Little Bits

Spring is finally here although I really cannot complain about our mild winters.  It is always nice to see the new life coming to the gardens as well as blooms bursting forth on fabrics.

The Block Lotto blocks for this month called for posies in blues, purples, pinks and reds.  This was a really fun pattern and will make a great quilt.

A walk around the garden awakens the sights and smells at this time of the year.

The kumquats get the canning season off to a productive start.  Yummy marmalade awaits.

I've been sewing as well, but not a lot to show for the time spent.  I've been working on a Round Robin and thoroughly enjoying it.  Since it is a surprise, I cannot show it yet.

March has brought lot of fun blocks to my mailbox from our Spelling Bee.  Can you guess the theme of my requested words?  The used fabrics are just as exciting as the words.....such clever participants!

I am one of those people who have always loved batik fabrics and I was fortunate enough to recently win a giveaway of some of the Island Batiks from Jocelyn's giveaway at Happy Cottage Quilter.  These batiks are so soft and unlike many other batiks.  They will be fun to sew.

Linda is this month's Mid Century Modern Bee queen this month and requested some mini Churn Dash blocks.  I popped mine in the mail and completely forgot to photograph them before I sent them on their way.  This is going to make an amazing finish.  You can check out her blocks HERE on Flickr.

Our youngest son and his family will be home later this week for Easter.  The computer time will be limited while we enjoy their visit so I wish all of you who celebrate a very Happy Easter.

Resurfacing

We have had such a fabulous two weeks with our house guests, but all good things must come to an end.  As they flew back "over the pond" overnight, our household seemed very quiet this morning.  It is now time to get back to the normally scheduled programming.  I feel as though I have been out of touch with blogging and will catch up as time allows.

While the guys were away on the links, the gals were home and busily sewing up a storm, shopping and just having fun catching up.  I must say that I worried that all of the fun would not fit into the suitcases at the end of the day, but with bags bulging at all corners we bid our farewells.

So.....what did we sew????  Quilts, quilts and more quilts - all completed except the binding which can be done at a relaxing pace in England.

Goodnight Irene - a quilt she has wanted to make for sometime and it was lovely.

This one was gorgeous in a pink/green batik.

The hearts were for her niece who will be getting married this year.  It was a Moda Bake Shop pattern that we were both terribly discouraged with it in the end.  The hearts are designed to be sidewards if you follow the instructions.  A small twist would have made them upright as the photos on the site show.  Also the measurements were way off - a full 12".  The heart rows were also 2" off in their measurements - a much bigger challenge than expected and very disappointing.

This zig zag quilt is done with squares and really gave us another challenge, but turned out so beautifully.  We were both seeing zig zags by the time we were finished.

While our friends were here, their daughter Skyped with them on Mother's Day (in the UK) to tell them they were going to be grandparents again.  Of course we had to add another quilt with soft minky fabric on the back.

As well, during the last week my sister who lives in Alaska came down and we had a fun day quilting her scrap quilt.  The colors (pinks, purples, blues and greens) in the photos do not do this one justice, but it was gorgeous - both front and back.  She did an amazing job on it.

I have loads more to post, but will close this one off with some final pictures of the growing hummingbirds.

They have now "flown the coop", but low and behold, a new hummingbird nest was discovered in a plant on my mom's back patio so the fun begins again.