Look what came in the mail today - Kaffe Fassett's newest book of quilt designs!!! I think this is Mr. Fassett's very best book to date!!! I am looking forward to making some of these quilts with some of the fabrics I already have in my Kaffe Fassett collection and the new prints I just ordered that should be coming next week!!!

I have been playing around this evening changing the look of my blog. This blog stuff is so much fun!!! I would love some comments as to whether you like the new look!!!

I just completed the new Rays of Hope block using the suggestions I received both from the quilters in my on-line quilting group and friends.  While this is a beautiful block, it is not the look I am striving for, so I will keep working until I get the look I want.  Actually, I like the kaleidoscope look of the first sample but I understand the comments about it being so busy that your eye cannot settle onto one part of the block.  In the second sample, it is very easy to see the the "rays of hope" with the lighter background, so I am going to look for a lighter Kaffe Fassett fabric that will give me the focus to the middle of the block without compromising my desire to use all Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  A third try is on its way!!!

Happy Saturday everyone!!! The sun is out and the air is just a tad bit cool this morning. As we came back from my great neice Lauren's soccer game, we passed by the little garden I am working on out front and I thought it was a good time to share. I have not felt like I have had the time to garden for many years now, so this little garden is such a blessing to me. Almost every day my Dad says how much he enjoys it and I know I especially love it in the evening when the fragrances are strong and so comforting!!!

I love this picture and every time I look at it it makes me laugh & makes me happy!!! I hope you all enjoy it too!!!

Look at this darling piece of fabric my friend, Jenni, from Down Under (actually Tasmania, which is down under Down Under) sent me to show me all the critters they have down there, especially their Tasmanian Devil (which is the little black guy with the white collar near the middle of the piece). Jenni told me that "the Tassie Devil is about as big as a cat, is nocturnal and eats dead things, is very shy and makes a lot of noise when fighting over food. They live in the bush (forest). They are cute and have been tamed in wildlife parks. But they have the ability to bite through the thickest bones (have too to eat Kangaroos bones). So most people leave them alone. They have developed a disease and the numbers are dwindling, so some disease free ones have been sent to some Zoo's on mainland [Australia] to save the species. Still a lot around though." You can click on the picture to enlarge it and really see the different animals.

I am going to figure out how to use this fabric in a fun piece so it shows off all the animals. Any suggestions??

Ok, I finally decided to put my Carol Doak's paper-piecing and my Kaffe Fassett fabrics together. I did too much!! LOL!! Anyway here it is in all it's glory!! Even though it is "a lot" to take in, I do like it and my cute Dad loves it!!! I have asked opinions from the quilters in my quilt group and I am going to make some changes. If anyone here has an opinion as to how I can improve this block, please chime in!!! Once I make a new block with some changes I will post it.

In one of my quilting groups, the head of the group challenged us to make this darling Heart and Flower block. Some women have made lots of them already and I hope to make some more before the deadline on May 15, 2010!! The prize is 10 yards of fabric!!! Well worth making a bunch of them!!!

My friend, Maribeth, who lives in Germany, just finished this beautiful Mariner's Compass quilt top and was kind enough to share a picture of it with me!! I love the fact that the compasses almost look three dimensional. I love the colors and the compasses are all paper-pieced!! Its so amazing to me the intricate work that can be down so exactly with paper-piecing. Thank you Maribeth for sharing your quilt top!!!

I have joined a wonderful Yahoo quilting group that focuses on Carol Doak's paper-piecing techniques. I love paper-piecing and so I am really enjoying this group. Plus the work appears to be really good. I decided to join a swap called "I Love the Holidays". I made four different blocks (below) and once the swap mommy swaps out all of the blocks, I will get 4 blocks from other swappers. Origianlly the swap was to end on April 15, 2010, but the swap mommy had some family emergency and so the date got moved out 2 weeks. It will be fun to see the blocks I get back.

After all the moving of things around in order to find room for all the extra stuff I brought back from Colorado, I actually had some time to sit down and do a bit of quilting this morning. I have recently joined an International Siggie Swap. It is a one-on-one swap where someone from anywhere in the world emails me and wants to exchange a Siggie Block. Siggie stands for "signature" as you can see below. This is my Siggie Block and each time I swap with someone they will get a block like this one. The block measures 5 inches square unfinished (4-1/2" square finished) and my block has 25 different pieces of fabric. I used the method called "paper-piecing" which is a wonderful technique when one is making a block that is small and has VERY small pieces of fabric sewn together. Plus, the paper-piecing method allows for very sharp points. If you are a quilter, you know how importnat sharp points are. If you are not a quilter, sharp points are critical!!! It demonstrates the quality of work and the time and patience of the quilter. I LOVE sharp points!!

It has been a long two weeks!!! And not a stitch of quilting has been done. I left on March 23rd to travel by plane to Colorado Springs to close up my law practice and give my little law building back to the previous owner. Mixed emotions for both of us. I had done lots and lots of work on the building and hated to give it up but at the same time it will definately be a burden off my shoulders. The previous owner really didn't need to have his building back but at the same time knew all the work I had done and what a great deal he was getting. I asked him if one of my poor relatives ever left me any money or if I won the lottery, which I don't pay, would he let me have it back, and he said without a doubt!! So, another chapter in my life closed!!

On the way home in the 16 foot Budget truck, as I was traveling west along I-70, the wind was just howling with gusts that I thought were going to knock me and the truck right off the road. As I was getting back on the road after getting gas, I saw this wonderful huge flag majestically letting me know that all is well and I am grateful to be in America!!