Challenge reveal, trips here and there

A little over a month ago I was working on a secret FAB challenge that I could not show you. We knew that all the packages had arrived at their destinations and made arrangements to be on messenger last night at an arrived upon time with present and cameras in hand. So now we can share with bloggerland what we have been up to. I tell you, the hardest part for me was not sharing pictures with the non-receipients ahead of time!!

You see, Pam and Norma picked out a piece of running eights at Joann's went they met up earlier this summer for challenge purposes. Shortly thereafter Pam mailed out a section to Cher, Pat and I after names were pulled of who we sent a surprise to. Not only did we need to use a bit of all the fabrics in the half yard--each shade of purple--but were to make something that can be used. No quilts but wallhangings or table mats were okay.

Above you see what Pat made for me--isnt't it the coolest thing? She made her own gift tags and had the pieces wrapped up so prettily. I don't know that she knew it at the time but she used the same graphics that I do on my blog from Graphic Garden to make the tags--link in the sidebar. She made me a Wonder Wallet which I needed to replace my coin purse which is shot. a coin purse/zippered pouch with the purple on the inside of the bag, a cute tissue holder and adorable green purse trimmed with the purples from a placemat! There was also some cute kitten notecards and a tin of itty bitty cinnamon hearts thrown in the box along with some fabric she was returning to me from the quilts she had done and a nice big chunck of batting for filler. Thanks so much, Pat. I will treasure these items. Please visit the other blogs to see their reports and pictures--links above.

Below is what I made for Pam---Stitch Notes by Leslie D. Anderson of "My Time"--these were her Amish Sampler patterns, I believe. The kit had been hanging on my pegboard above the cutting/pressing table for years. Since foundation piecing is what brought Pam and I together way back in 98, I thought it was appropriate especially since we were working with a limited color palette. She keeps saying that they are too pretty to use! I know I made some Christmas foundation pieced cards one year and my sister-in-law wanted to frame hers. Pam might do the same, she said.



So what have I been doing since I last posted? I DID go up to my brother's home in TN last week as planned leaving at 0533 on Wednesday to go up and oddly, 0533 on Friday to come home. Pictured are we three siblings (there are three others) and the 13 and under crowd of nieces and nephews. My SIL and gracious hostess was taking the picture. I'm the oldest of the 6 so I think you know which one is ME. Sorry but the thing won't click bigger for some odd reason nor would the cards---Pam will post on hers if you have to see them bigger.

Later Jan's husband and my youngest brother and his wife ( and 4 of these kids' parents) would arrive from Illinois. My SIL Jan and I went out to lunch on Wednesday with my friend Cindy who lives in the next town over while the rest of the group went to the Nashville water park. I went back to Cindy's till late afternoon so we could visit a bit longer. Friday my brother took my sister and I out to lunch and on to see the Hermitage while SIL Jan took the kids to the pool. Other than that we hung out at the house and visited. And ate---well!

I look and WAS hot as I had just gotten back from walking the dog around Five Oaks golf course and up pretty good hill. At 10 something in the morning in 85 degree heat at least. I can walk the 2 plus miles easily as I normally go 3.3 miles 6 days out of 7 but that is on relatively flat land. I was panting almost as bad as Max by the time we hit the clubhouse area and sat down in the first spot of shade I spotted. A woman who worked at the course saw us and asked if we wanted a drink--her cart had broken down. She came with a big glass of water for us both and a big cup of ice for me. What a sweetie! My SIL said that she has talked with this same woman before when she was out walking. The picture above is at the Nickajack rest stop near Chattanooga on the way home. I would be getting off 1-24 and heading south to AL on I-59 not long after this was taken and through the worst of the steep grade road.

Tuesday the Bama Belles and I (7 of us--3 others couldn't make it) took a field trip just over the state line into Georgia to Bowdon and Douglasville. Pat had offered to drive since she could take more folks in her van though we would have taken a car as well if the others had come. I had alerted the owner at Qwiltz that we were coming and she gave us a special sale of 25% off and if we took the end of the bolt on a stack of fabrics she had set aside then we got another 5% on top of that. I got 4 half yards of fall fabric and two fats of same as well as this Texas Trellis pattern. The shop owner designed the template set for Drunkard's Path and I knew that when I asked where they were in shop. She gave us all a quick demo and sold 3 more sets! Smart lady! Pretty slick way to make these things though it is done in a not conventional sewing manner--which works a lot better, I might say. The set came in 3, 4, 5 and 6 inch and she gave us the 2 inch one for our keyrings. (She had used that size for a santa nose wallhanging on view at the shop. Too clever)

From there we went to a Mexican restaurant near the quilt shop that they recommended and then took a vote whether we went to a fabric shop in nearby Carrolton (that might have two l's) or went on to Joann's in Douglasville. Joann's won since there were coupons burning holes in some of the lady's pockets, LOL. I got a stack of fasteners only because I wanted the container for DJ and a seam ripper and set of paper scissors since both of mine needed replacing. Got home about 6 in the rain--which we need badly.

Other than that I have basically been sewing on that fall project which I finished foundation piecing last night just before the FAB reveal. I had entertained the notion of doing turkeys--- this one in particular which I had re-drawn in EQ5 (6 wouldn't open but tech support got me straightened out--yahoo!) but changed my mind and picked another fall item that had not be added to the robin yet. The floor in here needs a rake and the dust and lint is flying, LOL! I still have one more to do--jailhouse rock theme with a deadline of 8-8 but not today. I need to clean up the mess from the last one first!! If I have any time left, I think I'll finish up that last snowman block. (oh, I could help the person who inquired about those in comments if they will give me their email address, please and thank you. No reply blogger is not a help in this case)

Have a great day in whatever you chose to do----