lucked out all day long by being just behind the rain.  So it was an enjoyable day out. 

Hope you are having a great day.

Hugs, Cathy