Sunday, March 17, 2013

It's been a while.......

It's been a while since last I posted.........

OK, glad we got that out of the way! LOL  So sorry, I have had every intention of keeping this blog up to date, but, life steps in sometimes?  Please be aware, this post may be a little lengthy, but, I hope you enjoy the updates, and photos.

NOPE!  No gardening for me just yet!
STILL SNOWING!  We need the moisture though!  
Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, or for appearing a tad too sexy in this photo, but, this is the way I roll in the garden.  Fortunately, I have a 6 foot privacy fence that prevents the masses from viewing me while working in the dirt.  Dog gone paparazzi! I do however have a faithful companion that is willing to assist in the garden besides the chickens........
GRACIE LU!!!!!!!!!!
Gracie Lu is my big, bumbling, bull-esque Boston Terrier.  She is 5 1/2 years old, and is the equivalent to a bull in a China shop.  Sort of like the lady she was named after........Gracie Lu Freebush.......remember her?  If you don't, google her!  LOL  How could you not love that face though???????  She has been known to get into things she shouldn't, like.......
when I couldn't find her, and all of a sudden I saw something moving around in some scraps.  Yep......she loves to bury herself under the covers, AND evidently my patriotic scrap box!  I think I will keep her though!  She and Sophia get along swimmingly and are a constant joy in my life.

Sadly, I have to report that my local quilt shop is going out of business! :-/  I really hate to see it go, because there are no quilt shops in my neck of the woods now.  I wish I had the business sense, knowledge, and funds to open one of my own.  The shop had a decent sale, and I took advantage of it.  I added some yardage, and met some really great people the day I went.  One wonderful lady by the name of Lynn was so kind and encouraging, and gave me a gift!
Scrap fabrics for my Quilt of Valor donation quilts!
There was a note attached however.........
it reads:   "Kevin:  There is a string attached to this bag of fabric.  Please add it to your collection to make a Quilt of Valor and I'd like to see it before you whisk it away!  Lynn"  Well, you can count on it Lynn!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!  The generosity of  quilters absolutely amazes me at times!

I was also able to go shop hopping in Columbia, Missouri, and Mexico, Missouri with some of my quilting friends I have made recently.  Quilt 4 U was my favorite shop in Columbia, and Homestead Hearth  was my favorite shop in Mexico, not to mention my favorite shop of all that day.  It was interesting to watch the way my friends shopped, and the way they looked out for me!  Like many times I heard........
  Did you see these bags of scraps?!?!?!?

Well, after I saw them, I bought them!  Just as I bought a few other things...............like.............
ALL of this.............
these............
and, all of this.  Not to mention.............
OH YES I DID!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen.......meet, 
MISS BEV!!!!!!!!!
My new (at least to me) Singer Featherweight!

Miss Bev was purchased from my new found quilting friend Bev.  She has been very well serviced and maintained, and I can't thank Bev enough for offering her to me.  It was love at first site, and the minute I sewed the first stitch on her, I had to have her!  Miss Bev will be travelling with me now so I can sew, sew, sew on my travels!  She is much lighter than Murna Marita, and that way I can save Murna for sentimental reasons.  Thank you so much Bev!  She shall forever be your namesake!

And here are a few photos of some things I have been working on, just so you all don't think I only collect fabric and sewing machines, and don't use them! LOL
I'm in the process of color selection for Bonnie Hunter's mystery in Quilt Maker Magazine.
I'm also working on Bonnie Hunter's Geese on a String .
AND........
Hmmmmmmmmm...........I think I may keep you all guessing on this one!  
BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAAA (Evil laugh LOL)

Anyone else going to the quilt show in Paducah, Kentucky?????
Sorry for the lengthy post, I hope you enjoyed it though?
Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Kevin the Quilter

23 comments:

  1. How funny! My niece's name is Grace and we call her Gracie Lu (Freebush) too so I got your reference right away! Looks like you had a lot of fun adding to your stash lately. I went to the Paducah show once, the last year they had the big hotel open and it was great! We got to stay there so everything was so handy. I'd love to go to Houston one year as well, but it's so far away, I haven't been able to make it yet. Have a great time at the show!

    ReplyDelete
  2. GREAT garden getup :) !!! LOL
    You weren't kidding when you said "shop hop." Goodness golly man! The loot and THEN some.
    I have intentions on working on Bonnie's Quiltmaker mystery too; haven't made much progress in that department, as you already know.

    No need to apologize about blogging/lack-thereof. We all know about life intervening; and we know you'll come back, and therefore, will patiently await the next amazing post.
    Happy Sunday!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'll be in Paducah, my first time. I enjoyed hearing about your shop hop in an area that is familiar to me. I was born in Moberly and we used to go through Mexico to get there from Illinois where I grew up.

    Barbara in MD

    ReplyDelete
  4. Have fun at Paducah! A bit far away for me - I'll have to rely on lots of photos appearing in blogland! (hint?)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really enjoyed reading your post with my morning cup of Joe. I always ? my sons wearing shorts straight through winter. ;-) Gracie must be a real "Miss Congeniality". I'm headed to Shipshewana for our spring Dear Jane retreat. We would love to see you there! Every April and November.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good Morning Kevin,
    Loved the update. Very sorry to hear of the quilt shop closing. We also have had that problem here but recently had a new one open. I love to travel and visit new shops. You always find something in their shops that are not in your home shops. Plus the people you get to meet is awesome. I can't wait to see what you come up with in all your purchases.
    Have a very blessesd day.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow Kevin did you find some goodies!! Sorry to hear that the quilt shop is closing though. Miss Bev is beautiful and you'll have to keep track of all the places she gets to fly! LOL, great pic of you getting ready to garden. It is snowing here today :(

    ReplyDelete
  8. There is so much to see here, I love it! Congrats on finding a Featherweight for your travels. It looks like you're knee-deep in fun projects or projects-to-be with your fabric finds. That's the only good thing about a quilt shop closing, though...the sales. Too bad otherwise. Have fun in Paducah!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You make quite the fashion statement in your gardening duds! Gracie Lu is a real cutie! Is there a story behind that jacket that she's wearing? I'm not headed to Paducah but here's a bit of trivia for you. Our quilting museum just got a new director and her previous job was at the quilting museum in......Paducah!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for a good laugh this evening...I love your gardening fashions! Lucky you to have Gracie Lu as your quilting helper. I'm sure she was just sorting your scraps for you. I'm sorry to hear about the quilt shop closing, but at least you were able to take advantage of the sale. Your current projects look good so far.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congrats on your the new addition...Bev the Featherweight. She looks pretty slick =)

    It is sad to see a quilt store close. We have quite a few quilt stores here. But, nonetheless, I feel sad to see those businesses that need to quit.

    What a fun bully you have =) Miss Gracie Lu...appears a wee bit Miss Cheeeev-eous. She does look becoming in her "hooded jacket" of fabric. =)

    hugZ,
    annie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow! That was a stash enhancement trip if ever there was one LOL. LOVE love love the featherweight. I haven't had time to try mine yet. Loved that movie too. It's a shame the quilt shops close when quilting is doing so well.

    ReplyDelete
  13. My Goodness!!! What fun you have been having!!! I will keep checking back to see what those teeny itsy bitsy scraps will become .... and um, LOVE the dog!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love Gracie Lu, she is definitely a cutie. You've been a busy guy. Thanks for the update. Looking forward to seeing how your in progress projects come together.

    ReplyDelete
  15. My, my but you have been busy. Miss Bev looks like a beauty and will be a welcomed friend while you are flying the friendly skies. Your stash enhancements look like loads of fun. So glad to hear you took advantage of the shop closing. I'm sad too because now I'm out of a fun job helping pick out loads of fabrics for others and not having to spend any $$$$. Sorry I missed you when you came in. Don't worry though, there is going to be another one open (hopefully) before the end of the year. Keep your fingers crossed. Can't wait to see your QOV creation. We meet tomorrow and I hope our totals are good so far. Loved your "garden fashion". That's the only way to go in the summer in the garden -- not sure about in the snow.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh no, you didn't!!!! You did!!!! You bought a Featherweight!!!! YIPPEE!!! You're gonna love Miss Bev, she's gonna be your new best friend :*) And what wonderful additions to your fabric stash - yum!!! I know what you mean about wishing you could open a fabric shop, so many of them closing and limiting our options. We still have a few open here, and we're holding our breath hoping they stay open. Shopping online is okay if I know exactly what I want, but no way I can shop for fabrics I haven't seen, touched, and matched up color-wise with other fabrics with my own eyes. *sigh* But with a friend like Gracie Lu, you gotta smile, right?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Kevin--love the Boston Terrier...my aunt and uncle rescued one awhile back and I fell in love with her..she is gone now and my my uncle (they split after 20 something years, go figure) got a puppy of the same breed..she is quite a handful but adorable! Love the new featherweight...you will never regret that purchase and WHOOT WHOOT on doing the Bonnie mystery and another Bonnie project to boot...true fans, we have several Bonnie projects going at once!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow! So MUCH going on over there! Do you live near St. Louis? Are there any quilt shops there? Hmm.. So much fabric.. so much to love. Did I spy some Dr. Seuss dots? I love dots. Gracie is a doll, and I actually googled Gracie Lu Freebush. haha I love that movie, but had forgotten that was her name. :D And Miss Bev.. so cute, and cool that it will be easier to take with you too!! Did you need a trunk to bring home all your purchases with you? ;) Can't wait to see all of these projects come together.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love the garden shot - though that looks like my gardening weather this morning! I am so sorry you LQS is shutting down. I am completely blessed to live in the middle of Smoky Mountain quilt country. There are 6-8 quilt shops right in the city area, and another 10-12 within a hundred mile radius, most of them within 60 miles. We have two shop hops, 12 in one and 6 in another. Considering that the city is only about 200,000, that's a rich blessing, but there are another 600,000 in surrounding communities, what they call the statistical area. I love that you bought Miss Bev! My two are in storage, one in Phoenix and one in California, and I miss sewing on them. They are the BEST for sewing down binding. I once did a satin binding with no slippage at all!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm fascinated by guy quilters and I'm so happy to have found your blog. Keep up the great posts! I'm also a scrapaholic. Those baggies are what I call quilter's crack.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I Want to use this medium to appreciate an online ghost hacker, after being ripped off my money he helped me find my cheating lover and helped me hacked his WHATSAPP, GMAIL, kik and all his social media platforms and i got to know that he has being cheating on me and in less than 24 hours he helped me out with everything, hacking setting is trust worthy, contact him via: hackingsetting50@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete