Fun mail, friends, finishes and fluffies

One of my awesome blog readers took pity on me when she read my plea for THAT fabric!!  Pam sent me almost a yard of that great red, and also surprised me with some of the same print, in purple!  LOVE THEM!  Thanks again, so much Pam.  Even though, between Janet and Pam, I have over a yard of the red, I'm still going to hoard it!

 Recently I met  two of my blogging friends in person!  Missie and Carolyn and I got together and had such a great time!  If you don't already follow their blogs, be sure to go check them out.  They are both so talented. They both design patterns (see just one of Missie's in the photo below) and Carolyn does the cutest drawings and watercolors (see the adorable card in the photo below).  Carolyn gave us each the needle book with the little notebook in it - what a great idea - something small to keep in your purse to jot down ideas, etc.  She also made the little candy holder on the right and included a box of candy hearts to put inside.  Missie made the wool heart pin cushion.  LOVE IT!

We really had fun - spent most of our time chatting and eating, but they did take me to the Adel Quilting & Dry Goods shop.  I've heard about this shop, but had never been there before.  The owner, Jacque, bought a lot of pins, pendants and patterns from me, so if you are in the area, be sure to stop by and see them!  I bought a few little things at the shop...

I think those little flowers will be perfect in the centers of some pendants.

Last week I won Missie's birthday giveaway, so when we got together this week, she gave me this...

 She also gave me a little tutorial on how to use it!  I've never done any hand piecing myself, but would like to try.  Now I have no excuse - I've got the templates and have had a lesson!

I thought you should all see what goes on in my sewing room daily!  Here is Ozzie - do you think he's comfy?  It's a good thing I keep a good stock of lint rollers.

 I also wanted to share Callie's antics with you.  Ozzie was sleeping away in the chair, minding his own business, when Callie decided she needed to jump up there with him. How long do you think that will last?

 Awww...look - she's telling him how much she loves him (really she is just trying to annoy him!)

 Yep...it worked...down he goes.  So much for his afternoon nap...

 Now who gets the nap!

 I actually do have a few "finishes" to show - now remember, my definition of "finished" doesn't necessarily mean quilted and bound!  These blocks were on my design wall forever -all stitched - they just needed to be put together!  MTM came over to sew one day and I decided this was going to turn into a flimsy!  Now it is ready to go off to the quilter.

 Here are the last blocks from Randy's sew-a-long.  Hmmm...wonder how long before this one gets put together?!

 And this one is a true finish.  It took me forever to get this hand quilted - mostly because I rarely worked on it!  CC had decided it was her bed, and I didn't have the heart to chase her off of it, so that was my excuse for not working on it for awhile!  I just quilted simple, straight lines and when I put my mind (and fingers) to it, it didn't take that long to get it done.  This pattern is by Edyta Sitar (love her!).  The blocks were really fun to piece, but putting it all together...not so much!  I hate Y seams and there were plenty of them in here. The hexagons are supposed to extend out, but I got frustrated and just chopped it off!  This was pieced several years ago but was in the "to be quilted" stack for a long time.

I'm glad it's finished, I do love it, chopped off or not!

Have a great weekend!