A little here...a little there.

I've been away from my sewing machine for what seems like ages! Today I completed a string block for Sana! It's the August block for our sewing bee called Scrappy Sew Bee It! Sana loves dragonflies and she was hoping we might be able to include them in her block. If you look closely, you can see them flitting around on the block edge. Dragonflies love flowers so I planted a happy garden for them.

And the pincushion is on its way to Alabama to a new friend who has a warm place in her heart for the color purple! The purple is much more "purpley" in person.

I'm determined to quilt my Ruby quilt this weekend! I think I was determined to do this about a month ago so I'll see if I can stick with the plan!

Have a very happy Labor Day Weekend! 

Blog Hop Party Give Away-closed

The Blog Hop is Now CLOSED. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Welcome to the Blog Hop Party Back to School Giveaway hosted by the Quilting Gallery. I'm so happy you're here!

It has been so hot where we live! I'm really looking forward to fall. 

Leave a comment about your favorite season and you will be entered into the random drawing for your CHOICE of ONE of the following. You don't need to decide yet which one you'd like. If you are the WINNER I'll contact you for your address and your choice. This is open to my international friends as well!

August 25 - September 3

DS Quilter's Quarters

or

 

Barbara Brackman's Civil War Reunion Layer Cake

                   Thanks so much for visiting!

Deborah

Really Random Hollywood

I just finished sewing a London pouch!
Thanks to my UK friends for sharing their fabric.

And now onto Hollywood.

Looks like London, doesn't it?


This past weekend I went to Hollywood to visit my daughter, her husband and their assorted pets and to see Cirque Du Soleil which was showing in the Dolby Theater. (The Dolby is where they hold the Academy Awards.) There were London influences in all directions including the above window display and a statue of David Beckham. 

David Beckham drew quite a crowd! There's something a tad unsettling about this statue. 

I admit....I got a little starstruck! I've lived in California my entire life but I'd never visited Grauman's Chinese Theater where the stars' handprints are.

Humphrey Bogart August 21, 1946


The next day we went to Santa Monica. Here's a peak at a few of the reasons it's one of my favorite places.

I got my sister a present! She loves the royal couple. We'll see if she really reads my blog! 

Thanks so much, Cindy for hosting your Really Random Thursday Link Up!

Return of the Fiestaware

You might remember these pincushions from awhile back. I thought it would be  fun to create a similar set but with crochet this time around.

I never get tired of pincushions. I love to make them, receive them and give them as gifts.

I was having a bit of a problem making these but a quick email to Trish and she helped me on my way. She makes THE MOST adorable pincushions. Check them out on the sidebar of her blog.

This is my Marmalade wall hanging going to my friend Barbina. Yes! It's going to live in Germany! The color in the first photo isn't great but I wanted you to see the little birdie clips I just got. I found them in a little shop for 50 cents apiece! I used this pattern.

I finished my Ruby quilt top but didn't want to squeeze too many photos in this post. And I finished the blocks for my Summersville quilt. I feel like I've been somewhat productive but that may be because it's too HOT to go anywhere! Did I mention the HEAT again? I promised myself I wouldn't. 

    Have a wonderful weekend. It's almost here! 

My Tote Runneth Over

When it gets too hot to sew in the afternoon, I pull out my granny squares to work on. They live in this beautiful knitting...err...crochet tote that Cindy made for me. My yarn and granny squares LOVE it. It has roomy compartments both inside and out.

Perfect side pocket.....take a break and have some (iced) tea!!

It looks like time to turn these blocks into something!!

Sneak peak of my Marmalade Wall hanging

And because I'm about to start an embroidery project (cause I don't have enough projects going on) I "collected" these adorable union jack scissors to go in my new purse. 

Lucy is having a fantastic embroidery giveaway over at her blog. If you hurry, you might just make it!

One last item, lest anyone think I'm not sewing away in the cool of the morning! Here is one of my Summersville blocks. I'm very excited about this quilt! I'm using all the colorways...green, orange, black, turquoise and red!

Have a super weekend! It's almost here! xoxo

A Little Sentimental

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. Marcel Proust

I was recently in my first swap! I've heard both good and bad stories about swaps so I was thrilled when this one turned out to be better than better!! So much thought and care went into the gifts that Hadley sent me. Every single item is a treasure. I'm going to use my purse as a gathering spot for my embroidery items. Do you see the stitchery that Hadley made? It makes my heart smile!

Susan sent me a kindness for a kindness done. It must come through clearly that I love all things Cath Kidston! What a perfect sewing kit and I am so grateful. It's really fortunate that there are no Cath stores nearby! I could do so much damage! 

And in case you're not seeing a UK "LOVE" theme here, this should do it!
Helen and Archie sent me this lovely thread catcher and London fabric. I was drooling over one of her thread catchers that appeared on a friend's blog. So when this showed up at my house, I nearly fell over!! It's so pretty that I'd like to wear it!! 

And I love Lucy! I'm sorry....I just could not resist! Lucy sent me a stash of London fabric. Now I have enough to make something really special. The pressure is on! But a very good kind of pressure. I would love to carry around a tote that makes me look like I just got back from a trip to the UK. Seriously, Cindy and I are planning a trip to England. Cindy: It's in writing, now!!

Thank-you to these charming gardeners and to my blogging friends who delight my day. And a very special thank-you to Cindy who has given me many gifts but especially her gift of friendship!

All Over the Map

That's how I feel about my sewing and crochet right now. I've been skipping around projects on a whim. I'll blame it on the weather. It has been so hot in the Central Valley of California. I was fortunate to visit my sister in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past week where the cool breezes and clear blue sky were a treat! Of course, we always eat too much!

Besides attempting to burn some calories, I did finish one small project on my return. I've been collecting Liberty Tana Lawn fabric for quite some time. I buy it in charm square size as that is what's most affordable. Eager to make something but hesitant to sew the patches into a quilt, I decided to make a scarf.  I enjoy wearing scarves so I knew this would be a fun and practical use for some of my pinky and purply squares.

I backed the scarf with a lovely piece of flowered Kaffe Fassett fabric and added a crochet edging. I've also added some decorative hand stitching which I need to finish. 
In the very near future, I'll be sharing some treasured gifts from blogging friends and if all goes well..... another completed project. Until then...........

Linking up to TNT Thursdays!