Thursday, February 25, 2016

Adios February

I can't believe how the past week has flown.  Here we are approaching the end of February already.  I must be getting old!

A week ago today I had the most delightful day at Quilt Con.  The quilts were amazing, but even better than that was meeting up with so many quilters whom I have followed through their blogs, bees and e-mails.  I was terrible with my camera as I was enjoying the company way too much, but you will have to trust me when I said I loved every minute of it.  Lunch and dinner were both fabulous and gave us such a good opportunity to chat with each other.  I hope Pasadena has recovered from all of the fun.

This week has involved a lot of yard work so sewing was on the back burner.  My cacti are all blooming.  This is a special one as it is a section from a plant that once belonged to my grandmother.  Aren't the colors beautiful?



Right below the cactus are two pots of cyclamen.  These pots are probably 9 or 10 years old, but are just as pretty each year.  I know that I should divide them, but that tasks also keeps being placed on the back burner.  That back burner is getting crowded.



My mom has a birthday tomorrow and my sister's is next week so I got busy and did birthday postcards for them.  My sister may read this post so I can't show hers until she receives it, but here is my mom's.



As an update to her hummingbird nest......two little hatchlings appeared last Thursday.  Notice how short their beaks are.  The nest looks big here, but it is about 2" in diameter.  You can imagine how tiny the little birds are.




This is five days later.  They are filling the nest quickly and will soon be flying off.  ;-(   You can see the beaks starting to form a point,



As well this week I quilted my Hillside Houses quilt.  I ended up doing a Wiggle Worm quilting pattern on it.  I had wanted to do special quilting on each house, but I just wanted to get it finished.





 Loved the little houses for the backing....


It is now residing at the foot of the guest room bed.


Speaking of guest room.....our guest room is going to be filled for the next few weeks with our dear friends from the U.K.  They arrive tomorrow so I will be away from the computer as we enjoy our time together.  Stay well and enjoy your stitching while I am away.




29 comments:

  1. My Christmas Cacti are starting to bud (Easter bloom?) again. I have saved all the files for the house pattern - I was in love the first time I saw it on your blog. I think the quilting you chose works wonderfully - it is enough texture yet doesn't take away from the design of the quilt.

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  2. I think the best part of QuiltCon is meeting online friends. Maybe I'll meet you next time. Enjoy your company.

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  3. You got to spend a day at Quiltcon? How wonderful!

    Your flora and fauna are also wonderful and so is your quiltiness.

    Your Hillside Houses is gorgeous! This quilt is on my to-do list.

    Baby hummingbirds. Amazing. They must be really tiny.

    The postcard is sew lovely.

    The flowers are beautiful.

    It is late winter blahs here, so this post was a real pick me up.

    Thank you for sharing ... :) Pat

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  4. I love your hillside houses. The quilting suits the quilt well, and it looks just right in your guestroom. I love the little hummingbird babies and your postcard for your mum. Wish the birthday girls Happy Birthday. Enjoy your time with your visitors.

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  5. My cactus is not thinking of blooming, but my cyclomen is getting buds. Your cacti are gorgeous and how special that it's from your grandmother's plant. Love your house quilt! The colors are so cheerful and happy. Enjoy your visit!

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  6. Glad you enjoyed Quilt Con, from the looks of the photos I have seen there were lots of great quilts and inspiration...how fun to have meet ups with blog friends :) Your house quilt is a beauty and that is a perfect backing!

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  7. It was absolutely lovely meeting you and seeing what a fun lady you are--thanks for making the drive out to see us all and to meet us. I really enjoyed talking with you, and can see I'm going to have to run to keep up with you--a good thing. Your flowers/cacti are beautiful and your line "the back burner is getting pretty crowded" made me laugh, as I can relate. Have a great time with your friends.
    Elizabeth

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  8. Your hummingbird card for your mom is fantastic! Thank you for sharing pics of those sweet baby hummingbirds. Too cute! And I love your quilt. Beautiful work!

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  9. Enjoy your guests! There going to love the quilt at the end of their bed. Lovely!
    Your flowers are gorgeous!

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  10. I can't wait to see flowers in bloom. Daffodil shoots are emerging from the frozen ground. Happy Birthday to the ladies in your life!! What an inviting guest room and a lovely new quilt addition to keep your guests feeling at home. Enjoy!

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  11. Beautiful flowers, cyclamen is one of my favourite flowers. Can you separate them easily? Wow! The hummingbird nest is so tiny!! The card you made for your mum is beautiful. I love the colours! The backing fabric of your The Hillside Houses quilt is so perfect and the quilting is lovely! The quilt looks picture perfect in the guest room, Mary! Have fun with your friends :)

    -Soma

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  12. What a gorgeous card for your mom! And the hummingbird photos are so awesome!

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  13. Your quilt is stunning! Glad you had a great time! Enjoy your guests.

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  14. Your quilt is stunning! Glad you had a great time! Enjoy your guests.

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  15. Your quilt is fabulous, enjoyed the flowers

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  16. Beautiful Christmas cactus. I just love that plant but mine is so sad looking. I can't seem to get it to perk up. I put it out in our backyard before coming to the ranch so it will probably be dead when I return to El Paso. I really like how your house quilt turned out. I have that quilt on my to-do list...

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  17. Strange winter; but, I'm not complaining. Enjoy your company!

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  18. enjoyed all your pics.....the cactus is lovely! Reminds me of one I had years ago when I was living in my Grandmother's old home. I had taken the half dead Christmas cactus and put it out on the back enclosed porch.....forgot all about it til one day I went to get something else and saw the beautiful thing blooming! I really love the hummingbird card! the fabric you used and the stitching really made it look real and the nest is lovely, as well.

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  19. Mary, I love your quilt! (you know how much I love house quilts)I haven't seen hummingbirds since I left Virgina..I forgot how teensy they are! I love your mother's postcard. It is gorgeous.

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  20. Sew pleased you had a wonderful time at Quilt Con... Those little Hummingbirds will have flown away by the time you post again..they are sew cute..
    Beautiful special Cacti and Cycalmens..
    Lovely postcard you made for you Mum...
    The houses on the side of the hill are gorgeous and I like the worm quilting...
    Have a wonderful time with your UK friends ....

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  21. Lucky you to be able to attend Quiltcon. I hope to next year. The house quilt looks great and enjoy your visit with your friends.

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  22. Your Christmas Cactus is gorgeous. I wish I had one, I need to find one but I don't see many around here. Your flowers are so pretty. Enjoy your visitors

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  23. Glad you enjoyed your visit to Quilt Con. I saw photos from it on IG and I was little envy not being there as well. Love your Hillside Houses quilt. The quilting pattern is perfect for it! Enjoy your friends visit. Hope you remember to take some photos to show us - Hugs Nat

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  24. Oh my goodness! I am speechless! Trying to get back to blogging. Its nice to be back.

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  25. What a beautiful gift for your mom! I have the hillside house quilt on my list of future projects. I love yours and the quilting looks great.

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  26. Beautiful Cacti and nice to know that you are now able to work in your garden. I made a little start last weekend but weather has turned nasty again. Been the wettest winter on record.
    I see you are making great quilts as usual. I have not been able to visit blogs for a while - as you know sometimes life just takes over. I am sure that Facebook does not help either.
    I'm sure that you are having a great time with your friends right now and if they are the ones from Essex then do tell them it has turned very, very cold. Off to catch u p with you a bit Mary.

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  27. The Plaid is beautiful.
    The pictures are so sweet of the little birds.
    Snowy greetings
    Antje

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  28. Oh my goodness. Mary it is as if someone designed that backing fabric just for your Hillside Houses. It looks wonderful quilted in such a simple way!

    That's wonderful that you had so much fun at QuiltCon!
    I hope you enjoy every minute of your friends' visit too!

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  29. I just love my front yard and back yard hummingbirds. I had always wondered about nests and babies, etc.

    And your house quilt is just beautiful.

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