One Flower Wednesday and a book Review

Hey all, I have been admiring the flower hexagons for a while now. The part that made me nervous was the hand sewing...I keep seeing them on Maria's Life on the Block blog and telling her I want to make some. She was sweet enough to send me some links and here are my first ones...Every Wednesday, there a lot of ladies who make some really pretty hexagons...Now I have to be truthful, I am sewing them by machine. I found if you leave a 1/4 inch at the ends of the seams, you can fold it together and finish the seams. I love using scraps! I dont have a lot of focus type fabric, but I love them done like that...So I did it Maria!!! woohooo

























I also won a book giveaway from Michelle! Her blog is the L7 Quilt company...She asked me to do a review for her after I read it. In this case, I am more than happy to give a review. I have tried to read other quilting fiction, and I just never enjoyed them. This one was really fun and full of small town characters.Nell is the main character and she is the girlfriend of the towns sheriff...She is a busybody in a good way even though she would deny it. Her grandmother owns a quilt shop and this old girl is a pistol...the town is planning and anniversary celebration and grandma ropes Nell into putting together a quilt show.. Then while planting a rose garden, they find a body buried in the garden. The characters are so much fun and I definitely would like a book where Glad is featured...It is a happy little read and I have been looking for the first book in this series...of course the love of quilting is included too...I would highly reccomend it to anyone who loves to read and enjoys a little quilting too!

I just joined a Secret Santa Swap!

Shawnee from the Flirty Apron Swappers is having it and tomorrow is the last day to register!









She also has a little questionarre that she would like us to do to help out our secret partners...


What are your hobbies? Reading, quilting, painting, playing with polymer clay


What are your favorite colors? Pink, orange


Do you collect anything? art books, bits and pieces of things that might be made into something else..buttons and ribbons

Are you allergic to any fibers or animals? nope


Do you have any pets? I have a zoo...one rottweiler, one giant yellow lab, an orange cat who rules the world, a fluffy cat who doesnt have a brain in his little head and a miniature bunny.


Coffee, Tea, or Chocolate? oh Honey, it is all about the chocolate


What do you like to read? Wow! hard question! Fiction, biographies..not a lot of romances, but occasionally I will pick one up.


Do you prefer Cookies or Candies as a sweet?

I cant decide because I like both!

What is your favorite holiday treat?

homemade sugar cookies with frosting.


Describe your favorite holiday tradition.


With the kids gone, this makes me really sad, but it was always bundling up and going to see the lights and church on Christmas Eve.



Did you believe in Santa as a child?

I still do!

When do you open presents?

It used to be Christmas morning...


Do you put up a tree and when? If not, how do you celebrate?

I always had a giant tree with all the kids ornaments. I bought one every year for them from birth on. I now have them all packed away to give them.


Does your tree have a theme?

Now I have a little pink tree and I have pink, white and silver homemade ornaments.


What has been your favorite gift to give? to receive?

I love to make things for my family that will be special to them. Gift buying for others especially the little kids, is my favorite thing in the world. watching them with their special thing from maga (their word for grandma) is the best gift in the world for me. I have really missed being able to do that this last year!

Fall colors, Fall swaps!

Even though it is Fall, we had snow two days ago...I like it for a day or two and today it is back to the beautiful Fall weather. It is my favorite time of year. Time to wear all my favorite flannel pj bottoms, my favorite big soft tshirts and flip flops...and that is what I wear to work! heehee...Cuddling up with a quilt and reading...Of course I do that all year but it just seems so much cozier....To get me in the spirit of Autumn, I actually joined two Fall swaps.


The first one was a Shabby Fall Bag swap...My partner was CJ. I recognized her name right away. We finally realized that we are both in Fiber Art Traders. I swear I have been her partner in something, but I cant remember what. What I do know, Is she needs to get a blog!!!!!!!



We have had so much fun getting to know each other thru emails..She is one of those people you just wish lived closer! We have a lot of things in common. I think we both made the perfect bags for each others taste.





















CJ made me this beautiful bag from some drapes that she had. I love the colors and the beautiful pleating the bag has...I immediately put all my things in it and changed bags. She told me she makes a lot of bags for gifts. Especially during Christmas. I could tell, it is made beautifully.























She also made a mixed media heart, (I love hearts) some little charms, fibers, silk fabrics and some monogrammed goodies and little shells. I love getting little bits of things to use in projects....

Here is what I made for Cj...





















No pattern of course. I just started by pulling scraps out of my basket in colors that to me, looked like fall..I lined it with some of my hoarded, favorite green silk.


I am hooked on these mug rugs with the pockets. They are fun to put little things in. CJ told me she threw her coaster away and put her coffee mug right on it in her studio.






















Here is her fall package...I sent her a bag book that I had and have used to get ideas...Remember, I cant follow a pattern!
















I also joined Shawnee's Fall table runner swap. This is the one that took five times of sewing and ripping it apart to make...But I did it, I did it! I made the runner a matching banner and I really tried to match the colors of my partners dining room!















It was really worth the effort because I love how it turned out....


















She hasnt gotten it yet, and I cant wait to hear what she thinks!

Well, now I am going to go take advantage of the beautiful weather and take my dogs for a walk...Happy Fall all.....Melinda