My sister always has such amazing ideas.  She has a half sister that is blind and loves flip flops.  So Jill and I decided to collaborate on a quilt for her.

Jill bought the fabric and I pieced the top and quilted.  Then I shipped it back to Jill and wow she added some sexy textured straps on all the flops.  It really knocked my socks off and Jill was able to finish it in time to get it to Brenda in time for Christmas.   Of course, she loved it.

While I was stunned at first, it’s kinda funny now.  The groomer came and misunderstood that I just wanted her to shorten Argus’ hair.  So, she shaved him, right down to the skin.

Good thing is he seemed more comfortable but the weather of course, decided to get cooler.  Well just so happens, they love wearing t-shirts and you know in my house,

 

if Argus gets a t-shirt then Baby Dog wants a t-shirt.

I think he gets chilled sleeping as he sleeps in the most unusual ways now.

You know the year is not complete without an update on my boys.  Wow they are crazy as ever but we were able to get a training class with Pat, The Dog Pro.  The boys did great. While they have a long way to go, I know how to start trying to teach them things now .

While Pat loved them all, he was very impressed with Merlin.   Thinks he would make an amazing therapy dog.   After 3 hours he had the boys sitting with no one holding the leashes and I was shocked.  He took Merlin in to visit his mom who is bedridden and he jumped right up to sit with her.   He is such an attention ham.  Pat even made up a new card featuring Merlin.

 

So just a few pics of the last few months of 2018.  Nothing too exciting.   But here goes.

I got to add my car in the truck or treat at church.  Wow there are so many kids that you just can’t hand out beads and candy fast enough.  Decorated the trunk with a pirate chest and handed out candy, beads and fake coins.  The kids all had a blast.

Oh finally unpacked the electric pressure cooker I bought like 5 years ago.  Giving it a try for 2019.  Beef stew came out awesome and only 45 minutes.

My tababoui tree bloomed.  The yellow one never really blooms but the purple one is so pretty.

 

I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to post here.  I am going to try and make at least a weekly post in 2019.  Well I guess beginning in February 2019, since it’s already February 6th.   So not a lot going on in life except work.   I have done a bit of moving around things at the house so I’ll post some pics in my next post.  Maybe at lunch today I can get a few posts done.    Looking forward to a productive 2019.

I am so inspired by my sister and her husband.   She is like the person I wanna be when I grow up.   We didn’t know about each other most of our lives as my dad moved away and didn’t mention to her mom he had other children.   Once she heard she put a lot of effort and time into locating me and I’m so grateful she did.  She came along at a time I had given up on family.

While it’s only been 4 or 5 years and we only see each other a couple of times a year, she and Mark are like people you feel you’ve just always known.  There are few people I am completely comfortable around and they are 2 of only about 4 or 5.

She always seems to be in a blessed mood no matter the circumstances or no matter how she is feeling.  She has struggled with so much just in the time I’ve known her and yet she stays so positive and upbeat.  She’s the first to compliment or encourage someone and always has your back.  He is the first to jump to your defense if someone has something crappy to say and the one you know you could always depend on.   They say God has a perfect match for everyone and I once I met these two, I not only believe it, but I think they are some of the rare ones that actually found that perfect someone and were in the right place to realize it.  She couldn’t ask for anyone more loving or helpful and he couldn’t ask for anymore more supportive and loving.  It makes my heart happy every time I get to see them interact as a couple.   They simply enjoy each other and I think that’s what God intended when He put them together.

Ever known that one person you could look at and say “I wish I was like them”?  Well, I’ve met two.  I love those 2 and can’t wait till I can move closer.

Obviously I have planned projects and don’t have to rely on randomly chosen numbers for all my quilts.  Although that could be fun.

This one is a quilt along that the designer is starting mid-November so I’ve purchased my pattern, purchased my fabrics and spent just over 4 hours cutting all the pieces so I am ready once the project begins.   My colors won’t be exactly the same, cause you know I like to throw in that odd color every now and again.

I didn’t have anything particular on the I want to do Now list so I pulled a number from the bowl and started a new top last week.  Out of 49 numbers in the bowl what is the chance I would pull out number 1 the first time I use the bowl?  Pretty good I guess since that’s what I pulled.  Turns out it was another 4 patch posey.  Normally I would put it back because I just made one but the rule is, whatever number comes out is the one I’ll be making.

It’s a fabric I just kind of bought on a whim and wondered how it would look as a 4 patch posey.  I ended up laying it aside as I thought it was really too busy but it actually turned out very nice.  My original idea was to make the posey then sash the blocks using the coordinating stripe.  Once I saw how the blocks came out the strips just washed it all out so I decided to use black with a small cornerstone in the stripe.  I’ll use the rest for binding so it’s not wasted.    This is one of those quilts that you love it or immediately think it’s too loud.  I personally love it.  It isn’t quilted yet and I normally only share completed pictures so I will only share the beginning row.   The fabric is called Brooke Fabric by Studio 8.   It will have 8 rows and I don’t think I even have 2 identical blocks.   I was really surprised how this look finished.  Nothing like I expected.

Want a laugh?  I pulled the 2nd number out of the bowl so I’d have something to play with evenings I’m not cleaning.  I pulled number 2.  That has to be like 1 in a million odds.   But, at least it wasn’t a 4 patch posey and it’s actually Christmas fabrics.  Perfect timing.  I’ll give you a hint of that one once I made some of the blocks.

I made my hairdresser a quilt 3 or 4 years ago and I have to say, I haven’t found anyone that appreciated it so much.  Nearly every time he uses it he will post something on facebook or send me a text reminding me how much he appreciates his quilt.   I know he loves anything paisley so when I saw this Kaufman print, I knew it was time he had a new one.  I only found 2 solids I really like with it so a simple disappearing nine patch worked great.

I wish the colors showed up better in pictures.  The blue has a slight mottled look and has such a deep, rich hue to it.  For such a simple pattern it really is beautiful in person.  I didn’t want to overpower the beautiful paisley pattern so it’s quilted in a small meander only in the solid fabrics using a gold poly thread.

I am slowly working my way thru a pile of tops that I let accumulate that needed to be quilted.  Once they were basted I realized there were 7 of them and as you can see from prior posts, I’ve been working my through getting them quilted and bound.  I got so excited when I realized they were all quilted and after these 2 there was just one left to bind and I was caught up.  Then I realized this month I was piecing 3 more tops (2 are now done) so I again have a basting pile started.  I enjoy being a home body and I enjoy sewing so I think there will always be a “waiting to be basted” pile.   I’m not even done binding the last one from that prior group and I have 2 back in that pile.

This 4 patch posey is one I was practicing the technique on and realized I left out a green strip in one corner.  Since it’s just a new floor quilt for the pups I didn’t worry about going back and fixing it.   I asked and the boys said they didn’t mind it like that.  LOL.   The border is the original fabric and all the blocks are made with that one fabric.  I wasn’t sure about the green but it really came out pretty.