Other People's Fabric - Sheila's Stash

Scrappy quilts are just the best!  To get all those fabrics takes time.  It takes time to build your own stash, but if you have friends, you can get other people's fabric.  Sometimes we have formal exchanges of fat quarters or fat eighths.  Sometimes, it's specific blocks or strips or squares. Sometimes, it's a gift from someone. Whichever it is -- it's fun to play with other people's fabric mixed with your own!

Last week, I received this box.

Inside was this.......

Oh, my! A Longaberger Basket!

A BIG basket full of.......

Make that jam packed full of........

Yep, fabric!

And other stuff, too!

Lots of fabric and stuff!

A tear might have fallen!

Sheila's greens, red and purples!

Patriotic prints and patterns.

Neutrals, golds and yummy blues!

It was Sheila's stash and all she asked was.....

that I quilt and bind this small quilt she made.

She's decided to give up quilting.  She's discovered

Skydiving and Zip lining!

I guess those are sort of exciting, but I'd rather play with other people's fabric adding it to my own rather large stash!

Thank you Sheila!

Do you love other people's fabric as much as I do?  It's the variety and they choose differently than I do which adds to the spice in a quilt.

Until next time,

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

Bonnie Hunter Class - Cathedral Stars

Here is a look at some of the class I took from Bonnie Hunter a couple of weeks ago.  It was a fun class - no stress as none of the methods were new to me and I was among friends!

Bonnie is a great teacher - one who gets out among the students and helps those who need it and chats with those who are doing okay.  She demonstrates the rulers she recommends the students use and makes sure they are using them correctly.  She is friendly and warm.

She is out among the students, but not too busy to stop and pose!

Strips are essential for a BH class!

Some end up as 4-patch units, others as half-square triangles and others as star points in the Cathedral Starts class.  The pattern is free on Bonnie's Blog. Other patterns are in one of her six books which you can order from the blog or her web site.

The morning was spent on this block.

Some chose high contrast fabrics.

Others chose low contrast fabrics.

And we sewed!

And we sewed and visited!

Amazing how many different people's blocks just go together! The star was the alternate block which we worked on in the afternoon. Sorry no pictures of that - I was sewing!

We shared quilts we had done or were working on.  This one is my friend Diane's quilt she is making for her daughter.  Almost the same star block with slightly different placement of squares.

And Joyce's Lego quilt.  This was made from 1-1/2" strips!  Wow!

And my Autumn Chains quilt.

I know - crazy -- that is the back of the quilt.

Diane brought us to tears with her presentation of these t-shirts.  They say, "Friends don't let friends quilt alone!"  We've been quilting friends for 29 years!

With Bonnie's quilt as a backdrop, old friends and new including Bonnie came together.

The whole class and lots of new friends were made!

Thank you Bonnie for a fun class!

Until next time,

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

S'more Chocolate!

Last week was our Vacation Bible School -- four days of fun and kids!  Our Nursery and 2's and 3's class is only for the volunteer's kids as the regular classes start at age 4.  This means we have a limited number of the younger ages, but we still need volunteers to staff these areas and for the 2's and 3's, we do a Bible story, crafts and music just like the bigger kids.

For my volunteers in this area I decided to give them s'more kits on the last night as a "thank you" for serving.  We had over 175 volunteers in the entire program, but a limited number in my area, so this was feasible to do.

 

Pardon the bad color, these photos were taken at night with the overhead spots on.

 

 

Simple ingredients - graham squares, marshmallows, chocolate bar were placed in a cellophane bag and a thank you label attached.

 

 

Ready to go!

 

 

Of course I sampled. One marshmallow was plenty, but for presentation, two looked better.

 

YUM!

 

 

Even though I'm chocolate sensitive, which means too much gives me a migraine, sometimes, a girl just needs chocolate!

 

In the summertime, nothing is better than a hot fudge Sundae and this is the fastest, easiest hot fudge recipe you will ever find.

 

 

Simple ingredients - cocoa, corn starch, sugar, water, vanilla and butter, plus a smidgen of salt.

 

 

Cook in the microwave, stirring every couple of minutes - watch carefully and make sure your container does not overflow.  Chocolate cooked onto the microwave surface is not a good thing!

 

 

Couldn't be simpler!  Click on the above photo to enlarge it to read the recipe.

 

Enjoy some chocolate goodness today!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 



 

 

 

E-Reader Cover for an Artist

Since you know that I write an article for the Quilters Quarterly magazine as I told you here, I thought I'd show you one of the past projects I did using one of the products that I tested.

Our granddaughter is an artist.  She is in high school, but she is truly talented.  Her drawings are amazing.  As with many artists she also likes to read.  Being a typical teen, an e-reader is easier to carry around than a book.  She had received one for her birthday, so I decided to make a cover for her using an artist theme.

 

The finished product closes with Velcro.  The narrow silver between the artists names is fusible ribbon. I like the way it separates the black from the bright colors.

 

 

When completely flat, you can see all of the artists names.  The black rectangle at the top is one half of the hook and loop tape. (Velcro) The other half is on the lining.

 

 

The lining is bright and happy, also.

 

 

It was fun adding "our" artist with those who have been famous for many years.

 

Our artist will be famous someday as well.

 

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 

 

A Paper Quilt for a Birthday Surprise

Last week I was privileged to travel to San Diego to attend the Children's Pastors Conference with our Children's Pastor and our Director of Elementary Ministries.  My "title"  Director of Nursery Ministries.  My joy is being able to plan lessons and staff volunteers for the children birth through 3.  It's fun, the volunteers are great and the kids are precious!

When we returned from San Diego, I brought back good memories, a lot of fresh new ideas, a bag full of books and information, a ton of notes and a cold.  The last I would have rather left in California!

On Friday when I returned to work, my office had been made over.  Friday happened to be my birthday, so while I was gone, our Administrative Assistant, Director of Early Childhood and Director of Kingdom Kids redecorated my desk.

I looked like this when I walked in.

 

Pardon the flash in the center of the paper quilt. We keep our offices cozy by using lamps instead of the fluorescent overhead lights that are so "officey". And, we have no windows!

 

 

Someone blew up a lot of balloons,\ -- they were all over the place!

 

 

The best and permanent part was the paper quilt they constructed for over my desk.  When I moved into the office, my position was an interim position so I had not really decorated the area for what was to be a few months.  I just left the art work that was already there.  It has turned into more than that, so my wonderful co-workers created and framed a paper quilt since they know quilting is what I do when I'm not working with them and the kids.

 

I am blessed to work with a great team who pull together to make the Children's experience at Chandler Christian Church the best possible.  And the bonus is, they are great friends as well!

 

Hope you have had a marvelous Monday.

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 

 

Queen Creek Olive Mill

Last week on a rainy day in Arizona, I met friends at the Queen Creek Olive Mill for lunch.  It is always a treat to go there as there is so much to see!  Add that to best friends getting together and you have a recipe for a great time!



 

 

The first thing you see after parking is the herb garden.

 

 

 

Note the shade cloth over the garden - AZ sunshine and herbs - not a good mix!

 

 

You know the food will be good when fresh herbs are used!

 

Here is the area to order food.

 

 

 

I opted for the vanilla Bean and Olive Oil Waffle which is served with a big dollop of whipped cream in addition to the syrup.  My friends chose sandwiches.  They also serve soups, salads, Frittatas, Bruschetta, Panini and Antipasto among other things. Most things come with a garnish of olives -- big surprise!   Everything I've had there was good! Sorry no photos of the food, we had limited time to spend together so we talked and ate instead of taking photos.  I took the other photos after my friends had to head back home.

 

 

I adore the chalkboard signage.

 

 

You know how I love anything with vanilla flavor!

 

 

There are gift items galore as well as pantry supplies.

 

 

This is not a small place!

 

 

Want dessert?

 

 

Yum, no problem!

 

 

Would you rather take some home?  No problem!

 

 

Coffee anyone?

 

 

How about a loaf of artisan bread?

 

 

What flavor tapenade to go with that?

 

 

Or maybe some wine and cheese?

 

 

Plenty around.

 

 

Gift boxes galore.

 

 

All ready to ship!

 

 

Or choose your own flavored oils for the pantry.

 

 

The Olive Mill Cookbook will tell you what to do with the oil!

 

 

You can visit the olive bar and buy by the pound.

 

 

A lovely selection!

 

 

Chips to take home, anyone?

 

 

How about some local honey?

 

 

According to the sign, it helps with allergies.

 

 

Arizona grown citrus is available.

 

 

Beauty supplies

 

 

and soaps too.

 

 

Perhaps a kitschy T-shirt to wear.

 

 

Love the sign advertising pistachios -- right above the Green Valley pecans! LOL

 

 

How about some jam or jelly to go with that artisan bread? Oh, how I love these chalkboards!

 

 

Next time I want to take the tour to see how the olive oil is extracted.  Although, I did see the "Dirtiest Jobs" episode featuring the Queen Creek Olive Mill a couple of years ago.

 

 

On a warmer day, we might have taken our lunch under the Ramada,

 

 

or at one of the picnic tables in the olive grove.

 

 

Even Thomas Jefferson has something to say about olives.

 

If you are ever in the Phoenix area, it is worth the drive to Queen Creek to experience the Queen Creek Olive Mill.  They are having the Festival of New Oil right now, so it's a perfect time to visit!

 

Hope you enjoyed my brief tour of my favorite restaurant and shop for foodies!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois