Ombre' Border for the Heart and Soul Quilt

This is what the border is starting to look like. I like how the colors move from dark to light giving the quilt the beautiful Ombre' Look that is so pretty.

Isn't it interesting that by making five of nine blocks green, it gave the whole quilt a green hue.  The other quilt is going to be the pink one. I am so excited to see it all together with the ombre' border!

It looks like Hawaii

This is my dog Wiley. We're on a walk not far from our house. In the summertime most of this is brown. But today it's green and moist and I think I'm in Hawaii. All that is missing is the chickens.

Zoo Animal Quilt

 Jeannie made this super cute quilt for her grandchild. She asked me to quilt it for her with an all over stipple meander. Stipple is a great choice for an energetic quilt like this one.

 I Just love the pinwheels!

Such cute fabric

Here is Jeannie's quilt ready for pick up!

Blocks for Breakfast

H wanted to eat the blocks so we got out a plate....

 And sorted the blocks by color. The green ones are "Hulk" color. It is amazing how kids think. He inspires me to be creative.

Looking for Grandpa

 H is waiting for Grandpa to come down the trail. Where is Grandpa?

It's A GIRL!

My sweet Ari has found out that she is expecting a GIRL! You all know what that means don't you?

Time to make a girl quilt!

What will it look like?? Time for us to put our heads together on this project....

Inside one of the closets...

Look at what I found! At my local Target store I picked up these Closet Maid shoe shelves. Here is a link for ordering it online. http://www.target.com/p/closetmaid-15-unit-organizer-white/-/A-12193814  I paid less than that at the store, around $24 each. They are just right for storing my fat quarter sized stash.

I like how I just have to fold it about 5 inches in one dimension and it fits in the compartment so nice. I can lay the fat quarters out flat because the shelf is about 11 inches deep. The fat quarters I purchased recently were already folded that way, and fit in there great. I have started to sort my fat quarters by color and have left some empty places for expansion...

I guess that means I need to go shopping?

All over stippling for the Buggy Barn Flowers Quilt

 I just love the fabric choices Jeannie made. The colors are just adorable!

After I quilt a quilt I take pictures of it so I can remember all the quilts I have had the chance to know personally.  I always like to take pictures of the back of the quilt too because oftentimes the back is so different from the front, it is like having two quilts for the work of one. For this quilt we went with an all over stipple, because intricate quilting gets lost in the vibrant blocks. Stippling, more bang for the buck! .

Here is the whole quilt. Her granddaughter is one lucky girl to get this quilt! Thank you Jeannie for letting me quilt your beautiful quilt!

From Cindy to Jen

My sister, Cindy, created this beautiful quilt for my daughter, Jen and her little K. It is so cute made with Riley Blake fabric. Cindy designed the pattern herself. She is So creative she inspires me!

Buggy Barn Flowers

I have been working in my new studio and loving it!

I quilted this cute buggy barn flower quilt for Jeannie Schaerrer. I am still looking for a link to the pattern online. Just in case you want to make one, because it turned out so fun. 

A day at the beach

 K woke up early in the morning. Here he is examining something while we all get ready to head to the beach!

Yay, I say! a day at the beach--even if it is windy and cold... Our rental house is just a walk down the stairs from this beautiful beach. 

 Here is my grandson, H and Daisy the dog. Daisy loves, really loves, to fetch things. She will fetch until she drops dead of exhaustion. Really Matt has to be careful to keep her from over exerting herself. 

Here she is begging Steven to throw sticks for her...

I Love this whale shaped rock on the beach. How amazing nature is in all it's diversity of form. As you can see, Daisy is still busy with the begging...

Ari and family having fun on the shore. Ari has a bun in the oven....

Michael and H and Daisy.... Finally, someone who will throw sticks for her.

More stick throwing...

and again....

Logan and his dog, Cosmo. What a good boy Cosmo is!

Cosmo is very well behaved.

Doing what I love...being with my grand boys

What is that up in the air?

Jen and family having fun on the beach!

Daisy is at it again! This time begging Matt to kick the ball for her to chase.

Love this guy!

Peeking at Grandpa

K doing a stair marathon!

He climbed all the way up.

Grandma had to document the whole thing...

Looking back at the beautiful beach we were able to enjoy for a while. So grateful for this day.

T- Shirt Quilt

I loved quilting this T-Shirt qult for my friend Mary. She made this quilt as a surprise for one of her children. Mary does such nice work! Thank you Mary for letting me quilt on your beautiful quilt!

CELEBRATE the new studio is finished!

This is Steven and I jumping for joy in my new quilting studio. We spent most of last year creating this space over our garage so that Creative Quiltworks could have a comfortable home. Frankly, Creative Quiltworks and I had outgrown my little laundry room sewing area that had served me since my children were little..... I am so happy to have my new quilting space! Someday, I'll show you inside all those doors--they are little closets!

Money Saving Tip: Save your Strawberries

Tips for saving time and/or money so you have more time and/or money for quilting.

If you bring your fresh strawberries home from the grocery store and sort them by approximate degree of ripeness.  And then put them into a plastic storage container (like a Tupperware container) with the least ripe berries on the bottom of the container; they will keep so much longer than if you store them in the container they come from the store in. Then you can enjoy the full batch of strawberries and save time and money because you didn't have to run to the store for more! (I LOVE strawberries!) Here is my Mom's wonderful recipe for strawberry pie.

Elaine’s Fresh Strawberry Pie 

1 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled
4 boxes whole strawberries (about 8 cups) washed and hulled
1 1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup Cornstarch
3 Tab. Lemon juice
2 Tab butter 

Smash 2 cups berries, put them in a pan with the water and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice to the pan; cook on the stove with medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is transparent instead of cloudy. Stir in the butter. Line pie shell with remaining berries. Pour the cooked mixture over the uncooked berries; cool. Chill until serving time.

A Baby Quilt for Melissa's Baby Boy

My Niece, Melissa, just had a baby boy! We are so happy for them! Their family loves baseball and this block reminds me of the excitement of being on the field; the grass the fun and the sun. Little J will be so cute snuggled in his quilt.

I arranged the crazy squares to make it look like a playful woven panorama of infield, outfield and blue skies. My mom, little J's great grandma, hand quilted it. And it is all ready for my new great nephew! Snuggle in love little guy!

Van Damm State Park and Mendocino, California

It was so fun to wake up to the pitter-pat of grandchildren feet in the very nice house we rented through Home Away.com a much better arrangement than multiple hotel rooms! Plus we had a kitchen and dining room so we could eat family style and all together. And, there was a washing machine and dryer which is great by the beach and with littles.

We took a hike to Van Damme State Park where they have a lovely paved path in a redwood forest.

Everyone went for a hike or a run. It was so nice to be together in nature. First visit to the Redwood forest for Michael.

 It is amazing how tall the trees are. Steven took this beautiful picture.

 Here we are...

 Some people got really tired...

 K has some fun time with Grandpa

 Being a great Uncle to H

K with his daddy

 H and grandpa running. It is amazing what a good hiker our three year old grandson is.

 Drinking and driving?

 This is Jen and her family

H is a great runner!

 After the hike we all went to lunch in Mendocino, CA. Such a cute little town and yummy lunch at the Mendocino Cafe. Nice and fresh food. 

I took this panorama of the Mendocino bay. What a beautiful world we have to live in!