Monday Morning Design Wall 7/30/2012

BACK FROM LONG BEACH!!  Had a wonderful day on Friday after spending the entire day at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach!!  The quilts were just stunning and the 12 by 12 exhibit was outstanding!  The applique was just stunning!!  Loved every minute of it and was bless have met up with my friend Diane.  We had such a great time shopping (see my beautiful fabric purchases below) and walking through all the quilts until I was just worn out! 

I stumbled back to my brother's house in Newport Beach and relaxed with a nice glass of wine!  My husband and two younger boys showed up from a visit to Barstow and we sat down to a great dinner!  No one was very impressed with my fabric but me!  Boys!

We did manage to squeeze in a visit with my daughter and her boyfriend in San Luis Obispo and then arrived home Sunday evening.  I am really regretting not taking Monday off!!

 I did finish another Mimi's Bloomers block and hope to catch up on the BOM sometime this week with number 6 and 7!!

 Don't forget to check out Judy's blog to see all the other design walls!!

Monday Morning Design Wall 7/23/2012

I had a very productive week, although I am still working on the borders for my Baltimore Quilt, I managed to fit in a few blocks for Erin Russek's Mimi's Bloomers.  They are so fun that I could not resist working on a few when I took breaks from the border work. 

I am also getting ready to attend the Long Beach International Quilt Festival next weekend and I am so excited to be able to go and see all the beautiful quilts.  I am planning on having a blast and just enjoying myself!!   Don't forget to check out the other design walls on Judy's blog.

Monday Morning Design Wall 7/16/2012

Great week, I was able to get one border ready to sew for my Baltimore Album quilt and even made some progress before the Annual Family Camping Trip.  This year we went to Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California.  Wonderful time.  We had the entire Lost Creek Group Camping Ground to ourselves and we hiked and cooked like fiends.  We climbed to Bumpass Hell and saw the sulphur pots (1,500 feet gain in elevation) and then tried to climb to the top of Mount Lassen. 

 Missed being able to sew for a few days but would never risk my fabric to the smoke of the fire.  I read magazines, talked with my friends and picked out a pattern to make for my youngest son who pointed out I had made two quilts for my friend's son and only one for him!!   How could this slip by me??  I am off to the Long Beach Quilt show in a week or so and will be getting fabric for a Ocean Wave quilt for him.  I think he will love it.

 This is Nicolas, perched on a rock over looking the valley we climbed up from during one of his many "wait for the parents" stops on the way to Bumpass Hell.   Below is me, my husband and my son's, Nathan and Nicolas.  Great trip!!  Only one bad blister! 

Monday Morning Design Wall 7/9/2012

GOOD MORNING! Happy 54th Birthday to my husband Stuart! Hope you have a great day.  Welcome Home to my 17th year old son who spent the last month in Germany with his exchange student, can't wait to hear about your trip!!

I had a very productive two weeks, finally finishing every block for my Baltimore Album. I have done enough french knots to sink a ship but I am very happy with the results. Worth all the work!!  I have embellished and I think it looks great.

The rows are sewn together but I wanted to preview it for a day or two before I finish the rest of the sewing.  I am working on the first border so I have high hopes it will be finished soon.  I also finished another from the P3 Designs and  will soon start the next block. There is only one difficult one left so that is good.
Below are a couple of close up pictures of my french knots, the block is fourth row, second from the left.  I was so worried about doing them I initially decided to skip them but a bit of practice and they turned out rather well!!

 I can't wait to get the first border done and I hope to be quilting this quilt shortly after Labor Day once it cools off here in the hot hot valley of central California.    Don't forget to check out all the other walls in Judy's blog.