I won, I won!

Okay, maybe I shouldn't say this but I'm excited and wanted to tell....

I got home today and in the mail box was a letter from the State Fair of Texas telling me that my tatting entry to the fair won a 2nd place! How about that. I'm so surprised! Alot of people from my group entered and I never expected to win. I entered it just as a challenge from my group. I'm very pleased and excited...

I'm also a little disappointed as my friends spent alot of time with their entries and some of them didn't win anything. Winning is fun, but how do you deal with your friends' disappointment at the same time? They worked just as hard, if not harder than me? Hmm, this is a tough one, huh? This is one reason I don't like to enter contests, especially with or against friends. I value their work just as much as mine. I can see the time and efforts they spend on a project. Hmmm, til next time....

My pincushion, it's finished....

Ok, here it is. I think it turned out really cute. I'm going to let it sit for a few days and decide if I need to put more crushed walnut shells in it. I really like the little prairie points on it. I asked my husband what he thought about it and he said, What is it??? I couldn't believe it. Oh well, no accounting for taste, huh?

Pincushion..Tatting Tuesday

Last night I worked on my pincushion. I am embellishing the sides with embroidery stitches and buttons. You know, kind of like crazy patch but not as much. I did this while watching The Closer marathon. I am through embellishing and can now start putting it together. My husband stopped at the pet store and got me some crushed walnut shells to put inside so I'll be finishing it up this week. I have enjoyed making this. It's been alot of fun...I plan on making more pincushions but not as big as this one. I'll take some pics when I'm finished.

Today is Tatting Tuesday and I'll be joining my friends tonight at the Senior Center. I won't be able to work on my pincushion or maybe I'll make some tatting to put on it too...we'll see. til next time....

First day of school

Ah, I feel really old now. My oldest grandson started kindergarten today. He's so sweet...just look at this handsome boy....







This one's my favorite. Him and his no teeth smile! I love you my big handsome boy and I'm so proud of you!

Trent in his carhardts!

Just look at this special boy....this is my youngest grandchild. He's so sweet in his carhardts. You're never too young to start wearing these!

Friday night sewing with friends

Last night I went to a church in Mesquite and sewed with some of my friends. I've known about this for several years and never gone. At the last quilt guild meeting they announced that they were meeting again at the church and invited anyone and everyone to come. I went and had a wonderful time visiting and sewing. They said they had been meeting the 1st and 3rd Fridays at this church for over a year and had invited others from the guild repeatedly to come. I didn't realize it was a sit and sew until last night. I don't know if I was just deaf or what but it finally sunk in and I went. Well, I'm hooked and am definitely going back for seconds. I had a ball. I knew most of the ladies but there were a few I didn't know until last night. Some are new to quilting but most are veterans like me. I sat and visited and worked on the pincushion I showed a couple of posts ago. Some of these ladies go to this church and that's how they get to have the meeting here. The church has even given them a designated room to come during the week to quilt in. They have 3 quilt frames set up in this room along with a few sewing machines and a big design wall and all kinds of patterns, fabric, coffee cups on the wall and a big wall of windows to look out of. It was like a quilting studio in this room. They meet every Tuesday during the day and quilt on their own quilts. There are about 12 ladies that come to quilt. Some but not all of these ladies go to this church but have been doing this for about 4 years. I have seen some of the quilts that come from this group and they are amazing! One of the ladies I was visiting with last night comes to the group on Tuesday but she brings her own hoop and quilts. There is not enough room for her around the frames yet...We won't go there! Anyway, I had a great time and am definitely going back. I got so inspired last night and my enthusiasm is returning. I read somewhere the other day on another blog that this person has lost her mojo and if anyone found it to please return it to her. I think maybe, I found it but I'm not giving it up! Gotta go, my sewing machine is calling me...til next time.....

Quilt Meeting tonight

Tonight was our annual picnic. It really shouldn't be called a picnic cuz we don't eat outside on the ground, we just call it that instead of annual dinner or whatever. Anyway... tonight, instead of a potluck dinner, we all chipped in and ordered from Jason's Deli. We had sandwiches, chips, pickles, fruit, cookies, tea and lemonade and the good thing was, we didn't have to cook it. We have this every year in August to announce the new leaders for our small group, the Sew What's. Door prizes are given out and gifts thanking others during the year that did things for our group. We have a treasurer, block chairpersons for the summer blocks, block chairpersons for the winter blocks, church quilt chairperson, Sunshine and Shadow person, etc, etc...I was the treasurer this year and will be again this next year and I received a gift for those duties.

I also won a door prize and everyone that attended received a gift too. The leaders this year made pincushions (one of my favorite things!) and gave out to all the members.

Here's the barbeque mit I received as a gift and the pincushion with scissors and tweezers that all of us got...







The door prize that I won was not quilt related but can be used for photos. It was a scrapbook kit...look at this. It was a great bag with 2 photo books and all kinds of embellishing items too...



I love this group of ladies. I have been in this small quilt group since 1992 and I have learned so much from these wonderful women. All of us have been the leaders/co-leaders of this group until last year, when we started getting some new members. Now, we have some new people to con into taking on these tasks! It's always fun to start a new year to see what the new leaders will come up with. I'm looking forward to another year of being with my friends.
Alot of these women have been quilting alot longer than I have. I learned from the pros...alot of blue ribbon winners and teachers in this group. I can remember how intimidated I was when I joined this group way back when. But, we sure have had some great times. Here's some pics of show and tell tonight. These are just a few but I thought you would enjoy them...


Look at this, it is so sweet. We had two leaders this year and one of the leaders gave the co-leader this as a thank you gift. All of the members signed it...



This was a panel, or should I say 4 panels put together. Sewn on lines and then cut down to the bottom layer to make it appear chenilled....very cute.



Blocks collected for a BOM but not used for the BOM...put together and made into a small lap quilt.



This was a turning 20 quilt..block sizes were increase a little bit and a big baseball appliqued on for a lucky grandson. He just got his own room.







This was a mystery quilt from Bonnie Hunter's Website, Quiltville.com