Paper Piecing with Lanelle

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Barb

Lanelle had a big surprise for us at our recent JSS Bee gathering.  She brought out a bag and began walking around the room, handing out blocks to each of us.

 

I especially love the look on Cindy’s face.  I think she was shocked with her good fortune of the day.  She had already hijacked Susan’s giveaway winnings (see the Aug 28th blog) and now she was just certain that Lanelle was giving us all a gift.  Either that or she was just blown away with the workmanship on the block she was handed.  All of our jaws dropped to the floor to think that Lanelle had pieced such blocks.

But Lanelle, as evidenced by the wiping of her brow, assured us that her blood, sweat and tears had gone into these blocks.

Look at the face on that little racoon!  Incredible piecing.  Unbelievable blocks.

And they just kept coming……

What?  Lanelle made all these and kept them a secret?  Lanelle, where have you been hiding these?

Cute chipmunk.

Soon our looks of shock and awe turned into disbelief.  Our Lanelle made these?

And our Lanelle could keep up the pretense no longer.  She finally confessed that they were all made by a former JSSer, Vicki!  Vicki moved away from Texas to……… North Carolina?  South Carolina?  One of those states on the east coast.  Not sure which one.  She left us several years ago never to be heard from again.  Well, last week she was in town visiting and, although she was unable to come to the Bee and visit that day, she sent the blocks with Lanelle.  And Lanelle tried to pass them off as her own.  That trickster Lanelle!

Aren’t these blocks amazing?  Unbelievable detail in each and every one…..

We were all amazed at how exquisite each one was.  And can I just say…. nice nails on the models too…..

I purposely didn’t include these in the show ‘n tell blog yesterday.  I thought these special blocks deserved their very own day.

And you absolutely have to see each and every one.  Blurry pictures included.

Aren’t they just spectacular?

It took us the rest of the day to pick up our jaws from the floor.

This quilt is going to be a show-stopper for sure.

I hope that someone is sending the link to the blog to Vicki.  Because I have something to tell her.  Vicki, you are absolutely forbidden from sending any quilt blocks to JSS Bee ever again!…….. 

Aren’t the skunks incredible?

……. unless you hand carry the blocks to Bee yourself.  We miss you, Vicki and would sure love to see you!

We’re all hoping that if you come and rub shoulders with us, some of that amazing paper piecing talent will rub off.  Thanks for sharing through that crafty Lanelle.

Texas hugs all the way to one of those Carolinas,
Barb

Posted in quilts | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Bee Day – Show ‘n Tell!

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Barb

Just another day at the JSS Bee — and more fabulous Show ‘n Tell!  These gals are amazing when it comes to quilting.  So inspiring!  So motivating!  I hope the pictures inspire and motivate you too.
 

This pretty quilt was made by Betty.  Betty makes her quilts from start to finish with no help from anyone.  And she accomplishes a lot!  This particular one has Trash to Treasure fabric on the back.  That Betty is a wonder!

Here’s Madelyn with a cool Dresden Plate block that she is appliquéing.  Good job, Maddy!

Another beautiful quilt made by Betty.  Love the colors!

Pat’s pretty Lone Star quilt, that she just got back from longarm quilter, Libby.  Aren’t the hearts in the quilting nice?  Good job, Pat!

Pat brought additional Show ‘n Tell – her Mom!  They have the same twinkle in their eyes.  And I apologize for the blurriness of this pic.  Blame the photographer for sure!  I just wanted you to see Pat’s Mom so decided to include it anyway.   I’ll do better next time, Pat.  Bring Mom back!

Kay has been working hard on some fabulous embroidery.  Now she just needs to add borders to this one and it’s finished.  I love the snowmen!

Aren’t they just the cutest things?

We may or may not have seen this one by Karen on the blog before.  If we can’t remember, we figure you can’t remember either!  And it’s always good to see a beautiful quilt again.

This great quilt by Pam was made with last year’s challenge fabric.  Again, if you’ve seen it before, you just needed to see it again.

Karen and Pam had all kinds of stories to tell about their adventures in making these table runners for Karen’s daughter’s wedding which is coming up in how many days, Karen?  She can tell you the exact number of days and hours to go.  Something about threading a serger or some such nonsense.  You’d think it was rocket science or something.  Oh, wait a minute.  It is rocket science.  Have you ever tried to thread a serger?  Yep, rocket science.

Look at this Halloween wall hanging made by Tracie.  Those are the happiest ghosts I’ve ever seen.  Great job, Tracie!

Tracie made this one too – with cute little woodland creatures.  Love it!

This quilt of Susan’s, but made by Judy, showed up for Bee even though Susan didn’t.  I know.  It’s complicated.  But the quilt is wonderful.

Judy made this great T-shirt quilt for her son, who loves airplanes.

The quilting really adds the perfect touch, doesn’t it?

Sally made this cute bunny to donate for the Silent Auction at our guild’s Quilt Show next month.  What a cute bunny!

And this one was made by Kay for the Auction too.  You all should come to the quilt show to bid on these great quilts!

Suz showed this quilt last month at Bee, but you really needed to see it again.

Because it was important for you to see the quilting up close and personal.

Isn’t it spectacular?   I’d like to whisk this one away in my bag sometime when Suz isn’t looking.

Hope you enjoyed the show this month!  Until next time…..

Happy Quilting!
Barb

Posted in quilts | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Stones in My Salad

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Barb

Bee Day again for the JSS gals.  Once again, our hostess, Nancy, was very creative.  She decided to serve “Stone Salad” for lunch, a take-off on stone soup.  For those of you who don’t know about stone soup and the legend behind it, you can read all about it on Wikipedia, or this version:  The Story of Stone Soup.  I love the last line of the story.  “There is no secret, but this is certain:  it is only by sharing that we may make a feast.”  Good words!

So we were all invited to bring an ingredient to add to the salad to make a delicious lunch.  And the creative ladies of JSS came through with some really fabulous things!

Nancy had big bowls in which to toss the ingredients when it was time for lunch.  Lettuce, sugared pecans, cranberries, eggs, berries, mushrooms and maybe artichoke hearts in the can (?) had already arrived at this point.  As well as a yummy cucumber salad in its own separate bowl.  Nancy started with a “stone” and got lots of ingredients.  What a fun idea!

But first, we absolutely had to have breakfast.  It’s just not a JSS gathering without multiple meals in one day.  And appetizers.  And dessert.  You do remember how we like to eat, right?

Look at these yummy jelly/pastry/sugar things just out of the oven.  Oh, my!  They were just as delicious as they look.

And how about this banana bread?  Have you eaten yet today?  Sorry. 

This plate was full when Nancy set it down.  You can see we didn’t waste any time grabbing slices and gobbling them up.  I couldn’t take a picture fast enough.  Or maybe it was because I had my mitts in the banana bread and didn’t want to get sticky stuff on the camera.  Something like that.

Look Susan!  We even made a plate for you.  With coffee on the side.  I ate it all for you.  Wasn’t that nice of me?

And then as everyone was arriving, chatting and solving the problems of the world,  I took the opportunity to snap a few pics of smiling faces.

Cindy and Betty’s smiling faces always make me smile too.

And how about Suz, Judy and Sally?  Sally is smiling big because she has breakfast in her hand.  We’re all about the food you know.

Kay definitely enjoyed her pastry too.  I think I had six of them.  But who’s counting?

Pat, Tracie and Pam were definitely enjoying the day.  Laughter is the name of the game with this group!

Before we knew it, it was time for lunch.  Didn’t we just finish breakfast?  What does that have to do with anything?

Tracie shows off the big bowls of salad.

And, lest you think Tracie got it all ready by herself, I made Nancy join her for a picture.

There were four, count them four, different homemade dressings to try.  I used them all because I couldn’t decide which one I wanted.  I just wasn’t in a decision-making mood.

Here’s my plate.  Doesn’t it look delicious?  Once again, I apologize if you haven’t eaten in awhile.  Go fix something quick!  Because dessert is coming up and you sure don’t want to view that on an empty stomach.

First you have to see that little star up close.  Sue O won the prize for the most creative “stone.”  It’s jicama and if you don’t know what that is, you can click on it and read all about it.  I must admit I only met jicama recently myself and it adds a nice extra crunch to a salad.  But Sue really went the extra mile when she cut it into little stars.  And she really did win a prize from Nancy!

There were even appetizers.  Like this cream cheese log with raspberry chipotle sauce to put on crackers.

And these cheesy logs.  And hummus.  Didn’t we just finish breakfast?  Oh, yeah.  Who cares.

Here is the dessert bar.  Two homemade cheesecakes with strawberries and/or raspberries.  And hiding just the other side of the raspberry dish was this:

Banana pudding.  Yum.  Cool, creamy banana pudding.  Made by Gloria.  Who also makes fabulous cookies.  Just sayin’.

I had some of everything.  I had to try it all so I could report to you how good it was.  How’s that for an excuse?  Oh, who needs an excuse when JSS food is around.  And can I just tell you……..the cheesecake?  Too delicious for words.  I warned you about being hungry while reading, now didn’t I?

After lunch Nancy gave us a tour.

Here she is showing us the sewing room.  What a fun place!

With great things on the design wall.

And fabulous organized baskets under her cutting table.

This fun display above the cabinet keeps Nancy company while she sews.

It is a very welcome room.  Do you suppose baby bear fainted after washing with Lava soap?

Nancy’s daughter and son had messages on their doors for us – and anyone else in the house, I think….

Nicely decorated, don’t you think?

I didn’t go near her son’s door.  I knew I was not authorized.  Wonder what critters he’s hiding in there?  I didn’t want to know.

Fabulous, beautiful artwork adorns the stairs that lead to Nancy’s sewing room.  You need to see a few of these up close….

Cool flying things……

Love the colors in the sky!

How’s that for a rainbow balloon?

By the way – we got a great group photo while we were at Nancy’s………. 

……………..wearing our hats in honor of Linda.

So if you stop by Nancy’s house, be sure to ask to see the artwork and the sewing room.  But don’t expect to go into the kids’ rooms.

And be sure to ask Nancy about the toaster on the back patio.  I’m certain there must be a good story involved.

Next time?  Show ‘n Tell of the quilts!

Hugs,
Barb

Posted in food | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Susan Gets the Prize!

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Barb

If you’ve been following this blog very long, you know that we recently had our first ever giveaway.  It was announced on August 11 in the post entitled, “A Talented Friend” and the winner was announced on August 14.  Boo helped with the Random Number Generator so that everything was totally random.  And the winner was my dear friend, Susan. 

I wanted to do something special in awarding the prize, so I planned to make a big presentation at our Bee Day this week.  Much to my dismay, Susan called me early that morning to tell me she was sick and wouldn’t be coming to the Bee!  We had discussed via email all week the fact that she had been sick for what seemed like forever – only really has been probably 2 weeks.  Which is the same as forever when sick is involved.  Susan was totally in the dark about my plans.  And I was so disappointed that I decided to go ahead with the presentation at the Bee anyway.  And here are the pictures….. sorry, Susan!
 

First, I asked for a volunteer for the special presentation.  Nobody at the Bee actually knew what it was all about.  Cindy, ever the fun-loving gal that she is, cheerfully volunteered and boy, was she glad she did!

At this point, Susan, aka Cindy (and everyone else too) is trying to figure out exactly what is going on.

This is Susan, aka Cindy, just starting to understand that she is receiving the prize in the real Susan’s absence.

Susan, aka Cindy, is now really happy that she volunteered when I asked for a volunteer.

And the celebration is beginning!
 

This is sort of like sending someone to accept your Academy Award in your absence.  Even if Susan didn’t actually send anyone.  And you’d have thought that Susan, aka Cindy, had indeed received an Oscar.  Or maybe she should get an Oscar for her performance for the pictures?

Susan, aka Cindy, is now ready to take the prize and run.

So she ran right over to give Sally a big hug.  Sally, you see, was the talented friend who designed the pattern that became the first ever giveaway on the blog.  And Cindy, aka Susan, wanted to get it autographed to make it even more special.

Sally was happy to comply.

And she personalized it quite well, don’t you think?

I do believe that Cindy is home stitching up this quilt all hours of the day and night before Susan reads this blog and discovers her beloved winnings have been hijacked.  And as you read this today, I imagine Susan, if she is well enough, is on her way to Cindy’s house to break down the door and steal back what is rightfully hers.

Me?  I’m laying low.  I just wanted to have some cool pictures for the blog, Susan.  It’s not my fault that she got sick and couldn’t be there on presentation day.

And I’m sure that Cindy will give up the pattern.  Just as soon as she finishes her quilt.

Running for cover lest Susan stop at my house on the way to Cindy’s,
Barb

Posted in just stuff | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Linda & the Hats

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Barb

I woke up this morning singing Bennie and the Jets.  You know…..  B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets.  I can hear the music in my head.  Maybe I’ve been hanging out with Lani and her Lyrical Blog too long.  She always puts songs in my head.  Anyway – now you can do L-L-L-Linda and the Hats.  It fits.  I even looked up the rest of the lyrics to that song.  None, I repeat, none of the lyrics were familiar to me.  The only part of the song I can remember is just the title – B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets.  And now I will hear it in my head all day.  Those words and the little musical notes that follow.  Who’s with me?
 

This is Linda.  Wonderful, beautiful Linda.  The one who got this crazy group of women known as the Just Say Sew Bee to do all kinds of swaps and challenges.  The one who has entertained us over and over with Newbie assignments at every JSS Retreat.  The one who makes us wear hats for every occasion.  Dear, sweet Linda and her hubby have bought a house in California.  To be near the grandchildren.  What do they have that we don’t, LaLa?  (That’s what they call her.)  We’re not letting Linda go.  She has to promise to come back for every Bee day.  And every retreat.  And every Christmas party.  We’re not letting her off easy.

Linda is holding in the hat in her hands beautiful hat blocks made by all her JSS sisters.  She thought they were just rolls of fat quarters.  Ha!  We fooled her.  We’ve been working on these for months and months and months and months.  There is even one in the hat from her sister, Connie, in California who kept our little secret.  And Patty – a dear JSS friend who also moved to California.  She sent a block to join in the fun.  Linda was, after all, the one who got us doing all these kinds of blocks together.  So we wanted to do a really special send off for her.  But we’re not letting her leave.  Only if she comes back every month for Bee.  But I already told you that.

But first, as Judy said, “Does anyone have any Show ‘n Tell?” we all donned hats to surprise Linda.  And you need to see these hats!  Notice Judy brought extra hats so Linda could have two of them.  One to hold the fat quarters (teehee) and a nice glitzy cowboy hat with lots of bling for her head.  It’s a Texas thing.  The rest of the world probably wouldn’t understand.

How cute is Cindy in her little straw hat?  Cindy always has the best smile.

And how about Lanelle with her Texas Rangers baseball cap?  Only Lanelle could wear a sideways cap so well.

And here’s Nancy with her Asian hat.  We all thought it was a lamp shade.  And she had a hard time balancing it on her head.  It’s a ponytail thing.

Here are Sue and Gloria in their straw hats.  One smiling hat and one frowning hat, with two smilings gals.

Linda, Suz and Sally.  Suz looks right at home in that baseball cap.  And I think cute Sally should always wear that hat with that dress.  She is ready for the Easter parade.

Kay, Madelyn & Betty with Lanelle standing behind.  All these gals look great in hats!

I use the term “all” very loosely.  Not sure about Judy in this hat.  Cute, Judy, real cute.

And we all decided that Karen just needed some white gloves and she could wear this one to her daughter’s wedding next month.  Not.  I think Kristell would veto that, Karen.

These gals watched with rapt attention as Linda opened her hat quilt blocks.  Apparently Pat was afraid of getting hat hair and took her hat off early.  Tracie and Pam look very cute in their hats! 

Oh.  You want to see the blocks, do you?  I thought you’d never ask…….

Linda unrolled each one carefully and told us who made each one (we autographed them for her.)

She handed them off to Judy who quickly put them up on a flannel board for all to see.  You can tell she did them quickly because her arm is just a big blur.  And I will never remember who made each one so don’t even go there.  You just get to enjoy the blocks.

Here are 12 of the 185 blocks that Linda received.  OK, maybe there weren’t 185.  But it is going to be a pretty big quilt.  Many of the blocks had just a small touch of orange on them because orange is Linda’s favorite color.  Not.  We have been giving Linda grief for years about her hatred of orange.  Poor Linda is having a hard time even reading that last sentence.  Orange, orange, orange, orange, orange.  See how we give Linda a hard time?

We had to bring out another flannel board as Linda continued to open the blocks and shout out who made each one.

And hand them off to Ranger Judy.  Is that a Smokey the Bear hat, Judy?  Cute.

Then Linda opened this very cute girlfriend panel from Linda in Corsicana, another JSS gal who moved away.  We all want one of those Linda.  Lanelle even threatened to move away so we’d all make her some blocks too.

Aren’t these ladies cute?  They look just like us in their cute little hats.  I’m sure Linda will incorporate this into her hat quilt.  She’ll probably have that ready for us to see by next Monday.  The other side of the panel had cute little sayings on it.  Like “Blessed are girlfriends as they bind together the pieces of their lives.”  And “What happens around the teapot, stays around the teapot.”

Here is Linda with all the hat blocks.  We can’t wait to see the quilt, Linda!  Can you finish it quickly please?  In between packing and getting ready to move of course.  I’m sure you’ll have lots of time on your hands, right?

Linda also brought pics of her new house!  So once again I took pictures of the pictures.

What a great kitchen!  Looks like there is plenty of room for JSSers to visit.

And this looked like a new cutting/ironing combination table to all of us.

And this little gem is the guest house out back.  When asked how many JSSers could fit into the guest house at one time, Linda threw her arm out in a large arc and said, “This many” and pointed to the whole room full of gals.  By the way, I think we will be staying in the “detached granny.”  And it looks to me like we will be wall-to-wall JSSers.

Maybe if we’re lucky she’ll let us come into the big house for breakfast.

Enjoy those grandchildren, Linda.  But we will miss you.  A lot.

Already missing Linda and she’s not even gone yet,
Barb

Posted in quilts | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments