I'm still here!!!

Hi everyone! I'm still here! I have to tell you that Mr. Mallard was here AGAIN yesterday afternoon. My son went and chased him away! It is just too weird to see a mallard here in KS...there aren't a lot of ponds/lakes...I guess he just loves our pool! ;o)

I read Amy's blog today and she wrote about her starting to quilt. I thought I'd share my story.

It goes back to 1998 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. (the story is in this link, scroll all the way down to December 1st) http://gottaquilt.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_gottaquilt_archive.html 1999 arrived and my sisters were busy making quilts for kids that were graduating. To keep my mind off of chemo and to get me out of the house (winters in MN can get cold and long) they dragged me to the LQS with them. I found that they were asking my opinions a LOT about fabric choices and colors. I WAS GOOD AT THIS! LOL...

Then we went shopping again and I thought to myself, "I can do this!" It's just taking fabric apart and putting it back together in a different way. Kinda of like puzzles. SO...that is how it began...I told my sisters and they said sure I could do this!!! I started in June or so of '99 and haven't stopped! I also bought a longarm about 4 years ago so I could qilt my own stuff!

Quilting has enabled me to meet lots of neat people as well!!!!! One thing I have learned is that most quilters are great, kind, giving people! I truly am grateful for the gift of being a quilter!!!

Hugs
Laurie

Our first pool swimmer of the year!!!!

Last night I went to see KC & the Sunshine Band! It was FUN!!! Disco sucks but the dancing was fun and KC does have some good songs!!! (OK...maybe disco wasn't so bad!) My 2 girlfriends and I went to dinner first at PFChangs and then on to the music!!!

This morning I woke up, made the bed, then opened the blind. NOW...this is very UNUSUAL for me because I usually wait to make the bed until after I've jazzercised and showered. WHY did I open the blind this EARLY morning???? I think God wanted me to giggle!!! I was laughing so hard...you see, rarely do I see mallards in KS (in MN they are all over the place), much less swimming in my pool!!! He was just as content as could be. I yelled to DH to hurry up and come see this. By that time DH got to the window the mallard was on the pool ledge cleaning himself. DH went back into the bathroom to get ready for work and I said "HURRY UP!" again. DH got to see the duck...and the silly duck was looking for fish while swimming in our POOL!! ;o)

SO...this was my happy start to my day...and as Jeanne would say, I'm grateful for Matthew Mallard making me SMILE!!!

DH and I are off to Chicago today. We're going to go see our son. He has a girl he wants us to meet and a church service he wants us to go to with them. We will be gone until Monday. I'm looking forward to it!

Have a great weekend!!!
Hugs
Laurie

Ahhhhhhh...Easter Sunday and the Kids

When oh WHEN do we stop with the Easter Baskets???!!! LOL...well...here are my kids right before we eat! We had a great lunch together. DH is already gone to the airport. Kevin decided to buy an airplane ticket back to school tonight. So Dan and I will take him to the airport and then go to Old Chicago and get a snack at Sarah's table. (she's serving tonight) Joe will go home!

I hope all had a great time! The kids below: Sarah(almost 21), Kevin(19), Dan(17), and Joe(22)

Happy Easter

Lancaster Goods!!!

This is a picture of all the patterns and gadgets that I bought!!! I found a place that has gorgeous but simple floral applique patterns...bought a bunch! http://www.distinctivepieces.com Check them out. I found this fabric at Sauders. It is a striped coordinate to the fabrics that I bought in February and am doing the applique hearts with. The smaller piece is going to be the stop border. I included a sample of 2 of the heart blocks.

This fabric I got at Zooks. WOW...I just HAD TO HAVE THIS FLORAL!!! And of course with the prices so darn good I bought coordinating stuff as well! The bottom part of the pic is truer to color with the focus fabric. The fabric below the green is a deep brown/burgundy color! This is going to be YUMMY!!! But first...I have to figure out what I will do with this puppy!!!
Here is a pic of the bright batiks at $5/yard that I got. I figured as long as I was getting a yard of each bright that I might as well buy the mulit-colored batik as well and use it as a focus...I'm thinking bow-tie for this one...but that could change by the time I actually get around to making it! ;o) AND...last but not least...thanks to Laurie Ann posting her polka dot quilt...I decided I needed to start a new fabric collection...what better than BRIGHT POLKA DOTS????!!!!! Thanks Laurie Ann!!!
SO...there you have it...my Lancaster stash!!!

Last night my dh and boys went to see James Taylor. It was in a venue that holds about 2500 people...old and quaint...but HOT cuz the air conditioning broke yesterday and the high yesterday was near 90 degrees! But it was a very good concert and I enjoyed it! So did my boys!!!

Now to the longarm...I really MUST get something done today down there!
Have a great day!
Hugs
Laurie

Lancaster Quilt Show

It was a SUPER trip! It really only rained one whole day! ;o) Friday it rained in the morning but then was quite nice! The quilts were GORGEOUS! There are so many talented quilters out there!!

I arrived on Thursday and hooked up with my friends! Getting caught up was so much fun!!! Friday was spent shopping at the show and looking at all the gorgeous eye candy! I managed to get a few things at the show but spent most of my money Friday night shopping at the local quilt stores near where we stayed.

The prices there are AMAZING and the fabric is very good quality! $5/yard for BATIKS!!!!!!!!!! I bought several BRIGHT batiks with no design on them!!! WOOHOO...not sure what I'll do with 'em but having them on hand is NOT a bad thing!!!!

Saturday we stitched in the lobby and had show and tell. Then a few friends that I hadn't seen in a couple of years stopped by our hotel and we chatted for a couple of hours. We had met on the Alex Anderson message board a few years ago!

Sunday I was taken to the airport by Tracey and able to get home at 5:30 PM instead of 11PM!!! That was WONDERFUL!!!

Here is a link to the quilts that I too pics of!
Quilts
ENJOY!
Hugs
Laurie

I'm leaving on a jet plane

OH...that was a great song wasn't it!??!!! Today will be spent getting ready to fly out of KC tomorrow morning...BRIGHT AND EARLY...to head to Lancaster. This will be my 4th year in a row now of going to the Quilter's Heritage Show in Lancaster, PA. About 6 of us or so meet up there for a weekend of girl quilting fun! WOOHOO!!! I am using my NWA frequent flyer miles so that is why my flight schedule stinks. I don't get back until 11PM on Sunday night...but it's free! I'll live!

I am going to look for bright tone on tone batiks at the Friday night sale at Country Store. They sell their batiks that night for $5 a yard! And they are NICE batiks too! The price of things in Amish Country is amazing!!!!! It should be a fun time!

Here's a picture of an Amish Quilt...a little pre-show eye candy for you! LOL

I'll report my naughtiness when I get back!!! Have a great weekend!
Hugs
Laurie

Angel Quilt Delivered

Last night the Angel quilt was delivered. Marg was taken to Linda and Bill's house under the pretense that it was a retirement party for Bill! She was SHOCKED when Linda handed her a box. "WHAT IS THIS?", Marg said. "This is Bill's party". NOPE...She opened the quilt and tears flowed. A gentlemen, whose name I forgot, read the label out loud to everyone! There were a LOT of hugs and thank yous for me. One gal said "Thank you so much for being our angel. Bill and Linda said all you asked for is to keep you in our prayers...and you have them!" I cannot tell you how honored I was to be included in the gift opening/quilt receiving festivities!

The best part is that the treatment that Marg is receiving is WORKING!!! She has not had any chemo or radiation OR surgery! They are treating this with the same medicine I am on to PREVENT a recurrence! I guess Marg's success is proof that Femara WORKS!!! She looks great and healthy...

The pic here is of me, bottom left, Bill, Linda, and Marg (in the orange). Lots of smiles all around!!!
Hugs
Laurie