A New Look and summer continues....

Do you notice the new look of my blog? What do you think? I don't like to change it often but I chose my first background so quickly and have really wanted to change it for a while. When "V" first created her picture mosaic for her blog, I was in awe. I told my daughter I wanted to do that because I had been thinking of something like that that reflected the title of my blog. Well, my daughter went to the link provided by V and created one on her blog and it turned out so sweet. I worked on it this evening and figured it out myself. Along with the new background and the buttons I added last night, I am thinking I like it for now! I must admit, though, that I am already thinking of new pictures to change it out. Like this one, maybe...

A view of the skyline of the big city of Seattle from our side of the water. Not bad of a picture for my camera--you can even see the Space Needle!

I was over in Seattle Mon-Wens. this past week and stayed in one of those tall buildings--the Westin Hotel. It was a conference for schools. It was great and we accomplished a lot--but it was during such hot days. Glad to be back on "the peaceful side."

Do you remember this adorable baby quilt that I made for little Joshua?

Then came the special day he arrived into this world...

I was lucky enough to finally get some pictures of him with his quilt.

Enjoy! He is so adorable!

I am wishing they didn't live so far away on the east coast because I so want to kiss those precious little cheeks! Doesn't it look like he likes his quilt?!

My friend, Sherri of A Quilting Life has a section of the quilt made from this pattern as the header on her blog. I contacted her right after I started blogging and asked her where to get the pattern because I loved it! She connected me with the shop that had designed the pattern and I was able to purchase it! I plan to be working on this very soon.

Because I don't have border fabric I will be tweaking the pattern a bit--I think you will like what it looks like and how it reflects something about me!

The following two pictures are some of the fabrics that I have collected for this quilt~

They are from the Cider Mill Road collection designed by Nancy Halvorsen.

Thought you might like a little peak at the current "home" of my triple irish chain table topper that I was lucky enough to win from Sheri Howard's giveaway. I love how it looks here!

I picked up this wooden bowl from a garage sale, layed the fabric inside and put these wonderful real looking strawberries inside for the fresh summer look! I like it--a lot!

Now this picture is in my header but I wanted to show you a picture that I have hanging in my dining room that reflects my love of apples and quilting! I really like this picture--I apologize for the slight glare.

This apple bowl is also a new find at a garage sale in June. The same store where I got the life like strawberries is where I got these apples....you can tell they are not real up close, but I think they look cute in there anyway. I'm not usually one for "fake" fruit decorations!!!!

In the middle I put an apple spice candle for the fun smell!

This picture is of another new apple find at a recent yard sale!

And these, too! I like them and got them for a very good deal!

Well, thanks for taking a look at some of my apple inspirations, my new blog and some fun summer sewing! I would love feedback on my new blog look and of course, I always love comments! You are all amazing! Have a wonderful weekend!

Dotti

What are summers made of......

What are SUMMERS made of?

A little of this.....

a LOT of this.......

A little of this.....

Some of this....

And a LOT of this.....

That's what Summers are made of!

Here's hoping that your summer is just as wonderful!!!

Dotti

An Awesome Giveaway!!!!!

You are going to love this fun giveaway that Jodi of Simply, this, that and the other is having! She created this beautiful tutorial for the moda bake shop and is going to give them away to a couple of very lucky winners! Check out her blog and also, give her some comments of love over at the Moda Bake Shop! Have fun and good luck!

That Jodi is one creative gal!

Dotti

My First Quilts

My First Quilt

Thanks to Camille and Carrie for hosting this wonderful parade of quilts! Just wish we could share in person, don't you?!

The actual first quilt I made was for my mom in 1974. I was a newly married woman learning to quilt with a friend. My masterpiece was a pink and lavendar gingham nine patch with a ruffle all the way around. I was so excited to have my mom open that gift! She loved it and had it for many years but now, we have no idea where it is and we don't know that it exists in any pictures. After that I made tied blankies for my little kiddos and a few appliqued ones for gifts but when I seriously got back into quilting for my pleasure it was about 1996. I was also into stenciling at the time and my friend, Laurene, had this pattern for a stenciled quilt square. That summer I stenciled 12 squares on muslin and I think they turned out wonderfully. (It definitely added to the severity of my carpal tunnel....but who's keeping track?!) When I was designing this quilt I wanted to use these two homespuns together. The funny part of it is that I cut all of the homespun on the plaid lines--at this point had not used or been introduced to a rotary cutter! With the help of Laurene, I found someone who had just gotten a long arm quilter and was willing to do stippling "practice" on it. She did great! My work wasn't perfect but I actually really like the charm of this quilt. In the middle of each star I put a natural colored button.

My most recent finished quilt is this fun and bright flannel quilt! I love the colors--it makes me smile when I look at it! Not fancy, just fun!

I have learned lots about quilting since the first quilts, but the main things are that rotary cutters are a must and if it's worth spending precious time on creating a lovely quilt, it's worth spending money on fabric that you love!

Thanks for looking at my quilts!

Dotti

Shop Hop Adventure--Day Four

Shop Hop--Last Day....:( and a little :l and a little :) You'll understand why as I show you this wonderful day!

Last night after coming home from day three, my right knee was very sore. (I have 2 bad knees that flare up occassionally--will someday need replacements--until then I am as careful as I can be.) I must have twisted or moved wrong or something. I thought it would feel better in the morning but I was wrong. It was swollen and some worse. I took ibuprofen, grabbed an elastic bandage wrap and did my best to make it through. I couldn't stop NOW!

Our first stop today is in Bellevue, WA at Quiltworks NW. I didn't get a picture of the outside of the store as I was hobbling along. I was so excited, though, to see my friend, Laurene! I must tell you that I met Laurene in 1973 right after I was first married and she is the one who taught me about quilting. Even though it has been a lot of years since we have lived in the same town, she and I connect and get together as often as we can. Unfortunately for both of us, this time had been about 5 years since we had seen each other. We had planned to meet today and shop hop together. Here we are! So fun! I really love Laurene! She is a very talented lady in every way that you can imagine.

This is the Quiltworks NW shop hop block. Very cute!
Sorry that my pictures may be a bit skimpy but between hobbling, visiting with Laurene, and looking around, well, you can understand. This is the "dessert" table set up. How fun!
Becca is trying to get desserts at the table before me.............:l
This quilt was in the room where you get your passport stamped. A lady there said that there were no pictures allowed because these quilts were from copyrighted patterns. I said, "I'm not interested in stealing the patterns. I am blogging about the shop hop and want to show examples of how beautiful your shop is. " She just smiled at me!

Not great camera skills, but a great picture of my Kristina girl doing a "Vanna" pose by the display for a children's class!

After lunch and a bit of a drive, we arrive at the Quilter's Garden in Duvall! When I get out of the car, I cannot hardly walk. Not even hobbling. After a little time, I finally hobble slowly inside this shop. It was small and crowded and the stamping people were not very patient with my apparent "disability."

This is their block!

On to the Woodinville Shop--
My mom had her cane (which she does not rely on) in the car so she insisted that I use it to go into this shop. She was so sweet to be worried about me but apparently there is an art to using a cane correctly because it didn't seem to help much!

Their block--so cutest!

I loved this quilt with a regional flair!

And this one, too!

Dresden in blue--how pretty!

Beautiful applique!

The final stop of our 2009 Shop Hop! This little "spot" is called Country Village in Bothell! Such a fun place and the quilt shop was in a building that looked like an old barn. I loved it!

I almost forgot that I could barely walk.

Becca got this great (ugh) picture of me looking at the quilt I was admiring made with the Prairie Paisley fabric line. It was one of my favorites. Wanted to take it down, put it on the grass and just relax!

What a fun entrance!

Isn't this inside charming! I just LOVE it! I didn't get many quilt patterns but they have quilts everywhere and lots and lots of fabric organized in fabric lines. They also have lots of patterns. These ladies were just the sweetest. When I finally made it up to the cutting counter, I was sweating because I was hurting and hot. I explained to the lady that this was my fourth day of "hopping" and that I had inflamed my knee. She was very sympathetic and she went and got a wet and dry paper towel for me to cool my face. She was very sweet to Kristina, too, which always earns a few smiles from me!

Well, I guess I should have a grande finale type of photo, but I don't! A painful knee did not make me a very good blogger! We had sooooooooo much fun, met many wonderful people, spent way too much money, saw many beautiful works of art, saw some beautiful scenery in this gorgeous state of ours and even spent the last day shop hopping with my dear friend! We had endless laughing and smiling as we shared this adventure together. An awesome event that I hope we are fortunate enough to do again next June! Thanks for joining us on our shop hop adventures!

Dotti