mugs or jugs?

Jugs of milk people, LOL!! I joined the "scrappy mug rug swap" on flickr for this current round, go over and take a peak at the photo stream of mug rugs, wow...there are some darling little quilties out there. My partner wanted a non-Christmas/winter themed rug and in a rainbow of colors....My original plan did not have it this large but.....if you are really thirsty you could put your jug of milk on this little one, and some left over Halloween candy, he he he. (never mind the empty mug, I can't drink milk, this was just for the photo op, if this was for me it would be filled with diet coke).
Here it is all by its little ol' self, I think it turned out pretty cute.

today in my mail box....

.....was this beauty!! This was made for ME from KarrieLyne.....I know I use the word "love" a lot in my blog, but I love this....in my application for DQS9 I mentioned I liked Ohio Star blocks....so not only do I have 1 big Ohio Star I actually have 6 to look at and swoon over....this quilt is amazing, KarrieLyne's stitching is breathtaking....I noticed that before I even had the whole thing unwrapped just by looking at the back of it as I was opening it.

Here is my assistant peeking out over the top of my quilt, showcasing the back....I sent KarrieLyne an email asking her what fabric line this is from, it is gorgeous and will be hung up today as some new Fall decor in the Hanson House. :0)

Thank you so much KarrieLyne, I am so spoiled by you and others who have been in swaps with me...it is so fun to get something like this in the mail, made my day!

for my partner

I joined the doll quilt swap again, this is the 9th round. (I believe this is the 3rd time I have done it) I decided to do a "circle of geese" mini for my partner. She likes bright cheery colors....after looking through her flickr pages and blog I decided on this color combo.

Oranges, aquas and pinks

Here is the paper piecing part for the block.......WISH ME LUCK! I have never done one before BUT I have faith and will be looking at this tutorial A LOT!

To Pam from Kristine

I sent off the placemat for my swap partner Pam last week, yesterday I received an email that she got it, yeah it arrived safe and sound to Florida!
Pam mentioned she liked greens, blues and aquas.....after looking through her flickr favorites I noticed she liked the "wonky stars", stacked coins and zig zag patterns....so I thought to myself "self, I think I will make her a little sampler". This is what I came up with.

I must say I actually like it better vertically, Pam I hope you like it, I enjoyed making it for you!

doll quilt recieved!

Opened my mailbox yesterday and what did I see? Something for me! This is from my doll quilt partner, Jessica. I love it....I love everything about it....funny thing is on the flickr site where everyone can post hints....I left a comment a while ago on this little baby....so happy with this! I love flying geese, she made some...I love the little "wonky" houses, she made some. I love aqua, she got some in there, love the letters (what fabric is that Jessica?)

One of my favorite things about this mini is the red, orange and yellow. Those were my wedding colors. :) Thank you so much! It really made my day!

I forgot to mention....the aqua fabric in this mini....it is my favorite from the Heather Bailey Pop Garden Line....you did an awesome job with all my tastes Jess!

DQS8 finished

I finished my doll quilt swap mini today...I am pretty happy the way it turned out...this was the first time I have ever done a project with so many points, might be my last. :) I can see now why the "wonky" style is so popular, you don't have to be so precise. Each of the little star blocks are 3 1/2", tiny! I hope my partner likes it. I will send it off in the next week or so, I need to go and find some goodies to send along with it.
Here is a lovely action shot of the kids "helping" me blow out my candles, Emily was really getting into it....I will post later this week a quilt Emily made me for my birthday, I just love it, and she was so proud of herself.

a charmed life

I recently did a little bartering/swapping with Elaine. You MUST click on the photo's to see these babies close up...I gasped when I opened the package...the photo on the left is my husband, probably 1971 or 1972, so cute! The photo on the right is a picture of my mom and 2 of her brothers from 1949. This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom as a girl, you can tell the older boy, my Uncle Fred is looking at Santa and trying to figure it all out about him...my mom's younger brother Ken...you can tell he "believes" and my mom, oh yeah, she loves the jolly old elf!!

Below is the opposite side...I asked for a vintage Santa for my husbands picture....on the right is the actual photo frame that came with the picture from 1949, Elaine copied it and then added a little glitter, it is so cute!!!

Lastly my crafty friends will love this....my BFF Cheyenne sent Christmas gifts our way....holy smokes did she spoil us and the kids....a bottle of wine (not for the kids) pj's, games, disposable cameras, scrap booking supplies, breakfast/popcorn makings for a family game night or morning....and in it was some goodies for me...I just love this "badge" LOVE IT! This so is ME! "1st place for being wicked crafty"..it says..."you are so crafty that you will look at this award and say "Hey! I could have made that!"

P.S....Mom I had not planned on giving you the charm, I really just thought it would a cute Christmas necklace for myself....but after seeing it, I have to...I will be getting another one for myself...this one is for you...:) I am going to have one made up of Gary in front of the Christmas tree holding the machine gun too. :)

fabric goodness

mmmmmmmmm see this? This is the au.then.tic line by sweetwater, I l.o.v.e. it, all of it!! I need more! The large panel and 3 yards of this I got in Portland last weekend at The Fabric Depot ...jeezo, I wish I would have bought more, no tax and it was on sale! The other 2 yards I bought at the Spokane Quilt show and it was flying off the shelves like hot cakes! I really don't even know what I am going to do with it but I want more, I just love it, can't wait to get my paws on some of the new line coming out this spring and it has more color in it!! LOVE IT!

This little fabric combo just kind of fell together, I think I might need another print with some more red in it? Two of these prints are from the Mary Jane Butters "Farmgirl" line....I love this little lady too, and she is from the Northwest, whoo hoo!! I told my mom and dad that for their 40th anniversary in February I would make them a queen size quilt....mom, what do you think of this? Call me and tell me....:)

Last but not least there is this beauty....figgy pudding....I was asked to join an ornament swap....this might be a big part of what I use.....darling!!! To see any of the pics larger just click on it. :)

friendship bag and friends

I had a nice weekend! Friday I received my friendship bag from Kathleen, I LOVE this bag!!!! I had seen it on flickr and fell in love with the entire thing....cuff, bag and button, just darling!! In it she had these cute little finger puppets for my kids...I had to hunt them down to take their picture...

I also had a few chances to hook up with some girlfriends, that does not happen very often and especially twice in one weekend. The first picture is of my good friend Tari and I at this awesome pub in Spokane called The Elk, yummo!! It was so nice to catch up face to face instead of over the phone or email...she lives in North Carolina now with her little family so we don't see each other very often....Saturday night I went out with my SIL, her bff and another friend Sheila...Spokane has a piano bar now and this was a BLAST, I had so much fun just kickin up my heals to dueling pianos of all things...we had a great time as you can see from the picture....