International Quilt Festival

WARNING....LEGNTHY POST

I can cross another thing off my bucket list.

International Quilt Festival in Houston.

OMG!  What a show!

Seeing how quilts are interpreted all over the world was inspiring to say the least!

I was on Quilty Cloud 9 the whole 3 days. 

Barb (Mrs Big Pants) had a quilt hanging in the show

She invited me to stay with her at her sisters lovely home in the Houston burbs. 

I think she was afraid that the paparazzi would overwhelm her & needed a Jersey girl to feel safe while walking around the show.

Not every gets a quilt hanging in Houston, ya know. 

Here we are with the Masterpiece. 

Patti is a doll, as is her hubs, Matt. 

And I fell in love with her Gordon Setter, Mac.

(I'm really missing Frannie bad)

Anyhow, I got into Houston late on Tuesday. 

I picked up Barb (HRH) & we met our hosts for dinner and went to bed pretty early.

Wednesday morning I took a fill class with Irena Bluhm. 

Great class!  I got a lot out of it.

My class sample....

On my way to lunch after class, I ran into Gail!

Talk about perfect timing, I was so surprised!

And happy to see her. 

Her Majesty, Barb, had a class so I spent the afternoon & evening catching up with my old friend as we walked around Houston and the show floor.  

We're going to arrange a Quilty/wine excursion in the near future. 

It's been too long. 

The next 2 days we walked the floor and looked at quilts. 

The BOS was gorgeous, by Janet Stone. 

And my friend, Sue Schooch also had a quilt hanging in the show. 

It was fabulous, I was happy to see it. 

No pictures....WWIT?

I bought a few appliqué patterns for Nugette.

And 1 for myself..a great flower wallhanging by Barbara Pershing with lotsa negative space. 

A longarming book by Barbara, too.  (This is a good book, but it was a bit too 'beginner' for me)

Some seriously cute baby girl fabric for my Nuggs....

And some great corals & navy's for some special newlyweds.

And some cute paper piecing flamingo patterns. 

These are the samples. 

Some prewounds in delish colors and baby poop green.

Some seasonal appliqué patterns, snips and a FANCY PURPLE SEAM RIPPER/STILETTO. 

Do you know how long I've been looking for that?

A long time...but I had to send it home with Her Eminence Barb cause of the bloody TSA. 

(she was checking a bag...I was not)

Some Ruler Magic to try out...

I will review this when I finally use it!

Don't hold your breath...

I also made another purchase...but it's a secret for now. 

I'm almost sad ending this post, as I know it's the end of the relentless teasing of my QBFF, Barb.

But, enough is enough. 

Thank God she has a good sense of humor. 

Now, I'm back in Florida with my main squeeze.

Haven't seen him in almost a month!

More good times to come!

**spread kindness like confetti**

Sunday's Offering

I finished this UFO today. 

Not sure what I'll do with it...maybe keep it. 

Or Tootsie.

Or shelf it. 

Or charity.

Who knows?

All I know is that I'll be non stop longarming when I get back to Lola.

Yesterday was Airing of the Quilts. 

I didn't stay long...as in 15 minutes.

The beach was calling my name. 

My first beach day this trip.

Air temp was 88.

Water temp was 81. 

No crowds.

I lay in the sun dreaming of my Nuggette. 

Perfection. 

A good weekend for sure. 

2 sleeps til Houston.

Then back here to lounge & catch up with Murray!

****spread kindness like confetti****

Nugget

Well, a while back, in my post announcing Nugget, I said I thought she was a girl.  

Today, they had the sonogram, and they found out for sure.

There SHE is...

My beautiful little granddaughter. 

In all her glory!

Just as she should be!

My little Nuggette!

She's so cute, I've almost forgiven her father for making me wait all day so we could FaceTime. 

My son is a cruel man. 

Lucky for him I already knew she was a she. 

She looks even smarter, more artistic & beautiful than she did last time. 

Mark my words, you guys are looking at one special kid. 

Jenn is still having a good pregnancy, too.

Of course sweet Nuggette wouldn't want to be any trouble. 

My little Nugette will be here in March!

Do you know how hard it is to get this news all alone?

With no one to share & talk to about it?

My struggle is real. 

Just kidding. 

I'm in friggin paradise!

And I'll soon be a Maizee!

Do you think I should change my blog name to 'Maizee in Paradise'?

I better learn garment sewing...

Think of the adorable pinafores & sundresses I can make. 

I also need to get busy quilting.

She'll need a special quilt in every location. 

And back ups for spit ups and poopy accidents. 

I may put a dent in my pink stash!

(Who am I kiddinng?  Dent, no.  Maybe a ding?)

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!

***spread kindness like confetti***

If Nugget is a girl...

I shall wrap her in this...

Once it's Lolafied, of course.

(I'm getting kind of a dejavu here)

The newlyweds have decided to find out Nuggets sex.

I'm a bit disappointed...I mean how many nice surprises are there in this life?

I'm also wildy excited to find out.

I'm still thinking Nugget is a girl.

But most everyone else thinks boy. 

Either way, I'm sure we will get just the right Nugget for us!

Stay tuned....

***spread kindness like confetti***

If Nugget is a boy...

I will wrap him him in this...

Once it is Lolafied, of course.

In other news, while I was out front photographing the quilt, I ran into Leland. 

He was trimming his palms & offered to trim one that was touching my roof. 

He said they shouldn't touch the roof cause rats live in them. 

When he was cutting the offensive frond, a palm rat ran out of the tree!

And onto my roof!

Gasp!

Gross!

Yikes!

I had never seen one before...

And now that I have, well, it looks like a huge mouse!

Enough said, at least I have an excuse to drink a glass of wine. 

Here's what Leland sawed off, waiting for trash collection.

The weather has been perfect down here, I can't wait for my Murray to come!

He's going to have a blast golfing!

***spread kindness like confetti***

First Annual Fort Myers Doe Week

The cast of characters

And me, of course.

Some of the fun...

And too many games of Liver to count!

Not enough pictures including Terry...

But trust me, we had fun!

I have no shame. 

Now, it's back to the studio for some fun of a different kind. 

Stay tuned. 

****spread kindness like confetti****

It's over!

Could it really be over?

No more Christmas stash busting?

2 empty fabric bins in my studio?

Good God in heaven, I hope so.

I'm so overdone on the Christmas quilts thing I may turn Grinch green. 

Here's the (hopefully) last of it. 

I'll bring it north and Lola-fy it. 

I have so many Christmas quilts It's ridiculous. 

But, Im proud of myself for staying the course & using it all up. 

At least, I think I used it all. 

Flash & Sew is having a grand opening sale....30% off fabric. 

Maybe I need to reward myself?

***spead kindness like confetti***

Flip Flops

 My QBFF, Barb, bought this easy peasy wallhanging for me...

Isn't it cute?

I love flip flops...my life goal is to spend an entire year wearing nothing else. 

With almost my entire family living in the northeast, it's improbable. 

A girl can dream, tho.

I made it even easier by omitting the curves in the strip piecing. 

I did this hoping that I can use this piece to hone my thread painting/texturizing skills with Lola-baby. 

I wonder when I will get to it.

I need a longarm in each location.

Another dream.

I should've named this post 'Dreams',

Or 'Fantasies'

Or 'Chimera'

I just proof read this...good grief!

How do I always manage to blather on aimlessly?

Just a gift, I guess (read sarcasm here)

Thanks, Barb, for the inspiration to try something different. 

***spread kindness like confetti***

Wait...What?

Upon my arrival in paradise, I found this...

Gasp!

More bloody Christmas fabric.

Just shoot me.

I'm on it...

I found an easy pattern at Moda Bakeshop.

I'm halfway done all ready. 

I WILL purge my studio of holiday fabric if it's the last thing I do.

Well, all but the Santa Appilque quilt I started during the Reagan administration. 

I'm sure I'll get to finishing that up soon.

But not this year....

Dear God, I'm so sick of Christmas.

HoHoHo

***spread kindness like confetti***

Newlywed Quilt

HST hell has become a flimsy.

A flimsy with 4 feet.

I'm so important, I have quilt photo assistants. 

I shall take it north for Lolafication.

And, if all goes well, it will be a Christmas gift for my newlyweds. 

It's 64x64, so it should be newlywed snuggle worthy. 

I think there'll be room for a nugget under there, too. 

***spread kindness like confetti***

HSTs & Honor

Here's what I've been doing....

Missing this face....

Life is not nearly as sweet when I don't have this girl by my side. 

I wonder if she's missing me, too.

Surely, Pops is taking good care of her. 

Speaking of Pops...

Here's what he's been up to....

Yep....another Honor Flight went off!

This 105 year old vet was on a ship in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

God bless him.

And my Murray met Bob Dole!

Obviously, Pops is much more productive than I. 

***spread kindness like confetti***