Another week gone

Where is time going lately?? Today my son's oldest daughter, Jessica Dawn, is 8 years old!!! I was there when she was born. Doesn't seem like it was that long ago. In October, April Rose will be 7 and John Patrick just turned 3 on June 11th. They are getting so big and I am so proud to be their nana.

Weight loss update: In 2 1/2 weeks I've lost 21 pounds, 2" off my bust, 2" off my waist and 2" off my hips. Whoo Hoo!!!! I just wish I LOOKED like I lost that much! Sometimes I feel like I'm starving but I'm eating well.....although not what I'm used to. Only a lot more to go.

Got the last 3 quilts finished and ready to be mailed back to their owners. That makes a total of 8 quilts this year. I think the economy is hurting everyone. At least I hope that's all it is.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.

Daughter in law's quilt

This was supposed to be for her birthday on May 6th........well needless to say, it isn't done. I now have it ready for the frame tho. Lisa's favorite colors are blue and yellow and flower the sunflower.
I'm thinking one more sunflower on the top left.......what do you think??
On this one I did a faux border with the yellows as a 9 patch to mimic Seminole. I like the way it stands out. And a pic of the feather border all marked out. Not sure what I will do in the plain blocks. I have a stencil for a sunflower so I may use that. Will know more after I get it on the frame.
9 Patches as a whole are sometimes boring. I wish I could take credit for the flower applique idea but someone on MQP posted one that her customer made with this idea and I thought it would be perfect for this quilt.

Not much new

To report.
Went to the doctor about 2 1/2 weeks ago for a progress on my incision. When the nurse weighed me I almost died. THAT'S IT!! Gonna do some serious weight loss here! So the next day I started.
What I'm doing is a modified Atkins diet. My daughter and I did this years ago with great success but being hypoglycemic, it's hard to do. So I modified it.
The first thing I did was cut sugar from 1 1/2 cups to 3/4 cup per gallon in our ice tea and cut back on salt. We now use a lot more pepper.

Breakfast:
1 cut cereal.........Wheaties or Rice Krispies
Banana
3/4 cup milk

Lunch:
1/2 sandwich with
10 small chips or small salad
or egg salad with left over meat from dinner the night before

Snack:
banana with gobs of Cool Whip

Dinner:
cut back from whole potato to 1/3 cup
all the meat I want
1/4 cup vegetables
lots of salad

Evening snack......if any:
5 pieces watermellon about 1" x 2"
or banana

The first 3 or 4 days I felt I was starving but have to report that in just over 2 weeks I've lost a total of 17 pounds..........WHOO HOO!!!

Hidden Diamonds

Is almost done!! All that's left is the binding. Did I ever mention that I hate doing bindings?? Well I do. I stilll have the Tennessee Walking Horses quilt to bind. The binding is done.....just not put on yet.

I did piano keys in the outer border, leaves in the inner border, SID (stitch in the ditch) and TT (Terry Twist) in the squares and echoed the diamond. I really like how this one turned out.
I had all the blocks done for a childs twin quilt and already have it sold. Now to put that one together.

A Rose is a Rose

This one I designed along with the Kustom Kids Kwilts a couple years ago and just now getting around to marketing. I hope you enjoy.

Had to drop off more patterns at the quilt shop and decided to pick up some more fabric for another Garden Trellis. The pattern tester got to keep hers so I wanted one for myself or I may decide to give it as a Christmas gift.

Hope everyone has a fabulous week.

Here we go again

This is one I designed last year, made in pink and green and named "Pistachio". Offered it the a couple quilt magazines but they wanted current fabrics so I bought fabric, sent it to the pattern tester and she remade it in my fabric. Now to decide on a name and resubmit. This one I'm thinking along the lines of "Boxed Elegance". What do you all think?

Vacation news:
We left here May 17th and spent a couple days visiting with Faye in Nashville. Then we headed for Hollywood, Alabama for my oldest granddaughters graduation. Stayed there for 4 days then headed to Houma, Louisiana to visit my sis in law and her kids. Had a great time there also.
However, the doctor put me on a water pill that my body treats in reverse. We went to the zoo in New Orleans and my legs and feet swelled so bad, I thought I would have to have them take me out in a wheel chair. I just couldn't bend my feet to walk. So, I stopped taking them and now back to normal.......whatever that is!
Here is a family pic. John and I, Mari in the white shirt and the other grand, Jessica.

My LARR

This quilt I saw in Quilters World in 2003 and fell in love with it. When I started the LARR, I knew I had to make it. Took a lot to find this many fabrics that looked like they went to the same line but I have maybe 90 fat quarters, half yard pieces and several large pieces. I got the quilt done, valances, pillow shams, and throw pills done. The dust ruffle is still in the making.
I am so proud of all the work that Brenda Janovy, Cheryl Winslow, Jamie Wallen and Diane Fink have done. It will give me many years of wonderful memories of my cyber friends and their awesome work.

This is hand dyed fabric and the section that I quilted.











Brenda did TT in the border of squares.
Cheryl did the windmill border.
Jamie did the outer rectangle border and
Diane did feathers in the paisley border. Unfortunately you can't see how awesome the feathers are because the fabric is so busy.

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful memories your quilting will give me for years to come.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.