I did mention that I was clowning around at last night's guild meeting, didn't I? Isn't it a darling costume? This won the first place ribbon at our quilt show last month, in the "wearables" category. Kari Hawkins was the designer/creator. It was really cute, and incredibly WARM! But I honored to be able to wear it and show it off for her!
The other wearable that was shown off last night (it won President's choice, best of show) was a beautiful vest that I'd love to have! I can't decide if I'm up to making one, or if I want to commission the woman who made it to make *me* one! :)
The Stitcher's Group met at McAlister's Deli for dinner before the guild meeting last night. It was a lot of fun! It's nice to get to know a smaller group of women within the guild. The Huntsville guild is so large -- 350+ members -- it's easy to feel lost! Having a "group" makes it a lot more fun!
You know what else makes a guild meeting more fun?? How about WINNING! I got my nametag raffle ticket (which you get for wearing, well, your nametag) and I purchased $2 in tickets. Can you believe -- I didn't win one doorprize, I won TWO!!!!! Isn't that just FUN?!?!! The first thing I won was four lovely blue fat quarters, and a $15 gift certificate from Quilter's Refuge. The first guild meeting I ever attended, I won a gift certificate from them. It's where I purchased all the neutral fabric in the Grand Hands quilt, and Matt's block in that same quilt. I know I'll have fun shopping there! The second one I won was a darling Moda cupcake package from Patches & Stitches! I've looked at that for a while; what a happy to be able to bring it home!
I also signed up for my first quilter's retreat last night. I'm not doing the Sewanee trip, with the guild, because that's in January (and I'm traveling to Atlanta for my nephew's wedding). But the Stitcher's Group is going to Grand Oak Retreat in Scottsboro in February for a four-day quilt-in! This is so cool -- I've known about Grand Oak since it was just blueprints! We did the iron work for it and I know it's impressive! So I'm very much looking forward to it. Plus the owner, Cindy Hildebrand, is a lovely lady and a quilter herself. It will be a wonderful time!
I finally got a photo of the rooster wall hanging . . . took me long enough, I know! I'll stitch around the applique this weekend . . .
I still haven't decided for sure & for certain, what to do in the corners. Input, please?!?
Are you wondering what, exactly, is the green thing across the bottom? It's a pool float tube (noodle-thingie). They make GREAT tools to roll hand work around, to carry it to-and-fro, so it doesn't get wrinkled. I have several cut into different sizes -- I use them a lot when I'm working on a quilt-as-you-go project. You just poke a pin through the fabric into the noodle to hold it in place. Nifty idea, non?
Speaking of kitchen tools (I know, I wasn't, but I think like spaghetti, remember?), here's a gander at one of my all-time-favorite-how-did-I-live-without-it tools:
It's a hand-held electric shredder.
It's light, fast, dishwasher-safe, and I don't ever have to worry about grating my fingers.
It's got three blade options -- slice, shred, and grate -- all of which work perfectly nicely. The shredding is perfect for fresh Parmesan cheese. I got this two years ago (thanks, Mom) from William & Sonoma. At the time, Todd laughed, because he figured this would be another one of those 'gadgets' that are short-lived. But no, this one has proved itself over and over and over. It will definitely make the RV short list!
I was in the kitchen this morning, taking pictures of birthday brownie bites! My friend, Jennifer, who gifted me with the flowering tea and tea pot last week, celebrates her birthday this weekend! She loves chocolate, so I definitely wanted to oblige!
These are similar to the ones I made last weekend and never got a picture of. I use store-bought brownie bites and store-bought frosting that I doctor. The canned frosting is so soft, and doesn't hold a piped shape nicely. So I add about a cup of sifted confectioner's sugar to a cup of frosting. Then I added butter flavoring to the white frosting, and chocolate flavoring to the chocolate icing. It makes it much thicker and easier to manipulate through the decorating tube. I put the royal icing pumpkins on the chocolate-topped morsels, and opalescent sprinkles on the white!
Of course, tasty birthday treats are lonely without a gift, so I had to do something a little more (and special). I'm all about memory-making gifts, so here's what I made for Jen . . .
I hope she's as excited about this as I am! I won't tell you what I've got planned for us on that day, but it *will* be fun!
Tomorrow, my darling husband's secret plan will be revealed . . . I'm so excited! I don't know anything but that we'll have a blast!!!! He did tell me I could bring my hand work, so we must be doing a little driving. I can't wait to take pictures and share our fun weekend!!! For now, though, I need to be off to work and about today's business!
Happy Friday, ya'll!
:)
